News 2/16

[FLCeltsFan]

Rondo making his point at All-Star Weekend

By Steve Bulpett | Saturday, February 16, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP (file)
NEW ORLEANS -- In four months, Rajon Rondo [stats] has made the trip from obstacle to indispensable. In October, he was the guy who was going to kill the Celtics [team stats]’ chance of winning big. He was too young and he couldn’t shoot.

Four months later, Rondo is seen as a in the C’s success.

“Those are the stories you like to hear about,” said Miami’s Dwyane Wade yesterday as the NBA All-Stars gathered at their hotel. “It’s not really exciting following someone that you know what they’re going to do their whole career. It’s exciting to follow someone who always gets doubted and you never know what they’re going to do, and they overcome.

“And he has overcame,” Wade said of Rondo, who was a participant in last night’s Rookie-Sophomore game. “He’s still got a ways to go, but in the first half of the season he has really done an unbelievable job. He has a lot of guts. . . . I think as a young guy that they’ve got to be really proud of him. He has to be proud of himself for the job he’s doing.”

Chauncey Billups - like Wade, an NBA Finals MVP of recent vintage - is another member of the Rondo fan club.

“Rondo’s good, man,” said the Detroit point guard. “Even when he came in the league, I liked him. I don’t really look at players like everybody else does. I look at what the potential could be and if they’re learning and getting better game to game. I’ve watched him and he’s good. People said that he couldn’t shoot, but he didn’t really have to shoot because you can’t keep him in front of you. He doesn’t have to settle for that jump shot.

“I think he leads well out there. He’s playing with some great players, and he doesn’t just back down and let them walk all over him. He’s still trying to be in command out there.”

Both here and throughout the season, Rondo has taken in the words of his peers.

“A lot of guys come up and tell me to keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “They like how I play. I hear the criticism, too, but they tell me to stick with it. They tell me I’m on the scouting report now.

“It’s great, but I’m not forgetting how I got here. We had a banquet, and the Big Three (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce [stats] and Ray Allen) came up to me. They told me hard work pays off, and I’ve been busting my butt.

“I was doing that from before the (Allen and Garnett trades) happened. I wanted to be a better player and to be able to get better every game. I’m seeing that it’s paid off. We’ve got a good record. I’m not saying that it’s all a credit to me or anything, but I think I have a role on this team and right now I think I’m doing a pretty good job of filling it. But I want to keep progressing and getting better.”

Noting Rondo’s vast improvement from last season, New Orleans point guard Chris Paul said, “That’s what the summer’s for. Every time someone says you can’t do something, you’d be crazy to not hear them. You hear what they say all the time. But that’s what you have the summers for. That’s what you work hard for. And he’s proving everybody wrong with that now.

“He’s really doing a great job,” added the Hornets star. “You look at his numbers and what he’s having to work with. You know, you’ve got three All-Stars on your team and you’re the point guard and you’re trying to figure out who to get the ball to. I don’t think people realize how tough that is. And while he’s distributing the ball to those guys, he’s still finding ways to score on his own - and he’s getting stops. He’s having a great year.”

Kobe Bryant admitted that his eyes have been opened by Rondo’s play this year.

“Just his talent, what he brings to the table for them defensively is a big deal,” Bryant said. “He’s got quick hands, long arms. He’s smart and he can run the team, and that’s all you need, somebody who can run the team. But he’s also been able to hit shots consistently and create opportunities for others, so he’s been impressive.”

While Isiah Thomas’ ability to analyze talent can be called into question by the Knicks’ position at the bottom of the East, his playing pedigree gives him a platform on point guards.

“Rondo, he’s really good,” Thomas said earlier this week. “At the start of the year, he’s gone from being a question mark to I think their most important player. I think he makes it all work. There’s Garnett and Pierce and Allen, but I think he has the proper attitude, the proper game.

“It’s funny. He’s one of those guys that even when he was younger, the international games he played, he dominated the international competition. He played well at Kentucky. He was good in high school. He was good in college and he’s good now. He breaks everybody down. He does it to everybody. He’s really good. He’s tough. He’s tough-minded. He’s mentally tough. He’s tough enough not to take bad shots. He’s not out trying to prove people wrong. He’s just out playing the game.”

Then Thomas added, “I think he’s the one guy they can’t do without. I think they can get by without having Garnett for a while. I think they can lose Pierce or Allen for a while. But I think if they lost him for any long, extended period of time, I think they would be in trouble.”

That is not to say Rondo is the Celtics’ best player. No one would make that argument. But when you look at how well the club can make up for certain absences, Thomas may have a point about the point.

The Celts have been talking Rondo up since this year’s training cap in Rome, and he’s living up to their expectations.

“Speaking of speed,” Pierce said, “Man, he’s up there with guys like (Allen) Iverson, Tony Parker - guys who when you isolate them they can get to the paint any time they want to. He’s starting to learn - and we can see it right before our eyes - when to use it, when to turn that button on and how to finish at the rim. He’s getting better and better and gaining more confidence by the day. You see now teams are putting bigger players on him and it’s not working. He’s becoming a matchup problem here in the league.”

Not bad for a kid who doesn’t turn 22 until next Friday.

“I think it’s just confidence really,” said Rondo of his maturation. “I’m feeling comfortable enough to do more things now, like going to the boards. I probably could have did some things last year, but the roles were different with a lot of guys. There was different personnel.”

