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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 6, 2009 7:29:41 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1143369&format=textCeltics navigate bumpy road By Steve Bulpett | Tuesday, January 6, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Stuart Cahill Celtics fans need not join any doomsday cults or fill out a change-of-address card for the afterlife. “We have six losses,” Paul Pierce [stats] said. “I mean, the world’s not coming to an end.” For those immersed in Green, however, the skies are rather gray and threatening these days. Four of those six losses to which Pierce referred have come in the past six games. It wasn’t all that long ago the Celtics [team stats] were off to one of the best starts in league history and winking with purpose at the Chicago Bulls’ record for most wins in a season. But after losing 4-of-5 on the road, the Shamrocks are shaking their head at 72 victories. They looked to have righted their ship by blowing out the Washington Generals . . . er, Wizards in last Friday’s homecoming, but any hopes of a quick turnabout from the West Coast troubles were dashed in a New York minute. The Celtics didn’t just lose to the Knicks Sunday night, they got outworked. They got out-toughed. As they prepare to meet the Bobcats tonight in Charlotte, N.C., the C’s are sounding an awful lot like they did in Portland a week ago. They’re saying nothing major is wrong, that they just have to clean up a few things here and there. (Judging from the road troubles, it’s mostly “there.”) “We talked about it as a group afterwards and I think we’re all in the right place,” Ray Allen said. “It’s just small little things we’ve got to do when we’re out there and just be good together as a unit. Simple as that. “But there’s a competitive spirit in this locker room that is disappointed, very frustrated in losing this game (to New York). We all agree that the Knicks played a great game. They beat us. But there were things we knew we could have done better.” The Celtics have had a little experience dealing with tough basketball times, and Allen is hoping that experience will ease them through this stretch. “I don’t think it’s any different,” he said. “The adversity that we’ve gone through the last two years, the guys have responded really well to it. We almost have reveled in it, because we’ve bounced back from it pretty well. As a team, we’ve always come closer.” But it can be hard to reconcile the 2-4 group of the past two weeks with the team that began the season with 27 wins in 29 games. “We know we’re a better team than how we’ve been playing lately,” said Pierce, who has played some of his best ball lately in attempts to bail out his brethren. “We know what we’re doing right and we know what we’re doing wrong.” The wrong? “I think we’re just inconsistent with our defense,” Pierce said. “We’re playing in spurts instead of for the 48 minutes - and just communication. I think we just have to get back to that and just take pride in every night.” The right? Pierce had to think about that for a second. “Not a whole lot,” he said. “Nothing I can put my finger on right now. But the thing is we’re not going to lose confidence as a group. That’s our strength - our togetherness. We said that after the game. We’re a team that sticks together and we’ll get through this.” The good news yesterday was that Kevin Garnett is expected to be fine after getting kicked in the right calf during the third quarter Sunday. As Garnett put it, “I’m good. I’m just (ticked) off that we lost.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 6, 2009 7:34:53 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1143370&format=textScouting report: Celtics at Bobcats By Herald staff | Tuesday, January 6, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matthew West TONIGHT - 7, Time Warner Cable Arena; Charlotte, N.C. TV - CSN. Radio - WEEI-AM (850). THE NUMBERS 4: Losses for the C’s in their past six games. 2: Losses for the C’s in their first 29 games. WHO’S HURT The Celtics [team stats] have no reported injuries. For the Bobcats, G Raja Bell (strained groin) is doubtful. WHO’S HOT For the C’s, F Paul Pierce [stats] has made 19-of-27 shots (70.4 percent) in his past two games. For the Bobcats, C Emeka Okafor is averaging 17.3 points and 11.7 rebounds in his past six. WHO’S NOT For the C’s, G Ray Allen was 0-for-9 on 3-point attempts against the Knicks. For the Bobcats, G D.J. Augustin is shooting 26.9 percent (14-for-52) in his past five games. BOTTOM LINE With Houston on tap tomorrow at the Garden, the Celtics need to get this one on the first night of a back-to-back. Getting into their transition game is key against a team like Charlotte that puts a big man on Rajon Rondo [stats] to limit his effectiveness. C’s Week Ahead TUESDAY at Charlotte, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY HOUSTON, 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY at Cleveland, 8 p.m. SUNDAY at Toronto, 12:30 p.m. JAN. 12 TORONTO, 7:30 p.m. Home games in CAPS.