News 12/26

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1141291&format=text
Streak ends vs. Lakers

By Steve Bulpett | Friday, December 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
LOS ANGELES - The outcome was bad enough for the Celtics [team stats], a 92-83 loss to the much-loathed Lakers. But this was worse.

In a duel between top NBA gunfighters, the Celts turned into Plaxico Burress. Oh, the Lakers played well and the C’s were certain to give them their due, but yesterday the visitors left the building with the sinking feeling that their wounds largely were self-inflicted.

They bickered openly, took bad shots and came up empty at a time of the game they have owned. Ahead by two points with 3:56 remaining, the defending champions looked defenseless as the Lakers scored 13 of the affair’s last 15 points to cook the Green’s Christmas goose.

Both teams were wearing snowflake patches on their jerseys, but only the Celts melted when things got hot. Gone is their franchise-record 19-game winning streak, and they now have three losses to go with 27 wins.

“Well, as a Boston fan you never want to lose to the Lakers,” said Paul Pierce [stats], who had 20 points and 10 rebounds. “We get a chance to see them again. It’s a long year. We knew that the streak had to end. We didn’t want it to end tonight, but hey, it happens.”

It happened because the Celtics clearly were more in the spirit of the season. They gave and gave, turning the ball over 18 times for 22 Lakers points while extracting just 11 points from Los Angeles’ 11 giveaways.

If that wasn’t bad enough, there was more.

“We were arguing, which we haven’t done in the past,” said Rajon Rondo [stats], who felt fine after taking a Pau Gasol shoulder to his chest and getting the wind removed from his lungs. “We’re just so competitive. We wanted to win. You know, a guy thought one thing and somebody else thought the other. That’s not like us. That’s not the usual Celtics.

“We all had our opinions in the huddle. We didn’t let Doc (Rivers) do the coaching. We all were trying to be the coach. With two minutes to go, we came out of the timeout and didn’t know what play to run. That just blew the game right there.”

Lakers fans took a page from the Red Sox [team stats]-Yankees rivalry, belting out a familiar chant, and the Celts lived down to the barb by scoring 83 points, their second-lowest output of the season (79 at Indiana). For a team that had produced 126, 124 and 110 points in its past three starts, this was a nasty about-face.

Kobe Bryant had 27 points and Gasol added a way too easy 20, but the Celtics were feeling this was an inside job.

“They played a great game, but when it comes to communication, that’s within your team and who you are,” said Kevin Garnett, who hit his first seven shots and finished 11-of-14 for 22 points. “We took a step back from that tonight. I wouldn’t necessarily say it was them. I’m pretty sure they saw us being discombobulated a little bit and picked up on that and fed off that.”

Tony Allen scored twice in an 8-2 run early in the fourth quarter to get the Celts even at 75. Garnett hit a jumper and threw down a slam on a Rondo alley-oop pass to finally give the Celts a lead, 81-79, with less than four minutes to go.

But with Prince on hand to check out buddy Garnett, the artists formerly known as the Fakers came up big. Bryant hit a highly contested turnaround jumper from the right baseline, and Gasol stuck a jumper then took a Bryant pass and threw in a right hook. After Garnett scored on a long jumper, Gasol drove for a three-point play. When Gasol blocked a Ray Allen jumper at the other end, Trevor Ariza raced down the floor and threw down a reverse jam to ice Phil Jackson’s 1,000th career victory.

“Tentative,” Rivers said of his team. “Just bad turnovers, bad execution. It was out of the norm for us. I thought for a team that has been phenomenal down the stretch of games, I didn’t think we were very good. I thought we took early shots on the clock. You know, there’s 2:20 left and we’re jacking 3s up with contested shots. One thing we haven’t been is that. We’ve been as composed as any team I’ve seen in a long time, and I thought quite honestly we lost it a little bit at the end. That happens sometimes. Each guy wants to win the game so bad.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1141307&format=text
Christmas Eve a bummer on road for Celtics
Home where hearts are

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Friday, December 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
LOS ANGELES - Working on the holiday wasn’t all that strange or difficult for the Celtics [team stats]. Christmas Eve was a different story.

“Last night was tough,” coach Doc Rivers said before yesterday’s 92-83 loss to the Lakers. “I would say when you’re in your room by yourself and you know your family’s back at home having Christmas Eve dinner - that’s the tradition at our house - that’s tough. It’s funny, you could tell last night for the whole group . . . you could tell that talking to the guys it was tough.

“Today you get up and you know you’re about to play a basketball game. You know, last night you’re sitting in your hotel room thinking, ‘What the hell do you do?’ You’re just sitting there watching bad TV.”

Rivers decided against having a team gathering Wednesday night.

“Kevin (Garnett) lives here and Paul (Pierce)’s family’s here and Gabe (Pruitt)’s family’s here,” the coach said. “I didn’t want to put them in a position where I’m taking them away from their family.”

The Celts were, however, scheduled to get together last night after they arrived in San Francisco.

“It is a neat situation,” Rivers said. “It’s an honor to play on Christmas Day obviously. You have to earn that. . . . We can’t forget two years ago we didn’t have a national TV game period. So we’re playing on Christmas now, and I don’t want to lose sight of that.

“Obviously I would rather have it in Boston. I really believe it’s the way it should be since we were the team that won, but it’s not a big deal.”

Baby back

Glen Davis was back in the rotation after missing two games with a concussion and neck strain suffered when he lost control of his SUV on the Mass Pike last Sunday. It took a few possessions to shake off the rust, and Davis finished with four points and four rebounds in 13 minutes,

“I’m feeling great,” Davis said. “I’m bruised up a little bit, but that’s the game. Everybody plays with bruises every day.”

No one in the three-car accident was badly hurt, but Davis said, “It was scary. Any accident you get in is scary. You know, you’ve just got to appreciate life and really understand the reason why you’re here. I’m always thankful for that, and thank God that nobody got seriously injured.”

Davis shattered the driver’s side window with his head. He noted that he was wearing a seatbelt. The second-year player was thankful that C’s boss Danny Ainge rushed to the hospital after the accident, and that others came to check in.

“It was great support,” Davis said. “This is a family right here. We care about each other. A lot of people care about me, so that’s a good thing.” . . .

Kendrick Perkins [stats] had to ice his left shoulder after taking a hit in the first quarter. It’s the same shoulder the center disclocated at the Staples Center in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, but he said this was more of a bruise than a pull.

Gift of giving

Pierce was happy to be in his hometown for Christmas, but that made him a target for those seeking the hottest ticket in the city.

“I can’t count how many people were after me,” Pierce said. “I can tell you how many tickets I gave out. I gave out 43 this time.”

Asked if he had to renegotiate his contract to pay for them, Pierce laughed and said, “No, they’ve got high-level tickets upstairs.”

He then turned to add, “Hey, but everybody can come to the Clippers game.”

That would be Feb. 26.

High praise

Phil Jackson, who yesterday became the fastest coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games, was asked if it’s possible the Celtics could get even better.

“They are better,” Jackson said. “Their decision-making and how they get things accomplished on the floor - there’s a certain knowledge that they have. It’s just an idea of what works at what time, and they seem to have that internal knowledge. It’s part of their DNA now.

