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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:03:07 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1075448&format=textC’s in no-win situation Losing trip continues vs. Suns By Steve Bulpett | Saturday, February 23, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP PHOENIX - Doc Rivers certainly left no doubt this week that he wanted the Celtics [team stats] to avoid getting into shootouts, and last night his team showed why. Sometimes you don’t make shots. A few late hoops may have made it more cosmetically appealing, but the Celts shot 38.5 percent from the floor, never led on the way to an 85-77 loss to the Suns - their season low (by one) for points and their third straight defeat on the trip (and the first time this season they have dropped that many in a row). Their defense was better, but the C’s couldn’t hit the ocean from the pier. “That was just a beautiful piece of art right there,” deadpanned Rivers. “I tell you it was ugly. “Today at shootaround all we did was defense, and I was happy with our defense. It’s just our offense was awful. We’ve been very good offensively. Tonight we were bad.” Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 19 points, but his wingmen were wanting. Paul Pierce [stats] and Ray Allen combined to make just two of their first 21 shots, finishing with eight and 11 points, respectively. “A lot of them were good shots, but we never got in the flow offensively,” Rivers said. “We never made them play defense. But as a coach, I’m just happy that we showed up defensively.” Prior to the game, Shaquille O’Neal poked his head in while Rivers was chatting with the media and said, “Did you know that Big Baby was Shaq’s illegitimate LSU child?” During the 48 basketball minutes that ensued, Phoenix was the Celtics’ daddy. The Suns looked bigger, strong and, even with O’Neal in Shaq-shape, faster. Sixteen of their first 21 points came on the fast break. The Celts gave up 17 second-chance points while losing on the boards, 50-32. O’Neal outrebounded the Celts, 5-4, in the first quarter - part of an 18-4 glass-kicking. The margin only grew. “Shaq’s presence, I thought, really changed the game,” Rivers said. “That was part of our layup problem.” The Celtics came out of a horrid first half with a renewed sense of purpose. After scoring just 30 points in the opening 24 minutes, they put up 15 in the first 5:38 of the third quarter to get within eight points. But despite the Suns’ propensity for keeping the Celts in it with turnovers, the hosts hit the gas again and ran their lead to 16. It was a 14-point game after three quarters, and the Celtics weren’t about to mount a serious comeback. The Suns nearly broke the Celtics’ back with their first-quarter fast breaks. If it was better transition defense the C’s were seeking, they certainly didn’t find it early. Phoenix treated the opening tip as if it was a starter’s pistol. The Celts stayed with the Suns for a moment, with Rajon Rondo [stats] and Garnett matching two Amare Stoudemire hoops. But then the hosts took off. Steve Nash scored twice to start a run of 15 straight Phoenix points. Garnett ended a 4:45 Celts drought with a jumper, but Stoudemire raced back down to give the Suns a 21-6 lead. At that point, Phoenix had 16 fast-break points to the Celts’ zero. The Suns showed some mortality down the period’s stretch, turning the ball over on six of their last nine possessions. But they still couldn’t get any closer than 24-13 by quarter’s end. The C’s hit just 5-of-24 shots in the session (20.8 percent) on their way to a Phoenix opponent’s season low for the first period (Chicago had the previous ebb with 13).
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:14:34 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1075445&format=textMissing ‘Ticket’ was OK Suns still happy for KG By Steve Bulpett | Saturday, February 23, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP PHOENIX - After trying to get Kevin Garnett onto his own team last summer, Suns star Steve Nash is more than pleased to see him in Green. “I’m really, really happy for Kevin,” Nash said before his team met the Celtics [team stats] here last night. “I mean, what can you say about the guy? He’s one of the best players to ever play the game and he’s also one of the hardest working and one of the best teammates, so you add those up and you can’t help but root for him. “I’m really happy for him. He’s in a great position and he’s found a home with some great teammates and a great team that he can enjoy and he can go for a championship.” The Suns looked into a deal with Minnesota for Garnett, but they weren’t willing to part with the young pieces the Wolves sought. (Minnesota vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said Al Jefferson [stats], whom the Celtics traded, was the best young big man he was offered.) As for Garnett’s change of heart on the Celtics? “It’s a little different when you’ve got Ray Allen in the picture,” Nash said. “When you’ve