News 1/30

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1069948&format=text

Celtics elect to win
Subs fill in the blanks

By Steve Bulpett | Wednesday, January 30, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
MIAMI - Here on presidential primary night in Florida, there was nothing for the pundits to debate. The Celtics [team stats] won in a landslide, humbling the Heat in a manner that held no doubt according to the all-important exit poll.

That would be the number of people who chose to leave the American Airlines [AMR] Arena early and avert their eyes from the carnage.

That the Celtics led by as many as 39 and accomplished the 117-87 victory without two of their top three campaigners made it all the more noteworthy. They had four 20-point scorers, and none of them was named Paul Pierce [stats].

“This is one of my favorite games because, with all the guys out, we really needed this win,” said coach Doc Rivers after Leon Powe went for a career-high 25 points and had 11 rebounds. “We lost a heartbreaker in Orlando and it would have been very easy to come into this game and feel sorry for ourselves. It would have been very easy for South Beach to beat us. And neither one happened, so I’m very happy about that.

“Like we talked about before the game, no one was going to be Ray Allen, no one was going to be Kevin Garnett, but all of them could do a little bit extra and pitch in.”

Sultans of sportsmanship that they are, the Celtics had to figure it only fair to meet the Heat with a handicap. Kevin Garnett was out with an abdominal strain, and Ray Allen was at the hotel being sick (giving him something in common with Miami fans).

Pierce evidently had sympathy pains for his running mates. The captain missed his first four shots and finished with just seven points. He didn’t take a shot until midway through the first quarter and didn’t score until the 1:48 mark of the second. His 15-footer put the Celts ahead, 62-34, and could be seen more as icing on this piece of cake.

In a game in which Rivers planned to lean on Pierce, the team’s leading scorer was pretty much superfluous.

“You know, 117 points when Paul only has seven and Kevin and Ray don’t play . . . you don’t mark that before the game, I can tell you that,” Rivers said after the Celts posted their biggest margin of victory ever against Miami. “He only had seven points, but he accounted for so many more. He had a lot of hockey assists, where you pass to make the next pass.”

Pierce had four basketball assists and five rebounds . . . and a chance to rest for almost 20 minutes.

“Today with the way the ball was moving and we were making the extra pass, I didn’t have to go out there and have a big scoring night,” he said. “It’s a great win because we’re a little banged up and guys stepped up to the challenge.”

Here next to the Port of Miami, the Celts cruised against a Heat outfit missing Shaquille O’Neal (hip) and, for the second half, Udonis Haslem (ankle).

On this night, the Celtics’ Big Three consisted of Powe, Rajon Rondo [stats] (a career high-tying 23 points) and Tony Allen (20). And Eddie House scored late to get up to 20.

The Heat came in on a one-game winning streak that followed 15 consecutive losses - and that Saturday triumph over Indiana was looking like an aberration.

“They just pretty much had their way with us here,” said Miami coach Pat Riley. “They are a great team. They are used to winning. (But) I am just embarrassed by our effort.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1069974&format=text

Big 3 minus an important two

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Wednesday, January 30, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
MIAMI - The Celtics [team stats] have prided themselves on their togetherness this season, but the sharing may be going a bit too far. Ray Allen last night became the third player to miss a game with a similar strain of the flu.

With Kevin Garnett missing his second straight game with an abdominal strain, the Celts started Brian Scalabrine (two points, five rebounds in 16 minutes) and Tony Allen (20 points, six assists in 33 minutes) in last night’s 117-87 demolition of the Heat. Garnett was in the building, but Ray Allen remained at the team hotel.

“We took him to the hospital this morning to get him some fluids,” coach Doc Rivers said before the game. “He’s been throwing up for a while. Eddie (House) started it and then it just goes through the team. Hopefully, this is the last one.”

Although some in the Miami media speculated that Allen’s sickness stemmed from revelry in South Beach, it should be noted that the veteran guard does not drink. With the team off Monday, Allen did golf. Last night, he rested and took a cab to meet the Celts’ charter flight home. Rivers shrugged and suggested Allen would “jump on the plane and get the rest of them sick.”

Garnett, meanwhile, had a conditioning workout at the arena yesterday during the Celtics’ shootaround.

“He’s doing a lot better,” Rivers said. “He’s had some improvement.”

