News 1/26

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1069094&format=text

Timber! C’s drop ’Wolves
KG gets final word in duel with ex-team

By Mark Murphy | Saturday, January 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
It was awkward, like an ex-spouse and the current spouse bumping into each other in a bar.

Kevin Garnett and Al Jefferson [stats], standing together as Kendrick Perkins [stats] attempted to shoot free throws in the third quarter, broke into a furious exchange of trash talk that triggered a double technical foul.

Garnett, staring wide-eyed at the man he replaced in Boston, made loud reference to 11 years - perhaps to let Jefferson know about his string of All-Star appearances. Jefferson, never once looking back, responded with a, “Keep talking,” followed by a choice 12-letter expletive.

Jefferson had this kind of script in mind, with teammates Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green and Sebastian Telfair [stats] all playing roles in an epic entitled “Revenge of the Kids.”

What he didn’t count on was Perkins - the oldest kid, the one who stayed home - not only taking him on in the defensive end but also scoring the winning basket in the Celtics [team stats]’ 87-86 win over a Minnesota team (7-35) that has lost one more game than the C’s (34-7) have won.

Perkins, going past the 20-point mark for the second time in three games, made most of the big plays down the stretch as part of his 21-point performance. An injured Garnett, meanwhile, made the big stop with a diving steal on the Wolves’ last possession.

But so what.

“Even though we lost the game, they felt us,” Jefferson said. “That’s why I can’t hold my head down, man. We played the best team in the NBA pretty well.”

And so the epic continues.

“We’ll be back,” said Gomes, pointing to a Feb. 8 game in Minneapolis. “We get another crack at them. I’m sure the game intensity will be at the same high level as it was tonight.”

Though Garnett continued to insist that games against his former team don’t fuel his passion more than any others, his actions after the game-ending steal might suggest otherwise. He strutted to each side of the Garden floor holding the “Celtics” on the front of his jersey up for the crowd’s consumption.

But Garnett, who went to the locker room with an abdominal strain with 6:19 left but pleaded his way back in four minutes later, blamed his passion on the nature of the game.

He checked back in with Minnesota leading 84-81.

Telfair, flying along with an eight-point fourth quarter, made it 86-81 on a baseline scoop with 2:01 to go.

Two Paul Pierce [stats] free throws with 1:51 left cut the C’s deficit to 86-83. Then, with 23 seconds remaining, Pierce converted a fifth-chance putback that cut it to 86-85.

The Celtics got the ball back when Minnesota’s Corey Brewer was whistled for a five-seconds violation after the subsequent timeout.

Allen missed on a drive, but Perkins, perfectly positioned for the offensive rebound, gently dunked it with 16.6 seconds left for the 87-86 lead.

The Celtics, with a foul to give, forced Telfair to inbound the ball with 10.3 seconds left. Jefferson was double-teamed in the corner, and his wild pass out to Telfair at the top of the circle sailed high. Garnett ran back from double-teaming Jefferson in the corner, poked the ball loose and then dished it to Rajon Rondo [stats] to run out the clock.

“I knew it was Sebastian, so I wanted to scoot up on him and make him drive the ball,” Garnett said. “I was able to count his dribbles and it went 1, 2, and I know he likes to cross over, so I just took a stab at it and got it. I knew time was running. I just wanted to be aggressive on the ball, and I was.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1069101&format=text

’Toine checks in

By Mark Murphy / Celtics notebook | Saturday, January 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
Few were more critical of Danny Ainge through the years than the main player in the director of basketball operations’ first major trade - Antoine Walker.

After helping Miami win the NBA title two years ago, Walker even expressed sympathy for the predicament of former teammate Paul Pierce [stats].

But the roles finally shifted last night. Walker, traded to Minnesota by the Heat at the start of the season, is struggling to find a role in a Timberwolves rotation that is committed to youth.

The ultimate irony is that so many of those players were Pierce’s teammates when Walker sent his sympathy card.

But regardless of how he may still feel about Ainge, Walker has to admit that the oft-criticized plan finally bore fruit.

“I’m happy for those guys - Kevin (Garnett), Ray (Allen) and Paul,” Walker said before last night’s game. “After winning a championship, you get excited for guys who are able to get that same feeling.

“It’s good for the organization and the city. Everyone in Boston has been patiently waiting. It’s going to be exciting for them.”

The irony of this role reversal isn’t lost on Pierce.

“I feel for him in his situation,” Pierce said, using words similar to those Walker once used to describe him. “I can relate to what he’s going through. After winning a championship and tasting that success, that’s definitely not the situation that you want to end up in.”

Walker, who has two years left on his contract, has no idea what his future holds with the Timberwolves. He has started once in 35 games and is averaging 20.1 minutes.

“It’s been tough for me,” said Walker, who scored three points in 14 minutes last night. “We just have to figure out how I can benefit the team. But right now, the coaches and management are trying to figure everything out.

“The only thing I can do right now is try to play it out. I’m looking forward to getting a chance in my situation.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1069106&format=text

Big Al glad to be back in Hub

By Steve Bulpett | Saturday, January 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
Al Jefferson was happy to be back in Boston last night. The smile on his face lasted all the way until he put his game visage on for the opening tip.

That was after he’d plopped down onto the bench in pregame and put his arm around Celtics [team stats] assistant coach Clifford Ray.

“Big Daddy,” said Jefferson to the man who’d helped him build his game these last years.

Back in the Minnesota dressing room, Big Al was digging the reunion.

“It’s just good to be back to see all my old friends,” he told reporters. “Even you guys.”

Amid the ensuing laughter, someone asked Jefferson if he’d been drug tested.

“See,” he replied, “that’s what I miss.”

Jefferson came to town with no animosity. He wanted to stay a Celtic, but he knows the big trade that sent him to the Timberwolves was one the C’s couldn’t pass up.

“When Kevin Garnett (originally) said he didn’t want to be traded here, I was like, ‘Yesss’,” he said before going for 15 points and five rebounds in an 87-86 loss to his old team. “But when it sparked back up I was preparing myself for it.

“Boston and Minnesota were on two different levels. Boston was ready to win in the next two years, and Minnesota was ready to rebuild. So I look at it like both teams got good deals.

“We knew it was a part of the business,” he said of himself and dealmates Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair [stats], Gerald Green and Theo Ratliff [stats]. “And we understand that. When we get kicked out of the NBA, that’s when we need to be having our heads down and be sad. But as long as everyone’s still playing and happy, it’s all good.”

And while Garnett insists he doesn’t keep close track of his old team, Jefferson does.

“Every chance I get,” he said. “I watch them and support them.”

