|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 7:36:36 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1147188&format=textCeltics spin some Magic Defense spurs big test win By Mark Murphy | Friday, January 23, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP ORLANDO, Fla. - Initially, even the Celtics [team stats] were starstruck as Orlando’s pre-eminent basketball fan took his courtside seat. Glen Davis pointed like a little kid, and Paul Pierce [stats] and Ray Allen walked over to Tiger Woods, perhaps in search of pointers. But Woods wasn’t there to work. Like everyone else in Amway Arena last night, he was drawn by another Eastern Conference marquee moment, another potential conference final preview. In that regard the Celtics feel some vindication today. After losing their first two supremely hyped road games this season in Los Angeles and Cleveland, the Celtics put a big one on the board with last night’s 90-80 win over Orlando. “This was very big,” said Pierce. “You hear about the way that Cleveland and Orlando have been playing, and it’s important for us to get some of those wins. Hopefully we’ll get two more against them and win the season series. That’s going to be big.” Indeed, the stakes are already big. “We didn’t want to go down so far as losing on the road to the top four teams in the NBA,” said guard Ray Allen. “So from a mindset perspective, we wanted to come in here and play four good quarters.” The Celtics did better than that. They held the Magic to season lows in points (80) as well as points in a half (36 in the first). The continued pounding of Kendrick Perkins [stats] and Davis relegated MVP candidate Dwight Howard to a night of frustration with 11 points and six debilitating fouls. The Celts snapped Orlando’s seven-game win streak, extended their own to seven, and now have a 2-0 season series edge over a very important opponent. And now they are tied with Cleveland for the best winning percentage (.800) in the East. And for all of the big shots, including a 27-point performance from Pierce, for the second straight night someone came off the bench to turn the game. Just as Eddie House destroyed the Heat on Wednesday with his 3-point shooting, Davis turned so hot last night, even Perkins, about to sub in for him at the start of the fourth, turned to Doc Rivers and advised that they leave Big Baby on the floor. Davis, responsible for a good portion of Howard’s coverage, turned from starstruck gawker into difference maker with perhaps the best game of his Celtics career, scoring 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. “With Baby it’s all about consistency,” said the Celtics coach. “I wish that was every night, and I’m hoping it will be every night some day. You could see him engaged tonight early, and we just rolled with him.” Howard, haunted by Davis at both ends of the floor, fouled out with 2:30 left for a moving pick violation. Davis had just buried a 20-footer for an 84-75 Celtics lead, and the Magic needed help from another corner. Jameer Nelson picked the ball away from Rajon Rondo [stats] and cruised in off the break. But Davis drew a crowd and a foul under the basket and hit both free throws for an 86-77 edge with 1:16 left. “It felt like a playoff game for a minute,” said Howard. “But we just have to step up to the challenge when we play a great team like the Celtics. We’ve been watching them play for a long time. They play with a lot of intensity, they play hard and we’ve got to be able to match it. “We play them two more times, and we’re looking forward to it.”
