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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:14:16 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1082690&format=textPhilly has no love for C’s Rising East power spoils homecoming By Mark Murphy | Tuesday, March 25, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Lisa Hornak Perhaps not now, but in two or three seasons, Philadelphia will chase the aging Celtics [team stats] with the tireless attack of a suddenly not-so-little brother. But the Celtics already rub their aching bones whenever they play these Sixers relations. Though their positions are vastly different - the Celtics with the most wins in the NBA, the young Sixers in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 36-35 record - the gap will close. Andre Iguodala actually took a few yards off the distance last night. The dunk-happy forward’s 28-point performance, which included the last 10 points of a 19-0 fourth-quarter run, was enough to stake the Sixers to a 95-90 win against the Celtics at the Garden. The C’s missed 11 straight shots and turned the ball over three times during the spurt, suddenly looking very much like a team that had just returned from a wildly successful but wearying five-city road trip. “I don’t think our energy was very high,” Celtics center Kendrick Perkins [stats] said. “Everyone was pretty much going through the motions. But it will be like that sometimes.” The Celtics have lost two straight games for only the third time this season, with Phoenix (tomorrow) and New Orleans (Friday) about to check in. Both teams already have beat the Celtics once this season. Though the Celtics also are looking forward to their first solid week of practice in more than a month, perhaps their greatest need is a new battery. The young, athletic Sixers sapped every reserve they had. “They just play hard,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “They are just aggressive and athletic, and if you let them hang around, they’ll beat you. “When it gets close, they start seeing the finish line, and then you have to deal with that energy and that athleticism. And we didn’t do a very good job of that.” The Celtics also were surprisingly passive offensively, evidenced by Philadelphia’s 44-20 edge in free throw attempts. The Sixers made 30, twice as many as the hosts. Paul Pierce [stats], normally the second-half horse for the C’s, attempted only six shots and finished with 12 points, including nine on 3-pointers. Beyond Kevin Garnett’s 18 points and Ray Allen’s 14 (10 of which came in the first quarter), the torch was best carried by Leon Powe. The second-year forward - clearly the most active C’s player on the floor - came off the bench and collected 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds. But not even Powe’s young passion was enough to derail that 19-0 run, which Iguodala capped with a 20-footer for an 88-80 Sixers lead before the Celtics finally were able to dig in. Iguodala, however, answered hoops from Allen and Garnett with free throws. Eddie House buried his third trey of the night to cut the Sixers lead to 92-88 with 17 seconds left, but Philadelphia was able to close things out from the line. “I think Philly has come along,” Pierce said. “As the year’s gone on, they’ve gotten better obviously. Andre Miller really makes them go. “They are learning one another, and they are making a good run at the playoffs with how they have done over the last month and a half. They will be a dangerous team in the playoffs. They are a team you wouldn’t have expected to do something at the beginning of the year, but lately they are making their playoff push, and all of their guys are playing well.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:16:16 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1082714&format=textU.S. soldiers steal show Benefit for servicemen pleases Rivers By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Tuesday, March 25, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Lisa Hornak Wymon J. Anderson, a member of the U.S. Navy, put the Celtics [team stats] to shame last night by first hitting a free throw and then a 3-pointer blindfolded to win $5,000 worth of Lasix vision correction surgery. The Celtics, hunkered into a frantic second-half timeout in their 95-90 loss to Philadelphia, tried not to look. But even a peeking Kevin Garnett stole a glance at the sailor, one of 300 servicemen, women and their families in the stands as guests of season ticket-holders who donated their seats for the event billed “Seats for Soldiers.” “I heard the noise, but I didn’t see him,” C’s coach Doc Rivers said of the roar following Anderson’s shot. “With the way we were playing, they certainly weren’t cheering for us.” Rivers, however, wanted to hand out some applause of his own. “It’s awesome,” he said of having a “Seats for Soldiers” night. “I’ve been a big supporter of that. People get mixed up in whether they’re for the war or against the war, but we’re for our servicemen. I think when you say we shouldn’t be in the war, people sometimes think that means we’re against our servicemen, but we’re not. We’re so for them. They’ve been in this war for way too long and we just have to keep supporting them, do whatever we can to bring a smile to all their faces. “It’s just nice that Wyc (Grousbeck) and our ownership group thought about it and did it. We should do more of it. Fans should do more of it. It’s amazing how bad their families are hurting right now, with husbands and wives over there fighting and not being able to earn two checks. So anytime we can do it, I think we should do it.” No need to rest Some teams, with 13 games left and a high playoff seed assured, might start to protect their most important assets. But the Celtics, five games ahead of the next best team in the Eastern Conference (Detroit), still sound like a team with lots of rough spots to smooth out. “We’re of the mindset that we’re still a team that’s fairly new,” said guard Ray Allen. “We don’t have the convenience of being able to turn it on and off. It’s the first time that I’ve been in this situation, but small things add up to big things, and there’s a lot you have to watch out for.” It helps, according to Allen, that the two most recent additions, Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown, are also the two oldest. “It’s not tough to work them in, because they’re veterans,” Allen said. “You don’t have to stop practice to go over something in the way you would with young guys. Sam and P.J. are both in the gym early, and by the time we all get out there on the floor and start calling plays, they’re right there with us.” That’s why, according to Rivers, there is still much to play for before the second season starts. “We’re playing to get better going in (to the playoffs),” said the Celtics coach. “We’ve been doing it for awhile. We have to keep getting sharper with our execution. So the goal is to just keep playing, though the truth is that we haven’t had a goal all year. We just keep getting guys ready.” . . . James Posey missed the game as the forward tended to what was described as family business. He’s not expected to be at today’s practice, but should be back in uniform for tomorrow night’s game against the Suns. Tourney update Danny Ainge, who has been on the road scouting college talent ever since the start of the conference tournament season, hasn’t been floored by some of the early upsets in the NCAA tournament. “I’m not surprised by the upsets or the close calls,” said the Celtics director of basketball operations. “I am surprised, though, that Davidson beat Georgetown.” That game proved a jolt that was felt through the Rivers household, considering the Celtics coach’s oldest son, Jeremiah, is Georgetown’s point guard. “It’s tough to watch because there’s nothing that you can do about it,” Rivers said. “It’s what parents go through when they watch their kids’ teams lose. The tough thing that happens is that you lose the game, and then you wake up the next day with nothing to do, and that can eat at you.” Remember what? Ainge was not aware that he was on the last Celtics team in 1986-87 to complete a road sweep of all three Texas teams. “It just proves what I’ve always said,” he said. “I don’t remember anything but the playoff games, never mind any of these little regular season accomplishments. I try to tell the players that, but they never listen.” . . . The Celtics began an intense home stand last night against the Sixers, with games on tap against Phoenix (tomorrow), New Orleans (Friday) and Sunday (Miami).