Yeah, there was some rookie point guard from Kentucky who couldn’t shoot and had trouble running the offense. But now that guy’s gone.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1073925&format=text


A win-win for Pierce
As his team succeeds, C’s captain happy on and off the court

By Mark Murphy | Saturday, February 16, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Tara Carvalho (file)
NEW ORLEANS -- Ray Allen and Paul Pierce [stats] had losing in common prior to the trade that brought the former to the Celtics [team stats] last summer, but the veteran guard admittedly had one reservation about the scorer he was about to join.

“From the onset -- from the outside looking in -- I thought Paul was a selfish guy,” Allen said yesterday.

Allen wasn’t alone.

The Celtics captain’s tendency to force shots was as well known as his game-night scowl -- two characteristics that didn’t do him many favors across the league.

But the teammate who walked into yesterday’s All-Star Game media session with Allen has apparently changed those perceptions.

Winning is the greatest of all balms, and its effect has been no different on Pierce. There are fewer bad shots and better decisions in his game -- a natural result when options like Allen and Kevin Garnett are added.

“I’ve hit two game-winners this year, and both times Paul was the person who passed me the ball,” Allen said. “He knows he needs me to help him win and Kevin Garnett to help him win. We have to bring each other into what we are doing.

“What we all know is that it’s not the Paul Pierce show, or the Kevin Garnett show or the Ray Allen show. It allows us to make it the Rajon Rondo [stats] show one night, or the Eddie House show or whoever it has to be.”

Pierce certainly is the better for wear, or for the easing of a burden that hit maximum weight during last season’s 24-win campaign.

For some, the difference in Pierce is remarkable.

An apparent difference

Gerald Green lived through the worst of times with Pierce last season and was impressed by the veteran’s ability to keep most of that teeming frustration bottled up.

Unlike some in the league -- Jason Kidd being the most recent example of a player who took his frustration public with a trade demand -- Pierce stuck to a quieter route.

Yet as much as he tried to do the right thing as the veteran captain on a team of oft-clueless youngsters, despair was inevitable.

But Green, now with the Timberwolves, still was stunned by the apparent transformation he saw in Pierce this season.

“I’m just seeing a big difference in him now,” Green said. “You can see it in the way he walks into a room, the way he carries himself.

“Last year, he was more disappointed, like he was saying to himself, ‘I’m sick and tired of this.’ I mean, he always treated me with a lot of respect. He always helped me out in any kind of way that he could.

“But I’m still seeing a big difference in him now. I think that’s because he feels he can honestly do something this year -- that he can go places, that he can really pick it up a step now.”

Pierce is in a growing club of players whose lives have been changed by their new teams.

Ask Pau Gasol about the Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal about the Suns, Allen Iverson [stats] about the Nuggets or Garnett and Allen about the Celtics.

“When you have a guy who can play like Paul Pierce can play -- and then they add Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen -- the difference in him is going to be incredible,” said Iverson, whose escaped what appeared like a dead end in Philadelphia last year. “Now the attention is not there on him as much. There are others to take a lot of that off of him.

“When you’re by yourself, you’re always being double and triple-teamed -- that’s something I can definitely identify with. It was definitely the same thing with me. When your talent level is a lot better, everything is going to feel good.”

Asked about Green’s impression of his new attitude, Pierce nodded.

“A lot of people have told me that, actually -- that they can see a big difference in me,” he said. “There are times when you want to let all your anger out -- a lot of times like that last year -- but with all of the young kids on the team, that wasn’t something I could do.

“This has a lot to do with winning. It’s hard to keep a smile on your face the whole time when you’re going through what we went through. How we’re doing this year has made a big difference.”

Play does the talking

Of course, a great outlook means nothing if it doesn’t translate onto the floor.

Allen, however, has learned this much about Pierce.

“He’s definitely a guy who, for as much trash as he can talk on the floor, has great intensity,” Allen said. “It’s very obvious that he loves his teammates.”

Pierce’s effectiveness this season even has transcended his numbers.

Green can see the difference in how Pierce is attacking the basket -- arguably with the most ferocity and determination he has displayed in the last five seasons.

“I think he has more of the killer instinct in him now,” Green said. “You can see it in his eyes that he really wants it now.

“The one thing I really see in him is that he’s playing better defense now. He’s going to try and destroy you. But I think he’s also committed to just letting his game do the talking this year. There’s nothing else that he has to do.”

Indeed, Pierce always has boasted about his defense, often bemoaning the fact that he doesn’t receive enough recognition across the league for his ability to shut down an opponent.

But he hasn’t had to blow his own horn this season.

“It’s the best year he’s had for me defensively,” Rivers said. “That’s because he has help, which always makes you play better. And he’s happier because of it. He doesn’t feel like he has to take breaks out there now, he can just go all-out.

“He looks at our team now and tells himself that we have a shot at it. That’s going to be a lot more inspiring than having to play the season for some unknown reason.”

As in playing for the lottery. Last season’s mission was far from Pierce’s mind when he arrived in New Orleans on Thursday night with a new cell phone number -- a necessary decision to combat the avalanche of calls from friends seeking tickets.

Per usual, he played in Thursday night’s NBA player pool tournament (which he won three years ago) but was knocked out in the first round.

But nevermind, Pierce said, carefree like he has rarely been.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1073914&format=text

DJ’s record finally worthy of Hall?