He’s also remained tight with Doc Rivers. The two don’t speak, but they text message each other regularly, and Jefferson is happy that Rivers will coach the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game.

“He really deserves that, because Doc’s been through a lot these past three years, too,” Jefferson said. “I don’t just look at him as only a coach. He was a good friend, someone I could talk to about anything. He was tough on me. Tough love. And I think that’s what made me the guy I am now. Doc’s kind of like my grandmother. No matter what I do, in her eyes I could get better.”

The Celtics, meanwhile, are doing a lot better since the move - which is why the people they traded away understand they can’t be angry.

“They made a powerful move, which I probably would have done if I was those guys,” said Telfair. “You get an opportunity to get a guy like KG. But they traded some good guys away.”

Added Gomes, “We know what they’re doing right now. The trade was important for them to try to get it done now instead of waiting a few more years.”

While Jefferson, Gomes and Telfair have been starting, Green has gotten lost in the shuffle a bit.

“It’s tough,” he admitted. “We’re losing and I’m not really playing. It’s tough. But I’ve got to stay positive. They’re saying they’re going to give me my chance, so I’ve just got to keep working hard and stay ready.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1069104&format=text

KG goes to great pains to beat Wolves

By Mark Murphy / Celtics notebook | Saturday, January 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
Kevin Garnett. said last night he has been bothered by an abdominal strain, but typical of the Celtics [team stats] forward, he never bothered to share the information with his coach.

But when Garnett went to the locker room with 6:19 left in last night’s 87-86 win over Minnesota after doubling over in pain on the floor, his trouble became everyone else’s panic.

The fact that he returned four minutes later to produce a particularly athletic diving steal that ended the game is a testament to how much Garnett insists on playing.

Literally.

“I wasn’t going to put him back in,” said Celts coach Doc Rivers. “I’m getting a thumbs up from Dr. (Brian) McKeon and a thumbs down from (trainer) Eddie Lacerte, and it’s just crazy. And Kevin was just psycho.

“It was a tough call to make,” he said. “I didn’t want to put him back in, and he was begging, ‘Please do it, please.’ I was going to err on the side of caution.”

Garnett’s closing play considered, that would have been a mistake.

“Very few players are athletic enough to have done that,” said Rivers. “I mean, he went from (the lane) to the top, to helping deep on Al (Jefferson), to back out, to getting his hands on the ball. Then he beat a guard to the ball, and then he beat him to the floor, which is rare. When you think about it, the guard is 6-0, he should have got to the floor first. And Kevin got there first.”

All of this was possible despite a strained abdominal muscle.

“It felt like I got sniped from the rafters or something,” Garnett said of the initial pain. “I had a sharp pain come from my stomach, and I wanted the doctors to look at it. They said I was fine, so I came back out.

“I wasn’t going to do anything that would jeopardize my future and all that, but my philosophy has always been that if I can play, if I can run, if I can move, if I can blink, if I can wake up in the morning, I’m going to play.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1069096&format=text


Perkins comes up big in ‘friendly’ matchup

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Beat | Saturday, January 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
Kendrick Perkins came into last night’s game averaging 7.2 points - 13.6 fewer than his buddy Al Jefferson [stats]. But the latter was well aware Perk wouldn’t be all that friendly after they shook hands at midcourt.

“I’m the godfather of his baby,” said Jefferson before the game, “but I know he’s going to try to tear my head off.”

Al’s coconut still was resting on his shoulders after the Celtics [team stats] beat the Timberwolves, 87-86, but Perkins had effectively torn a victory from the Minnesota hands. Not only did he score the winning points on a follow-up hoop with 16.6 seconds left, but he made 8-of-11 shots from the floor and outscored Jefferson 21-15. The Celts’ sixth-leading scorer bested the T’wolves’ best.

“One thing about Perk, he finds himself in the right position every time,” Jefferson said. “Them guys - Paul (Pierce) and Ray Allen - they drive and you’ve got to help. And Perk’s just right there every time. That’s what he’s just so good at, and it hurt us tonight. The reason they won the game was him, so my hat goes off to him.”

The kind words were quite a contrast to the last few years when Jefferson and Perkins would jokingly bicker in the corner of the Celtics dressing room like an old married couple - stuff like, “You’ll keep quiet if I hit you on that big nose of yours.” Then there was the time Jefferson turned away from Perkins and delivered a classic: “I love him, but I don’t like him.”

The two remain close, but it was evident each was seeking bragging rights for the next conversation. Friends don’t let friends get easy position in the low post.

“You could see it in shootaround that Perk was up to the challenge,” said Pierce. “As you know they (Jefferson and Perkins) were good friends while we were on the team and whenever they matched up in practice it was always a battle. Perk probably knows Al as good as anyone. I thought he did a great job making it tough on Al. You know Al is an up-and-coming All-Star in this league. The way he can put the ball in the basket in the low post night in and night out, he’s definitely improving. But Perk was big on both ends of the court. He’s been getting it done lately offensively, especially when other guys are struggling.”

Perkins played the game’s last 6:19 and produced six points, two key offensive rebounds and one of his three blocks for the game. But he got back on the floor largely by chance - Kevin Garnett’s abdominal strain.

After watching Perkins score 14 points in the first half, Doc Rivers didn’t like the way his center approached the third quarter.

“You know, I was upset at Perk early,” the coach said. “I took him out earlier in the third quarter (with 7:09 left) and I was probably not going to play him because I didn’t think he was playing with enough energy. We talk all the time about doing your job, and I didn’t think a lot of us were doing it - not just Perk.

“When Kevin went out, I still was not (going to play him), and then I looked at him and just put him in. Then he came in and he was mad, too, which is good. He was mad he was sitting, and he came in and played with great energy. That’s what we need from him. We need that all the time.”

Perkins credited a higher authority than Rivers for the opportunity.

“Well, I mean, God works in mysterious ways,” he said. “Kevin went down so I guess he has to put me back in, but you know sometimes it happens like that. When he let me sit, I was kind of mad on the bench so I figured when I got back in, it was going to be on.”

The intensity was evident down the stretch as former teammates went after each other. But, as Perkins put it, the love was back as soon as the game ended and he stopped hounding his son’s godfather.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1069099&format=text

Proud papas

By Mark Murphy | Saturday, January 26, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
As further proof that there was something special in the local water supply last summer, Ryan Gomes and his wife are expecting a baby in July.

Four of the Minnesota forward’s former Celtics [team stats] teammates - Leon Powe, Rajon Rondo [stats], Kendrick Perkins [stats] and Brian Scalabrine - are new fathers. . . .

