|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 6:37:07 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1160670&format=textCeltics home in with Kevin Garnett Big man sparks ‘D’ By Mark Murphy | Tuesday, March 24, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matthew West Not even a limited dose of Kevin Garnett will always provide an easy cure. The Celtics [team stats], confronted with a Clippers team that beat them on Feb. 25, stumbled last night in a deja vu haze. Kendrick Perkins [stats] and Glen Davis, the big shot-makers three nights earlier in San Antonio, missed layups. Paul Pierce [stats], who failed to reach double figures for the third straight game, continued to look confounded with the ball. Turnovers - the Achilles’ heel of these Celtics - initially had the Green drifting in the direction of another loss to that other team from Los Angeles. And yet there was Garnett, with 2:34 left in last night’s 90-77 win against the Clippers, pumping his fist as Geno performed a victory dance on the Jumbotron. All the Celtics needed, as it turned out, was a little defense. This time the winning stroke was an extended 18-2 run during the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter, made possible when the Clippers were badgered into five turnovers in seven possessions. The Celtics walked out with their fourth straight win as Ray Allen scored 20 points on a typically pure 8-for-10 shooting performance. At least one Clipper, though, knew better than to think Feb. 25 was anything more than an aberration. “When we caught them out in LA, it was the last game of a road trip,” Marcus Camby said. “I’ve been around a long time. I know how the last game of a road trip can be. But today, they came out inspired in the second half. I thought Ray Allen got going, knocking down some 3’s, Eddie House hit some 3’s, and they had a nice run at the end.” Ultimately, Allen and House shot a combined 5-for-6 from downtown and a combined 11-for-16 overall. But there was still a little anxiety under the surface in this one, especially when the second unit was asked to extend Garnett’s intensity. That didn’t happen until the second half, necessitating a tongue lashing from coach Doc Rivers. “In the first half they came out thinking all about offense, and it was a one-pass, one-shot unit,” Rivers said. “In the second half they thought about defense and they got stops. And then we moved the ball and got open shots. It’s amazing when you play the right way together how things work out. “Sometimes the worst thing that can happen is when the second unit sees a big lead, and they see the first unit scoring at ease, then they walk on the floor thinking of all the ways they can score. They’re not thinking that the reason the first unit scored is that they got stops, and they were running and sprinting down the floor, and that’s how we were scoring. So that’s what we talked about at halftime.” After starting the third quarter in a virtual sleepwalk, the Celtics suddenly found themselves in the last 5:43 with an 18-2 run that led to a 70-60 lead by the end of the quarter. Garnett contributed with a pair of hoops early and Pierce, struggling through the past few games, plus Allen each hit 3-pointers. Rajon Rondo [stats] finished off the burst with a jumper and a fast-break hoop. The Clippers initially fought back when a quick 5-0 response in the first minute of the fourth quarter, but the Celtics quickly locked down the win as few other teams can. They forced the Clippers into two shot-clock violations in the next three possessions, in addition to five turnovers over the next seven, and the Garden erupted at the sight. The Celtics, fueled by their defense, attacked with a 13-0 run that included the biggest shot of Stephon Marbury’s tenure - an up-top trey made possible when Davis beat Zach Randolph to a jump ball. Marbury spun to run back down the floor and pumped his fist in front of a roaring crowd.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 6:41:31 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1160702&format=textKevin Garnett gets impatient By Dan Duggan | Tuesday, March 24, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matthew West If Celtics [team stats] fans want to see more of Kevin Garnett, the power forward has a simple suggestion. “Y’all pray for me, cross your fingers, call (coach) Doc Rivers - start the ‘Give KG more minutes campaign,’ ” Garnett said after the C’s 90-77 win against the Clippers at the Garden. “I think (Rivers) is going by feel. It’s an open dialogue and we’re trying to figure it out as we go.” Garnett missed 13 games after straining his right knee Feb. 19 at Utah, but he has looked sharp in the three contests he’s played since returning Friday at San Antonio. He scored 10 points against the Spurs and went for 10 more the following night in Memphis vs. the Grizzlies, but had maxed out at 17 minutes of playing time. Last night, Garnett logged 18 minutes - four more than Rivers had planned - and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free throw line for a smooth 12 points. Naturally, Garnett’s focus was on team defense. “I’m trying to give Paul (Pierce) and Ray (Allen) and the rest of the guys everything I’ve got right now until I get back full strength,” he said. “For the most part, I feel like defensively we’re back to where we want to be a little bit. I think that’s the focus, to continue to be dominant on the defensive end.” Before the game, Allen said things run more smoothly with Garnett on the court. Last night’s numbers back up Allen’s claim, as the Celtics outscored the Clippers 40-27 in Garnett’s time. “The communication is there on both ends of the court. It just opens up things,” Pierce said of Garnett’s presence. “Plus, we have such a great chemistry when our starting five (Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rajon Rondo [stats] and Kendrick Perkins [stats]) is out there just because we’ve been playing together for the last year and a half. When we have him out there, we’re like one.” Rivers said the Celtics won’t really be back to normal until he can let Garnett loose for 40 minutes, which the coach doesn’t expect to happen this week. While Garnett understands it’s necessary to be cautious with his comeback, he readily admits that patience is not his strongest trait. “One of the hardest things for me is to sit down. My teammates will tell you this,” Garnett said. “It’s not easy being hurt, especially with me. I play with a lot of pride and I’ve played hurt before. “It was very difficult sitting back knowing that you’re limited in time and what you can do, but while I’m in there, I’m going to try to raise as much havoc as I can.”