got Ray and Paul (Pierce), now Boston looks like the team of the ’80s, not the team of the recent past. I’m not surprised after that (Allen) trade happened that it was a whole different picture for Kevin.” Garnett acknowledged yesterday that he had some interest in playing for Phoenix. “At first,” he said. “I had a couple of conversations with Steve. But I didn’t think they were aggressive enough or didn’t want to be aggressive enough. But Steve and I remain friends. Always will. “At the time when I was going through the process, Boston seemed to be the most aggressive. They had just made the acquisition for Ray, and I thought that was the best situation for me.” Garnett was asked what director of basketball operations Danny Ainge was saying that made him want to come to the Celtics from Minnesota. “It really wasn’t what he was saying; it was what he was doing,” KG said. “Ray Allen, Paul Pierce [stats]. I think at the time, some of the speculation and things that were coming out . . . coming here I wanted to play with Amare (Stoudemire) and Steve, and I don’t think those were the same options, as far as if I was to come.” In other words, the Wolves were seeking Stoudemire, and the Suns weren’t willing to give him up.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:16:15 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1075447&format=textHill finds a thrill in Rivers’ success By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Saturday, February 23, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP PHOENIX - This isn’t Doc Rivers’ first chance to coach a really good team. He did have Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady in Orlando, though the former’s famed foot problems derailed that train before it ever got on track. “I don’t know if the group was as good as what he has now,” said Hill, now a healthy Sun who believes the Celtics [team stats] have the right person at the helm. “He’s got a great group, and I think he deserves what’s happening now. “I think it was tough for him, especially in his first few years in Boston, because they were in a rebuilding mode and they had a lot of young players. I thought he did a great job. He could show what he was worth when he had the guys that he had the last few years. They went out and they competed hard. They didn’t necessarily win all the games, but they played hard and they did the right things.” The current C’s haven’t made a lot of wrong moves on their way to the best record in the NBA. “It’s almost like now he’s getting rewarded,” Hill said. “He’s got a great team and a great opportunity - and he’s the perfect coach for a team that has that type of talent. You know, he’s not going to grind you. He’s going to get guys to work hard. He’s a great motivator. “Sometimes coaching can mess things up. They overcoach. But I think he keeps it pretty simple. The guys want to play for him, and that’s why they’ve gotten off to such a great start. They play like they were the teams he’s had the last few years - you know, guys trying to make it (in the league). A lot of that is the guys they have and their character, but a lot of it, too, is Doc and his leadership.” Barry on way? NBA sources said last night that the Celtics are poised to make a move on Brent Barry if and when he clears waivers. It is the second time the C’s have tried to get the slim shooter who has decent ballhandling skills. The first time failed when Barry ended up in San Antonio, which traded him this week to Seattle in the Kurt Thomas deal. The Celts, who have two roster spots available, will only be able to offer the veteran minimum. That may be enough to get Barry, who had interest in the C’s the last time the club looked at him. Talking trade The Celtics think their road through the Eastern Conference got considerably more difficult Thursday when Cleveland got Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and Joe Smith in a three-team deal. “Oh, great trade,” said Rivers. “I mean, hell, they only got bigger, more experienced, better shooting, more rebounding. Other than that, they didn’t do much. It was a hell of a deal by (general manager) Danny (Ferry). That was a big one. “They were (a team the C’s were looking up to) anyway. People forget that at the beginning of the year Cleveland had a bunch of injuries and holdouts, so they started out slow due to that. But they’ve been playing terrific basketball. They’ve beaten us two out of three already.” Said Paul Pierce [stats], “I think it made them a better team. They definitely got better players in the deal, when you talk about a defensive enforcer like Ben Wallace along with some shooters in Wally and Delonte, and then Joe Smith, who’s having a good year. Definitely they’ve improved.” But the C’s aren’t worried that they didn’t make a move at the deadline. “I like where we are,” said Kevin Garnett. “You know, defensively we’ve got to get back fundamentally sound, but we don’t have any issues on this team.” Besides, the Celts may have gotten the blockbuster ball rolling last summer when they picked up Garnett and Ray Allen. “Kobe (Bryant) corrected me on the bus in All-Star weekend,” said Rivers. “I said, ‘How the hell did you guys pull off the (Pau) Gasol trade?’ And he looked at me and said, ‘Wait a minute, you’re talking?’ So I said, ‘Never mind.’ ” . . . Brian Scalabrine (groin strain) had hoped to play last night, but was inactive for the third straight game.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:18:00 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/celtics/index.php/2008/02/23/barry-may-be-longshot/Barry may be longshot PHOENIX — A Celtic source said late last night that the team may be a longshot to get guard Brent Barry. Once he clears waivers, Barry will be an unrestricted free agent and will be able to choose from, among others, Phoenix and San Antonio. The Spurs just dealt him to Seattle, and they would have to wait 30 days before taking him back. The chance to play for a contender and not have to move across the country could keep Barry in the West. Barry did have interest in the Celts four years ago, but he chose to sign with San Antonio then.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:18:49 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/celtics/index.php/2008/02/22/is-baby-shaqs-baby/Is Baby Shaq’s baby? PHOENIX — Great NBA moment a few minutes ago when Doc Rivers was holding his pregame chat in the hallway outside the Celtic dressing room. Shaquille O’Neal stops on his way by, pokes his head into the gathering of seven and says, “Did you know that Big Baby was Shaq’s illegitimate LSU child?” After much laughter, Rivers had to admit that, no, he didn’t know that. It’ll be interesting to see if Glen Davis gets in the game against his hero Shaq tonight. … On a more serious note, Rivers was asked if the Celts have been cautious enough with Kevin Garnett’s abdominal injury. “We hope,” he said. “In our opinion, we waited long enough. Kevin would probably say we waited too long. His conditioning and timing is everything still off.” After noting that Garnett is still on a minutes leash, Rivers said KG has come to grips with that and added, “He understands now that it’s for the long haul.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:22:07 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/02/23/suns_apply_heat?mode=PFSuns apply heat Celtics go cold in desert defeat By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | February 23, 2008 PHOENIX - Three is a magic number the Celtics have avoided - until now. Boston lost its third straight game for the first time this season last night at US Airways Center, dropping an 85-77 decision to the Phoenix Suns. The 77 points represented a season low for the Celtics. After being 16-0 against Western Conference teams, the Celtics now stand at 16-3. The Suns, meanwhile have won their last 11 against the Eastern Conference. "That was a beautiful piece of art right there," said a sarcastic Celtics coach Doc Rivers, whose team shot 38.5 percent from the field. "That was ugly." The Celtics had allowed opponents 100 points in four previous games, but defense was not the problem last night. "We were bad offensively," said the understated Rivers. "As a coach, I'm happy we showed up defensively." The Suns started quickly, racing to a 19-4 lead, capped by Leandro Barbosa's lay-in. Boston went 4 minutes 42 seconds without scoring before Kevin Garnett's hoop made it 19-6. The Suns finished the quarter leading, 24-13, shot 53.3 percent, and scored 16 fast-break points. The Celtics shot 20.8 percent (5 of 24) and submitted a season low for points in a first quarter. "We couldn't make shots," said Rajon Rondo, who shot 5 of 12 and had 12 points. "That's about it. We ran our sets, we just couldn't make shots." About the only dent the Celtics made in the Suns came when Barbosa collided with Paul Pierce with 4:36 remaining in the first. Barbosa needed three stitches above his right eye. The Celtics found their offensive game and turned up their defense early in the second quarter, using a 13-3 run to trim their deficit to 27-26 on an emphatic one-handed jam by Garnett. Steve Nash's lay-in with 5:05 left accounted for the Suns' first field goal of the quarter and pushed their lead to 29-26. After jawing and tangling with Amare Stoudemire (28 points) from the outset, Garnett (a team-high 19 points) went to the bench with three fouls after elbowing Phoenix's star forward. Phoenix scored the next 9 points to take a 36-26 lead with 3:24 left on Raja Bell's 3-pointer. Pierce then committed an offensive foul with 1:51 left in the half and Boston down, 42-28, heading to the bench with three personals. The Suns cruised into halftime with a 43-30 lead, holding the Celtics to 29.3 percent shooting (12 for 41). Pierce and Ray Allen shot a combined 1 for 14 through two quarters, totaling just 7 points. Boston's previous low for points in a half had been 33 against Detroit in the second half Dec. 19. Shaquille O'Neal, playing his second game with the Suns, was scoreless at the