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FLCeltsFan
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News 3/10 Mar 10, 2009 6:35:03 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 10, 2009 6:35:03 GMT -5

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1157529&format=text
Home in or they’re out
Celtics need best record to repeat

By Gerry Callahan | Tuesday, March 10, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West
The easy thing to say is that they should keep Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo [stats] away from sharp objects and spicy food for the next few weeks. The two sidelined Celtics [team stats] superstars should be hermetically sealed and quarantined in an undisclosed, peanut-free location until doctors determine they are 100 percent and ready to play.

As for Paul Pierce [stats] and Ray Allen, well, they’re no kids. They should be handled like Hummels by coach Doc Rivers for the rest of the regular season: No extra minutes in tight games, no grueling defensive assignments and, for God’s sake, no practice. Whenever they come out of a game, a team of geisha girls should be waiting on the bench to massage whatever ails them, assuring no lingering soreness for the postseason.

Does that sound cautious enough? Well, we don’t want to take any chances. We keep hearing that the regular season is no longer important, that homecourt advantage is not worth fighting for and that good health and peace of mind are all that matter in the playoffs. And we don’t want to sound insensitive.

The Celtics are just one game behind Cleveland in the race for best record in the Eastern Conference with six weeks to go, but many people are encouraging the defending champs to ease up, like Usain Bolt, down the stretch. Get healthy. Get rested. Get Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens in the game. And give away the edge that made it possible for this team to win it all last year.

Is that about right?

The headline on one Celtics fan blog yesterday asked, “Is second place that bad?” That noise you heard was Red Auerbach choking on his Hoya de Monterrey from beyond the grave. Maybe second place wouldn’t be so bad if this were baseball or football or Q-school. Sometimes in sports, homecourt advantage is just one small factor, like the direction of the wind or the hemorrhoids of the homeplate umpire. And sometimes the homecourt can give you a bigger edge than A-Rod’s cousin. You want an example? See Banner No. 17.

Last spring, as you recall, the Celtics didn’t win on the road in the playoffs until their 17th game. They were the best team in the NBA, in the regular season and in the postseason, and yet they struggled away from home. They lost all three in Cleveland, and since then, the Cavs have improved immensely, adding Mo Williams and now Joe Smith. How important was homecourt? Without it last season, Celtics fans would still be wondering if that Al Jefferson [stats]-for-KG deal was a good move.

The Cavaliers this season are 28-1 at home, their only loss to the Lakers a month ago. You want to hear something scary? Of those 28 wins, 22 have been by double-digit margins. They don’t just beat teams at Quicken Loans Arena; they crush the life out of them. They’re like the 1985-86 Celtics who lost just one home game on their way to the NBA title. The Celts’ final tally at home that year: 55-1. There is just no equivalent in football or baseball. The golf equivalent would be Tiger vs. Charles Barkley on Tiger’s home course.

Now we’re not saying the Celtics locker room should look like Saturday night at Amy Winehouse’s place, with everyone passing needles around and injecting themselves with assorted painkillers. Of course, the health of Garnett and Rondo is paramount, and you don’t want to risk knocking them out of action for the postseason. Of course, these guys shouldn’t be bleeding through their socks to beat Memphis on Friday night.

But let’s face it: This regular-season race matters. A lot. And in the Cleveland-C’s matchup, the homecourt is almost everything. In the last two seasons, playoffs included, the home team has won 15 straight. The Celtics are 9-0 in the Garden, 0-6 in Cleveland.

The bottom line is the Celtics have a better chance of overtaking the Cavs in the next six weeks than they do of beating them in Cleveland in the playoffs. The Celts have 18 games to go, nine at home and nine away. After Sunday’s loss to the Magic at the Garden, their lead over Orlando is down to one game in the loss column. So if they stumble at all down the stretch, their road to the Finals will go through Orlando and Cleveland, which would be a longshot at best even at full strength.

They are hurt, but not helpless. The Celtics are 16-6 without Garnett in the last two seasons. It would not be easy, but they could reclaim first place in the conference without their emotional leader. Without Rondo? Another story. Say hello to third place.