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 6, 2009 7:35:32 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1143384&format=textDUI charge for Antoine Walker By Herald Wire Services | Tuesday, January 6, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage Photo by AP Former Celtic Antoine Walker was charged with suspicion of drunk driving in Miami Beach early yesterday morning, further hurting his chances of playing in the NBA again this season. Walker, 32, was driving a black Mercedes without the lights on when he was pulled over at 5:39 a.m., according to the arrest report. Officers detected a strong odor of alcohol and wrote in the report that Walker had a sleepy look on his face. He refused a breathalyzer test. Walker was a three-time All-Star forward for the Celtics [team stats] and helped the Miami Heat win the NBA championship in 2006. Walker struggled in 46 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. His contract was bought out by the Memphis Grizzlies in December, making him a free agent.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 6, 2009 7:40:37 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1143402&format=textDefensive scheming lifted Knicks to upset of Celtics By Roderick Boone / Newsday | Tuesday, January 6, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP GREENBURGH, N.Y. — It didn’t take long for Al Harrington to scope out the Knicks’ practice routines, not with offensive mastermind Mike D’Antoni running them. "When I first got here, offense was the first thing we covered," Harrington said after practice Monday, recalling the immediate aftermath of his Nov. 21 trade to the Knicks. "Now it’s defense. So Coach is really locked into it and we are buying into it. If we just keep bringing that type of energy and intensity on the defensive end, we are going to score enough points. So if we can just get some more stops, I think we’ll really start racking up some wins." That’s right. It’s no longer Mike ’Antoni. The Knicks’ coach is focusing a bit more on "D." D’Antoni’s defensive game plan against the Celtics [team stats] — who scored only 35 points in the second half of the Knicks’ 100-88 victory Sunday — was a huge reason they earned a big win to feel good about as they embark on a four-game road trip that begins Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. With D’Antoni’s much-publicized "Seven Seconds or Less" philosophy and his reputation as an offensive guru, at first defense took a backseat. But just as Pat Riley did when he transformed his "Showtime" Lakers’ schemes into the physical, in-your-face, grinding style that became a staple of the Knicks not long after Riley joined the franchise in 1991, D’Antoni is starting to preach defense a bit more. Remember when he ripped into David Lee for not properly playing a pick-and-roll in the Dec. 26 loss to the Timberwolves? The Knicks are in the top five in most of the offensive categories. Defense is another story, though. They’re yielding 107 points per game — only Golden State (111) is allowing more — and beginning to understand just how much their defense ignites their offense. "If we can’t make stops," Wilson Chandler said, "we can’t make runs." Minus a big interior post presence at the moment, the Knicks’ lineup always seems to have a small-ball look. But it’s also a versatile one, and D’Antoni is slowly figuring out where his players fit best. His tinkering is working. He put the 6-11 Jared Jeffries on 6-1 point guard Rajon Rondo [stats], allowing for easier switches off Boston’s frontcourt players. Chandler, all 6-8 of him, also spent time guarding 6-11 Kevin Garnett. "I think we can do that with the makeup of our team," D’Antoni said. "We have a lot of lineups out there with four guys more or less 6-8 and above, and all can guard littles and bigs. So it does cause some confusion for the other team on their offensive end. We will do that and we will continue to do that. Sometimes it works and sometimes it won’t. But that’s definitely a different weapon that we have." Notes & quotes: Eddy Curry (sore right knee) practiced Monday for just the second time this season. He could return as soon as Thursday against the Mavericks, but more likely against Yao Ming in Houston on Saturday. He thinks he can add something. "Yeah, just being a presence on the inside and really being a threat out there," he said. "I think our shooters are pretty good and our perimeter ’D’ is pretty good. I’ve just got to try to fill that void on the inside." . . . Tim Thomas [stats] (sore big toe) practiced and is questionable. Jeffries sat out practice as a precaution after hyperextending his left knee late in Sunday’s game but should be available tonight ... Portland’s interest in Lee remains strong, though now that the word is out, the Trail Blazers are privately saying they won’t hotly pursue a trade for the power forward. A person with knowledge of the situation said the Knicks want more in return than what Portland is offering, which is rookie guard Jerryd Bayless. The Knicks covet Sergio Rodriguez and Travis Outlaw. ___
