News 3/27

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083160&format=text
Green cast Paul on Suns
Pierce, Celtics put brakes on Phoenix

By Mark Murphy | Thursday, March 27, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
When Paul Pierce [stats] took only six shots last Monday, he said he was merely going with the flow of the offense.

The Celtics [team stats] captain also knew that a month ago, after shooting 2-for-13 during the Celtics’ loss in Phoenix, he had just played his worst game of the season.

Say no more. The Suns had no hope of seeing the same Pierce again last night. The Celtics split the season series with a 117-97 win over Phoenix at the Garden, building the national appetite for a potential NBA Finals matchup, and giving Pierce some nationally televised exposure.

But it’s funny how amnesia works.

“I really never think about my last games, truthfully,” said a beaming Pierce. “Once it happens it’s behind me. I’m one of the most confident players in this league. I could miss 100 shots and think the next one is going in.”

His 27-point performance, including an explosive 12-point, 5-for-5 fourth quarter, set everything else in motion against a Suns team that was relegated to one fast-break basket. Phoenix, second in the league in scoring offense with an average of 110.1 points per game, has yet to score 100 points against the Celtics. They averaged 91 points over two games against a Celtics team that leads the league in scoring defense (90.04 ppg).

With Pierce and Kevin Garnett (30 points, 12-19 shooting) taking care of the offensive load last night, and with Rajon Rondo [stats] neutralizing Steve Nash, the Celtics dictated the pace against one of the most uncontrollable forces in the league.

“They are a great team, one through 12,” said Suns center Shaquille O’Neal. “Against a team put together like this you have to do almost everything right, especially in this building.”

Though Phoenix’ new power axis of O’Neal (16 points) and Amare Stoudemire (32 points, 11-for-16) carved out early success in the paint, the Suns’ better-known half - one of the game’s most prolific running games - never reached the fast line.

“Every shootaround (assistant coach Tom Thibodeau) and Doc (Rivers) stress that we have to get back,” Garnett said. “The time we played them down there they got a lot of fast-break points, but that was something we had to change.”

The Celtics’ ball-hawking also paid off. As Suns coach Mike D’Antoni bemoaned, his team was done in by 21 turnovers, with Stoudemire, O’Neal and Raja Bell combining for 13.

The Celtics converted those 21 miscues into 30 points, while also keeping their own mistakes (14) relatively low.

“The thing I was most happy with was that at halftime (Phoenix) was shooting 62 percent, and you could hear the guys saying, ‘We need to do this, and we need to do that,’ and I said ‘We need to do what we’ve done all year,’ ” Rivers said. “We’re making no changes. I was very stern about that. We’re going to play our defense. They did that in the second half, and were great at it.”

Pierce and Garnett took care of the rest with some powerful closing offense.

The C’s, with the help of a four-point play from James Posey and a baseline jumper from Garnett with two seconds left in the quarter, carried an 84-73 edge into the fourth.

Pierce then responded with his big fourth quarter that included two three-point plays and an unstoppable stroke at the expense of everyone who tried to guard him, including Grant Hill, Gordon Giricek and Bell.

Eddie House, who played the entire fourth, locked away the result with back-to-back 3-pointers, the second for a 110-88 lead and essentially the game with 4:36 left.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083161&format=text

Most valuable teammates
Garnett, Pierce prop up each other as NBA’s best

By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Thursday, March 27, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
The national debate regarding the NBA’s most valuable player appears to have settled on the merits of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, though the Garden crowd clearly stated its opinion last night when Kevin Garnett stepped to the foul line.

A loud “MVP” chant erupted as the Celtics [team stats] forward strained to concentrate on his free throws, ultimately hitting both midway through the fourth quarter of a 117-97, nationally televised rout of the Phoenix Suns.

But even as Paul Pierce [stats] erupted for 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, was the crowd missing something? Will these two ultimately pull a Ralph Nader and nullify each other’s MVP chances?

“My MVP is sitting next to me,” said Garnett, who had 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting. “Paul does things that people don’t really see on the stat sheet. Even though he had one of his worst games shooting in Phoenix, he distributed the ball, got guys easy baskets and did the small things that people don’t see to get us back into it. He’s our No. 1 option for a reason, and that’s why he’s our MVP.”

Pierce patted Garnett on the back and said with a smile, “You’re my MVP, too.”

And so the lovefest continued.

“The whole face of Celtics nation turned around when the trade happened with this guy,” Pierce said. “Everyone talks about the MVP and they talk about numbers, but this guy has changed the whole culture around here and I think that says a lot for everything. The mentality, the day-to-day aspect, everything is changed from a year ago.”

Old college try

Though they know each other well through the LSU chain, Glen Davis had never before played against his idol, Shaquille O’Neal. Davis even celebrated the event by ripping a fourth-quarter rebound out of the Suns center’s hands.

“Oh, I knew I was going to get it. There was no doubt,” Davis said. “But this was a thrill to play against one of the most dominant players ever. It’s really something for me. I grew up idolizing Shaq and Kevin Garnett.” . . .

As much as Davis’ rebound energized the Celtics bench, nothing could match Leon Powe’s ability to corral a loose-ball rebound while sitting on the floor, before drawing a foul as he attempted to shoot from his knees.

“I thought the foul on (Kendrick Perkins [stats]) was the worst until they fouled Leon while he was on the floor,” coach Doc Rivers said. . . .

James Posey, who missed Monday’s Garden loss to the Philadelphia 76ers [team stats] to be with his girlfriend when she gave birth to a daughter in Washington, was back in uniform..

“It happened all of a sudden,” Posey said. “We were expecting on Thursday, but then I got the call.”

Hill to climb

Though Rivers had Grant Hill on the roster for four seasons in Orlando, he never had benefit of a fully active player. No one could be happier for the forward’s resurgence this season, however, as a legitimate contributor for Phoenix.

“Not a lot of guys could do what he’s done,” said Rivers, thinking back to Hill’s work to overcome chronic ankle trouble and other physical issues.

Just as Rivers was heavily criticized towards the end of his Orlando tenure, Hill also came under the public gun for his inability to stay on the floor.

“I saw him go to the pool for three hours every day while everyone else was on the floor,” Rivers said. “This all went on while people killed him, but he just kept working out every day like he was going to play every day. He’s a neat guy. I just wish I could have coached him on the floor more.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083166&format=text
Shaq’s impact may run deep

By Steve Bulpett | Thursday, March 27, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
The numbers are fairly staggering. The Suns won 177 games over the last three seasons, yet they have no championships to show for it. No appearances in the NBA Finals, even.

But that doesn’t mean Phoenix wasn’t a terrific team before it got Shaquille O’Neal.

“I agree (the team is better now), but I bristle at the idea when people say we’re better equipped to go deep in the playoffs,” coach Mike D’Antoni said before the Suns’ 117-97 loss to the Celtics [team stats] last night. “Somebody’s got to define ‘deep.’ Is the conference finals two out of three years deep? And we’re getting beat by the eventual champion last year.

