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FLCeltsFan
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News 1/17 Jan 17, 2009 8:49:05 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 17, 2009 8:49:05 GMT -5

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1145875&format=text
Celtics expect Net gains in rematch

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Saturday, January 17, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
The Celtics [team stats] this afternoon will visit the same Nets team they beat by 32 points at the Garden on Wednesday.

But that’s not the way the Celts are looking at it. They don’t expect the word “same” to play into it at all.

Certainly, New Jersey’s players will be the same, but their games will be changed to protect the guilty.

“The New Jersey team we’re going to see (today) is not going to be the team we saw (Wednesday),” guard Ray Allen said. “They’re going to come out and they’re going to play better than they played in our building.

“We know we can’t come out just expecting that, ‘Oh, we won by this many points last time; this is what’s going to happen this time.’ You’ve got to start over every game as if we’re trying to beat the defending world champions.”

The C’s currently hold that title, but for now they must win with a different starting five. Brian Scalabrine continues to start for Kendrick Perkins [stats] (sore left shoulder) at center.

“That’s funny that they introduce me as the center,” Scalabrine said. “I think that is hilarious. . . . I don’t actually know what I am. If I’m a 3-4-5, then I’m an average of a 4, so I’m a 4.”

What he is can best be described as a complementary frontcourt accessory.

“We have a great group of guys,” Allen said. “Danny (Ainge, executive director of basketball operations) put together a pretty good team here from the standpoint of guys being ready when other guys are out. I think Scal has done a great job at filling in, starting and giving us great production in those minutes.”

Scalabrine has hit four 3-pointers in the last two games and has done a credible job defensively against bigger opposition.

“He has a way of getting to the right spots and in a strange way staying out of the way and making him better,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He spaces the floor. He knows where to go. He’s been very good.”

One in, two out

Guard Eddie House, who rolled an ankle Wednesday, practiced yesterday and is expected to play today.

But guard Tony Allen (right ankle strain) and Perkins are another matter. They didn’t travel with the team yesterday.

“And I wouldn’t be shocked if Tony didn’t go on the next road trip, which would mean no Monday (against Phoenix) or Miami or Orlando (on the road Wednesday and Thursday, respectively),” Rivers said. “And someone’s going to have to tell me that Perk’s really good to play in the next couple of games, as well.”

Clearly, Allen’s injury is more serious than it initially seemed two weeks ago.

“I’m not going to sound an alarm about it, but obviously the fact that he’s still out means it’s worse than even I thought or any of us thought,” Rivers said. “It’s not anything that’s going to last all year, but we’re trying to get it right.”

Talking practice

The Celts got in their first real practice since New Year’s Day, but it wasn’t much of a session.

“We were just terrible,” Rivers said. “That’s all right. It happens. At least you had one. Sometimes you practice bad habits, you play with bad habits. But I just thought we needed to get out on the floor and just see things.”

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News 1/17 Jan 17, 2009 8:53:24 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 17, 2009 8:53:24 GMT -5

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1145877&format=text
76ers put streak at 6 straight

By Herald Wire Services | Saturday, January 17, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP
Thaddeus Young scored a career-high 27 points, Andre Iguodala had 21 and the surging 76ers won their sixth straight game, 109-87, over the San Antonio Spurs last night in Philadelphia.

The Sixers (19-20) can move to .500 for the first time since Nov. 24 with a win tonight at New York. They might finally have power forward Elton Brand (shoulder) back in the lineup for the first time since December.

The Sixers surprisingly pulled away late against the Southwest Division-leading Spurs.

The Spurs were the fourth team with a winning record the Sixers beat on this streak, proving that they might be ready to make some noise in the Eastern Conference. The Spurs won 108-106 on a buzzer-beater in San Antonio on Jan. 3 to end Philadelphia’s 1-5 road trip.

The Sixers haven’t lost since.

