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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 7:33:47 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1148556&format=textCeltics reign down on Kings Latest winning streak extends to 9 games By Mark Murphy | Thursday, January 29, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone Sacramento knows a little too much about the false security that comes with a good start. On Tuesday night in Cleveland, the Kings led the Cavaliers by a point before falling under the fury of LeBron James in the second quarter. Last night, the Kings led the Celtics [team stats] by two points entering the second quarter after uncorking the kind of shooting percentage in the first (64.7 percent) that typically brings Celtics blood to a boil. So forgive the Kings for wincing. Though they came back with some hot moments in the second half, Sacramento again fell under the force of a team in search of a high playoff seed. The Celtics, powered among other things by Eddie House’s crazed bid for a place in NBA All-Star weekend’s 3-point contest, simply flattened every bid by the opposition in last night’s 119-100 win at the Garden. The victory was the ninth straight for the defending champions. The Celtics, whose latest winning streak is the longest active run in the league, continue to chase another grail. “He needs to be in the 3-point contest,” said House’s chief pitch man, Kevin Garnett. “That’s what this press conference is about. Paul Pierce [stats] and Kevin Garnett are here to say that Eddie House needs to be in the 3-point contest.” House, who came in shooting a hot 14-for-23 from 3-point range over the previous three games, turned in a torrid 8-for-9 performance from beyond the arc on his way to 28 points against the Kings. “I wish I could have thrown a net out there and held him on one end of the floor,” Kings coach Kenny Natt said. “Give the guy credit. He is a great shooter, and his teammates looked for him, and he moved well without the basketball. “That’s what good teams do. They know who’s hot, and they get the ball to the right guy.” With Rajon Rondo [stats] adding a 24-point, nine-assist performance to House’s effort, there wasn’t much the Kings could do to salvage one of their rougher back-to-back sequences of the season. The Celtics reverted to their first-quarter ways after entering halftime with a 68-49 advantage, allowing Sacramento to chop the lead down to 14 points by the end of the third. A late-quarter 11-1 run by the Kings, including treys from Bobby Brown and John Salmons, did the trick. House entered the fourth quarter 4-for-4 on trey attempts and buried two more over the first three minutes, the latter providing a 100-84 Celtics lead after the Kings had drawn as close as 12 points. His fourth 3-pointer of the quarter - No. 8 for the game - was good for a 110-88 edge that Sacramento was unable to challenge. Coach Doc Rivers had little trouble joining the House campaign. “Going by his last three or four games, for sure he should be in it,” Rivers said of the 3-point contest. “Eddie shoots it so quick. Usually the small guys don’t do well historically in the 3-point contest, I don’t think. I couldn’t tell you who the last five winners are, but they’re usually bigger guys. But Eddie can break the mold. “He’s been unbelievable. He’s moving without the ball so well. The biggest change we’ve made is in taking him off the ball more. And I think that’s really helped him.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 7:34:50 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1148575&format=textBrian Scalabrine takes slow road back By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Thursday, January 29, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone Brian Scalabrine actually drove to the game last night. “That was difficult,” said the Celtics [team stats] forward, who sat out the 119-100 win against Sacramento and will miss up to 10 days after suffering two concussions this week. Scalabrine took a Dirk Nowitzki elbow to the chin during Sunday’s game against the Mavericks, and followed it up with a head-to-head collision with big man Patrick O’Bryant during Tuesday’s practice. Now he has to step out of the rotation and savor the small victories, like being able to drive again. Considering he had emerged as a valuable role player in the past month, the C’s now must adjust in a way coach Doc Rivers doesn’t welcome. “It hurts us because we were able to use two different teams - the power team and the space team,” Rivers said, referring to Scalabrine’s ability to spread the floor with his jump shooting. “That’s been taken away. Now we just have to go back to the way we played before, which was more power basketball and going in to the post. “I don’t love playing Leon (Powe) and Baby (Glen Davis) together a lot, but right now we just have to go ahead with that.” And Scalabrine regretfully has to deal with an injury that few basketball players know much about. Though Tuesday’s incident marked his third concussion in less than a year - the