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:19:24 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1082706&format=textSixers hit a big turnaround shot By Jeff Horrigan | Tuesday, March 25, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Lisa Hornak Only a few months ago, the only place the Philadelphia 76ers [team stats] appeared certain to be represented in May was Secaucus, N.J., where the annual NBA draft lottery is held to determine which of the league’s worst teams will get first crack at the incoming class of talent. The 76ers had managed a modest recovery from a 5-13 season start but seemed to unravel with the arrival of the new calendar year, leading to seven consecutive January losses and seemingly no shot at qualifying for the playoffs. Even though they began to sink dangerously close to the cellar-dwelling Knicks in the Atlantic Division, however, the 76ers never came close to adopting the disgraceful, we-couldn’t-care-less style of Isiah Thomas’ embarrassing team in New York. That allowed Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks to maintain some hope. “Obviously, we weren’t winning many games, but we were still in games,” Cheeks said before last night’s game against the Celtics [team stats] at the Garden. “I think the way we stayed in games (helped), even though we were losing games. They were playing hard and weren’t getting rewarded for it, but as they continued to play, the rewards started to come.” And when they came, they came as fast as a slot-machine jackpot. The 76ers entered last night as arguably the hottest team in the NBA, having won 17-of-22 games, including nine of their first 11 this month. The run vaulted Philadelphia into sixth place in the Eastern Conference. “I certainly wouldn’t have picked Philly to play after a five-game road trip,” C’s coach Doc Rivers said. Philadelphia, which was 21-11 since the seven-game losing streak in January, entered last night having won five of its previous six on the road. The 76ers have turned things around the old-fashioned way, with all-out hustle and key contributions from the bulk of the roster. Star forward Andre Iguodala scored 28 points in Saturday’s comeback win against New Jersey and reached double figures in fourth-quarter scoring for the 12th time this season. Center Samuel Dalembert had 11 points and 18 rebounds against the Nets to become only the 15th player in the league averaging double figures in scoring (10.7) and rebounds (10.2). Guard Andre Miller arrived averaging 21.6 points in his previous five games, while sixth man Lou Williams provides a spark off the bench for a team that has eight players age 25 or younger. “If they play like they’ve played, that’s a talent the other team can’t practice against,” Rivers said. “You can’t practice against hard play - and that’s a huge advantage for them.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:20:47 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1082704&format=textGarnett: Lesson learned By Jeff Horrigan | Tuesday, March 25, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Lisa Hornak Kevin Garnett thinks the Celtics [team stats] learned the hard way last night about just how big of a target they have become to the rest of the NBA in a humbling, 95-90 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers [team stats] at the Garden. The surging Sixers, all but written off for dead following a seven-game losing streak to start the calendar year, stunned the league’s top team by erasing a seemingly comfortable, 80-69 fourth-quarter lead with an almost unthinkable 19-0 run. The loss prevented the Celtics from completing a season sweep of the Atlantic Division rival. “Teams are excited about coming in here and giving it their best shot,” Garnett said. “We’ve got to be able to take it and finish off these last couple of games of these last couple of weeks of the season.” It was Philadelphia that did all of the finishing off last night when it mattered most. The young Sixers, who have only three players age 28 or older, outscored the C’s 48-28 in the paint, as well as 13-7 on second-chance points and 20-5 on fast-break points. Garnett, the Eastern Conference player of the week who finished with a team-high 18 points, said the most telling stat, in terms of aggressiveness, might have been free throw opportunities. Philadelphia went to the foul line 44 times (connecting on only 30), while the Celtics hit 15-of-20 free throws. “We’ve got to be more aggressive, starting with myself, trying to get calls and putting the onus on the (opponent’s) defense and putting the refs in position where they need to make the calls, but at the same time, playing better ‘D,’ ” he said. “We can play better defense than what we’ve been playing these last two (games).” The Celtics turned in what might have been their worst six-minute stretch of the year during the Sixers’ 19-0 run. During that span, the C’s were 0-for-11 from the field, had two shots blocked, committed three turnovers and were charged with six fouls. Garnett said he and his teammates once again learned that they have to condition themselves to not letting up in any manner with a large lead. “Four quarters, we know we’ve got to be better,” he said. “We were speaking about that in the locker room. We’ve got to get back to playing good basketball and sharing the ball and driving aggressively and finishing off games.” Garnett noted there is no need to panic but indicated the team looked forward to getting back to practice today to start patching up the holes in its game. “We want to cut it in the bud,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve lost two (straight), so we want to turn this thing around for the next game (tomorrow night at the Garden vs. Phoenix).”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:33:07 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/25/celtics_give_away_a_quarter_and_sixers_cash_it_in?mode=PFCeltics give away a quarter, and Sixers cash it in By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | March 25, 2008 Maybe the Celtics were road-weary. Maybe the playoff-hungry Sixers simply wanted it much more. Maybe it was just one of those nights. Celtics coach Doc Rivers considered all those maybes and couldn't pinpoint it. Whatever it was, the end result for the Celtics was a 95-90 loss to the Sixers at a sold-out TD Banknorth Garden last night. "Well, not a good way of returning home from a trip," Rivers said. "I didn't think we played with a lot of great energy. But I don't know if it was fatigue or us just having one of those nights." The Celtics turned cold in the fourth quarter en route to their second straight loss. Philadelphia outscored Boston, 26-10, in the final eight minutes and had a 19-0 run during that stretch. The Celtics shot 29.2 percent in the fourth (7 of 24), missing 6 of 8 3-point attempts, and attempted only four free throws. The Sixers shot 46.7 percent, made 15 of 21 free throws, and scored 29 points with just 1 assist in the period. Andre Iguodala scored a game-high 28 points for Philadelphia (36-35), which is making a late surge to solidify a playoff spot. "Every game is big for us," said Sixers guard Andre Miller, who had 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. "Good effort by everybody. Everybody came in and contributed. It's tough to go on a run like that on the road against a team like this." Said Celtics guard Ray Allen, "They just went on a run and we didn't score down the stretch." It was the Celtics' first loss in four games against Philadelphia this season. The Celtics also have dropped two straight home games. Their magic number to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference is still seven (combination of Boston wins and Detroit losses). The Celtics were playing their first game at home following a 4-1 trip over eight days. They returned home following Saturday night's loss at New Orleans around 3 a.m. To give his players some rest, Rivers gave them Easter off and canceled shootaround yesterday. While fatigue was a likely factor, the Celtics didn't use it as an excuse. "You can't blame that," said Kevin