Asked if Garnett could have played if last night was a playoff game, Rivers replied, “Probably . . . but I don’t know if he could play well. And I don’t know if he did play if he wouldn’t get hurt. It’s not like this is a hard decision with Kevin. This is easy. Eddie (Lacerte, the trainer) seems to have a pretty good grasp on it.”

The coach said Garnett’s availability remains day-to-day. He would, however, get a prolonged rest if he misses tomorrow’s game with Dallas because the Celts don’t play again until the following Tuesday in Cleveland.

“If he can play (tomorrow), we’ll play him,” Rivers said. “But, again, it’s got to be almost 100 percent. That’s the way I look at those type of injuries. We’ve got to look at the big picture.”

The big picture was the topic when Paul Pierce [stats] discussed things with Garnett.

“Kevin never wants to sit out ever, regardless,” Pierce said. “I was like, ‘Big fella, this is a point in your career where you’ve got to start taking care of your body a little bit more. You’re getting older. You’ve got a lot of miles under your belt . . .’ ”

The Ticket Stub

Although the Celts’ chances of adding a new point guard look slim for now (Damon Stoudamire is getting closer to the Spurs), they did add a new nickname. According to Pierce, rookie Glen Davis is the “Ticket Stub.”

“We’ve got the ‘Big Ticket’ Garnett, and I look like a stub, so I’m the Ticket Stub,” Davis said. “It’s like, you bring your ticket to the game and you leave with your Ticket Stub. When you leave the game, you’re going to always have your Ticket Stub. You always remember the game. Whatever coach has for me to do, the Ticket Stub will be there to handle his business.”

Davis said he isn’t giving up on “Big Baby,” his nickname at LSU: “You don’t have to ex Baby. It’s just the Ticket Stub now.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/30/two_out_rally_for_celtics?mode=PF

Two-out rally for Celtics
Garnett, Allen are not missed
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | January 30, 2008

MIAMI - Maybe Paul Pierce should have taken the night off, too, just for kicks.

Without Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics blew out the Heat, 117-87, last night at American Airlines Arena. While the Celtics are known for having the "Big Three," on this night they had a surprising big scoring foursome in Rajon Rondo (23), Tony Allen (20), Leon Powe (25), and Eddie House (20), who combined for 88 points.

"To have 117 points when Paul Pierce only had 7 and Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen didn't play is something that we didn't expect before the game," coach Doc Rivers said.

The Celtics, who lost at Orlando last Sunday, are now 8-1 in games following a loss. They improved to an NBA-best 35-8 record - 16-4 on the road - and are 3-0 against the hapless Heat (9-34).

Players not named Pierce, Garnett, or Ray Allen combined for 110 points on 38-of-69 shooting. Rondo tied his career high in points, and Powe set a career high while adding a game-high 11 rebounds.

"Everybody took it as a challenge with those guys out," Tony Allen said. "And we went out and played team basketball."

Said Powe, "We believe in each other. We didn't come here for the loss. We came here for the win."

It was the first time this season that the Celtics were missing both Allen and Garnett. Allen was out with the flu (the fourth game he's missed this season), and Garnett missed his second straight game with an abdominal strain. Allen stayed at the team hotel to get rest while Garnett stayed in the locker room and didn't talk to the media afterward.

Pierce, who was averaging a team-best 20.4 points per game, had only 2 in the first half and finished with 7 on 2-of-9 shooting, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range.

"People are realizing this year that we have other guys that can step up," Pierce said. "We had [four] 20-point scorers on the Celtics. If you had anyone take a guess on the four, I'm sure they would have said if they watched the game that I was one of them. But it wasn't me."

The Heat, meanwhile, were without Shaquille O'Neal for the third straight game because of acute inflammation of the left hip and quadriceps. Veteran center Alonzo Mourning is also out for the season with torn right patella and quadriceps tendons. Forward Udonis Haslem didn't return after halftime because of a sprained right ankle. And Dwyane Wade, also troubled by the flu, left after the third quarter with 7 points on 1-of-9 shooting and 4 turnovers.

While the Heat succumbed to their injuries, the Celtics overcame theirs.

"I still have to go play," said Heat center Mark Blount, an ex-Celtic. "There are still guys out there that have work to do."

The Celtics were up as many as 31 points before settling for a 64-42 halftime lead. Rondo (15), Powe (14), and Allen (10) all were in double digits for the half. Boston shot 52.2 percent from the field, nailing 5 of 10 3-pointers, and scored 32 points in the paint by intermission. Pierce, though, was only 1 for 5.