“So if the final four is not deep, I don’t know where deep is.”

Deep, to a team as good as the Suns, needs to be the podium with David Stern at the end of the Finals. Deep needs to be a parade in downtown Phoenix.

With O’Neal manning the middle, the Suns can now hold up their defensive end when the playoffs devolve into halfcourt games at the end.

“I think we’ve changed defensively the most,” said Raja Bell. “Amare (Stoudemire) can block shots, but he’s not really a protector of the goal in that he’s big and really imposing physically. And we have that now. We try to utilize that as guards as best we can and make sure that we get people into Shaq and really make them pay.

“I think we’re better equipped, period. Shawn (Marion) was a fantastic defender, but what we lacked was that interior presence.”

And, by any measure, O’Neal is a presence.

“We wouldn’t have done this deal if it wasn’t somebody the magnitude of Shaq,” said D’Antoni. “We feel like we can win it the other way, but now we feel like we have a better chance because we can control other areas of the game. So that’s why you make the deal, not out of desperation.”

The Suns are still getting themselves together on offense, adjusting to running with one fewer player.

“We want to keep it as close to what it was as we can,” said Bell. “We want to run. We want to score in transition. We don’t want to call a play. If we have to, we have new ones we can call now to utilize the big fella.”

According to D’Antoni, “The numbers say fast-break points have been up since Shaq’s here. I don’t think we run as much after made baskets and that stuff, but because our defense is better and we control the boards a little better, I think we can get out and run more.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083180&format=text

Rondo matches up

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Beat | Thursday, March 27, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
Most teams heading in to play the Phoenix Suns have to figure they’re in a deficit situation at the point and, given truth serum, the Celtics [team stats] would prove to be no different.

Going against Steve Nash, one year removed from a two-year reign as NBA MVP, is a tall task against a short man. So when second-year guard Rajon Rondo [stats] played Nash essentially to a statistical standstill last night, it was a harbinger of good things on the scoreboard.

“Rondo has been showing all year that he can stand off with pretty much every point guard eye-to-eye that he matches up with,” said Paul Pierce [stats] after the Celts’ 117-97 victory at the Garden. “You look at all the guards he had to match up with in the last week and a half - the Tony Parkers (San Antonio Spurs) and the Chris Pauls (New Orleans Hornets) - and to me he outplayed those guys. So on any given night you have a guy in Rondo who’s still learning the game, only in his second year, that’s fearless.

“He doesn’t care who he plays against night in and night out. He feels like he’s one of the best guards in the league also.”

Rondo had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists last night, while Nash had 12, two and nine numbers. Add in Eddie House’s two 3-pointers in the last quarter (after being benchbound for all but 46 seconds of the first three periods), and the Celtics won the positional war.

Coach Doc Rivers had gone with Sam Cassell early as Rondo’s backup, but the newest Celtic didn’t get off the pine in the second half. That doesn’t mean the talkative Cassell didn’t contribute. He continued to talk to Rondo.

“I’m in his ear constantly about him being aggressive offensively,” said Cassell, who scored two points and committed a turnover in six minutes. “You play against another top guard in this league, you just can’t let him play one side of the court. You’ve got to make him play both sides of the court, and that’s what he’s been doing.”

Rondo nodded.

“That was my focus. I just wanted to stay aggressive and make Steve play defense. That’s what (Cassell) tells me all the time. Especially when I’m playing against the best point guards, he tells me to attack them, you know, don’t give them a night off because you know they’re going to attack you. He tells me, ‘You know how that feels when the ball’s coming at you full speed.’ ”

Rondo’s attack included a move late in the third quarter that you will only be able to see several hundred times on ESPN this morning. The kid faked the master in the lane and got in clean for a layup while yet another sellout crowd hooted.

“I don’t even know really,” said Rondo when asked to describe the play. “I just did an in-and-out. He went for it.”

Points and assists aside, Rondo was a major part of another key number that went a long way toward deciding the outcome. His speed in getting back on defense helped hold the Suns to a grand total of one fast break bucket. Even minus the easy hoops, Phoenix still shot 55.9 percent, but the Celts made up for that with 17 offensive rebounds (Rondo had two) and 22 second-chance points.

Suns center Shaquille O’Neal quite rightfully pointed out that life would not be so good for Rondo without those three friends of his to hold the opponent’s attention.

But then the Big Tough (but fair) added, “He’s playing well. He’s actually the catalyst of this team. He gets the guys going. He’s doing his job. If guys disrespect him, he’s taking it right at them. Hey, tough guy to guard.”

On a night when Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were combining for 57 points, and Ray Allen also had 14, Rondo’s ability to keep Nash mortal was just what the job description asked of him.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1083194&format=text
NBA sending 4 teams to Europe for another preseason tour

By Associated Press | Thursday, March 27, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP (File)
LONDON - The NBA is coming back to Europe for another preseason tour next season.

The Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets and Washington Wizards will play two games each on the October trip to prepare for the 2008-09 season.

"Our third consecutive year of the NBA Europe Live is another step in our ongoing efforts to bring the excitement of the NBA to our loyal and passionate fans across Europe," NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement.

The Heat and Nets will play each other in London and Paris, while the Hornets and Wizards meet in Berlin and Barcelona, Spain.

"I am looking forward to expanding the game of basketball to these great cities with my teammates," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "Being a part of Team USA Basketball in the Olympics, I know the importance of taking the next step in making the NBA a global sport."

Unlike in previous years, however, the NBA teams will not play local teams on the tour.

The first game between the Heat and Nets will be in Paris at the Bercy arena on Oct. 9. They will meet again on Oct. 12 at the O2 Arena in London. The Hornets and Wizards then play each other on Oct. 14 in Berlin at the O2 World, followed by another game between the two on Oct. 17 at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona.

The trip is less than two months after the Beijing Olympics. London will host the 2012 Games.

"Having played in international competition, I am very aware of the passion of the European fans for the NBA, so it will very special to bring the NBA to both Paris and London," Nets guard Vince Carter said. "I am sure that my teammates will truly enjoy this unique experience."

The NBA is also expected to return to China for another preseason tour next season.

In 2006, the NBA’s first European tour included the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers [team stats], Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs. Last year, the Boston Celtics [team stats], Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors played around the continent.

The Celtics played the Timberwolves at the O2 Arena in London last year in Kevin Garnett’s first game against his former team. He lead the Celtics to a 92-81 win.

A few weeks before the game, the NHL opened its regular season at the O2 Arena. The 2007 Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings split the series in the first regular-season games to be played in Europe.