“It’s not the year (together), it’s the playoffs they won together. Regular season is what it is. . . . But when you play a seven-game series and you have to play a team multiple times, then you learn a lot of the little tricks of the trade.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1141318&format=text
Cavaliers stay perfect at home

By Herald Wire Services | Friday, December 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage
Being home for the holidays was almost a downer for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Down by eight to woeful Washington, the Cavaliers scored 11 straight points in the final 1:33 to preserve their perfect record at home with a 93-89 victory last night.

Mo Williams scored 24 points, and LeBron James and Delonte West had 18 apiece for the Cavs, who at 15-0 are the NBA’s lone unbeaten team at home.

Cleveland trailed 89-82 before storming back with three free throws by James, a 3-pointer by Williams and five more foul shots in the last 26 seconds.

Antawn Jamison scored 28 points, and Mike James had 26 for the Wizards, who dropped their eighth straight and continue to find new ways to lose.

The Cavaliers’ home winning streak was as good as history when Jamison drained a 3-pointer with 1:40 left to put the Wizards ahead by seven points.

But James was fouled shooting a 3 and, after starting 3-of-7 from the line, Cleveland’s superstar made three straight from the line to pull Cleveland to 89-85. Williams then drew a charge on Jamison in the lane and then demanded the ball from James and got it before hitting a 3-pointer to make it 89-88 with 1:03 to go.

James missed for Washington and Jamison fouled out while battling Anderson Varejao for a rebound. Varejao made both free throws to give the Cavs a 90-88 lead, and Cleveland got the ball right back when Caron Butler was called for charging into Ben Wallace. The Wizards had to foul and Williams made them pay by hitting two free throws to make it 92-89.

Magic 88, Hornets 68 - Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points to lead host Orlando over New Orleans in a matchup of division leaders.

Dwight Howard had 12 points and 15 rebounds in Southeast-leading Orlando’s sixth-straight win. Rashard Lewis added 18 points to the victory and Jameer Nelson had 14.

The Magic’s only loss in their last 11 games was by one point at Phoenix on Dec. 12.

David West had 13 points for New Orleans.

Paul, the NBA steals leader (3.7 average), snapped his league-record string of 108 games with at least one.

Spurs 91, Suns 90 - Roger Mason sank a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to give San Antonio the win against host Phoenix.

The Suns had taken the lead on Grant Hill’s layup on an out-of-bounds play with 4.3 seconds to go. Tony Parker drove toward the basket for San Antonio and threw to Mason, who was wide open because defender Jason Richardson was late getting there.

Amare Stoudemire had 25 points and 13 rebounds and Shaquille O’Neal 23 points and 12 boards for the Suns. O’Neal was 9-of-16 at the foul line to become the only player other than Wilt Chamberlain to miss 5,000 career free throws.

Steve Nash had 13 points for Phoenix. His eight assists made him the 13th NBA player to reach 7,000 for his career.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/26/christmas_break?mode=PF
Christmas break
Lakers snap Celtics' win streak at 19
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | December 26, 2008

LOS ANGELES -- It was inevitable that the Celtics would lose at some point. But the rare agony of defeat was much more bitter after their bitter rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, made it happen.

The defending champion Celtics fell, 92-83, to the Lakers yesterday at Staples Center in the first meeting of the teams since last spring’s NBA Finals. The loss snapped the Celtics' franchise-best 19-game winning streak, and a 10-game road winning streak.

The Lakers outscored the Celtics, 21-16, in the fourth quarter, including a 12-3 run to end a contest that lived up to the hype.

"As a Boston player, you never want to lose to the Lakers," said Celtics forward Paul Pierce, the 2008 Finals MVP, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds. "But it is what it is. Fans, family, and people out there had a great game to watch. We’ll have a chance to see them again.

"It's a long [season] and we knew the streak had to end. We didn't want it to end tonight. But, hey, it ends."

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who scored a game-high 27 points, said, "It was a good measuring stick for us to show how much we have progressed since the Finals."

The loss was the Celtics’ first since Nov. 14 against the Nuggets in Boston and first away from home since the Nov. 1 road opener against Indiana. The Celtics (27-3) have little time to fret, though, as they play at Golden State tonight.

The Lakers (24-5) won their 12th straight home game and earned Phil Jackson his 1,000th career coaching victory.

Asked about the oddity of losing, Celtics forward Kevin Garnett said, "It's pretty odd. We haven't lost in a while. Tonight I feel like we missed assignments, missed communication. Things that we are known for, I feel like we took a step back on tonight.

"Our hat's off to a good Laker team. The guys played hard."

Prior to the announcement of the Lakers' starting five, a giant white drape running from the scoreboard to the floor showed highlights of this storied rivalry.

While renowned Lakers fan Jack Nicholson wasn’t at the sold-out game -- brokers were getting more than $10,000 for a ticket -- such celebrities as Mark Wahlberg, Kevin James, Snoop Dogg, Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, George Lopez, and Adam Sandler were in attendance. Three Garnett fans also were here: singer Prince, world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao, and brother-in-law/music producer Jimmy Jam.

"It was a beautiful day," said Garnett, who had 22 points and 9 rebounds. "Obviously, we lost. You don’t like that. But there was a lot of energy in the building. LA was LA. That felt good. The celebs. The seats were filled. I hope everybody enjoyed the show. It was a great game. Both teams played extremely hard."

Said Bryant, "They are a team that has been playing so well. But at the same time they did win 19 in a row so they were due for one loss."

The Celtics finished the first quarter with a 24-23 lead after shooting 61.1 percent from the field, though they did not attempt a free throw and allowed 7 points off six turnovers. Bryant had 10 points in the first quarter, making 5 of 8 shots. Pierce had 12 points at halftime, while teammate Ray Allen had 11.

The Lakers outscored Boston, 28-21, in the second quarter to take a 51-45 halftime lead. In the first half, the Celtics' bench had 2 points on 1-of-10 shooting, no free throw attempts, 6 fouls, and 2 turnovers.

The Celtics responded in the third quarter with an 8-0 run finalized by a Pierce jumper to retake the lead at 64-62 with 3:32 left. It was Boston's first lead since 24-23.

But with Bryant resting, the Lakers finished the third with a 9-3 run (two treys and a 3-point play) to take a 71-67 advantage.

"They came back at us in the third quarter," Jackson said. "We didn’t lose the third quarter by much, 2 points. But there was no momentum."

Four Celtics reserves and Allen were on the floor at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Bryant was back on the floor for Los Angeles, too.

A 21-foot jumper by Celtics reserve guard Eddie House tied the game at 75 with 8:08 remaining. With 6:46 left, starters Rajon Rondo, Pierce, and Garnett were all on the floor with reserves Tony Allen and Glen Davis with Los Angeles up, 77-75. Starters Kendrick Perkins and Ray Allen returned shortly.

Boston's bench finished with 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting.

Garnett’s alley-oop dunk on a fast break with 3:56 left in the game gave Boston an 81-79 lead. But two straight Pau Gasol baskets on assists from Bryant gave the Lakers an 85-81 lead with two minutes left.

