News 12/21

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1140396&format=text

Champs more than just talk

By Steve Bulpett | Sunday, December 21, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West
They are 25-2, one win away from tying the best start in NBA history through 28 games. They have won 17 straight, one win away from tying the franchise record. But as the Celtics [team stats] convened for a brief workout yesterday, most of the talk was about, well, talk.

When last the Celts met tonight’s opponent, the Knicks, there were verbal volleys aplenty. And when it was over, Quentin Richardson questioned whether the C’s would have the guts to speak that way if there weren’t referees around. By NBA standards, it was pretty harsh stuff.

“It was kind of hard for me to put a finger on it because I don’t know if he was really talking about me,” said Paul Pierce [stats]. “He said a lot of these guys ain’t really played enough years to be talking like that. I looked up and I’m in my 11th year, so I don’t know how many years I need. But I don’t really get caught into all that. I think it’s just them talking and trying to find an edge and trying to get under our skin.

“We’re going to let them do what they want to do, and we’re going to just try to continue to go out and play our game and not get caught up in all the distractions of the talk . . . and just try to keep winning ballgames.”

Down in New York yesterday, Richardson said he was referring to people like Kendrick Perkins [stats] with the “ain’t been in the league long enough” charge. Richardson’s coach, Mike D’Antoni, thinks the Knicks ain’t won enough to be woofing.

“To be honest with you, we shouldn’t be chattering because we really haven’t done anything,” D’Antoni said. “They earned the right to chatter. They can chatter.”

Richardson, whose team is 11-15 and has lost three straight, had to concede that point.

“I mean, as far as our wins and losses, and the things we have accomplished, (D’Antoni) is right,” Richardson said. “(But) as a competitive athlete, that is in your nature, that’s where we come from growing up in the neighborhood and going to the park and everything. When that starts to happen, you’ve got pride and get mad. You’re not going to sit down and let somebody say something to you. You are going to compete.

“Take nothing away from them, everything else that has been said, they are still the world champions, still a great team. Nothing can change that.”

According to Pierce, staying a great team is what concerns the Celts when extracurricular activities break out.

“That’s why we came up with Ubuntu,” he said. “For somebody to get into a fight or get a flagrant foul to where they’re missing two games, that’s being selfish and not really thinking about the team. And I think this team is always thinking team, and that’s why we don’t want to get caught up in all that. We understand that in the long run it can really hurt the team.”

And it’s nothing personal anyway.

“I don’t dislike anyone in the NBA,” Pierce said. “You know, we’re all brothers. We all come from different backgrounds, come from different places and we’re playing in the NBA like a fraternity. There’s not one person I can say I dislike in the NBA.”

And as for all that stuff about winning streaks and records?

“We haven’t even talked about it once,” Pierce said. “We haven’t talked about the streak. We haven’t talked about records. We just come to practice every day trying to get better.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1140397&format=text

Magic Johnson excited about Lakers-Celtics matchup

By Steve Bulpett / NBA notes | Sunday, December 21, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics
Magic Johnson seemed to be channeling his inner Don King at times when discussing the upcoming Christmas bout between the Celtics [team stats] and Lakers. Listening to him Thursday, you got the feeling Michael Buffer would be doing the PA and the Laker Girls would be replaced by lovelies carrying cards above their head to signify the start of the next round.

But six months after they last shared a court, the Celts and Lakers on the holiday is perhaps the most anticipated regular-season NBA matchup in years. Magic isn’t yet ready to put it on the same level as those meetings in the ’80s, but he’s big into the subplot. While he still refers to the Lakers as “our side,” he insists the hosts will be on the stand to face the serious questions.

“It definitely can approach that,” Johnson said of the hoopla. “I think the excitement is just like the old days, no question about it. And we know that the (2008 Finals) series was tremendous. But I think this is a game really for the Lakers to prove something to themselves, because the Celtics proved they’re tough, they’re physical.

“I think this is about the Lakers. The Lakers have to prove to the Celtics and to themselves that they can handle the physical play of the Celtics, which I thought (the Celtics) dominated the Lakers with their physical play. They also took the Lakers out of what they wanted to run. And then I think that last beating that they took by 39 points, that should have left a sour taste in the Lakers’ mouth.

