News 1/20

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1146469&format=text
Rajon Rondo shines brightest in Celtics’ rout of Suns
Guard plays key role to spark sizable win

By Steve Bulpett | Tuesday, January 20, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West
It was getting so Celtics [team stats] fans had to think all the way back to 2008 to recall when their club could conjure brilliance against a high quality opponent.

But last night the Shamrock A.C. bottled some beautiful bucketry and stamped an ’09 vintage on the label.

The 104-87 flogging of Phoenix actually was a colossal misdirection play. While Doc Rivers and his staff came in concerned at what havoc Shaquille O’Neal might wreak against an undersized interior without Kendrick Perkins [stats], no one was expecting Rajon Rondo [stats] to score such a large victory in his matchup with perennial All-Star Steve Nash.

The third-year point guard went for 23 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 30 minutes. But his effect on the game was even greater.

While Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis and seemingly everyone else in a white jersey was holding O’Neal to a dull roar (16 points, 11 rebounds, no domination), Rondo was pushing the pace and getting himself and his mates great looks at the hoop.

“When Rajon is up and pressuring the ball and he’s active, you can see it in his eyes,” Garnett said. “He is going to sort of take over and he wants the ball. When he’s active like that, it’s hard to beat us - especially when he’s up and playing against Steve Nash. It doesn’t get any better than that. He was looking forward to that matchup.”

Nash hit a pair of treys and had 12 points in his 32 minutes, but he turned the ball over five times - part of the Suns’ 23 giveaways that led to 28 Celtics points. He knew the prodigy had taken the measure of the master on this night.

“He’s improving all the time,” Nash said of Rondo. “He’s emerging as one of the elite guards in the league. I think regardless of whether he’s shooting the ball well and he needs to improve there, his game has improved. I think it’s made the shooting not as big a question. He’s become a better and better passer. He’s a great athlete who does a lot of things for his team on the floor.”

Last night Rondo helped apply the pressure out front that made it difficult for Phoenix to get into a flow and then made certain those team-wide efforts paid off at the other end of the court.

“It was a lot of fast-break opportunities for me,” he said. “They missed shots. That was key for us all night long. We got stops on defense and it allowed me to push stuff on the break and get easy looks at the basket.”

It was a 15-point game after one quarter, a 30-point game after two and a done deal when the Celts showed up for the second half.

By the time Big Baby drove for a thunderous slam at 9:19 of the fourth period (memo to the Garden crew: check the west end rim for damage), the Celtics were ahead by 32 and the Gino dance video was being readied.

Since things began to go awry for the Celts on Christmas Day, they hadn’t defeated a plus-.500 team until last night (their last win against an above-water club was Dec. 17 at Atlanta). The now 23-16 Suns weren’t quite themselves, but the C’s had something to do with that.

“We got a good old spanking tonight,” Suns coach Terry Porter said. “They really came out and turned the intensity on us, and we didn’t respond.”

Said Nash: “I think it was such an outclassing from the beginning.”

“It was a good old-fashioned (butt)-whupping,” O’Neal said. “There is nothing to say. That’s it. Good old-fashioned (butt)-whupping.”

One that is the unquestioned of a win streak that’s now at five.

“We feel like we’ve been playing better, and this was a great test for us,” said Paul Pierce [stats], who played well even after rolling his right ankle in the second quarter. “Not taking anything away from New Jersey and Toronto, (but) they’re not as good as Phoenix.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1146484&format=text
Kevin Garnett sure can talk, and play, a good game

By Steve Buckley | Tuesday, January 20, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West
It was Paul Pierce [stats] who limped into the interview room, a little stooped over, a little hagged, a bag of ice wrapped around a right ankle that took a bad turn in the second quarter of an otherwise good night for the C’s.

“It’s a little sore,” Pierce said after the Celtics [team stats]’ easy 104-87 victory over the Phoenix Suns last night at the Garden. “But I don’t think it’s swelled up. Just precautionary ice right now.”

And if you’re a Celtics fan, your proper response to this little crisis is: “Whew!”

But it turns out Pierce wasn’t the only banged-up Celtic in the room. For while Kevin Garnett isn’t listed on the injury report as having any broken bones, cracked ribs, pulled hammies or the heartbreak of psoriasis, the man was hurtin’ for certain. Here’s why: Shaq.

With Kendrick Perkins [stats] out of the lineup with a shoulder injury, coach Doc Rivers approached Garnett and said something along the lines of, “I would like you to stand in front of Shaquille O’Neal tonight.”

So the Celtics’ Hall of Fame-bound big guy spent the night pawing at the Suns’ Hall of Fame-bound big guy, and let’s stop right here to applaud Mr. Garnett for his wonderful sense of humor, his candor and his phenomenal ability to get away from the standard-issue, textbooky hoopspeak.

He speaks to us in everyday lingo. Such as inviting you, me, everyone, to use our own homes as an example of how tough it is to guard Shaq.

“It is like holding up a wall,” Garnett said. “Go home, basically knock out the foundation in your house and just hold up the wall, and when it’s about to fall on you that’s what it’s like holding onto Shaq. Yeah, that’s it. Go home, knock the foundation out, just off the side of your house, just knock it out. As the wall is coming toward you, just hold it up. In fact, hold it up for 48 minutes.”

Garnett paused, looking at a copy of the freshly printed game summary sitting in front of him on the table, then said, “Make it two hours and 15 minutes (the time of game).”

Wait! Can the guy holding up the house put it down during timeouts?

“Yeah, sure,” he said. “Have someone else in your house come hold it, take a break, take some Gatorade and then come back and just hold it up. That’s what it’s like. Let it fall on you, and then try to pick it back up. You’re not going to stop Shaq. Shaq’s too big and clever. He’s been in this game a long time and you don’t just score 25,000 points.”

It should be noted that both Garnett and Pierce spoke rather eloquently about Tommie Smith, whose Black Power salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics remains an iconic image in American history, was in attendance last night, as was the wife of John Carlos.

“It was inspirational to see him in the locker room,” Garnett said of Smith. “He huddled out with us . . . as young men we were all inspired just by him being in the room.”

Wonderfully, perfectly put.

Garnett delivers, don’t you think? He has a way of cutting through the nonsense, of getting right to work when he speaks. He can be funny, he can be serious. Always, he is educational.

Last night, he did a better job of explaining the Shaq phenomenon than could have been done by any analyst, any sportswriter, any talk show host. He didn’t need a telestrator, and X or and O.

He just used a house, is all.

If all our leaders could speak to us this way . . .

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1146477&format=text
Shaquille O’Neal is fond of Green

By Steve Buckley | Tuesday, January 20, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West
“Nothing.”

That’s what Shaquille O’Neal plans to do when his storied NBA career comes to an end.