"The return of the NBA Live Tour to London is a tremendous boost for the capital," Visit London chief executive James Bidwell said. "Last year’s sellout game at the O2 attracted visitors from across the UK and Europe and bolstered London’s reputation as the most prestigious global sporting city in the world."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/27/solar_eclipse?mode=PF

Solar eclipse
Rout by Celtics makes for some good viewing
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | March 27, 2008

A TD Banknorth Garden sellout crowd chanted, "M-V-P, M-V-P," to Kevin Garnett when he was at the free throw line in the fourth quarter last night. After the game, Garnett said teammate Paul Pierce should be the MVP. Together, they submitted a pair of MVP-type performances, combining for 57 points in the Celtics' 117-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Garnett scored a team-high 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the field and 6-of-6 from the line while dishing out six assists in 34 minutes. Pierce scored 27 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field and 9-of-9 from the line in 38 minutes. It was the first time two Celtics scored more than 25 points in the same game since Pierce and Ray Allen each had 26 in a 96-90 victory over Dallas Jan. 31.

"Honestly, I'm trying to block it out to make the free throws, which is kind of sad," said Garnett of the chants. "But my MVP [Pierce] is sitting next to me."

Pierce then tapped Garnett on the back of his head and said, "You're my MVP, too."

Pierce is averaging a team-high 20.1 points along with 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Garnett is averaging 19 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.

Other MVP contenders include Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, New Orleans guard Chris Paul, Cleveland forward LeBron James, Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire, and Orlando forward Dwight Howard. But considering that Garnett is widely considered the main reason Boston went from a 24-win team last season to the one with the NBA's best record this season, Pierce makes a compelling argument that Garnett's candidacy goes beyond statistics.

"The whole face of Celtics Nation turned around when the trade happened with this guy," Pierce said. "Everyone talks about the MVP and they talk about numbers, but this guy has changed the whole culture around here, and I think that says a lot for everything. The mentality, to a day-to-day aspect, everything is changed from a year ago."

The Celtics (56-15) snapped a two-game skid overall and a five- game losing streak to the Suns. Boston is now 13-1 against the mighty Western Conference at home and 25-5 overall. The Celtics' magic number to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs is five.

All five Celtics starters scored at least 13 points. Stoudemire scored a game-high 32, while teammate Boris Diaw added 15 off the bench.

"[The Celtics] are a great team 1 through 12," said Suns center Shaquille O'Neal, who scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. "Against a team put together like this, you almost have to do everything right, especially here in this building. You have to do everything right."

The Suns entered second in the NBA in scoring, averaging 110.1 points per game. The Celtics, meanwhile, had held opponents to NBA lows of 90.4 points and a .419 field goal percentage. The Celtics actually limited the Suns to 85 points in their other meeting this season, in Phoenix Feb. 22, but lost after scoring a season-low 77.

Last night, the Celtics limited the Suns to 13 points below their average, forced them to miss 9 of 13 3-point attempts, and scored 30 points off 21 turnovers. Even with two-time MVP Steve Nash leading the break, the Suns were limited to 2 fast-break points. The Celtics outscored the Suns, 60-40, after being tied at 57 at halftime.

"We just didn't play well," said Suns coach Mike D'Antoni. "I don't know if it us or them, it doesn't really matter to me. I just know that we turned the ball over. Give them credit, they are a good basketball team, but it didn't seem to me that they were doing anything different in the second half than in the first half. We just didn't take care of the ball and didn't play well."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers was impressed by how his team picked up its defense in the second half.

"[The Suns] were shooting 62 percent [in the first half], and you could hear the guys when we walked in [the locker room]: 'We need to do this, we need to do that.' And we said, 'We need to do what we've done all year,' " Rivers said. "We're making no [defensive] changes. And we were very stern; I was very stern about that. That we're not going to make a change; we're going to play our defense. And we didn't do that in the first half.

"And so we went over what they were doing, and we showed if we played our normal defense that we're able be a better team than trying to change. And they did that in the second half and they were all great at it."

With 1:46 remaining, Garnett and Pierce went to the bench during a timeout with the Celtics up, 114-94. Time will tell if either will get strong consideration for MVP. But as all the MVP talk was going on, Garnett made a point to bring up what was more important.

"We're trying to get a ring," he said.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/27/garnett_is_mvp_most_vital_presence?mode=PF
Garnett is MVP: most vital presence
By Bob Ryan, Globe Columnist | March 27, 2008

He's not going to be the MVP. The Garden fans can chant, "M-V-P," when Kevin Garnett goes to the foul line from now till Memorial Day, but they might as well get it into their heads: That one's going to be a Kobe-LeBron knockdown-dragout.

Why don't we just call Kevin Garnett the MVA, as in Most Valuable Acquisition?

"The whole face of Celtics Nation turned around when the trade happened with this guy," declared Paul Pierce after last night's 117-97 dispatch of the Suns. "Everyone talks about the MVP and they talk about numbers, but this guy has changed the whole culture around here, and I think that says a lot for everything. The mentality, to a day-to-day aspect, everything is changed from a year ago."

The fact is the Celtics could increase their 2006-07 victory total by a record number, and it all begins with Kevin Garnett, who graciously made a case for his teammate as the MVP. Pierce had 27 points (closing the deal with 12 in the fourth quarter) as his own magnificent season rolls on, and Ray Allen had another solid evening (14 points and a game-high eight assists), and Rajon Rondo made a statement against two-time MVP Steve Nash, and Kendrick Perkins had a nice 13-10 evening, and those hustling young bigs put on another show (Leon Powe by drawing a shooting foul from his knees and Big Baby Davis by winning a couple of what Johnny Most would have called "muscle tussles" with the Great Shaq himself). It was a great team performance.

But this game was won in the third quarter, and the man who changed the game was Kevin Garnett.

It was 57-all at the break and the Suns had just hit the Celtics with a 14-for-17 second quarter that featured nine made jumpers by five people. And Amare Stoudemire was doing whatever he wanted.

Amare Stoudemire is a fairly amazing player. Just ask Sam Cassell, who in the course of a 15-year NBA career has seen a few players come and go. And Sam Cassell is here to tell you that Amare Stoudemire is something new and different. Really. Sam says he has never seen another young big offering up this particular package of size (6 feet 10 inches), quickness, explosiveness, outside touch, and take-it-to-the-hoop ambidexterity.

"No," Sam said. "N-o-o-o-o-o-o, no!"

One reason the lad went for a 22-point first half was the fact that Garnett spent so much of it as a spectator. Doc Rivers had to pull him after 5:21 when KG picked up his second personal, and Doc was not pleased. "There should be two fouls on Stoudemire," Doc said to referee Sean Corbin.

When the third quarter began, Garnett was back on the floor and he had a rather determined look in his eye. It was apparent that if Mr. Stoudemire had any ideas about matching that first-half point total, he'd have to answer to Garnett.

Kevin Garnett, age 31 with 70 zillion NBA miles on him, played the entire third quarter. Amare Stoudemire, age 25, played all but the final six seconds. Kevin Garnett had 8 points (all on jumpers), 2 assists, and a block. Amare Stoudemire had no points, missed both his shots, and committed four turnovers. The Celtics emerged in front by 11 (84-73) and they never let the Suns get a sniff in the fourth quarter.

It was a virtuoso performance, but Garnett deflected the credit.