Garnett. "Everyone got to do the same thing in this game. We can't cry about having to fly, and what it is. It's part of it and we have to deal with it." Allen, who had 14 points, said, "I won't blame it on fatigue. It's nothing that any of us couldn't handle. We had every opportunity to win." Rivers used his bench for a hefty amount of minutes in the fourth quarter. Eddie House played eight minutes, Leon Powe played seven, Tony Allen four, and rookie Glen Davis five. Rivers said he'll likely go that route again down the stretch. "We've got to get the bench minutes and we've got to get them playing together," Rivers said. "Obviously, they will not be in as a group, all five of them, when the playoffs start. But they all may get minutes and I think it's really important right now to squeeze minutes out of them." It wasn't long ago that the Sixers were considered a potential first-round opponent for the Celtics. But after going 10-2 in March, the Sixers are seeded sixth and are thinking about moving up. "The sky is the limit," said guard Willie Green. "But our focus is taking it one game at a time knowing that we control our own destiny in terms of playoffs. I think we can be in a good situation, but we have to continue to take care of business." Paul Pierce, who had 12 points, said, "They will be a dangerous team in the playoffs. They are a team I guess you wouldn't expect in the beginning of the year, but lately they are making their playoff push and all of their guys are playing well." The Celtics finish the week playing two of the NBA's best teams, teams also desperate for wins in the Western Conference race: the Suns tomorrow and the Hornets Friday. Considering the Celtics lost to both on the road this season, Garnett isn't worried about his team being up for those games. "These games are crucial to us, too," said Garnett, who had 18 points and 5 rebounds. "We are trying to establish something in the rhythm going into the playoffs, from all the starters, bench play, to the new guys. So these are big games for us, too, just as it is for all the other teams coming in here."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:35:03 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/25/who_is_behind_8_ball?mode=PFWho is behind 8-ball? Final East seed faces tough task By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | March 25, 2008 In the Eastern Conference, it seems to have come down to a four-team race for the eighth playoff spot. The likely reward is a first-round date with the Celtics. The Atlanta Hawks, at 30-39, currently own the eighth spot with a one-game lead over New Jersey, a 1 1/2-game lead on Indiana, and a three-game lead on Chicago. "Realistically, we're just trying to make it in," said Hawks guard Joe Johnson, an ex-Celtic, to reporters in Atlanta. "I don't know that playing Boston is the best way to reward yourself with making the playoffs. But it would be a great challenge. We've taken some shots from them this year. "They've added some great veteran players in Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown. So anybody that deals with them in the playoffs will have to bring it to compete with them." The Hawks have not been to the postseason since 1999, and while facing the Celtics would be daunting, forward Josh Smith would love the opportunity to go for the upset - and to gain his first postseason experience in the process. "I hear Boston's beautiful in the spring," said Smith. "Seriously, I can't think of a better place to spend some time next month than Boston." The Celtics, likewise, may be curious to know whom they will face in the first round, but they are not thinking about it all that much. "It's stupid to, because it's between 11 teams," said coach Doc Rivers. "You do look. You can't predict. It can be anybody. "We're just going to keep playing, and I'm hoping the last six games we have a clue who it's going to be. But it can be anybody." When asked if he is watching the race for the eighth spot, Rajon Rondo said, "Not really. There are so many. I just worry about our team and getting better as a team. We're still learning each other and our tendencies." Posey inactive James Posey was inactive for last night's 95-90 loss to Philadelphia. An NBA source said Posey's significant other went into labor last night. Rivers said Posey isn't expected to be at practice today, but the coach expects him back for tomorrow's game against the Suns . . . The Celtics hosted 300 members of the US Armed Services and their families at the game. "They've been in the war far too long and we have to keep supporting them, doing whatever we can to bring a smile to their faces," Rivers said. Wymon J. Anderson of the Navy hit a blindfolded 3-pointer and free throw during a timeout in the third quarter yesterday to win $5,000 of Lasik Vision correction surgery. A strong week Kevin Garnett was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after helping the Celtics go 3-1 on the road, sweeping San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas in Texas for the first time since 1987. Garnett averaged 20.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2 steals. He has been Player of the Week 17 times, including twice this season . . . After rarely having a chance to practice of late, Rivers plans on holding workouts today, Thursday, and Saturday. . . . On his bruised lower back, Tony Allen said, "I'm fighting through it. It feels better than last time." One who knows Sixers guard Willie Green, who has overcome major knee surgery, had advice for Allen on recovering from the knee surgery that caused him to miss the last 48 games of last season. "He's getting better and better," said Green. "I told him that in the second half of the season he was really going to start seeing improvement in terms of his ability to jump better and not think about it. I've been watching film on those guys and I can tell his knee is getting stronger." . . . Rivers was in the stands Sunday at Raleigh, N.C., when Georgetown was upset by Davidson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Rivers's son, Jeremiah, is a sophomore guard for Georgetown. "What happens when you think you're going to win and you lose is you wake up in the morning and have nothing to do," Rivers said. "They had plans. He was like, 'There's no practice today.' That's what happens in our league and on the college level as well. Empty. That's how they're feeling."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:40:13 GMT -5
www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x184893883376ers 95, Celtics 90: Garden surprise -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elise Amendola/Associated Press Celtics coach Doc Rivers argues a call during Boston's loss to the 76ers. By Scott Souza/Daily News staff GHS Posted Mar 24, 2008 @ 11:41 PM Last update Mar 25, 2008 @ 01:14 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — The last game on the road and first game back are usually the two toughest contests associated with an extended trip. Both of those games had something in common for the Celtics off a latest trek that quickly seems to have lost a little bit of its luster. They followed up Saturday night's 113-106 loss in New Orleans with a 95-90 defeat to the Sixers back home at the Garden last night. In both games, Boston had an edge - and, it seemed, a modicum of control - through three quarters before things fell apart in the fourth. Suddenly poor shooting (9-for-24, 37 percent after 53 percent through three quarters), turnovers (9 in the second half after 6 in the first) and an inability to get key stops paved the Sixers' path to victory in a final session that was eerily similar to the recipe New Orleans used on Saturday. "Not a good way to return from a trip," surmised Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "I don't think we played with a lot of great energy. I don't know whether it was fatigue, or just an off night for us." For most of the night, they got away with it. But in the fourth quarter, things came crashing down for the second straight game. Trailing 80-69 with 8:20 to go after a long Eddie House jumper, the