“I’ve been closed out, but at least we put up a fight. We were fighting to the end. To me, that was an embarrassment for the Lakers, and those guys have got to come out and really prove something to themselves and show the league that they are really ready to challenge the Celtics. Because right now, the Celtics really believe that the Lakers can’t beat them. So it’s all about the Lakers on Christmas Day.”

Magic then touched on the Celtics’ confidence and the fact that center Andrew Bynum, missing from the Finals with an injury, is back in the LA middle.

“The Celtics know that they’ve got something over the Lakers and when you know that, you come in with confidence,” he said. “So I’m really excited to see - with Bynum being in there, because that was all the talk - and now we get a chance to see with him being in the lineup and these two powerhouses going toe to toe on the most special day in the world. It’s going to be, wow, it’s almost like I’m sweating now.”

Speaking on a teleconference to promote the game’s broadcast, Magic didn’t want to bite the hand feeding him. But you can tell he doesn’t necessarily believe newer is better when it comes to Celtics-Lakers.

“I would say you have to remember who was in the game at that time. I mean, Kevin McHale, Larry Bird, Robert Parish. They’re all Hall of Famers,” said Johnson. “Dennis Johnson should be in the Hall of Fame, and I hope that they put him in here soon. But then you had great role players. I mean, Danny Ainge was tremendous at spacing the floor. Scott Wedman. Bill Walton could still block shots and make passes. Quinn Buckner. (Cedric) ‘Cornbread’ Maxwell. That was a tremendous team. That front line . . . I still haven’t seen a front line that was as dominant.

“Then on our side the same thing. There’s so many Hall of Famers and so many guys who their will to win was very high. We all bought in to the style that we were going to play. They were the best halfcourt team; we were the best running team. So we collided. They were from the East; we were from the West.

“So do I think it’s the same intensity? Yes, it is. Is it the same hate? Not quite yet because they haven’t faced each other (enough). But I think it’s getting there. There was a lot of dislike there, so that’s what makes a rivalry. And I think Christmas Day you’re going to see a lot of that. So is it the same? Of course, because it’s still Boston vs. the Lakers, superstars on both sides. (Paul) Pierce and (Kevin) Garnett and Ray Allen - oh, my goodness, that’s a tremendous threesome. And then on our side now with (Pau) Gasol and Kobe (Bryant). You’ve got that same star power. You’ve got that same hatred for each other and then you’ve got great coaches on both sidelines. I thought Doc Rivers was just tremendous.”

Bottom line?

“It’s getting there,” Johnson said. “It’s not there yet, but it’s getting there. And I’m just happy that the rivalry is back. I think everybody in basketball is happy that it’s back, as well. The casual fan or the fan that left the NBA is now back because of that tremendous series that we saw last summer and spring.”

And as much as it pains his purple-and-gold heart, Magic gives the nod to the Green at this time.

“The Celtics are playing better on both ends of the court,” he said. “You can just tell that they really want to repeat. The Lakers have been struggling big time on the defensive end, so they’ve got a lot of work to do to come up to where the Celtics are.”

A moveable feast

The Celtics are happy with their current roster. To a point. It’s clear from their pursuit of Antonio McDyess and their interest in Dikembe Mutombo that the organization believes it still needs help inside.

“Whenever you can add talent and a veteran at that spot, it’s going to be a good thing,” Rivers said. “But I’m not out looking at the waiver wire every day. I can tell you that. I don’t worry about it at all. I like our team as it is right now. but if we can improve it, we’re going to do that.”

And if the Celts can do it by adding a player who already knows the system, so much the better. In other words, they’re still tracking P.J. Brown on GPS. His number is still on Rivers’ contact list.

“Well, I keep it anyway just because I like staying in touch with him,” the Celtics coach said. “It’s funny. When I call him now, I always say I’m not calling to recruit you - yet.”

Rivers and the Celtics seem to be well aware that the world changes in the postseason, and a veteran who knows how to navigate such waters is of great value.

“Yeah, the playoffs are a different beast,” Rivers said. “I think if P.J. didn’t prove that last year, no one has proved it. It was a great example of what just his presence and his calm and his knowhow can do for a team. You can’t replace that.”

By the way, McDyess now says it wasn’t a lock that he was going back to the Pistons.