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 6:52:27 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1160701&format=textThumbs up on Stephon Marbury Zach Randolph endorses By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Tuesday, March 24, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matthew West Like many displaced Knicks, Zach Randolph seems happy with his new beginning. And though the Los Angeles Clippers forward hasn’t stayed in touch with former New York teammate Stephon Marbury, he’s certainly curious about the Celtics [team stats]’ new backup point guard. “How is he fitting in?” asked Randolph, who, pleased to hear that Marbury appears to be navigating through the locker room without any trouble, nodded as if he knew this would happen. “I’m happy for him. It’s good,” he said before the Celtics’ 90-77 win against the Clippers last night. “When you go onto a great team like that, you have to fall in line. I’m happy for him. It’s good. Players like (Kevin) Garnett, (Paul) Pierce and Ray Allen are going to make you fall in line. A bad chemistry guy coming into that situation wouldn’t be any different. He’d still have to fall in line.” This is not to say that Randolph considers the oft-maligned Marbury a bad chemistry guy. Asked whether Marbury was misunderstood in New York, Randolph said: “I think so. I never had a problem with him. There was just a lot of stuff going on there. The year before I got traded to (the Clippers) there was just a lot of things going on with a lot of people.” More to the point, Randolph believes that the old Marbury soon will become apparent in the Celtics rotation. “Training camp. He had a great training camp,” he said. “I thought it was the old Steph, with the way he was playing. He came into camp light, in great shape. He looked good. I think that once Steph gets his rhythm back, it will all come back to him. It will be easier for him, too, on that team.” Stephon pumped Marbury seemed to take extra relish in his fourth-quarter trey, turning to pump his fist as he ran back down the floor after his only points of the game. “There are going to be a lot of big shots for him,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He’ll get it. He’s going to win a big game in the playoffs for us, you just know that.” Marbury hopes so. “I know I’m capable of having games where I can score 30 or 40 points,” he said. “It’s just tough to get a lot of time on a team like this, but it will be a different rotation in the playoffs. I’m just continuing to build on what I’m learning.” Pierce goes cold With last night’s nine-point, 3-for-7 performance, Paul Pierce [stats] has now gone three games without hitting double figures. The Celtics captain averaged 8.0 points and shot 8-for-29 in that stretch. Pierce didn’t sound concerned. “I’m feeling pretty good,” he said. “I mean, we won (four) in a row, so it’s all right. If I struggle and we win, I’ll take it.” Injury report Brian Scalabrine (post concussion syndrome), Tony Allen (thumb) and Leon Powe (knee) all continue to recover with little variation in their schedules. Scalabrine’s situation is particularly troubling. “Scal is doing bike work and lifting,” Rivers said. “But there’s no running on the floor for him. That’s a tough one, because with conditioning, at least Tony can work on that every day. But Scal doesn’t have that benefit.”
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 6:53:15 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1160713&format=textMagic on Celtics trail By Herald Wire Services / NBA | Tuesday, March 24, 2009 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage Photo by AP Dwight Howard had 29 points and 14 rebounds, Hedo Turkoglu led a big fourth-quarter rally, and the Orlando Magic tuned up for a showdown with the Celtics [team stats] by beating the Knicks, 106-102, last night in New York. Turkoglu scored 12 of his 16 points in the final period for the Magic, who lowered their magic number to one to clinch their second straight Southeast Division title. That could come tomorrow night, when they host the Celtics in a game where second place in the Eastern Conference will be at stake. Orlando is a game behind the Celtics for the No. 2 seed. Hawks 109, Timberwolves 97 - Flip Murray scored a season-best 30 points, and Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson each added 20 as Atlanta beat Minnesota for its season-high eighth straight home game. The home streak is the longest for Atlanta since Nov. 12, 1996-Feb. 12, 1997, when the Hawks won 20 in row. Atlanta has three tough ones at home coming up starting Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs, then Friday night against Boston and Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers. Randy Foye led Minnesota with 19 points, while Kevin Love added 17. Heat 94, Grizzlies 82 - Dwyane Wade scored 27 points to top his own Miami single-season record, plus added eight assists in an easy win over visiting Memphis. Wade now has 2,064 points this season, 24 more than his previous best, set in the 2005-06 championship season. He got the record on a layup 2 minutes into the game. Miami’s Jermaine O’Neal sat out because of a bruised right hip. Bulls 101, Wizards 99 - Ben Gordon scored seven of his 21 points in the final 3 minutes, and Chicago nearly stumbled again in its mediocre march toward the playoffs before hanging on for a victory over host Washington. All signs point to Wizards star Gilbert Arenas making his season debut this weekend against the Detroit Pistons. 76ers 114, Trail Blazers 108 - Andre Miller had 27 points and 10 rebounds and Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala scored 25 points each as Philadelphia rallied in overtime to beat host Portland Trail Blazers 114-108 on Monday night. Suns 118, Nuggets 115 - Grant Hill scored 23 points and Jason Richardson added 22 as host Phoenix beat Denver to extend its season-high winning streak to five.