By Mark Murphy / All-Star Notebook | Saturday, February 16, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
NEW ORLEANS - Dennis Johnson is once again on the Hall of Fame ballot, accompanied by a growing belief that it’s a shame the late Celtics [team stats] guard wasn’t voted in when he was alive.

It’s of small consolation to his former teammates and opponents that Johnson has an improved chance of being on the enshrinement list announced during the NCAA Final Four.

“We’re hopeful for DJ,” said Bill Walton, who produced an entire podcast on his former Celtics teammate’s Hall of Fame credentials last year. “It’s sad about the tragic turn of events. It’s not right that it should take a death to rectify a wrong.”

Like Walton, Hall of Famers Dominique Wilkins and David Thompson are contemporaries of Johnson.

Unlike Walton, both were guarded by the man many consider the best defensive guard of his generation.

“In my opinion he’s definitely a Hall of Famer - without a doubt he is,” said Wilkins. “He was a real student of the game - one of the guys who it felt like he was doing film work to learn how to guard you.

“There were many times when he was on me. He was probably one of the toughest defenders I ever faced at the guard position. He knew how to attack you from all angles.”

Thompson, one of the most explosive athletes in the history of the league, considers Johnson one of the most physical defenders he ever encountered.

“He’s certainly a Hall of Famer in my opinion,” said Thompson. “One of the toughest defensive players I ever faced. He was physical and he had long arms, and early in his career he could really jump and block shots.

“I don’t know if he was unusual for his time, but I think he was definitely the best for his strength and his commitment to playing defense.

“He wasn’t afraid to make shots - and he made some big ones - either.”

To wit, Johnson was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team for nine straight seasons in addition to his ultimate accomplishments - three NBA titles, including two as a Celtic and one as a Sonic, and was MVP of the 1979 Finals for Seattle.

The other candidates announced yesterday included Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Chris Mullin, Adrian Dantley and two coaches - Don Nelson and Pat Riley.

He’s got a secret

Gerald Green is keeping his plans for tonight’s dunk contest closely guarded.

Only two facts are known. Minnesota teammate Rashad McCants will assist in his routine, and one of his dunks has a name.

“I have a dunk called ‘The Birthday Cake,’ ” Green said. “It’s a secret, a surprise.”

His favorite dunker?

“Vince Carter,” he replied. “I’ll always remember Vince Carter. You would see it coming and still not know how he made it happen.”

Ray’s kind of place

Ray Allen first knew he was moving to a special sports environment when he went out looking for a house in the Boston area.

“When I went to look at a house, the guy I was with said, ‘Do you see that lake? Dominique Wilkins fell into that lake right there while he was trying to chase his dog,’ ” Allen said. “It’s things like that. So many legends played in that (Celtics) uniform. People hold that history dear to them.”

Allen is no different. The C’s sniper is careful not to let his Celtics jersey so much as touch the locker room floor.

“I never throw my jersey on the floor,” he said. “I’ll throw my pants on the floor and everything else, but never my jersey. I make sure that it hangs in my locker.”

KG hits Big Easy


Kevin Garnett, still recovering from an abdominal strain, sat courtside for last night’s Rookie Challenge.

Doc Rivers is still holding out hope that the forward, who was replaced in the Eastern Conference starting lineup by Chris Bosh, will be ready when the Celtics open a five-city Western swing in Denver Tuesday night.

Up the ante


As usual, talk abounds about how to make the All-Star Game more competitive

“I think it should be winner-take-all,” suggested Rivers, meaning all prize money would be awarded to the winning squad.

Allen Iverson [stats], on the other hand, doesn’t see a problem with the current system.

“It’s up to the players,” he said. “I always go out and play hard. You have to want to win. I can’t imagine someone going out and not wanting to win.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1073909&format=text

No dunk, but Rajon savors the Challenge

By Steve Bulpett | Saturday, February 16, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics
NEW ORLEANS -- Rajon Rondo [stats] was on the winning side when the NBA Sophomores beat the Rookies, 136-109, in last night’s Rookie Challenge. But he suffered a loss in a game within the game.

Kevin Garnett requested a lefty windmill dunk, but the Celtics [team stats] point guard failed on his attempt in the second half.

“We had a little thing on the side,” said Rondo, whose right eye was fine after being poked by Fred Jones in Wednesday’s win against the Knicks. “He bet me a hundred push-ups if I could get it done or not. I guess I couldn’t. I’ve got some push-ups to do. On command.”

Rondo may thus begin the Celts’ western swing following this weekend’s All-Star break with some sore arms, but he said he’ll be able to handle it.

Last night, he played a minor role as Cleveland’s Daniel Gibson went off for 33 points on a record 11-for-20 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. The Cavaliers guard was named MVP.

“On our scouting report, we try to stop him from shooting that many 3’s,” Rondo said. “That’s why. You see what he can do.”

Rondo left with six points, three rebounds, six assists, three steals and the name placard from above his locker.

“Actually, I’m going to keep that,” he said. “I like it. I had a good time just mingling with the guys that I came into the draft with. I got to relax and have fun.”

Rondo also liked the fact that Garnett and C’s coach Doc Rivers (and Rivers’ son Spencer) sat in the front row.

“It means a lot,” he said. “They supported me. It was good to see them courtside.”