Rivers said yesterday that his point guard will miss tomorrow night’s game at Miami, which will make Dwyane Wade’s life easier. Now would be a good time for Stephon Marbury to remind us why he was the fifth-highest paid player in the NBA (at $20,840,625). He’s only 32. No reason he couldn’t make the difference in these last 18 games.

Pierce and Allen each played 45 minutes in Sunday’s loss, and Doc insists he’s not going to do that again anytime soon. He’s going to be careful, he’s going to be cautious. That’s all well and good until they’re on a plane to Cleveland for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

FLCeltsFan
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News 3/10 Mar 10, 2009 6:36:20 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 10, 2009 6:36:20 GMT -5

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1157527&format=text
Stephon Marbury crams for next test

By Steve Bulpett | Tuesday, March 10, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West
The Celtics [team stats] spent the latter part of yesterday’s practice in a remedial session for Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore. With Rajon Rondo [stats] out and Marbury starting at the point, it was mainly for him.

So Leon Powe, Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens joined in to run the plays.

“For me it’s huge,” said Marbury, who has struggled while learning on the fly. “Having a day like that is huge. It’s not even close. Being able to go over all of the sets and go over all of the options makes a world of difference to me.

“I’m just trying to get acclimated quickly. It’s been a challenge and it’s been tough, but everyone’s been so helpful.”

Five games into his Celtics career, he looks every bit the new guy who hadn’t played in more than a year. But Marbury expects things to change after he’s had 10 games.

“Oh, man, I’ll be totally different,” he said. “My mind is sped up right now to learn everything that’s going on. Once I get the system and I start to understand the plays and the defensive sets and what we want out of the offense and the defense - once my game comes around - I think I’ll be way more at ease and my instincts will definitely take over.

“Mentally is the hard part. You’re trying to do all of the things that you normally do. It’s like my mind is thinking that I can do one thing, but my body’s telling me another thing because I’m just not there as far as having enough games under my belt.

“I haven’t even played eight games yet, which is a preseason schedule. The more I play, the better I’ll get.”

The Celts, meanwhile, are trying to keep some perspective.

“Steph and Mikki (Moore), they’re at the point now where they know five or six sets, but they have no idea what we’re looking for in those five or six sets,” coach Doc Rivers said. “The first step is actually knowing the motion of it. You could see (Sunday against Orlando) Steph ran the set, but he didn’t know what to look for. He didn’t know who to look for. And then he’s playing at half speed because you could feel him thinking out on the floor. And that killed him and it killed the team, as well. So it’s just going to take time.”

FLCeltsFan
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News 3/10 Mar 10, 2009 6:37:28 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 10, 2009 6:37:28 GMT -5

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1157528&format=text
Green face stress test
Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis will sit

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Tuesday, March 10, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
The Celtics [team stats] aren’t expecting the cavalry to come riding over the hill this week. Rajon Rondo [stats], Glen Davis and Kevin Garnett won’t even be riding on the plane to Miami for tomorrow night’s game, or playing when the Celts return to face Memphis on Friday.

“Baby and Rondo are out. I know that,” coach Doc Rivers said yesterday. “They’re out for the next couple of games, maybe the next week. Kevin, he’ll be out longer than the Milwaukee game (Sunday). I’m just going to say that. I don’t know that factually, but I’m pretty sure of that. I would say Kevin, maybe the end of the following week at the earliest. Maybe San Antonio (March 20), maybe Memphis (March 21) at the earliest. That’s my thought on Kevin.”

Davis and Rondo are nursing sprained ankles (the former from Sunday’s loss to Orlando, the latter from Friday’s win against Cleveland), and both were at the practice facility to get treatment. They walked with noticeable limps, which indicated to Rivers that even Sunday’s game vs. the Bucks in Milwaukee could be out of the question.

“I think losing any of them is tough, honestly,” Rivers said. “Rondo runs our team. It’s a little tougher in the fact that we’re trying to get Steph (Marbury) in at point and he doesn’t know our offense. And then you take the one guy off the floor who knows your whole offense. That always makes it tough. When you lose your quarterback, it makes it a lot tougher.