Although he didn’t play last night, there is a good chance that James Posey will suit up tomorrow in Orlando. The forward, who has missed the last two games with a sore right index finger, did his first shooting yesterday morning since Monday.

Scalabrine (flu) and Scot Pollard (ankle) also sat out last night’s game.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/25/perkins_garnett_seal_celtics_victory?mode=PF

Celtics hold off Timberwolves 87-86
By Jimmy Golen, AP Sports Writer | January 25, 2008

BOSTON --Kendrick Perkins scored on a putback with 16.6 seconds left, and Kevin Garnett poked the ball away from Sebastian Telfair as time expired on Friday night to give the Boston Celtics an 87-86 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In the first regular-season matchup between Garnett and the handful of former Celtics traded to Minnesota for him, Boston struggled to put away the team with the worst record in the NBA. Perkins scored 21, Paul Pierce had 19 points and eight assists and Garnett had 10 points and 16 rebounds despite leaving the game for four minutes because of an abdominal strain.

Telfair scored 18 points, and fellow ex-Celtics Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes had 15 and 13, respectively. Craig Smith, who played at Boston College, had 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves as they missed a chance to extend their season-high two-game winning streak to three.

Instead, Garnett beat his former team, which acquired five players and two draft picks last summer to send him to Boston and help the Celtics turn what had been one of the worst teams in the NBA last year into this year's best.

As good as the Celtics have been with Garnett, that's how bad Minnesota has been without him. Adding Antoine Walker to the five other ex-Celtics, the Timberwolves won just five of their first 39 games to fall to the bottom of the NBA standings.

But the Timberwolves of the past week have been a different team. After blowing a last-minute lead against Northwest Division-leading Denver last Saturday, they put together their first winning streak of the season, beating Golden State and Phoenix, the best team in the West.

Gomes scored a career-high 35 points to beat the Warriors, and Jefferson had a career best 39 points to go with 15 rebounds against the Suns.

On Friday, the new Timberwolves saw the team they left behind.

Despite having virtually the opposite record as the NBA-leading Celtics -- 7-34 against 33-7 -- the Timberwolves had won two in a row against above-.500 teams and led Boston by six points, 78-72 with four minutes left. They also had the ball and had Garnett in the locker room with an injury.

Garnett got back on the court with 1:51 left, just in time to see Pierce hit a pair of free throws that cut the deficit to 86-83. An offensive rebound and a traveling call against Pierce gave the Timberwolves three chances to extend the lead, but instead Boston cut it to one point on Pierce's fifth-chance putback with 23.2 seconds left.

When Corey Brewer couldn't inbound the ball for Minnesota in time, the Celtics got a chance to take the lead. Ray Allen swept around the lane and missed a layup, but Perkins put it back in to give Boston the 87-86 lead.

Tough defense forced Marko Jaric to call timeout on the ensuing inbounds pass, and when he finally got it in the Timberwolves worked it around before Garnett knocked it away from Telfair at midcourt.

Notes:@ Perkins also had three blocked shots. ... The Celtics turned the ball over on six straight possessions down the stretch.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/26/celtics_steal_a_win?mode=PF

Celtics steal a win
Timberwolves lose handle on upset bid
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | January 26, 2008

Kevin Garnett was lying on the hardwood in pain, yet ecstatic, after saving the game for the Celtics against his former team.

Boston beat struggling Minnesota (and six former Celtics), 87-86, last night in an emotional game before a sellout crowd at TD Banknorth Garden. Garnett, who played for the Timberwolves for 12 seasons, stole the ball from ex-Celtics guard Sebastian Telfair at midcourt with 1.8 seconds left to seal the win.

"This was a real emotional game just because of the history between these two teams," Garnett said. "It felt like, for the most part, that we didn't play good basketball at all."

The Celtics improved to an NBA-best 34-7, while the Wolves are an NBA-worst 7-35. Boston is now 7-1 after a loss.

"We didn't deserve to win that game, but down the stretch we did enough to pull it out," said Ray Allen, who had 12 points on 4-of-18 shooting and five turnovers.

Said coach Doc Rivers: "We were very lucky to win."

The Celtics acquired Garnett from the Wolves July 31 for Telfair (18 points, 6 assists), Al Jefferson (15 points), Ryan Gomes (13 points), Gerald Green (9 points), the injured Theo Ratliff (knee surgery), and two first-round draft picks. The Wolves' roster also includes ex-Celtic Antoine Walker (3 points, 4 steals) and former Boston College star Craig Smith (10 rebounds).

While Jefferson, Gomes, Green, and Smith got a positive response from the crowd, Telfair and Walker received a mixture of cheers and boos. Jefferson pumped his chest after one basket, Green winked at the Celtics' bench after hitting a jumper, and Jefferson and Garnett received matching technicals in the third quarter for trash-talking.

"We understood that Minnesota was going to come in real emotional about the trades," said Paul Pierce, who had a near triple-double for the Celtics with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, but also committed a game-high six turnovers.

Said Jefferson: "It feels good, man, to come out and play the best team in the NBA and have a chance to win the game."

Garnett acknowledged he has been battling an abdominal injury, "but not for long." Rivers said it is something he will have to keep an eye on. Garnett is scheduled to receive treatment today at the Celtics' training facility in Waltham, but there will be no practice.

With 6:19 remaining and the Wolves ahead, 75-69, the Celtics called a timeout after Garnett went to the bench in pain. He eventually went to the locker room with team doctor Brian McKeon.

"I wasn't going to do anything that was going to jeopardize my future," Garnett said. "My philosophy has always been that if I can play, I can run, I can move, I can blink, I can wake up in the morning, I can play. I wasn't sure what the score was."

A jumper by Telfair gave the Wolves an 82-76 lead with 4:33 remaining. With 2:19 left and Minnesota up, 84-81, Garnett returned to the bench during a timeout.

"I wasn't going to put him in," Rivers said. "He begged and said, 'I'm going to go in if you don't put me in. Please put me in.' I've got Dr. McKeon giving me the thumbs up and [trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] giving me the thumbs down. Kevin was just psycho, which was good."

Telfair's running lay-in along the baseline gave the Wolves an 86-81 lead with 2:01 left. Garnett returned to the game with 1:51 remaining, at which time Pierce hit two free throws to trim Boston's deficit to 86-83. Pierce's lay-in with 23.2 seconds left made it 86-85. Rookie Corey Brewer then was unable to inbound the ball, and Minnesota was hit with a five-second violation.

"It was me being kind of slow, I guess," Brewer said. "I had five seconds. I made a mistake. I've got to call time out quicker than that. They had the guys covered, but Al [Jefferson] was open in the backcourt. I should have thrown it to him."