No coaching? No broadcasting?

“Nothing,” he repeated to the reporters who had gathered at his locker early last night, before the Suns’ only regular-season game at TD Banknorth Garden.

But for a man who sounds like he can’t wait for those lazy, hazy days of retirement, Shaq apparently kept his mind focused on basketball this past spring as the Celts were winning an NBA championship.

“They had a great season last year,” he said last night before scoring 16 points with 11 rebounds in a 104-87 loss to the Celtics [team stats]. “They did it the right way. They did it the respectable way, so my hat goes off to the three Boston amigos.”

Asked to expand on what the “respectable way” means, he said, “It means three superstars meshing and jelling. No drama, no arguments. Guys sacrificing for each other. It was a perfect season for those three guys.

“If you look at the makeup of those guys, they’ve always been very unselfish. They were just on teams where they were the go-to guys and they had to take all the shots. And those guys are very nice guys. They stay out of trouble off the court. You can tell by the makeup that they’re nice gentlemen.

“Watching that series from a fan’s standpoint reminded me of the old Boston days, where you’d see three or four Hall of Famers playing together.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1146476&format=text
Ray Allen set to see history
Will attend Obama inauguration today

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Tuesday, January 20, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West
Ray Allen will have an up-close view of history when he attends the inauguration of President Barack Obama today in Washington. On Sunday, the Celtics [team stats] guard feared his tickets to the event had been lost or stolen in the delivery process.

“But I got them, so I’ll be down there,” Allen said before the Celtics’ 104-87 victory against the Suns last night at the Garden. “There’s seating on both sides and standing in the way back, so I’ll be kind of up (front) and seated.

Allen flew to Washington after the game with Steve Pagliuca aboard the Celtics managing partner’s private plane.

“To be able to be there and document it, to take pictures, to be able to talk about it . . . it’s one of those events where it’s one thing to see it on TV, but to be there on the ground and talk about exactly everything’s that happened, at least I’m glad that one of us will be in the presence of this event,” Allen said.

The rest of the C’s changed their plans and will fly to Miami at 8 this morning so they can be at their hotel to watch Obama’s speech.

Coach Doc Rivers generally likes to talk to his players about off-court matters of importance, but this time he will let the event speak for itself.

However, he had some explaining to do when it came to last night’s Heroes Among Us honorees, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who made a brave statement at the 1968 Olympics when each raised a black-gloved fist on the medal stand after their performances in the 200-meter dash.

The timing was particularly poignant for Smith considering today’s event.

“It means that somebody heard my steps . . . besides the people in the races I ran against,” he said. “It’s a great stride forward.”

Tale of the tape

Glen Davis wrestled with Suns center Shaquille O’Neal last night, but it wasn’t their first bout. Big Baby was a teenager when the two got playful during one of Shaq’s visits to LSU, each player’s alma mater.

“I was 15 or 16,” said Davis, who had nine points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes against Phoenix. “My high school was on the LSU campus, and that’s how I met him. It was funny. He saw how big I was, and when I met him we wrestled each other outside of the academic adviser’s house. And I pinned him. I picked him up and I pinned him.”

O’Neal saw it a bit differently.

“He body-slammed me,” said Shaq, who notched 16 points and 11 boards in the loss. “That’s when I knew he was he was going to be great.” . . .

Priceless pregame moment from the hallway: Sam Cassell chatting with TNT broadcaster Reggie Miller when he turns and yells to his coach, “Hey, Doc, put me in tonight.”

To which Rivers replied: “I’m putting Reggie in before I put you in.”

Miller’s sister, sideline reporter Cheryl Miller, then poked her head around the corner and said, “It’s the same defense.”

Travel plans

Tony Allen (strained right ankle) will not travel on the Celtics’ road trip to Miami and Orlando this week. Kendrick Perkins [stats] (sore left shoulder) will go, however, and could well play tomorrow night against the Heat.

“We’ll see,” Rivers said. “We’re going to do some stuff with him (today) just to see. He did the walkthrough (yesterday morning). That’s not contact, but he’s getting a lot closer.”cw0

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1146496&format=text
Kobe Bryant, Lakers beat Cavaliers

By Herald wire services | Tuesday, January 20, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James tussled to a virtual standoff last night.

But Bryant’s supporting cast was far more effective, and that was the difference as the Lakers beat Cleveland, 105-88, in Los Angeles to snap a five-game losing streak to the Cavaliers.

Bryant had 20 points, six rebounds and 12 assists while shooting 9-of-22. Pau Gasol led Los Angeles with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bynum and Sasha Vujacic scored 14 points each and Derek Fisher added 11 for the Lakers, whose 32-8 record is tops in the Western Conference.

James had 23 points and nine rebounds, but shot just 9-of-25. Mo Williams added 16 points, six rebounds and five assists and Sasha Pavlovic scored 12 for the Cavaliers (31-8).

Mavericks 95, 76ers 93 - Dirk Nowitzki hit a turnaround 17-foot jumper at the buzzer and finished with 24 points as Dallas snapped host Philadelphia’s season-high seven-game winning streak.

Sixers forward Elton Brand (shoulder) worked out on the court before the game and is likely to play Saturday against the Knicks.

Pistons 87, Grizzlies 79 - Allen Iverson [stats] scored 27 points as visiting Detroit beat Memphis to snap its longest losing streak in five seasons.

Knicks 102, Bulls 98 - Chris Duhon scored against his former team with 31.2 seconds left to help host New York edge Chicago.

Duhon, questionable with back spasms before the game, finished with 19 points.

Trail Blazers 102, Bucks 85 - Greg Oden had a career-high 24 points and added 15 rebounds in host Portland’s win over Milwaukee.

Hawks 87, Raptors 84 - Joe Johnson scored 28 points, including a key jumper with 12.5 seconds left, Mike Bibby added 23 and host Atlanta rallied to beat Toronto despite missing Al Horford (knee) and Marvin Williams (concussion).

Spurs 86, Bobcats 84 - Tim Duncan had 17 points and 11 rebounds and blocked Raymond Felton’s tying shot attempt in the frantic final seconds to help San Antonio hold on in Charlotte, N.C.

Hornets 103, Pacers 100 - Chris Paul capped a 27-point performance with an off-balance 3-pointer as time expired, lifting hobbled New Orleans past visiting Indiana.

Rockets 115, Nuggets 113 - Yao Ming scored 31 points, Rafer Alston added 18 points and 11 assists and host Houston beat Denver.

Timberwolves 94, Clippers 86 - Al Jefferson [stats] scored 20 points and tied a season high with 17 rebounds, Craig Smith added 20 points and Minnesota beat host Los Angeles for its seventh win in eight games after losing 15-of-17.