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 6:55:02 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/03/24/efficient_win_for_celtics?mode=PFEfficient win for Celtics Garnett productive in his 18 minutes By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | March 24, 2009 The Celtics have spent much of the season crafting strategies to clinch victories early in order to rest their starters. That R&R plan worked out well last night in a 90-77 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at TD Banknorth Garden. Kevin Garnett played 18 minutes, his first-quarter presence helping lift the Celtics to a 31-18 lead and his third-quarter play launching them on a clinching 18-2 run. The Celtics seemed to be clicking on most cylinders in Garnett's third game back after missing a month of play because of a right knee strain. And that allowed both Garnett and Paul Pierce to rest and relax on the bench. Pierce departed after a 31-minute performance, his 9-point output the third successive game in which he has scored in single digits. But, in winning their third successive game, the Celtics (54-18) did not need Pierce to assert himself offensively. Garnett exceeded his ostensible minutes limit and seemed to be getting into the flow of things. He seemed resigned to taking most of the night off, but his competitive spirit will be given a more severe test when the Celtics visit Orlando tomorrow, with second place in the Eastern Conference on the line. "I don't want to move too fast," coach Doc Rivers said. "I felt the back-to-backs [at San Antonio and Memphis], he was a little sore." Rivers plans to play Garnett 7 minutes in each half against the Magic. Garnett made the most of his time last night. He scored 12 points on 5-for-5 shooting and is 15 for 17 from the field after missing his first four shots in the first half Friday against the Spurs. Garnett departed in the opening quarter after forcing a shot-clock violation, celebrating the moment with a series of head-butts to the ball, the Celtics holding a 10-point lead. Glen Davis's hook shot increased the lead to 26-14 and a Pierce free throw with 19 seconds to play gave the Celtics a 13-point first-quarter edge. But that would be Davis's only field of the game, the Celtics floundering in the second quarter, despite an inspiring flop to the floor by Davis to recover a loose ball, leading to a Bill Walker jumper and a 36-28 lead 4:51 in. The Celtics were outscored, 24-13, in the second quarter, concluding the half with a 2-point lead as Ray Allen (20 points) hit a 3-pointer and Davis two foul shots in the final minute. "Sometimes the worst thing that can happen is the second unit sees a big lead and they see the first unit scoring at ease," Rivers said. "So they're walking on the floor and all they're thinking about is how many ways they can score, instead of thinking that the reason the first unit scored is because they were getting stops and running and sprinting down the floor. And that's how we were scoring. So that's what we talked about at halftime." Rivers pushed the right buttons, the Celtics taking command at the start of the second half with an 18-2 run over a 4:45 span and grabbing a 70-57 lead on Rajon Rondo's drive with 58 seconds left in the quarter. The Clippers made one final run, cutting the deficit to 5 points less than a minute into the final quarter. The Celtics then wrapped things up, a 13-point run featuring a Stephon Marbury 3-pointer to beat the shot clock, an Allen 3-point play off a left-hand drive, and an Eddie House 3-pointer off a Davis overplay steal and behind-the-back dribble. "For the most part, it felt like, defensively, we're back to where we want to be a little bit," Garnett said. "We've got a little ways to go, I feel. "But we [held them to 77] points and that's the focus, to continue to be dominant on defense. "We're not perfect but you know with the new guys we're trying to get a rhythm with them and form a harmony with them and we will - we will."
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 6:56:07 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/03/24/garnett_makes_most_of_it?mode=PFGarnett makes most of it He plays well in limited minutes By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff | March 24, 2009 Kevin Garnett's pregame routine is a blur of sweat and sinew. He ties his shorts, butts his head into the padded stanchion that supports the basket, and claps his hands in an explosion of powder. But seconds before the start of last night's game against the Clippers, Garnett stood at midcourt and screamed to the Celtics bench as if the world were going to end. The panic-stricken Garnett was looking for the sticky mat he wipes his sneakers on before stepping onto the court. It's well-known that the superstar does not like to change routines, but he last played a game at TD Banknorth Garden Feb. 8, so you can excuse the arena's event staff if it had forgotten just how he likes things. The incident was a sign that the Celtics have not fully integrated Garnett into the lineup, and that the power forward might not be running on all cylinders. Not just yet. Garnett had 12 points and 2 rebounds in the 90-77 win over Los Angeles, turning in an extremely efficient performance to help hand the Clippers their 54th loss of a dismal season. But Garnett's minutes were limited to 9 in the first quarter and 9 in the third, and he appeared tired on several occasions. "He's still not ready for long minutes," said coach Doc Rivers. "The tough thing with him, he plays a long stretch and he gets better toward the end of the minutes. It's like he's warming up. But you know the minute you take him out, then that's it. The next step is to be able to put him back in." Despite the fatigue, Garnett's trademark defense was there for most of the night. The Celtics held the Clippers to 43 percent shooting. His trademark intensity fueled by the home crowd, Garnett squeezed the ball tightly and let out a