“I had to look at every option. I didn’t think I looked good in green and white for one thing,” he said in reference to the Celts. “I felt more comfortable here and playing on a team I’m familiar with. I wanted to end my career here. I don’t want to be jumping from team to team chasing that ring. The ring is not guaranteed. Even if I went to the best team in the league - Boston, the Lakers, whoever - I just feel like anything can happen in the playoffs. I know that and I know this team. Anything can happen.”

A Knick that cuts

The message to NBA coaches is clear. If you want to keep your job, you’d better beat New York.

Sacramento’s Reggie Theus became the second coach to face the firing squad immediately after falling to the Knicks, with Washington’s Eddie Jordan starting the trend late last month. Oklahoma City’s P.J. Carlesimo had to wait eight days after losing to them before he was let go.

New York coach Mike D’Antoni got off a good one, saying, “Just because the Knicks beat somebody, they have to fire the coach?”

He was a bit more serious when he added, “We all know it’s a tough business. Half the teams lose, the other half win. Everybody wants to win. There’s going to be overachievers or underachievers. I don’t think it’s a reflection on his coaching, it’s a reflection on, ‘We’ve got to do something.’ I think there’s less patience. I just think everybody just wants to do better.”

All the firings have had an effect on the seniority ladder. Kevin McHale took over the Timberwolves on Dec. 8, and with Theus and Maurice Cheeks gone since then he’s looking like a graybeard.

“In a few weeks, I’ll be up there with (Jerry) Sloan,” he cracked.

Fiddlin’ and diddlin’

Pierce, Garnett and Allen already have their nickname, and we’ve referred to Rajon Rondo [stats] and Kendrick Perkins [stats] as the Other Two. So let’s make it official - The Big Three and The OT. . . .

The more Pierce talks about the NBA season as a marathon, the more we think Ainge ought to see if Robert Cheruiyot has any range on his jumper. . . .

Looking for a nice holiday gift or just a great read? Check out “Minestrone for the Mobster’s Soul.” Subtitled “Life Lessons from the Movie Mafia,” it weaves a great tale. Authors are Bulls assistant coach Bob Oceipka and his cousin Bruno, under the pen names Bobby Madura and Joey DiBruno. . . .

Nobody wins unless everybody wins.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1140407&format=text
Lakers freezing on trip to Florida

By Herald Wire Services / NBA Roundup | Sunday, December 21, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP
Jameer Nelson had 27 points, and the Magic overcame Kobe Bryant’s season-high 41 points in a 106-103 victory over the Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers last night in Orlando, Fla.

The Lakers, who lost Friday at Miami, dropped two straight for the first time this season.

Orlando, which beat perennial Western Conference contender San Antonio on Thursday, was looking to validate itself as a legitimate NBA title contender. They did just that, getting 22 points from Rashard Lewis en route to their sixth straight home victory.

Warriors 110, Bobcats 103 - Jamal Crawford scored 50 points to help undermanned Golden State beat host Charlotte, giving coach Don Nelson a win in his first game with a new coaching strategy.

A night after Nelson announced he would no longer have anything to do with the Warriors’ NBA-worst defense, assistant Keith Smart handled that part of the game, while Crawford handled the offense - and then some.

Crawford was 14-of-26 from the field and made 17-of-18 free throws, helping the Warriors snap a five-game losing streak. He was two points shy of his career high.

Suns 108, Nuggets 101 - Steve Nash scored eight straight points in the final 3 minutes as Phoenix beat Denver for the eighth straight time at home.

Nash finished with 16 points and 11 assists. Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Shaquille O’Neal had 19 points and nine rebounds, Jason Richardson also scored 19, and Grant Hill had 11.

Hill also did a strong job on Carmelo Anthony, holding the Nuggets’ leading scorer to 10 points - 11 below his average.

Pacers 95, 76ers 94 - T.J. Ford hit a 15-foot jumper with 3.9 seconds left and finished with 25 points to lead Indiana to a win in Philadelphia.

Andre Iguodala had 26 points for the Sixers in their first loss in four games under new coach Tony DiLeo.

Rockets 109, Timberwolves 102 - In Minneapolis, Tracy McGrady scored 23 points and Houston made 12 3-pointers while handing Minnesota its 12th straight loss.

Al Jefferson [stats] had 34 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks for the Timberwolves, but it wasn’t enough to stop his team from matching the franchise’s longest skid.