Warriors 119, Wizards 98 - Jamal Crawford had 28 points and eight assists, and Stephen Jackson added 26 points as Golden State beat Washington in Oakland, Calif., its third home victory in four tries.

Elsewhere in the NBA - Portland’s Rudy Fernandez, a 6-foot-6 guard, beat out fellow rookies Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City) and Joe Alexander (Milwaukee) in an online vote and will round out the field for the slam dunk contest at All-Star weekend.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1146470&format=text
Team hits the floor for same-day Bruins, Celtics games
Tearing up the Garden ‘bull gang’ switches it up

By Richard Weir | Tuesday, January 20, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West
Scott Moss stood at the Zamboni entrance inside the TD Banknorth Garden, with an electrical device that lifts courtside risers in his left hand, and butterflies in his stomach.

“The doubleheaders are like our Super Bowls. We step it up a notch,” he said, just as the St. Louis Blues scored a goal with less than a second left. That sent yesterday’s Bruins [team stats] matinee into overtime, adding to Moss’ tension.

The Bruins’ overtime loss meant that Moss and the 11 other members of the Garden’s “Bull Gang” - plus about three dozen temporary workers - would have even less time to complete the changeover from ice to parquet floor in time for the Celtics [team stats]’ 8 p.m. game against the Phoenix Suns.

Hockey-hoop doubleheaders at the Garden are as rare as Celtics’ losses these days. One is traditionally held each Thanksgiving. Yesterday’s was the first on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in at least 13 seasons.

As soon as the hockey players cleared off the ice at around 4 p.m., the Zambonis came out to give it a quick scrub. Then the floor became a hive of activity. Tractors pulled out wagons on which workers stacked the heavy Plexiglas and glass panes that they removed from the hockey boards.

In the meantime, crews began the painstaking job of laying the “sub floor” - some 250 5-by-8-foot sheets of insulated fiber board, specially cut to fit the ring’s oval-shaped rink, that covers the ice.

“It’s like pieces of a puzzle. They all fit in,” explained Paul Chambers, 57, a bull gang member since 1968.

The crew gets its name from the old Garden days. “They worked like bulls. They did everything by hand,‘ said Anthony “Zibby” Puleio, 52. “It’s a lot easier now. We have tractors and forklifts.”

There’s still plenty of heavy lifting. The glass shields along the rink’s sides weigh 280 pounds and each 5-by-5-foot slab of red oak basketball flooring weighs 150 pounds. All are lifted by hand.

The Celtics’ legendary parquet floor - the old one was replaced 10 years ago - has 264 sections, plus two wood tiles for the net posts, and each one is whacked tightly into place with a rubber mallet and fastened with an electric wrench.

At 5:49, the floor was finished. “We’re looking good. It’s one hour and 49 minutes and the teams are already on the court starting to practice,” Puleio said. “But we’re not done yet.” About 2,000 pricey courtside seats and the scorers’ table had to go in before the next whistle could blow.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/20/celtics_hold_court_in_racing_past_phoenix?mode=PF
Celtics hold court in racing past Phoenix
By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | January 20, 2009

Blowout victories over the New Jersey Nets are one thing. The Celtics' 104-87 wipeout of the Phoenix Suns at TD Banknorth Garden last night was something else.

The Celtics (34-9) won their fifth successive game, following the energy-efficient game plan to perfection in building a 35-point advantage by late in the third quarter. The result was an impressive follow-up to shreddings of the Nets (118-86 and 105-85) and launched the Celtics on a trip to Miami (tomorrow) and Orlando (Thursday).

Center Kendrick Perkins (left shoulder) is expected to return for the trip, but the Celtics hardly missed him against Shaquille O'Neal (16 points, 11 rebounds), their aggressiveness and quickness leaving the Suns standing still from the opening tip.

Paul Pierce scored the first 6 points of the game in 94 seconds and every Celtic starter had scored within the opening 4:08. Pierce was slowed by a right ankle strain and did not score after totaling 12 points in the first 15:08.

The Suns' normal ball distribution was disrupted by the Celtics' defense and an overreliance on O'Neal in the low post. Rajon Rondo (23 points) outdueled Steve Nash (12), setting the defensive tone and igniting the Celtics' transition game.

"Halfcourt, Nash is going to hurt us," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "If we play halfcourt, half speed - but speed, we just felt that that was our advantage, and Rondo did it."

The Suns gave solar energy a bad name, seeming slow from the start. They had only one offensive rebound (a Louis Amundson tip-in) in the opening half. By early in the second half, Rondo had matched Phoenix's total of two offensive rebounds, following his own miss for a 75-46 lead. Rondo's fast-break dunk with 29.5 seconds remaining in the third quarter provided an 89-56 lead.

"When Rajon is up and pressuring the ball and he's active you can see it in his eyes," Celtics forward Kevin Garnett said. "He is going to sort of take over and he wants the ball. When he's active like that it is hard to beat us, especially when he's up and playing against Steve Nash - it doesn't get any better than that."

The Celtics used Garnett and Glen Davis on O'Neal and Brian Scalabrine to clamp down on Amar'e Stoudemire (0 for 7 from the field).

"Scal really just used his quickness to play the angles with Stoudemire," Pierce said. "We didn't want to give him any easy catches in the lane, to where he gets the ball and dunks it. I just thought it was a great job with our pressure all night long, turning them over and not giving them anything easy. Stoudemire and Shaq are the guys who make them go - no offense to Nash - but when those guys play well they usually win games."

The Celtics went on 10-0, 11-0, and 8-0 runs in the opening half. The 10-point rally concluded as Garnett blocked O'Neal from behind, O'Neal remaining behind as Rondo converted a layup with the Celtics in a five-on-four advantage - giving them a 21-7 lead 6:06 into the game.

"It's like holding up a wall," Garnett said. "Go home, knock out the foundation in your house and just hold up the wall. And when it's about to fall on you, that's what it's like holding Shaq. Every now and then, let it fall on you and try to pick it back up.

"You're not going to stop Shaq. Shaq's too big and too clever. You don't just score 25,000 points bullying people. You're just trying to slow him down, that's it."

But, once the Celtics poured their own solid foundation, they made certain the game was played at a fast pace.

Any chance of the Suns recharging after halftime was dulled by the Celtics' full-court pressing defense. Ray Allen's 3-pointer made it 87-52 with 2:44 to go in the third, then the Celtics went on cruise control.

"We thought Rondo had to have ball pressure and deflections and Scal the same thing," Rivers said. "We got our hands on a ton of balls in the first quarter, which started breaks for us. And I thought that was the difference, in the first half and in the third quarter. We felt if we could get multiple stops, we could absolutely run.