“I guess if you lost Junior Seau in his prime, that’d be a big loss, but if you lost Tom Brady [stats], it’d be a bigger loss.”

With Garnett likely on an even more cautious track, Davis’ absence becomes more important.

“It’s frustrating, but things happen like this,” Big Baby said. “It was a freak accident, turned my ankle. As far as my playing and stuff like that, it kind of (stinks) because I’ve been starting since Kevin’s been out and I’ve been doing some good things for our team. Now I’ve just got a little setback and I’ve got to get ready to come back.”

No rest for weary

For the second straight Monday, Rivers chastised himself for playing his veterans too long.

Paul Pierce [stats] went 45 minutes against Cleveland and 45:23 against Orlando. Ray Allen went 45:47 against the Magic.

The two participated in the early part of yesterday’s session but were then dismissed to do some off-court work.

“I just needed to get them off the floor,” Rivers said. “They played too many minutes (Sunday). They went live at first, and we went over one set for literally a half hour.”

Looking at the spate of injuries that has the Celtics down to 10 healthy bodies, the coach said, “Somebody else has to step up. The challenge for me is not doing what I did (Sunday) with Paul and Ray. That can’t happen. Obviously it was different circumstances because the injuries happened during the game or right before the game, so it was tough to plan for it.

“But I still want to keep their minutes down. Even in a time of crisis, I want to keep their minutes down. We’ve just got to find ways to win games.”

Rivers then added, “Here’s my thought going through this: This is a growth period for our basketball team. Clearly we want to win the games, but we have an opportunity to grow our team in this little stretch and get them closer together and get them all understanding how hard the work is going to be to win a title. And then when everybody comes back, in a long way, I think this might make us a better team.”

Pierce smiled when asked if he’s tired.

“A little bit,” he said. “I’m all right though. I’m a pretty good athlete, pretty well conditioned at this age (31). Feeling all right.”

FLCeltsFan
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Perk is a Beast

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News 3/10 Mar 10, 2009 6:42:23 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 10, 2009 6:42:23 GMT -5

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/03/10/wounded_celtics_press_on?mode=PF
Wounded Celtics press on
By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | March 10, 2009

WALTHAM - The Celtics' slow start against the Orlando Magic Sunday illustrated their dependence on point guard Rajon Rondo, who missed the game because of a right ankle sprain. And the Celtics will be missing Rondo for tomorrow's visit to Miami and possibly a home game Friday against Memphis.

Starting forward Kevin Garnett (right knee) and reserves Tony Allen (thumb surgery), Glen Davis (right ankle sprain), and Brian Scalabrine (concussion) are also out of action. Rondo, injured during last Friday's 105-94 win over Cleveland, practiced briefly yesterday, and Davis, who went down early in the second half of the 86-79 loss to Orlando, attended practice, his lower right leg in a stabilizing boot.

The return of Garnett, who had been expected to miss two to three weeks, has been extended.

"Kevin will be out longer than the Milwaukee game [Sunday]," coach Doc Rivers said. "I would say Kevin, maybe the end of the following week, at the earliest - maybe San Antonio, maybe Memphis [March 21].

"We'll probably be down to 10 [players] for this whole week. [Davis] and Rondo are out and will be out for probably the next couple games, maybe the next week. I actually made the comment [Sunday] that Rondo would be ready for Wednesday; I think we were wrong."

As vulnerable as the Celtics appear at point guard, they have three available. Eddie House likely will start against the Heat; Rivers second-guessed himself for starting Stephon Marbury against Orlando. Gabe Pruitt, whose development made Sam Cassell expendable, is also a possibility.

In any case, Rivers plans to limit the playing time of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, which means J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker, and Pruitt will be in the game plan.

"It was different circumstances, because injuries happened either during the game or right before the game," Rivers said. "So it was tough to plan for it. But I still want to keep their minutes down, even in a time of crisis."

Rivers is not exaggerating much by calling this a crisis. The Celtics concluded the Magic game with nine available players (Leon Powe fouled out), illustrating their vulnerability.

But Rivers is portraying the situation positively.