"Right before the half, we had a 28-point lead and they cut it to 22," Rivers said. "And I thought the last three minutes before the half we went back into the cool mode that allows teams to get back into games. And then we came out in the third quarter and played, and played hard."

The Heat had only 14 points in the first quarter, tying the season low for a Boston opponent; they were 3 for 23 from the field. In the first half, Miami shot 34.1 percent, missing 7 of 8 3-pointers, and had 9 turnovers.

"We just didn't bring it," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "I am embarrassed by the effort. I am just embarrassed by our effort. Usually I'm not."

The Celtics outscored Miami, 30-19, in the third quarter, shooting 53.3 percent, to take a 91-64 lead. With Pierce watching in the fourth quarter, Boston went ahead, 100-62, on a House 3-pointer with 10:35 remaining.

After several reserves got their time to shine, disgusted Heat fans left in droves, while Riley just sat and watched. When the buzzer sounded, the Celtics had posted the largest margin of victory in the 79-game series between the clubs.

Considering the manpower situation, Rivers said this was one of his proudest moments of the season.

"One of the things we talked about before the game was no one was going to be Ray Allen, no one of them was going to be Kevin Garnett," Rivers said. "But all of them could do a little bit extra and pitch in. And they did that."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/30/allen_is_latest_floored_by_flu_bug?mode=PF

Allen is latest floored by flu bug
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | January 30, 2008

MIAMI - The Celtics went back to being "Paul Pierce and the Celtics" instead of the Big Three for last night's 117-87 win over the Heat.

Star guard Ray Allen missed the game with the flu. Star forward Kevin Garnett missed his second straight game with an abdominal strain. The Celtics are so battered physically that they will skip practice today for the second time in a week in order to heal.

Allen felt so poorly that he didn't attend shootaround and went to a local hospital to have intravenous fluids. He rested at the team hotel during the game. Guard Eddie House and forward Brian Scalabrine also have been hit by the flu bug lately.

"We took him to the hospital to get him some fluids," said coach Doc Rivers. "He's been throwing up for a while. We didn't want him around here. Very similar [to Scalabrine]. Eddie started it. It just goes through the team. Hopefully, this is the last one."

Rivers said there is no timetable for Garnett's return, but it's possible that he plays tomorrow against Dallas. If not, he will have had 10 days off before the next game, at Cleveland Tuesday. Rivers said Garnett showed some improvement yesterday "because he did things he couldn't do two days ago.

"If he can play Thursday, we'll play him. But he has to almost be 100 percent."

Asked how he advised Garnett, Pierce said, "I was like, 'Big fella, this is a part of your career where you have to start taking care of your body. You're older. You have a lot of miles under your belt. Your mind is going to tell you one thing, but you have to listen to your body.'

"He's a stubborn guy. He wants to be out on the floor every second he can, regardless. I told him we're playing for the long run, so take care of those little injuries. You don't want them to linger during the season."


Spurs eye Stoudamire
Once Damon Stoudamire clears waivers tomorrow morning, the veteran point guard is expected to sign with the Spurs, according to an NBA source. Spurs guard Tony Parker is out indefinitely with a bone spur in his left heel, according to ESPN.com. The NBA didn't finalize Stoudamire's buyout with the Grizzlies until yesterday morning, and he needs 48 hours to clear waivers. The Celtics have been on the lookout for a veteran point guard and had some interest in Stoudamire. Rumors persist that they have interest in Clippers veteran Sam Cassell, but they don't seem to have the means to make a viable trade offer. Executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge has said he wants to sign "the right veteran point guard" while adding, "We like our roster. We like who we are. We like the chemistry and the way our guys play together."


Baby names
Forward Glen Davis goes by the popular nickname "Big Baby." But he also would like to be known as "The Ticket Stub." "We got 'The Ticket' [Garnett]," Davis said. "And I look like a stub, so I'm 'The Ticket Stub.' " . . . Celtics forward James Posey was a member of the Heat when they won the NBA title two years ago. After the blowout win last night, Posey (9 points, 7 rebounds) wore his championship ring, championship ring-like cuff links, and red and black clothes. "When I come back here, it feels great because I was a part of as well," he said.