Sixers scored the next 19 points over a 6:42 span. The Celtics got back within four in the final seconds, but never seriously threatened to pull out of a skid that left the sellout Garden stunned, and even offering a few boos to a 55-15 squad. "Another slip," repeated Celtics center Kendrick Perkins. "It just seemed like the energy wasn't there 1 through 5. It ain't an excuse, but it just seems like it kind of is like we are starting to take people for granted. When get people down, we usually keep it on them. Now we're starting to let them back into it." The Sixers dominated in several statistical categories on the night with a 48-28 edge in points in the paint, a 12-6 bulge in offensive rebounds and a punishing 20-5 advantage in fast break points. Overall, it just seemed way too easy for even a hot Sixers squad (9-2 in their last 11 games) to put together such a demonstrative run. "We have to be a lot more aggressive, starting with myself," said Kevin Garnett of the late swoons. "We have to put the onus on (their) defense and put the refs in position where they have to make calls." The Celtics came into the night averaging 22.2 assists per game, yet managed 17 in the first half alone as they took steps to correct the ball-movement issues from late in Saturday night's loss. Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo each had five assists in the half that saw the Celtics take a 52-48 lead into the break. Leon Powe led the way off the bench with 12 points and five rebounds (16 points, 7 rebounds overall in the game). Paul Pierce (12 points on 4-of-6 shooting over 31 minutes) was scoreless through the first 21:14 of the half before hitting a trio of 3-pointers - two on kickout passes from Perkins - in the final 2:46. The third trey put the Celtics up 49-42 with 1:16 left in the half. "The first two quarters we moved the ball," Perkins said. "We were sharing the ball and just moving it to one another. Other than that, man, you know in the fourth it seemed like everyone was proving that they want to be the hero. But we've got to remember what got us here." The Sixers knotted the game at 54- and 56-all out of the half before a Garnett (team-high 18 points) jumper and Pierce pull-up, sandwiched around a Perkins block, put the Celtics back up four at 5:52. Philadelphia took advantage of a 10-5 rebounding edge in the quarter to pull even again at 66 with 1:06 to go. A House 3-pointer and pair of Glen Davis free throws made it a five-point game entering the fourth. With Garnett, Pierce and Allen on the bench to start the final 12 minutes - and James Posey not at the Garden because of "family matters," according to Rivers - Sam Cassell and House took turns assisting the other's jump shot for a 78-68 lead off a House trey at 10:33. Another House jumper from Cassell made it 80-69 at 8:20 when the Sixers suddenly made Boston pay of a succession of careless passes in what turned into a torturous stretch that just about spanned the rest of the night. Andre Iguodala had 10 points during the 19-0 run, finishing with a game-high 28. Andre Miller scored 20, Thaddeus Young had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 12 boards for Philadelphia, which pulled ahead of Toronto and into sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a game behind fifth-place Washington.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:41:15 GMT -5
www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x441646847Megliola: C's lack the necessary intensity -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Lenny Megliola/Daily News staff GHS Posted Mar 24, 2008 @ 11:34 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — Get used to it. This is what the Celtics are going to get every night, once the playoffs start. Somebody's best. Last night, the Philadelphia 76ers played like they'd be burned at the stake this morning if they didn't beat the Celtics. These are the same Sixers who put their coach's job in jeopardy earlier in the season. The good news was they played in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference where Boston made it clear early on that everyone else was playing for second place. That's where the Sixers sit now. Somewhere along the way, they pulled it together and got back in the playoff race. Once .500 was a pipedream for the Sixers; now they're a game over. "We've come a long way," said coach Mo Cheeks. "Credit the guys. They fight and fight and fight." Last night they totally squished the listless Celtics, 95-90. The Celtics know they're going to the playoffs, and played like it. The Sixers don't have that luxury. So they brought the hunger. "It's huge when you come in here and win a game like this," said Cheeks. "It does a lot for us." It did nothing for the Celtics but embarrass them. "They're not a team you expected (to be in the playoffs) at the beginning," said Paul Pierce. "They're coming along, learning each other." The Sixers aggressiveness was evident in a number of ways. They put down a bunch of dunks, most of them uncontested. They shot 44 free throws to Boston's 20. Points in the paint: Sixers, 48-28. "We've got to be a lot more aggressive defensively," said Kevin Garnett, "starting with me." It was fair to think this one was over after an Eddie House 3-pointer pushed Boston's lead to 80-69 with 8:20 left. Couple of blinks later and it was 80-80. The Celtics never led again. "We've got to finish those fourth quarters," said Garnett. It was a meltdown in the fourth quarter against the Hornets that led to a loss last time out. The hype over this Celtics team is deserved, obviously. Just as obviously, it puts more pressure on this team in the playoffs. There was no question the maneuverings of Danny Ainge had made this a viable team. Not that folks immediately jumped on any They're-Going-to-The-Finals bandwagon. But there was no doubt that the Celtics were headed back to the playoffs. Still, it was wise to check out the product before making any rash predictions. Well, Celtics fans have seen the product. So has everyone else. The hype got a little scary after Boston chainsawed the three Texas teams over four nights. Now the ESPN guys are talking up a revival Finals, Celtics vs. Lakers. David Stern is praying for it. Dig out the Bird-Magic footage; Chief vs. Abdul-Jabbar; McHale vs. Worthy. Dust off the black-and-white footage. Cousy-West. And Red puffin', of course. What a flop then, what an unmitigated failure, if the Celtics should ever get bounced in the first or second round. Don't laugh. Doc Rivers has done a terrific job of finding minutes for his callow players. Not every night maybe, but it's not like Glen Davis, Leon Powe and Tony Allen have been picking splinters out of the seat of their pants all winter. Second-year man Rajon Rondo has pretty much proved he can handle the point guard responsibility. The postseason is another animal. To that point, Rivers expects his playoff-tested players to lecture the untested about what to expect in the playoffs. But it'll probably go in one ear and out the other. "I don't think it matters," said Rivers. "Young guys don't listen." One thing Rivers doesn't want to see is any of his players showing up an opponent because, guess what, you're going to be going up against him the next night. A great deal was put on Rondo's shoulders. Could he be trusted running the offense or was it a case of, hey kid, just get the ball to one of the studs? Take your choice. Rondo has been better than they could have imagined. Some of his moves drive defenders crazy. Rondo plays a spinning game. Now you got him in front of you, oops!, now he just spun by for a layup. His teammates have learned to never take their eyes off him. If Kendrick Perkins hadn't in the first quarter last night, a bullet pass would have put a hole in him when Rondo whipped it to Perk for an easy layup. But how much will Rivers be able to count on the young guys in April and May? Rivers isn't focusing on the standings yet. Too early to gauge who the Celtics might meet up with in the first round. "I hope by the last six games we'll have a clue," he said. The Celtics had no time to practice on the long road trip, but Rivers is planning a couple this week. "Practice is always good," said Garnett. "Probably comes at a good time right now." Pierce was just looking to tomorrow night's game against the Suns. "It's important to get back on track, stop the bleeding while you can," he said. Yep, a 55-15 team can still bleed.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 6:43:35 GMT -5
