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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 27, 2008 8:12:35 GMT -5
www.enterprisenews.com/sports/pros/x131726165The call goes out for KG to be MVP Another MVP-type performance by Kevin Garnett helps the Celtics dispose of the Suns. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jim Fenton ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER Posted Mar 26, 2008 @ 11:54 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — The chants began as he stepped to the foul line midway through the fourth quarter with the Boston Celtics cruising to their 56th victory. Kevin Garnett heard the “MVP, MVP, MVP” roar from the latest capacity crowd at the TD Banknorth Garden Wednesday night as he was putting the finishing touches on another splendid performance. It was a touching display as far as the Boston Celtics forward was concerned, but he had something else on his mind. “Honestly,” said Garnett, “I’m trying to block it out to make the free throws, which is kind of sad.” The message that was delivered during the course of an impressive 117-97 Celtics’ victory over the Phoenix Suns, however, could not be ignored. With a 30-point, six-assist outing against the Suns, Garnett submitted further evidence that he will be front and center in the NBA most valuable player discussion this spring. Garnett was the unquestioned leader through the first half of the season, but a combination of him missing nine games and surges by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Chris Paul have overshadowed him somewhat in recent weeks. With the Celtics owning a 56-15 record and Garnett being the centerpiece, though, he remains a top-notch candidate. “I think, hands down, this guy should have it,” said Paul Pierce, who had 27 points and six rebounds as the Celtics ended a rare two-game losing streak. “You’ve got to understand where I came from a year ago with this ballclub (winning 24 games) to a team that’s on a pace to win (more than 60 games). “I couldn’t have imagined it. The whole face of Celtics Nation turned around when the trade happened with this guy. Everybody talks about the MVP and they talk about numbers. This guy has 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. You talk about MVP, you have to take that into account.” Garnett, who is averaging 19 points and 9.4 rebounds, has turned the Celtics into the best defensive team in the NBA. He cooled off Amare Stoudemire, who scored 22 first-half points, limiting the Suns’ forward to just 10 in the second half when the Celtics went from a 57-57 tie to a 20-point win over one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Garnett wont’ have the offensive numbers to compete with Bryant and James, but he has led the way in all aspects for a team that has improved by 34 victories. “You never know unless you play with him how valuable he is to the team,” said center Kendrick Perkins, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds. “Everything he does, the energy he brings, the scoring, the passing, just the whole mentality he brings to the game, it more than him just putting the ball in the basket. “When he’s on the court, he controls the whole floor. Everything revolves around Kevin. He makes it that way and he does a good job at it.” Garnett hasn’t talked much about individual accomplishments since joining the Celtics last July. He came from a team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, that couldn’t get to the playoffs the past few years and now is on a team that has legitimate title hopes. Garnett tried to downplay talk about him being an MVP candidate, saying Pierce was his choice. When Pierce began talking about Garnett’s candidacy, Garnett tried to silence him. “Aw, man, don’t even start that,” said Garnett. “We’re trying to get a ring.” Coach Doc Rivers knows there are several quality options for voters to look at in the MVP race, but said the Celtics’ win total should tip the scales in Garnett’s favor. “They all deserve it,” said Rivers. “Kobe has deserved it. It might be his time. (But) our record, point-blank (favors Garnett). You look at our record. That’s all you’ve got to say. His emotional leadership to our team every night has been very important.” Garnett had 16 of his points in the second half against the Suns, making 6 of 9 shots after being saddled with two early fouls in the first quarter. He had two steals, blocked two shots and made 12 of 19 shots to give the Celtics a boost they needed to avoid a second three-game losing streak. That is why the “MVP” chants greeted him twice during the fourth quarter as the Celtics were putting the Suns away. “Any time fans show appreciation for anything you do, that’s a good thing,” said Garnett. “At the end of the day, it is what it is. It’s not a bad thing. What I said when I was younger, it’s kind of cool.