primal scream when the Celtics forced a shot-clock violation at 2:56 of the first quarter. "He holds everybody accountable," said Rivers. "You could see it. He was on guys today defensively about getting into the right spots." On offense, Garnett could not have been more efficient. He made all three of his field goal attempts in the first half and both attempts in the second to go along with 2-for-2 shooting from the line. "He just opens up things," said Paul Pierce. "We've got such a great chemistry when our starting five is out there. When we've got him out there, we're like one." The Celtics weren't quite whole without Garnett, going 7-6 in the 13 games since he sprained his right knee Feb. 19. But they're not exactly running on all cylinders since his return, despite their 3-0 record. Unable to use Garnett for extended minutes last night, the Celtics blew a 13-point first-quarter lead and allowed Los Angeles to get back into the game before halftime. "It's very difficult sitting back, knowing that you're limited in time and what you can do," Garnett said. Things weren't perfect when Garnett was in the game, either. He was the last Celtic up the court on a number of possessions. And on his favorite play, an alley-oop from Rajon Rondo at the 4:40 mark in the third quarter, he came down tentatively, almost apologetically, after the dunk. "I came down laughing because it's been a long time since I've had one from that far," Garnett said. "But it felt good. Rondo and I have a pretty good communication on that play." A little more than a minute later, Rivers called a timeout and Garnett's night was over. He'd have to sit on the bench for more than a quarter before he could sway to the smooth moves of Gino on the Jumbotron. Garnett said after the game that he, Rivers, and trainer Ed Lacerte would continue to talk about his minutes. "Everybody's been precautionary, which is understandable," said Garnett. "I'm trying to be as patient . . . but while I'm in there, I'm going to try and raise as much havoc as I can."
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 6:57:41 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/03/24/the_real_advantage_is_health_says_rivers?mode=PFThe real advantage is health, says Rivers By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | March 24, 2009 Coach Doc Rivers said the Celtics will be cautious with injured players in preparation for the playoffs. "We would like to have [home-court advantage], but for us, health is far more important," Rivers said before last night's 90-77 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. "If you aren't going to get the first seed, we want to be healthy, that's the way we look at it. Obviously, we would like it and we're going to play for it, but we feel we can win anywhere, we really do." Kevin Garnett, returning from his strained knee, has resumed his normal routine - in practice - and the Celtics considered using him for 4 minutes of the second quarter last night, but changed plans after Garnett felt soreness following the morning shootaround. Garnett played 18 minutes against the Clippers - split between the first and third quarters - and scored 12 points. "It's great to have our emotional leader back, on and off the court," guard Rajon Rondo said. "He's a great guy in the locker room. It's how hard he plays the game. He doesn't take any possessions off. He's always positive out there on the floor. He wants to win every game. "He's a future Hall of Famer and, like I said, he works hard. During that time off, he worked his butt off." Singles hitter Paul Pierce 9 points, his third straight game in single digits. He scored 9 against San Antonio Friday and 6 at Memphis Saturday. "I don't think he had a lot of energy," Rivers said. "I told our coaches at halftime I was going to try to get him out earlier in the third quarter and pray - I actually said that - that we wouldn't have to put him back in." Pierce wound up sitting out the period, as the Celtics outscored the Clippers, 20-17. Before the game, Rivers said of Pierce, "He's human. Like all the great ones, they go through a couple games where timing - sometimes the ball just doesn't go in." Asked if the Celtics would limit Pierce's playing time, Rivers replied, "Obviously, we would like to keep his minutes down to that 35-, 38-minute barrier, that would be nice." Pierce played 31 minutes last night . . . Guard Tony Allen (left thumb) plans to return for practice April 5. Forwards Leon Powe (knee) and Brian Scalabrine (concussion) remain out. Hot and cold Glen Davis lost his shooting touch against the Clippers, going 1 for 11 from the field, following games in which he provided the deciding points at San Antonio and then went 8 for 11 in a career-high 24-point performance at Memphis. But Davis had an eventful game against the Clippers, diving to the floor to retain possession and outrunning everyone to collect a lead pass from Kendrick Perkins in the first half, then going behind his back with a dribble before assisting Eddie House in the second half. "He was one dribble away from sitting next to me," Rivers said. The coach believes Davis will continue to capitalize on getting open shots. "He's been through some big games in his college career, too, and I've always thought that that mattered," Rivers said. "I think [LSU] went to the Final Four and went deep in the tournament, and he had a big run there. So he has that ability. He shoots it pretty quick, that's the key. We've really worked on his feet. He shoots with a quick release, he has great feet, that's what makes him different. There are a lot of big guys walking around the earth but only a few of them can move their feet." Three cheers The Celtics' three-guard setup with Ray Allen, House, and Stephon Marbury was again effective. Of Marbury, Rivers said, "He'll get it and he's going to win a game for us, a big game for us, in the playoffs. You know that. At least I believe that's going to happen."