half but had eight rebounds. "Shaq's presence really changed the game," Rivers said. O'Neal finished with 4 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots. After being dunked on by Garnett with 9:21 left in the third quarter, Stoudemire mouthed off and was called for a technical foul. Allen made the free throw, and the Celtics trailed, 47-37. The Suns outscored the Celtics, 20-19, in the quarter for a 63-49 lead. Pierce and Allen combined for 3 points in the third. Leon Powe's lay-in with 10:54 remaining sliced Phoenix's lead to 63-54. After missing 10 of his first 11 shots, Allen's 3-pointer made it 68-59. In a play that summed up the night for Boston, Allen turned the ball over to Nash (18 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds), and he nailed a 3-pointer to give the Suns a 74-61 lead with 5:51 remaining. There have been numerous big trades in the Western Conference over the last month. But of all the moves, Rivers was most enamored by O'Neal being dealt from the Heat and the Suns. "[The Suns] are just really good," Rivers said prior to the game. "It changes everything with them having Shaq. It makes them one of the favorites, or the favorite." "I was shocked and surprised like a lot of people that he got traded," said Celtic James Posey, a teammate of O'Neal on Miami's 2005-06 championship team. "But I'm happy to see him back now playing a little bit." After watching last night's carnage, particularly on offense, Rivers was asked about the Celtics' morale. "Not bad," he said. "We lost . . . no one wants to lose, but we'll be fine."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:24:21 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/02/23/barry_is_generating_interest?mode=PFBarry is generating interest By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | February 23, 2008 PHOENIX - The Celtics and several other teams are in the Brent Barry sweepstakes. The Sonics waived the 13-year veteran combo-guard Thursday after acquiring him the same day in a trade from the Spurs. The 6-foot-7-inch, 210-pounder will become an unrestricted free agent today and is expected to get interest from Boston, San Antonio, Phoenix, Denver, Houston, Golden State, and the Lakers. The Spurs, however, would have to wait 30 days before they are eligible re-sign Barry. Boston is expected to inquire about Barry. ESPN analyst and ex-NBA player Jon Barry, Brent's brother, believes his sibling will give the Celtics serious consideration. "It would certainly be a team that piques his interest," Jon Barry said in a telephone interview. "They are certainly one of the teams to beat in the East and the NBA. He wants to win and he is going to feel out who gives him the best chance to win." Jon Barry said Brent is in San Antonio and is expected to meet with the Rockets soon. A calf injury, however, is expected to keep Brent Barry sidelined for about another 10 days, his brother said. Brent averaged 7.3 points and 1.8 assists in 29 games with San Antonio this season. He also shot 43 percent from 3-point range and 95 percent from the free throw line. The two-time NBA champion has played in 68 playoff games. Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge has said he is interested in acquiring "the right veteran point guard." The Celtics are also expected to inquire about guard Flip Murray, waived by Detroit yesterday, and center Jamal Magloire, waived by New Jersey. Both will be free agents tomorrow if they clear waivers. "We'll just evaluate who comes off waivers and see where they fit in with us," Ainge said. "But I don't feel we have to do anything. I like our team. At the same time, we've saved two roster spots for players that could help us this time of the year. We'll continue to evaluate those players." The Celtics have also been rumored to have interest in veteran Clippers guard Sam Cassell. The 38-year-old has said his agent, David Falk, has contacted the Clippers about a potential buyout and that he would be interested in the Celtics. Cassell must be waived by March 1 to be eligible to play in the postseason for another team. Not hot on Garnett The Suns were rumored to be one of the teams trying to acquire then-Minnesota star forward Kevin Garnett last offseason. Garnett and Suns guard Steve Nash are friends and talked about playing together. But in the end, the Celtics acquired the 11-time All-Star in a six-player trade. When asked if he had serious interest in Phoenix, Garnett said: "At first. I had a couple conversations with Steve. I don't think they were aggressive enough or did want to be aggressive enough. Steve and I remain friends." On whether the Suns were ever close to obtaining Garnett, Suns general manager Steve Kerr said: "It was never close. We had some discussions with Minnesota. But it was never really a possibility." Scalabrine still out Brian Scalabrine missed last night's game against the Suns, his third straight, with a strained right groin. Coach Doc Rivers said Scalabrine is expected to miss the final two games of the five-game