Rondo will be there to watch Paul Pierce [stats] and Ray Allen compete in the All-Star Game tomorrow night. Today, he plans to head up to Baton Rouge, La., and watch his alma mater Kentucky play LSU.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/02/16/celtics_are_in_much_better_place/

Celtics are in much better place
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | February 16, 2008

NEW ORLEANS - Paul Pierce was only an assistant to then-teammate Gerald Green in the dunk contest at this time last year. That was the extent of Pierce's involvement in All-Star Weekend while a member of one of the league's worst teams.

Yesterday, he sat proudly as a member of a Celtics team with the league's best record, the six-time All-Star surrounded by media. In just a year, Pierce has gone from being unhappy and wondering about the direction of the franchise to being asked if he envisions his team playing the Lakers in this year's Finals.

Pierce and Doc Rivers, who will coach the Eastern Conference team in tomorrow's All-Star Game, reflected on the Celtics' turnaround.

"It was just tough on me physically and mentally last year," Pierce said. "Just to be back in the All-Star Game with the team doing well, it is just a great turnaround. If somebody would have told me I would have been here with what the team was doing at this time last year, I would have called them a liar."

The Celtics were 13-38 at the break last year, having endured a franchise-record 18-game losing streak. Where they were going was anybody's guess. The hope was the Celtics' record would help them land Greg Oden or Kevin Durant in the next draft. Pierce was frustrated, and during the break Rivers tried to get his mind off things by golfing near his offseason home of Winter Park, Fla.

"I would like to be [golfing] right now going on my 36th round," Rivers joked yesterday. "But this is an honor. You'll take this all day. I just kind of go through [struggles] and live it. But I don't look at it in those [reflective] terms. Maybe when you're away from it all you will look back.

"Things work out. Sometimes they don't. But you've got to keep believing in what you do. I don't look at it in terms of how I was feeling. You just keep working."

Said Pierce: "I was down, man. I was playing but you really aren't motivated because the team wasn't doing good. I was coming off my worst injury of my career. I was really down. That was the low point of my career."

The Celtics' hopes of landing Oden or Durant died when they were awarded the fifth pick in last year's lottery. On draft night, Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett was not interested in being traded to Boston. So the Celtics went to Plan B, acquiring Sonics guard Ray Allen and the draft rights to Glen Davis for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, and the draft rights to Jeff Green.

With the Celtics now having Allen in addition to Pierce, Garnett became intrigued about coming to Boston. And on July 31, the Celtics acquired the 2003-04 MVP for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, and two first-round picks.

"You've got to get lucky sometimes," Rivers said. "We were completely unlucky with the ping-pong balls [during the lottery], which made us lucky when you think about it. We needed that to go wrong. We needed Garnett to turn down the original trade. We had a trade for Garnett on draft night that fell through because he rejected it. So we needed that to happen because that allowed us to get Ray.

"Once we got Ray, Kevin looked at us and said, 'Now I want to come.' Kevin knew that [Wolves vice president of basketball operations] Kevin McHale coveted Al Jefferson. So we believed the deal could still happen, and it did."

The Celtics have since lived up to the hype, entering the All-Star break with a 41-9 record. Boston has three All-Stars in Pierce, Allen, and Garnett (injured) for the first time since 1988 (Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and McHale). The Celtics also have their first All-Star coach since Chris Ford in 1991.

"We had a great summer and they're following it up by playing well," Rivers said. "But it was a good summer for us. And every team now believes they can make a trade, and it's true, and they can have the right pieces to change the fortunes of their franchise."

"It definitely teaches you how things can turn around in a hurry," Pierce said. "You definitely have to stay positive. You've just got to stay positive and don't take any situation for granted. You tend to take things for granted and let the days pass by."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/02/16/rondo_will_have_to_pay_up?mode=PF

Rondo will have to pay up
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | February 16, 2008

NEW ORLEANS - While Celtics guard Rajon Rondo enjoyed the Sophomores' 136-109 victory last night in the Rookie Challenge, he lost a bet to teammate Kevin Garnett in the process.

Rondo had 6 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals in 18 minutes as a starter for the Sophomores, who beat the Rookies for the sixth straight time. Cleveland guard Daniel Gibson, who was cheered on by teammate LeBron James, earned MVP honors, scoring a game-high 33 points on 11 3-pointers for the Sophomores.

"I had a good time mingling with the guys I came into the draft with," Rondo said. "I get to relax now."

In addition to Garnett, Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars tomorrow, was also at courtside. Rondo said "it meant at lot" for Garnett and Rivers to attend.

Garnett bet Rondo 100 pushups that he couldn't do "a baby windmill" lefthanded dunk in the game. Garnett stood up during Rondo's attempt in the second half, which was unsuccessful. Rondo plans on watching Kentucky, his college team, play at Louisiana State tonight, then cheer on teammates Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in the All-Star Game.

Nets forward Sean Williams, formerly of Boston College, had 17 points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes for the Rookies.

"Everybody had fun," Williams said. "Unfortunately, us rookies were on the bad end of the stick."


James on defensive
James got defensive yesterday when he was questioned about the Celtics' success this season and said he is getting fired up by it. James believes people have forgotten Cleveland is the reigning Eastern Conference champion.

The Celtics entered All-Star Weekend with a 41-9 record and are 13 games ahead of the Cavaliers (29-23) in the standings.