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 7:36:50 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1147190&format=textKevin Garnett earns an All-Star start Ticket to Phoenix By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Friday, January 23, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP ORLANDO, Fla. - The random nature of the NBA All-Star balloting didn’t cost Kevin Garnett a spot in the Eastern Conference starting lineup. Although voting was extended to China this season, Garnett (2,066,833 votes) still edged New Jersey’s Yi Jianlian (1,813,829) for the second forward spot when totals were released yesterday. Both trailed Cleveland star LeBron James (2,940,823). The outpouring for Yi - who has a broken finger and likely wouldn’t have been able to start anyway - illustrates just how influential the Chinese vote was. “I have to admit, that made me think,” coach Doc Rivers said of hearing that Yi had a chance to pass Garnett. “It made me think, ‘Well, this is something we’ve got to get right.’ I still think it should be the fans’ vote, though.” Garnett received his 12th nod to the All-Star Game, which will take place Feb. 15 in Phoenix. That’s the second most appearances among active players, trailing only Suns center Shaquille O’Neal (14). “I’ve lost track, man,” Garnett said after last night’s 90-80 win over the Magic. “The important thing is every year you come in and there’s no definite to what your level of play is going to be. You just hope that you’re going to be prepared to get back to that level. “From a kid who came in here from high school, the important thing is you have to work your butt off. I’m honored. I’m a little overwhelmed but I’m honored.” Paul Pierce [stats] (1,238,763 votes), who finished one spot behind Yi in voting for East forwards, virtually is assured of making the team when coaches pick the reserves Jan. 29. Ray Allen (851,205) was sixth in voting for the Eastern Conference guards. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that Kendrick Perkins [stats] (621,709 votes) finished second to Orlando’s Dwight Howard (record-high 3,150,181) among Eastern Conference centers. Rivers, meanwhile, hopes Rajon Rondo [stats] gets some consideration, too. “I’m really hoping Rondo is there,” said the coach, who noted that the point guard’s opponent last night, Orlando’s Jameer Nelson, also deserved to make the roster. “Maybe together they’ll give us the smallest backcourt in All-Star history. But Rondo deserves it. I’m going to talk to the other coaches about him.” Not in the House If you’re looking for a true All-Star weekend misjustice, look no further than Eddie House. As evidenced by the guard’s six-trey second quarter in the Celtics [team stats]’ 98-83 victory against Miami on Wednesday night - a feat that tied Dee Brown’s franchise record set in 1998 against Dallas - House is one of the best in the league at getting on a roll from downtown. One would think during the course of House’s eight-plus seasons in the league, he would have received at least one call to take part in the 3-point contest during All-Star weekend, right? Especially since this season’s festivities take place in Phoenix, down the street from his offseason home? You would be wrong. “No, I’ve never received one,” House said. “I’m going to be in Phoenix anyway, and that would be nice to participate in that. “But if you’re not wanted, then you’re not wanted. But then it will just be good to get some home time.” House has at least one ardent supporter in Allen, who won the 3-point contest in 2001 while with the Milwaukee Bucks. “I told Paul (Pierce) that I was going to politic for Eddie in the 3-point contest,” Allen said. “That’s because he’s one of the best in the game.” Cold reception Wednesday’s game in Miami also marked the first time that rookies Bill Walker of the C’s and Michael Beasley of the Heat have been on the floor at the same time - albeit now on opposite sides - since their college days at Kansas State. Far be it for either to say hello, though. There wasn’t even a wave. “You can’t, man,” he said. “He plays for the Heat now, so I can’t do that. Maybe we’ll talk when we’re off the floor sometime.”