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 27, 2008 8:14:14 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20080327/NEWS/803270689/1009/SPORTSCelts’ rally blocks out Suns By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com 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. Celtics coach doc rivers, ON STICKING WITH THE TEAM’S DEFENSE BOSTON— After the Phoenix Suns made 14 of 17 shots in the second quarter to pull even at the half last night, some of the Celtics wanted to try something different on defense. Celtics coach Doc Rivers refused. The Celtics own the NBA’s best defense by sticking to the way they do things and he saw no reason to change. “I was very stern about that,” Rivers said. “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.” Rivers showed his team their defensive mistakes on video at the half and the Celtics responded in the second half by breezing to a 117-97 victory at the Garden. “It was a great lesson for us,” Rivers said. The Celtics limited the Suns to 6-of-15 shooting and forced 7 turnovers in the third quarter while building an 84-73 lead. The Celtics forced Phoenix into 21 turnovers in all and scored 30 points off them. For the game, the Celtics limited Steve Nash and the Suns to only one fast-break basket. “Every shoot-round,” Kevin Garnett said, “Thibs (assistant coach Tom Thibodeau), Doc, they stress that we have to get back.” Paul Pierce scored 12 points in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, then penetrated and dished to Garnett for a 20-foot jumper that pushed the lead to 102-83 with 6:33 to go. Ray Allen gave Boston its largest lead, 117-94, in the final minute. The Celtics improved to a league-best 56-15 and lowered their magic number for clinching the Eastern Conference’s top seed to five. With 11 games to play, they lead Detroit, which lost at Toronto last night, by six games. The sellout crowd was abnormally quiet for much of the night, but chanted, “MVP, MVP” while Garnett sank a pair of free throws midway through the fourth quarter to make it 104-86 and again while he hit two more with 3:29 left to make it 112-90. Garnett certainly played like an MVP, making 12 of 19 shots, scoring 30 points — one shy of his season high — and dishing out 6 assists as the Celtics snapped a pair of two-game losing streaks. They had lost two in a row overall and at home. The Celtics had also lost five straight overall to Phoenix and five in a row to the Suns in Boston. Pierce collected 27 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Rajon Rondo played Nash, a two-time MVP winner, about even, contributing 14 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds to Nash’s 12 points, 9 assists and 2 boards. Kendrick Perkins had 13 points and 10 rebounds to help the Celtics dominate the boards, 41-27, and he neutralized Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq had 16 points and 7 boards. Amare Stoudemire paced the Suns with 32 points and 6 rebounds. “They are a great team 1 through 12,” O’Neal said. “Against a team put together like this, you almost have to do everything right, especially here in this building.” The Suns shot 55.9 percent for the game, but just 47 percent for the first, third and fourth quarters. The Suns had won seven in a row before losing back-to-back games to the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, in overtime at Detroit Monday and here last night. Now that the Celtics have blocked out the Suns, they have knocked off every NBA team except one. They can cross the lone holdout, the New Orleans Hornets, off their list tomorrow night when they visit the Garden. The Celtics scored 40 more points last night than they did during an 85-77 loss in Phoenix on Feb. 22. Those 77 points were a season low. Pierce made only 2 of 13 shots that night, but sank 9 of 16 last night. “I never really think about my last games truthfully,” Pierce said. “Once it happens, it’s behind me. I am one of the most confident players and I could miss 100 shots and think the next one is going in.” Leon Powe and Glen Davis took turns trying to guard O’Neal when Perkins came out. Powe pulled off a play most fans had never seen before — heaving up a shot while sitting in the paint and drawing a foul. Early in the fourth, Davis hustled to grab his own misses three times before dishing to Pierce for an open 8-foot jumper that pushed the lead to 91-77. Last night’s game pitted the Celtics, the NBA’s best defensive team, against the Suns, one of the best offensive teams. The Suns made the NBA’s best defensive team look helpless in the second quarter by making 14 of 17 shots for a mind-boggling 82.4 shooting percent. Stoudemire scored 12 points in the quarter to help the Suns outscore the Celtics, 37-24, and pull even at the half, 57-57.