first came on a collision with Atlanta’s Al Horford in the playoffs last season - Scalabrine is walking around in a haze, literally as well as educationally. “My wife said she was concerned about my intelligence level going down,” Scalabrine said, showing he at least hasn’t lost his sense of humor. “Sitting around I’m OK, but walking up the stairs I get a little light-headed and dizzy. “I don’t know what happened. I was going up for the rebound, and the next thing I remember I was looking up at (trainer Eddie Lacerte). That hit in the Dallas game hurt more. This one didn’t. I felt nothing.” That doesn’t make his plight any less worrisome. “You hear about this in the NFL a lot more, like that whole thing with the Patriots [team stats],” he said, referring to former linebacker Ted Johnson’s much-publicized trouble as the result of concussions. “I’m not an expert on concussions. From what I understand, it’s based on how you feel.” Rivers can recall suffering one concussion as a player, courtesy of Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon. “I don’t actually remember it,” he said. “But I saw it on film. But we’re just learning about these damn concussions. The NFL, I’m sure, is light years ahead of us in that area.” Tony returns Rivers planned to yank Tony Allen at the first sign of distress, considering he missed the previous 11 games with a sprained right ankle. But he allowed Allen to play 23 minutes and the swingman had an efficient night, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals. He didn’t miss a shot. “We needed it with Paul (Pierce) out (in foul trouble,” Rivers said. “I just told him to tell me if he got tired, and Tony was like, ‘I never play. I’m going to stay out there.’ “But it was great to see him back. In the first half he kept it simple. In the second half he started trying to do a little too much, and that’s when you turn it over. We need him to play like that first half all the time.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 7:36:23 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1148574&format=textRay Allen: Respect the game Allen knows All-Star recognition priceless By Steve Buckley | Thursday, January 29, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone Sometimes, things happen in professional sports, bad things, and you have no choice but to shake your head and say, “Well, that’s just the way it is.” And then there are those happenings that should inspire pure outrage. Take, for instance, the Red Sox [team stats] and their so-called Green Monster Seats. Or, as I like to call them, Overpriced, Obstructed-View Bleacher Seats. Outrage. Here’s some more outage: When players do not treat their league’s All-Star Game with respect. Look, if you’re hurt, you’re hurt. If you’re not hurt, and you are chosen to play in an All-Star Game, be a gentleman and go. Which brings us to Celtics [team stats] guard Ray Allen, a 12-year NBA veteran who, one might guess, would probably choose resting his ankles for a couple of days over playing in the All-Star Game. But no. “I’ve never really understood guys who’ve said they didn’t want to go, because it’s an honor,” Allen said last night before the Celtics faced the Sacramento Kings at the Garden. “It’s a privilege, not a right. “I remember the first year I was chosen,” he said. “That feeling will always be in my mind. Being one of the best is always in my camp.” Does he want to get chosen to play in next month’s All-Star Game? “Of course,” he said, and then he said it again. “Of course.” A year ago, Allen made plans to take his wife to Mexico after not being chosen to play in the All-Star Game. When he was a late addition to the Eastern Conference roster as a replacement for injured Washington Wizards forward Caron Butler, Allen canceled the trip and caught the next flight to All-Star central in New Orleans. Oh, and he scored 28 points - 14 of them in the fourth quarter - to help lead the East to a 134-128 victory. “But put it this way,” he said. “I don’t let the honor, or the lack of honor, decide for me who I am or what I mean to this team, of what this team means to me.” Fair enough. But the NBA will announce today the names of those reserves who will accompany the elected starters to the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix for the Feb. 15 All-Star Game. Will Allen be one of the coaches’ choices, joining teammate and East starter Kevin Garnett? How about Paul Pierce [stats]? Do you think Rajon Rondo [stats] has a shot to make some All-Star shots? How cool would that be? Coach Doc Rivers last night verbalized what plenty of Celts fans have been thinking when he said, “It’d be nice if four of our guys made it. I think three will definitely make it, Paul, Ray and Kevin. And it would be nice if Rondo made it too. I’d like that.” Rivers knows how the game is played. He knows rival coaches will wink at him and say, sure, they’ll vote for your guys and then do no such thing. He admits he sometimes does the same thing. In other words, anything can happen. So wait. And, as always, we hope the guys who make it have the smarts to understand what Ray Allen understood years ago.