The Celtics then called a 20-second timeout. After a missed layup by Allen, a tip-in by Kendrick Perkins (21 points) with 16.6 seconds left gave Boston the lead, 87-86.

With 10.3 seconds left, Marko Jaric inbounded to Jefferson. When Jefferson was quickly double-teamed, he got the ball to Telfair near the top of the key.

With the clock winding down, Garnett knocked the ball away from Telfair and dived to the floor to secure it as the buzzer sounded. A jubilant Garnett then bounced around the floor, proudly displaying the "Celtics" on his jersey to crowd.

"I knew it was Sebastian, so I wanted to scoot up on him and try to make him drive the ball," Garnett said. "I was able to count his dribbles. It went one, two, and I know he likes to crossover [dribble]. I stabbed at it and got it and I just dived. I knew time was running down and I just wanted to be aggressive on the ball."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/26/great_deal_of_excitement_in_this_one?mode=PF

Great deal of excitement in this one
By Bob Ryan, Globe Columnist | January 26, 2008

The alums went down hard, which is exactly what Doc Rivers told his guys to expect.

"The other team attacked," said the Celtics' mentor after his team staggered home with a pretty much undeserved 87-86 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves last night. "I've been in this league too long not to know that when players come back to their old place for the first time, they want to show the fans, they want to show the coach, they want to show the GM he made a mistake, and they want to show you."

The Celtics entered this game with the best record in the NBA (they're now 34-7 at the halfway point). The Wolves entered this game with the league's worst record (they're now 7-35). But if the teams were wearing generic white and black jerseys with no lettering, any neutral observer would have assumed the team with the black jerseys was the one sending its coach to the All-Star Game and the team with the white jerseys was angling for the best lottery position.

For 46 minutes, anyway.

The truth is the Celtics had to pull a Brady to win this game. It all came down to a two-minute drill.

The Celtics trailed, 86-81, with 2:01 left. In those final two minutes, Paul Pierce made two free throws, blocked an Al Jefferson shot, and converted on what was at least a fifth-chance follow- up; the Celtics caused a crucial five-second inbounds violation; Kendrick Perkins had a soft-dunk putback of a blown Ray Allen layup (one of many during a brutal 4-for-18 night) with 16.6 seconds left for the go-ahead basket; and, finally, Kevin Garnett, having reentered the game with 1:51 left after being examined for an abdominal strain, capped a truly amazing defensive possession by knocking the ball away from Sebastian Telfair a few feet from midcourt and then beating the Wolves guard to the ball with a Cowensian flop to put the game away.

That's all.

If anyone was wondering how Garnett makes his way onto the All-Defensive Team every year, all they need to do is watch what he did in Minnesota's final possession.

Acknowledging that very few big men possess the package of agility and intelligence to make this play, Rivers put it in perspective. "I mean, he went from denial to the top, to helping on the deep with Al [Jefferson], to back out, getting his hands on the ball, and then he beat a guard to the ball and then he beat him to the floor - which is rare. You know, when you think about it, the guard is 6-feet-whatever, he's closer to the floor, he should get the ball first."

And to be out there to make this play, Garnett had to beg his way into the game after being examined for his abdominal problem.

Yeah, I'd say Kevin Garnett is nice to have around.

Now, the team with the best record is going to get matched up against the team with the worst record on occasion. That's inevitable. But this particular confrontation had an unusual plot twist, thanks to The Trade.

For this was the first meeting between the Celtics and Wolves since the transaction of July 31, 2007, when Minnesota general manager Kevin McHale handed over Garnett to his old friend Danny Ainge in exchange for Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Telfair, Gerald Green, and Theo Ratliff, plus a pair of No. 1 draft picks. It's been rather well documented what Garnett has meant to the Celtics. It was a given, meanwhile, that the former Celtics were going to attach a special significance to this game, no matter what anyone said to the contrary.

Let's clear something up right away: The Minnesota Timberwolves may not be very good - yet - but they're really not 7-35 bad. They had come here having defeated Golden State on the road and Phoenix at home, and they came very close to making it three in a row last night, forcing the Celtics into 23 turnovers while holding them to 42 percent shooting. Hey, if someone had blown a whistle while people were busy mauling each other under the Celtics' basket prior to Pierce's fifth-chance hoop, they might have won.

And if they had, everyone would be looking at this game in an entirely different light. They'd be hailing Jefferson, whose inside moves have gotten even better (one baseline dazzler evoked memories of his GM). They'd be praising Gomes, who is en route to a very solid, useful, 12-year career in this league. And they'd surely be asking why Telfair seldom played like this in a Boston uniform.

Of all the Celtic alums, none came here with more on his mind than the 6-foot point guard. "Telfair will not just be going up against [Rajon] Rondo," said one Celtics insider before the game. "He'll be going up against Wyc."

That would be Mr. Wyc Grosbeck, the Celtics' managing partner who, when Telfair was picked up on an automobile and firearms charge last spring, e-mailed members of the media with the news that Telfair's nameplate had been taken down from his locker. Many players get traded. Few are essentially fired before they're traded.

Until that last possession, Telfair was terrific. He had 18 points, six assists, and a fourth-quarter scoring burst that would have made him Minnesota's Man of the Match had the Wolves prevailed. He walked away with everything except the W.

Speaking of Ws, they have not come easily of late. The Celtics are a pedestrian 5-4 in the nine games following that conquest of the Pistons in Auburn Hills back on Jan. 5 and there are times when the game looks very difficult for them to play.

"We've just been so inconsistent," lamented Rivers. "I know our record over this stretch isn't awful, but it's not what we've established."

But we need to get a grip, all of us. They're 34-7 at midseason. They're 34-7 and they're in a little mild recession. It's the NBA. It's a long season.

This, too, shall pass.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/26/green_wants_a_trade?mode=PF

Green wants a trade
Wolves declined swingman's option
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | January 26, 2008

The agent for the Timberwolves' seldom-used swingman, Gerald Green, an ex-Celtic, hopes to get his client a better playing opportunity in another NBA uniform.

Green's agent, Byron Irvin, told the Globe yesterday that he asked Wolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale and general manager Jim Stack in early January if they would trade his client. Green is making $1.4 million this season and the Wolves have declined his option for next season, thus making him an unrestricted free agent this summer. The trading deadline is Feb. 21.

"I thought it was going to be a formality that they wanted to take his option, especially since he is a player coming out of high school," said Irvin, an ex-NBA player who is Celtics coach Doc Rivers's cousin, in a telephone interview. "His first year he averaged 5 points and his second year he averaged 10. You can see the development and the growth.