"We just have to find ways to win games," he said. "This is a growth period for our team and, clearly, we want to win the games.

"But we have an opportunity to grow our team in this little stretch and get them closer together and get them all understanding how hard the work is going to be to win the title. And, then, when everybody comes back, in the long run, I think this might make us a better team.

"Every season is different, every challenge is different. It's good for all of us, even though we don't like going through it.

"In some ways it has to be good for me, it has to be good for Paul and Ray to have to trust guys they are not used to trusting. This will make us - if we allow it to, if we don't get frustrated, if we can play through this - it has to make us better."

The Celtics certainly showed a willingness to respond to adversity. After trailing by 18 points at halftime against Orlando, they came within a Ray Allen 3-point attempt of tying the score in the final minute.

"Last year was unique in the sense we led wire-to-wire," Allen said. "We were able to play a lot of guys and it was very textbook in winning a championship.

"But it doesn't always happen that way, and we have to adjust to the climate of the NBA and the team."

Much of yesterday's 1-hour 20-minute session consisted of four-on-four half-court drills with seven reserves and starting center Kendrick Perkins, mostly for the benefit of newcomers Marbury and Mikki Moore.

"Steph and Mikki are now at the point where they know five or six sets but they have no idea what we're looking for in those sets," Rivers said. "The first step is actually knowing the motion of it.

"You could see Steph didn't know what or who to look for [against Orlando], so he's playing at half-speed, so you could see him thinking. And that killed him and it killed the team, as well. So what I'm trying to get him to do is not press, not worry about it."

Do not count Marbury among those underestimating Powe, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds against Cleveland. "I thought he could play from when he first came in the league," Marbury said. "I thought he was a stud. Everybody was laughing at how he was running, and I said, 'That guy can play.' He knew how to play the game, how to score. I look at it like, if you can stop him, you can stop him. Like Reggie Miller - everyone says he has the weirdest-looking shot, but it goes in. And you can't say too much about it if it goes in."

FLCeltsFan
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News 3/10 Mar 10, 2009 6:48:02 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 10, 2009 6:48:02 GMT -5

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x238204099/Celtics-without-5-players-for-Miami
Celtics without 5 players for Miami
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Winslow Townson/Associated Press
Glen Davis, shown being helped off the floor on Sunday after injuring his ankle, is one of five Celtics expected to miss their game at the Heat.

Associated Press
Posted Mar 09, 2009 @ 09:35 PM

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WALTHAM — The Boston Celtics' biggest opponent right now is the training room.

The Celtics will not dress five players when they play at the Miami Heat tomorrow night.

Coach Doc Rivers yesterday ruled out Rajon Rondo and Glen 'Big Baby' Davis after both sprained their right ankles over the weekend. Rondo was hurt in Friday's 105-94 win over Cleveland and Davis in Sunday's 86-79 loss to Orlando.

They join superstar Kevin Garnett, Brian Scalabrine and Tony Allen on the sidelines. Garnett has a sprained right knee and Allen has an injured left thumb. Scalabrine has post-concussion syndrome.

Rivers said he expects Davis and Rondo to miss at least the next two games. After Miami, Boston hosts Memphis on Friday and plays at Milwaukee on Sunday.

"Kevin will be out longer than the Milwaukee game," Rivers said. "I'm pretty sure of that. I would say Kevin, maybe at the end of the following week at the earliest."

Rivers also said he'll limit the time for Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, who each played 45 minutes on Sunday.

"Somebody else has to step up and the challenge for me is not doing what I did (Sunday) with Paul and Ray, that can't happen," Rivers said. "Obviously, that was a different circumstance because the injuries happened during the game or right before the game. It's tough to plan for but I still want to keep their minutes down, even in a time of crisis I want to keep their minutes down. We just have to find a way to win games."

Only 10 players dressed for yesterday's practice, with Ray Allen and Pierce getting excused after 30 minutes.

"This is a growth period for our basketball team," Rivers said. "Clearly, we want to win the games but we have an opportunity to grow our team in this little stretch and get them closer together and get them all understanding how hard the work is going to be to win a title. In the long run, I think this might make us a better team."