Garnett's 23-foot jumper with 1:44 left sliced the Celtics' deficit to 85-83. But Gasol's 3-point play with 1:28 remaining pushed the Lakers ahead, 88-83. Following a Gasol block of an Allen jumper, Trevor Ariza’s fast-break reverse dunk pushed Los Angeles ahead comfortably, 90-83.

The Lakers scored the final 7 points of the game and Gasol scored 9 of his 20 in the fourth.

"You always want to get a win whenever you play a basketball game, whether it's at home or on the road here," Pierce said. "We lost to a team that played better than us tonight. Give them all the credit.

"We just have to play better down the stretch. Certain points of the game, we didn't execute. That was the difference in the ballgame."

Said Rivers, "We will give the Lakers their due. They won the game. We'll see them again."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/26/gasol_supplied_the_big_finish?mode=PF
Gasol supplied the big finish
Down the stretch, he came up huge
By Steven Herbert, Globe Correspondent | December 26, 2008

LOS ANGELES -- Pau Gasol's three key plays down the stretch last night might not silence Boston-area critics who accuse the Lakers power forward of being soft or unable to match up with Kevin Garnett, but they played an important part in ending the Celtics' team-record 19-game winning streak.

After trying to back up Garnett, only to have the Celtics forward "dump him on his butt," as Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson put it, Gasol scored 7 points in a 1-minute-20-second span that proved to be decisive in the Lakers' 92-83 victory at Staples Center.

"I thought Gasol picked his game up more than anyone," said Celtics center Kendrick Perkins.

Gasol's 15-foot jump shot with 2:48 to play put the Lakers ahead for good. His 7-foot jump hook 48 seconds later increased the lead to 85-81. After a Garnett jump shot pulled the Celtics back within 2, 85-83, Gasol's 3-point play with 1:28 left put Los Angeles up, 88-83. Then he ended whatever chances the Celtics had for a victory by blocking a Ray Allen shot.

"Playing with him every day, you realize how talented he is," said Lakers forward Luke Walton. "When he's aggressive like he was down the stretch, he's one of the premier players in the league."

Gasol's early play made him an unlikely candidate for late-game heroics. He missed four of his first five shots.

"I wasn't being effective," he said. "I wasn't contributing the way I want to. I was a little tentative at first, not as confident as I usually play.

"I couldn't believe I wasn't helping the team the way I'm supposed to help my team. I was a little down, but I was able to shake that off and get aggressive and convert.

"I wasn't getting in any flow. Usually I don't miss easy jumpers. [Garnett] was having a pretty good offensive night shooting. You feel like you're letting your team down a little bit. I was glad I was able to turn it up."

The turning point, according to Gasol, came when he passed up a wide-open jumper on the baseline and was fouled by Rajon Rondo. Eleven seconds later, Gasol made the jump shot that gave the Lakers the lead for good.

Despite having the league's third-best record, the Lakers have drawn criticism for their defense and losing games they should have won.

This victory shows "we can beat anybody," and "we can play defense against a great team," Gasol said.

The Celtics' 83 points marked their second-lowest total of the season.

Still, some Lakers downplayed both the victory and how it ended the Celtics' record winning streak.

According to center Andrew Bynum, ending the streak was "not a big deal to us."

Forward Trevor Ariza said, "I don't even think we thought about that. We just worried about the game we had to play. We had to win for ourselves. We weren't worried about the streak."

Walton said, "It feels better than most wins, but in the big picture, it's another win on the schedule, trying to get the best record in the NBA."

This was the first time the Celtics faced the Lakers with both Gasol and Bynum on the court, and it may have exposed their lack of height, at least against Los Angeles.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers had said before the game, "People who know me know how much I love length." Afterward, he said, "I thought their length bothered us, honestly, a little bit."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/26/with_a_dose_of_perspective_davis_returns?mode=PF


With a dose of perspective, Davis returns
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | December 26, 2008

LOS ANGELES - While taking a late-morning cab ride downtown for yesterday's big game against the Lakers, Glen Davis and Ray Allen couldn't help but reflect on life after the scare Davis had last Sunday.

Davis played yesterday for the first time since being involved in a three-car accident he caused by sliding on a patch of ice while en route to Boston for Sunday's game against New York. The second-year forward missed two games after the accident, but the coaching and training staff cleared him to play.

In the 92-83 loss to the Lakers, the 6-foot-9-inch, 289-pounder finished with 4 points and 4 rebounds in 13 minutes.

"Any serious accident you get into is scary," said Davis, who suffered from headaches in the days after the crash. "You just got to appreciate life and really understand the reason why you are here. I am always thankful that no one got seriously injured."

While Allen routinely gets to the arena early on game day, Davis joined him earlier than usual to take some shots, run sprints, and get rid of some rust.

"We just were talking off-the-court stuff," Allen said. "I just told him that you know how the world can change, your life can change. We always have to be prepared for whatever changes that are presented to us."

Davis expressed strong appreciation for the concern the Celtics showed for him following the accident. He added that he didn't have any major physical problems as a result of it.

"You're going to be bruised up a little bit, but that's the game," said Davis. "I play with bruises every day."

Asked about his return to action, Davis said, "I felt good. I felt a little rusty at first, but then I got back in the groove."


Hashing it out
While the Celtics have a growing reputation for trash talking their opponents, they had an internal battle going against the Lakers. Following an Allen turnover on a wild pass intended for Rajon Rondo with 7:47 left in the third quarter, the two Boston guards got into a heated discussion. With the Lakers coming back on offense, Paul Pierce pulled Allen away and pushed him toward his defensive assignment to end the verbal dispute. Rondo said the Celtics had a spirited debate during a second-half timeout, too. "We are so competitive, we want to win," said Rondo, who had 6 points and a game-high 12 assists. "We've got to get past that because it's not like us. It's not like the usual Celtics." Said Kevin Garnett, "We argue every night. That's why I think we're so good and that's why we've been able to mesh so early. We do voice our opinion. Tonight's no different just because it was Christmas or an ABC game. Our communication is our strength, whether it's arguing or a small quarrel. But the fact that we are all talkative and do voice our opinions is the strength of this team."


Star gazing
Garnett is still on pace to be an Eastern Conference All-Star starter after the second balloting returns, which were released yesterday. Cleveland's LeBron James is leading East forwards with 1,259,764 votes, while Garnett is second with 905,506. Nets forward Yi Jianlian, aided by votes from his native China, is third (762,162), Toronto's Chris Bosh is fourth, and Pierce is fifth. Allen is fourth among East guards with 354,642 votes, but Rondo didn't have enough to rank among the top 11. Kendrick Perkins is 10th among centers with 54,772. Following the completion of fan voting for starters, the head coaches in each conference will vote Jan. 29 to determine the remaining All-Stars.