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 7:41:41 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1147210&format=textLoss to Celtics doesn’t diminish Magic’s positive buzz By Mike Bianchi / The Orlando Sentinel | Friday, January 23, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP ORLANDO, Fla. — Is this how it used to feel? Is this what all those old misty-eyed Magic fans are referring to when they start talking about how exciting and exhilarating it used to be in Orlando? Remember those days . . . when this town longed for and lived for Magic basketball, when Amway Arena was the "it" social gathering place, when everybody who was anybody showed up here just so they could be seen? Sometimes, you really can go back to the future. Sometimes, with all due respect to the Righteous Brothers, you can actually relocate that lovin’ feeling. No, the Magic didn’t capture any championships Thursday night against the defending champion Boston Celtics [team stats]. In fact, they didn’t even win the game. But they rekindled something far more important during this dog-ugly 90-80 loss to the Celtics: A love affair with their fans. "It was like a playoff atmosphere in here tonight," Magic point guard Jameer Nelson said. "The place was loud and full of energy." In the grand scheme of a long NBA season, this game really meant nothing as far as seedings and standings. And it’s a good thing because Boston made Orlando look ordinary, ending the soaring Magic’s seven-game winning streak and holding them to their lowest point total of the season. But it’s like Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy pointed out: This isn’t college football where one loss can determine who wins the national championship. "At the end of the day, (it’s) one win or one loss," Van Gundy said "We’re not the BCS, where the polls and the power ratings and all of that ridiculous stuff matters. This is a legitimate sport." Van Gundy is absolutely right, but, still, it doesn’t seem quite right to call this simply one of 82 games. Not if you were at the arena Thursday night. Not if you saw scalpers trying to get a couple of hundred bucks per seat from fans who braved the cold and showed up hours before the game in search of tickets. Not if you saw Tiger Woods sitting courtside high-fiving Stuff the mascot before tipoff. How do we know it was one of the biggest regular-season games in recent Magic memory? Because Magic founder Pat Williams handed out yet another new book he’s authored — Chicken Soup for the Basketball Soul — to sports writers before the game. This game wasn’t exactly chicken soup; it was more like Boston clam chowder for the Magic soul. The feel and fervor leading up to tipoff was like going back in time to the Shaq years. Maybe it will never be quite like it was back then because these are tougher, more cynical times. Back then, the Magic were new and fresh, and fans were untainted by the decade of misfortune that followed. Back then — when the Magic had almost instant success by netting Shaq and Penny Hardaway in consecutive lottery drawings — fans knew nothing but good times. They believed teams were built and championships won with peppermint sticks and pingpong balls. This is why I say this Magic team should be more embraced than the Shaq teams of old: Because Magic fans now are real fans. They’ve suffered through years of mediocrity and misfortune. To be a real fan, you can’t just live with your team; you have to die a little with it, too. Magic fans have certainly endured some bad times over the last decade, which is why they should relish these good times even more. And make no mistake about it, this team is good — real good — despite what happened Thursday night. Can we please stop with the repetitive, ridiculous notion that the Magic aren’t getting the national love and respect they deserve? For crying out loud, Dwight Howard outdistanced both LeBron and Kobe (no last names needed) and received more all-star votes than anybody in history. The Magic came into Thursday’s game with the best record in the league. They are on national TV 11 times this season. According to respected NBA analysts like the legendary Bill Walton, the Magic should be favored to win the championship. "I laugh at the whole respect card that is being played around here," says Celtics Coach Doc Rivers, an Orlando resident. "Please, enough with that. Next thing you know, they’re going to play the race card." Doc should know what he’s talking about. The Magic now have the type of team, talent, atmosphere and aura he imagined when he was coaching Orlando during the snake-bit years when the franchise was hijacked by Grant Hill’s ankle. That was then; this is now. And now, finally, Orlando has a team that has the look of a champion. The Magic may have lost the game Thursday night. But they generated something far more important: A buzz in the community. ___
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 7:43:09 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1147211&format=textAlonzo Mourning, a transformed man is moving ahead By Linda Robertson / McClatchy Newspapers | Friday, January 23, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage Photo by AP MIAMI — When Alonzo Mourning arrived in Miami 13 years ago, he was a growling, scowling, gruff, tough, paranoid enigma. When he talked publicly — which was less frequently than even Michael Jordan, and only on his weekly designated "Zo Day" — he was not pleasant to speak to. He was an imperious young man. He always played defense, and getting an honest answer out of him was like wrestling him for a rebound. When Mourning retired from basketball Thursday, it