"We came out with a great spirit. I've said it about four or five games ago, I just like where we're going right now as a team. We're starting to make plays for each other. And everything is about each other."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/20/easy_for_nash_to_make_call_rondo_is_good?mode=PF
Easy for Nash to make call: Rondo is good
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | January 20, 2009

During the summer of 2006, then-Kentucky sophomore guard Rajon Rondo was given a phone number to a reference for the agent he eventually hired, Bill Duffy. But this wasn't your usual reference. Rather, it was a Phoenix Suns point guard who was coming off his second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award, Steve Nash.

All Rondo was expecting was some nice words about Duffy in a short conversation. But by the time the current Celtics point guard hung up the phone, Nash left the youngster with words of wisdom, too.

"I told him to continue to work hard and have a long plan," Nash said before last night's 104-87 Celtics romp over the Suns at the Garden. "Obviously, whether it's his shot and game in general, players have to have a long-term approach and remember whether you have a great rookie year or not, you want to be a pro for 10-15 years. You want to be a great player two or three years, if not four or five years. I just told him with hard work anything is possible. Obviously, if I could be in the position I am now from where I came from, he could do it, too.

"I just called him to let him know how I felt about Bill Duffy and tried to encourage him. It's actually been great to watch a young player come into the league and improve the way he has."

Nash scored 12 points and had 8 assists last night; Rondo went for 23 points and added 7 assists as the Celtics cruised.

Nash's story is something that Hollywood could end up putting on the silver screen one day and one Rondo respects.

Nash was an unknown Canadian prep basketball star in Vancouver, where hockey is king. The only Division 1 basketball scholarship he got was to Santa Clara University. Considering that he was far from a stellar athlete, playing in the NBA didn't seem in the realm of possibility when he arrived in the Bay Area. But after surprisingly shining with the Broncos and making a name for himself during three NCAA Tournament appearances, the Suns took Nash with the 15th overall pick in the 1996 draft.

It wasn't until Nash's fifth season that he showed star promise, then with the Mavericks, and he didn't become an All-Star until 2002. Today, the 6-foot-3-inch, 195-pounder, who returned to Phoenix as a free agent after the 2003-04 season, is a six-time All-Star and one of the best Cinderella stories in NBA history.

"He told me to just work hard," Rondo said about Nash's phone advice. "He told me about the beginning of his career as a young player and how he wasn't the man. But he continued to work hard and it eventually worked out. He found a home in Phoenix and he's been the man for a long period of time.

"He's had a great career. He's been an MVP twice. He's been [an] All-Star. He's had a great career."

Like Nash, Rondo didn't enter the NBA with a lot of fanfare either.

The Suns actually took Rondo with the 21st overall pick in the 2006 draft, but dealt him on draft night to Boston with Brian Grant for a future first-round pick. Rondo averaged just 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists during his sophomore season at Kentucky, his final year with the Wildcats, and was far from an All-American.

But what Rondo had that Nash didn't was baseball glove-like hands, dunk contest athleticism, and defensive back-like quickness. With such physical attributes, Nash could understand why Duffy wanted Rondo so bad.

"I've always been an underdog," Nash said. "So I'm sure he's the same way. He probably has that mentality, too, where he always has to prove something. I think that helps. He has a lot of great tools and as he develops that mentality is what will allow those tools to develop."

After a so-so rookie season, Rondo averaged 10.6 points and 5.1 assists while living up to the pressure as the starting point guard for the now-defending NBA champions and played on the sophomore team at the Rookie Challenge game. He is now considered one of the NBA's best young point guards and is a candidate for the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a reserve.

"I knew the type of skills he had and what he brought to this level," Nash said about Rondo. "But you never know how it turns out. I'm impressed. I'm greatly impressed with the way he's improved every season. And it looks like he is going to continue to improve."

Along with being underdogs, Nash says the other things that he and Rondo have in common are "unselfishness and teamwork." On the flip side, Nash also noted that Rondo is a "phenomenal athlete" and they play "a different way." But one advantage Nash has over Rondo is an intimidating 3-point shot and a reputation for hitting big shots.

Rondo hits only occasional 3-pointers and his mid-range jumper isn't considered a sure thing. He does, however, have the required work ethic and has listened to teammate Kevin Garnett's advice by taking extra jump shots after every practice. If Rondo somehow can get a jumper close to Nash's and similar consistency with his play, he instantly would be spoken about in the same breath with the NBA's two top young point guards, Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

When asked what Rondo could learn from Nash, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, "I'll take [Nash's] shot. That's pretty good. Really, every night Steve's agenda is to make his teammates better. And he does it every night. He does it some nights by scoring and passing. Other nights he decides to be a ball mover and does it. But that's what Nash does every single night. He always does that.

"The one thing that Rondo can learn from Nash is Nash may not play well every night, but he doesn't have an off night. He has a great mental focus every single night. He does it every night. I've never seen him play in a game where he has no focus or low focus. Young players, in general, are up and down in that."

Rondo is just 22 now in his third NBA season; Nash was 22 when he got drafted. And with Rondo's potential in mind, Nash won't be surprised if Duffy starts asking Rondo to start taking those reference phone calls from aspiring NBA prospects soon, too.

"I love his game," Nash said. "He's not a shooter yet. But I think he can develop that and the rest of his game is great. He's a terrific athlete. Terrific defender. Unselfish. He's a winner. His passing has improved. He does all the little things. I'm a big fan of his game."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/20/allen_up_for_trip_to_inaugural?mode=PF
Allen up for trip to inaugural
Veteran guard is awed by moment
By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | January 20, 2009

Celtics guard Ray Allen, managing director Steve Pagliuca, and strength and conditioning coach Bryan Doo planned to depart for Washington, D.C., after last night's 104-87 win over the Phoenix Suns in preparation for today's inauguration of Barack Obama.

Allen originally feared he would have to call off the trip since his tickets, supplied by Congressman Tim Johnson (R-Ill.), failed to arrive on time. Then Allen had to change plans to bring the rest of his family because of logistical problems involving his son.

The details squared away, Allen hired a private plane and will attend without the rest of his family, although he'll be accompanied by Pagliuca and friends.

"They're not allowing any bags of any sorts, strollers," Allen said. "We can't take the things necessary with us. The whole point would be to have [his children] be there to see it and it wouldn't make any sense if they couldn't. I was [disappointed]. We had this conversation, my wife and I, the boys being able to experience a historic event, something they will be able to talk about for the rest of their life - definitely, we will.

"But it just didn't work out for us. Obviously, the health of my kids is most important, and the weather is going to be pretty extreme, so those factors worked against us. We had it all laid out, but from a parental point of view, it seemed like the sensible thing to do."

"So much coverage has taken place the last couple days," Allen added. "Any inauguration, I don't remember this much coverage and this much anticipation, for obvious reasons, and to be there to document it, to take pictures, and to be able to talk about it.