[FLCeltsFan]

This is my second article for Boston Sports Media's Full Court Press.

www.bostonsportsmedia.com/celtics/2008/01/its_deja_vu_all_over_again.html

It's Déjà Vu All Over Again
By Shirley Coshatt

Is it fair to compare to compare this current Celtics team to the one that last won a championship in 1986? Certainly there are similarities between the two teams, most obviously in their win-loss records and the presence of a core "Big Three". But is the comparison legitimate? We’ll examine both the similarities and differences between these two teams in an attempt to find the answer.

The clearest difference between the two teams comes down to the history of success (or lackthereof, in the case of the present Celtics squad) achieved together. The 1985-86 team entered their season with their starting five intact from the 1984 championship and the 1985 Finals appearance. In addition, the original Big Three had been together since the 1980-81 season when Auerbach traded for Robert Parish and drafted Kevin McHale. Danny Ainge also joined the team in 1981 and a trade brought Dennis Johnson to Boston in 1983. The current version of the Celtics, on the other hand, are all new to each other, with only James Posey possessing a ring among them. Unlike the successful Celtics teams of the 1980's, the franchise is now starved for success after a 21 year drought from the finals. While the current team seems to have come together quickly and the chemistry has been good, the fact remains that this is their first season together and nothing can match the experience of fighting for a championship together.

The level of compensation, both in terms of sheer dollars and relative to the league salary cap, is another comparison factor to consider. A first glance at the salaries of the players reveals an enormous difference. Larry Bird, who was the highest paid player on the '86 team, made a paltry $1,800,000 that season. Kevin Garnett, who is the highest paid player on the current team, is set to make $23,750,000. The total payroll for the 1986 team was $6,560,000 (roughly the same as the combined salaries of Posey and Brian Scalabrine this season) whereas the total salaries for the current team is $74,626,104. While this appears to be a huge difference, a closer look shows that they aren't all that far apart in relation to the salary cap of the day. The cap for the 1985-'86 season was $4.233 million and the Celtics’ team salary that year was at 1.5 times the cap. This year, salary cap is set at $55.630 million, with the Celtics’ salary at 1.3 times the cap. Therefore, relatively speaking, the 1986 team had a higher payroll in relation to the cap. However, it should be noted that they didn't have to worry about Luxury Tax back then because that rule wasn't instituted until 1999 and didn't go into effect until the '02-'03 season.

In terms of home record, it has already been established that the '08 Celtics won't be able to match their '86 counterparts in that area. The '86 Celtics lost only one game on their home court all season. They suffered their only home loss on December 1st to the Portland Trailblazers who finished the season 40-42. This year's team has already lost four games in the Garden. Even if they don't lose another home game all season, they cannot match the home domination of the last championship team.

Looking back one thing that stands out in particular about the 1986 team is that they remained relatively healthy throughout the season. McHale was the only player to miss a significant number of games, missing 14 in total that season. Bird played in every game while Parish missed only one, Ainge two and Dennis Johnson four. This year's starting five are all well known to play through injuries, yet have nonetheless missed nine games combined. As with Garnett’s abdominal injury, many of the games missed are more precautionary than serious and have been mandated by the coaching staff. Like their '86 counterparts, the current team will need to stay healthy in order to win it all.

In terms of age, the averages are similar but the spread of years is disparate. For example, the average age of the starting five 1986 was 29.2 versus 27.6 on the current team, which is skewed downward by the youth of Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins. However, the three stars are older than their 1986 counterparts, with the average age of the 1986 Big Three at 29.7 versus today’s average of 31 years. In short, while slightly older overall, the ages of the 1986 team were more balanced while the current team has the extremes of Ray Allen at 32 and Rondo at 22.

The make up of the two teams is also somewhat similar. Larry Bird and Paul Pierce at the small forward position are the all-around players who can adjust to do whatever their teams need on any given night and who want the ball in the clutch. Garnett and McHale are the premier power forwards who play inside, rebound and block shots, although McHale played more with his back to the basket while Garnett prefers to face the basket more. At center, Parish was more of a scorer than Perkins, averaging 16.1 ppg that season. However, both are enforcers that play mostly in the paint. Ainge and Ray Allen are both scorers and three point threats who can spread the floor and knock down the outside shot. The biggest difference between the teams is at floor general. Dennis Johnson was a veteran point guard who excelled in the half court game while Rondo remains in his second year and plays best in the running game. However, both point guards are/were adept at finding the open man and running the offense.