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 6, 2009 7:41:19 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/06/celtics_in_united_state?mode=PFCeltics in united state They say losses draw them closer By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | January 6, 2009 This could be a Celtic slump. The team could be road-weary. Certainly, opponents are devising strategies to counteract the Boston stars, both the established and emerging ones. The Celtics failed to match the New York Knicks in both effort and tactics in a 100-88 loss Sunday, and they can expect a similar brew of energy and strategy when they visit Charlotte tonight. But the defeats - the 29-6 Celtics have lost four of six - have served more to galvanize the team than discourage it. "The adversity we've gone through the last two years, we almost revel in it," guard Ray Allen said. "We always bounce back from it. As a team, we've always gotten closer. I think when you lose, most teams gravitate away from each other. We have a tendency to gravitate toward each other even more." The Celtics gathered for their usual postgame powwow in the cramped Madison Square Garden locker room Sunday night, the session lasting longer than usual. They emerged united. "We talked about it after the game, what we're doing right, what we're doing wrong," said captain Paul Pierce, who scored 31 points against the Knicks. "And the good thing about this group is, we're a strong group. We just have to get through this period. We know we're a better team than what we've been playing lately." The Celtics had the best 29-game start in league history, but their 19-game winning streak ended Dec. 25. Successive losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors exposed some vulnerabilities. The Lakers dropped off point guard Rajon Rondo, clogging the lane; they also presented strong inside threats offensively, exposing the Celtics' lack of depth. Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni copied some of those ideas, matching 6-foot-11-inch Jared Jeffries with Rondo and sending Wilson Chandler directly at Kevin Garnett, who was limited by early foul trouble and a late calf injury. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the Knicks' defensive setup was similar to the Lakers' in Game 3 of the NBA Finals last spring, an 87-81 Los Angeles victory. The Knicks established themselves with a 28-15 third quarter. "I think the Lakers and the Knicks did the same thing - they put a bigger guy on me," Rondo said. "They doubled all night and that kind of bothered us, especially in the third quarter. "They outworked us. It was a lack of focus. We have to be focused every night, respect our opponents - not that we didn't - but if we came in focused, there is no way we lose this game." The Celtics started making stops in the final quarter, but failed to turn those into transition scores. "We're just inconsistent in our defense, we're playing in spurts," Pierce said. "It's just communication. We're not communicating as well as we have on defense the past couple of weeks and we have to get back to that. We have to take pride in playing every night. "Teams are going to run different lineups at us, they are going to go small, put shooters out there, and we just have to make the adjustment. That's what we do - we try to get stops. We're a defensive team. "Most of the game, when you look up and you hold a team to 40-41 percent, you say you're playing well defensively. But key moments of the game we just couldn't get stops and that's the fourth quarter and that's when our defense should be at its best. "Every team has to play on the road - I mean, last year we were the best road team in the NBA. So, we'll get it together."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 6, 2009 7:43:59 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/columnists/massarotti/2009/01/one_vote_for_marbury.htmlOne vote for Marbury Email|Link|Comments (52) Posted by Tony Massarotti, Globe Staff January 5, 2009 12:01 PM The best thing about winning is that you get to choose. You get to decide who comes and who goes. You get to look at a guy like Stephon Marbury and negotiate exclusively on your terms. Which is precisely why the Celtics should do it. Once the possessors of a 27-2 record, the Celtics slipped up again last night in a 100-88 loss to the Marbury-free New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Despite the Celtics' recent struggles entering the game, it might have been the first time all year that they have given us any reason to worry. The Knicks are now 13-19 in the bottom-heavy Eastern Conference, and there is simply no way the Celtics should lose to a team like New York, particularly following a stretch in which they had lost three of their last five. Make that four of the last six. Fittingly, this brings us to Marbury, a Knick in body if not spirit. The 2008-09 NBA season is nearly half over and