"So many of my friends are driving down there just to be in the vicinity. I don't know what to expect. There's so much electricity and, going back to last season, we talked about the possibility of Obama being elected president.

"I think this is bigger than anything any of us have ever seen. We had a lot of debate about just what is going on in the world and how we have an impact and what we can do, and what the presidential election means to all of us."

The rest of the Celtics will depart for Miami at 8 this morning, in advance of tomorrow's game, coach Doc Rivers having changed the team flight to arrive in time to view the inauguration.

"We'll have a room reserved [at the hotel]," Rivers said. "Some of the guys may want to watch it in private - I probably do, myself. I don't want anybody's interpretation.

"I tend to try to interpret other things they [the players] didn't live through - they lived through this. I'm sure it will be a discussion on the team, just a natural conversation. Martin Luther King and the other people they are too young to know, that's different."

Rivers joked that guard Sam Cassell would compete verbally with Obama. "Sam would talk over Barack's whole speech," Rivers said.

Former Olympian Tommie Smith, who raised a black-gloved fist along with John Carlos during their 200-meters medal ceremony in the 1968 Games to call attention to the struggles of the civil rights movement, was honored at halftime last night. Carlos was also honored but unable to attend. Smith met the Celtics after the game.

"He huddled with us and I think we were all inspired by him just being in the room," Kevin Garnett said.


Dudley is happy
Former Boston College star Jared Dudley, who joined the Suns in a trade with Charlotte Dec. 10, scored 2 points in the final seven minutes.

"I'm excited to be here," Dudley said. "When I got traded I knew it would be a good fit."

"For me [Phoenix] is perfect weather-wise. But I definitely do love the East Coast."


Perkins to make trip
Center Kendrick Perkins (left shoulder) will travel with the Celtics for games at Miami and Orlando (Thursday). Guard Tony Allen (ankle) will not make the trip . . . Cassell, accompanied by former NBA star Reggie Miller, now a television commentator, jokingly appealed to Rivers for a chance to make his season debut following Rivers's pregame news conference. "I'll put Reggie in before I put you in there," Rivers said.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/

Smaller Celtics play bigger in win
Link|Comments (0) Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff January 19, 2009 11:33 PM
TD BANKNORTH GARDEN -- Suns coach Terry Porter was unhappy with his team's effort tonight against the Celtics. In a game in which the final score was no indication of the drubbing Phoenix endured, the Suns committed 23 turnovers on their way to a 104-87 loss.

“We got a good old spanking tonight," said Porter. "They really came out and turned the intensity on us early and we didn’t respond. We just didn’t."

Before the game, it was the Celtics who were concerned about the physical play of the Suns. Without Kendrick Perkins, Boston was faced with the nightmare scenario of putting Kevin Garnett on Shaquille O'Neal and Brian Scalabrine on Amare Stoudemire. But the Celtics came out and punched the Suns in the mouth, and Stoudemire actually finished with more fouls (4) than points (3)

"They came out and the physicality of the game just threw us off," said Porter. "They knocked us off our spots, and we just didn’t resist. No resistance on our part...This is the worst loss of the year. No doubt."

Garnett gives up a good 75 pounds to O'Neal, but the Suns were never really able to exploit that matchup.

“It always takes five guys," said Porter. "It’s not a one-man sport. One guy can’t be physical, it's got to be everybody as a group. Shaq is a big figure, and can be physical, but from the standpoint of just getting knocked off our spots, that’s perimeter guys not popping out aggressive, catching the ball, getting denied easily, so that’s all those scenarios that was disappointing.”

In addition to physical play, the Celtics used their quickness to frustrate the Suns.

"Between Scal and Kevin they did a really good job," said Paul Pierce. "Kevin started out with Shaq and Scal really just using his quickness to play out angles with Stoudemire. We didn’t want to give him any easy catches in the lane, to where he gets the ball and dunks it underneath."

The crowd was merciless in their ridicule of O'Neal all night, but let the record show that Shaq is an incredibly large, incredibly strong man. Any weight he has added as his career has gone on does not diminish the intimidation he brings to the court.

“Its like holding up a wall," Garnett said of guading Shaq. "Go home, knock out the foundation in your house and just hold up the wall. And when it’s about to fall on you, that’s what it's like holding Shaq."

The Celtics have one player with comparable girth to O'Neal, and they called on him early and often.

“Baby’s makeup is probably more built for the pounding and the force and more compact," Garnett said of teammate Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who played 22 minutes. "With those two it's just like boulder moving boulder. You’re not going to stop Shaq, Shaq’s too big and clever. He’s been in this game a long time...you're just trying to slow him down.”

Rondo holds his own
Link|Comments (1) Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff January 19, 2009 10:55 PM
Given the choice between starting a team with Rajon Rondo or Steve Nash at point guard, the choice these days isn't quite so obvious. Nash is the two-time MVP, but if you're looking for a player who has quickness, playmaking ability, and uncanny defensive skills, and who happens to be 22 years old, Rondo would be your man.

Rondo (23 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) downplayed his matchup with one of the league's best.

"It doesn't really [matter]," Rondo said after the game. "I just try to get better every game. I try to stay as consistent as possible because there are a lot of ups and downs in the NBA. I had a good night tonight scoring the ball, but it's all about the win."

Rondo's teammates do a good job reminding him that one game does not an All-Star make.

"I think Paul [Pierce] said it to him best," Kevin Garnett said after the game. "He said, 'You know Rajon, it's not just when you're playing Steve Nash. It's night in and night out.' Consistency is the one thing you preach to him. He goes hard, he works at his craft, and that's why we respect him the way we do."

Said coach Doc Rivers, "We just felt that speed was our advantage [against Nash tonight], and Rondo did it."

Rondo isn't yet at the level where other point guards talk about him as a big-time matchup. He still needs to keep adding to his game.

"It would be nice if he had Nash's jump shot," said Rivers.


FINAL: Celtics 104, Suns 87
Link|Comments (1) Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff January 19, 2009 10:23 PM
TD BANKNORTH GARDEN -- The Celtics played ferocious defense against the Suns tonight, forcing Phoenix into 23 turnovers en route to a not-as-close-as-the-score-indicates 104-87 win. Rajon Rondo led the Celtics with 23 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds.

Keep it here for postgame reaction and video from the locker rooms.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x1983343036/Megliola-Shaq-plays-the-new-Garden
Shaq plays the new Garden
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By Lenny Megliola/Daily News staff
MetroWest Daily News
Posted Jan 19, 2009 @ 11:06 PM
Last update Jan 19, 2009 @ 11:09 PM

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BOSTON — Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal. Big name, big man. It was impossible to cut him down to size on the basketball court. The guy's so dominating and frighteningly powerful. The only thing they could chop down to size was what they'd call him.

Shaq.