West road trip. Scalabrine, who is averaging 1.9 points and 1.5 rebounds, originally suffered the injury against New York Feb. 13. "I'm going to keep preparing as if I am going to play the next game," Scalabrine said. "I'm not getting the progress I want. I've just got to keep working." Scalabrine didn't think his layoff would affect his ability to get minutes over the likes of reserve forwards Leon Powe and Glen Davis. "You can't compare what I do with what those guys do," Scalabrine said. "They're different than me. If there is a need for me out there, then Doc's going to use me. If he doesn't, then I don't have a beef with that. We're trying to win a championship here. It's definitely not about me at all. It's about us." Hill happy for Rivers Rivers's hopes of having success while coaching Orlando were greatly affected by then-Magic forward Grant Hill constantly being stymied by injuries. Now that Rivers is enjoying success in Boston, the Suns' Hill is extremely happy for him. "He's a good man, a good coach, a really good person," Hill said. "For him to be in this position now is a reward for all the stuff he has been through just in terms of having a team that has a chance. "I don't think he's really had that in Boston [previously], but he has that now." Rivers had the likes of Hill, Tracy McGrady, and Mike Miller on his roster in Orlando. While Rivers's fortunes with the Magic might have been much different had Hill and McGrady been healthier, Hill isn't looking back on what might have happened. "I don't play that game," Hill said. "You'll drive yourself crazy if you do that. "I will say this, though, his team [in Boston] is more talented than the potential we had [in Orlando]." Trade talk Rivers said Boston had "nothing active" as the trade deadline approached Thursday and the current roster isn't conducive for trades. "I was happy we didn't do much of anything because we are still trying to find each other and know each other with all the moves we made from the summer," Rivers said. He applauded the Cavaliers for acquiring Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West. "Great trade," Rivers said. "They only got bigger, more experienced, better shooting, better rebounding." On Chicago acquiring forward Drew Gooden and guard Larry Hughes, Rivers said: "That will really help Chicago, too." . . . The Celtics stayed overnight in Phoenix and will practice here today before flying to Portland . . . Chris Andersen of the Hornets is expected to be reinstated by the NBA after recently completing a two-year ban for substance abuse. A source close to the team said if he is waived, the Celtics might be interested in his services. Andersen, at 6 feet 10 inches, can play center and forward.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:31:38 GMT -5
www.celticsblog.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2463&Itemid=189Daily Babble: An Emotional, Rambling, Semi-Coherent Response to a Draining Celts Loss Written by Steve Weinman Saturday, 23 February 2008 I can't remember the last time a game scrambled my brain the way Celts-Suns just did. It's closing in on three o'clock in the morning here in the Midwest. My head is still moving with more spin than any of Ray Allen's shots did last night, and I'm moving on to my third cup of generic-brand lemonade in the last half hour (Wal-Mart sells the cartons for 98 cents). So we're headed to my go-to defense mechanism when incoherence strikes: the bullet points. It's time for lots of random thoughts as I try to sort out the rubble of the season's first three-game losing streak. Away we go. Prior to letting the emotions of one game run wild, it's worth trying to keep this losing streak in perspective. In four nights, the Celts have now gone out West and played three teams playing basketball at a .580 clip or better, and those three teams also happen to play the league's fastest, second fastest and fourth fastest-paced games in the entirety of the league. They lost a back-and-forth game in Denver, and they lost what turned into a nail-biting heart-breaker at the buzzer against a very good Golden State team that plays excellent basketball at home. The Suns meanwhile are another excellent basketball team that seems to have become re-energized at least momentarily by its most recent addition. The Celts lost two tough games and a sloppy one in the finale of a very tough three-game sequence. In case that wasn't enough, the week marked KG's return from injury and thus the team's re-adjustment period. No, the vast majority of you don't need me to tell you all this. But it bears repeating simply to fully illuminate what exactly this rough stretch of a week has entailed. I'll be the first to admit that I needed to sit down and recount all of these happenings at the end of the Phoenix game in order to get some sense of balance and perspective back. These things happen. No, it wasn't the most wonderful showing in the face of adversity, but it's three games of 82. This team sits at 41-12, two games ahead of Detroit for the