Bulls 106, Jazz 98 - Ben Gordon scored 26 points, and Derrick Rose had 10 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to push host Chicago past Utah.

Mehmet Okur had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz, who found out forward Carlos Boozer needs a third MRI on a quadriceps injury that has kept him out of 17 straight games. Boozer’s replacement, Paul Millsap, had 22 points and 10 rebounds.

Spurs 107, Raptors 97 - Tony Parker just missed a triple-double, posting 24 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as host San Antonio drained 16 3-pointers to hold off Toronto.

Tim Duncan scored 19 points, and Roger Mason added 16 for the Spurs.

Heat 106, Nets 103 - In East Rutherford, N.J., Dwyane Wade matched his season high with 43 points, scoring 12 of Miami’s final 14 points in a win over New Jersey.

Hornets 99, Kings 90 - Chris Paul had 34 points, nine assists and a season-high eight steals, James Posey added 19 points off the bench and New Orleans topped visiting Sacramento.

Bucks 119, Clippers 85 - Richard Jefferson scored 22 points, Luke Ridnour added 18 and host Milwaukee ripped Los Angeles.

Elsewhere in the NBA - LeBron James said he’ll consider signing an extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer, well before he enters the free agent market in 2010.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/21/talk_is_of_richardson?mode=PF
Talk is of Richardson
Pierce, Celtics focused on game
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | December 21, 2008

WALTHAM - It's no secret Knicks swingman Quentin Richardson despises the Celtics.

His history with Boston includes talk about how the Celtics didn't scare him prior to a 45-point loss last season; an ejection along with Paul Pierce from a Martin Luther King Day game in January; and more trash talk after this season's first meeting.

But a win for New York tonight would speak volumes without Richardson saying a word as it would keep the Celtics from matching history.

Despite Richardson's dislike for his Atlantic Division rival, one thing even he acknowledges he can't knock is an NBA championship.

"They're the world champions, no matter what," Richardson said recently. "Whatever the situation is, they're the world champions. They fought hard. They deserved it. You can't take that from them . . .

"I always enjoy playing against the best teams and some of the best players in the league. I always get pumped for that."

With a victory tonight, Boston (25-2) can match the best start in NBA history, set by the 1966-67 NBA champion Philadelphia 76ers and the 1969-70 NBA champion New York Knicks. The Celtics have also won 17 straight games and can tie the franchise record for consecutive wins, set by the 1981-82 squad.

The Celtics won the first meeting of the season against the Knicks, 110-101, Nov. 18. But today's Knicks (11-15) are different from the November Knicks, as forwards Al Harrington and Tim Thomas have replaced guard Jamal Crawford and forward Zach Randolph after trades.

After the Nov. 18 game, Richardson garnered notice by saying he would be "real curious to see what those [Celtics players] will be saying if we weren't in a basketball league, and didn't have referees" and "some of those guys are happy to get a ring, but you ain't been in the league long enough to talk to people like that."

On Richardson's comments, Pierce said yesterday, "It's hard for me to put a finger on it. He isn't talking about me. He said a lot of these guys haven't played enough years to talk like that. I'm in my 11th year. I don't know how many years I need. But I don't get caught up into all that.

"I just think it's just them trying to find an edge to get under our skin, and that's about it."

Looking back on comments he made early last season about the Celtics not being intimidating, Richardson said, "I voiced my personal opinion. When I said it back then, if you go around the NBA and talk to how many players, no one is going to concede victory to them even though they're the champions. They weren't at that time. Who does that?

". . . If you concede victory before you go out and play, you've lost already."

An NBA scout sitting near the Knicks at the Nov. 18 game said Richardson told Randolph after a timeout that he was getting in Pierce's head.

When asked about the bitter rivalry with Pierce, Richardson said, "It's a long story. It's not important. It's a sidebar to the game."

Pierce, however, said he has no problems with the Chicago native and said he remembers hosting him when he visited the University of Kansas. Pierce said the only reason they might have a rivalry is because they guard each other a lot in NBA games and offseason workouts in Los Angeles and Chicago.

"We play against each other so much in the summer and we're always talking trash," Pierce said. "You know how they do in Chicago, that's all they do is talk stuff. That's all summer ball is. I don't have any beef with Q."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers won't be surprised if the jawing continues tonight.