Blue Christmas
Though the Celtics were on the road on Christmas Day, Pierce and Gabe Pruitt are from Los Angeles, Garnett has an offseason home in nearby Malibu, and Sam Cassell and Eddie House have local ties from their days with the Clippers. But coach Doc Rivers and other members of the team couldn't help but miss family members on the holiday. The Celtics celebrated Christmas during a team dinner in San Francisco last night. Rivers said they didn't have the dinner Christmas Eve in Los Angeles because he didn't want to take Pierce, Garnett, and Pruitt away from their families. "Obviously, I'd rather have [the game] in Boston," Rivers said. "That's how it should be since we were the team that won [the championship]. But it's not a big deal. [Christmas Eve] was a tough night. When you're in your room by yourself and your family is at home having Christmas Eve dinner - and that's our tradition at our house since we've been there - that's tough. You're sitting in your room and you're thinking, 'What do you do?' You're just sitting there watching bad TV."


Packing the house
Pierce got 43 tickets for family and friends. He joked that it was easy to find tickets upstairs and that "everybody could come to the Clippers game." . . . Rondo wore Christmas commemorative Nike Blue Chips that had red laces, green trim, and Santa Claus on the tongue. Several other Celtics also had sneakers with Christmas colors. On their uniforms, the Celtics and Lakers wore commemorative NBA Christmas patches in the shape of a snowflake.

[FLCeltsFan]

Fireworks on the floor
Link|Comments (1) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff December 25, 2008 07:17 PM
The Celtics had some interesting fireworks on the floor in the third quarter between Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. Following an Allen turnover on a wild pass attempt to Rondo with 7:47 left in the third, the two got in a heated discussion before Pierce pulled Allen away and pushed him toward his defensive assignment. During three of the Celtics’ next two possessions, Pierce had a turnover on a bad pass and Allen had an offensive foul while the Lakers pushed ahead 62-56. The Celtics, however, temporarily took over the lead thanks to an 8-0 before finishing the third down 71-67.

While renowned Lakers fan Jack Nicholson isn’t at the sold-out game that brokers sold tickets to for over $10,000, such celebrities as Kevin James, Snoop Dogg, Dustin Hoffman, Mark Wahlberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Prince, Denzel Washington, George Lopez, and Adam Sandler are here.

C's halftime
Link|Comments (1) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff December 25, 2008 05:46 PM
The Celtics' bench has been of big concern of late and their play with only one starter in Paul Pierce wouldn't change any worry for Doc Rivers right now. None of the bench players seem to be in complete sync offensively right now. Boston's bench had 2 points 1-of-10 shooting in the first half and six fouls. After a recent shoot around and practice, Rivers was working on offensive with the bench. Chants of "Boston (stinks)" rang throughout the Staples Center after the Celtics fell behind 37-28 and took a timeout with 7:22 left in the third quarter.

C's-Lakers first quarter
Link|Comments (0) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff December 25, 2008 05:30 PM
Interesting match-up as Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant has been defending Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo on some possessions. While Bryant is considered one of the NBA's best defenders, Rondo is still imposing his will taking the ball to the basket to either pass or shoot and seems to be too quick for the superstar.

The atmosphere is very exciting, but definitely not nearly as loud as it would have been in Boston. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said before the game that his team deserved to have a Christmas game at home since they are the defending champs. The Celtics will have a Christmas team dinner tonight in San Francisco at their hotel. Celtics forward Glen Davis returned to action late in the first quarter after missing the previous two games following a car accident.

Davis to play for C's
Link|Comments (1) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff December 25, 2008 05:02 PM
Celtics forward Glen Davis will be available for today's game against the Lakers after missing the previous two games following a car accident in Boston on Sunday en route to a game against the Knicks. Davis was at Staples Center early working on his jumper shot and running to prepare himself. Coach Doc Rivers said Davis is fine and if he doesn't play well he will just go in another direction.

“Scary. Any serious accident you get into is scary," said Davis, about the accident. "You just got to appreciate life and really understand the reason why you are here. I always thankful that no one got seriously injured.”

KG still leads Yi in All-Star balloting
Link|Comments (1) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff December 25, 2008 02:22 PM
NEW YORK, Dec. 25, 2008 – Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and LeBron
James of the Cleveland Cavaliers lead the Eastern Conference, while Kobe
Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets top
the Western Conference after the second returns of 2009 NBA All-Star
Balloting presented by T-Mobile. Howard, the reigning Sprite Slam Dunk
champion, is the overall leader with 1,421,882 votes.

The 58th NBA All-Star Game will be played in Phoenix on Sunday, Feb. 15.
The game will air live (8pm ET) on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200
countries and territories worldwide. Phoenix also hosted the All-Star
Game in 1975 and 1995.

James, the 2008 NBA All-Star Game MVP, paces all Eastern Conference
forwards with 1,259,764 votes, followed by Boston’s Kevin Garnett
(905,506), the leading vote-recipient in 2008. Miami’s Dwyane Wade, the
NBA’s leading scorer, leads all Eastern Conference guards with 1,229,858
votes, followed by Detroit’s Allen Iverson (858,469). Philadelphia’s
Samuel Dalembert (232,733) is running second to Howard at the center
position.

Bryant leads all Western Conference players with 1,280,912 votes,
followed by Yao (1,114,709). The Houston Rockets’ Tracy McGrady follows
Bryant at the guard position with 746,098 votes. San Antonio’s Tim
Duncan (903,311) and Phoenix’s Amar’e Stoudemire (626,796) pace all
Western Conference forwards, with Shaquille O’Neal (546,583) of the
Phoenix Suns trailing Yao at the center position.

The 2009 NBA All-Star Balloting program, which also includes partner 2K
Sports, allows fans around the world to vote daily for their favorite
players as starters for the All-Star Game in a variety of ways,
including: at each NBA arena; in 20 languages on NBA.com; and through
mobile phones at t-zones® on T-Mobile phones or wap.nba.com for any
wireless carrier. A T-Mobile-branded All-Star Balloting widget is
available on NBA.com so that fans can "grab" the widget and place it on
their blogs, social network pages, or personal websites allowing others
to vote directly from the widget. Voting will continue through Jan. 11,
for paper balloting and Jan. 19, for NBA.com and wireless balloting.

NBA All-Star 2009 is a week-long celebration that enables fans to
experience the thrill of the world’s greatest athletes playing the game
they love and features a full slate of community-enhancing activities
including the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service and fan festivals such
as NBA All-Star Jam Session.

One hundred twenty players – 60 each from the Eastern and Western
conferences – are listed on the NBA All-Star ballot. Voters select two
guards, two forwards and one center from each conference. The 120
players on the ballot were selected by a panel of media experts who
regularly cover the NBA. This year’s panel included Paul Coro (Arizona
Republic), Ernie Johnson (TNT), Jack McCallum (Sports Illustrated),
David Moore (Dallas Morning News), Marc Spears (Boston Globe) and Marc
Stein (ESPN.com).

Updated results for the Eastern and Western Conferences will be issued
regularly leading up to the announcement of the All-Star starters on
Thursday Jan. 22, prior to a TNT doubleheader. Following the completion
of fan voting and the starting line-up announcement, the head coaches in
each conference will vote to determine the remaining All-Stars in their
respective conference, which will be announced Thursday, Jan. 29 prior
to a TNT doubleheader.