FLCeltsFan
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News 3/10 Mar 10, 2009 7:15:26 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 10, 2009 7:15:26 GMT -5

www.patriotledger.com/sports/x238204147/Celtics-Allen-has-been-on-target-at-the-foul-line-again-this-season
Celtics’ Allen has been on target at the foul line again this season
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By Jim Fenton
GateHouse News Service
Posted Mar 09, 2009 @ 11:02 PM

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BOSTON — He once stood alone in a gym in Cleveland, made 100 consecutive foul shots, and then stopped and walked away.

That was the number Ray Allen challenged himself to reach without a miss, and once the goal was reached, he decided to leave right then rather than go any further.

“I put so much pressure on myself, there’s no telling what number I would get to,’’ said the Celtics guard, who was with the Milwaukee Bucks at the time.

Allen, an 89 percent free-throw shooter since entering the NBA in 1996, takes his foul shooting quite seriously.

He works hard at that aspect of the game and has finished at 90 percent or better seven times, including the last four seasons.

Allen is currently having his best year at the foul line, making 204 of 214 attempts (95 percent). He trails only NBA leader Jose Calderon of the Toronto Raptors (117 of 119, 98 percent).

Since missing a free throw against the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day, Allen has made a remarkable 110 of his past 111 tries at the line.

That stretch includes 72 straight makes from Dec. 28-Feb. 22 to break the Celtics’ record of 71 in a row, set by Larry Bird from Dec. 19, 1989-Feb. 13, 1990.

Since having his streak end with a missed foul shot with 10:10 remaining in a win over the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 22, Allen has hit 38 consecutive free throws. He will seek to continue that streak on Wednesday night when the Celtics play the Heat in Miami.

“I’d say it’s focus,’’ said Allen when asked about having success at the line. “You have to prepare for it, know how to calm yourself down.

“You’re talking about a game that can be so intense where the blood is flowing. Then you get to the free throw line, and it goes against everything you just did from running up and down the floor. You have to calm yourself down.

“I think that’s probably guys’ shortcomings when they go to the free throw line. They don’t focus in as well as they should.’’

Allen had a rough start – by his standards – at the foul line this season. Three of his 10 misses came in the opening five games, and he missed three more during a six-game stretch in late November.

In back-to-back games on Dec. 11 and 12 against the Washington Wizards and New Orleans Hornets, Allen missed a free throw each, but he has been near-perfect from the line since, making 127 of 129.

“My whole career in practice, I’ve always found guys to play free-throw games with,’’ Allen said. “Those are different ways to challenge myself to shoot free throws and know where my comfort zone is, so when I get to the game, I know where I want to shoot it. It’s striving for perfection.

“I missed two last year in (a game at) Cleveland, and we lost the game. The first one I was so surprised I missed, it hit the rim and bounced out. I couldn’t believe I missed, so when I got ready to shoot the second one, I told myself, ‘How did I miss the first one?’

“Then I ended up missing the second one instead of just letting it go and shooting the next free throw like I had never missed. When you miss, you’re going to miss, just make sure you prepare yourself for the next one. Don’t take the pressures of the game situation into the equation.’’

Allen said he didn’t know that he had broken Bird’s record until after the Suns’ game, and he was upset about a missed a foul shot in the fourth quarter of that victory. Still, surpassing Bird was special for Allen.

“He is what being a Celtic stands for, and to be able to beat that and be among some of the great players in this franchise (is nice),’’ Allen said. “We talk about looking up and seeing the banners, and the ability to play here and how tough a path it is to follow with such great players.

“You think about all the different records that are held in this organization but in the NBA, to at least put my name up there somewhere, is nice. Just to have an impact in the time I was here is a special feeling.’’

Rondo, Davis out:

The Celtics will be without point guard Rajon Rondo and Glen Davis against the Heat and probably against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. Both suffered sprained right ankles over the weekend and will not make the trip to Florida. Davis is wearing a boot. … Kevin Garnett is not expected to play in the next three games, meaning the Celtics will have only 10 players available for the foreseeable future.

FLCeltsFan
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News 3/10 Mar 10, 2009 8:22:03 GMT -5

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