The biggest similarity between the two teams is found in their records, as both had a 34-8 record after 42 games. Of note, the current Celtics are struggling in January, losing five games in the month so far. The '86 Celtics suffered their biggest stumbles in December, losing five games in that month. They went on to finish with a 67-15 record for the year, shooting 51% from the field while allowing 46%. The current Celtics are shooting 47% and allowing 42%, with both teams enjoying a 5% positive differential.

Assuming the current team continues along with its winning ways this season, it seems clear that the comparisons to the 1986 team will persist. In the end, however, the only similarity that matters is the one that involves handing out gaudy rings and raising crisp white banners to the rafters. Only time will tell but, based on the similarities examined above, the signs certainly look good so far.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.courant.com/sports/basketball/hc-celtics0130.artjan30,0,355622,print.story

Little Three Carry Celtics
No Garnett Or Allen? No Problem
Associated Press

January 30, 2008

MIAMI

— The Celtics turned to another three to manhandle the Miami Heat.

Leon Powe had a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds, Rajon Rondo tied a career high with 23 points and Tony Allen had 20 points and six assists to lead the Celtics past the Miami Heat 117-87 Tuesday.

The Celtics were without Kevin Garnett (strained abdominal muscle) and Ray Allen (flu). And the third member of the Big Three, Paul Pierce, was scoreless for most of the first half. It didn't matter.

The Celtics led by 17 after one quarter and by 31 during the second quarter. When Dwyane Wade checked out for good with 4:41 left in the third, the Celtics were up, 88-53.

Guard Eddie House had 20 points for Boston (35-8), which outrebounded Miami, 51-36.

Mark Blount scored 20 points for Miami (9-34).

Miami had ended a 15-game skid in its previous game.

"It's almost as though the ending of the losing streak pulled the plug," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "Because we didn't bring anything."

Wade finished with seven points on 1-for-9 shooting, and departed after the third quarter with flu-like symptoms. Miami lost Udonis Haslem, who was the only Heat player to start all 43 games, with a sprained left ankle in the second quarter.



Stoudamire Hopes Fade
The Celtics were fading fast as a possible destination for point guard Damon Stoudamire, ESPN.com reported.

Stoudamire, whose contract was bought out by the Grizzlies, would like to decide today where he'll spend the rest of the season. He was expected to speak Tuesday with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com. Toronto also remains in the picture, the source said.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.miamiherald.com/594/story/399128.html

Ex-Heat forward Posey enjoys new situation
Posted on Wed, Jan. 30, 2008Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email
BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD
[e-mail]
Celtics coach Doc Rivers has a message for Heat owner Micky Arison about Miami letting James Posey leave as a free agent last summer.

''Tell Micky thank you,'' Rivers said after the morning shoot-around for Tuesday's game against the Celtics and Heat. ``It's about time they made a mistake.''

Arison recently said the Heat erred in not keeping Posey. The 6-8 forward was a key player in the Heat's championship in 2006. He decided to take a pay cut to join Paul Pierce and newly acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen last offseason. Posey signed a two-year deal for about $7 million, with a player option to opt out after this season.

Posey, who had nine points and shot 2 of 5 from the floor in the Heat's 117-87 loss Tuesday, has starred for the Celtics as a reserve in 37 games, averaging 7.2 points and shooting about 40 percent from beyond the arc.

''He's solid in the locker room, he's a good spirit, he's great on the bench,'' Rivers said. ``He's just helped us in more ways than I imagined. I heard he did a lot of things, I just didn't know he did all this.''

Heat coach and president Pat Riley also raved about Posey's ability and how much of an asset he is to the Celtics.

''He's an all-purpose, savvy warrior,'' Riley said. ``He's a cold-blooded shooter where at the end of the game he's going to make them if he's open. . . . He's a defender, an energy guy, a three-point shooter, he can make layups, second shots. He does everything and that's one of the reason they're so successful.''

While glancing at Miami's championship banner hanging from the AmericanAirlines Arena rafters, Posey sounded content with the Celtics and pleased to be getting another chance to contend for an NBA title.

''I look up there and know I was part of that, it was special but it's the nature of the business,'' Posey said. ``Things happen, and I'm in a different situation.

``It was a business decision that was made, it was not personal. I moved on.''

Now he's an important contributor to the Celtics, who have the best record in the NBA. So does Posey feel pressure to win in Boston, following the Red Sox winning the World Series and the Patriots vying for their fourth Super Bowl in seven years?