Wizards 96, Knicks 89 - Antawn Jamison scored 28 points and host Washington used a big late run to beat New York. The win ended the Wizards’ six-game slide.

The Knicks led by 87-81 with 4:33 to play before Jamison hit a layup, Mike James hit a 3-pointer and Nick Young a jumper to spur a 15-0 run and give the Wizards their first lead since early in the third quarter.

Pacers 111, Raptors 104 - At Indianapolis, Danny Granger scored 23 points and Mike Dunleavy provided the biggest play of the game, goading Chris Bosh into a foul on a 3-pointer with less than a minute to go. Dunleavy made all three free throws to preserve a victory over visiting Toronto.

Trailing by 24 after three quarters, Toronto made an improbable rally by limiting the Pacers to just 6-of-21 shooting over the final 12 minutes and methodically chipping away at the lead. The Raptors got as close as 100-99 before Dunleavy drew the foul on Bosh.

Thunder 89, Pistons 79 - Kevin Durant scored 32 points and host Oklahoma City delivered a knockout punch with a 13-point run to start the fourth quarter in a win over Detroit.

Chris Wilcox had 17 points and 11 rebounds in a rare extended appearance off the bench.

Cavaliers 92, Hornets 78 - LeBron James, sniffling and wheezing through a head cold, shook off one of his worst games this season to flirt with a triple-double, and Cleveland extended its home winning streak to 20 by beating New Orleans.

James finished with 29 points - 14 in the fourth quarter - 14 rebounds and seven assists.

Cavaliers starting guard Delonte West will miss up to six weeks with a broken right wrist.

Jazz 101, Grizzlies 91 - Deron Williams scored 27 points and Ronnie Brewer added 21, leading Utah to a victory at Memphis, Tenn.

The Jazz won their seventh straight against the reeling Grizzlies, who have lost five in a row and 13 of 15.

Timberwolves 105, Suns 103 - Randy Foye’s 20-foot jump shot with 1:58 remaining gave Minnesota the lead for good en route to a win over host Phoenix.

Foye’s shot came with just one second left on the shot clock. Kevin Love added a free throw and Rodney Carney scored on a fast-break layup in the final 94 seconds for the Timberwolves, who won for the sixth time in seven games.

Elsewhere in the NBA - The league fined Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $25,000 for “improper interactions with Denver players” and his conduct following the Mavericks’ 99-97 loss to the Nuggets on Tuesday. . . .

Golden State guard C.J. Watson was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam to determine the extent of an injury to his left big toe.

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News 1/17 Jan 17, 2009 8:54:26 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 17, 2009 8:54:26 GMT -5

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1145914&format=text
Jameer Nelson, Dwight Howard lead Magic past Lakers

By Associated Press | Saturday, January 17, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP
LOS ANGELES — Jameer Nelson scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, Dwight Howard had 25 points and 20 rebounds and the Orlando Magic beat the Los Angeles Lakers 109-103 Friday night.

Kobe Bryant had 28 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for Los Angeles, but missed two jumpers in the waning moments. The triple-double was the 15th of Bryant’s career, but his first since April 1, 2005.

Howard’s double-double was his league-leading 30th of the season.

Nelson scored 10 of Orlando’s final 12 points, including hitting one of his three 3-pointers with 35 seconds left to put the Magic up 104-103. He was good on four free throws afterward as the Magic built a five-point lead on the way to their sixth straight win.

All the Orlando starters scored in double figures, with Rashard Lewis getting 15, Hedo Turkoglu 13 and Courtney Lee 12.

Lamar Odom had 17 points for Los Angeles, and Vladimir Radmanovic had 15, all coming on his 5-of-8 shooting treys. Andrew Bynum had 14 points and three rebounds, but scored just two points after halftime and again was outplayed by Howard, who also blocked three shots.