"For whatever reason, it's been there and I think [tonight] will be no different," Rivers said. "We just got to make sure we just do our job and play. Just talk to ourselves and leave the other stuff alone.

"But I'm sure there will be some [trash talking]. That's just how those games go."

Pierce doesn't know why there is so much drama when these teams meet.

"I guess we play them so much through the preseason and four times during the season," he said. "I don't know what it is."

But even with all the trash talking, Richardson doesn't expect it to ever be more than that.

"We don't play in the same days that [ex-Knicks center] Herb [Williams] and those guys play in where you push, punch, and maybe you even get a technical," Richardson said. "Now it's a different game. You don't have to worry about that as much. You can get suspended. It's a totally different story."

Streak? What streak? "We haven't even talked about it, not once," Pierce said. "We haven't talked about the streak. We haven't talked about any records. We just come to practice every day trying to get better. It's all about how we are playing from game to game. We understand once the playoffs start, all that stuff goes out the window anyways. It's not even talked about in here." . . . Rivers has been working on improving bench play and spent extra time working with the reserves after yesterday's practice. "We have to get better as a group with second-team consistency," the coach said.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2008/12/21/in_hub_miles_was_all_smiles?mode=PF
In Hub, Miles was all smiles
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | December 21, 2008

Darius Miles's Celtics career lasted a mere six preseason contests, but his fond memories will last a lifetime.

Miles, who missed the previous two seasons with Portland after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee, was given a chance to restart his NBA career when the Celtics invited him to training camp. As the only nonguaranteed training camp invitee, the odds were against the 6-foot-9-inch, 235-pounder making the defending champions' roster. Before he was waived Oct. 20, Miles proved he could still play and said he enjoyed a camaraderie he had never experienced since entering the NBA in 2000.

"That was the best team I've ever been on as far as the coach, general manager, owner, and players," said Miles, who signed with Memphis Dec. 13. "That was a great experience. It put sunlight on a rainy cloud. I told them I cherished the time. I felt like I was leaving brothers, the city. I can't think of anything that I didn't like. Well, I didn't like the tolls.

"I was around three future Hall of Famers. I saw Rajon Rondo develop. No one acted bigger than the game."

Other than the tolls, the only thing that Miles was disappointed about in Boston was himself.

"I would have been more aggressive [if given another chance]," Miles said. "I was more worried about defense and fitting in. I wasn't worried about being Darius."

The Celtics gave a favorable review of Miles to other NBA teams, but his looming 10-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug program caused squads needing help immediately to shy away. Miles kept in shape by working out with trainer Tim Grover five days a week. The Clippers recently worked out Miles and Charlotte also showed interest. The 2001 All-Rookie first-team selection will be eligible to play for Memphis Jan. 4 against Dallas.

"I'm counting the days," Miles said. "I'm working so hard right now. I don't want to disappoint. I want to succeed."

After an independent doctor determined Miles's right knee damage could be considered career-ending, the Blazers ended his drama-filled five-year stint in Portland by waiving him April 14.

Portland expected Miles wouldn't play again in the NBA. But if Miles plays in 10 games, the Blazers will be on the hook for $18 million left on his contract, which would count against their salary cap and leave Portland significantly less to spend on free agents next summer.

After he was waived by the Celtics, Miles believes the Blazers bad-mouthed him.

"[They were] calling teams," Miles said. "I wish it wouldn't have to be like that. I have no hard feelings toward them. I want them to succeed. I watch their games. LaMarcus [Aldridge] is going to be an All-Star. I really wish I could have played.

"I didn't feel I did anything wrong. I wanted to play for the team. It's not that I didn't want to play. They didn't want me."

Rare game on Christmas presents challenges
The Celtics will be playing on Christmas for the first time in six years when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday. The Celtics played on Christmas for the first time in 1948 and are 10-14 on that day (one home game). The Lakers will be playing on Christmas for the 10th straight time and 35th overall. The Celtics will leave Boston for Los Angeles after Tuesday night's game against the 76ers.

"Right now I'm trying to wrap my brain around it and how to approach it with the family," said Celtics guard Ray Allen, a father of three, about playing an NBA game on Christmas for the first time. "Do we have Christmas early? [My two sons] are young. They can open up presents tomorrow and we can say it was Christmas and they wouldn't know any better."