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 7:37:39 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1148568&format=textA very, very fine Eddie House Unstoppable from 3 again By Steve Buckley | Thursday, January 29, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone ‘Ed-die! Ed-die! Ed-die!” Let the record show that the chant began with 5:35 remaining in the Celtics [team stats]’ 119-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings last night at the Garden, and that it continued for a good long while, a new song in the not-so-old building. And why not? The man being serenaded by the masses, Eddie House, did more than put on a show last night with his glittering array of 3-point shots. He also continued his campaign for inclusion in the 3-point competition at the NBA All-Star Game Feb. 15 in Phoenix. “It would be a lot of fun,” said House, who happens to live in Scottsdale, Ariz. “I’m going to be home anyway, so I might as well go and do something and try to win it. If they invite me, great. If they don’t invite me, it will be time to rest up and get my arm right and spend some time with my family.” Let’s be clear on this: House wants to be in that competition. Celts coach Doc Rivers, ever with the quip, noted that House wants to be included because “knowing how cheap he is, he’s looking forward to the free flight to Arizona.” But one gets the feeling the guy would go if the 3-point derby were being held in Anchorage. “I’m making a strong case to get in there,” House said, “but that’s not the main thing.” In scoring 28 points in 21 minutes last night, House connected on eight treys. And four of them came in the fourth quarter, which is why Eddie Mania took over the Garden with 5:35 left. And when House came out of the game with 4:02 remaining, he was greeted with what might well be the most rousing ovation he has received in the 18 months he has been with the Celtics. “It feels good, but it feels better to get the win,” House said. “It put us in a position to win. I’m all about wins, and not too much into personal adulation. I just like winning. Nothing beats it.” Fine, but the chant was continuing long after the game had ended, with Sam Cassell marching through the locker room, shouting, “Ed-die! Ed-die! Ed-die!” (Turns out Cassell has some experience here, being a big Eddie Murray fan as a kid growing up in Baltimore.) And while Celtics fans were putting their hands together for Eddie House, they were also coming to the joyous conclusion that this latest run is no fluke. In his past four games, House is 22-for-32 from the land of the trey. In three of his past four, he has connected on seven or more 3s. “My teammates are doing a real good job of finding me in rhythm and finding me when I’m open,” he said. “The bigs and Ray (Allen) . . . they put a lot of pressure on the defense and they have to make a choice. “For whatever reason,” he said, “I’m finding open shots, and the ball kept finding me in that open spot. . . . I’ve never had that many 3-point opportunities in four games.” Said Kings coach Kenny Natt, “I wish I could have thrown a net out there and held him on one end of the floor. Give the guy credit: He is a great shooter and his teammates looked for him.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 7:40:06 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/29/celtics_bring_down_the_house?mode=PFCeltics bring down the house Reserve guard puts on another shooting display By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | January 29, 2009 The Celtics have expanded their priorities. Besides attempting to gain home-court advantage for the playoffs, they are now pushing to nominate Eddie House for the 3-point contest during All-Star weekend. And they made progress toward accomplishing both goals in a 119-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings last night. In fact, the Celtics found a synergy in the campaigns during a 40-19 second quarter, with House scoring 16 of his 28 points. By the fourth, the TD Banknorth Garden fans were chanting House's name as he finished 8 for 9 on threes in 20 minutes 18 seconds of playing time. Afterward, instead of discussing strategies and commenting on the Celtics' ninth successive win, Kevin Garnett acknowledged the team's lobbying efforts for House. "That's what this press conference is about," Garnett said. "Eddie's been on fire. I think the one thing the bigs have been trying to do is run the floor, so it opens up the wings for Paul [Pierce], Ray [Allen], Eddie, and they've been doing a super job of being aggressive." Despite an impressive start by the Kings, who were 10 for 11 from the field in taking a 10-point lead in the opening quarter, the Celtics dominated. But at least it was a game for a while. When the Celtics visited Sacramento Dec. 28, the Kings had 34 points in the opening half (29 in the second) and totaled only 19 field goals in a 108-63 loss. But this soon turned into a breather for the Celtics' starters in preparation