was striking to realize how much he has changed. He stood behind a lectern inside his second home at AmericanAirlines Arena, looked everyone in the eye and spoke eloquently about his passion for the game. "With everyone’s career, with everything you do, a clock starts," he said. "Father Time catches up with everybody." Mourning, almost 39, decided to walk away without "a limp or a cane." He paused a couple times, admitted he was on the verge of tears. He also chuckled, made fun of himself, waxed philosophical, got opinionated, demurred to his wife. He is a fascinating middle-age man. During his years with the Miami Heat, we watched Mourning block shots, flex biceps, foul out, brawl with the Knicks. We watched him come back from a kidney transplant. We watched him mentor Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal to an NBA championship. We watched Zo grow up. Today, Mourning is that rarest of gems: a professional athlete with vision beyond the white lines. He has matured from volcanic NBA center to thoughtful community leader. He was all about winning. Now he is all about giving. "I think my legacy on this earth will be service to others," said Mourning, whose foundations help the poor, the illiterate and the unhealthy. When the topic of his future comes up, he has heard proposals of "Senator Mourning" or "Pastor Mourning." "I can’t see that right now — plus, I got a mouth like a sailor," he said, smiling. No, his intensity hasn’t waned, but he knows how to channel it. His former coach, his old partner in workaholism, Pat Riley, hasn’t seen such a transformation since Magic Johnson survived the crucible of his HIV diagnosis. "Zo was so ultra serious, so committed, so over-the-top competitive," Riley recalled. "Earvin was playful, but also a winner and a killer on the court. He, too, went through a tragic event and look how it changed him. "I call it the seed of equivalent benefit. I told Zo that to beat this thing you’re going to have to back it." We treat our sports stars like invincible supermen, and too often they believe it, but athletes like Mourning and Johnson learned how sudden the plunge from soaring to earthbound can be. Disease — in Mourning’s case, focal glomerulosclerosis — made them more compassionate. They became acutely aware of that clock Mourning refers to, the big, invisible one outside the basketball arena. "Sometimes it takes adversity to collect your thoughts and realize what your true purpose is," Mourning said. He and Johnson have raised millions for medical research and for the inner cities of Miami and Los Angeles. They are spokesmen and activists. They’ve used their fame for the greater good. "We still have a lot of work to do," Mourning said of himself and wife Tracy. "It’s a disgrace to see the vicious cycle of illiteracy. We talk about children’s problems when what we have is an adult problem." He’s had wonderful teachers: Fannie Threet, the foster mother who took him in as a confused and angry boy and taught him about the bounty of love; John Thompson, who taught him rugged self-confidence during Georgetown’s "Hoya Paranoia" heyday, and Riley, the acidic motivator who taught him to carry himself with class. Mourning decided to retire while he was in Washington, witnessing the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Lots of people approached him to ask, "How is your health?" It all got him thinking about a "new chapter." His knee is intact after a long rehabilitation, but this comeback won’t end with Mourning waving goodbye from center court, his No. 33 Heat jersey soaked in sweat. It will end quietly, on his terms, 13 months after he crumpled to the court and yelled, "It’s over! It’s over! It’s over!" Mourning, "the taproot" of the Heat, as Riley said, didn’t go kicking at Jeff Van Gundy or screaming with fans, but joking with Tracy, who videotaped his announcement and asked the last question, about what he plans to do with his spare time. "I’ll wash dishes and take out the trash, whatever you want me to do, dear," he said. Dear? It was the ultimate confirmation of what Zo called his "Jekyll and Hyde" transformation. The grouch grew up. The great thing is, he’s still growing. ___