best record in basketball. It has been a dream season thus far, and the likelihood is that we will see more of that as the season progresses. Without question, it's been an immensely frustrating week, but that is life in the Association. Better to have that week in February than come spring time, that much is for sure. In that same vein, I'm refraining from going after my personal whipping boys over the courses of their Celtics tenures -- Doc and Perk -- for now. I have never been Doc's biggest booster and was very upset with him last year, but predictably, he has left me at least markedly more content this season (although I have still had my share of concerns about him), and it simply isn't fair to take the knee-jerk reactionary stance simply in the face of a couple of games going the wrong way. That latter portion goes for Perk as well, who frankly didn't look as bad as many of his teammates did on Friday night. There is a column coming on him at some point over the course of the season, but it would be unjust to take out frustration from a losing streak on a player who simply tends to draw my ire with regularity. It wouldn't even have the mere auspices of rationality or objectivity, and that wouldn't be particularly productive. Read More.. All of Steve's daily posts can be found in the CelticsBlog: NBA blog. Check him out! Fun fact: Prior to last night and including playoffs, since Steve Nash came aboard in 2004, the Suns were 0-14 when scoring less than 90 points. Make that 1-14. Hubie Brown was half right when he suggested at the end of last night's contest that Doc Rivers and Celts fans need not complain about this team's effort in an ugly-looking loss. I'm willing to buy that there wasn't a major problem with the physical effort. The team was there all night and did what it could to hang in and get up and down the floor. The Celts weren't walking off plays or lackadaisically going through the motions. Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen, Perk and the Infuriated Infant in particular all had a fair bit of energy. It didn't even appear to be a lack of trying with regard to Paul Pierce and Ray Allen (if you're interested in seeing some world-class loafing, try a Knicks game). Further, teams that don't even show up physically to play at all don't make the types of runs the Celts made to close the Suns' lead to one in the second quarter, largely through playing defense and getting up the floor quickly for one very nice stretch. They looked to play chippy, physically basketball. The team simply couldn't get shots to fall and got outplayed. That said, there remains no question that the Celts were not there mentally. Perk's flagrant forearm to Amare Stoudemire's sternum was thoughtless. TA did what TA does: He provided lots of energy, the constant threat of an explosion to the rim for a bucket and the even more constant threat of a turnover thanks to his general clueless nature. There isn't an adequate adjective in this language to articulate the degree of Ray Allen's ineptitude of decision-making in odd-man rush situations on the break. Perhaps the brains were fried in the midst of a long trip. Perhaps it was simply an aberration. But one way or the other, the Celts as a team were never in this game from a mental standpoint. In fact, that is likely what made the game so frustrating to watch. It's one thing to get beaten. It's quite another to commit offensive fouls on three consecutive possessions, throw passes out of bounds without provocation and botch fast breaks like it was part of the job. Here's hoping it was simply a one-game malaise. As I mentioned in the game thread earlier, let's show some love to the officiating highlight of the game: Leon Powe getting star treatment, for one play at least! Apparently, the four-step hop-step that allows a post player to get from the wing into the restricted area for a lay-in is now legal. Good to see LoPo getting some love from the referees in his four and a half minutes of run. There was something uniquely draining about last night's game that I can't remember feeling in years. Generally speaking, watching a game Steve Weinman-style entails spending the entire game (halftime always excepted, commercial breaks occasionally) on my feet, five to seven feet from the television, mostly screaming from start to finish for the good, bad and everything in between. I'm jumping up and down and high-fiving walls, cabinets and innocent passerby for all that brings forth good for the boys in green and shouting invective at my television and spiking water bottles for all that doesn't bode quite as well ("What do we pay you for?" is a favorite, yelled with special relish in the direction of Brian Scalabrine during the string of games sans KG prior to the All-Star break). It tends to be a great release of energy, and it's usually a fairly decent workout (especially if I have already played some ball earlier in the day). Start to finish, any Celts game I watch, no exceptions, this is how it's done. Friends have warned me of