for tomorrow's visit to Detroit, and an effective reentry for Tony Allen (10 points), who went 4 for 4 from the field in the second quarter in his first appearance since he strained his right ankle Jan. 4. Jason Thompson scored underneath to give the Kings a 23-13 lead 6:54 into the game. But Tony Allen's follow 27 seconds into the second quarter for his first points tied it at 30. A Glen Davis foul shot broke the tie 1:27 into the quarter, giving the Celtics a lead they would not relinquish. Rajon Rondo (24 points, nine assists in 29 minutes) also made a case for All-Star inclusion, his penetrations setting the tone for the Celtics' offense and his lobs to Garnett disrupting defensive tactics. "It's a pick-your-poison thing," coach Doc Rivers said of the Rondo-Garnett combination. "Actually, most teams are picking the lob because it's a tough pass and they're trying to get backside help. But Ray's standing back there and you can see every time it happens, the coach is yelling at Ray's guy. But Ray's guy is thinking, 'I'm not leaving Ray.' " House converted his first four 3-pointers (for the third time in four games) and his final four before departing midway through the final quarter. "I think the 3-point contest should be guys that not only can make threes but that can make it exciting," Garnett said. "I think you want to see all the top shooters in the league sort of shoot it out. That's what it's supposed to be about. Back in the day, when I would watch, everybody wanted to see Larry Bird shoot it out with Dale Ellis and all those other guys. I know I watched for all those reasons. I don't see why that should change now." Pierce committed his third foul on a charge and was assessed a technical 9:04 into the game. He did not score from the field until 8:24 remained, and had more fouls (four) than field goals (one) for the second consecutive game. And in the second half, Pierce seemed content to penetrate, then search out House on the perimeter - four of Pierce's eight assists went to House for threes in a four-minute span of the fourth quarter. "I've never been on a 3-point barrage like this," said Pierce, who finished with 8 points. "But Eddie's in a special place right now, and I know how he feels. It feels like every time he shoots, it's going to go in, no matter who's on him, who he is playing against. I can tell the way he's shooting it that he feels that every shot is going to go in."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 7:41:56 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/29/subs_improved_play_has_come_to_the_surface?mode=PFSubs' improved play has come to the surface By Michael Vega, Globe Staff | January 29, 2009 Sam Cassell was in the far corner of the Celtics' locker room, opposite where Eddie House was dressing when he heard someone call out, "Samuel! Are we good? We good for tomorrow?" Momentarily puzzled, Cassell shouted back, "Who's that? Who's that calling my name?" When House revealed himself by getting up from his seat and peering out over the media scrum, it prompted Cassell to begin chanting, "Ed-die! Ed-die! Ed-die!" The room broke up in laughter, but Cassell was merely picking up where the sellout Garden crowd of 18,624 had left off after House departed with a season-high 28 points and 4:02 remaining in last night's 119-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Evidently, the crowd's chant had followed House off the court and into the locker room. Was it still ringing in his ears? "No, not really," said House, who led a 61-point scoring spree by Boston's bench, which outscored Sacramento's by 37. "It's a good experience and it's nice that they get to do that for you, because it shows their appreciation. It feels good, but it's better to get the win." Certainly, everyone on Boston's second unit had to feel they did their part in helping the Celtics extend their winning streak to nine games. The 61 points were the most scored in a game this season by the Celtics' subs and came on the heels of a 49-point effort in Sunday's 124-100 romp over the Dallas Mavericks. "All season, we've been trying to find our niche, our identity, and I think we finally found it," said House, who has hit 22 of 32 from the 3-point arc in his last four games. "It's getting stops first and then sharing the basketball. But any given night, it can be anybody chipping in for the team." Tony Allen, who returned after missing 11 games with a strained right ankle, gave the Celtics a lift when he was summoned from the bench after Paul Pierce picked up his third foul on a technical with 2:56 remaining in the first quarter. Showing little if any rust, Allen fought through some lingering soreness to help rally the Celtics from a 24-19 first-quarter deficit to a whopping 68-49 halftime lead. Allen chipped in 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals,and 1 blocked shot in Boston's 40-point second quarter. "Like always, I try to take advantage of what the defense gives me," said Allen, who wound up with 10 points and eight rebounds and played the most of Boston's substitues (23:22). "I was fortunate enough to convert. My biggest key now is staying in there with [trainer] Ed Lacerte and getting treatment on my ankle." Glen Davis, meanwhile, had 4 points and two rebounds in that second-quarter outburst and wound up with 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting in 21:54. "The buckets are going in and I'm getting time out on the floor and I'm just doing my job," Davis said. "I try to always strive to get that perfect game, so I'm never satisfied." Last night, though, was undoubtedly House's night of nights. He buried 10 of 13 from the field and a career-high 8 of 9 from beyond the stripe. He didn't miss from 3-point range until 10:47 remained when he pulled up and hit the back of the rim. Had he made it, House would have wound up tying his career high with 31 points. "I just walked into one on the break and shot it and missed it," he said. "Hey, I wish that one would have went down, too. But you've got to live with it." The bench's increased minutes were in direct relation to its increased productivity. "I think the fact that our minutes got cut shorter, we just weren't playing well as a unit," House said. "Doc [Rivers] spoke on it and basically said that guys were going to sit next to him if they weren't making the right plays. So guys wanted to stay on the floor and started making the right plays. Now you see the game gets easier and everybody is happy."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 7:43:21 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/29/tony_allen_returns_gains_a_foothold?mode=PFTony Allen returns, gains a foothold Scalabrine begins his convalescence By Michael Vega and Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | January 29, 2009 It was an hour before the opening tip of last night's game against the Sacramento Kings, and assistant coach Armond Hill was in the Celtics' locker room listing the team's objectives on a dry eraser board. With green marker in hand, Hill wrote "Set the Pace" at the top of the list. In his return from an 11-game stint on the injured list with a strained right ankle, Tony Allen seemed to take that message to heart. So what was he hoping to accomplish in his first game back since he suffered his injury in the first half of a 100-88 loss at New York Jan. 4? "Oh, I just hope that I'm not doing anything that's detrimental to the team," Allen said. "Because they're doing so good." When he heard the word "detrimental," center Patrick O'Bryant, whose locker is adjacent to Allen's, spun around in his swivel lounge chair and shot a look of disbelief at his teammate. "Oh, he liked that word. He liked that word," Allen said, laughing. "Spell it," O'Bryant replied. Allen didn't respond to the challenge, because he wasn't about to prepare to test his vocabulary in a spelling bee. This was all about basketball and getting his ankle to respond to the rigors of an NBA game. His play was the opposite of detrimental as he scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 23:22, going 5 for 5 from the field, in the 119-100 rout. Allen entered the game after Paul Pierce was called for a charging foul and technical late in the first quarter and increased his career total to 2,005 points. He crossed the 2,000 plateau on a driving layup with 8:08 left in the first half. "We needed it with Paul out," coach Doc Rivers said of Allen's play. "I just told him to tell me if he gets tired. Tony's like, 'Hey, I never play, I'm going to stay out here.' It was great to see him back. I thought in the first half he kept it simple. In the second half, he started trying to do a little too much, and you turn it over. We need him to play like that first half all the time." Allen had been optimistic after participating in Tuesday's practice and last night's shootaround. "I felt good," he reported. "I tried to attack the basket and I shot when I was open. I just kept it simple. I didn't try to do too much. I did all that in practice. When I did shoot around in pregame warm-up, I felt good and had a good stretch." Asked what it was like sitting and watching the Celtics run off eight consecutive wins, Allen said, "It was exciting. I mean, I saw the guys doing a lot of good things. I see the upside of our team for the long run, as long as everyone can stay healthy." Convalescence begins Brian Scalabrine, who will miss 7-10 days and at least four games after suffering concussions twice in three days, was injured while contesting a rebound with O'Bryant in practice Tuesday. But Rivers believes the injury related to contact Scalabrine had with Dirk Nowitzki during the 124-100 win over Dallas Sunday. Scalabrine sat out practice the following day. Scalabrine started five times in place of Kendrick Perkins during the Celtics' eight-game winning streak and had been playing a prominent role off the bench after Perkins returned from a shoulder injury. Scalabrine played 15 minutes as a reserve against the Mavericks, taking a Nowitzki elbow to the jaw and being charged with a foul in the first half. "I believe this was a byproduct of the other