"They've got to beat us," James said. "Everyone says we've got to beat the Celtics. We are still the Eastern Conference champs. At some point, we are going to get respect. I'm sick about hearing about everyone else. We are the Eastern Conference champs."

The Pistons (39-13) entered the break three games behind the Celtics in the Eastern standings. Detroit's Chauncey Billups, however, said his team is paying little attention to that.

"I swear to goodness that we never, ever talk about the Celtics or catching the Celtics or being No. 1," Billups said. "Being here, this is the first time I've really talked about it. Obviously, you see that they are playing so great. They are a hell of a team and you see them winning and doing what they do. But we don't talk about catching them and none of that.

"There is going to be a time this season where we see them for a [playoff] series and we can talk all you want about playing the Celtics then. We just want to continue to be playing good and playing our best ball at the right time."


Scary situation
Pierce described the team needing to obtain a restraining order against a woman who has made threatening remarks about him "a little scary."

The Celtics received the temporary order against a Boston woman, Denise Bey, who cannot attend Celtics games at TD Banknorth Garden and cannot be within 300 feet of Pierce. The Celtics captain says he does not know Bey.

"I really don't know about the incident other than what people are telling me," said Pierce. "I talked to [director of team security Phil Lynch] about it. It's a little scary, man. But I don't really worry about stuff like that."


Waiting game
Jason Kidd doesn't know if he will be with the Nets this time next week. Despite reports that Kidd could be dealt to the Mavericks, no deal has been struck. Kidd spoke briefly with Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki yesterday. The trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m.

"I knew there was a snag in the deal," Kidd said. "Everything will work itself out one way or the other. Because there are so many players involved, both sides have to make decisions on a lot of things. So that's where we're at."


Bryant will play
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant won't participate in tonight's 3-point contest because of a torn ligament in his right pinkie, but he plans to play in tomorrow's game. While it might be a cameo, Bryant is expected to start for the West.

According to the Los Angeles Times, NBA officials are insisting he play since the league has a policy that a selectee who plays in his last game before the break must play in the All-Star Game.

"It doesn't seem to me to make sense," said Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak in the Times story. "I understand it's the biggest showcase of the year for the NBA, and that's all of us. But from a general manager's point of view, looking out for the interests of our club, to me it doesn't make sense.

"The doctor examining [Bryant] said, 'If you're not going to have surgery, give it time to heal.' Five or six days of healing are certainly better than two or three."

When asked if he has given thought to having surgery, Bryant said: "No. The Western Conference is so competitive, we've got a pretty good rhythm going on here. It doesn't make any sense to go ahead and do that."


Birthday slam
Former Celtic Gerald Green, the reigning slam dunk champion, said he has a special dunk called the "birthday cake" that will be unveiled tonight.

"I can't say what it is," Green said. "It's the birthday cake. That's all I can say."

Green, who will be a free agent this summer, has asked for a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves through his agent, and hopes something can be worked out by the deadline.

"I'm a little bit [nervous]," Green said. "Hopefully, something happens. Call it what you want to call it, but I just want to play. It's all about playing time for me. It's that simple."


Big Ticket items
Garnett did not take part in yesterday's media availability and isn't expected to be at the East's practice today. Garnett was given the option of attending since he is out with an abdominal strain. He and teammates Kendrick Perkins (shoulder), Brian Scalabrine (groin), and Glen Davis (quadriceps, knee) received treatment at the Celtics' practice facility yesterday . . . Rivers said he will start Toronto forward Chris Bosh in place of Garnett. Rivers also joked he planned on playing James, Billups, and Orlando center Dwight Howard, thorns in the Celtics' side, big minutes . . . Pierce, Rivers, Allen, and Bill Russell took part in NBA Cares service projects.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.enterprisenews.com/sports/x1061744371

This year, big doings in Big Easy for Celts at All-Star festivities
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By Jim Fenton
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
Posted Feb 15, 2008 @ 01:12 AM

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BOSTON — They were represented at the NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas last year by only Gerald Green and a member of the dance team.

The Boston Celtics’ list of highlights consisted of Green winning the slam-dunk championship and the dancer being part of the weekend entertainment.

Times have changed for the Celtics in a short amount of time, and that will be evident by the group that attends this year’s All-Star weekend in New Orleans.

Paul Pierce and Ray Allen will be playing for the Eastern Conference team on Sunday night (8:30, TV: TNT) with Doc Rivers and his entire coaching staff running the squad.

Rajon Rondo will be playing for the sophomore team against the first-year players in the Rookie Challenge tonight (9, TV: TNT).

Kevin Garnett, the leading vote-getter in balloting by the fans, will be in attendance but will not play due to a strained abdominal muscle.

It was a significantly larger contingent from the Celtics’ organization that flew to Louisiana Thursday for the annual festivities.

Pierce will be playing in his sixth All-Star Game and had gone to five in a row before not getting the call last season when he was injured.

“I’m going to enjoy these few days off,” said Pierce. “You know, it’s going to be fun being around my fellow all-stars, around all my peers that belong in the game, so it’s going to be fun to chop it up with them. We’ll have a few laughs and then get back to work next week.

“If it was up to me, I’d rather rest. It’s a long season, but I’m there to represent the Celtics and it’s always an honor to do that. I’ll go out there and hold my head high and represent the best that I can and, hopefully, not do too much.