"When they didn't take the option, the first question I had immediately is whether he is in Minnesota's long-term goals. You have to give that time to answer the question. And after he hasn't played much through 41 games, I would have to say the answer to that question is no."

Green was the 18th overall pick in the 2005 draft by the Celtics out of Houston Gulf Shores Academy. The athletic 6-foot-8-inch, 200-pounder averaged 5.2 points in 31 games as a rookie with Boston. He averaged 10.4 points in 81 contests last season and won the 2007 All-Star Slam Dunk competition. Lakers star Kobe Bryant said last season that Green "reminds me of myself when I first came into the league."

On July 31, Green, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, and Theo Ratliff, as well as two first-round picks, were dealt to Minnesota in exchange for Kevin Garnett. The Wolves, however, are very deep in young players and guard-forwards. After scoring 9 points in Minnesota's 87-86 loss to Boston last night, Green is averaging 4.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 11.9 minutes in 22 games.

"I'm just working hard every day in practice," said Green, who turns 22 today. "A lot of [positivity] comes from my teammates. They just keep telling me to keep working, keep getting better. I have vets like Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner, Mark Madsen, and Michael Doleac who keep me motivated to want to get better. That's all I'm trying to do.

"I'm just trying to look at everything as positive as I can to keep me motivated. Right now is a tough time, but I've got to stay self-motivated."

The Wolves bought out Juwan Howard's contract after he asked for a trade in the preseason but declined Buckner's early-season request to be traded. Through a Wolves spokesperson, Stack said: "At this time of the year, we're having conversations with teams about possible routes through the trade deadline."

When asked about his agent asking for a trade, Green said: "I'm just letting him handle it. I'm just staying focused on today's game and future games. That's something that Byron's going to have to focus on."

Rivers said he believes Green will be a "good player" in the NBA once he develops.

"It's going to take him time," Rivers said Thursday. "You've got to give him time. He's the Slam Dunk champion, not the basketball champion. We've got to let him play. We've got to let him grow. We've got to allow him to be coached.

"He has to keep improving and want to improve. Here, he was doing that. And from what I hear, he was working his butt off there. His time will come."

Said Celtics forward Paul Pierce: "Gerald is still trying to find himself."


Ticket master
Gomes, a Waterbury, Conn., native, purchased 70 tickets for family and friends. When asked if he gave up a game's salary to pay for the tickets, Gomes said he told the ticket-holders: "They're in the building. I can't tell you where you are sitting. They might be a little high, but you're in the building." . . . When the Wolves' locker room cleared out, Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge came in and gave Jefferson a big hug, shook Walker's hand, and visited with other ex-Celtics . . . James Posey missed his third straight game with a sprained index finger on his right hand. The 6-8, 217-pounder, however, shot at the Celtics' practice facility in Waltham yesterday and could return to action tomorrow at Orlando. Brian Scalabrine also missed the game with flu-like symptoms. "[Posey] shot [yesterday] and he didn't say it felt great," Rivers said. "He said it felt good. We'll see." Center Scot Pollard also sat out with a lingering right ankle sprain and hasn't played since Jan. 9. Rivers said he planned on Pollard being out indefinitely to heal his injury. "I'm not concerned, right now at least," Rivers said. "Maybe we'll put the Tom Brady boot on him."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x714606939

Celtics 87, Timberwolves 86: Celtics spoil homecoming

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Photo by Associated Press
Garnett Telfair
By Scott Souza/Daily News staff
GHS
Sat Jan 26, 2008, 12:19 AM EST

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BOSTON -
Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins both took turns on the sideline during the fourth quarter of last night's game against the Timberwolves. Neither one of them was happy about it given the opposition and the score.

In the final minutes, both Celtics big men fought their way back into the lineup and provided the decisive plays as in an 87-86 victory that in no way resembled a contest between the league's best team and its worst.

After the Celtics trailed as much as six points late in the game against a foe filled with old friends - Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green and Antoine Walker - Perkins slammed home a put-back dunk with 16.6 seconds left for the lead. Garnett then poked away a Telfair dribble in the final seconds to preserve the draining triumph.

"I was out there playing not at 100 percent and we had fought back from being down," said Garnett, who left the game for 4:26 of the fourth quarter with an abdominal strain and returned with the Celtics down five with 1:51 to go, "There were a lot of emotions in the building. Sebastian is very quick, and if I missed that steal then who knows? But I got my hand on it - I was able to count his dribble (and stole it on a crossover) - got on the floor and got dirty, as we say, and we got the win."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the winning steal almost didn't happen because of his hesitancy to Garnett back in the game after he felt pain from an injury he admitted after the game happened a while back.

"I had Dr. (Brian) McKeon giving me the thumbs up and (trainer) Eddie (Lacerte) giving me the thumbs down," Rivers said of Garnett. "Kevin was just psycho, which is good. It was a tough call. I didn't want to put him in. He was begging (to go back in)."

"My philosphy has always been," Garnett said, "if I can play, if I can move, if I can blink, if I can wake in the morning, I can play."

It was a different dynamic between Rivers and Perkins after the coach pulled his starting center early in the third quarter after his 14-point first half.

"I was upset at Perk," Rivers said. "I took him out early in the third quarter and I probably was not going to play him (again) because I didn't think he was playing with enough energy.

"When Kevin went out, I still wasn't going to, then I looked at him and put him in. You could see he was mad too, which is good. He was mad he was sitting. Then he came in and played with great energy."

Perkins didn't seem to agree with the coach's assessment of his energy level earlier in the game, but was happy to get the chance at the end.

"God works in mysterious ways," he said. "Kevin went down so I guess he has to put me back in. But you know sometimes it happens like that. When he let me sit, I was kind of mad on the bench, so I figured when I went back in, it was going to be one."

Jefferson (15 points, 5 rebounds) said he'd seen that side of Perkins enough in practice to know what was in store when he got emotional during the game.

"Big Daddy stepped up," Jefferson said. "He took advantage of me. When Paul (Pierce) and Ray (Allen) and them were driving, he was there for tip-ins. That's when he was at his best. I was even a little upset when Doc had him on the bench."

For most of the night, it was difficult to tell which team was the inexperienced one with the worst record in the league and which was the veteran-stacked squad with the league's best mark, as the Celtics amassed 22 turnovers.

Jefferson and Gomes (13 points) came out blazing in their old haunt and had more points combined (13) through 5:30 than the entire Celtics team as the Wolves built a 15-10 edge. Perkins then capped a 14-5 Celtic run with a slam from Pierce (19 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists) before Telfair (18 points, 6 assists) teed up a 3-pointer to halt the run.