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 7:03:37 GMT -5
www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x73527654/Megliola-KG-the-difference-for-resurgent-CsKG the difference for resurgent C's -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loading multimedia... Photos -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Dwyer/Associated Press Kevin Garnett runs upcourt after scoring a basket during the first quarter of the Celtics' 90-77 win over the Clippers. By Lenny Megliola/Daily News staff MetroWest Daily News Posted Mar 23, 2009 @ 11:09 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — About an hour and 10 minutes before last night's Celtics-Clippers game, Kevin Garnett emerges from a private place in the rear of the locker room and walks like an old man, 25 feet to the trainer's room, and disappears. He seems mellow. Fifteen minutes later, he comes out. He retreats to the back room again. He's dragging his bony seven-foot frame even slower now, and if you didn't know who he was, you'd figure the last thing he'd be doing within the hour was play a basketball game. He is silent, and nobody bothers him. You kidding? Actually, he says one thing, one word, as he walks through that back door. The word is a short one and begins with the sixth letter of the alphabet. This is a good sign. He's getting himself fired up, like only he can get fired up, a slow boil about to spill over. He's done this over 1,000 times. The simmer is never low. Admittedly, the atmosphere was low-decibel at the Garden, so this might even be a tough sell for Garnett. Hey, the Clippers on a Monday night, you know? The first half was terrible. Boston could manage just a one-point lead. The turnovers were particularly egregious on both sides. Something had to change for the Celtics to escape a most embarrassing evening. That change came. And Garnett was at the throttle. His third quarter bucket put the Celtics up 56-55. The Celtics never trailed thereafter. But there was more. U Garnett took an alley-oop missile from Rajon Rondo. 58-55. U Garnett grabbed a rebound, delivered the biscuit to a running Ray Allen who dropped in a layup. 60-55. The run didn't stop until 66-55. The Celtics rolled 90-77. It started with KG. Boston is 4-0 since his return from a knee injury. He wants to play. He needs to play. "One of the hardest things for me is to sit down," he said. "I've played hurt before. I play with a lot of pride." He's the Big Ticket, see. "Everybody's being precautionary (with me)," he said. "I'm trying to be as patient as I can." Watching Garnett on the Celtics bench is priceless. In a sense, Garnett helps Doc Rivers do the dirty work. If anything has to be said, whether with a growl or a slap on the butt, Garnett will take care of it. Doc can concentrate on coaching. Garnett logged just 17:51 last night. But his mouth didn't miss a beat. "I give my two cents. When I'm (on the floor) I give 100 percent. I try to raise havoc." Sure, Garnett is tightly wound. Know what though? That's nice to see from a guy who has been in the league 14 years, is coming of his first championship season and at 33 hungers for more. Enough is never enough for Garnett. His favorite song is probably "(I can't get no) Satisfaction," "Raging Bull" his favorite movie. When Celtics players are injured they show up in street clothes and sit on the bench during games. Not Garnett. Rivers knows why. Garnett would go all psycho, sitting (no, not sitting; standing, pacing) and watching. You can't have him that close to the action that he knows he could shape, if only he were on the floor. Teammates would have to pin him down in four-point restraint. It's just better for everybody's safety that Garnett stays away when he can't play. "Kevin is nuts," said Rivers. "We don't want him sitting on the bench." Stephon Marbury shared time and space with Garnett as Timberwolves teammates, so Marbury didn't have to be initiated to the ways of KG. "I already knew he was intense. He was always that way. It starts going into his head before the game." With him out of the lineup, the Celtics could only keep the dam from bursting for so long. Without Garnett, Boston's opponents were scoring about seven more points per game. They took the ball to the rack with impudence. The only reasonable shot blocker was Kendrick Perkins. He's a blue-collar gamer, but he lacks Garnett's wing span, anticipation and intimidation. "With KG out," Perkins said, "sometimes you have to be more aggressive." But that often backfires with Perkins, who is prone to foul trouble. In Garnett's absence, the Celtics waved the white flag, surrendering the Eastern Conference best record laurel to the Cavaliers. And it wasn't an unspoken surrender. Rivers said so himself. It's not just the games. Garnett's power over his teammates is probably more obvious at practice. He never lets up. Michael Jordan was that way too. He'd devour his teammates if they goofed up, or heaven forbid, slack off at practice. Rookie Bill Walker, from the day he made the team, has been a keen Garnett watcher. "He gets in a zone before the game. This was my awakening that this guy was different. He's intense. He goes hard, and if you don't he lets you know it." The sense is that Garnett's attitude makes things easier for Rivers. "When the leader (of the team) and the coach are on the same page, everybody's going to follow," said Walker. Paul Pierce doesn't have to bow to many players in this league, but there are moments you can see by the moonstruck look on his face the awe he has for Garnett. If Pierce is the team captain, KG's the generalissimo. Even though they're only a 1 1/2 year apart (KG being the older), Pierce has slid into the role of little brother to Garnett's big brother. Pierce has no problem with that. He welcomes it. He's a great shooter. He was never much of a watchdog. Garnett has freed up Pierce to become the bona fide great player he is. Garnett said after the game that he felt his defense was "back where I want it to be, a little bit. That's the focus (of this team), to continue to be dominate on defense." It only can be with him on the floor.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 7:05:20 GMT -5