He accepted it. Who'd be nuts enough to call him a name he didn't like?

He has name recognition even with people who aren't interested in the NBA. They might not know who he plays for, but the name - the nickname - has become part of the American lexicon.

Shaq.

He was in town last night with the Phoenix Suns, to meet up with the Celtics. With Kendrick Perkins still out with a sore shoulder, Boston coach Doc Rivers was asked before the game who would cover O'Neal. "All of us," was his response. Well, maybe three of four guys, taking turns. Kevin Garnett would be first. "Kevin can use his quickness against Shaq, because he's not going to use his power."

Shaq and Garnett have been around for a long time, but guarding each other hasn't been a common thing. "Every now and then." said Shaq. "Not for a whole game."

Rivers said he'd also put Glen Davis and Leon Powe on Shaq, maybe even seven-foot string bean Patrick O'Bryant.

Who'd guard Shaq the most became a moot point when the Celtics won breezily, 104-87. All you have to know is Boston was up 87-58 when the fourth quarter began. Not one starter from either team played in the last 12 minutes. That almost never happens, folks.

Shaq was asked what he thought of the Celtics. "Champs," he said, reflecting on last season. "They did it the right way. Three superstars jelling. Hats off to the three Boston amigos. ... They reminded me of the old Celtics teams."

Even without James Posey, Shaq feels the Celtics haven't missed a beat, with Powe, Brian Scalabrine and "my son, 'Big Baby,"' coming off the bench.

A few minutes later I said to Davis, 'Guess what Shaq just called you."'

"His illegitimate son?" Close. Actually, Shaq has six kids by three women.

If he had his way, Davis might have stayed on the bench all night and watched Shaq and Garnett go at it. "They were the only two players I watched growing up," said Davis.

Shaq had 16 points and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes. Garnett finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. But nobody was counting after halftime (64-34, Celtics).

Shaq is not one of those super-luminaries who would spend a career with one team. Even Michael (another one-namer fits all) didn't do that. The Larry Birds, Carl Yastrzemskis, Al Kalines, Cal Ripkens, one-city stop guys, are pretty much history. The Suns are Shaq's fourth team, preceded by Orlando, the Lakers and Miami. He was traded to Phoenix last February for Shawn Marion and ex-Celtic Marcus Banks, Banks's only claim to fame, something to tell the grandkids.

Shaq is 36 now. At 7-foot-1, 300 and (fill in the blank) pounds, he's a scary, immovable force, yet when he speaks it's often in a whisper, like an opera diva going easy on the vocal cords. But divas don't have arms that should be registered as lethal weapons.

His side-of-a-building body isn't the only thing big about him. So are his numbers. His career scoring average is 25.6, ninth-best in NBA history. His shooting percentage, 58 percent, is third-best ever. But you know the story. The man does not stray more than arm's length from the hoop. When he gets to the foul line, all bets are off. On Christmas Day, he missed his 5000th free throw. Only Wilt Chamberlain had done that.

But, not many players have four championship rings like Shaq. He was Rookie of the Year in 1993, and league MVP in 2000.

It's a lock that the Suns will finish behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division. "There are a lot of great teams in the (Western Conference)," said Shaq. "We've got to get some consistency. We've let a lot of games slip away."

Last night's game didn't slip away. It was never a game. Boston's biggest lead was 35.

It seems like Shaq has lived two lives, one on the court, the other almost anywhere else, in full view. He's been a rapper, a dancer, in movies, in commercials. He penned his autobiography. There's even a third life, personal and private. He's never had any contact with his biological father, James Toney, who did time because of drugs and wasn't around when Shaq was growing (and growing) up. Shaq was raised by his mother, Lucille, and an Army guy who he calls his father.

He answers the idea of retirement this way. "My goal was to end all of my contracts." This one runs out next season.

And when he finally walks away, what will he do then? "Nothing. You'll never see me again."

Sorry, Shaq. They don't make caves that big.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.telegram.com/article/20090120/NEWS/901200506/1009/SPORTS
Measuring up

Celtics set Suns early, roll to fifth win in row

By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[e-mail]



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Boston point guard Rajon Rondo drives to the basket against Phoenix guard Steve Nash, left, during the first half in Boston. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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BOSTON — Before tipoff, Shaquille O’Neal said last night’s game would be a good measuring stick for the Celtics and Suns. If that’s the case, the Celtics ended up as the ruler.

The Celtics won their fifth game in a row by blowing out the Suns, 104-87, before the usual sellout at the Garden. Phoenix has lost three of its last four.

“It was a good old fashion (butt) whooping,” O’Neal said.


Boston’s first four victories during this streak came against New Jersey and Toronto, teams with sub-.500 records. Few across the league were impressed. Last night’s win before a national television audience on TNT must have opened a few more eyes. The Celtics led by as many as 35 late in the third quarter. They appear back after losing seven of nine, but they never thought they went away.

“We’ve been back since October,” Ray Allen said, referring to the start of training camp.

“I never really thought we lost our confidence,” Paul Pierce said. “It was just a matter of going back and doing the things we do well.”

When the Celtics watch Barack Obama’s inauguration together at their Miami hotel this afternoon, they’ll have plenty of pleasant memories from last night.

They posted their first victory over a team with a winning record since they beat the Hawks on Dec. 17. They had lost four in a row to teams above .500.

They defeated a Western Conference team after dropping four of their last five against the teams from out west.

Rajon Rondo can talk about how he outplayed Suns point guard Steve Nash. Rondo made 9 of 15 shots and scored a team-high 23 points as Boston improved to 21-2 at home. He also collected seven rebounds and dished out five assists. Nash, a former two-time MVP, collected 12 points and eight assists, but committed five turnovers to Rondo’s three.

Most surprisingly, Brian Scalabrine can brag about the defense he played against Amare Stoudemire, helping hold him to three points and no rebounds in 30 minutes. Stoudemire came in averaging 21.8 points and 8.3 boards, but Scalabrine kept his hands low so Stoudemire couldn’t get any bounce passes from Nash off the pick and roll.

“He’s the best pocket passer I’ve ever seen in the history of the league,” Scalabrine said. “He comes off and he throws the ball right there. So I just came off Nash and without even looking I just put my hands down.”

“Scal was phenomenal,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “He just fronted him. We very rarely front if you’ve watched us, but we thought tonight was the night we could do it because Scal has the quickness to front. Clearly, if he stands behind and Amare catches it, that’s not a great matchup for us.”

Allen made 8 of 12 shots and scored 20 points. Kevin Garnett made 7 of 10 shots and finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. Pierce turned his right ankle in the second quarter, but stayed in the game and gathered 12 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Pierce said the ankle wasn’t swollen, but he iced it as a precaution.