“Maybe I’ll try to get in a few workouts so I don’t get too out of shape and get ready for the second half of the season.”

Allen, making his eighth trip to the All-Star Game for a third different team, was added Wednesday night when Caron Butler of the Washington Wizards had to pull out due to an injury.

Rivers had pushed for Allen to make the squad when the seven reserves were initially chosen, citing the way he has sacrificed offense for the good of the Celtics.

“It’s great to see him part of it,” said Pierce. “I always thought he should be part of the original 12, but he’s there and he’s going to represent the Celtics with me.

“I was getting lonely for a minute when Kevin wasn’t going to play and now I have Ray with me. We’ll have a good time.”

Garnett would have been the first starter from the Celtics since Antoine Walker in 2002. This is the first time since 2003 when Walker and Pierce were Eastern Conference teammates that Boston has two players in the All-Star Game.

Pierce, the only member of the Celtics to play all 50 games, and Allen don’t expect Rivers to give them an abundance of playing time on Sunday night.

“He’ll probably leave it up to me,” said Pierce. “He wants to make sure I’m healthy. I’m one of the few healthy bodies going into the second half of the season, so I don’t mind it.

“I have played in a number of All-Star games and it’s all fun. But the main thing is to go have fun and be ready for the second half.”

Rivers joins Red Auerbach, Tom Heinsohn, K.C. Jones, Bill Fitch and Chris Ford as Celtics’ coaches who have run All-Star teams. He is the first since Ford earned the honor in 1991.

With only a one-hour practice session on Saturday, Rivers isn’t expecting things to be too complicated.

“I haven’t given it a lot of thought,” he said. “Get out of the way, that’ll be my philosophy. It’s a players’ game and I’m going to make sure it remains that way.

“I’m glad we’re going to New Orleans. They need it (after Hurricane Katrina). If you look at all the cities in America that need an All-Star game, New Orleans needs it.

“It’ll be good to raise money for the city. Besides the community work we’ll be doing, the income we’re going to bring to the city is a very good thing, very needed.”

Rondo, who has been playing his best basketball in recent weeks, gets his chance in the spotlight tonight when the sophomores try to win their sixth straight game over the rookies.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_8272665

He’s getting right to point
Rondo shining in second year
By Lynn Worthy
Article Last Updated: 02/15/2008 02:20:59 PM EST


BOSTON — It may sting for Boston fans, but Rajon Rondo definitely appears to have some Eli in him.

Like New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, Rondo was dubbed before the season as the one player capable of making or breaking the entire season for a talented team. His leadership abilities were questioned as well as his skills. The resounding consensus from outsiders was that the second-year man was at worst a liability and at best overwhelmed.

Rondo, who turns 22 years old a week from today, ignored the critics and went along with his business as the point guard for the Celtics. He hasn’t done a lot of talking; instead he’s helped guide his team to the best record in the NBA (41-9) at the All-Star break.

Despite spending the majority of last season playing understudy to Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair, Rondo flashed enough skill that coaches named him to NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Last year’s flashes of success were not nearly enough to get the 2006 first-round pick the


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benefit of the doubt this year.

His new job as the starting point guard included controlling the tempo of games, running the offense, and being the extension of head coach Doc Rivers on the court while managing the egos of three of the best players in the game in Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett.

And he had all of 25 career starts to draw on for experience. All the while, the native of Louisville, Ky., maintained a quiet confidence. Not the sort that screams “I’ll show you.” Rather he has seemed to know something the naysayers didn’t.

“(Celtics general manager) Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers have a lot of confidence in me, a second-year player to become the starting guy with these three big All-Stars,” Rondo says. “I just go out there and do what I do best. Obviously, they see something in me, and I’ve just got to stay confident in myself and continue to do what I do best.”

So far what he does best has included a little bit of everything.

He uses his condor-like wingspan to toy with opposing ballhandlers. He entered play last night in the top 15 in the league in steals. He has also been a force on the boards, grabbing 4.6 rebounds per game, placing him fourth on the team behind Garnett, center Kendrick Perkins and Pierce.

He worked with Kevin Eastman in the off-season to tweak his jump shot, and he has taken advantage of the open looks given to him. Rondo has shot 50.1 percent from the field.

Rondo has also succeeded in producing substantially more scoring opportunities than turnovers, a key for any point man.

He was pumping out 2.6 assists for each turnover entering Wednesday night.

Comparatively, Jason Kidd produces 2.9 assists per turnover, Chauncey Billups dishes out 3.6 assists for every time he coughs up possession, and Steve Nash distributes 3.0 assists per turnover.

None of the three faired better than Rondo in that category during their first season as a starter.

Rondo’s diverse talents have made a believer out of New York Knicks head coach and NBA Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas, an unashamed member of the Rondo fan club.

“I just think he’s their most important player,” Thomas said prior to Wednesday’s 111-103 loss to the Celtics at the TD Banknorth Garden. “We came into the season and everyone kind of had a question mark about him, but I think he’s the guy who really makes them go. I think if Paul went down for a minute I think Ray and KG could step in. I just don’t think they have another guy that does what Rondo can do.”

Most people might’ve looked at the situation at the beginning of the year as pressure-packed. Slightly less anxiety-inducing than having to balance the federal budget, but exponentially more strenuous than your everyday point guard.

“I don’t feel any pressure when I play,” he says. “It’s basketball. I try to go out there and continue to do what I’ve been doing my entire life.”