"In the second half, they let us play a little bit more," he said. "I was able to deny him the ball a little bit and they went away from him a couple of times when I did that. And I made him play some defense, try to get some fouls on him, make him run a little bit. But it was team defense. I had a lot of help."

That makes it sound far too easy. Garnett was, in fact, isolated on this young terror most of the time. He made Stoudemire work. He made him uncomfortable. He forced him into help. Offensively, he made tough shots. The truth is the game ran through him at both ends of the floor, and so it went from a tie to plus-11. But since the Celtics had lost control of the game in the fourth quarter against both New Orleans and Philadelphia, they had to show us they hadn't forgotten how to finish with style.

"There was nothing to talk about," Garnett said. "Just build the lead so we can sit down."

"I thought Kevin was steady throughout the whole game," said Rivers. "The difference between tonight and the last time we played them was that we just made a concerted effort to pound the ball down low to Kevin. And whether they played zone or man, we just kept saying, 'Throw it down low, throw it down low . . . ' I thought that was very important before the game and it was the point of emphasis, offensively."

Kevin Garnett shot 12 for 19. He made jump hooks out of the low post, he made turnaround jumpers, he made face-up jumpers, and he made one shot I wouldn't even attempt to describe. He played that killer D on Stoudemire and he had six assists. It was a pretty good night's work, an MVA performance, for sure.

P.S. Amare Stoudemire had 10 points in the fourth quarter. Make sure you lock that barn door, kid.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/27/oneal_casts_his_mvp_vote___and_its_a_big_no?mode=PF
O'Neal casts his MVP vote - and it's a big no
By Peter May, Globe Staff | March 27, 2008

This wasn't going to be one of those KG-for-MVP columns - again - but Shaquille O'Neal gave me no choice. There had to be better occasions for Shaq to weigh in on the looming MVP race - and to purposely and emphatically reject the notion that Kevin Garnett might be a worthy candidate. Not after KG schooled the Suns' mighty Amare Stoudemire in the second half of last night's 117-97 laugher, finishing with 30 points, 6 assists, and 2 blocked shots in 34 minutes.

But Shaq being Shaq, well, he isn't going to dodge the issue. So when asked for his thoughts on the MVP race, O'Neal didn't hesitate.

"The Kobester," he said, referencing his old teammate and occasional foil, Kobe Bryant of the Lakers. "He's an assassin, with LeBron [James] coming in right behind. After that, I really haven't been paying attention."

Ah, duh. How about Chris Paul, for instance?

So some brave soul raised the possibility that the guy across the hall in TD Banknorth Garden - no name was needed - might be in the discussion as well. O'Neal shook his head. No way.

"I'm going to have to go with my guy before him," he said, motioning to Stoudemire's locker. "All day, every day."

When O'Neal was done speaking to the media mass, I went over and asked him if I had heard what I thought I heard. Did he really say he'd take Stoudemire over Garnett, especially after Garnett had put a Ziploc bag on Stoudemire in the second half? We know that one of Shaq's missions in Phoenix is to bump up Stoudemire, but this seemed to be a bit far-fetched.

"They've got the same numbers," O'Neal said. "Yeah, I would."

For MVP? This year?

"Yeah."

But Garnett is anchoring the best defensive team in the NBA and has totally transformed the Celtics.

"Garnett doesn't play defense," Shaq said.

After that, what was there to say? What games have you been watching this season? Garnett doesn't play defense?

Garnett is probably not going to win the MVP Award, but it's not because he doesn't play defense. And that's not going to stop the thousands at TD Banknorth Garden from chanting, "M-V-P, M-V-P," when he's at the free throw line. As Paul Pierce noted after last night's game, "The whole face of the Celtics turned around when the trade happened with this guy. Everyone talks about the MVP and they talk about numbers [hello, Shaq], but this guy has changed the whole culture around here, and I think that says a lot for everything."

But here's what's going to doom Garnett's chances. The Celtics play in the East, which means they don't have a tong war every night out. The Western Conference voters will jump all over that. And the Celtics went 7-2 when Garnett was out with an abdominal strain, so, in essence, how valuable can he really be? Never mind that after last night's win, they are 49-13 with him in the lineup and that he has presided over a team-wide transformation, making the Celtics the best defensive team in the league. He's the best player on the team with the best record.

Doesn't that count for something? It usually does.

Garnett, of course, couldn't care less about the MVP than winning his first NBA title, which would surprise no one. Asked about the chants last night, he quickly turned to Pierce and said, "My MVP is sitting next to me." You'll hear no campaigning from him.

And Shaq is right about Kobe. It may simply be his turn. He's generally acknowledged to be the game's best player - or if he isn't, it's LeBron - and he has led the Lakers, improbably, to near the top of the tough Western Conference. And given the Lakers' cushy schedule the rest of the way, they may end up as the No. 1 seed with Bryant leading them. At worst, he's No. 2.

The MVP has long been a subjective vote, but this year it seems to be even more so. Garnett, James, and Dwight Howard represent the three most logical candidates from the East. Bryant and Paul seem to be the leaders from the West. Someone from the Spurs should get some votes, but Spurs watchers will tell you that day in and day out, their go-to guy this season has been Manu Ginobili. What if the Rockets win the West? They could. Where does that put Tracy McGrady?

It's hard to remember such a cloudy MVP picture. Sometimes it's obvious, like when Shaq won in 2000 or when Steve Nash won in Phoenix. Even last year, Dirk Nowitzki was a runaway choice, then pretty much had to put a bag over his head to accept the award after the Mavericks were upset in the first round of the playoffs.

Stoudemire will get some support this year, but he's sort of like the Joe Biden or Chris Dodd in this race. It's pretty hard to see him cracking the top five, Shaq's ringing endorsement notwithstanding. Stoudemire and Garnett may have similar numbers and play similar positions, but that's where the similarity ends in my mind. I'll go with No. 5, all day, every day.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/27/some_moving_thoughts_on_sonics_situation?mode=PF
Some moving thoughts on Sonics situation
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | March 27, 2008

While three NBA team representatives are all for the SuperSonics moving from Seattle to Oklahoma City, the Celtics aren't ready to make a public stand.

New Jersey Nets owner Lewis Katz, Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon, and Los Angeles Lakers vice president Jeanie Buss said in Oklahoma City Tuesday that they would recommend that the league's relocation committee approve the move.

Commissioner David Stern was on hand, too. The Board of Governors will vote April 18 on the proposal.

Managing partner Wyc Grousbeck, the Celtics' representative on the Board of Governors, said via e-mail: "This right now is a matter for the commissioner and the Relocation Committee. They are doing their due diligence and trying to assess the situation as best they can. I have high confidence in their judgment and effort level. They will report to the rest of the team owners in April."

Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine grew up about 40 minutes from Seattle in Enumclaw, Wash. As a youngster, he watched Sonics games on television regularly and skipped school once to attend the annual Green and Gold Scrimmage.