www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x73527672/Celtics-90-Clippers-77-Surging-againCeltics 90, Clippers 77: Surging again -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loading multimedia... Photos -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Dwyer/Associated Press Glen Davis gets to the basket against the Clippers during the Celtics' 90-77 win. By Scott Souza/Daily News staff MetroWest Daily News Posted Mar 23, 2009 @ 11:38 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — With Kevin Garnett on a minutes restriction in his first game at the TD Banknorth Garden since Feb. 8, the Celtics knew he wouldn't be coming back to save the day in the fourth quarter. With the way the bench unit played in its second stint of the game, the Celtics didn't need any of the starters down the stretch of a 90-77 victory over the lowly Clippers last night. After a horrendous second quarter in which the reserves blew a 13-point lead, they made it a light night for all starters except Ray Allen with a knockout fourth. "They actually passed to each other," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who admitted to scolding the unit at halftime. "In the first half, I thought they came out thinking all about offense and it was a one-pass, shot unit. In the second half, they thought about defense and they got stops. Then we moved the ball and got open shots. It's amazing when you play the right way, and together, the way things work out." With Garnett done for the night late in the third, the Celtics built a 10-point lead going into the fourth. After a quick five Clippers points cut the Celtics lead to five, Boston forced two shot-clock violations, a backcourt violation and had a steal over the next three minutes in taking a 74-65 lead into a timeout with 8:37 left. A Stephon Mabury 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer and an Allen three-point play then put the Celtics up 15 before Eddie House blew it open with a corner 3-pointer with 6:53 on the clock. "We didn't get any stops and we didn't score," said House (8 points, 4 rebounds) of the second-quarter debacle. "That's a recipe for disaster. I think in the second half we just concentrated on getting stops and our offense flowed off our defense." Having Allen on the floor helped. Rivers went with an all-reserve unit for much of the second quarter, but left Allen in to start the fourth. He led the Celtics with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting in 36 minutes. "You could hear the talking out there a little more," Allen said. "The energy was there. Every time they caught the ball, there was a hand in their face. We were just moving. The energy changed, we were able to get steals, and we ran in transition before they got back. It was the same thing we preach all the time." Kendrick Perkins had 12 points and 13 rebounds and Rajon Rondo had 14 points, seven assists and five steals in just 28 minutes. The closeout effort from the bench also made it an easy night for a suddenly scuffling Paul Pierce (9 points, 4 turnovers in 31 minutes), while Garnett was tremendous with 12 points on 5-for-5 shooting as the Celtics won their fourth in a row. After the Garnett-led starting five helped stake the Celtics to a 31-18 lead after one quarter, and a 33-21 gap 75 seconds into the second, the Clippers ran off 21 of the next 27 points. An Allen 3-pointer with 37.9 seconds left in the half and a pair of Glen Davis free throws salvaged a 44-42 lead at the half. Down 53-50 after Rondo picked up his fourth foul with 6:41 left in the third, the Celtics scored 10 of the next 12 points with Garnett fueling the run. His short jumper and alley-oop from Rondo had the Celtics up 58-55 before he grabbed a rebound and found Allen for a long shot and a 60-55 lead upon his exit at the 4:08 mark. Only this time, the Celtics carried on without Garnett more effectively. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Allen and Pierce stretched the run to 16-2. Four straight Rondo points had them up 70-57 into the final minute of the third. In the fourth, Rivers turned the reins back over to Marbury and House, who came through this time playing alongside Allen. "The one group of the new guys that has it going is the Eddie, Steph, Ray combination," Rivers judged. "That's about the third or four time that the numbers suggest it's a really good unit for us. I don't love it because of the size, too small for me. But right now they've got something going and that's something we're going to use more."
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 8:10:03 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20090324/NEWS/903240373/1009/SPORTSRondo fares well with fouls, sparks Celts By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com Add a comment The Celtics’ Glen Davis, right, draws a foul from the Clippers’ Eric Gordon in the first quarter. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS) Enlarge photo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — The Celtics had blown a 13-point lead and trailed the lowly Los Angeles Clippers midway through the third quarter when Rajon Rondo picked up his fourth foul. Boston coach Doc Rivers didn’t even think about taking Rondo out, and Rondo made him glad he didn’t. The third-year point guard wasn’t whistled for another foul and helped the Celtics rally past the Clippers, 90-77, last night at the Garden for their fourth consecutive victory. The Green remained a game ahead of Orlando in the race for the Eastern Conference’s second playoff seed. The Magic beat the Knicks last night, 106-102. Rivers stuck with Rondo rather than turn the offense over that early to Stephon Marbury. The former Knick simply hasn’t played well since joining the Celtics Feb. 27. Baron Davis hit two free throws after Rondo’s fourth foul to put L.A. up, 53-50. But Rondo quickly found Kendrick Perkins for a dunk. After Ray Allen hit a 19-footer to give the Celtics the lead, Rondo lofted an alley-oop pass to Kevin Garnett, and the Green were on their way. “I thought we had a run in us, so you take the gamble,” Rivers said. “If he picks up his fifth, I would have taken