The Lakers beat the Celtics, 123-113, in 1970 in Inglewood, Calif., in their only previous Christmas meeting. Celtics forward John Havlicek had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain didn't start after showing up late to the game and didn't talk to reporters following a 24-point, 22-rebound performance.

This year's Celtics-Lakers Christmas game marks the first time these teams will meet since the 2008 NBA Finals. On StubHub.com last week, courtside tickets for the soldout game were going for as high as $10,000.

"You go out and grab a bite to eat, and everyone randomly around town asks, 'Hey, got any extra tickets to the Boston game?' " chuckling Lakers center Chris Mihm, an ex-Celtic, told the Riverside Press-Enterprise. "It's like, 'Oh yeah, let me just reach into my pocket.' "

Etc.


Not-so-fast break
While the Nets had no control over Nenad Krstic going to Russia, they may very well stop him from going to Oklahoma City.

The restricted free agent center is expected to sign a three-year, $15 million offer sheet with Oklahoma City soon after he leaves Triumph Moscow, according to an NBA source. Krstic played with New Jersey from 2004-08 before signing a two-year deal with Triumph worth about $16 million during the offseason. DraftExpress.com reported that the 7-foot, 240-pounder is displeased with his situation in Russia and intends to return the money he's received from Triumph to get out of his contract. Krstic averaged 11.7 points and 6.1 rebounds through his first 13 games with Triumph Moscow.

The Nets will have seven days to decide whether to match an offer sheet Krstic signs with the Thunder. New Jersey likely wouldn't land in luxury tax territory by re-signing Krstic, but it has several big men on the roster (Josh Boone, Yi Jianlian, rookies Brook Lopez and Ryan Anderson, Eduardo Najera, Stromile Swift, and Sean Williams). Struggling Oklahoma City could certainly use a veteran inside threat such as Krstic.


Greening of Marbury?
Two NBA general managers said they were so impressed with suspended Knicks guard Stephon Marbury's play in the preseason that they believe teams will overlook the drama that surrounds him and sign him if he becomes a free agent. The two-time All-Star averaged 8.5 points and 3.5 assists while making 3 of 10 3-pointers in seven games. While Marbury might fit in well with the Celtics, a veteran team making a run at back-to-back championships, he would have to come off the bench. If Boston decides to pursue the outspoken guard, team president Danny Ainge, coach Doc Rivers, and stars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce would all likely have to agree that it's the right thing to do.


Empty seats = hot seat
A record six NBA coaches have been fired before Jan. 1 this season. "It's disappointing," said National Basketball Coaches Association president and University of Minnesota coach Tubby Smith. "It's a sign of the times. You learn early in this business that you have to be productive and put people in the stands. Empty seats don't pay the bills. It's a business at that level and [the college] level." . . . According to an NBA GM, a major reason why the Miami Heat haven't been able to move forward Shawn Marion is because teams believe he'll want a long-term deal in the offseason. The GM said teams would rather wait until this summer and hope his price ($17.8 million this season) drops . . . An NBA scout described Boston College senior guard Tyrese Rice as a potential second-round pick in the 2009 draft. Going scoreless against winless South Carolina Upstate surely didn't help his cause.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/sports_columnists/x1007890773/Courtside-View-Quite-a-court-quintet
Courtside View: Quite a court quintet

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By Scott Souza/.Daily News staff
GHS
Posted Dec 21, 2008 @ 12:16 AM

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The Celtics might finally get one of their wishes from all of last season.

It might be time retire the "Big 3" moniker once and for all.

Or, at least, expand it to, say, the Phenomenal 5?

When looking for the reason the Celtics have actually been better this season than the edition that started 29-3 last year, went 66-16 in the regular season, and won the franchise's 17th world championship, the easy answer is the play of Rajon Rondo.

The better answer may be the play of Kendrick Perkins.

The best answer might be the combination of both of Boston's once-forgotten starters. Throughout last season, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce dismissed the revived title once bestowed upon Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish (network executives and team marketing folks, however, were not so eager to fall in line).

But during the 25-2 start and 17-game winning streak this season, it has become harder and harder to give all the credit to the trio of marquee names. Think about it: if you were to name a team MVP for the first third of the season, wouldn't the frontrunner be Rondo? If you were to pick Defensive Player of the Year so far, wouldn't you have to at least consider Perkins?