aol.nba.com/celtics/news/blog/post-ups.htmlLive from Courtside Box Score | Recap 95-90 Sixers, FINAL: Dalembert's two free throws were neutralized by a Rajon Rondo layup, but Andre Miller knocked down 1-of-2 of free throws after the inbounds, and Eddie House missed a three. Pierce's last second heave was way off... It's not the way the Celtics wanted to start a four-game homestand, but they'll have to deal with just their sixth home loss of the year. Your Celtics.com Player of the Game: Leon Powe, who finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds in just 22 minutes, although most of that came in the first half. 92-88 Sixers, 16 seconds: Eddie House just made things interesting with a three from the corner... 91-83 Sixers, 36 seconds: Six fourth quarter turnovers threw this game away...Barring a miracle, the C's will drop to 55-15. 85-50 Sixers, 3:28/4th: Points in the paint is the story tonight. Iguodala's last breakaway jam put Philly up 85-80 and the Sixers now have an astonishing 48-22 edge in points in the paint. 12 of their 14 fourth quarter points have come there already. 80-80, 5:48/4th: Andre Iguodala's breakaway slam just tied the game at 80-80. The C's are looking a bit lackadaisical. 71-66 Celtics, End of 3rd: Andre Miller is certainly dominating the ball tonight, and having pretty good success with it. He's out to start the fourth quarter but will likely be back on the floor soon. At 35-35, the Sixers were in the 7th spot in the East coming into tonight's game, but they are playing for their playoff lives for the next month and would love to get a win on the road in Boston. Toronto is the only Atlantic Division team to beat the Celtics (12-1 vs. Atlantic). 60-56 Celtics, 5:52/3rd: Andre Miller is having another solid game, racking up 15 points, four rebounds and five assists. Rondo and company need to do a better job of containing him if the Celtics want to grab control of this one. 52-48 Celtics, End of Half: Doc Rivers just gave Zach Zarba and Scott Wall an earful after the half-ending goaltending call against KG. The shot looked to be well short and still on its way up from our position at the endzone press table on the opposite end of the floor, but that's probably not the best vantage point for such a situation. Philadelphia's beating the Celtics in points in the paint, 22-16. But the Celtics have 17 assists on 21 field goals. Impressive. Rondo and Ray each have five of them. 43-38 Celtics, 3:48/2nd: It's either feast or famine for Leon Powe. Powe notched a DNP against the Spurs last Monday, then dropped 21 on national TV against the Rockets. Then after scoring 11 points combined over the next two games, he's got 12 points and five rebounds already in just 10 minutes of play. 28-22 Celtics, End of 1st: Ray Allen has 10 points and four assists in 11 minutes. But the stat of the quarter has to be that the Sixers only committed one foul, and it's debatable whether Andre Miller even touched Allen on the play for which he drew the whistle. 17-13 Celtics, 4:41/1st: Rajon Rondo just picked up his second foul, bringing Sam Cassell off the bench early... 15-11 Celtics, 5:45/1st: The Celtics are looking for outlets, pushing it up the floor, and the ball is moving around quickly. Witness the six assists on seven field goals, and 64% shooting. KG, your Eastern Conference Player of the Week, is especially active (six points and two boards), and his 18-footer is falling, which is always a good sign. Pregame Media Access With the team back in Boston for four games in seven days, Doc Rivers is looking to get his squad back into a routine and a rhythm that he enjoyed as a player, which is play one night, practice the next day and play again. "At least we have days to recuperate; we can change the schedule a little bit, where we can practice and not have shootarounds," Rivers said. "When you have home games like that it's really nice." But chief in Rivers' mind is getting the team ready for the playoffs, and he says that his veterans are already talking to the young guys about what to expect from postseason play. "You can hear them talking every once in a while about how different it is, valuing every possession," Rivers said, noting that young guys have to be careful not to make mistakes like showing up opponents because they're going to have to face them the next day. "I've heard that talk for 20 years, and young guys do the same stuff and the next day realize that they shouldn't have." As for his veterans, Rivers plans to keep a close eye on their minutes, specifically those of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Check the Audio Archive for the full pregame interview with Doc Rivers and a few questions with Ray Allen. Early Pregame Report After today's late shootaround, Leon Powe, Tony Allen and P.J. Brown are out getting some extra work in a few minutes before the locker rooms open. We'll be back just before tip-off with the full pregame report. KG Named Player of the Week Word just came down from the NBA that Kevin Garnett was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 8:07:28 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20080325/NEWS/803250571/1009/SPORTSSuddenly, Celts can’t finish By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com BOSTON— All of a sudden, the fourth quarter has turned into a house of horrors for the Celtics. Last night, they blew an 11-point fourth-quarter lead and lost to the Sixers, 95-90, at the Garden. Saturday night in New Orleans, they wasted a 15-point lead and were outscored, 32-17, in the fourth to lose, 113-106. So after becoming the first NBA team in seven years to sweep the Texas Triangle, the Celtics have lost two in a row. After Eddie House’s jumper pushed Boston’s lead to 80-69 with 8:20 left, the Celtics missed their next 11 shots and didn’t score until Paul Pierce made one of two foul shots with 1:38 to go. They didn’t score a field goal until Ray Allen made a layup with 39.2 seconds remaining. The Celtics shot just 7 of 24 in the fourth quarter and were outscored, 29-19. Andre Iguodala scored 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, including the final 10 points of a 19-0 spurt that put the Sixers up, 88-80, with 2:18 to play. Andre Miller finished with 20 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds. Thaddeus Young collected 16 points and nine rebounds. Philadelphia has won 18 of its last 23 games to move above .500 (36-35) for the first time this season. The Sixers also avoided what would have been their first season series sweep at the hands of the Celtics in 12 years. “It was huge,” Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. “When you come in here and win a game like this against Boston, it does a lot for us.” “We let a game slip away. There’s no excuse,” Pierce said. “We got to keep our turnovers down, especially late in the game, execute our plays down the stretch of these games.” Maybe the Celtics should have tried shooting blindfolded in the fourth quarter. It worked for Wymon Anderson. The Naval petty officer stationed at Devens won $5,000 toward LASIK corrective vision surgery for sinking a foul shot and a 3-pointer while blindfolded during a timeout late in the third quarter. Celtics coach Doc Rivers didn’t see Anderson’s shots, but he heard the crowd’s reaction. “They didn’t cheer for us the way we were playing,” Rivers said, “so I knew something good had to be happening on the floor because it wasn’t us.” Things don’t get any easier for the Celtics the next two games when they host Shaquille O’Neal and the Suns tomorrow night and the Hornets Friday night. ESPN has picked up tomorrow night’s game, and the start has been changed from 7:30 to 7 p.m. Kevin Garnett led Boston with 18 points, but made only 