him out. Sometimes I do that, sometimes I don’t. You go by feel. There’s no rule on that. I’ve always disagreed that you pick up your fourth foul, that means you have to come out.” Allen and Paul Pierce hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cap a 14-0 run and push Boston’s lead to double digits, 66-55. Rondo’s drive made it 70-57 late in the third, and Marbury finally took over in the fourth after the Celtics had regained the lead. “I can play with four (fouls),” Rondo said, “and I can play with five.” Marbury, shooting only 28.8 percent as a Celtic, made just 1 of 6 shots last night, but the one was a 26-foot 3-pointer to stretch Boston’s lead to 77-65 in the fourth. He punched the air in excitement. A little while later, Glen Davis dribbled behind his back to elude a Clipper, then found Eddie House in the corner for a 3-pointer to make it 83-65 with 7:01 left. “That’s the only good thing I did,” said Davis, who made just 1 of 11 shots. Rivers wasn’t pleased with Davis’ fancy move. “He was one dribble away from being next to me (on the bench),” Rivers said. The Celtics went on to lead by as many as 21 points. Allen admitted before the game that his hyperextended elbow and ankles are sore, but he made 8 of 10 shots and scored a team-high 20 points. Rondo finished with 14 points, 7 assists and 5 steals before sitting out the fourth quarter. Perkins collected 12 points and 13 rebounds as the Celtics avenged a 93-91 loss to the Clippers without Garnett on Feb. 25 in L.A. Pierce made just 3 of 7 shots and scored only nine points. In his last three games, he is 8 of 29 and has scored just 24 points. Pierce refused to blame his slump on any injury. “We won three in a row, so it’s all right,” he said. “If I struggle and we win, I’ll take it.” Garnett, whose minutes are being limited while he builds up stamina and strength in his injured knee, made all five of his shots and both of his free throws to score 12 points in 18 minutes, but he grabbed only two rebounds. “It’s very difficult,” Garnett admitted, “sitting back knowing you’re limited in time and what you can do, but while I’m in there, I’m going to try and raise as much havoc as I can.” Garnett’s alley-oop dunk was only his second since he hurt his knee after taking an alley-oop pass from Pierce in Utah on Feb. 19. Rondo saw the alley-oop was open and asked Garnett a couple of plays earlier if he wanted to try it. “I didn’t want to put him in a situation where he came down on some guy’s foot or in a lot of traffic,” Rondo said. “That particular play, I knew, was wide open.” Zach Randolph had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers, who have lost their last nine on the road. The Celtics shot 68.4 percent (13 of 19) in the first quarter while taking a 31-18 lead.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 8:11:41 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20090324/NEWS/903240381/1009/SPORTSDoc’s prescription: Limit Garnett’s minutes CELTICS NOTES By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com Add a comment Boston’s Glen Davis, left, battles for a loose ball with L.A.’s Mike Taylor in the second quarter. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS) Enlarge photo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — The Celtics have changed their minds about increasing Kevin Garnett’s playing time and will continue to limit him to seven to nine minutes each half for all games this week. “I don’t want to move too fast,” coach Doc Rivers said. “I thought the back-to-backs, he was a little sore.” The Celtics went 7-6 while Garnett was out with a sprained muscle behind his right knee, but have won their last three with him back in the lineup. Garnett played 14:39 against the Spurs, 17:07 against the Grizzlies and 17:51 last night against the Clippers. Rivers insisted Garnett wouldn’t play any more tomorrow night in Orlando, even though the Eastern Conference’s second seed could be at stake. “We’d like to have it,” Rivers said of the second seed, “but like I said, for us health is far more important. If you’re not going to get the first seed, then we want to be healthy. Obviously, we’d like it, and we’re going to play for it, but we feel we can win anywhere.” The Celtics own the conference’s second-best record (54-18), a game up on 52-18 Orlando. A win tomorrow would give the Celtics the season series, 3-1, and the tiebreaker over Orlando if the teams finish with the same record. The Celtics won the first two games of the series, including a 90-80 victory at Orlando on Jan. 22, but lost, 86-79, at home to the Magic on March 8 when Garnett was out with a knee injury. The Celtics have 10 games left. After visiting Orlando tomorrow and Atlanta on Friday, the Green will play six of their remaining eight games at home. Orlando has seven of its last 12 games at home, including one versus Cleveland on April 3. The Celtics, who trail Cleveland by five games in the loss column, visit the Cavaliers April 12. Rivers has conceded the top seed to Cleveland. Rondo braces for danger Rajon Rondo said the sprained right ankle which forced him to miss two games earlier this month feels fine, but he wears braces on both ankles as a precaution. Rondo’s career-best streak dishing out double-digit assists for four consecutive games ended last night, when he had seven. Rondo attributed about 80 percent of the reason for his recent high assist totals to his teammates making their shots, and 20 percent to him getting them the ball in the right places. Don’t bet on a winner Ray Allen’s UConn Huskies and Paul Pierce’s Kansas Jayhawks, the defending champions, are still alive in the NCAA Tournament, but Allen said there will be no wager between the two Celtics. “I didn’t want to jinx myself,” Allen said. UConn’s men and women both could win NCAA titles, but Allen wants to add a second consecutive Celtics title to that. “We’re trying to go for the trifecta,” he said. Rivers still was reeling after his alma mater, Marquette, lost to Missouri, 83-79, Sunday. Trailing, 81-79, Marquette’s Lazar Hayward, a former Notre Dame of Fitchburg star, turned the ball over when he stepped on the baseline while trying to inbound the ball