News 2/2

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1070789&format=text

C’s have lots in reserve
Bench rises to occasion

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics notebook | Saturday, February 2, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone (file)
They were ripped and ridiculed in the press before they even played a game. They were relegated to a status so far behind their starrier mates that it was hard to see them through the glare of attention being paid to others.

But more than halfway through the season, the Celtics [team stats]’ reserves are proving themselves more than worthy of their roles on an NBA-best 36-8 team.

“People were talking that our team was just me and Ray (Allen) and Kevin (Garnett), but from the first time we started practicing, we knew we had guys on the bench that could play,” Paul Pierce [stats] said. “We knew we had guys we could count on.”

The additions of James Posey and Eddie House have been huge, particularly since the former is getting over a late-December finger injury that affected him more than many realized. But holdovers like Tony Allen and Leon Powe, as well as rookie Glen Davis, have all made key contributions in wins.

Looking at his pine people as a whole, coach Doc Rivers said, “They’re tough - maybe not the most talented group, but together they become pretty talented with their effort. And they’re mentally tough. Our bench is really growing, and I’m really proud of them.”

As the season has progressed, Rivers has been more willing to give minutes to the bench, and the result has meant more rest for the C’s veterans.

“I think the guys have stepped up,” Ray Allen said. “We’ve had a lot of different guys play well for us in a lot of games. We can say everybody’s contributed for us.cw-3

“When you have guys coming in and playing well, it helps their confidence. That could be a big factor for us as we get to the playoffs.”cw-2

According to Pierce, the way the roster has jumped into the breach during injuries and illness has been indicative of its ability.

“We’ve got a lot of depth,” the captain said. “All year long, we’ve got different guys who are going to step up at different times. We’re going to continue to fight and be engaged every game.

“Hopefully with this four-day break (before the C’s next game at Cleveland Tuesday), we can get some guys back. Hopefully we can make it through All-Star break without any more injuries. But regardless of the injuries, there’s no excuses. We’ve got guys who are more than capable.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1070790&format=text

Baby time: Fans of Davis should step off the ledge

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics notebook | Saturday, February 2, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matthew West (file)
“Big Baby” Glen Davis has been a DNP-coach’s decision in two of the last three games, but Rivers insists the rookie reserve isn’t in the doghouse.

“He’ll get his chance,” he said. “I keep saying we’re doing it by committee with our bigs, and I didn’t like the matchups for him against Dallas (Thursday night). I didn’t want Baby against (Dirk) Nowitzki. I just thought Nowitzki was too smart for him.”

Davis is a big fan of former LSU and current Patriots [team stats] running back Kevin Faulk [stats].

He also knows more about the 91 on the back of the Pats’ helmets than a lot of others. The number honors the memory of Marquise Hill, a fellow LSU product who drowned last May.

“We were friends,” Davis said. “He used to come watch me play in high school. I went to high school on campus, so being the big high school basketball player in the state of Louisiana, everybody wanted to see me play.”

Big Baby remembers hearing the news of Hill’s death.

“It was shocking, tragic,” he said. “He was a nice guy, really outgoing. He had strong traits about himself. I just couldn’t believe it.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/02/02/harris_take_abdominal_strains_seriously?mode=PF

Harris: Take abdominal strains seriously
By Peter May, Globe Staff | February 2, 2008

No sooner had Del Harris heard the news about Kevin Garnett's injury than the former Lakers coach flashed back a decade to when his star player, Shaquille O'Neal, was similarly incapacitated.

Garnett has missed three games with what the Celtics are calling an abdominal strain. O'Neal missed 21 games during the 1997-98 season with what the Lakers called an abdominal strain. All Harris remembered from that stretch - Shaq missed most of the first six weeks of the season - is that abdominal strains are not to be taken lightly.

"With Shaq, we were really concerned about it because he is so big and he has to carry all that weight," Harris said yesterday. "And because it was the Lakers, we were extra concerned about it because that's the injury that ended Jerry West's career. Now, Jerry was 36. But you can see why we were so concerned about it because of Shaq.

"You need to be very careful with those kinds of injuries," Harris went on, "because it will get to where it's feeling all right and it still isn't all right. And you strain it again. Or worse. It can get ugly if you don't take proper care of it."

O'Neal was in just his second season with the Lakers and was still two years away from winning his first NBA title. The Lakers eventually discovered a physical therapist in Vancouver, British Columbia, named Alex McKechnie, whose specialty was abdominal injuries and who dealt with many hockey players in the area. He soon proved to one and all that he could take proper care of the Big Diesel.

The Lakers sent Shaq up to Canada. The Lakers brought McKechnie down to California. And Harris is convinced the work McKechnie did with O'Neal not only saved the Lakers' season, it also saved something much more important.

"He totally rehabbed Shaq and, in doing so, I think he saved Shaq's career," Harris said. "Alex is like a magician. Whatever needs to be done, he can do it. If I were the Celtics, I'd give him a call."

That might be an interesting conversation, in that the Lakers were so impressed by McKechnie and his work with Shaq that they hired him. He is now in his fifth season with the Lakers and is listed in the media guide as the team's athletic performance coordinator. He could not be reached for comment yesterday, but in the past has elected not to comment about players on other teams.