1 of 5 shots in the fourth and grabbed only five rebounds in the game. Leon Powe had 16 points and seven rebounds. Ray Allen had 14 points and six assists. Pierce somehow took only six shots in 32 minutes. He made four of them, but scored just 12 points. House scored 11. The Sixers needed this game far more than the Celtics did. The Sixers are fighting to improve their playoff position, while the Celtics are just about locked into the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia moved into sixth in the conference, while the Celtics lead Detroit — which beat the Suns in OT last night — by five games with 12 to go for the NBA’s best record. Iguodala was too quick for Pierce, repeatedly blowing past him. But Pierce didn’t make Iguodala pay as much at the other end of the court. “I’m just playing within the flow of the offense,” Pierce said. “We weren’t trying to force anything. When the open man was there, I made the extra pass.” “I’m not concerned by that,” Rivers said. “It’s not like he hasn’t taken shots this year. It’s one game.” Pierce wasn’t the only Celtic who could have been more aggressive. By not taking the ball more often to the basket, the Celtics shot only 20 foul shots to Philadelphia’s 44. The Sixers dominated the Celtics inside, outscoring them, 48-28, in the paint and outrebounding them, 42-34. “Starting with myself,” Garnett said, “we’ve got to be a lot more aggressive, trying to get calls and putting the onus on the defense. Teams are excited coming in here giving us their best shot, and we’ve got to be able to take it.” House hit a 3-pointer to snap a 66-66 tie late in the third quarter, sank another to give the Celtics their first double-digit lead, 78-68, early in the fourth and hit a jumper just inside the arc to make it 80-69. House and fellow subs Powe, Glen Davis, Sam Cassell and Tony Allen built the lead. Rivers doesn’t normally go with five subs at once, but he said he will down the stretch to give them work. The Sixers scored the next 19 points. The starters gradually returned, but they couldn’t stop the run. “I didn’t think we played with a lot of great energy,” Rivers said, “but I don’t know if it was fatigue or us just having one of those nights.” James Posey didn’t dress because of “family matters,” Rivers said. Rivers doesn’t expect Posey at practice today, but he thinks he’ll be back for tomorrow night’s game.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 8:11:00 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20080325/NEWS/803250583/1009/SPORTSGarnett named Player of Week Hornet turnovers hurt Pierce CELTICS NOTES By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com BOSTON— Kevin Garnett was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, edging out teammate Paul Pierce among others. Garnett averaged 20.5 points, 11 rebounds and 2 steals as the Celtics won three of four games last week, including the first sweep of the Texas Triangle — San Antonio, Houston and Dallas — by an NBA team since Sacramento in 2001. Garnett was honored for the 17th time in his career and the second time this season. Pierce averaged more points (23) than Garnett and had a higher field goal percentage (52.6 compared to 45), in addition to averaging 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Pierce’s four turnovers while Boston was outscored, 32-17, in the fourth quarter of a 113-106 loss at New Orleans Saturday may have cost him Player of the Week honors. The Celtics had been 36-0 in games they led by 15 before blowing a 15-point advantage Saturday. New Orleans point guard Chris Paul, who averaged 25.7 points, 10 assists and 3 steals in a 3-0 week, was honored as Western Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season. Paul and the Hornets visit the Garden on Friday. Millbury theater shows Celts Blackstone Valley 14: Cinema De Lux in Millbury will be one of six National Amusements theaters showing Celtics games live at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at Milwaukee and at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, at home against New Jersey. The theaters will carry Comcast SportsNet’s high definition feed with Mike Gorman providing play-by-play. Tickets, costing $7 for adults and $5 for children aged 11 and under, are available online at nationalamusements.com and by calling the theater. Perkins has best percentage Kendrick Perkins is on pace to post the best single-season field goal percentage in Celtics history. Perkins is shooting 62 percent (189 of 305). The 6-foot-10 center would rank second in the NBA behind Andris Biedrins of Golden State (62.7), but he hasn’t shot enough to qualify league-wide. He has shot enough, however, for the Celtics to consider him their best. Many of Perkins’ baskets are dunks while opponents sag on Garnett. Cedric Maxwell owns the club record at 60.9 percent (457 of 750). Leon Powe’s 57.4 percent ranks 12th all-time. Rivers plans full practice The Celtics plan to practice today at HealthPoint. It won’t be a case of the players showing up on their own to lift weights and shoot around. The Celtics will conduct a full team practice for the first time in three weeks. “That will be different,” Rivers said. “Guys are going to have tape. They’re going to be shocked. They probably won’t know what that is anymore.” Rivers has picked rest over practice for his team because of its advanced age, but last night the Celtics began a stretch of playing four in a row at home with a day off in between each. Rivers said he planned to practice three times this week to stay sharp and familiarize newly acquired Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown with the team’s plays. Rivers had planned to hold a practice on the road last Friday but canceled it. Tony Allen blamed the lack of practice in part for his drop-off in 3-point shooting. Allen led the Celtics in 3-point shooting percentage with a career-best of 45 percent, but he has missed his last 10 3-point attempts since Feb. 20 to fall to 36 percent. “I’ve got to get back in the gym and get that routine back going,” he said. Allen missed two games with a bone bruise in his lower back after a fall, but pronounced himself ready to go last night with a pad over the bruise. Pierce, Allen playing a lot Once the playoffs get closer, Rivers expects his veterans to talk to the team’s younger players about the intensity of the postseason. But he doesn’t think it will do any good. “Young guys don’t listen to that crap for the most part,” Rivers said. “I think you do have to experience it.” Because of injuries to others, Pierce and Ray Allen have played more than Rivers wanted them to this season. Pierce averages a team-high 37 minutes, and Allen averages 36.9. Rivers has done a better job of limiting Garnett’s minutes. He averages 33.8 compared to 39.4 last season with Minnesota. Rivers plans to rest Pierce and Allen more in the team’s remaining 12 games. “I would love to give all of them a little rest,” Rivers said, “but I want to keep playing them because I think keeping your rhythm is very, very important.” Season over for coach’s son Rivers had a helpless feeling Sunday watching son Jeremiah and the Georgetown Hoyas get upset by Davidson in the NCAA Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. “It’s what parents go through, I guess, watching their kids and their teams lose,” he said. “I was just happy I was there.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 8:17:09 GMT -5