Although they didn’t match their NBA record-setting spree of 23 3-pointers they made in their last game, the Magic had a telling edge over the Lakers from beyond the arc, going 12-of-28 to Los Angeles’ 9-of-26. Lewis hit four of his eight 3-point attempts and Nelson came up big at the right time, hitting all of his 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter after missing the three he took earlier in the game.

The Magic were coming off a 139-107 rout of Sacramento where they established the league record for 3-pointers.

Down 54-44 early in the third quarter, the Magic put together a 19-6 run to take their first lead of the game, at 63-60 on Lee’s 3-pointer midway through the period. They went on to pull out to a 69-60 lead, but the Lakers came back to retake the lead at 75-74 on Pau Gasol’s tip-in just before the buzzer ending the third.

While Los Angeles never trailed in the first half, the Magic kept it close. Gasol’s 16-foot jumper for a 45-36 lead with 4:16 left in the second quarter was the Lakers’ widest margin of the half, and they led 52-44 at the break.

Bynum had 12 points and Bryant had 10 — on 5-of-7 shooting — with seven assists by halftime. Howard led Orlando with nine points, but made only two of his eight shots from the floor. He finished 8-of-18 from the field and 9-of-16 from the line.

Bynum came into the game having averaged 18.2 points in the Lakers’ previous five contests. But in their 106-103 loss on Dec. 20 in Orlando, he had three points and five fouls in only 12 minutes.

Radmanovic had the hot hand from outside early, going 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and scoring nine points to help the Lakers to a 23-20 lead at the end of the first quarter. Neither team had a player in double figures in the opening 12 minutes, and no Magic player had more than four points.

Notes:@ The Lakers were coming off a 112-111 loss at San Antonio. ... G Sasha Vujacic returned for Los Angeles after missing two games with back spasms, but he didn’t score in his 13 minutes on the court. ... Bryant had 41 points while Nelson scored 27 in the Magic’s win over Los Angeles in Orlando last month. Bryant scored 28 in the Magic’s last visit to Los Angeles, when they beat the lakers 104-97 on Dec. 2, 2007.

FLCeltsFan
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News 1/17 Jan 17, 2009 8:56:36 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 17, 2009 8:56:36 GMT -5

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/17/theyre_back_on_track___but_its_a_fine_line?mode=PF
They're back on track - but it's a fine line
By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | January 17, 2009

WALTHAM - The Celtics seem to have broken out of their funk, or slump, or whatever they were slogging through after Christmas. They will take a three-game winning streak to New Jersey today, then play three successive games against plus-.500 teams - Phoenix (Monday), followed by visits to Miami (Wednesday) and Orlando (Thursday).

After a 118-86 win over the Nets Wednesday, the Celtics seemed to have found a groove. But that was only the third time in the last 12 games they had exceeded 100 points during regulation. Statistics indicate the defense has been effective - only the Knicks (in a 100-88 win) have scored in triple figures against the Celtics since their 19-game winning streak was halted by the Lakers Dec. 25. But the Celtics are finding there is a fine line between winning and losing.

"What we always say is, when things are good, you are not as good as you think you are," guard Ray Allen said after a 1 1/2-hour practice yesterday. "And you're not that far from being bad."

The Celtics (32-9) have a 4-4 record this month.

"We're improving; I like where we're at," coach Doc Rivers said. "We're working on some things and they'll be corrected. Some of them are focus. We got away from things, but it's coming back, and I knew it would. I wasn't that panicked - I didn't want to lose the games; that was no fun - but as far as the team, I knew it would be back."

The Nets (19-21) have lost three of their last four games and have not won in regulation since a 100-89 victory over Memphis Jan. 7.

"They lost against Portland [105-99 Thursday], so they've got their backs to the wall, I guess," Brian Scalabrine said. "But we are just about us, what we need to do.

"We need to get better timing, get the floor spaced out so guys can do what they do."

Scalabrine a hybrid
Scalabrine will continue to start in place of center Kendrick Perkins (shoulder), but he is attempting to define his position.

"It's funny - they introduce me as the center; I think that is hilarious," Scalabrine said.