"All I know is that we won 61 games that year and I don't think it would have happened without Alex," Harris said. "And I know the Lakers felt that way because they went out and hired him."

With no game until Tuesday, coach Doc Rivers gave the Celtics yesterday and today off. When they gather in Waltham tomorrow, it will be their first practice since Jan. 24. Whatever happens this season, no one is going to say the Celtics were overworked from too many practices. Rivers is keeping a close eye on that . . . Rivers on the play of Rajon Rondo in the three games Garnett has missed: "I think this is the best stretch of his career. It still starts on the other end. I got upset at him late [in Thursday's 96-90 win over Dallas] because we were just going [isolation] for him. The last two times he decided to throw it to Paul [Pierce], and I said, 'You have the matchup we want [on Jason Terry]. And I know you have Ray Allen and Paul Pierce on the floor,' and that's tough for him because he's thinking, 'I have Ray Allen and Paul Pierce on the floor, I should give it to them.' And I said, 'No, we want you. We like the matchup that you have.' And you know, so that's a learning process for him as well." Rondo said he is learning to be more aggressive offensively and added, "It's because I'm maturing more as a player. The game is slowing down for me and I'm starting to see the court a lot better." . . . TNT's Kenny Smith thought Allen deserved to be among the reserves on the Eastern Conference All-Star team. "If you're going to reward winning in this league, I think it also sends a message to everyone else. For a team that is 36-8, [Allen] is just as valuable as Paul Pierce is to the Boston Celtics," Smith said. "If one of those guys goes down, they have the same situation. For him not to make the All-Star Game is a disservice to a guy who is winning." Fear not totally for Allen. He was not chosen by the Western Conference coaches last season, but made the game as a commissioner's add-on . . . Leon Powe in November and December: 13 games, 59 minutes, 37 points, 19 rebounds. Powe in January: 8 games, 135 minutes, 67 points, 35 rebounds.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=7245

Celtics More Than Three

By: Ira Winderman Last Updated: 2/1/08 11:51 PM ET



Adjust font size:In the presence of greatness, the Celtics have been overwhelming this season.

Sustained success has been the only success for Boston behind the play of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

But what has transpired over this past week has added an exclamation point to the Celtics' status as championship contenders.

First there was the nationally televised game in Orlando, when - lacking Kevin Garnett - the Celtics fought back against the Southeast-leading Magic and survived until Hedo Turkoglu's buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Then there was Tuesday's effort in Miami, when - while playing in the absence of both Garnett and Allen - the Celtics pulverized the Heat 117-87, only the fourth time that Pat Riley ever was victimized by a 30-point loss on his homecourt.

That was followed up by Thursday's showdown against Dallas.

Again Garnett was unavailable due to his abdominal strain.

Again it didn't matter, as defensive ace James Posey took control over the final seconds to lift Boston to 13-0 against the Western Conference.

Eventually, it again will be about the Big Three.

But what the back-to-back-to-back gritty efforts demonstrated was that there is substance to back up the stylings of Garnett, Pierce and Allen, who yet could join the other two at the All-Star Game if Jason Kidd is dealt to the Western Conference.

Start first with the victory in Orlando, where Brian Scalabrine played as the de facto starter in place of Garnett, but where Posey picked up the offensive load with 16 points off the bench, including 4-of-6 shooting on 3-pointers.

Then take the game in Miami, where Leon Powe went for 25 points and Eddie House and Tony Allen for 20 apiece.

And then there was the effort against the Mavericks, where Rajon Rondo made a huge late basket and added 12 assists and six rebounds.

For most of the early stages of the season, the Celtics had the look of a team so intent on making a statement that no one knew how legitimate to consider the overall roster.

There was talk of adding Damon Stoudamire. There still is talk of doing something for Sam Cassell.

Yet Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins have done a wonderful job meshing with the Big Three, playing as complements without ever getting in the way.

And then there was this latest three-game run, when House hit timely shots, Powe showed his power game, and two Allens at times proved better than one.

Could Danny Ainge have another move up his sleeve before the Feb. 21 trading deadline? Possibly. Ballhandling certainly remains an area of concern.

But this past week showed there is no need to panic, to sell off future assets, to impulsively toss aside a draft pick for an aging veteran with limited upside.

What these recent illnesses and injuries did was show Doc Rivers that there are other options, that there is no need to push Garnett beyond his current 35-minute average, that Pierce's 38.2 per game can possibly come down, as can Allen's 38.4.

Certainly no one is advocating anything severe. Maintaining a higher playoff seed against the Pistons still figures to be crucial when it comes to an all-but-destined Eastern Conference finals.

With Garnett, Pierce, Posey, Perkins, Rondo, House, Glen Davis and the two Allens, the Celtics have a nine-deep that is enviable.

Does it lack definitive ballhandling? Yes, that argument still can be made.

But it's not the shell of a contender many anticipated after the future and much of the bench was mortgaged in the Garnett deal.

This not only stands as a contender, it stands as a true team.