''It's tough,'' Posey laughed. ``We're just trying to put ourselves in a good situation so we can follow their lead.''

[FLCeltsFan]

www.miamiherald.com/594/story/398916.html

Heat gets harsh reality check from Celtics
BY MICHAEL WALLACE
Well, so much for prosperity.
Three nights after it ended a 15-game losing streak by beating the Indiana Pacers, the Heat crashed back to reality with a resounding thud in Tuesday's 117-87 loss to the Celtics at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Heat coach Pat Riley has had a difficult time explaining some of his team's wayward performances, but what he witnessed Tuesday was nearly impossible to imagine, let alone rationalize after the game.

He ended his postgame news conference questioning whether the team has the motivation to finish the season with competitive effort.

''I'm embarrassed,'' Riley said. ``That was a very poor display. We were overwhelmed from the get-go. It wasn't even 10 minutes into the game. We just didn't bring it.''

The Celtics didn't even need the Big Three to deliver the 30-point win against the Heat, which matched its most lopsided defeat of the season.

Playing without injured starters Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen -- and with Paul Piece comfortable in a set-up role -- the Celtics sent the Heat to its 16th loss in its past 17 games.

Leon Powe had 25 points and 11 rebounds, both career highs, and was one of four players to score at least 20 for the recently reeling Celtics (35-8), who improved the league's best record but had lost five of their previous 10 games entering Tuesday.

Pierce matched his season low with seven points, but was scoreless until late in the first half. By then, the Celtics were in command with several players who were part of the Boston team that finished with the league's worst record last season.

Rajon Rondo scored 23, former Heat guard Eddie House finished with 20 points and Tony Allen also had 20.

Heat guard Dwyane Wade and forward Udonis Haslem were not around for the finish. Wade left midway through the second half with flu-like symptoms after he scored seven points in 28 minutes.

Haslem sprained his left ankle in the second quarter. An X-ray was negative, but Haslem left the arena in a walking boot and will not travel with the team to Wednesday's game at Orlando. Wade is questionable.

The game got out of hand for the Heat soon after the national anthem. It missed 20 of its 23 shots and trailed 31-14 after the first quarter. The Heat's 13 percent shooting from the field in the period was the lowest for a quarter this season. By late in the second, the deficit was 30, the fans were booing and Celtics coach Doc Rivers was beginning to rest the reserves who were forced into starting roles, with Garnett out with an abdominal strain and Allen out with the flu.

It was the second time in as many games the Heat faced a team missing its top players. Indiana was without Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley on Saturday, when the Heat ended the franchise's second-longest skid.

So much for momentum.

The Heat had hoped to close out its seven-game homestand with a confidence boost by winning consecutive games for only the second time this season. Instead, it finished the make-or-break stretch having lost six of seven at home.

''Right now, we have to find a way to improve where we're at,'' center Mark Blount said.

Tuesday's horrific start was uncharacteristic of the Heat, which had been competitive during much of the losing streak. It had lost nine games by seven or fewer points. Rivers also had expected more of the Heat.

''The last five games, they could have been 5-0,'' Rivers said before the game.

Well, so much for that resilience.

'I read something about, `Can we, will we, is it even worth it,' talking about finishing the season,'' Riley said of his team. ``They must have read that article, because they didn't think tonight was worth it.''

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrobostonnews.com/us/article/2008/01/29/01/2225-72/index.xml

It ain’t easy being GreenEx-Celtic suffering in Minny
NBA. It only seems like common sense.

The Timberwolves loved Gerald Green, so much so they wouldn’t trade Kevin Garnett to the Celtics without getting Green in return. It seemed like a match made in heaven for the supremely-talented prospect, who would get his chance to develop for a non-contender without the pressures of winning in the laid-back market of Minnesota.


But since the trade, “G-Money” has been put on layaway.

The Timberwolves declined their contract option on Green, making him a free agent after this season, and Head Coach Randy Wittman has found a spot for Green at the end of the bench.


“It’s very frustrating, especially in a time when your team is not winning, either,” said Green, who hasn’t played in 20 of the T-Wolves’ 43 games this season. “It’s very frustrating. I feel like I want to play, and I feel like I should be playing. It is what it is. I’ve just got to wait, be patient, stay positive, and they say they’re going to give me my time, so I’ve just got to wait.”