Scalabrine believes the Sonics will depart and eventually an expansion franchise will take their place.

"It would be hard for me to understand this business if I was not in the league," he said. "But since I am in the league, I understand the business. Seattle will have a team again. It's such a big market. It's not an LA, Chicago, or New York. But it's a big enough place to have a team.

"Here's my speculation, which means nothing. [Las] Vegas and Seattle will try to bring two teams in. Those two teams will go to the [Western Conference], and maybe two other teams will get pushed to the East."

Scalabrine recently purchased a home in Enumclaw and plans to move there after retiring.

If an expansion franchise does come to Seattle, he hopes to become a minority partner.


Riley responds
Heat coach Pat Riley responded to Suns center Shaquille O'Neal's criticisms of his former Miami teammates and trainers in yesterday's Globe.

"It's sad that he says those things. We shared so much here together for three years, good and bad, 3 1/2 years," Riley told the Associated Press. "I just think it's sad that he's got to do that."

Riley added he doesn't have "anything but good feelings for Shaq" and didn't take his comments personally. But Riley also said O'Neal shouldn't have blamed the organization for things he was unhappy with.

"When you're 9-40, we're all frustrated," Riley said. "I mean, everybody's at fault - we all were. Everybody was feeling bad, and nobody wants that. [O'Neal] didn't want to be there, he didn't want to play for that kind of situation, 35 years old.

"He wanted to go to a contender and we sent him there. We sent him to Utopia and we're left here with the carnage and I don't know why he's not happy."

O'Neal fired back after the Celtics' 117-97 win over Phoenix last night: "I don't give a [expletive] what Riley is disappointed in. Sue me."


A baby for Posey
James Posey is the proud father of a baby girl, Sai Aleke Posey, born Monday in the Washington area. Posey also has a young son.

"Seven pounds, 12 ounces, 28¼ inches," Posey said proudly. "I had to text it to so many people that I know it by heart now.

"It was sudden for the most part. We were expecting Thursday. You know it's probably going to come early, and that's what it was."

Posey said he was getting ready to come to the Garden for a game against the 76ers Monday when his girlfriend called around 4 p.m. and told him doctors were going to induce labor. Posey called coach Doc Rivers and explained the situation.

"He told me it was the best thing to go," said Posey, who had 6 points and six rebounds against Phoenix.


A standoff
Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (14 points, six assists) and his Suns counterpart, Steve Nash (12 points, nine assists), finished about even. "I just wanted to make Steve play defense on the opposite end," said Rondo. "I made a couple shots early, then I missed a couple, but I went back to it and still made my shots." . . . Stern is scheduled to hold a media teleconference today to discuss which teams will have training camp in Europe next season. The Celtics won't be one of them after having training camp in Rome and London last October . . . A month after its debut, the Celtics and Comcast announced yesterday that Celtics On Demand is the most watched local video on demand in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/27/letting_red_have_his_way?mode=PF
Letting Red have his way
By Kevin Cullen, Globe Columnist | March 27, 2008

So I'm sitting in one of the city's finest establishments, C.F. Donovan's of Savin Hill, enjoying perhaps the greatest shepherd's pie ever prepared, when one Thomas M. Menino passes and pauses just long enough to ask, "Did you hear that some people want to change the name of Causeway Street to Red Auerbach Way?"

No, Mr. Mayor, I had not, but now that you mention it, I think it's a grand idea.

Changing street names, especially in a town like this one, which professes to care deeply about history, is a slippery slope.

But if we really care about history, then we need a street named after the late Arnold Jacob Auerbach.

Before anyone suggested creating a Red Auerbach Way, there was a Red Auerbach way. It produced a series of championships for the Boston Celtics that was unprecedented and, given the nature of free agency and the business that is pro sports today, probably will not be duplicated by any franchise, in any city anytime in the future.

The Patriots win three Super Bowls in four years, and we talk about dynasty. The Red Sox win two World Series in four years, and we talk about dynasty.

But with Red as coach, the Celtics won nine of the 10 NBA titles between 1957 and 1966. That's a dynasty. He was in the front office for seven more championships after that.

Beyond winning, it was the way his teams won. We have enjoyed the recent success of the Red Sox and Patriots especially because of the chemistry that is at the heart of them.

Long before, Red elevated the concept to an art form. Red stressed team over individual accomplishment. He emphasized the substance of defense over the flash of offense. After Bill Russell, the great Celtics center, won his first MVP award in 1958, Red pulled him aside to warn him that he was going to rip him at practice so none of the other players would think he would get preferential treatment.

Last night, as they have almost every game this season, the Celtics started five players who happen to be black. No one bats an eye.

But on the day after Christmas in 1964, Red put out a starting five that consisted of Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, Tom Sanders, Sam Jones, and Willie Naulls. History records that as a great moment in the civil rights movement, especially in a town like Boston, when for the first time an NBA starting lineup was made up of five black men. But Red wasn't looking to make history. Tommy Heinsohn usually started, but he was hurt, so when Red looked down the bench he selected Naulls, not because he was black, but because he was the best forward available.

When it came to race, Red was ahead of his time. He drafted the first black player, Chuck Cooper in 1950, and in 1966 handpicked as his successor Russell, the NBA's first African-American head coach. Red made the issue of race relevant by treating people's race as irrelevant when judging them.

For a guy who emphasized team over individual, Red got the most out of his players because he treated them as individuals. And so what worked for Bob Cousy didn't work for Bill Sharman. What Red said to Big Russ was not what he said to John Havlicek.

The guy was a genius, and how many streets do we have named for geniuses?

There are reasons this might not fly. Some will say we shouldn't be renaming streets rich in history like Causeway. Others will say Red was really a Washington guy, not a Boston guy. And, let's face it, we're talking about renaming the street that runs in front of a building owned by the Bruins for a guy who bled Celtic green.

But there is an overarching reason why Causeway Street should become Red Auerbach Way, and it's the same reasoning that guided Red Auerbach through a tumultuous era that challenged our country, and our city and eventually brought out the best in most of us: It's the right thing to do.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x192151285
Megliola: Garden victory whets appetite for playoffs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Lenny Megliola/Daily News staff
GHS
Posted Mar 26, 2008 @ 11:26 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOSTON — It was a night that got you wishing the next three weeks would fly by so we can get to the playoffs.

The Celtics and Suns went at each other, how to put it, enthusiastically, at the Garden. Both teams have Shaq-size ambitions, of course. It's not impossible for them to meet in the NBA Finals, although there will be plenty of blood spilled first, especially Phoenix blood. Actually, any Western Conference team that gets to the Finals might need aid from the Red Cross. Not that a postseason rat race in the East with the likes of Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Orlando, Washington and even resurrected Philadelphia involved is going to be any picnic.

Anyway, last night's game was a crowd-pleaser, and seemed destined to go down to the last minute or so. Boston outscored Phoenix by 13 in the first quarter; Phoenix returned the favor in the second quarter. But from that 57-57 tie, the Celtics went nuts, and walked off with a 117-97 laugher, ending a two-game losing streak. Not that the little dip had coach Doc Rivers quivering in his boots.