As the presenting partner of the 2009 NBA All-Star Balloting program,
and in support of the NBA’s season-long effort to better the various
communities in Phoenix, T-Mobile will donate $1 for every ballot cast on
t-zones, T-Mobile's wireless Web portal, to help the youth of Phoenix.
The week leading up to the 58th NBA All-Star Game will feature a full
slate of community-enhancing activities and fan festivals, such as NBA
All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas and the T-Mobile Rookie
Challenge & Youth Jam on Friday, Feb. 13.

In conjunction with All-Star Balloting, 2K Sports will give fans the
opportunity to experience Phoenix and the best of basketball by entering
the NBA 2K9 Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to NBA All-Star 2009
and to have their likeness as a digitized player incorporated in next
year’s game, NBA 2K10.

The leaders of both the Eastern and Western Conference players for the
second returns of the 2009 NBA All-Star voting program are attached:

2009 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING EASTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 1,259,764; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 905,506; Yi
Jianlian (NJ) 762,162; Chris Bosh (Tor) 500,700; Paul Pierce (Bos)
313,474; Shawn Marion (Mia) 210,040; Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 137,035; Danny
Granger (Ind) 116,238; Josh Smith (Atl) 110,186; Michael Beasley (Mia)
100,257; Tayshaun Prince (Det) 98,262.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,229,858; Allen Iverson (Det) 858,469; Vince
Carter (NJ) 600,087; Ray Allen (Bos) 354,642; Devin Harris (NJ) 267,504;
Gilbert Arenas (Wash) 205,223; Derrick Rose (Chi) 203,687; Luke Ridnour
(Mil) 197,933; Jose Calderon (Tor) 193,715; Jameer Nelson (Orl) 174,081;
Joe Johnson (Atl) 162,772.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,421,882; Samuel Dalembert (Phi) 232,733;
Rasheed Wallace (Det) 163,279; Jermaine O’Neal (Tor) 147,534; Andrew
Bogut (Mil) 112,708; Al Horford (Atl) 107,118; Ben Wallace (Clev)
89,809; Emeka Okafor (Char) 69,015; Zyrdrunas Ilgauskas (Cle) 60,970;
Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 54,772; Brendan Haywood (Wash) 28,182.

2009 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING WESTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: Tim Duncan (SA) 903,311; Amar’e Stoudemire (Pho) 626,796;
Carmelo Anthony (Den) 602,457; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 553,611; Ron Artest
(Hou) 509,717; Pau Gasol (LAL) 424,135; Shane Battier (Hou) 292,287;
Bruce Bowen (SA) 286,923; Josh Howard (Dal) 209,802; Luis Scola (Hou)
181,253; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 145,857.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,280,912; Tracy McGrady (746,098); Chris Paul
(NO) 725,251; Manu Ginobili (SA) 386,846; Tony Parker (SA) 358,107;
Jason Kidd (Dal) 299,107; Steve Nash (Pho) 281,909; Jason Terry (Dal)
226,754; Rafer Alston (Hou) 211,017; Brandon Roy (Por) 174,244; Chauncey
Billups (Den) 170,645.

Centers: Yao Ming (Hou) 1,114,709; Shaquille O’Neal (Pho) 546,583;
Andrew Bynum (LAL) 259,331; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 235,292; Greg Oden (Por)
144,650; Andris Biedrins (GS) 101,115; Al Jefferson (Minn) 86,296; Tyson
Chandler (NO) 85,452; Nick Collison (OKC) 67,338; Marcus Camby (LAC)
49,235; Chris Kaman (LAC) 19,415.

Who wants/needs it more: Celtics or Lakers?
Link|Comments (5) Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff December 25, 2008 09:46 AM
In Part 2 of our Christmas Day exchange with the bloggers from the LA Times Lakers blog, Andrew Kamenetzky and I engage in a lively debate: Which team needs this game more?

Our boy Andrew Kamenetzky kicks it off:

Actually, the answer is "Neither," because NOBODY on this planet needs a specific outcome- namely, a Laker victory- more than the Kamenetzky Brothers. For real. If the Lakers can't pull this sucker out, our little corner of the Internet will basically explode. Our blog duties will primarily consist of talking readers down from cyber ledges- since their 23-6 Western Conference leaders will now have clearly reached "bottom feeder" status- and explaining why oodles of one-sided trade suggestions aren't realistic, despite ESPN Trade Machine approval. Frankly, we do a fair amount of that as it is. Thus, I can safely say the stakes riding on this contest aren't higher for anybody than the L.A. Times' LakersBlog co-hosts. Period. Point blank. End of story.

But in terms of who runs a distant second between the Lakers or Celtics, I give the edge to the hosts. Not because a win "means" anything definitive for either team, mind you. No matter how this shakes out, both teams are obvious elites and have plenty of time to become even better. Plus, you never know what'll happen from now and February (the next meeting), much less when the playoffs begin in April. Dudes get injured. Teams enjoy monster rolls and endure wretched slumps. And frankly, who's to say the Cavs ain't better than either '08 Finals rep, anyway? Those cats are balling at the moment, in case folks haven't noticed. To treat this game as the early stage of an inevitable coronation would be, on its best day, premature. Not that the media isn't salivating to do so, of course. But assuming both teams play well, the final result will be more "entertaining" than truly "indicative."

Having said that, the Lakers are still the metaphorical bridesmaids who played Julia Roberts to a Beantown Cameron Diaz (my blatant pandering to your female readership, by the way) and want to remove a bad taste from their mouths. Coming up short, and in particular, that Game 6 massacre, hurt. The degree of pain lingers varies from Laker to Laker- Sasha Vujacic literally won't wear green until revenge is exacted- but I seriously doubt anybody has reached a place of being "okay" with it. The Lakers wiping that slate clean, if just partially, with a win means more than Boston having to "settle" for a 19-game winning streak. Unless they lose by 50, Team Green's credentials will remain above reproach, but the Lakers' recent sluggishness means they'll likely still hear "question mark" talk even with a victory, much less a loss. But that chatter will certainly come at a lower volume (unless Stephen A. Smith is on hand) by chalking up "W" #24.


Gary Dzen, of the Boston Globe:

It's more of a must-see than a measuring stick.

Don't misread any of the following as a dismissive jab at the Lakers. One championship has not deluded Celtics fans to the point where they think their team is untouchable. But beating the Lakers on Christmas Day is not the goal. In the grand scheme of things, it's just not that important.

Celtics fans care about Thursday's game for two reasons. The first is that Boston will have a 19-game winning streak on the line. No matter how much C's fans try to downplay the Lakers as an opponent, losing the streak to LA would sting a little more than losing it to someone else.

But the main reason Celtics fans care about this game is because it's a game they would not miss. It's great television. It will bring back memories of Pierce outplaying Kobe in his own building. Of Ray Allen making Sasha Vujacic look like his feet were glued to the floor. Of the Celtics, who came into the Finals as underdogs, storming back from a 24-point deficit in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.


Rajon Rondo is developing into a star (David Kamerman/Globe Staff)
And it will be a chance for Celtics fans to reach out to their friends on the West Coast and whisper, "You know what? This year's team is even better."