Marbury has yet to appear in a game thanks to his never-ending stalemate with New York management. Sometime in the next several weeks, Marbury and the Knicks will likely negotiate a buyout of his contract, leaving him to join a potential title contender the way that Sam Cassell did almost a year ago. Between now and then, a lot obviously has to happen in order for Marbury to end up with the Celtics. Despite weekend speculation that Marbury was headed to Boston, one NBA source recently said that was terribly premature. Even if the Knicks buy out Marbury, there is the question of whether Marbury would trigger a small-scale bidding war that could turn off potential suitors. For now, the one thing we know is the Celtics players seem willing to take on Marbury and his, er, questionable reputation, suggesting the they would be willing to put up with his rep for selfishness if it means they could win another title. Admittedly, we live in an age in which no news becomes some news -- wouldn't it be more relevant if someone on the Celtics publicly objected to Marbury's presence? -- but at least the picture has come into better focus. "I think it's about making the team better,'' Celtics forward and leader Kevin Garnett told reporters last night, echoing remarks recently made by both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. "I'm not opposed to Steph, I feel like he's got a lot of basketball left in him. I know his IQ is very, very high. He is one of the best point guards out there. I wouldn't be opposed to it. "If Steph came to this team, I'm all for that. . . . If anybody came to this team and made it better, I would be all for that.'' With regard to Marbury's potential to be a distraction, let's look at recent history. All things considered, Corey Dillon worked out just fine with the Patriots. So has Randy Moss. And there were some whispers and concerns last season that Cassell could become a disruption if he did not end up playing a major role down the stretch, fears that never materialized as the Celtics rumbled to their 17th NBA championship. During the offseason, in fact, the Celtics re-signed Cassell almost exclusively for the springtime. So far this year, Cassell has played in as many games as Marbury: zero. The obvious difference is that the Celtics regard Cassell as a positive influence who can both serve as Garnett's confidant and Rajon Rondo's mentor, though the club certainly would not have re-signed him if he had been otherwise. The point is this: Marbury would be here for a few months, during which he would have to be on his best behavior. What happens after that is up to the Celtics and, to a degree, Marbury, depending on how behaved during his months in green. Fairly or not, Marbury currently seems to have a great deal in common with, say, Allen Iverson, which is to say that many regard him as too selfish to win the championship that might validate his career. In Boston, Marbury could change all that. He need look no further than Garnett, Pierce, and Allen to learn what a title can do for an image. Want another (and admittedly simplistic) way to look at a potential Marbury acquisition? Think of it as Manny Ramirez in reverse. Hostage to Ramirez's behavior and whims over a period of seven-and-a-half seasons, the Red Sox dumped the discontented slugger at the July 31 trading deadline. While there was some debate about the merit of that decision in Boston, the people in Los Angeles regarded it as a virtual no-brainer. For two months, they got committed, motivated and supremely talented player performing at the highest level, one of the primary reasons an extremely mediocre Dodgers club reached the National League Championship Series. For the Dodgers, the real decision with Ramirez began after the season, when it came time to determine whether he was worthy of a long-term commitment. At the moment, Ramirez remains unsigned. Clearly, the Dodgers have their doubts. With regard to Marbury, the basketball is the easy part. The money could be another matter entirely and might be another element that could potentially dissuade the Celtics from a deal. First, because the Celtics are over the salary cap, they effectively would be required to pay the equivalent of Marbury's salary in luxury tax; that means he might actually cost them double what he might cost someone else. Beyond that, the Celtics clearly have the need for a backup big in the mold of P.J. Brown, and there is a point with every team where resources become an issue. In that way, Marbury is hardly the proverbial slam dunk. But if you're worried about disrupting a Celtics express that now seems to be sputtering, maybe we should all acknowledge at this stage that Marbury could do far more good than he could do harm.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 6, 2009 7:47:46 GMT -5