the dangers of trying to keep that sort of energy level for an entire to season but to no avail. I'm determined to do it and kick another gear during the playoffs. Except for last night. Somehow, the all-around sloppiness of last night's game -- and perhaps the fact that after the Celts made their run and the Suns immediately opened the game back up again in the second quarter, at no point did it ever feel like the C's were truly in the game -- took me nearly completely out of this game. Sure, I remained standing and the eternal optimist in me implored the boys to look to get up and down as time grew short and the deficit continued to loom large, but I was for all intents and purposes a shell of my usual self by the midst of the second half. The throat was hoarse, and the continuing mishaps just seemed to zap my remaining energy in a way that usually doesn't happen regardless of outcome. From the looks of the game thread, it appears I wasn't the only one to experience this. Plus-minus can be a fickle concept. How Eddie House managed a team-high plus-15 on a particularly poor night for him remains a mystery. Same goes for Raj going for a team-low minus-21. Speaking of Rondo, his quickness never ceases to amaze. His blow-by-everyone lay-up to end the first half was awe-inspiring. Even on off nights, watching this guy play is a pleasure. It is a privilege and a thrill to be around to continue to monitor his development. Somehow, it felt like Pierce had a very quiet 2-for-13, if that is even possible for a team's top scorer. With the exception of his missed pseudo-dunk during the second quarter, Pierce seemed to be a non-factor all night, whereas Ray Allen's putridity appeared to come to the forefront all night. Between his poor outside shooting (1-for-7 from deep) and his complete lack of competence on the fast break, Allen seemed to consistently stand out all night as the Celtics' biggest offensive disappointment. Not entirely sure why this was the case, although it did seem like a lot more of Pierce's shot attempts came early on, before the game really got ugly for good. Any explanations on the matter would be much appreciated. Barring any sort of late-breaking injury reports, the complete lack of Rondo in the fourth quarter was inexplicable. Credit KG for finally looking to get into the low post a little bit against a horrendous interior defender in Stoudemire. Garnett did more work than usual around the basket and at times really worked hard to take advantage of that mismatch on the offensive end. He still settled for more jump shots from the outside than would have been optimal, but that tends to be his game in the first place, and the intent to get inside and cause some havoc was definitely there, particularly on the rim-shaking dunk that precipitated the Stoudemire shove and subsequent technical. Scot Pollard's dome continues to be a sight to behold. The Pugnacious Papoose's steal and individual fast-break for a lay-in brought a huge smile to my face. Sadly, little else last night did. But once more, it was one night, and this debacle of a week has represented just three bad nights in a long season. Here's looking forward to more smiles on Sunday in Portland and throughout the rest of this campaign.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Feb 23, 2008 8:57:25 GMT -5
yardbarker.com/nba/articles/22_Years_Old/161772I'm 22, on the 22nd. Yes, today (Friday) is my birthday. I know I haven't posted an article in a while, but the past few weeks have been mad. In the weeks before All-Star weekend, we had two back to backs and a few road trips. We worked hard during those games and finished 41-9 before the break. The morning after the Knicks game (Valentine's Day), I flew down to New Orleans. All-Star was crazy busy for me. The sophomores got that W though! Besides playing in the rookie/sophomore game, I had appearances, things to do for the NBA, media, etc that all had to be done. I did get to go to the dunk contest and the All-Star game which was coo. I got to see some of my homies down there too. It was more business in New Orleans than pleasure. I didn't really have time to just hang out with my family and relax because I had soo much going on, but it was coo. I did get to catch the Kentucky vs LSU game while I was down there. I went down to the game with a couple of my friends. It was nice to see some of my old teammates. Plus, they got the W, so that was good. I left New Orleans Sunday night after the All-Star game and flew to Denver. The Denver and the Golden State games were tough. In both games, we went out there and played hard, but came up a little short. We are going to get back though. KG is back and getting back into his rhythm, so things should be turning around. We play Phoenix tonight. I'm actually about to get dressed now. I haven't done anything for my birthday, so winning tonight would be the best bday gift. Hopefully, we will pull it off. I'm about to start getting into my zone, so I'll holla!
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