There will of course be Celtics fans for whom this game is a statement game. Whether trumped up by obnxious media outlets such as ourselves, or organically produced by those who know the game best, the perception is that the Celtics (27-2) and Lakers (23-5) are far and away the two best teams in the NBA this season. If the Celtics lose to the Lakers, you can expect sports talk shows to run with it and declare the Lakers the favorites. That will be too much for some Celtics fans to take.

But it shouldn't be. The Celtics are 27-2!!! I mean, stop and think about that for a moment. Does one regular-season loss, on the road, to a very good team from the Western Conference, diminish anything the Celtics are doing? If the Celtics bounce back from that loss and win another 18 straight on their way to clinching home-court advantage for the playoffs, is anyone going to care about that Christmas Day game?

As the defending champions, the Celtics seem to have a statement game every other night. Opening night against LeBron. Beating the Pistons with Iverson. Winning down in Atlanta. The team brings their fans along with the ride for each of these emotional contests. The Lakers game is just another of those challenges.

There may, however, be one reason that Celtics fans want this one more than Lakers fans. You see, while the Lakers were trumping the return of Andrew Bynum as a reincarnation of Shaq, the Celtics were dusting off their new toy: Rajon Rondo, the All-Star. Celtics fans want so badly to show the country what Rondo can do.

And there's no better day to show off a new toy than Christmas Day.

----------

Alright, that's it for me! Merry Christmas, and enjoy the game everyone! (Click here to read the exchange, and the comments, from the people out in LA)

Celtics-Lakers update
Link|Comments (0) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff December 24, 2008 06:10 PM
Celtics forward Glen Davis worked out today in Los Angeles for the first time since suffering a concussion and strained neck in a car accident last Sunday. Coach Doc Rivers will determine today whether the second-year forward will return to action after missing the last two games. Davis, however, has also been hampered by headaches lately. ... The Celtics arrived to Los Angeles from Boston at 4 A.M. PST on today and had the day off. The Lakers arrived in Los Angeles after playing New Orleans at 1:30 A.M. today following a four-game, five-day road trip and had a shoot around early in the afternoon. Lakers coach Phil Jackson and guard Sasha Vujacic also complained during the shoot around about Celtics fans throwing rocks and shaking the Lakers team bus in Boston after the Celtics won the title at TD Banknorth Garden. ... Lakers guard Jordan Farmar underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. The surgery, which took approximately 30 minutes, was performed by Dr. Clarence Shields of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Group. Farmar is expected to be out approximately eight weeks. Farmar suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Lakers game at Miami on Friday night. He is averaging 7.9 points and 2.4 assists in 19.6 minutes this season.

[FLCeltsFan]

sportsblog.projo.com/2008/12/celtics-leon-po.html
Celtics' Leon Powe offers a hand in foster care
7:45 AM Fri, Dec 26, 2008 | Permalink
Mike McDermott Email
By Jonathan Okanes
Contra Costa Times

OAKLAND, Calif. - With each new chapter, Leon Powe's story just keeps getting more uplifting.

Powe, who overcame an impossibly challenging upbringing in Oakland to become an All-American basketball player at Cal and now a key reserve for the world champion Boston Celtics, continues to demonstrate a personality that seems rare for somebody with his background. His latest achievement is "Fresh Start Family Services," a mentoring program for foster children.

"Sometimes they need that extra attention," said Powe, who makes his one Bay Area appearance of the season tonight when the Celtics visit the Warriors. "Sometimes they feel like nobody out there really cares about them. We want to take a special interest and have them know we want them to succeed. We're trying to help them help themselves, but we're really trying to help them, too."

Powe's plight is well-known in Oakland and the surrounding communities. His father walked out on his family when he was 2 and he bounced around to different foster homes and homeless shelters throughout most of his childhood after his younger brother, Tim, accidentally burned the family's home down while playing with matches.

Powe also lost his mother, Connie Landry, just days before his Oakland Tech High School team was to play in the state championship. Then he had to overcome two major reconstructive knee surgeries to make it to the NBA.

All along, Powe has somehow retained a positive demeanor and a responsibility to give back to a community that essentially saved his life. One of those people is Bernard Ward, a former high school basketball star himself who overcame drug problems during his younger years and now does social work in the community. Ward rescued Powe from the streets and became his unofficial guardian and mentor.

"Bernard and Leon had this idea that they wanted to give something back to the community and the kids," said Fresh Start consultant Craig Barton, who has been the division director at Alternative Family Services, a foster and adoption agency, for 16 years. "They came in here one day and I could see they were serious about doing something. We started talking and planning and then it evolved into bringing it all together."

Alternative Family Services invited Fresh Start to share their Oakland office, with the blessing of AFS executive director Jay Berlin. Fresh Start has been busy getting funding and recruiting mentors and hopes to start with a group of about 10 kids ages 14-21.

Fresh Start will provide vocational and educational mentors with the hope of developing productive members in the community.

"We're just trying to help kids, help them get a better opportunity," Powe said. "If you have that extra support like I had - it really helped me out a lot. If more people go out of their way to help them, they'll want to help themselves, too."

Powe's inkling for charity goes back to his days at Cal. After being named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, he sat out the following season after undergoing his second knee surgery. While away from the game, he started speaking to elementary school children and other community functions.

He's also held free basketball camps and done other philanthropic work in the Boston area.

"I always wanted to do something like this," Powe said. "When I was younger, I told Bernard I always wanted to do something to help kids. I just didn't know what or how to put it together. I got a little older and we really started to see things come to life."

Powe's stature as an NBA player will allow him to provide financial support for the program as well. Ward said once Fresh Start is up and running, Powe wants to provide the funds for whatever is deemed necessary to succeed.

"I had to tell Leon not to spend all this money right away," Barton said. "We had to slow this down. If anything, I've had to slow (Powe and Ward) down and tell them we're not spending all this money."

The program has enhanced meaning for Powe because he now is the father of an 11-month old boy, Leon Powe III. Powe said that has made him even more interested in making sure children are surrounded with adults who take an interest in their lives.

"I didn't have a father figure in my life," he said. "Foster care kids just have to have somebody there for them and somebody who believes in them."

[FLCeltsFan]

sportsblog.projo.com/2008/12/lakers-wanted-a.html

Lakers wanted, and needed, this victory more than the Celtics
7:50 AM Fri, Dec 26, 2008 | Permalink
Mike McDermott Email
By Steve Dilbeck
Los Angeles Daily News

LOS ANGELES -- The hungry dog eats, even on Christmas. Even when it has been less than imagined or hoped for or pretty-please desired.

The Lakers came into their showdown with the Celtics an impressive 23-5, and very much needing to beat Boston down. Needing reason to truly believe they are as good they like to think they are, that they are that much better than the team Boston drummed in the Finals last June.

The Celtics came into Staples Center on the roll of a lifetime, having won a franchise-record 19 consecutive games. Still looking focused and determined, and playing with a mature consistency that has eluded the Lakers.

But the Lakers needed this one more, needed to brush aside the perception that they were soft, too weak mentally, just too inferior to the mighty Celtics.