www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x1299642379/Celtics-may-be-shooting-for-MarburyCeltics may be shooting for Marbury -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mike Fine/Gatehouse News service GHS Posted Jan 06, 2009 @ 12:45 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When the Celtics were looking at Allen Iverson as a means to get themselves some direction, that was a bad idea. Iverson is a me-first player who tends to dictate offensive flow, whether his coaches or teammates like it or not. Now the team is in pursuit of Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury. At first glance one might equate the situations. These are two point guards who haven't had the most solid reputations off the court but have performed exceptionally on the court. Iverson could rightfully be called a superstar for his unrelenting work ethic - not counting practice. Marbury can rightfully be called reprehensible for his refusal to play for the Knicks, who are paying him about $22 million this season, second in the league only to Kevin Garnett's $24.75 million. Yet Marbury has been one of the best point guards in the league when he's decided to play. Marbury has averaged 19.7 points and 7.8 assists over a career that began deteriorating when the Knicks began heading south. He's a strong ball-handler and distributor when he wants to play. He's not a great defender, but not bad. Like Iverson, though, he's a lightning rod for controversy. He's never found a permanent home. He had a good thing going during his first two seasons in the NBA, when he averaged 15.8 and 17.7 points and 7.8 and 8.6 assists for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Since then, he's played for New Jersey, Phoenix and the Knicks, who thought enough of him to grant a $76 million contract. Of course, Isiah Thomas would have granted Spike Lee a $76 million contract. So let's cut to the chase. The Celtics need backup help. Rajon Rondo is doing a terrific job, but there have been several games of late, including Sunday at New York, where he's been somewhat stifled, and teams are going to catch on. A point guard with Marbury's extensive skills could help nicely, just as P.J. Brown helped the frontcourt last season. This isn't like acquiring Iverson, who would have changed the face of the Celtics. Marbury will only be a piece of the puzzle. Marbury, of course, has to be bought out by the Knicks, who are trying to save themselves some money while the guard is languishing in civilian clothes. He is persona non grata in Mike D'Antoni's new system, and he certainly didn't help his image when he refused to play in a game when the Knicks were short-handed. The Celtics have a history of working with good guys - Marvin Barnes, Sidney Wicks and Earl "The Twirl" Williams notwithstanding - and if Marbury's character comes into question, there's every reason to believe he'll fit in with the Celtics. Playing backup to Rondo on a championship team is better than not playing for the Knicks. Marbury has to be smart enough to understand that. Further, he's played with Garnett, and there's a general understanding that any player who joins a team dominated by Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen wouldn't be dumb enough not to fall into line. What player would be crazy enough to mess with a defending champion? So while some are questioning Danny Ainge's sanity, Marbury makes perfect sense. We're talking about four months prior to the playoffs, plenty of time for Marbury to make an impact and learn the system. The Celts do need some help. Their depth this season is not what it was last season with Brown and James Posey gone and Sam Cassell simply taking up space on the pine. With the bench struggling to find some consistency, the starters are having to shoulder a load too often. They were forced to cope with a 12-3 closing run in LA. They were outscored, 35-17, in the final quarter of their loss at Golden State. The Trail Blazers started three rookies, overcame a 13-point deficit, played without Brandon Roy and their bench outscored the Celts' bench, 29-9. Then the Knicks hounded Rondo and took the Celtics right out of their game. That's four losses in six games. The bench needs some direction. Tony Allen is a disaster with the ball. He ranks 39th in the NBA in turnovers per 48 minutes (4.1) and 300th in assists/turnovers ratio (.73). Leon Powe isn't nearly as effective scoring the ball as last season and Doc Rivers is so desperate for scoring off the bench that he's given Glen Davis a full go-ahead to shoot the elbow jumper. A brute who scored 16 points in the paint in the final quarter of a win at Detroit last season is now shooting at a .373 clip. Eddie House has done a nice job as a shooting guard, but he's not a quarterback, and Gabe Pruitt is, at the moment, strictly a garbage time performer. For those reasons, Marbury makes sense. If he can wriggle his way out of his Knicks contract, he can be very useful to the Celtics, who can later thank him for several months of service before he parts ways in search of his next big payday.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 6, 2009 8:27:44 GMT -5
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