Scalabrine could be a tweener, but he does not consider himself between a pivot and a power forward.

"I wouldn't be a 4 1/2," Scalabrine said. "I'd be a 3 1/2."

Scalabrine has averaged 9 points in the last three games.

"The most enjoyable part is playing with these four guys," Scalabrine said. "When all is said and done, this is going to be the greatest team I've ever played on. These guys make the game so easy."

A fan-generated campaign has started to launch Scalabrine as an All-Star candidate.

"I've already made my plans, but I guess if I could go to the game, I'd have to change them," Scalabrine said.

Scalabrine could remain in the starting lineup when the Celtics face Phoenix, despite his size disadvantage against Shaquille O'Neal.

"He goes to the right spots," Rivers said. "He has a way of getting to the right spots and, in a strange way, staying out of the way and making him better - he clears the floor, he spaces the floor, he knows where to go.

"Obviously, if [the Suns] have two dominant bigs, then we may not get away with it. But if we have to, we may do that. He has the ability of getting under guys' skin, and we don't mind that at all."

Scalabrine's performances have been affected by home fans' exaggerated interest in his perimeter shooting. The anticipated cheering when Scalabrine is in 3-point range causes added tension, to the detriment of the Celtics, according to Rivers.

"I know the fans have a lot of fun with Scal," Rivers said. "I actually think it hurts him more than helps him at home. I really believe that. It's fun, because the fans actually like him. He plays hard. But I think it hurts him on the floor and it actually hurts our team."

Proceeds with caution
Rivers said the Celtics are being cautious about the return of guard Tony Allen (ankle sprain), who hopes to return against Dallas Jan. 25.

"I'm not going to sound the alarm about it, but if he's still out, it's obviously worse than I thought, or any of us thought," Rivers said. "It's not anything that's going to last all year, but we're trying to get it right. If it's bothering him enough that it hurts his play, why are we going to bring him back when it's 95 percent and then it goes back down to hurting again?

"If it was a playoff game, could he play? He probably could. But why would we risk it? We need him now, obviously, because we need bodies, but I'd rather fight through this right now than get in the playoffs and you don't have him at all."

No action planned
Bill Walker made his most impressive appearance, scoring 6 points in the final quarter against the Nets. But Walker and J.R. Giddens, who recently returned from playing with Utah in the Development League, are likely to remain on the bench or inactive.

"I always say when they want to see Billy Walker, I say, 'Who do you want me to take off the floor?' " Rivers said.

"One thing you can say for both, you can see they are back in basketball shape, as far as the cutting and moving. You can see they've played basketball, where I thought it was really hurting them right before they left. They were just working on individual stuff, and that didn't help them much at all. So you can see the D League really helped."

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News 1/17 Jan 17, 2009 9:01:06 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 17, 2009 9:01:06 GMT -5

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/17/nets_thumbnails?mode=PF
Nets thumbnails
January 17, 2009

When, where: Today, 1 p.m., at the Izod Center, East Rutherford, N.J.
TV, radio: CSN, WEEI (850).
Scoring: Devin Harris 22.7, Vince Carter 22.0, Brook Lopez 11.0.
Rebounding: Lopez 8.1, Yi Jianlian 6.2, Carter 5.0.
Assists: Harris 6.6, Carter 4.8, Keyon Dooling 3.3.
Head to head: This is the second of four meetings. The Celtics trounced the Nets, 118-86, Wednesday.
Miscellany: Carter, who suffered an ankle injury Wednesday in Boston, was 4 for 14 in a 105-99 loss to the Trail Blazers Thursday, giving him a two-game total of 5 for 24 . . . Dooling is averaging 12.4 points in his last five games, raising his season average to 9.5.

