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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 10, 2008 9:45:21 GMT -5
larrybrownsports.com/2008/01/10/celtics-already-breaking-down/Celtics Already Breaking Down? By Larry Brown | January 10, 2008 Posted in Category: Roundball Is this the typical overreaction of a fan or what? The Celtics lose one game out of like 50, and you have losers on the internet already pondering whether or not they’ve broken down. Well guess what? That’s me right there for you. The Celtics are now 29-4 after losing to the Bobcats Wednesday night. That’s their first loss to a non-marquee team. Falling to LeBron, the Pistons, and the Magic is acceptable — those are the East’s elite. But the Bobcats? What’s that all about? I know Boston won twice last month without Ray Allen, but man, doesn’t the alarm go off a bit after they dropped this one? That’s what was always said — the Celtics have a great 1-2-3 combo, but after that their depth is limited. Sure, their supporting cast has played well this year, but it was only a matter of time before one of their big guys broke down ruining the running triumvirate (yeah, that’s assonance AND alliteration for you in the same sentence, baby). I know, I know, it’s only one game. Still, I’m already worried that this could be an indication of how fragile the window for Boston’s success is this year. Would be shame to see them fall because of injury and I have a feeling the losses will start coming in more frequently from here on out.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 10, 2008 9:47:32 GMT -5
www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=335209Celtics' historic run hits a roadblock January 9, 2008 Stan McNeal BOSTON -- Well, there goes that historic season. One victory from becoming the fourth team in NBA history to start 30-3, one victory from their first 10-game winning streak in 21 years and one game after their biggest victory of the season, the Celtics laid a stinker. Big time. Bobcats, 95-83. Yes, those Bobcats. The 13-21 Bobcats who had won all of one road game before dealing the Celtics their first double-digit loss of the season Wednesday night in Boston. Don't think the Celtics weren't frustrated, either. It was obvious on Kevin Garnett's face when he jawed with Raymond Felton in the closing seconds. It was obvious when injured rookie forward Glen Davis turned to a ballboy during a late timeout and mouthed a four-letter word, as if to say "what the (heck) is going on?". It was obvious when Kendrick Perkins admitted after the game, "It hurts to lose, especially at home against a team we know we should beat." Making fun of the Bobcats may not be difficult but give them this: They would be 2-0 against the Celtics if Ray Allen had not hit a last-second 3-pointer for a one-point victory in Charlotte in late November. Allen did not play Wednesday night because of a pinched nerve in his neck, and his sub, Tony Allen, did not have a good game. He shot 1-for-5 from the field and more than once had to be directed to the right spot on the floor by coach Doc Rivers. He was not the only Celtics starter to struggle. Point guard Rajon Rondo had more turnovers (four) than assists (three) and could not seem to keep Felton from going where he wanted. The main difference-maker, however, was Bobcats shooting guard Jason Richardson, who hit 14 of 22 shots -- many with Paul Pierce draped all over him -- and scored a game-high 34 points. "Fantastic," Rivers said. Though the loss was the Celtics' first against a sub-.500 team, Rivers did not blame it on a letdown from Saturday night's victory at Detroit. "I was hoping we would never have (an off night) but I can accept it as long as we come with the right intent," Rivers said, "and I thought we came with the right intent. We just didn't carry it out." To say one game could expose any significant flaws in the Celtics would be overkill, but it's no coincidence that the Bobcats have played them tough twice. They are an athletic team that gets to a lot of loose balls, the kind of team that gives the Celtics' ballhandlers trouble as shown by the Celts' 17 turnovers. The Celtics rely on help defense and that backfired Wednesday night as the Bobcats repeatedly found Nazr Mohammed underneath when Perkins or Garnett left him to assist on the strong side. Mohammed had his second-best game since being traded from the Pistons last month, shooting 8-for-11 and finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds. "We're not going to win every game," said Pierce, who did not get into an offensive flow except for a short stretch in the fourth quarter. He finished with 13 points and the realization that having the best record in the league means facing the other guys' best shot every night. The truly great teams, such as the previous three to start 30-3 -- the '95-96 Bulls (41-3), '71-72 Lakers (39-3) and '66-67 Sixers (37-3) -- were able to handle that. Can the Celtics? They have 49 games and the playoffs to prove it. But for the time being, they'll have to settle for being less than great.
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