While Allen, Garnett and Pierce have all had their big moments, they have all had their quiet nights as well. The thing that has kept the Celtics winning night after night after night - especially over the past month - has been the play of the two starters who many nationally thought might prevent the Big 3 from ever accomplishing their ultimate goal.

As more and more features and magazine pictorials show the entire starting lineup, it is making the ones that only showcase sixty percent of the unit seem just so last year. The hype machine figures to ramp up to epic proportions this week with Boston's return to Los Angeles for a Christmas Day NBA Finals rematch, and it will be interesting to see whether ABC goes with last year's Celtics characterizations or showcases an updated and more accurate version.

Either way, he claims, is fine with Perkins.

"There ain't any mistake," the center said of the typical focus. "They earned it. They're All-Star guys, future Hall of Famers. So they earned that. They're supposed to talk about them. They've earned that respect. As young guys, we'll trying to gain their respect."

Perkins gained a lot of that respect on the team last year, and you can bet he is starting to gain it around the league now. He is averaging a career-best 9.0 points and 8.4 rebounds to go with 1.8 blocks (11th best in the NBA) and a 58.8 percent shooting clip (fourth best). Including his career-high 25 points in Friday's 126-108 victory over the Bulls, he has become a force on both ends of the floor.

"He's big for us," Rondo said. "A lot of people overlook Perk with the Big 3 and how well the team is playing right now. But he's been our anchor on the defensive end with key blocks - like last (Wednesday's) game against Atlanta. He's getting big blocks, he's getting rebounds, he's getting the ball and putting it in the rim."

It's been quite a climb for the high schooler who came to the Celtics badly overweight and offensively challenged more than five years ago. But six seasons and nearly 50 pounds less later, the center who turned 24 just a month ago has developed into a top 10 player out of the vaunted 2003 draft class that includes LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

"Big props to KG," Perkins credited. "He helped me a lot on my post game - telling me how to do it, how to get to certain moves. I'm just trying to keep building. Day by day, he's teaching me different things. It's a slow process. But I'm just learning. Last summer after the championship, I was supposed to get with him to work out, but I couldn't because of my shoulder (surgery in July). This summer, I'm looking to get with him again."

"He plays with a lot of fire," Garnett noted. "At the same time he's put a lot of poise in his game. He's actually under control in a lot of situations. Perk works too. He comes in on off days. Him and Paul will be in the gym at 10 at night working on their games. He's worried about his body and what he eats. You see it, and it's good to see it pay off in games. You root for guys who really put the hours in."

Rondo has become one of Boston's premier rooting interests as well - if you spot a girl under 21 wearing a Celtics T-shirt at the Garden, it is more likely to be a Rondo than an Allen, Garnett or Pierce. But while the entertainment value in his play is undeniable, it is what those quick hands, ball fakes and speeding blurs create on the court that has contributed as much as anything to the win streak.

"When he goes up against a top point guard you can tell he takes it personally by his focus and how he is just in attack mode," Perkins said. "He's been doing a great job taking a lot of the pressure off us."

Rondo had 15 of Boston's Garden-record 40 assists Friday night. His 7.6 assists per game are eighth in the NBA - third among point guards in the Eastern Conference - and his 2.4 steals are second overall. His 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 51.9 percent shooting are also career highs.

He is also two years younger than Perkins.

"Rondo got everybody involved," lauded Chicago's Ben Gordon after Friday's clinic. "He had 10 assists in the first half. He does a great job of spreading the wealth and making sure everybody gets touches in the right places. Perkins played tremendous with his rebounding and his put-backs. Everybody got some action tonight. That's what makes them such a good team."

In a league where stars have ruled for the bulk of the past 20 years, last year's Celtics team proved that three is better than one. So far this season, they are showing the power of five may be the strongest measure of a team's greatness of all.

"Each year, you just try to get better," Perkins determined. "That's part of being in the NBA. Once I keep a level head, stay away from all the emotional things, I think I'm a force to be reckoned with."

"He's a pretty self-motivated guy," concluded Rondo. "He wants to win this next championship just as much as I do, even more than last year."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/x1135114147/Celtics-win-tonight-would-tie-team-record
Celtics’ win tonight would tie team record

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AP
Kevin Garnett and the Celtics have another reason to beat their chests if they beat the New York Knicks tonight.