www.enterprisenews.com/sports/pros/x922119321?view=printCheers aren’t for the Celts An exhibition shot by a Navy officer draws the biggest response from the crowd as the Celtics blow an 11-point fourth-quarter lead. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jim Fenton ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER Posted Mar 25, 2008 @ 12:22 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — There was an amazing feat that took place on the parquet floor at the TD Banknorth Garden Monday night. During a third-quarter timeout in the Boston Celtics-Philadelphia 76ers game, Wymon J. Anderson, a petty officer in the U.S. Navy, made a free throw and 3-point shot while blindfolded to win $5,000 worth of LASIX vision correction surgery. That piece of incredible shooting by the Lowell resident, though, didn’t turn out to be the only amazing feat to occur at the Garden. What followed was a hard-to-believe collapse by the Celtics in their homecoming game after a brilliant 4-1 road trip, which featured a three-game sweep in Texas. Just as amazing as Anderson’s shooting exhibition was the Celtics getting outscored, 19-0, during the fourth quarter to let a double-digit lead fade away. Those three wins in Texas have been followed up by back-to-back losses after the Celtics were overtaken by the 76ers, 95-90. And the loudest ovation at the Garden on Monday came when Anderson swished his shots with a blindfold on. “I didn’t see the shot,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “I heard the noise. They didn’t cheer for us tonight they way we were playing, so I knew something good had to be happening on the floor because it wasn’t us.” Stunning is the best way to explain what happened to the Celtics after opening an 80-69 lead with 8:20 remaining. They seemed poised to reach the 70th game of the season with win No. 56, building on the momentum that was gathered in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. Just like Saturday night, however, when the Celtics fell apart in the fourth quarter and lost to the New Orleans Hornets, they couldn’t close the deal on the Sixers. Now, after three of their best wins of the season, the Celtics have dropped consecutive games for only the third time this season. “That’s this league,” said Ray Allen, who had 14 points. “You can’t predetermine from the previous games what you’re going to do in the next couple. That’s when you do lose games. “We don’t think we’re playing bad basketball, by any means. It’s just small little things. We have to bring our best and always have to buckle down going into the fourth quarter.” With 12 games remaining, the Celtics are just about locked in as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with their 55-15 record. While their playoff position is unlikely to change, opponents the Celtics will play down the stretch have a lot more to gain as they battle for spots in the postseason. The Sixers are one of those teams as they are trying to improve their standing in the East. “These games are crucial to us, too,” said Kevin Garnett, who had 18 points. “We’re trying to establish something with a rhythm going into the playoffs, from all aspects, the starters, to bench players to new guys. “These are big games to us, too, as they are for other teams coming in here. We’ve got to finish fourth quarters and keep our turnovers down. That’s the difference when we win big and lose big.” Fatigue could have been a reason for the Celtics’ late struggles against the 76ers since they played five road games in eight nights before coming back for a four-game homestand. They were overwhelmed in the fourth quarter, mainly by Andre Iguodala, when the 80-69 lead turned into an 88-80 deficit when Boston missed 11 straight shots and 15 of their first 18 in the quarter. “You can’t blame (the long road trip),” said Garnett. “Everybody’s got to do the same things in this game. We can’t cry about having to fly. It’s part of it and we’ve got to deal with it. “They went to the line 44 times, we went to the line 20 times. We’ve got to be a lot more aggressive, starting with myself, trying to get calls and putting the onus on the defense. “At the same time, I think we can play better defense than we have the last two games. Teams are excited to come in here and give it their best shot. We’ve got to be able to take it and finish off these last games in the last few weeks of the season.” The next two games are against top teams from the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns and the Hornets, teams who own wins over the Celtics. That should be enough of a wakeup call as the Celtics bid to avoid their second three-game losing streak. “Any time you lose, it’s frustrating,” said Allen. “You just have to buckle down. We didn’t move the ball like we wanted to and defensively, I thought we were a second late on our help.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 8:21:05 GMT -5
CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Doc Rivers takes time to experiment
Bench players are getting more time on the court in preparation for the playoffs.
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By Jim Fenton
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
Posted Mar 25, 2008 @ 12:43 AM
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BOSTON — For most of this season, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers has used a consistent plan when it comes to his reserves.
Rivers has usually made sure that either Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen is on the floor with the substitutes to provide a stabilizing influence.
That wasn’t the case on Monday night when Rivers strayed from the strategy and allowed the bench players to fend for themselves.
With the regular season winding down, Rivers went into an experiment mode during a 95-90 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Banknorth Garden.
He sat Garnett, Pierce and Allen early in the second and fourth quarters, giving Tony Allen, Eddie House, Leon Powe, Sam Cassell and Glen Davis a chance to play as a unit.
“I put the bench in and, obviously, it’s rare I’m going to have all three guys out,” said Rivers. “But I’m doing it right now and I’m going to continue to do it for the most part for a while.
“We’ve got to get the bench minutes and playing together. Obviously, they will not be in as a group, all five of them, when the playoffs start, but they all may get minutes and I think it’s really important right now to squeeze minutes out of them.”
The bench struggled together in the early part of the second quarter, letting a lead slip away, and the lead began to whittle away in the fourth quarter when they were on the floor.
Rivers had House and Cassell in the backcourt with Cassell running the point. Powe had the best results, getting 16 points and seven rebounds, while Tony Allen, returning from a back injury, missed all five of his shots in 15 minutes.
Cassell, coming off a game in which he struggled against the Hornets Saturday in New Orleans, had five points to go with three assists in 19 minutes.
“He’s coming along,” said Rivers. “He runs what he knows. He’s getting it. It’s a slow process.
“We’re going to try to keep throwing him in there. He was phenomenal in the Dallas game, probably the other way in the New Orleans game. That’s probably how it’s going to be for a while.” .
Armed services members attend:
There were 300 members of the U.S. Armed Services and their families at the game, using tickets donated by season-ticket holders.
“It’s awesome,” said Rivers. “I think people get mixed up whether you’re for the war or against the war — we’re for our servicemen. When you say we shouldn’t be in the war, people sometime think that means we’re against our service. We’re not. We’re so for them.
“They’ve been in this war for way too long. We’ve just got to keep supporting them, whatever we can to bring a smile to all their faces. Clearly, the end of the game wasn’t the way to treat them. It’s just nice the ownership group thought about it and did it. We should do more of it, fans should do more of it.”
Posey misses game:
James Posey was on the inactive list, and Rivers said it was due to “family matters.” Posey isn’t expected to be at practice today but should return to face the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. … Garnett was named the Eastern Conference player of the week on Monday, the second time he’s been honored this season. … The Celtics scheduled a noon practice for today, the first one they’ve had in several weeks. … Rivers attended the Georgetown-Davidson NCAA tournament game Sunday and watched his son, Jeremiah, and the Hoyas lose in an upset. “It’s tough because you can’t do anything about it,” said Rivers. “It’s what parents go through watching their kids’ teams lose. I was just happy I was there.”