Despite the great run the Celtics were on, despite the glare of a nationally-televised Christmas Day game, this game was more important to the Lakers, and ultimately they played like it.

They may not have been dramatically better, but it was the Lakers who answered the challenge, who made plays down the stretch and came away with the 92-83 victory that reeked of playoff intensity.

The Lakers had been winning, yet somehow languishing. Their impressive start giving way to victories that felt too difficult, or losses to inferior teams they should have handled with relative ease.

It shouldn't have been this way, but they clearly needed something to gain their attention, to challenge their imagined greatness.

Nothing like a rivalry game with the team beat you 131-92 in Game 6 of last season's Finals to get the juices flowing again.

"Teams like this will make us play scrappy," the Lakers' Lamar Odom said.

Force you to play hard, to ratchet up your game, to learn something you only suspected you knew before.

"It's a good measuring stick for us to see how much we've progressed since the Finals," Kobe Bryant said.

The Lakers thought they were improved because of last year's experience and the addition of a healthy Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza.

But they needed evidence to truly believe it was enough to beat Boston. Needed to be able to put the element of doubt back into the Celtics.

The Celtics played well throughout Thursday. Despite trailing most of the game, the Celtics were not ready to go away and took the lead, 81-79, with 4:02 to play.

Then the Lakers answered with their most impressive play of the season. Their defense lit up. Pau Gasol, again badly outplayed by Kevin Garnett most of the night, lit up. They were cool and collected.

Pushed, the Lakers responded. They outscored the Celtics 13-2 down the stretch. Took control while the Celtics rushed shots and appeared uncharacteristically ruffled.

"We've been as composed as any team I've seen in a long time, and I thought quite honestly, we lost it a little bit at the end," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "Sometimes you want to win so bad, each guy starts taking what we call the `hero shots.' I thought we had a boatload of `hero shots' down the stretch."

It was, of course, only one game. One regular-season game. Light years removed from winning a championship.

The Lakers seemed somewhat unsure what to make of it, or at least how to publicly acknowledge it. Bryant alternated between calling it "just another win" and "special."

It was the 1,000th career victory for Phil Jackson, yet he too was uncertain what the victory might ultimately mean to the team.

"I don't know," he said. "We'll have to wait and see what happens after this. It's a good win. We know we wanted to win it and had the ability to do that."

The test for the Lakers now is to build on this. To learn from any previous mental wonderings, to continue to play with defensive intensity, to come wanting to dominate, regardless of whether the opponent is Boston or Sacramento.

On Thursday the Lakers were a team eager to step up. To prove the addition of Bynum and Ariza is significant. That their bench truly is superior to Boston's. That they have learned past lessons.

"Tonight they just outhustled us and worked harder," said Celtics center Kendrick Perkins. "They were just hungrier than us."

There will be a rematch Feb. 5 in Boston. And if all goes as the Lakers hope, another in June when psyches and true improvement will be tested again.

"We wanted to win, but this game doesn't change our minds on what we feel we can do," Rivers said. "It was a fun game to be a part of. Good lesson for us. We have to give the Lakers credit.

"We'll see them again."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/12/26/2008-12-26_for_telfair_twist_of_fate.html
FOR TELFAIR, TWIST OF FATE
BY MATT GAGNE
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Thursday, December 25th 2008, 11:49 PM

Antonelli/News
Sebastian Telfair struggles with the T-Wolves after the Celtics decide to rade him, and not Rajon Rondo, in the deal for Kevin Garnett.

Related News
Articles
Knicks look to snap four-game skid
Sebastian Telfair returns to New York with the Timberwolves Friday night, but that doesn't necessarily mean a Coney Island point guard will appear on the Garden floor.

Telfair, the cousin of exiled Knicks guard Stephon Marbury and a fellow Lincoln High School alum, has seen inconsistent minutes this season and twice failed to make it off Minnesota's bench in the past three games.

Once featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and thought to be a surefire star when he made the jump from high school to the NBA, Telfair hasn't started a game since Nov.16 for a team that is 4-23 and in the midst of a league-worst 13-game losing streak.

It's a long way from Boston, where the defending champion Celtics have no regrets about trading Telfair and four other players for Kevin Garnett two summers ago.

Acquired in a trade with the Trail Blazers, who took Telfair with 13th pick in the 2004 draft, the Brooklyn product shared time with Rajon Rondo at point guard during his one season in Beantown.

When the opportunity came to get Garnett, a coin flip essentially determined who should stay and who should go.

"At the time, neither one of them had done anything and they were both at the same level," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We didn't know if we were going to be right or not."

Rondo came into his own last season, averaging 10.6 points and 5.1 assists as Boston won its first championship since 1986. His numbers are up this season (11.6 and 7.4) and he has been a driving force in the Celtics' record-setting start. Against the Knicks, for instance, he had 18 points in the third quarter alone, scoring a career-high 26 points in Boston's 124-105 victory.

But it's not a stretch to imagine Telfair in Rondo's position, feeling little pressure surrounded by veteran leadership and taking advantage of the lanes that open up when the Big Three - Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen - spread the floor.

"Hypothetically, it would have absolutely helped him," Rivers said. "Playing next to Kevin, Ray and Paul makes you better. You're instantly a better player, and that would have made him a better player."

Telfair, who declined to be interviewed earlier this week, signed a three-year contract in July - a reward for putting up numbers similar to Rondo's last season with 9.3 points and a career-high 5.9 assists per game for Minnesota. He also set career highs in shooting percentage (40) and games started (51).

But Telfair has taken a step backward in his second season with the Timberwolves, and can only watch as Rondo becomes a star with the Celtics.

Suspended without pay, Telfair missed the first three games of the season after pleading guilty to a weapons charge stemming from an April 2007 incident in Yonkers. And he's started just five games, all in early November, while averaging 5.3 points and 3.2 assists.

He's seen as many as 40 minutes coming off the bench, and as few as four. Against the Spurs on Tuesday, Telfair scored a season-high 16 points in 30-plus minutes, with 10 points coming from the foul line in a 99-93 loss.

"Where do you go from being on the cover of Sports Illustrated in high school? Really, you're either a superstar or you're a bust, and that's completely unfair," Rivers said. "I think if Sebastian Telfair became just a solid, good point guard in the league, to me, he's achieved a lot."

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nyroundtree Dec 26, 2008 6:57:24 AM Report Offensive Post
I guess it's a family thang

nyawker Dec 26, 2008 7:31:12 AM Report Offensive Post
Doc Rivers is a really classy guy.

BXBoston Dec 26, 2008 7:33:09 AM Report Offensive Post
Bust

respectall Dec 26, 2008 8:05:52 AM Report Offensive Post
SHOULD HAVE WENT TO SCHOOL GOT THE MONEY.AND LOST HIS MIND DID NOT WORK ON HS GAME ANYMORE.TO LINCOLN NEXT STAR CHILD LANCE.KEEP YOUR HEAD ON RIGHT TAKE YOUR TIME THE MONEY WILL BE THERE.THE WORLD IS MORE THAN LINCOLN HIGH ITS REAL OUT HERE.DO SOMETHING HE ID NOT DO BE HUMBLE.