"As a group, we've been pretty good at moving on," he said. This game was a prime example.

Think the Celtics didn't savor this one? When the teams played in Phoenix, the Suns won 85-77, a season-low point total for Boston. The Celtics have now beaten every team in the league except the Hornets. Guess who's at the Garden tomorrow night?

There was no shortage of star power on the parquet. Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Amare Stoudemire. There also wasn't any love lost either. Nash got a technical and lost his cool. Shaq got T'd up for swinging an elbow after being fouled by Rajon Rondo. If the elbow had landed, it would've cracked Rondo's head wide open.

Oh, it was intense. The fans loved it when young LSU product Glen Davis ripped a rebound from the estimable grasp of Shaq, who also honed his game in Baton Rogue.

It was no secret what turned the game around in the second half. "We got back (on defense) and stopped some of their breaks," said Garnett, who finshed with 30 points and heard a chorus of "MVP!" when he went to the foul line in the fourth quarter. And what did KG make of that? "Honestly, I was trying to block it out and make the free throws." He made both.

When pressed a little more on the MVP business, Garnett admitted, "It's not a bad thing." Then he fell back on his usual tune, regarding Paul Pierce. "My MVP is sitting right next to me," said Garnett. That was Pierce. "Paul does things people don't really see on the stat sheet." And when it comes to big buckets - Pierce killed the Suns with 27 points - Garnett said, "He's our number one option for a reason. That's why he's an MVP."

A smiling Pierce came back with, "You're my MVP too," patting Garnett on the head. The captain went on to explain that "the whole face of Celtics Nation turned around when the trade happened with this guy. He's changed the whole culture around here."

Hey, there's a Celtics Nation?

Rondo stacked up nicely against Nash, a future Hall of Famer. Pierce was not surprised. "He's been showing all year that he can stand off with any point guard he matches up with." Pierce felt Rondo outplayed Tony Parker and Chris Paul on the recent trip.

The Celtics have been odds-on favorites to finish with the best record in the league for a while now. Still, they looked at this game, following two straight losses, the last one at home Monday night against Philadelphia, as pretty serious business. Definitely one to take home. A third straight loss might throw Boston off track a bit. The Celtics want to be playing, and beating, good teams this time of year and go into the postseason with some momentum.

But for Phoenix the game was even more important, since they're one of seven teams in the Western Conference with at least 45 wins. In the East, that only applies to three teams.

"We just weren't really good enough (last night)," Nash concluded. He admired how the Celtics scrambled for loose balls. "You gotta give them credit. They hustled and outworked us in some instances."

O'Neal chimed in with the Celtics being "a great team 1 through 12. Against a team put together like this, you have to do almost everything right, especially in this building."

A building with the Hornets in it tomorrow night. It just gets better and better.

[FLCeltsFan]

aol.nba.com/celtics/news/blog/post-ups.html

Postgame Wrap Up
Recap | Box Score | Highlights

There's been quite a debate over who deserves the NBA's MVP award going on in the national basketball media, but tonight, the debate took center stage at the nightly Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett press conference/love in/comedy show. When KG was asked by an intrepid reporter if he heard the MVP chants when he was at the line in the fourth quarter, he told the media, "Honestly, I'm trying to block it out and make my free throws." He then said that his MVP was "sitting right next to me," begging the obvious follow-up from Celtics.com:

Kevin, why is Paul Pierce your MVP?

"Because Paul does things that people really don't see on the stat sheet. Even though he did have probably one of his worst games shooting in Phoenix [on February 22], he distributed the ball, got guys easy baskets. We were in that game, we were down early and he was doing small things to get us back into it that you don't necessarily see," Garnett said. "When it's time to take the game over, [having] him with the ball, everybody on my team feels confident in that. Everybody can't do that. Obviously we've got three people that you can go to to pretty much secure a basket, but this is the number one guy for a reason, and that's why he's my MVP."

To which Paul Pierce responded, rubbing KG's bald head like an older brother, "You're my MVP too..."

Pierce then got serious.

"You've got to understand where I came from with this ballclub. For a team who's on pace to win as many games as we've won, I couldn't have imagined it. The whole face of the Celtics Nation turned around with the trade for this guy," Pierce said. "Everybody talks about the MVP and they talk about numbers, you know, this guy's changed the whole culture around here, and I think that says a lot for everything. The mentality, from a day-to-day aspect, everything has changed from a year ago."

Just as you're wondering if somebody's gonna cry, KG interjected.

"We changed it," Garnett chimed in. "We. We. He can talk all that [expletive] he wants, we changed it. Have a good night."

There's your answer. Isn't "why?" a great question?

Check the Audio Archive for the full KG/Pierce heart-to-heart and Doc Rivers' presser, as well a quick Kendrick Perkins interview, where he talks about keeping his emotions in check on the court.

Live from Courtside

117-97 Celtics, FINAL: KG and Pierce were named co-players of the game in the arena, but we'll give the nod to The Truth as Celtics.com Player of the Game for rebounding from his rough outing on Monday.

112-92 Celtics, 2:58/4th: The M-V-P chants are back for Kevin Garnett (30 points, three rebounds, six assists) and it's Gino time. Then again, the starters came out after the timeout...

102-83 Celtics, 6:33/4th: Paul Pierce (27 points) is coming alive and is making a run for the Celtics.com Player of the Game Award. He's dropped 12 points in the first five minutes of the quarter and just found KG for a 20 footer to force the Suns to call for timeout, down 19. The Celtics have outscored Phoenix 18-9 to start the period.

84-73 Celtics, End of 3rd: KG is fired up, and the Celtics seem to be taking control of this game. Perkins (13 and 10) is quietly having a strong game in the paint, and if his timing under the basket improved, he'd be having an even bigger night. Stoudemire did not score in the third quarter despite playing the entire period. Meanwhile, Ray Allen has played all but three minutes of the game and has seven assists to show for it.

79-69 Celtics, 2:46/3rd: Rondo just put the ooh-ahh on Steve Nash with a nasty shoulder-shimmy fake that probably broke Nash's ankles. Then again, nobody's ever accused Nash of being a First-Team All Defense nominee.

71-67 Celtics, 5:44/3rd: Rajon Rondo is attacking the hoop early in the third quarter, scoring six of his 12 points, and he's got five boards and five dimes to go with it. The pace is picking up, and while the C's don't want to get caught in an up-and-down game with the Suns, they won't turn down high percentage shots either.

57-57, Halftime: This game is getting physical as the half closes. KG took a stiff shot from Amare on a loose ball (that drew a very late whistle only after Garnett hit the deck hard), and then James Posey gave Steve Nash an extra bump on his at-the-whistle full court heave, and both guys were exchanging words over their shoulders as they walked off the floor. Shaq, Posey's teammate in Miami, also had some words for Posey. It should be an interesting second half.