Pierce has quiet game:
Pierce took only six shots in nearly 32 minutes, making four of them to score 12 points. “It was in the flow of the offense,” said Pierce. “I wasn’t trying to force anything. I was making the extra pass.” … The Wednesday night game with the Suns begins at 7:05 since it will be on ESPN … The Celtics lead the Detroit Pistons by five games in the race for the best overall record. Boston plays 12 more game, six at home and six on the road.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 8:24:17 GMT -5
www.patriotledger.com/sports/x1887805030Poor shooting let 76ers back in game vs. Celtics -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mike Fine The Patriot Ledger Posted Mar 25, 2008 @ 01:47 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — Wymon Anderson, a U.S. Navy seaman who wears glasses, was standing on the free throw line during a third-quarter timeout. His glasses were removed, he was blindfolded and then he swished his first free throw attempt to win a certificate toward LASIK eye surgery. Then Anderson, who was attending the Celtics-Sixers game as part of the team’s Seats for Soldiers program, was taken to the 3-point line. He swished that, too, earning himself $5,000 worth of surgery. “I heard the noise,” said Celts coach Doc Rivers, who was speaking to his team during the timeout. “They weren’t cheering for us. I knew something good had to be happening. It wasn’t happening to us.” Turns out the Celtics could have used the Navy guy. They were about to go ahead by 11 points, only to miss 11 straight fourth-quarter shots, giving the Sixers a 19-0 run that propelled them to a 95-90 victory. This was the second straight loss for the Celtics, who lost in New Orleans two days earlier, when the Hornets outscored them, 32-17, in the fourth quarter. This was not a championship-caliber performance for the Celtics, who looked fatigued for a second straight game, and there’s little rest for these weary guys, who have to host the surging (although they lost at Detroit Monday night) Phoenix Suns Wednesday. These are the Shaquille O’Neal Phoenix Suns. “We play two fantastic teams,” Rivers said, referring to the Suns and Friday’s opponent, the Hornets. “Both of the teams have beaten us at their place. I don’t think I’m going to have to give them a rah-rah speech for either one of those games. Phoenix is terrific; they’re playing terrific. And New Orleans we just saw and they beat us. So I think we’ll be ready for the games. I don’t think there’ll be any problem with that.” Offense will return Paul Pierce, who has two 14-point first quarters in the last couple of weeks, has mostly been absent from the offensive flow in the first quarter. In this game he was scoreless for the first quarter, taking only one field goal attempt, and didn’t score until 2:53 remained in the second quarter, when he hit three quick three-pointers. Pierce finished with only 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting. “I’m just playing within the flow of the offense,” said Pierce, who was run ragged by the Sixers’ Andre Iguodala, who scored 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting. “That’s what it was tonight. We weren’t trying to force anything. When the open man was there I made the extra pass.” “We’ve got to get it to him in the right spot,” Rivers said, “and he has to want to get it and go after it, but I’m not concerned by that. It’s not like he hasn’t taken shots this year. He’s probably our leading field goal attempt player (he is, by far, with 995 attempts). So it happens in a game and it probably won’t be the last time it happens.” Around the rim The Celtics played without James Posey, who, according to Rivers, was away on a “family matter.” Rivers said he didn’t expect Posey to be available for Tuesday’s practice but would be back for Wednesday’s game Rivers said that he departed from his usual plan and used a bench unit without mixing in one of his top three scorers, as he usually does. “I’m doing it right now and I’m going to continue doing it for the most part for awhile. We’ve got to get the bench minutes, and we’ve got to get them play, and playing together. I think it’s important to squeeze minutes out of them.” The Celts’ bench outscored the Sixers’, 36-31, with Leon Powe racking up 16 points and seven rebounds. Eddie House added 11 Rivers on the servicemen in the audience, as part of the team’s Seats for Soldiers program: “It’s awesome. Whether you’re for the war or against the war, we’re for our servicemen. We’re so for them.” Wednesday’s game with Phoenix begins at 7 p.m.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 8:28:53 GMT -5
www.projo.com/celtics/content/sp_bkn_celtsjo25_03-25-08_U49GD2A_v10.38e5eee.htmlTony Allen happy just to be playing 08:14 AM EDT on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 By PAUL KENYON Journal Sports Writer The Celtics’ Paul Pierce, left, fouls the 76ers’ Andre Iguodala, who is driving to the basket during the first quarter last night. AP / Elise Amendola BOSTON — It was a quiet Celtics locker room before last night’s game against Philadelphia, with one exception. Tony Allen was hyper. He made it clear he very much wanted to return to work. The Boston guard missed the last two games with a bruised lower back. He indicated that he was not 100 percent yet, but had improved enough to play. “I’ve got to fight through it,” he said. “Yes, I feel much better.” When a writer asked what his injury was, Allen reached around and tapped the writer on the lower back, on the bone just above his waist. “We’re going to put a little cushioning pad over it, just in case,” he said. “It’s getting late in the season. I’ve got to get back in the gym, get the routine back, get some practicing in. We’re at home all this week, so I’ve got a lot of time to get back in the gym.” Allen entered with 1:20 left in the first quarter last night, replacing Ray Allen. Roster depth Tony Allen’s situation illustrates how competitive the Celtics’ roster has become. With the late-season addition of veterans Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown, the Celts are deeper than they have been all season. A year that began with some wondering how much help the bench could provide for the big three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, has seen positive developments come from all directions. Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, James Posey and Eddie House have been solid all along. Tony Allen was putting up some of the best numbers of his career. Rookie Glenn Davis has proven to be a nice addition and fellow forward Leon Powe has shown he can help, too. With Cassell and Brown, no one is worrying about depth any more. Disappointment for Rivers Rivers had a disappointing day Sunday. He went to see his son, Jeremiah, play for Georgetown in the NCAA Tournament. The Hoyas were upset by Davidson. “It was tough because you can’t do anything about it,” he said. “It’s what parents go through watching their kids and their teams lose. I was just happy I was there.” Garnett player of week Garnett has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. He averaged 20.5 points, 11 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot as the Celts went 3-1, all on the road. He had three double-doubles. It is the 17th time in his career Garnett has won the weekly honor, the second time this season. Hill still sidelined Providence College grad Herbert Hill remains with the 76ers, but has yet to get in a game. Hill is out with a torn meniscus in his left knee. After being drafted by Utah in the second round and traded to Philadelphia, Hill played in both the Las Vegas and Denver summer leagues. Seats for Soldiers The Celtics hosted 300 members of the United States Armed Services and their families last night, part of the first-ever Seats for Soldiers program. The tickets to the sold-out game were donated by Celtics season-ticket holders.
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