With the score 89-58 through three quarters, Allen, Garnett, Pierce and Rondo took the fourth quarter off. The Suns looked a step slow after winning in Toronto Sunday afternoon and turned the ball over 23 times. Boston turned it over only 13 times.

O’Neal led the Suns with 16 points and 11 rebounds in three quarters, but he didn’t get nearly enough help. Stoudemire missed all seven of his field goal attempts and scored only three free throws. Jason Richardson, averaging 17 points, scored just eight, none in the first half when the Celtics took a 64-34 lead and shot 57.1 percent. The 34 points tied a first-half season low for the Suns.

“You get angry,” Nash said, “humiliated. You feel helpless. You feel demoralized. You go through all those things.”

With a sore shoulder sidelining Kendrick Perkins for the fifth game in a row, Garnett guarded O’Neal early on. His quickness and length helped make up for O’Neal’s 70-pound weight advantage, and he limited the big guy to six points in the first quarter.

“It’s like holding up a wall,” Garnett said. “Go home, knock out the foundation in your house and just hold up the wall. And when it’s about to fall on you, that’s what it’s like holding Shaq.”

Glen Davis had nine points and nine rebounds. Midway through the second quarter, O’Neal elbowed him in the face for an offensive foul.

“It’s almost like being in a car accident, and I know that experience,” said Davis, who suffered a concussion in an auto crash on Dec. 21.

The Suns could look upon their embarrassing loss as a good omen. Remember that another team from Arizona, the Cardinals, made it to the Super Bowl a month after the Patriots humiliated them in Foxboro, 47-7.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/x1983343088/Glen-Davis-shows-Shaquille-O-Neal-how-much-he-has-learned?view=print
Glen Davis shows Shaquille O’Neal how much he has learned
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By Mike Fine
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Jan 20, 2009 @ 12:04 AM
Last update Jan 20, 2009 @ 02:55 AM

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BOSTON — Glen Davis isn’t called Big Baby for nothing, so when he was a high school student in Louisiana, when he was just beginning to get proficient in the game of basketball, he was befriended by an older guy who played a little ball himself.

Of course, Shaquille O’Neal wasn’t just any friend. He was an NBA All-Star, perhaps the most ferocious center in the history of the NBA, and like Davis would be, a star at Louisiana State University.

“I met him when I was in high school,” Davis said. “Every summer we would see each other and hang out. Basically, he would show me the ins and outs of the NBA, staying out of bad situations.”

O’Neal also showed Davis the ins and outs of playing basketball, and Davis learned well. And for the first time in his two-year NBA career, he helped turned the tables on his former mentor. While O’Neal scored 16 points with 11 rebounds, Kevin Garnett and Davis in particular pretty much stifled him and, in turn, the Phoenix Suns.

The Celtics won in a rout, 104-87 – it wasn’t nearly that close – and the fact that neither O’Neal nor Steve Nash nor Amare Stoudemire could get off the mark made for an easy evening.

Stopping Nash (12 points, eight assists) was big, stopping Stoudemire (three points on 0-for-7 shooting) was huge, but stopping O’Neal was priority No. 1 for the Celts, who’ve won five straight.

Garnett, who began the evening against O’Neal, scored 16 points with eight rebounds and three steals, but he did a nice job against difficult circumstances.

“It’s like holding up a wall,” he said. “Go home, knock out the foundation in your house and just hold up the wall. And when it’s about to fall on you, that’s what it’s like holding up Shaq. When the wall is coming at you, hold it up for 48 minutes over two hours and 15 minutes.

“Have someone else in your house come over, you take a break, get some Gatorade and come back and just hold it up.”

That someone else was Davis, whose got a few pounds on Garnett, yet still a load away from the 300-plus-pound O’Neal.

“Baby’s makeup is probably more built for pounding and the force and more compact,” Garnett said. “With them two it’s like boulder moving boulder. He did a good job. You’re not going to stop Shaq. Shaq’s too big and clever. He’s been in this game a long time and you don’t just score 25,000 points. He has different ways of scoring and tonight when we helped, he was effective, but you’re just trying to slow him down.”

“I feel like I’m a house a little bit, too,” said Davis, “so I try to put the little house against the big house. He’s strong. He’s hard, hard to guard him for 48 minutes.”

Davis had success on both ends against O’Neal, who calls him (Davis) “my son.” Early in the second quarter Davis took a buzzer-beating jumper from the top of the key with O’Neal in his shirt. Two minutes later Davis was going across the lane with the ball, faked a pass to Ray Allen and got clobbered by O’Neal, getting to the line. A short time later Davis rebounded a missed O’Neal layup and threw a long lead pass to a streaking Allen. Later in the same quarter, Davis hit a couple of jumpers. O’Neal never came out to defend.

“He’s got a big body and he’s a great player,” Davis said. “He’s not the old Shaq but he’s still Shaq. He still can do whatever he wants on the floor whenever he wants. The guy is so great. I looked up to him at LSU when I was little and just watching him playing through the years and seeing how great he is.”

In this game, though, the Celtics were dominant. Their early defense forced nine first-quarter Suns turnovers, eventually leading to a 32-point lead before the half was over, and the game was already over. Brian Scalabrine was terrific guarding Stoudemire, and Rajon Rondo (23 points, seven assists, five rebounds) outplayed Nash. The Celts scored 28 points off 23 Phoenix turnovers.

“This is the worst of the year, no doubt,” said Suns coach Terry Porter. “They came out and gave us a good old-fashioned spanking.”

O’Neal agreed. “Nothing else to say. Period. We knew they were going to come in with some intensity. With a team like that, you’ve gotta match it and we didn’t.”

That’s what bodes well for the Celtics. This was not Toronto and New Jersey, who accounted for the first four wins of this five-game winning streak. This was a quality team with a quality nucleus of players.

“We felt like we have been playing better and this is a great test for us,” said Paul Pierce, who twisted an ankle in the second quarter, sitting out the entire fourth once again.

“Not taking away anything from New Jersey and Toronto, but they’re not as good as Phoenix. So this is more of a test for us to maintain our consistency especially with a big road trip coming up in Orlando and Miami.”

[FLCeltsFan]

forum.connpost.com/celticscentral/2009/01/the_redemption_of_glen_davis.html#trackbacks
The Redemption of Glen Davis


The Celtics lead by as many as 35 points and trounced the Suns by 104-87 as one of a full slate of games on Martin Luther King Day.


Call it the redemption of Glen Davis. If not redemption, then maturation.


The TNT announcers mentioned and showed the now famous scene (Portland game) of Glen Davis getting a stern dressing down by Garnett and his highly emotional response the end of the Celtic bench - for all to see on national TV. Big Baby, indeed.