44-43 Celtics, 3:47/2nd: Stoudemire is having himself a night. He's got 18 points, and Garnett and Perkins each have two fouls. He could be on the way to a huge night. 12 of his 18 points have come at the rim. But the big news is Leon Powe just baited Shaq into his third foul, forcing him to take a seat for the rest of the half.

33-20 Celtics, End of First: Well, for everyone wondering why Pierce only took six shots on Monday, The Truth has a game-high 11 points on seven shots (4/7). Stoudemire has 10 for the Suns. KG sat down early with eight points thanks to his two fouls.

Shaq may be hitting the boards more now that he's with the Suns, but Phoenix got crushed on the glass in the first quarter, 15-6.

31-18 Celtics, 56 seconds: Leon Powe just got fouled while shooting a one-handed scoop shot - FROM HIS KNEES. He hit one of the two free throws. That was unique.

15-8 Celtics, 6:19/1st: The Celtics, not the Suns, look like the up-tempo team tonight. But KG just picked up his second foul, one of the ticky-tack nature, while guarding Shaq. "That's the same call. There should be two on Stoudemire!" said Rivers from the sideline.

We'd give you more stats but Jay Wessel, the Celtics' tech guru, is working like crazy to fix the courtside stats feed, which went down just before tip-off. According to the jumbotron, though, Ray Allen has three assists.

Pregame Report
Here's a quick update: All 13 guys are healthy and ready to go tonight.

We caught up with Mike D'Antoni and Doc Rivers before tonight's game, as well as Brian Scalabrine for some insight on a Rivers feature I'm working on for the Playoffs edition of Parquet Magazine. Anyway, you can get the audio from D'Antoni, Rivers and Suns power forward Amare Stoudemire in the Audio Archive, as usual.

[FLCeltsFan]

blogs.metrowestdailynews.com/celtics/?p=1141
Post-deadline from Suns game
Posted on March 27, 2008 by Scott Souza
Filed Under Uncategorized |

BOSTON - So much for sticking with the reserves.

Two days after Doc Rivers played his reserves for longer stretches without Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce or Ray Allen on the floor with them - then stating after the game that he planned to remain with the strategy as he prepared the bench for the playoffs - all bets were off at the Garden tonight as Rivers went after a victory over the Suns like it was the playoffs.

Ray Allen played 45 minutes, Paul Pierce played 38 and Kevin Garnett played a season-average 34 as the Celtics wore down the Suns in a playoff-feel battle on national television.

Perhaps it was the two-game losing streak - or the way the players reacted to not winning a game in nearly a week - that spurred the effort. Maybe it was the three days home - and the first real practice in more than three weeks - that convinced Rivers it wasn’t time to put the reins on just yet.

It makes perfect sense to do some of the mixing and matching of combinations Rivers did with the lineup on Monday as the Celtics near the playoffs over the next couple of weeks. It just didn’t seem like it was time yet against the Sixers, it evidently wasn’t the time tonight against the Suns, and one would guess it won’t be the time on Friday against the Hornets as the Celtics try to beat the only team they have yet to this season.

Starting Sunday against the Heat? All bets are off. …

There could be no arguing that Garnett (30 points) and Pierce (27) were the Co-Players of the Game in the victory. But don’t overlook the contributions up and down the lineup to one of the more rewarding triumphs of the year.

Though he only had 14 points, Ray Allen’s facilitating continues its resurgence with eight more assists after five in the first half against the Sixers on Monday. Kendrick Perkins had a big first half and played the entire first quarter while putting up a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) against Shaquille O’Neal. Then there was the play of James Posey and Eddie House in the fourth quarter as the Celtics pulled away. …

By the way, as many critics as there are of the tactic, score one for the small lineup. When the Celtics began to put distance between themselves and the Suns early in the fourth quarter, Glen Davis was the center in a lineup with Pierce, Allen, Posey and House. Even when Garnett returned, it was still a relatively small lineup (with Garnett at center and Posey at power forward) that turned out the lights. …

How many would have guessed before the game that Rajon Rondo would have been the point guard the entire fourth quarter? OK, how many would have guessed Sam Cassell? So who would have thought Eddie House?

Didn’t think anyone got that right ahead of time.

Rivers has used House in the role this season when he feels he needs to open the floor for Garnett or Pierce to drive to the basket - defenses, he contends, still sag on Rondo and clog the lane. Can’t argue with the results this time. …

Lot of fun moments tonight witnessed from Section 21, but the play of the game still had to be Leon Powe drawing a shooting foul from his knees in the first half. A standing overation much deserved.

[FLCeltsFan]

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/paul_forrester/03/26/green/index.html
Former dunk champ Green, 22, at career crossroads
Posted: Wednesday March 26, 2008 4:35PM; Updated: Wednesday March 26, 2008 5:31PM

Gerald Green was out of the NBA less than a month after finishing second in this year's dunk contest.

It was only a few short years ago that Gerald Green seemingly had the world by the tail.

Drafted by one of the league's most storied franchises, Green opened the eyes of scouts and coaches alike with a mesmerizing display of athleticism in the NBA's post-draft summer league for the Celtics in 2005. The following year, Green announced his presence on the national stage by winning the dunk contest during All-Star weekend. He also had some productive games for Boston in 2006-07, making him an intriguing acquisition for Minnesota in last summer's Kevin Garnett trade.

But now, less than a month after a second-place finish in another dunk contest, Green is sitting at home in Houston without a contract, his career at a crossroads at age 22.

"Frankly, I've been surprised no one has picked him up to give him a look," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey told SI.com. "Before the KG trade, he was playing pretty well. He can shoot well and he was starting to attack the basket more. I think his defense is probably his biggest area to work on."

So how does a player Celtics coach Doc Rivers -- speaking after the 2005 draft -- saidreminded him of a young Tracy McGrady find himself waived by the Rockets so they could make room to sign Mike Harris?

Surprisingly easily, as a matter of fact.

Easy, of course, was supposed to be Green's game, described in the Boston Globe following his selection in the 2005 draft as filled with "unlimited promise and entertainment value" and by the Boston Herald as having shown "the grace and aerial precision of a Cirque du Soleil performer." With Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson and Delonte West, Green was part of a core "that anyone in the league would kill to have," Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said at the time.

After a rookie season spent learning the fundamentals of team defense, the breadth of an NBA playbook and the speed of the game, Green appeared to be getting a grasp on his talent in 2006-07. In what would have been his sophomore season at Oklahoma State -- he had committed there before bypassing college for what many assumed would be a top-10 selection in the draft -- the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 10.4 points and shot a respectable 37 percent from the three-point line. Green notched double figures in scoring in 14 of the Celtics' final 25 games. The numbers were, indeed, McGrady-like, when comparing both players in their second years.