with 5.5 seconds left. “That was a harsh loss, man,” Rivers said. Tony feels left out A hand specialist is scheduled to check Tony Allen’s surgically repaired torn thumb ligament on Monday. If he’s cleared, he’ll work on his strength and conditioning for a week, then rejoin practice and return to action for the last few regular-season games. Allen hasn’t played since Feb. 8 and hasn’t even accompanied the team on the road lately. “I feel a little left out,” he admitted. “I miss being around the guys.” Leon Powe apparently will be out longer than the original estimate of two to three weeks with his knee injury. Rivers said Allen was closer to returning than Powe or Brian Scalabrine (concussion). Powe hurt his knee a week ago today. Westboro ‘hero’ honored The Celtics honored Paul Healy of Westboro as last night’s Hero Among Us. In 1996, Healy founded the Westboro Wallabies Special Olympics program and coached the soccer and basketball teams. He continued to coach despite losing his wife to breast cancer.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 8:22:01 GMT -5
www.enterprisenews.com/sports/x73527702/Garnett-takes-another-step-in-the-right-direction-as-Celtics-win-fourth-straightGarnett takes another step in the right direction as Celtics win fourth straight -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loading multimedia... Photos -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AP Los Angeles Clippers' Mike Taylor, right, battles for a loose ball with Boston Celtics' Glen Davis. Loading content... Related Links CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Pierce struggling at the offensive end in recent games (03/24/09) By Jim Fenton The Enterprise Posted Mar 23, 2009 @ 11:46 PM Last update Mar 24, 2009 @ 09:14 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — They are now just 10 games from the finish line of the NBA regular season, and the Boston Celtics’ top priorities the rest of the way are evident. With the Cleveland Cavaliers in command of the Eastern Conference lead, the Celtics are trying to hold off the Orlando Magic and grab the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Of more importance to the Celtics, however, is the status of Kevin Garnett heading into the postseason, which begins three weeks from this Saturday or Sunday. Three games into his comeback after being sidelined with a knee injury, Garnett is taking small steps to shake off the rust and get back in shape after being out nearly a month. He has played 14:39, 17:07 and 17:51 in three games since returning over the weekend, showing signs of improvement along the way. Garnett was 5-for-5 and scored 12 points in his nearly 18-minute outing against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, helping the Celtics to a 90-77 victory at the TD Banknorth Garden. With Coach Doc Rivers planning to keep Garnett’s minutes under 20 the rest of this week in games against the Magic and Atlanta Hawks, the process will remain the same. Garnett, who strained a muscle behind his right knee on Feb. 19, is trying to go along with the process but is itching for more playing time. “Everybody’s been precautionary, which is understandable, and I’m trying to be as patient as I can,’’ said Garnett, who played only at the start of the first and third quarters. “Each game, I think I’m going to get a little more minutes, so you all pray for me, cross your fingers, call Doc Rivers and start the ‘Give KG More Minutes’ campaign.’’ Garnett, who missed 13 games after being injured against the Utah Jazz, had 10 points and four rebounds against the San Antonio Spurs last Friday and the same numbers against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Wearing a sleeve on his right knee, Garnett played at the Garden for the first time since a Feb. 8 loss to the Spurs and looked like he was getting more comfortable. Garnett converted an alley-oop from Rajon Rondo just before exited for good in the third quarter and also had a steal and a jumper during a 16-2 run that sent the Celtics on the way to their fourth straight win. “I came down laughing because it’s been so long since I had one that far,’’ said Garnett of the alley-oop. “It felt good.’’ Garnett, who has missed few games during his career, has not had much to laugh about during the past month. He is unable to sit on the bench in street clothes because of the frustration at being injured and is having trouble playing less than 20 minutes in this phase of the comeback. “It’s very tough,’’ said Garnett, who had just two rebounds. “The reason when I’m out that I don’t sit on the bench is because I might jump out there in street clothes and start hooping. “One of the hardest things for me is to sit down. My teammates will tell you this. It’s not easy to be hurt, especially for me. I play with a lot of pride and I’ve played hurt before. When you’re injured, it’s difficult. “I try to give my two cents when I’m out and obviously when I’m in there I’m giving 100 percent. But it’s very difficult sitting back knowing you’re limited in time and what you can do. But while I’m in there, I’m going to try to raise as much havoc as I can.’’ Garnett’s presence on the court and his vocal nature on the bench where he is the highest paid cheerleader in the history of sports has been a plus for the Celtics the past three games. “He holds everybody accountable,’’ said Rivers. “You can see it. He was on guys today defensively about getting to the right spots. “He’s still not ready, you can see that, for long minutes. The tough thing for him is he plays a long stretch and gets better towards the end of the minutes. But when you take him out, that’s it. The next step is being able to put him back in.’’ That will probably come next week after Garnett gets a couple more games of shorter minutes against the Magic, who are even with the Celtics in the loss column, and the Hawks. “We’re trying to figure it out as we go,’’ said Garnett. “So far, so good. I’m OK, man. I’m trying to get Paul (Pierce) and Ray (Allen) and the rest of the guys everything I’ve got right now until I get back full strength.’’
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 24, 2009 8:51:45 GMT -5
|
|