JimmyBx Dec 26, 2008 8:33:15 AM Report Offensive Post
Sebastian rode Marbury's coattails to undeserved stardom. He was never as good as he thought he was. Sure, he dominated opposing High School point guards across the country, but he never could handle the physical nature of the NBA because his body wasn't and isn't as strong as Stephon was and is. Even then, Marbury went to college for a year. Nobody should feel sorry for him. The boy has millions and will die a very rich man.


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[FLCeltsFan]

www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakerside26-2008dec26,0,4573884,print.story
Lakers rediscover their defense in beating Celtics
Led by Trevor Ariza's two big plays and a strong inside presence from Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, L.A. puts the clamps on Boston in a 92-83 win.
By Broderick Turner

December 26, 2008

Lakers, meet Mr. Defense.

Mr. Defense, say hello again to the Lakers.

The Lakers and Mr. Defense were best friends when the Lakers began the season as one of the top teams among virtually every defensive category in the NBA. Then the Lakers and Mr. Defense parted ways, the slippage in effort and results coming in waves thereafter.

But on Christmas Day, against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics, the Lakers rediscovered their defensive mantra in a very big way during a 92-83 victory Thursday at Staples Center.

"It's a work in progress," Trevor Ariza said. "It's a long season. We don't intend on going out and not playing good 'D.' But sometimes things click, and tonight was one of those nights."

The Lakers limited the Celtics to 46.8% shooting from the field.

They blocked nine shots, three by Pau Gasol, and two each by Andrew Bynum, Luke Walton and Lamar Odom.

Boston Coach Doc Rivers conceded that the Lakers were solid on defense.

"It was good," Rivers said. "We rushed shots, but they were there. You've got to give them that credit. We can say we were sloppy, we can say we missed shots. But at the end of the day, Bynum was in the right place. He was long and they made us miss shots."

The fourth quarter was when the Lakers really put the clamps on the Celtics.

Boston led, 81-79, with 3:56 left, but it scored only two points the rest of the way.

"Tonight, I felt our defense was pretty consistent," said Kobe Bryant, who led the Lakers with 27 points, a team-high nine rebounds and five assists.

The Lakers hustled on defense, chased down loose balls -- no one more than Ariza.

He ran down a bad pass by Paul Pierce, getting there ahead of Eddie House, tightroping along the baseline and keeping himself from going out of bounds until he found a streaking Sasha Vujacic for a layup that turned into a three-point play.

Ariza had just that one steal, but it came at a key point with the score tied at 77-77.

Ariza also ran down the Celtics' Kendrick Perkins, who was going in for an apparent dunk before Ariza stripped him of the ball.

The humble Ariza often prefers not to talk about his exploits, but he was asked to explain the two big hustle plays he made.

"I don't know, man, I guess it was big," Ariza said in a low voice. "Two big stops, two big plays. We got the win. We needed this one. Any part of contributing to a win is good for us. Anything that I can do to try to help our team win, that's what I'm going to try to do."

After the game, Vujacic expressed his sentiments about the Celtics, who beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals in June, 4-2.

Does he hate the Celtics?

"I'm not going to say hate, but I dislike them," Vujacic said. "Hate is a strong word. I don't like them. I don't want to talk about them."

Vujacic was asked again if he hated the Celtics.

"More than that," he said. "I can't even imagine what more than hate is. You have to go to vocabulary and find out."

[e-mail]

[FLCeltsFan]

www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/la-sp-heisler26-2008dec26,0,2352627,print.column

For a change, the Lakers take it seriously
Their strong effort against the Celtics comes from the fear of losing.
Mark Heisler

December 26, 2008

Fear this.

On Christmas Day, for the first time this season, the Lakers took the court without serene confidence in the fact they were going to win.

Since they beat their arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics, 92-83, this should be an invaluable experience in other games against teams they respect enough to fear.

Let's see, there's the Feb. 5 game at Boston.

And the Feb. 8 game at Cleveland.

They also play the Cavaliers on Jan. 19. That one is here, but if LeBron James and the guys, who have won 24 of 26, keep rolling, the Lakers might mount a major effort for them too!

Yet to be determined is whether the Lakers have undergone an actual attitude adjustment and will play hard all the time.

On the other hand, when you think of their fans booing them off the court at halftime in their last game here, when they trailed the New York Knicks by 15, followed by losses in Miami and Orlando and a rally from five points behind in the last 3:30 to win in Memphis, Christmas marked some turnaround.

The Lakers defended energetically, if not always well.

They showed that their physical advantages over the Celtics in size and depth matter.

Of course, for a while it looked as if there was still no advantage they had that the Celtics couldn't overcome, as they overcame that 24-point lead in last spring's pivotal Game 4.

If the Lakers didn't want to admit it, and the Celtics were nice enough not to throw it in their faces (this time), the Lakers needed this game much more.

It was on their court. They were the ones who lost in last spring's Finals, looking physically intimidated at the end.

They were the ones who had struggled in recent weeks, while the Celtics' winning streak climbed to 19.

So, with the Lakers playing as hard as they could, taking a 10-point lead in the first half and an eight-point lead in the third quarter, they saw the Celtics tie it up.

Then, in a plot turn from last spring, the Lakers became the ones who gutted it out at the end, finishing with an 11-2 run, with Pau Gasol scoring seven of the points, totally shutting the Celtics down.

The Celtics grimaced and took it like the professionals they are, giving the Lakers credit.

Well, all but one Laker.

The exception was Andrew Bynum, who missed last spring's series, whose modest line -- nine points, seven rebounds, two blocks -- doesn't measure his impact.

Nor were the Celtics about to acknowledge it.

Does Bynum make a difference, Kevin Garnett was asked.

"No," Garnett said.

Compared with last season's team?

"No."

It's not a shock to run into another 7-footer?

"It's not a shock because our defensive assignments are made if it was Chris Mihm, if it was Andrew Bynum, if it was Pau at the five

and Lamar [Odom] at the four [power forward]," Garnett said. "Our defensive assignments don't change no matter who's there. . . .

"Hell, it could be Shaq [O'Neal]. Our defensive assignments are what they are."

Except they're not.

Last spring, Gasol was single-covered and held to 14.7 points a game by the physical Kendrick Perkins. Now Perkins guards Bynum with Garnett on Gasol.

As great as KG is, he won't beat Gasol up. In another departure from last spring, Gasol fought back at the end, going from a three-possession stretch in which he passed up two open jumpers and turned the ball over in the post, to his closing burst.

The Celtics, who pride themselves on execution, couldn't get anything close to a good shot in the last two minutes.

Oh, and Rajon Rondo said they "argued among ourselves," including one instance in which he and Ray Allen barked at each other so long, Paul Pierce came over and pushed Allen back toward the Laker he was supposed to guard to break it up.

"We argue like that all the time," Garnett said. "Our communication is the strength of this team."

If the Celtics can survive their own discussions and still play all out, it's no wonder they're so good.

For the moment, the Lakers are just glad to know they're in the same league.