one," Rivers said. "Which means he shouldn't have been on the floor to begin with. If it's 50-50, we should say no. Players are so competitive. The last thing they want to do is sit down and give the coach a chance to sit them out." Rivers noted diagnoses of football concussions are likely "light-years ahead of us." "And in football, you have a week to recover," Rivers said. Rivers said Scalabrine absorbed contact Tuesday, then "took two steps and fell" before being treated by trainer Ed Lacerte. "I went down and tensed up but I don't remember what happened," Scalabrine said. "I was going up for a rebound and turned around and then Eddie was above me. "I got my bell rung two times in three days. This hasn't been a good week for me. The one against Dallas hurt more. After this one, I felt pretty good. I was down for a second or two and all the pain went away."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 7:46:55 GMT -5
www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x392956699/Celtics-119-Kings-100-Crowning-achievementCeltics 119, Kings 100: Crowning achievement -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Lenny Megliola/Daily News staff MetroWest Daily News Posted Jan 28, 2009 @ 11:28 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — Sure, give some props to the Celtics for their ninth straight win. But more credit should go to the fans who took on a tougher opponent (the weather) than the Celtics did (the Sacramento Kings). The final at the Garden last night was 119-100. Heavy weighs the crown on the heads of the Kings, who are 0-21 against Eastern Conference teams. Boston's winning streak is one short of how many games Sacramento's won all year. The night belonged to Eddie House, who lit it up for 28 points in just 21 minutes. Everyone knows Eddie can nail the trey. But he outdid himself on this occasion, making 8-of-9. After his last one made it 110-88, the fans went into an "Eddie! Eddie!" salute. You think maybe House is a wee bit tired hearing about Boston perhaps adding some backcourt help for the stretch run? "I gave (House) a couple of my secrets. I've been working with him (on 3-pointers)," Kevin Garnett joked. In the last four games House is 22-for-32 on 3-pointers. "Eddie's been on fire," said Garnett. Paul Pierce, not bad from behind the arc himself, said he's never been in a zone like House. "He's in a special place right now." House conceded "I've never been in a stretch like this." House ran to the open spot all night. "My teammates did a good job of finding me." The Kings needed a private detective to find him. "It feels good, but it's better to get the win," said House. Garnett was lobbying for House to be picked for the 3-point shooting contest at All-Star Game weekend. "Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are here to say Eddie House should be in the contest," said Garnett. "You concur?" House said "I'm making a strong case. It'd be a lot of fun." House led all scorers, while Rajon Rondo chipped in with 24 points and nine assists. Garnett finished with 14 points, as did Glen "Big Baby" Davis as the bench racked up a lot of minutes and 61 points. "Big Baby is turning it up," said Pierce. No starter played more than 28 minutes. Garnett said he used to watch the All-Star Game 3-point contest when he was a young buck. "Everyone wanted to see Larry Bird and Dale Ellis." Who'd KG root for? "Bird." John Salmons (22), Jason Thompson (21) and Kevin Martin (18) topped the Kings' scoring. The Kings slipped to 10-37. As for House, Kings coach Kenny Natt said "I wish I could've thrown a net out there and held him." A 40-19 second quarter explosion propelled the Celtics into a 68-49 halftime lead. House just went nuts, scoring all of his first-half 16 points in the quarter. He was 4-for-4 on treys. His last two, 28 seconds apart, made it 66-47. Boston was in such control that Pierce (1-for-5 for the game) never got off the bench in the second quarter. Pierce had picked up three fouls in the first nine minutes of the game. On the last one, Pierce also drew a technical. The Celtics had 30 points in the paint to the Kings 14. Get the picture? Rondo (14) and Ray Allen (12) backed up House's scoring in the half as the Celtics shot 58 percent. Martin had 14 for the visitors. The Kings led (you can look it up) by 10 in the first quarter, but that lead was whittled to 30-28 at the end. The Celtics play at Detroit tomorrow night, then return to the Garden for a high noon showdown with Kevin McHale's suddenly improved Timberwolves.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 8:23:13 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20090129/NEWS/901290868/1009/SPORTSNine is just fine for surging Celtics House, Celtics rout the Kings House (28 points) on fire from outside By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com Add a comment The Celtics’ Paul Pierce, right, drives on the Kings’ John Salmons. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS) Enlarge photo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — The outcome wasn’t nearly as lopsided as that 100-0 high school girls’ basketball game this month in Texas that got the winning coach fired for running up the score, but there is a huge talent gap between the Celtics and the Sacramento Kings. The Celtics crowned the Kings, 119-100, last night at the Garden. Here’s why the game figured to be a blowout: •The 38-9 Celtics own the most victories in the NBA while the 10-37 Kings have the most losses. •The Celtics have won nine in a row and Sacramento has lost seven straight. •The Celtics improved to 23-2 at home while the Kings dropped to 3-22 on the road. •The Celtics have allowed the NBA’s second-fewest points and the Kings have surrendered the second most. •The Celtics were rested, not having played since Sunday. The Kings had lost at Cleveland Tuesday to fall to 0-19 against Eastern Conference teams. Now they’re 0-20. •The Kings never do well in Boston, not even when the Celtics stunk. Sacramento fell to 1-17 in their last 18 trips here. Even during their 2-7 slide, the Celtics still managed to win by 45 points in Sacramento in late December, equaling their most lopsided victory since 1970. Last night’s win was much closer, but the outcome wasn’t in doubt after the first quarter. Eddie House continued his bid to be selected to compete in the All-Star weekend 3-point shooting contest by making a career-high 8 3-pointers — one shy of Antoine Walker’s club record — in just 9 attempts. “I think I’m making a strong case to get in there,” House said. House’s eighth trey stretched the lead to 110-88 with 5:35 left and prompted the fans to chant, “Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!” House led Boston with a season-high 28 points before leaving to a standing ovation in the final minutes. “I wish I could have thrown a net out here,” Kings coach Kenny Natt said, “and held him on one end of the floor. Give the guy credit. He is a great shooter and his teammates looked for him and he moved well without the basketball.” House averages only 8.5 points a game, but in three of his last four games he has scored 25, 23 and 28 points. From beyond the 3-point arc in those three games, he’s made 7 of 11, 7 of 11 and 8 of 9. In the other game among the past four, he went scoreless. “I’ve never been in a stretch like this,” House said. “I’ve never got that many 3-point opportunities in four games. My teammates are doing a great job of finding me in open spots.” Kevin Garnett opened his postgame press conference by campaigning for House to be picked for the 3-point shooting contest. Rajon Rondo made 10 of 15 shots and finished with 24 points and 9 assists. Garnett collected 14 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Glen Davis scored 14, Ray Allen 12 and Tony Allen 10. The Celtics romped even though captain Paul Pierce finished with only 8 points and failed to score in double digits in back-to-back games for the first time in a decade. Pierce got into early foul trouble and scored his only field goal on an 18-foot jumper with 8:24 left to make it 102-86. Pierce has failed to score a basket in only three games in his 11-year NBA career and not since he went 0 for 7 against Chicago on Dec. 13, 2000. Celtics coach Doc Rivers was impressed that Pierce, well aware he hadn’t scored in double digits and was about to come out of the game for good, twice drew the defense to him and passed off to House for back-to-back 3-pointers to push the lead to 110-88 midway through the fourth. Pierce collected three fouls and a technical in the first quarter and the Kings grabbed an early 23-13 lead. But there was no need for Celtics fans to worry. The Celtics outscored Sacramento, 55-26, the rest of the half to take command, 68-49. The Celtics pulled within 30-28 by the end of the quarter even though Sacramento shot 64.7 percent. Then House and Tony Allen took over. House scored 16 points — hitting all four of his 3-point attempts — in the second quarter to help Boston outscore the Kings, 40-19. Back in the lineup after sitting out the previous 11 games with a sprained right ankle, Allen had one of his best quarters of the season, going 4 for 4 from the field, grabbing 4 rebounds, coming up with 2 steals and blocking a shot. The Celtics bench scored 30 of Boston’s 40 points in the quarter and made 11 of 15 shots. The Celtics subs ended up outscoring the starters, 61-58
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 29, 2009 11:23:43 GMT -5