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News 1/17 Jan 17, 2009 9:19:45 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 17, 2009 9:19:45 GMT -5

www.nba.com/2009/news/features/dave_mcmenamin/01/17/nba_story.marbury20090116/
Marbury gives update on ongoing saga with the Knicks
By Dave McMenamin, NBA.com
Posted Jan 17 2009 2:15AM

LOS ANGELES -- In the latest bit of posturing by Knicks banished guard Stephon Marbury, the former All-Star is painting his team in the type of light usually reserved for the pinstripe-wearing baseball team in the Big Apple: as an evil empire.

"It's a billion-dollar company against me, basically, that's what it is," Marbury said in the tunnel at halftime of the Lakers-Magic game at Staples Center. "I'm standing my ground after I made an offer to them. For me, what am I going to do against a billion-dollar company? I can't beat a billion-dollar company so I got to stand still and just wait."

Marbury, attending his third NBA game as a spectator since being told to leave the team on Dec. 1, sat down in a courtside seat across from the Lakers bench after the start of the second quarter and started to chat with actor Denzel Washington.

While Washington starred in He Got Game with Ray Allen, the player who was traded for Allen back on Draft day in 1996 broke into a sharp-tongued rant when asked about the state of his future with the Knicks.

He Got Beef.

"I offer you a million dollars and you want three million and you're the billion-dollar company?" Marbury said of the buy-out negotiations that were suspended last month. "I just don't get it, what is it really about? If it's personal, say it's personal."

Marbury insists he never had a chance after Mike D'Antoni took over for Isiah Thomas as head coach this season.

"For me personally, I came in ready to do whatever they asked me to do," Marbury said. "I was willing to come off the bench and [D'Antoni] said that he didn't want Chris Duhon looking over his shoulders. I couldn't win. I was in a no-win situation."

Marbury hasn't played in a regular-season game in more than a year, dating back to Jan. 11, 2008, when he had 13 points and eights assists in 38 minutes in a loss to the Raptors.

The 6-foot-2 guard who turns 32-years-old in February said he is training in L.A. and has taken up hiking to stay in shape. Asked if he could suit up if called upon today, Marbury said: "I can play. My timing won't be right, but I can go out there and I can play."

The last two games Marbury attended -- Dec. 16 in L.A. when the Lakers played the Knicks and Jan. 2 in Minnesota when the Timberwolves played the Warriors -- seemed to make more sense as New York still technically is his team, and Minnesota is where he started his career and has Marbury's cousin, Sebastian Telfair, playing.

But what business did Marbury have coming to see the Lakers against the Magic? What can we make of that?

"[I'm] just watching the games," Marbury said. "I mean you love the game so much when you're not playing you want to be around it, smell the arena, just be in the atmosphere, that's all."

That's not quite all. Marbury included the Lakers as a team he would like to play for, along with Miami and Boston, if his contract dispute can be resolved with Knicks GM Donnie Walsh.

"I want to play some place where I'm going to win. I'm talking about playing with a team that everyone is on the same page. There's so many different things going on in New York that it's just time to move on. It's not anything directed towards them, it's just time to move on."

Marbury said he wasn't surprised when Kevin Garnett told reporters back on Jan. 5 that he wouldn't be opposed to playing with his former Wolves running mate.

"I've never did anything to Kevin for him to feel anything other than the way how he's feeling," Marbury said. "When I left [things] off with Kevin, we basically left off with terms of me going in another direction and I wanted to try to do something elsewhere.

"When I left Minnesota, it wasn't about basketball. It was solely on, I couldn't give seven more years of my life to playing in Minnesota. It was coldddddddd."

Marbury wouldn't speculate as to whether or not he and the Knicks could reach a resolution, saying, "it's not up to me to judge if it's going to happen or not. I'm just basically waiting."

"For them, they said they didn't want me, they should just let me go. Just pay me my money, let me go and end the distraction."

Otherwise, Marbury will continue to try to stay close to basketball and, who knows, "the distraction" could be coming to an NBA arena near you.

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News 1/17 Jan 17, 2009 9:41:37 GMT -5

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