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 7:43:47 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/23/celtics_are_up_to_old_tricks?mode=PFCeltics are up to old tricks Like magic, they win 7th straight By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | January 23, 2009 ORLANDO, Fla. - The Celtics have had some rough road experiences this season. But after skidding off course on the West Coast and being routed in Cleveland they appear to have regained their sense of direction. But the guiding force came from an unexpected source last night, Glen Davis leading the way in the final quarter of a 90-80 win over Orlando, the Celtics' seventh successive victory. Davis scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and also defended against Dwight Howard, who scored only 5 points in the final 40:11 and fouled out with 2:30 to play. The Celtics (36-9) overtook Orlando (33-9), which had been tied with the Lakers for the best record in the NBA and was riding a seven-game winning streak. And the Celtics proved they could win away from home against an elite team, after losing on the road to the Lakers and Cleveland. "We didn't want to go down as having lost on the floors of the top four teams in the NBA," guard Ray Allen said. Coach Doc Rivers said before the game he considered the Magic to be playing better than any team in the league. Orlando, 16-3 since Dec. 12, entered averaging 111 points at home and on an 11-game home winning streak. But the Celtics pressured point guard Jameer Nelson with Rajon Rondo, then collapsed their defense on Howard (11 points, 11 rebounds) and frustrated the Magic's inside game. "You never know when you will have to step up on this team," said Davis, who stayed in the lineup with the starters in the final quarter in place of Kendrick Perkins. "I've been putting in a lot of hard work shooting that midrange jump shot." But Davis's defense on Howard was just as impressive. In fact, Perkins was at the scorer's table set to replace Davis, but he was playing so well that Rivers called Perkins back to the bench. "You can't let [Howard] have a good game, or a funny game," Davis said. "When he's smiling, he is feeling good and he plays good. We tried to discomfort him, make him feel angry and frustrated. No smiles and a lot of frowns. We got a lot of frowns from Dwight, so that means we had a good night. We tried to aggravate him and be a pest, not give him anything easy and make him go to the line. We wanted to box him out every time, put a body on him." Davis scored the Celtics' first 8 points of the fourth quarter, the most impressive a hook over Howard with 0:02 on the shot clock for a 67-54 lead 45 seconds in. Nelson kept the Magic in contention with a 3-pointer with 0:03 on the shot clock, then his short jumper cut the deficit to 82-75 with three minutes remaining. But Davis's jumper restored the Celtics' 9-point margin 17 seconds later. "Once we calmed down and got a flow, both offensively and defensively, we never looked back," said Kevin Garnett, who had 16 points and five rebounds. "With [Davis] and Leon [Powe], it's hit-and-miss. Baby's very versatile; he rolls out and can hit shots. He's going to have the opportunities because Perk is not at full throttle. He gave us some big minutes. He was just very, very aggressive - we promoted that. They had their schemes defensively, and I thought he made them pay. "When those guys are like that, the starters love it. The bench will be the reason why we win or why we lose." The Celtics' interior defense clamped down late in the opening quarter. Howard scored 6 points in the first 7:49, but failed to convert another field goal until early in the fourth. The Celtics took control with a 16-4 run spanning 7:40 of the halves, Rondo's jumper with a second on the shot clock providing a 56-40 lead with 5:55 remaining in the third quarter. Only Hedo Turkoglu scored from the field for the Magic in the final 10:42 of the opening half, his 3-point shooting keeping Orlando in contention. But the Celtics failed to get their transition game into gear and the first half turned into a half-court battle, Boston taking a 44-36 lead into intermission. Among the highlights of the opening half was Rondo controlling a jump ball against Rashard Lewis with 4:10 left, Garnett then converting in the lane following a timeout for a 36-28 edge. Asked if this was a statement game, Garnett said, "You can call it a test. You gain confidence from games like this. You want to be consistent with what you're doing on the road. "The road is the hardest thing in this league other than back-to-backs. Just knowing what we were doing, how we were going to attack - if we can somehow bottle that, I think it will give us a chance every night."
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 7:47:22 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/23/for_12th_time_garnett_is_a_star?mode=PFFor 12th time, Garnett is a star He's Boston's only rep among East starters By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | January 23, 2009 ORLANDO, Fla. - Kevin Garnett said he has "lost track" of how many times he has been named to play in the All-Star Game. "Every time I make the All-Star [Game], I'm always thankful and privileged more than anything," Garnett said after the Celtics defeated the Magic, 90-80, last night. "I'm a kid that came here from high school. You work your butt off every year to give yourself a chance to be something special." Garnett was voted a starter for the Feb. 15 extravaganza in Phoenix. He was eighth overall in the fan voting, named on 2,066,833 ballots. The Eastern Conference starters will be forwards