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Related Links CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Jousting match likely when Knicks visit tonight (12/20/08)
By Jim Fenton
GateHouse News Service
Posted Dec 21, 2008 @ 09:29 AM
Last update Dec 21, 2008 @ 09:37 AM

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BOSTON — The 1981-82 Boston Celtics went a mediocre 3-3 on their annual February trip out West, losing two of the last three games.

The defending NBA champions hardly had momentum on their side as they returned to Boston Garden for a three-game homestand.

That quickly changed, though, when the Celtics did a number on the Utah Jazz, 132-90, and followed with wins over the San Diego Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Little did the Celtics know they had just laid the groundwork for what would become the franchise’s longest winning streak.

The Celtics went from Feb. 24-March 26, 1982 without suffering a loss, compiling 18 straight victories. That broke the record set by the 1959-60 team that won 17 in a row.

The team that was led by Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale and Tiny Archibald has held the mark for 26 years, but they may soon have company.

The current Celtics can tie the franchise record with their 18th straight win tonight over the New York Knicks at the TD Banknorth Garden (6:05; TV: Comcast SportsNet; radio: WEEI-850 AM).

The Celtics (25-2) would also equal the NBA record for the best start, joining the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers and the 1969-70 New York Knicks, who won 26 games before suffering their third loss.

The ’81-82 record-setting Celtics were 37-15 after losing in Seattle to the SuperSonics at the end of their road trip.

The winning streak that followed moved them to 55-15, and the Celtics went 8-4 after that to wind up 63-19, five games ahead of the 76ers.

The Celtics won their 18 games by an average of 12.3 points with nine by double figures. They had 10 victories at the Garden, and the Celtics swept a three-game trip through Texas over a four-night span.

There were close calls along the way as the Celtics edged the Rockets in Houston, 100-98, for the sixth win in the streak. In the next game, they just got by the Knicks, 107-106. The 12th win came in overtime over the Washington Bullets, 98-87, on the road.

After pounding the Detroit Pistons, 125-104, on March 26, 1982 (a Friday night), the Celtics faced the Sixers at home on a Sunday afternoon and ran out of steam, losing, 116-98.

That would be a preview of things to come as the Celtics met the 76ers in the second round of the playoffs and fell behind, 3-1. After winning the next two games, the Celtics dropped a decisive Game 7 at home, 120-106, leading the capacity crowd at the Garden to start chanting, “Beat LA’’ to the Sixers.

The Celtics’ current 17-game winning streak is tied for the eighth-best in NBA history but is a long way from the record of 33 set by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers.

The Rockets are second on the list with a 22-game streak that was set last season and snapped in emphatic fashion by the Celtics on March 18 in Texas, 94-74.

The 1970-71 Bucks, with a center named Lew Alcindor, had a 20-game winning streak and the 1999-2000 Lakers went 19 straight games without a loss.

Three teams are tied for the fifth-best winning streak at 18 — the ’81-82 Celtics, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls and the 1969-70 Knicks.

Six teams have had 17-game winning streaks — the current and the 1959-60 Celtics, the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks, the 2006-07 Phoenix Suns, the 1995-96 San Antonio Spurs and the 1946-47 Washington Capitols.

As the Celtics have kept the winning ways going for five weeks, they have avoided talking about records or streaks. Getting them to discuss such issues is about as difficult as beating them on the court these days.

“We know what our focus is,’’ said Paul Pierce after Friday night’s 126-108 win over the Bulls. “We know what our goal is and we just kind of go by what we said last year — take it one game at a time and not get bored with the process and continue to get better.

“Whether we win or lose games, the goal for us is to get better as the season goes along. I thought we took a step forward (Friday). The defense could have been better, but I liked the way our offense carried us in.’’ The Celtics are plugging in whatever is needed at this point, turning to all phases of their game to keep rolling along.

“(Coach) Doc (Rivers) has been doing a great job keeping us focused,’’ said center Kendrick Perkins. “The whole coaching staff is here at 8 in the morning, leaving at 8 at night, every day, even on days off.

“You know they are putting us in the best position to go out there and play and they really know what’s happening.’’