Green was selected by the Celtics with the 18th pick of the 2005 draft — a surprise, considering he was projected as a top-five talent — and received very little playing time in his rookie season. But he immediately became a fan favorite with an offensive skill set of untapped potential that was punctuated by an explosive dunking ability.


So, when Minnesota chose to rebuild by shipping out Garnett, it looked as though Green and Al Jefferson would lay the foundation for the future. After Jefferson received a five-year, $65 million contract extension last summer, only half of that theory proved true.


“I can’t really explain it,” Green said. “Wow. That’s all I can say. I don’t really know.


“I was pretty surprised [about Minnesota declining the option]. This year is a pretty surprising year for me. I was surprised about the trade. I was surprised about everything, but it’s basketball. It’s life. It’s full of surprises.”

[FLCeltsFan]

ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2008/01/30/sports/sports06.txt

Celtics’ Garnett has been durable since rookie year


Kevin Garnett - Game-time decision (File photo)
By JIM FENTON
GateHouse News Service

BOSTON - He compiled plenty of impressive numbers during a 12-year career with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kevin Garnett scored 19,041 points, grabbed 10,542 rebounds, blocked 1,576 shots and handed out 4,146 assists from the forward position.

Another number that stands out from the Garnett era in Minnesota is 25.

That is how many games Garnett sat out while he was with the Timberwolves from 1995-2007 prior to being traded to the Boston Celtics last summer.

There were 952 regular-season games played during the time Garnett was in Minnesota, and he was able to go in all but 25 of them.

That durability is an impressive part of a career that Garnett began right out of Farragut Academy after he was drafted No. 5 by the Timberwolves.

Sitting out games is something Garnett is not used to, which explains why he was upset Sunday afternoon when Celtics coach Doc Rivers held the All-Star out of a nationally televised matchup loss to the Orlando Magic.

Garnett suffered a strained abdominal muscle in the fourth quarter of last Friday night’s win over the Timberwolves. He went to the locker room with six minutes remaining but returned to play a key role in the final seconds, stealing the ball from Sebastian Telfair.

Despite wanting to play against the Magic, Garnett was overruled by Rivers, who wanted to err on the side of caution.

Whether Garnett returns to the lineup tonight when the Celtics play in Miami against the Heat (7:35, TV: Comcast SportsNet; radio: WEEI-AM (850) remains to be seen.

The team did not practice on Monday in south Florida, and according to Jeff Twiss, the Celtics vice president of media services, Garnett is listed as day-to-day.

The Timberwolves went 5-25 in games that Garnett didn’t play during his 12 seasons in Minnesota.

Garnett sat out two games as a rookie in 1995-96 with a cut on his right hand and missed five early in the 1996-97 season with a sprained right foot.

In the 1998-99 season, Garnett was sidelined for three games in April with the flu and he sat out the final game of both the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons, mainly as a precaution with the playoffs on the horizon. The only game Garnett missed in 2001-02 was against Dallas due to personal reasons.

Garnett went three straight seasons (2002-03 through 2004-05) with perfect attendance as he played all 82 games, then missed six games each in the past two seasons.

In 2005-06, Garnett was on the bench for the final six games with right knee tendonitis, and he was out the last five games of the 2006-07 season with sore right quadriceps. Garnett was also suspended for one game last January for an altercation with Antonio McDyess of the Detroit Pistons.

Paul Pierce remains the lone member of the Celtics to play in all 42 games this season, and he is only five games shy of equaling last season’s total of games played.

Pierce appeared in 47 games and missed 35 due to a stress reaction in his foot and an elbow ailment.

Tonight’s opponent, Miami, broke a 15-game losing streak, the longest in the league this season, on Saturday afternoon, improving to 9-33 with a victory over the Indiana Pacers.

The Heat are seemingly headed for the NBA Draft Lottery after winning the championship in 2006.

The Celtics are 2-0 against the Heat, winning at home, 92-91, on Nov. 16 when Dwyane Wade missed a last-second shot and getting a victory in Miami on Nov. 30, 95-85.

Boston, which won’t have to deal with Shaquille O’Neal (left hip ailment), will try to avoid back-to-back road losses, something it has not experienced this season.

After facing the Heat, the Celtics will conclude the January portion of their schedule by hosting the Dallas Mavericks on TNT cable Thursday night. That begins a stretch where the Celtics play nine of 12 games against Western Conference opponents.

Celtics at Miami Heat
7:35 tonight, Comcast SportsNet, WEEI-AM (850)