Garnett, a 12-time All-Star, and LeBron James (Cleveland); guards Allen Iverson (Detroit) and Dwyane Wade (Miami); and center Dwight Howard (Orlando). Other Celtics among the top 10 in voting at their positions were center Kendrick Perkins (second), forward Paul Pierce (fourth), and guard Ray Allen (sixth). The remainder of the All-Star rosters will be determined by the coaches, which could make Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo a contender, though he was not among the top 11 guards in fan voting. Coach Doc Rivers said Rondo and the Magic's Jameer Nelson deserve to be named to the team, though "they would be the smallest backcourt in NBA All-Star history." Nelson (17 points) had the statistical edge on Rondo last night, but Rondo's defense knocked the Magic off balance. "We wanted to make them use the clock bringing the ball up the court," said Rondo, who scored 9 points and had eight rebounds. "The only thing they can do with 17 seconds is the pick-and-roll, and that was key, too." New Jersey's Yi Jianlian, who is out with a broken finger, was named on 1,813,829 ballots, receiving a disproportionate amount of votes from China. Yi was on Garnett's heels for the second starting forward spot throughout the voting. "I still think it should be fans' vote," Rivers said. "It's the fans' game and whoever they want to see play." Howard set a record with 3,150,181 votes. Statement issued The Celtics had few problems with Howard and the Magic. "We look at every game like a statement game," said Pierce, who scored a game-high 27 points in almost 44 minutes. "At the end of the year, the way Cleveland and Orlando have been playing, it could come down to a tiebreaker - hopefully, we can get two more [wins against the Magic]." The Celtics, who host Dallas Sunday, have built a seven-game winning streak after losing seven of nine, a slump that began with a Christmas Day loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles. "To the Lakers, it was like it was the championship," Garnett said. "Some of the comments those guys made were kind of comical - it's still the regular season." And the Celtics appear to have regained their winning edge. "We don't lack any confidence, we don't lack any swagger," Garnett said. "It's just coming out and being consistent. "We've got a pretty tough week coming up and we're just trying to get better." Family fun Rivers's family was at last night's game, and the Celtics coach plans to remain in Orlando to attend his son's high school game tonight.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 7:53:58 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2009/01/23/memphis_blues_for_iavaroni?mode=PFMemphis blues for Iavaroni Team failed to live up to its promise By Associated Press | January 23, 2009 Halfway through another lost season, the Memphis Grizzlies fired coach Marc Iavaroni. Team spokesman Dustin Krugel confirmed Iavaroni's dismissal last night, but would not say who would coach the Grizzlies tonight against the Knicks. However, ESPN reported assistant coach Johnny Davis will coach tonight. General manager Chris Wallace was traveling to New York. Memphis has lost seven straight and 15 of 17 to fall to 11-30 after Iavaroni led the team to a 22-60 record last season, his first as an NBA head coach. Iavaroni's firing was first reported by TNT and The Commercial Appeal. The Grizzlies went 49-33 and made the playoffs in 2005-06, but Mike Fratello was fired after the team got off to a 6-24 start the following season. Tony Barone Sr. took over on an interim basis and led Memphis to an NBA-worst 22-60 mark. The Grizzlies were in a prime spot to nab Greg Oden or Kevin Durant in the 2007 draft, but slipped to the fourth spot in the lottery and ended up with guard Mike Conley - so far a disappointment. Then-Grizzlies president Jerry West called the lottery result "grossly unfair." Memphis is the seventh team to fire a coach this season, following Washington, Toronto, Sacramento, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, and Minnesota. ESPN is reporting that former 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks and ex-Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins are among the candidates to replace Iavaroni. O.J. Mayo, the No. 3 overall pick last year, and Rudy Gay both have been bright spots for Memphis, but the team was 29th in the league in scoring at 93 points a game. Record vote for Howard He was the first to dress as Superman to win a dunk contest. He's now the first player to get 3 million votes from fans. Yes, the All-Star Game is fast becoming Dwight Howard's personal showcase. The Orlando Magic center - who leads the NBA in rebounds, blocked shots, and double-doubles - got a record 3,150,181 votes to lead this season's All-Star starters. The Feb. 15 game in Phoenix will mark the third All-Star trip for Howard, who'll be starting for the second time and easily topped the previous record of 2,558,278 votes collected by Houston's Yao Ming four years ago. The final results of fan balloting didn't exactly bring any major surprises. Miami's Dwyane Wade (2,741,413) and Detroit's Allen Iverson (1,804,649) will be in the East's backcourt, alongside reigning All-Star MVP LeBron James of Cleveland (2,940,823) and Boston's Kevin Garnett (2,066,833), who beat New Jersey's Yi Jianlian for the starting nod by 253,004 votes. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (2,805,397) was the West's top vote-getter, and will be joined at guard by New Orleans's Chris Paul (2,134,798). At center, Yao (2,532,958) will start for the sixth time, along with forwards Tim Duncan of San Antonio (2,578,168) and Amar'e Stoudemire of Phoenix (1,460,429). Mourning retires Alonzo Mourning has decided to retire rather than mount another comeback at age 38. The seven-time All-Star center said he won't return from a devastating leg injury suffered Dec. 19, 2007 - the fourth anniversary of his lifesaving kidney transplant. He had been working out at the Miami Heat complex and said he's running and jumping again, but he feared another leg injury if he returned. In 15 seasons, Mourning averaged 17.1 points and 8.5 rebounds and twice was chosen NBA defensive player of the year. He averaged 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in 25 games last season for the Heat. Lakers rout Wizards Andrew Bynum had 23 points and 14 rebounds, Pau Gasol added 18 points, and the Lakers cruised to a 117-97 victory over the Washington Wizards in Los Angeles. On the third anniversary of his franchise-record 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors, Bryant had 11 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds in 28 minutes . . . Monta Ellis will be in uniform for the Golden State Warriors tonight for the first time this season when they host Cleveland. Ellis has missed the entire season while recovering from a sprained left ankle sustained five months ago in an accident on a motorized scooter. He was suspended for 30 games without pay after the incident because riding the scooter was in violation of his $66 million contract.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 8:11:57 GMT -5
Celtics up to old tricks, win 90-80
Link|Comments (0) Posted by Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff January 23, 2009 01:09 AM
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Celtics have had some rough road experiences this season. But, after skidding off course on the West Coast and being routed in Cleveland, they appear to have regained their sense of direction.
But the guiding force came from an unexpected source Thursday night, Glen Davis leading the way in the final quarter of a 90-80 win over Orlando, the Celtics’ seventh successive victory.
Davis scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and also defended against Dwight Howard, who scored only 5 points in the final 40:11 and fouled out with 2:30 to play.
The Celtics (36-9) overtook Orlando (33-9), which had been tied with the Lakers for the best record in the league NBA and was riding a seven-game winning streak. And the Celtics proved they could win away from home against an elite team, after losing on the road to the Lakers and Cleveland.
Celtics clamp down
Link|Comments (1) Posted by Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff January 22, 2009 09:23 PM
The Celtics' interior defense clamped down late in the opening quarter against the Orlando Magic Thursday night. Orlando center Dwight Howard scored 6 points in the opening 7:49, but failed convert a field goal for the rest of the half. In fact, only Hedo Turkoglu scored from the field for the Magic in the final 10:42 of the half, his 3-point shooting keeping Orlando in contention.
But the Celtics failed to get their transition game into gear and the first half turned into a half-court battle, the Celtics taking a 44-36 halftime lead.
Among the highlights of the opening half included Rajon Rondo controlling a jump ball against Rashard Lewis with 4:10 left, Kevin Garnett then converting in the lane following a timeout for a 36-28 edge.
Celtics lead Magic
Link|Comments (0) Posted by Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff January 22, 2009 09:23 PM
Orlando center Dwight Howard scored six points in the opening 7:49, but failed convert another field goal until early in the fourth quarter against the Celtics.
The Celtics took control with a 16-4 run spanning 7:40 of the halves, Rajon Rondo's jumper with a second on the shot clock providing a 56-40 lead with 5:55 remaining in the third quarter.
The final minutes of the third quarter evovled into a Paul Pierce-Hedo Turkoglu duel. Turkoglu scored eight points (five free throws) in the final 2:21. Pierce had six points in the final 94 seconds, his foul shot providing a 65-54 lead, the Celtics then stripping Turkoglu's attempt at a final shot in the quarter.