It was 50-47 Boston at the half and 68-67 Minnesota after three, before Jefferson scored over Powe and Telfair's free throws off a Walker steal helped make it 75-69 Wolves at 8:01.

Perkins returned from a 14-minute stint on the bench, after Garnett left the court, for consecutive put-backs and Tony Allen drove for a three-point play from Pierce to pull the Celts within a possession at 82-79 at 3:44. Ray Allen countered a Corey Brewer shot and it was 84-81 at 2:53.

Garnett returned to the huddle at a timeout at 2:19 and stretched his back as Rivers addressed the troops, then returned after Telfair's drive made it 86-81 at 1:59. Pierce cut it to three with a pair of free throws, but was called for a travel when he ran into Rashad McCants following a Garnett rebound the other way.

Pierce's fourth-chance put-back made it 86-85 at 23.2 and the Wolves called timeout. But Minnesota was tagged for a five-second violation on the inbounds play, giving the Celtics a chance to pull it out behind Perkins and Garnett.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x469085660

For Jefferson, former Celtics, this defeat stings more than most

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By Lenny Megliola/Daily News Staff
GateHouse News Service
Sat Jan 26, 2008, 12:17 AM EST

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Boston -
They have lost 35 of their 42 games. That doesn't mean some defeats don't cut deeper than others.

That was the case for the We-Used-To-Be Celtics, who go by the name of Timberwolves now. They were all here last night. Al Jefferson, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Antoine Walker. They accounted for 58 of the We-Used-To-Be-Celtics' 86 points at the rockin' Garden.

One problem. The Celtics they left behind scored one more point. The team with the worst record in the league came that close to beating the 34-7 Celtics. And it hurt. Jefferson, worked over by Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins, sat in silence at his locker for a long time after it was over, probably thinking about what might have been.

``We played well,'' he said. ``We just made some stupid mistakes at the end.'' Jefferson was held to 15 points, six less than his average.

The TimberCeltics were going for the win, until Garnett, with those long arms, switched off on Telfair up top, forcing the little guard to lose possession as the last seconds ticked off. Some of the Celtics celebrated liked they'd just won a playoff round. What's wrong with [as]that[xs] picture?

For the record, Telfair was quite good this night with 18 points and six assists. Rehashing the last possession that Garnett busted up, Telfair said ``when I got the ball I kinda rushed.''

Suddenly, Garnett separated Telfair from the rock. ``He knocked the ball off,'' said Telfair.

Minnesota was going for its third straight win. ``We're playing mad right now,'' said Telfair. ``We've got to stay mad.''

For Gomes, who had 13 points, the game was painfully similar to the type of losses he suffered with Boston. ``I felt as though we had the game. I knew it was going to be a very emotional game,'' he said.

``We're trying to learn how to win games like this,'' said Minnesota coach Randy Wittman, ``and we're putting ourselves in positions to do it. This is a tough one to swallow, but it's one we'll learn from.''

When he arrived at the Garden, the first thing Jefferson noticed was the visitors' locker room vis-a-vis his cushy former one across the corridor. ``Not as nice,'' he said, sitting at his locker. No hard feelings about the trade though. At least Danny Ainge gave him a heads up.

``He called me about a week before and told me it was 95 percent (the trade would be made).'' Jefferson appreciated that. Not that Ainge had a need to apologize for using Jefferson as the hook to get Garnett here. Jefferson understood. ``I told Danny he's the guy who took a chance on me.''

He admitted ``it was strange'' walking in the Garden as something other than a Celtic. But he also knows this is a business, one in which Jefferson is handsomely paid. ``I look at it like both teams got a good deal.''

He keeps up the Celtics, watching their games whenever he can, now that they're on TNT a lot more. ``I cuss Perk when he does something wrong.'' Kendrick Perkins, Tony Allen and Jefferson were a gang of three in the day.

When Jefferson came to the Celtics, Perkins was the first to befriend him. But last night he'd have to ``treat Perk like the enemy. He'll want to tear my head off.''
Jefferson hadn't talked to Celtics coach Doc Rivers, but they've exchanged text messages. He said Rivers was someone ``I could talk to any time,'' and administered Al some ``tough-love'' when he was playing for him.

Jefferson has become [as]the[xs] man in Minnesota. ``When I was with Paul (Pierce) and the last shot needed to be taken, I was happy Paul was going to take it. All the pressure was on Paul. Now I'm that guy.''

Has Jefferson considered that when Garnett's long gone from the league, he'll still be playing? ``Yeah,'' he said.

For Gomes, the former Providence star, coming back to Boston meant he had to buy about 70 tickets for family and friends. He said he couldn't guarantee they were all primo seats, only that ``they were in the building.'' None of his family has made it out to Minnesota to see him play yet. ``They're a little bit afraid of the cold.''

Unlike Jefferson, Gomes had no clue he'd be traded. ``I was a little surprised.'' As for his new team, ``hopefully we can turn it around,'' he said.

Jefferson's numbers (20.8 points per game, 12.1 rebounds) are impressive. Gomes said ``toward the end of last season he was showing the things he could do. He's playing at a high level.''

Pierce called Jefferson ``an up-and-coming all-star in this league.''

Gomes said the former Celtics team couldn't afford to get up in this game. ``We talked about that. We gotta go out there and try to win, and that's what we did. It was high emotions on both on both ends, and they came through at the end.''

[FLCeltsFan]

aol.nba.com/celtics/news/blog/post-ups.html

Live Game Blog
87-86 Celtics, FINAL: Perk had the gamewinner and was your leading scorer. KG finished with 10 points and 16 rebounds. The Garden popped incredibly loud at the final buzzer when KG and Telfair dove to the floor after a loose ball at center court in the final seconds.

87-86 Celtics, 16.6 seconds: Kendrick Perkins just dunked home a Ray Allen missed layup for the lead.

86-85 Timberwolves, 23.2 seconds: The C's just forced a five-second violation on the ensuing inbounds pass. KG got away with a veteran trick; he shoved Telfair off the court as he was coming toward the inbounder.

86-85 Timberwolves, 23.2 seconds: Pierce just scored on a putback in a scrum under the hoop.

86-83 Timberwolves, 37.5 seconds: The Celtics just had to make two consecutive stops because of a questionable traveling call against Paul Pierce. This is likely a two-for-one situation so the C's should look for the first shot that shows itself.

84-81 Timberwolves, 2:19/4th The fourth quarter has been highly emotional. Tony Allen had words for Antoine Walker, and Perk's been barking at anyone in his vicinity. Biggest stat so far: Pierce and Ray Allen are a combined 7-for-29 (24%) from the field. KG just returned from the locker room with what Jeff Twiss tells us is an "abdominal muscle strain."