With Kendrick Perkins out with an injured shoulder, the Celtics needed Davis to step up big time against a rejuvenated league behemoth named Shaquille O'Neal. Glen finished with 9 points and 9 rebounds (2nd highest this season). But it was his defense on Shaq that was remarkable.


Celtics Destroy Suns
The Celtics rolled over the Suns for an incredible 30 point lead by half time. It got as high as 35 before the Suns whittled it down in the 4th quarter against the Celtics' deep end of the bench.


Rajon Rondo took game honors with 23 points on 9 of 15 shooting including a three pointer and two other jumpshots, all the while making life difficult for Steve Nash, who finished with 12 points, 8 assists, and 5 turnovers. Rondo had 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 turnovers.


Rondo has seriously outplayed Devin Harris and Steve Nash, two of the NBA's finest point guards, in his last three games.


There was plenty of love to go around. Paul Pierce finished close to triple double with 12 points, 8 rebounds, while tieing Nash for game honors with 8 assists. Ray Allen finished with 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting and 4 of 5 from the arc.


Kevin Garnett played more center than he would like to but less than he might have had to, thanks to Davis. KG finished with 16 points on just 7 of 10 shooting, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and a block with zero turnovers, while playing stellar defense against Shaq and Amare Stoudamire. Amare finished with 3 points, 0-7 shooting, a single rebound, and 4 turnovers.


Like the last game against the Nets, the Celtics began with a 6-0 run courtesy of Paul Pierce, as he opened with a jump shot, lay-up, and turnaround jumper. The Cs went up by 21-7 and finished the first quarter 30-15, as Ray Allen took over the scoring load with 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting. Pierce added 8 to the effort.


The Celtics defense was excellent and the Suns responded a bit like the Nets - stunned. the Celtics doubled Shaq and Amare with different people but primarily with Brian Scalabrine. Brian theoretically started at center again, but mostly played the PF on defense. While his shot was off, he defended solidly against the Sun big men.


The Celtics harassed the Suns into 9 turnovers in the opening period and 15 by half time. The game was over as the Celtics led by 64-34.


Davis was so effective against Shaq, that it freed up Garnett to play Amare Stoudamire, who was shut down completely. Along the way Shaq tattooed Davis twice, once with a well placed elbow to the head and again with a two hand push as Davis was attempting to shoot over him.


But Davis did his job and moreso, as he made life difficult for Shaq while he was on him. Davis also hit a few jump shots and had a power dunk around Louis Amundson. Amundson had13 points on 5 of 6 shots and 3 blocks in 23 minutes.


Shaq finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead Phoenix.


Unusual Stat of the Night
The Celtics shot 94 times, which is, I believe their season high.
The Celtics assisted 30 times on 45 made baskets.
The Suns had just 58 points heading into the fourth quarter.


That is largely a result of the 23 turnovers, 12 of which were steals, few time outs, and 15 fastbreak points. The game plan was to push the ball whenever possible. The Celtics had a number of 'leak outs' for easy baskets in the first half.


Summary
The Celtics looked crisp and did it against a talented team. Shaq was slow on transition defense (surprise) and the Celtics took full advantage of that. But the rest of the Sun's defense was lacking as well. With solid ball movement, the Celtics had a number of open looks throughout the game.


Formerly, the highest example of a transition team, with Terry Porter and Shaq, the Suns are now a team in transition. The Celtics are finding themselves and are back to playing suffocating defense.


Next up: Wednesday at Miami

[FLCeltsFan]

Shaq says Celtics have all the right pieces in place

08:47 AM EST on Tuesday, January 20, 2009

By ROBERT LEE
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON — Phoenix center Shaquille O’Neal knows a good thing when he sees it.

Related links
Celtics-Suns box score

Celtics Blog · Phoenix takes losing to the Celtics hard Mon 11:12 PM

Your Turn: Have the Celtics put their problems behind them for good?
And he believes the Boston Celtics are as good as they come when it come to the makeup of an NBA team.

The Celtics put three superstars on the same team last season when they traded for All-Stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett and teamed them up with fellow All-Star Paul Pierce.

The result was an NBA championship.

Part of the reason the Celtics were so successful last season, O’Neal said, was because they were an unselfish team that sacrificed individual glory for the chance to win a championship.

“They were three superstars who were meshing and gelling,” O’Neal said. “There was no drama. No arguments. They were guys sacrificing for each other. It was a perfect season for those three guys.”

O’Neal has been on teams where star players, including himself, argued about who should get ball more, but he doesn’t see that with Boston.

“If you go through the history of the game, there are a lot of teams that had two or three great players on a team who were very unselfish, but if you look at the make up of those guys, they’ve always been very unselfish,” O’Neal said of Boston’s new Big Three. “They’ve been on teams where they were the go-to guy, so they had to take all of the shots. But those guys are very nice guys and they stay out of trouble off of the court. It’s all about their make up. They are very unselfish.”

O’Neal said he’s not surprised the Celtics are on pace to surpass 60 wins again this season.

“It’s the same team, but they miss [James] Posey,” O’Neal said. “They know how important Posey is and was, but they have a lot of other guys stepping up. [Leon] Powe is there. [Eddie] House is there. [Brian] Scalabrine is there. My son, Big Baby [ Glen Davis], is there, so it’s good.”

“All of the pieces are still there,” echoed Phoenix coach Terry Porter.

O’Neal said that he was impressed with the way the Celtics defeated his former teammate Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the NBA Finals last year.

“Watching the series from a fan standpoint, it reminded me of like the old Boston days where you see three or four Hall of Famers playing together,” O’Neal said. “It was pretty to watch from a fan standpoint.”

Witness to history

Ray Allen got his hands on the hardest ticket to obtain in the country, so he left late last night for Washington, D.C., to attend President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration, which will take place today.

Allen is the only Celtic who will be attending today’s historic event, and his hotel is within walking distance of the inauguration. He got his tickets from Illinois Sen. Timothy Johnson. He said that he is going to meet up with a group of his friends when he gets there and watch history unfold.

“To be able to be there, to document it, to take pictures, to be able to talk about it, it’s one of those events where it is one thing to see it on TV, but to be there, walk around and talk about everything that’s happening … it’s exciting,” Allen said.

He wanted to take his family to the inauguration, but it wasn’t going to work out.

“That was the dilemma. I wanted to, but we found out that the kids … they are not allowing any bags or strollers of any sort, and with my son (Walker) having diabetes, we couldn’t run a risk of not having his necessities with us.”

Yao tops Shaq

All-Star voting ended last night, and Houston center Yao Ming received more votes than O’Neal and will be the starting center for the Western Conference team.

O’Neal hopes he won’t be left off the West roster.

“It would mean a lot, but I’m not going to walk out and put on cowboy hats and do internet campaigns,” O’Neal said. “Hopefully my play speaks for itself. ”