Garnett named East All-Star starter
Link|Comments (5) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff January 22, 2009 05:26 PM
Even with the backing of his homeland of China, New Jersey’s Yi Jianlian couldn’t beat out Boston’s Kevin Garnett for the final Eastern Conference All-Star spot.
Garnett tonight was named one of two Eastern Conference All-Star forwards.
Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic center -- who leads the NBA in rebounds, blocked shots and double-doubles -- got a record 3,150,181 votes to lead this season's All-Star team, released Thursday. Miami's Dwyane Wade (2,741,413) and Detroit's Allen Iverson (1,804,649) will be in the East's backcourt, alongside reigning All-Star MVP LeBron James of Cleveland (2,940,823) and Garnett (2,066,833), who beat Yi for the starting nod by 253,004 votes.
Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (2,805,397) was the West's top vote-getter, and will be joined at guard by New Orleans' Chris Paul (2,134,798). At center, Yao (2,532,958) will start for the sixth time, along with forwards Tim Duncan of San Antonio (2,578,168) and Amare Stoudemire of Phoenix (1,460,429).
Garnett, who was the leading voters among all All-Stars last year, is averaging 16.1 points and 9.2 rebounds for the depending champion Celtics. The 2008 all-NBA first team selection was picked as an All-Star for the 12th time.
Garnett's selection is the second-most among active players behind Shaquille O'Neal's 14 trips. O'Neal could see that total increase by one; he could easily be announced as a reserve when coaches' balloting to fill out the seven remaining spots on each roster are announced next week.
"It's like a good wave, man," Garnett said. "If you've surfed the boogie board, you know you ride it 'til it dies out. And I love boogie boarding. It's all about that good wave and holding on and holding on for dear life. And once it's over, you crash and you go out and try to find the next one."
Celtics Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo are Eastern Conference reserve candidates and the rest of the players will be named next Thursday.
Yi is averaging 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the struggling Nets and seems more suited for a spot on the Sophomore team in the Rookie Challenge than an All-Star starting spot. But with lots of votes from China, Yi made a strong challenge to Garnett.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this update.
Mourning retires
Link|Comments (0) Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff January 22, 2009 02:33 PM
Scratch Alonzo Mourning off the list of free agent big men who could potentially land with the Celtics. Mourning, 38, called it quits today after 15 years in the league.
"At 38 years old, I feel like I've physically done all I can for this game," said Mourning. "As God only knows, it's been an amazing ride.
"It's not a sad day. But it's a day to celebrate. I could think of a million people right now that would love to walk the path that I walked."
Reports: Greek team interested in Marbury
Link|Comments (7) Posted by Chad Finn, Globe Staff January 22, 2009 11:11 AM
The Celtics have been rumored to have interest in Stephon Marbury should the Knicks buy out the remainder of the exiled point guard's contract.
But according to reports in the New York Post and on ESPN.com, there may be another team in serious and immediate pursuit of Marbury -- and it's one not even in the NBA.
According to both reports, representatives of the Greek League team Olympiacos contacted Knicks management yesterday with the intention of finding out what it would take to get Marbury released from his contract.
The Post suggested the Knicks management was intrigued by the possibility, writing: "Olympiacos owners have said they are interested in offering about $15 million -- a development that has . . . Knicks officials excited."
According to the ESPN.com report, "Marbury is aware of Olympiacos' interest but has had no contact with the club, according to a source close to the Knicks, who said he expected additional dialogue on the subject over the next few days."
But Marbury told the Post via e-mail, "I will listen to what they have to say."
Olympiacos recently lost former Hawk Josh Childress for 6-8 weeks after he required surgery repair a sports hernia, and the club is seeking to acquire a replacement in time for the start of the Euro League season, which begins Jan. 29.
Marbury has been persona non grata with the Knicks since early in the season -- he played in three preseason games but no regular-season contests -- and the team and the player have failed to come close to terms on a buyout. Marbury is making approximately $21 million in the final season of his contract.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 23, 2009 10:16:11 GMT -5
|
|