Rondo’s game does have its flaws. At 6-foot-1 and 171 pounds, he is susceptible to bigger guards muscling him around in the post. Chauncey Billups did just that in a December meeting at the TD Banknorth Garden when he got Rondo sidelined with foul trouble.

While Rondo’s field goal shooting percentage has improved, his three-point shooting remains a weakness (he is 3-of-9). He also struggles at the free throw line.

He entered Wednesday shooting 63 percent from the foul stripe. For a point guard, a player who is likely to have the ball in their hands late in the game to be floundering around the 60 percent mark can be concerning.

But so far, the Celtics and their point guard have managed just fine. Just look how things turned out for Eli.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080216/SPORTS0202/802160350/1001/SPORTS


Ex-LSU star Big Baby impresses Rivers
Davis enjoying solid rookie season with Boston.
February 16, 2008

Sunday's game
NBA All-Star Game, at New Orleans, 7 p.m. TV: TNT
By Larry Wade
[e-mail]

NEW ORLEANS — At 41-9, the Boston Celtics have the NBA's best record.

That's due in large part to the play of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, who have led the Celtics' charge to the top of the Eastern Conference.


But rookie forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis has also played a role in the Celtics' resurgence, often coming off the bench to add a well-needed boost.

Garnett, Pierce and Allen, however, will be participating in this year's NBA All-Star Game. Davis wasn't among the rookies chosen to play the sophomores in Friday night's T-Mobile Rookie Challenge.

Nevertheless, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, who will be coaching the Eastern Conference All-Stars on Sunday in the 57th NBA All-Star Game, remains impressed with the former LSU star.

"He's not going to be consistent every night," said Rivers. "But he's going to give you a great effort every night, and he gives you great energy.

"He's a tough matchup because he's undersized in a lot of ways — height-wise; width-wise he's not," Rivers said with a laugh.

"But that's what makes him so effective, because he can guard guys who are taller because he has the ability to get into their legs and keep them away from the (basket). He has a low center of gravity and great feet. He has a really high basketball IQ, as well, for a young player."

The 6-foot-9, 289-pound Davis has played in 40 of the Celtics' 50 games this season, and he's averaging 4.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Despite averaging 13.2 minutes per game, Davis has been among the East's most efficient rookies. His 5.8 efficiency rating is No. 10 in the conference.

Davis, who has been impressive as a rookie, wasn't originally taken by the Boston. He was selected by the Seattle Supersonics in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft, and was acquired from Seattle with Ray Allen for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and the draft rights to Jeff Green last June.

Before he was acquired by the Celtics, Davis enjoyed a stellar career at LSU, where he finished as the Tigers' sixth all-time leading rebounder and 10th all-time leading scorer.

Davis' size and rebounding tenacity have drawn comparisons to former NBA star Charles Barkley, but Rivers said there are big differences between the two players.

"I don't think he's as explosive as Barkley," said Rivers. "Glen is not a great leaper; he may be quicker with his feet. Barkley was extremely explosive, and Glen is not.

"But yeah, I'm really impressed with Glen."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-allstarnotes16008feb16,0,3262150,print.story

OrlandoSentinel.com
Celtics' rise is sweet redemption for Coach Doc Rivers
Brian Schmitz

Sentinel Staff Writer

February 16, 2008

Perhaps nobody is making a better comeback in the NBA this season than Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers.

Five years after being fired by the Orlando Magic, Rivers finds himself coaching the team with the league's best record and, accordingly, the Eastern Conference all-stars in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans.

Before the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to revive the storied franchise, they plummeted last season. Rivers was back in Winter Park playing golf during the all-star break last season, hearing rumors about his job security as the Celtics floundered.

"I can tell you exactly where I was at. I was at Interlachen Country Club in Winter Park, and I was probably going on my second 18 right now," Rivers laughed Friday afternoon. "This is a great honor. I'd take it every day.

"Things work out sometimes; sometimes they don't. You just have to believe in what you do. You just keep working."

Rivers said he became a better coach after being let go in Orlando. "I don't look back a lot. The way I look at Orlando, I was coach of the year my first year. We were never under .500 in the four years [the Magic were 1-10 when he was fired in Year 5] and we had more bad luck than any franchise could have," he said.

"The way I look at the Orlando thing is that it forced me to be a better coach because of all the injuries we had. It made me better. We got to the playoffs every year but one, and in my mind, it may have been some of my best coaching.



Orlando looks to host in 2012
Magic Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins said that Orlando has a "good shot" at hosting the NBA All-Star Game in 2012 in its new arena.

The building is scheduled to open for the 2010-11 season, with ground breaking in Orlando set for July or August. The league traditionally doesn't award the game until an arena has been operational for a full season, plus the planning of the event is extensive.

"Because of the opening schedule, there's very little chance to host in 2011, but there's a strong likelihood we could host in 2012," said Martins, who is on hand at all-star weekend.


Ewing a finalist for hoops hall
Orlando Magic assistant and two-time Olympic gold-medalist Patrick Ewing has been named as a finalist to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Former Rockets great Hakeem Olajuwon, Heat Coach Pat Riley and broadcaster !!!GREENIAC!!! Vitale were also among the 15 finalists.