75-69 Timberwolves, 6:19/4th: Bad news. The C's have turned it over on six straight trips, and KG came down the floor wincing and clutching his midsection, and appeared to have asked the bench to call timeout. He just went back to the locker room area with Team Physician Brian McKeon in tow.

74-69 Timberwolves, 8:01/4th:KG was air-drumming along to Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight during the last timeout. We're wondering if he knows Easy Lover or Susudio...

68-67 Timberwolves, End of 3rd: The former Celtics have combined for 47 of Minnesota's 68 points through three quarters. And while the T-Wolves shot 63% from the field in the first quarter, they've cooled off considerably since then, going 15 of their last 44, or just 34% during the last two quarters. Still, the Celtics enter the fourth trailing by one.

64-62 Timberwolves, 2:49/3rd: Bassy is having a nice night. 10 points, five assists and two boards. He's pushing the ball up when the opportunity presents itself and seems to be playing with a great amount of confidence.

58-56 Celtics, 5:43/3rd: KG and Garnett got into it after the whistle and were assessed double techs. We couldn't hear what they were talking about but it must have been colorful...

50-47 Celtics, Halftime: Ray Allen is just 1-9 to start the game and all of his long-range shots (except for the one he hit) are coming up short. He doesn't appear to be getting good lift on his jumper tonight.

Kendrick Perkins is quietly having a solid night as the leading scorer with 14 points, including a 4-for-5 performance from the line.

44-40 Timberwolves, 3:46/2nd: Ask and ye shall receive: Walker, Jefferson, Gomes, Telfair and Green.

43-40 Timberwolves, 5:04/2nd: Gerald Green has started to get his offense going, as he's got eight points in as many minutes. Tony Allen was playing some physical defense against him and it looked like he was trying to make him uncomfortable...Meanwhile, Corey Brewer is out there with four former Celtics, which makes me wonder if we'll see an alumni team lineup at all tonight.

35-32 Celtics, 8:53/2nd: Paul Pierce is up to playmaking ways again tonight, setting up Leon Powe for a pair of slammers on two of his four assists. Meanwhile, his old running buddy Antoine Walker has wasted no time in jacking up a pair of threes. Some things never, ever change. Legend has it that Antoine once responded to a reporter who asked him why he took so many threes, "because they don't have any fours."

30-29 Timberwolves, End of 1st: The Celtics are losing, Bassy has three dimes, we had a Gerald Green sighting for the last three seconds of the quarter for a defensive (!) possession, and Ryan Gomes is shooting threes. What in the name of Antoine Walker is going on here?

21-20 Celtics, 3:10/1st: Big Al will take a seat with eight points and two rebounds after picking up his second personal trying to stop Perk on the baseline. Before the game, Al said that despite the fact that he's the godfather to Perk's baby, he expected that Perk would be out there "trying to rip my head off..."

17-15 Timberwolves, 5:33/1st: The C's are sending the double team to Big Al in short order. If anyone would know how to stop Big Al, it would be his old coaching staff, right?

Big Al scored eight points in the first five minutes and was pounding his chest after a particularly nice up and under move that looked like something off a Kevin McHale highlight reel. You think #32 taught him the Slippery Eel yet?

Speaking of which, if you're feeling nostalgic for the days of 18-game losing streaks and Big Al's ankle rehab, you can check out this classic article from the back catalogue of Parquet Magazine, a feature story on the rise of Big Al Jefferson.

Pregame Introductions
Bassy didn't exactly get a great ovation, but Ryan Gomes and Big Al Jefferson got very warm welcomes..

We missed this last game, but a finger injury doesn't seem to prevent James Posey from handing out pregame hugs...

Pregame Media Access
We ran back and forth between locker rooms and caught up with most of the former Celtics. Ryan Gomes is going to be a free agent and a father this summer, and he said he had about 70 tickets for the game tonight that he bought back in September for his crew from Waterbury, CT and all connected parts.

Sebastian Telfair talked about spending his summer in Vegas re-dedicating himself to basketball, while Gerald Green said that old friend Delonte West convinced him to go to New Orleans to defend his Slam Dunk contest title.

My man G-Money says he's got some new stuff that nobody's ever seen before thanks to his little brother, who helped him conceptualize his contest-winning slams for Vegas last year. Hopefully he can dunk without the toothache that hampered him all weekend last year.

Oh yeah, and we talked to Big Al.

All talked to the press for over 10 minutes, reliving the trade and talking about what it's like to be The Man in Minnesota. He said he actually even missed the media -- we think he was joking -- and some of the old faces and friends from Boston.

There's quite a bit of audio in the archive to listen to, and it's all great material. Enjoy the timewarp.

Early Pregame Report
The reunion is here. The locker rooms open in about 20 minutes and we expect to talk to guys from both sides tonight.

Ryan Gomes has been wandering the court catching up with a few old coaches and teammates already.

[FLCeltsFan]

ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2008/01/26/sports/sports02.txt
T-Wolves put scare into C’s at Garden


Celtics guard Tony Allen drives to the basket. (Associated Press)
By MIKE FINE
The Patriot Ledger

BOSTON - The Celtics can talk all they want about how their house remains in order, but the fact is, they’re a mess, and a bunch of their former teammates almost rubbed their noses into their own court Friday night.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, loaded with five former Celtics, came to the Garden and made the Celtics look positively terrible, forcing them to come from behind late, using a five-second sideline violation by the visitors to give Kendrick Perkins (21 points) a put-back layup with 16.6 seconds to go for an 87-86 win.

The Celts wrapped it up only when former Timberwolf Kevin Garnett stripped former Celtic Sebastian Telfair at midcourt at the final buzzer.

The Celtics had lost four of their previous eight and appeared uninspired playing against their old teammates.

Meeting for the first time since the summertime trade that landed Garnett, Al Jefferson returned fresh off a 39-point effort in a win against Phoenix. Jefferson scored only 15 points, but the real thorn in the Celtics’ side was much maligned Telfair, who scored 18. Ryan Gomes added 13, and little-used Gerald Green, given a chance to shine, came away with nine points himself.

The Wolves forced the Celtics into 23 turnovers and appeared to have the game put away midway through the fourth quarter when Garnett left with an abdominal strain, his team behind by six points.

Pierce managed 19 points but on only 4-for-15 shooting. Inexplicably, Garnett took only four shots on a night when Ray Allen was going 4-for-18 from the floor. Garnett added 16 rebounds.