"But when Kevin Garnett is calling, things get crazy," said Green's agent, Byron Irvin. The availability of the 2004 MVP prompted Boston to shift into win-now mode, and the Celtics sent the still-developing Green to the rebuilding Timberwolves as part of a package that included Jefferson and Ryan Gomes. The trade left Green to compete with 2005 first-round pick Rashad McCants and 2007 first-rounder Corey Brewer, among others, for minutes.

"When Gerald went to Minnesota, they had so many young guys just like him -- 'potential guys' -- that they had to make a decision about the guys they had invested time in," Irvin said. "Minnesota didn't care about Gerald the same way Boston did because they hadn't put two years into him. The Timberwolves had already invested that kind of time into the likes of Rashad McCants."

Green played a total of 80 minutes during Minnesota's 3-20 start. Combined with the team's decision not to pick up his contract option for next season, the lack of playing time sent Green a clear signal.

"When you don't pick up a young kid's option ... and then when you don't play him that much ... he was thinking he's not part of their future," Irvin said. "He became more and more frustrated."

Green also appeared more and more disinterested. In a game at the Target Center against the Lakers in early December, Green spent much of a first-half timeout chatting with an injured Theo Ratliff instead of sticking his nose into a team huddle. Inserted into the game a few minutes later, Green had the ball knocked away on his first touch, a turnover that led to a breakaway dunk for Kobe Bryant.

Though injuries opened up playing time for Green, Irvin asked the Timberwolves for a trade in January. Minnesota vice president Kevin McHale complied with the request at the Feb. 21 trade deadline, dealing Green to Houston for Kirk Snyder, a 2010 second-round pick and cash.

"He was probably just the farthest away from readiness to play in NBA games," McHale told the St. Paul Pioneer Press in explaining the trade. (McHale declined to comment for this story.)

Green called the move to his hometown team "a dream come true," but his stay lasted less than three weeks. With emerging rookie Carl Landry suffering from a knee injury after Yao Ming already was lost to foot surgery, the Rockets needed more rebounding in the midst of what would become a 22-game winning streak. They signed Harris, a rookie forward from Rice, and released Green on March 8.

"We started out after the deadline with only five healthy bigs, and then two of them went down, so I really had no choice but to add one," Morey said. "Gerald was the only player we had who didn't have future money or was in the rotation, so unfortunately, he got caught up in a numbers-roster deal. We have a good coaching staff for young players, a good player development staff; they were all sort of disappointed in me that we had to make a move in that direction."

Green hasn't spoken with the media since leaving the Rockets. He has spent the ensuing weeks sorting out how a career that began so brightly has fizzled so quickly.

"Look, was he immature in some situations? Of course. He came out of high school; what would anyone expect?" Irvin said. "But he's a good kid. I think [this] has humbled him, and now he realizes he has to fight. But to discount anything he did [in Boston] because he was on bad teams, well, half of the league is filled with bad teams. Are we going to discount everyone's season on a bad team?"

Irvin said at least a half dozen teams have shown interest in Green, an indication that as easily as the business of pro basketball can seemingly crush your dreams, it can just as easily open its doors to you if your legs are spry and your shooting stroke is true.

At least Gerald Green hopes so.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.eagletribune.com/pusports/local_story_087060705.html?keyword=secondarystory
Sorry Shaq, Boston's back on track


On Basketball

Matt Langone


BOSTON — The Boston Celtics believe the Shaquille O'Neal project is moving in the right direction.

That might be questionable considering how the C's manhandled O'Neal and the Phoenix Suns last night, 117-97, in front of an ecstatic sellout crowd of 18,624 at TD Banknorth Garden in a possible NBA final preview.

That final reference could be said any time the Celtics play a Western Conference playoff opponent.

However, Boston point guard Sam Cassell said last night's blowout had more to do with a hungry Celtics squad than any Phoenix struggles.

"I think the Suns are actually playing really well, we were just a desperate team," said Cassell, whose Celtics had lost the previous two games. "You can really see what Shaq is bringing them. It's a dominance that they didn't have."

The Suns (47-24), who have now lost two straight, have still won seven of their last nine and do appear to be clicking much better now than prior to making the O'Neal-Shawn Marion trade in early February.

The 7-foot-1, 321-pound center had averaged 15.2 points per game and close to 11 rebounds in his five games prior to last night. He added a bruising 16-point, seven-rebound performance against the Celtics in just 28 minutes. At times he was vintage Shaq, muscling in put-backs with two or three guys draped all over him.

"Shaq is still a Hall of Famer so you have to come prepared," said center Kendrick Perkins, who more than held his own with the Big Cactus, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds. "He's a tough cover and he's re-energized right now and playing well."

O'Neal felt that Phoenix was able to do what it wanted to do on offense, but was plagued by too many mistakes.

"I don't think the (Celtics) really took us out of our rhythm," said O'Neal. "I just think when you're playing a team like the Celtics in their building, you really can't make a lot of mistakes."

The Suns committed 21 turnovers and hit just four 3-pointers, which caused them to fight an uphill battle.

All-Star point guard Steve Nash had an off night with only 12 points and nine assists. That unusually poor stat line for Nash was another reason for Phoenix's struggles. On the flip side, Boston floor general Rajon Rondo was solid with 14 points and six assists on 7 of 12 shooting. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce combined for 57 points.

The Suns battled out of a 13-point deficit after the first quarter to tie the game at 57-57 at the half with O'Neal (10 points, five rebounds) leading the way.

"Shaq gave Phoenix that physicality that they wanted tonight," said Cassell. "He brought them back when they were down. He's a force."

With 11 games left in the regular season, O'Neal will most likely be playing 30-plus minutes a night with the Suns fighting for a playoff spot (they are currently No. 6 in the tightly-packed West). However, Perkins doesn't expect the 36-year-old Shaq to get tired.

"He has the stamina," said Perkins. "I think he is in great shape. He is still powerful and a force to be reckoned with."

In fact, Perkins took it a step further and pointed to the possibility that these two teams may see each other again down the line. Think June.

"I think the Suns are still trying to find their identity," Perkins said. "But once they do, watch out. They're going to be tough in the playoffs."

Matt Langone is an Eagle-Tribune sportswriter.

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Celtics 117, Suns 97

Dandy Duo: Kevin Garnett (30 points) and Paul Pierce (27) combined for 57 points.

Streakbusters: The C's avoided what would have been their second three-game losing streak of the season. That's a far cry from last year when they had a franchise-worst 18-game losing streak.

Technically speaking: Shaquille O'Neal and Steve Nash both picked up technicals.

Not you, Nash: The Garden crowd roared "MVP! MVP!" when Kevin Garnett scored his final points.

Wrong direction: The Suns are 13-10 with Shaq and 33-14 prior to that.

Play of the night: Rajon Rondo nearly broke Steve Nash's ankles with a nasty crossover in the third quarter.

Glass plus: Boston held a huge 17-4 advantage on the offensive boards

Bolster lead: Boston improved to 56-15. Detroit, which has the second best record in the NBA, lost to Toronto to fall to 50-21.

Next up: Boston hosts New Orleans Friday at 7:30 p.m.