Herald www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1148556&format=textCeltics reign down on Kings www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1148575&format=textBrian Scalabrine takes slow road back www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1148574&format=textRay Allen: Respect the game www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1148568&format=textA very, very fine Eddie House Globe www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/29/celtics_bring_down_the_house?mode=PFCeltics bring down the house www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/29/subs_improved_play_has_come_to_the_surface?mode=PFSubs' improved play has come to the surface www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/01/29/tony_allen_returns_gains_a_foothold?mode=PFTony Allen returns, gains a foothold www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/Various posts on the Globe Celtics blog MetroWest Daily www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x392956699/Celtics-119-Kings-100-Crowning-achievementCeltics 119, Kings 100: Crowning achievement CelticsBlog www.celticsblog.com/2009/1/28/739429/questionable-bench-leadsQuestionable bench leads the way LOY's Place celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2009/01/comments-from-other-side-kings.htmlComments from the other side - Kings Celtics 17 mvn.com/celtics17/2009/01/why-lebron-james-is-better-than-kobe-bryant-and-has-been-for-a-while.htmlWhy LeBron is better than Kobe and has been for awhile ESPN sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=290128002House, Rondo pace Celtics' attack against hapless Kings Celtics 24/7 celtics247.com/?p=1120Rondo, bench lead C's to 9th straight victory Red's Army redsarmy.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/rondo-makes-his-case/Rondo makes his case redsarmy.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/ride-em-doc/Ride 'em Doc Perkisabeast perkisabeast.com/blog/?p=1945Best bargain in the NBA part deux ProJo www.projo.com/celtics/content/projo-20090129-scalabrine.14cf22ff.htmlScalabrine out up to 10 days after second concussion www.projo.com/celtics/content/projo-20090129-all-stars.14ccba06.htmlRivers says 4 Celtics are deserving of All Star selection www.projo.com/celtics/content/sp_bkn_celtics_29_01-29-09_30D4G9K_v13.39ae73d.htmlCeltics trounce Kings in royal fashion Lex Nihil Novi lexnihilnovi.blogspot.com/2009/01/e-house-d-fish.htmlE. House and D. Fish lexnihilnovi.blogspot.com/2009/01/flip-switch.htmlFlip the switch lexnihilnovi.blogspot.com/2009/01/replacing-scalabrine.htmlReplacing Scalabrine USA Today www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/twolves/2009-01-28-Twolves_N.htmMcHale has Wolves believing again Eagle Tribune www.eagletribune.com/pusports/local_story_029033340.html/resources_printstoryHouse money Worcester Telegram www.telegram.com/article/20090129/NEWS/901290868/1009/SPORTSNine is just fine for surging Celtics House, Celtics rout the Kings www.telegram.com/article/20090129/NEWS/901290881/1009/SPORTSScalabrine feeling OK Patriot Ledger www.patriotledger.com/sports/x392956749/Tony-Allen-makes-contribution-in-his-first-game-back-after-being-sidelined-with-an-injuryTony Allen makes contribution in first game back www.patriotledger.com/sports/x392956709/Teammates-selling-Eddie-House-s-participation-in-3-point-contestTeammates selling Eddie House's participation in 3 point contest Metro www.metrobostonnews.com/us/article/2009/01/29/06/1155-66/index.xmlHeadache for Celtics Washington Post www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/28/AR2009012803698.htmlBobcats' Wallace has collapsed lung NBA.com www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/01/28/rookie_rosters.allstar09.012809/index.htmlRookie- Sophomore challenge rosters announced Bleacher Report bleacherreport.com/articles/116778-ruthless-efficiency-ray-allen-and-the-celtics-defenseRuthless efficiency: Ray Allen and the Celtics' Defense bleacherreport.com/articles/116679-ray-allen-the-forgotten-c-eattleRay Allen: The Forgotten C-Eattle bleacherreport.com/articles/116552-do-the-boston-celtics-still-miss-james-poseyDo the Celtics still miss James Posey? bleacherreport.com/articles/117042-he-got-game-ray-allens-success-in-bostonHe got game: Ray Allen's success in Boston Hoopsworld www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=11362Award watch: Coach of the year www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16012Celtics push win streak to 9, smash Kings FanHouse nba.fanhouse.com/2009/01/28/andrew-bynum-sends-gerald-wallace-to-the-hospital/Andrew Bynum sends Gerald Wallace to the hospital SI.com sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/01/28/celtics.marbury/index.htmlWhile the Marbury rumors swirl, Celtics rediscover their groove Pro Basketball News probasketballnews.com/story/index.php?storyid=162Nelson, Okafor deserve nod, Rondo doesn't Banner 18 banner18.blogspot.com/2009/01/we-wouldnt-get-so-excited.htmlWe wouldn't get so excited banner18.blogspot.com/2009/01/eddie-house-ladies-and-gentlemen-how.htmlEddie's on fire, TA's back and we're going to win without even playing Jack of All Trades www.jackmccluskey.com/speaks/?p=122Celtics should pass on Marbury WEEI newengland.comcastsportsnet.com/wickedgoodsports/celtics/is-nigerian-spam-key-to-celtics-success/Is Nigerian spam key to Celtics success? Sports Network www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nba/news/news.aspx?id=4207391House shoots Celtics past Kings Connecticut Post forum.connpost.com/celticscentral/2009/01/danger_house_explosion_falling_threes.html#trackbacksDanger: House explosion, falling threes |
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