The Celtics said that this was just another game, and that was believable, because they came out playing every bit as uninspired as they did in losing to Toronto Wednesday. The Celtics also said that they expected the Timberwolves to come out with a little, ahem, inspiration, given the change of personnel over the summer.

That was believable, too, because for the greater part of the first half, the visitors attacked and defended and made life miserable for the Celtics.

‘‘Over the last four or five years this has been one of the most heated games, and playoff-type games,’’ said Pierce, ‘‘because we’ve been trading partners with the Timberwolves. I look at it as another game. It’s not different than Toronto or New Jersey. Those other guys look at it as an incentive for guys to show their worth.

‘‘We’ve seen it with Mark Blount, Ricky Davis (who were traded to Minnesota two years ago). If you don’t get up for any other game the rest of the year, we’ll be up tonight. You want to go out and win ...I don’t want to get caught up in it. After the game we’ll shake hands and move on. ‘‘

In fact, Jefferson looked unstoppable early on, hitting for nine quick points before picking up a second personal that sent him to the bench. Telfair showed considerably more court direction that he did with the Celtics, and Gomes had his hands tied with Garnett. The one player who really seemed to take the trade personally was Green. After being a Wolves afterthought for most of the season, coach Randy Wittman gave him 12 first-half minutes and he shot early and often, going 3-for-7 for eight points.

The Celtics, meanwhile, floundered, trailing for most of the half as Allen went 1-for-9, Pierce 1-for-5. The Celts finally closed it out with their second 8-0 run of the half, taking a 50-47 lead into the locker room.

The Celtics were also hamstrung by the loss of James Posey (right index finger) for a third straight game, plus the loss of Brian Scalabrine, who was home with the flu. At one point Leon Powe and Glen Davis were playing together.

This was also Garnett’s first meeting against his old team, and he managed 10 points and nine boards. Against the Celtics last season, he averaged 29.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists, so they were happy to have him on board. It prompted Pierce to remember an instance in one of the Minnesota games of last season, when the pair were together alongside the lane for a free throw. ‘‘I asked him if he was coming to Boston or if I was going to Minnesota. They say ‘be careful what you ask for.’‘‘

The Wolves were likely reminded at halftime to just go out and play, much as they had in winning their last two over Golden State and Phoenix. ‘‘We know we’ve got a lot of ex-Celtics,’’ Gomes said. ‘‘It’ll be interesting going out tonight knowing we had that jersey on, and Antoine (Walker) even played a few games more. You’ve gotta represent the jersey you’re wearing and not get caught up in who you used to play for.’’

After Pierce hit a 3-pointer to open the third and extend the Boston lead to six, the offense stagnated with selfishness. Lack of ball movement led to lack of scoring, and for nearly four minutes late in the quarter the Celtics didn’t hit a field goal, enabling the visitors to take a 68-67 lead into the fourth. Allen and Pierce were a combined 5-for-24 from the floor by that time.

They trailed by three with 37.5 seconds to play before Pierce hit a layup and Perkins a putback with 16.6 seconds left to ice it.

[FLCeltsFan]

enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2008/01/26/news/sports/sports04.txt

Celtics steal way past Wolves



By Jim Fenton, Enterprise staff writer

BOSTON — Alumni Night at the TD Banknorth Garden lived up to its advance billing when the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves got together on Friday.

In their first meeting since last summer's blockbuster trade involving Kevin Garnett, the Celtics edged the Timberwolves, 87-86, in a matchup of the NBA's best and worst teams.

It took a steal by Garnett against former Celtics point guard Sebastian Telfair with 1.8 seconds remaining to allow Boston to survive and improve to 34-7 at the midway point.

As if the sight of all the former Celtics returning to Causeway Street wasn't dramatic enough, Garnett added to the drama by returning from an injury to help Boston rally past his former team.

Garnett, who had 10 points and 16 rebounds, headed to the locker room with 6:19 remaining due to a strained abdominal muscle.

He was back on the court with 1:51 to go and the Celtics facing an 86-83 deficit after a pair of Paul Pierce foul shots.

Garnett, who spent 12 years with the Timberwolves, came up with the clutch defensive play when Telfair tried to make a move with the game on the line just before the buzzer. Telfair, who took a pass from Al Jefferson, was out deep and tried to make a move past Garnett, who knocked the ball away and dove for it.

“I knew it was Sebastian, so I wanted to scoot up on him and try to make him drive the ball,” said Garnett. “I was able to count his dribbles. I know he likes to cross over, so I just took a stab at it and got it and just dove.

“I knew time was running down, and I just wanted to be aggressive on the ball.”

Garnett, who took only five shots in 31 minutes, was in pain but got the clearance to return from the doctors.

“I felt like I got sniped from the rafters,” joked Garnett. “I just had a sharp pain come from my stomach, and I just wanted the doctors to look at it. They said I was fine. I came back out, we won the game, basically.

“I wasn't going to do anything that was going to jeopardize my future and all that. My philosophy has always been if I can run, if I can move, if I can blink, if I can wake up in the morning, I can play.”

The Celtics needed a basket from Kendrick Perkins (21 points against his close friend, Jefferson) with 16.6 seconds left to take the lead from the Timberwolves, who led by as many as six in the fourth quarter and were up, 86-81, with less than two minutes remaining.

Pierce hit two foul shots, then converted an offensive rebound after he was blocked by Jefferson, closing the deficit to 86-85 with 23.2 seconds left. Minnesota rookie Corey Brewer was unable to get the ball inbounds after a timeout, giving the Celtics possession.

Ray Allen (4-for-18, 12 points) missed on a drive, but Perkins converted a putback on the weakside to give the Celtics the last lead.

Perkins outshined Jefferson (15 points, five rebounds) with his offense and some stellar defense.

“You could see it in shootaround that Perk was up for the challenge,” said Pierce, who had 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. “They were good friends on the team. Perk knows Al just as good as anyone else on the team.

“He did a great job making it tough on Al. Al's an up-and-coming All-Star the way he can put the ball in the basket in the low post. Perk was big on both ends of the court.”

The Celtics won despite having 23 turnovers and shooting 42 percent with Allen and Pierce (4-for-15) both struggling.

The Timberwolves (7-35) were an inspired team as Telfair (18 points, six assists) and Ryan Gomes (13) helped keep them in contention. Telfair, Gomes, Jefferson, Gerald Green (eight), Theo Ratliff and two first-round picks went to Minnesota in the Garnett trade.

“The way we played all night, we couldn't get into a rhythm on offense,” said Pierce. “We turned the ball over a lot. We knew Minnesota was going to come in real emotional with the trade. You could see how they were with every shot. We've got to be ready for that.”