Howard: Don't sleep on the Magic
Magic C Dwight Howard says he feels his team in getting slighted when people talk about the East's best teams. "We're looking up at Detroit and Boston. We're right there in the mix," he said. "People forget about the Orlando Magic."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/x165094880


Celtics All-Stars relish the spotlight
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By Mike Fine
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Feb 15, 2008 @ 08:16 PM

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BOSTON — What’s become a vehicle for sponsors and largesse, an annual exercise in self-promotion and extremes – witness last year’s event in Las Vegas – the NBA All-Star Game still carries a lot of meaning for many of the participants. Count this year’s Celtics honorees among them.

Kevin Garnett was the leading vote-getter for the Eastern Conference team, and you just know it’s killing him to miss what would become his league-longest 11th straight contest thanks to his strained ab. Still, the heart and soul of the Celtics team is headed to New Orleans to soak in the familiar All-Star atmosphere.

Even Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who would rather be relaxing with his family in Orlando, Fla., is taking this thing seriously. Nah, he’s not exactly going to push his East team to its limits, but Rivers is actually looking forward to one of the ancillary events that’s being run in conjunction with the weekend. The NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service, which will bring together more than 2,500 volunteers who’ll be working on various initiatives to help rebuild and prop up the battered city.

“We’re doing community stuff,” Rivers said. “I’m not sure what that is yet but that’s going to be good. I’m glad we’re going to New Orleans for that reason. Other than that, I just think they need it. If you look at all the cities in America that needs an All-Star Game, New Orleans needs it. It’ll be good. It’ll raise money for the city. I just think the income we’re going to bring is a good thing for the city, very needed and I’m glad we had the forethought to do it.”

Allen, a late replacement for Washington’s injured Caron Butler, was obligated to cancel his planned vacation to the Bahamas, and was forced to head for New Orleans after a late-night appearance on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” early Friday morning. He was happy to do it.

“I have so many years in my life to vacation,” said the eight-time All-Star. “My mantra was always to put the work in and do the things necessary to put yourself in a great position later on in life. These are those moments that when I’m retired I’ll be glad I took full advantage of. I enjoyed myself and I had the chance to do some things I never thought I would be able to do in my life, so I’m definitely glad to be in the company of great players being down in new Orleans.

“I think about Boston last year, and their representation was Gerald Green in the dunk contest. To have so many players of the Boston Celtics represented so far (Rajon Rondo is participating in the Rookie Challenge) with the first half of the season that we’ve had, you can walk around and enjoy the success that we’ve had and let people talk about us and make a fuss over us and then get back to work in the second half.”

Yet, that fuss doesn’t mean much to Pierce. This would be the veteran’s sixth All-Star appearance, and the first while representing a really special team. Pierce represented Celtics teams that had won 49, 45 and 44 games, but he was also an All-Star as a member of 36- and 33-win teams. The Celtics have already won 41 games this season, which might make the forward a member of All-Star royalty in New Orleans.

He doesn’t look at it that way.

“Y’know what? It always means the same to me,” he said. “Me representing the Celtics, I’ve always had my head high to be representing one of the best franchises in all of basketball regardless what our record was. I don’t hold my head down regardless what our record is. I represent a proud franchise.”

“I think it’s meaningful for any player that makes it,” Rivers said. “It just shows that you’re one of the best players in the world. I think it means a lot.”

Pierce says he’d have loved to have some time off, but All-Star weekends aren’t necessarily that taxing. Besides, with Rivers as his and Allen’s coach, there’s little danger that they’ll get overworked. “He’ll (Rivers) probably leave (playing time) up to me. He wants to make sure I’m healthy. I’m one of the few healthy bodies going into the second half of the season, so I don’t mind it. I have played in a number of All-Star games and it’s all fun. But the main thing is go have fun but be ready for the second half.”

The last time the Celtics had two All-Stars was 2002, when Pierce and Antoine Walker played for the East in Atlanta (Garnett was MVP). The last time three Celtics were chosen in the same year was 1991 when the real Big Three – Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale – were to play in Charlotte, but Bird missed the game with an injury.

The last Celtics All-Star coach was Chris Ford in 1991. Rivers will probably handle his team much like Ford did then. “Stay out of the way. That’d be my philosophy,” Rivers said. “It’s a player’s game and I’m going to make sure it remains that way.

“I’m worried about Tibs (associate coach Tom Thibodeau) calling our defensive plays, Armand (assistant coach Hill) pulling my pants leg saying we should run the V Twist Play, which I’ll have to inform him is not in with this team. So, yeah, between those two guys I have them on both sides of my ear. It’s pretty funny and it’ll be pretty funny on Sunday because there’s no way I can keep them quiet.”

Rivers’ preparation for the game? “Yeah, we have an hour of practice. That’s about all they need. We’ll put in a side out. I’m going to ask one of them to give me one of their side outs. I’m just going to try to milk all them for all their plays, and that’s what we’re going to run.”

Celtics Director of Operations Danny Ainge, a Celts All-Star in 1988, is about the only member of the organization who maintains a Scroogish approach to the whole thing.

“I don’t get much excited about that stuff,” he said. “I mean, I think it’s an honor for the players. I’ve been in an All-Star Game myself. It’s fun. It’s good to receive that recognition, and in my job here I’m happy for the guys that get those honors, but it doesn’t mean much one way or another.”

Just don’t tell Pierce, Garnett, Allen, Rivers and Rondo. They’re going to soak it in for all that it’s worth.