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 27, 2008 8:16:06 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20080327/NEWS/803270697/1009/SPORTSKG is the MVP says Doc, Pierce CELTICS NOTES By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com BOSTON— On two separate occasions when Kevin Garnett stepped to the foul line in the fourth quarter last night, the sellout Garden crowd chanted, “MVP, MVP!” Garnett did his best to ignore the fans. “Honestly, I’m trying to block it out to make the free throws, which is kind of sad,” Garnett said. Garnett made all four free throws and scored a team-high 30 points in Boston’s 117-97 victory over Phoenix at the Garden. “My MVP is sitting next to me,” Garnett insisted. Sitting next to Garnett in the postgame interview room was Celtics captain Paul Pierce, who contributed 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter. “He’s our No. 1 option for a reason and that’s why he’s my MVP,” Garnett said. Pierce continued the love-fest by returning the compliment to Garnett, “You’re my MVP too.” Pierce’s argument was quite convincing. “The whole face of the 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.” Celtics coach Doc Rivers disagrees with those who believe the NBA’s MVP award has turned into a two-man race between Kobe Bryant of the Lakers and Chris Paul of the Hornets. “Kevin (Garnett) is the most valuable player to me,” Rivers said. “You can’t take anything away from those (two) guys, you really can’t and especially since I’m playing Chris Paul on Friday.” Rivers thinks Cleveland’s LeBron James and Utah’s Deron Williams also deserve to be mentioned, but he believes Garnett has the best argument for winning the honor. “Just point-blank, our record,” Rivers said of Boston owning the league’s best won-loss mark. “I always thought that’s what you go on. That’s all you have to say: Just look at our record.” Rivers may believe Garnett deserves the honor, but he seems resigned to the fact that Bryant will get it. “Kobe probably should have won it several times and hasn’t,” Rivers said. “It might be his time.” Shaq huge to Rivers Rivers doesn’t care what Shaquille O’Neal does with Phoenix, his four NBA championship rings have already established him as one of the all-time greats. “His legacy is cemented to me,” Rivers said. “He’s one of the greatest bigs to ever play the game. All he can do is add to it. There are certain players who change the game, change the way you have to guard people, and he’s one of those. Michael Jordan was one of those. I thought Magic Johnson was one of those because he was a 7-foot point guard or whatever the heck he was. He was too big for me, I just know that.” Allen still missing Judging by his 3-point shooting since his return from missing three games with a bruised left ankle, Ray Allen may still not be 100 percent healthy. Before making 2 of 4 treys last night, Allen had made only 6 of 24 (25 percent) in his first three games back. He made 12 of 19 treys (63.2 percent) in his last four games prior to the injury and is shooting a team-high 39.5 percent from beyond the arc this season. “Even if he doesn’t make shots,” Rivers said, “he’s a big key because someone’s standing out there guarding him. I have yet to see a team that sagged off of Ray Allen. Ray can go through a game and not have a shot, but he’s a huge part of why we won because he allows us to space the floor.” Shoot-around canceled The Celtics practiced Tuesday for the first time in three weeks, but Rivers canceled the team’s morning shoot-around yesterday. Rivers wants to rest his team because it’s one of the oldest in the league. Last year, the Celtics were the NBA’s second youngest team, averaging 25 years and 204 days on opening day. Following the acquisitions of Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown, both 38, the Celtics became the NBA’s fourth oldest team, averaging 29 years and 5 days. With advanced age, the Celtics also added much more playoff experience, 474 games worth compared to only 140 games from last year’s roster. With Rivers resting his players as much as he can, he refused to blame fatigue for wasting an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in Monday’s home loss to Philadelphia. “We blew a lead,” he said. “I sat our starters down way too long. So just blame me. It’s easier
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 27, 2008 8:31:13 GMT -5
www.patriotledger.com/sports/x235608232Perkins takes giant step vs. Shaq -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mike Fine The Patriot Ledger Posted Mar 27, 2008 @ 02:15 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — At one point, Kendrick Perkins battled his way for position against Shaquille O’Neal, who was making him look like a midget, but Perkins hit a baby hook over the veteran Phoenix Suns center. The next time down court, it was obvious that O’Neal wanted to repay the favor against the Celtics center. He didn’t, missing a short jumper, as Perkins banged and pushed, doing whatever he could to stop him when it was all over, Perkins had more than held his own. He finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and a block. O’Neal finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and no blocks, and his team lost to the Celts, 117-97, at the TD Banknorth Garden. It was just another giant step for Perkins, who this season has kept his cool and improved his game immensely. He missed several tough layups (he was 6-for-9) but he kept his head in it, as he’s done for most of the season. If he can do that against O’Neal, Rivers can send him out against anybody. “Besides Perk’s layup attempts, he was phenomenal tonight,” Rivers said. “I thought Perk played a great game. I told him after the game I was happy for him because last year those layups would’ve done him in. It really would’ve. If he had missed those layups last year, like that, he couldn’t have played on either end. He would’ve fouled, he would’ve just become unraveled. And he just stayed in the game, stayed in the moment. “Clearly he was disappointed. He joked, he said, ‘I was close, I was on the line, I almost lost it.’ So I was really proud of him. That’s a good growing moment for him. You’re going to miss some of those and the bounces aren’t going to go your way, but if you do your job on the other end, you’ve got a chance to win.” “I let it go,” Perkins explained later. “I was mad, but life goes on. I made a lot of mental mistakes, but I kept fighting through it. We got the win, and that’s all that matters. I’m trying. I’m trying not to say too much to the refs. I can’t give up three points because I got techs. I’m learning to control myself.” Besides, Perkins had his hands full with O’Neal. “It feels good because I respect Shaq so much. I was actually hoping he wouldn’t call for the ball. I was kind of worn out. People have been kind of taking him for granted, but he’s still a great player. He has the stamina, I think he is in great shape, his body might be getting a little old, but that’s about it, man. Other than that he still knows the game, he is still powerful, and he is still a force to be reckoned with.” Asked if he would feel the affects of his 26-minute battle with O’Neal in the morning, Perkins said, “I feel it right now.” Taken for granted Almost lost in the Shaquille O’Neal glow in Phoenix is the contributions made by veteran Grant Hill, who’s averaging 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds. It hasn’t been lost on Rivers, who coached the seven-time All-Star in Orlando when he played in only 47 games from 2000-03 and then 21 games in 2005-06 (after Rivers had left) thanks to ankle injuries. “I saw it first hand everyday he went to the pool and worked out for three hours every day while everybody else was on the floor playing basketball,” Rivers said, “and everybody else was killing him for not playing. He could have easily cashed it in because they were paying him a hefty sum. It’s not like he needed to play. “He just kept working every day like he was going to play every day. It was really nice, nice to see, nice for some of the young guys we had in Orlando to actually see what commitment and work ethic and integrity and character and all those things were all about. He’s a neat guy. I wish I could have actually coached him on the floor more.” Alas, Hill scored only four points in this one.” Around the rim Rivers on the MVP race: “Kevin’s (Garnett) the most valuable player to me,” Rivers said. “Listen, you can’t take anything away from those (other candidates), and especially since I’m playing (New Orleans’) Chris Paul on Friday. I think he should get it. They all deserve it. LeBron (James) – I don’t know how you can leave him out of that argument either. Kobe (Bryant) probably should have won it several times.” James Posey returned after a one-game absence (family matters) and played 21 minutes, scoring six points with six rebounds The Celtics finished the season at 24-5 against the West, 13-1 at home. The Suns are 22-6 against the East, 10-3 on the road Rivers was thrilled with the play of Eddie House in the second half after Sam Cassell couldn’t cut it in the first. He thought the team was in “disarray” with Cassell, “because he doesn’t know the plays.” The Suns hit 14 of 17 second-quarter shots The team will be back on the practice court today Rivers says that the win, after two straight fourth-quarter blow-ups, was no big deal. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have been that concerned. They’re a bounce-back team. They always will be, this group.” “It’s a very important win,” said Perkins. “We’re still trying to get homecourt advantage. We still have a ways to go. We’re still trying to improve. We have a big game Friday (New Orleans), and we’ve got to keep that urgency.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 27, 2008 8:37:17 GMT -5
www.projo.com/celtics/content/sp_bkn_celtics27_03-27-08_1R9HG5B_v18.bbe87d.html#Many hands chip in and tip the balance 09:10 AM EDT on Thursday, March 27, 2008 By KEVIN McNAMARA Journal Sports Writer The Suns’ Amare Stoudamire, center, loses the ball between the Celtics’ Kevin Garnett, left, and Paul Pierce last night. AP / Winslow Townson BOSTON — Thoughts of spring flowers, steamy June afternoons and a spot in The Finals were in the air last night at the Garden. It all sounded pretty good to the Boston Celtics. The surging Celts say they’re ready for a sprint to the finish line in the final few weeks of the regular season and they clearly own an eye for the upcoming playoffs. While navigating the Eastern Conference won’t be easy, the Celtics continued their recent mastery of the best in the West with a 117-97 thumping of the Phoenix Suns last night. The Suns came to town with the requisite star power that’s reserved for marquee NBA playoff nights. Steve Nash. Amare Stoudamire. The newly acquired Shaquille O’Neal. Few teams in basketball own luminaries like those. But the Suns could not match up with the Celtics. The East’s top team struggled only in the second quarter and blitzed the Suns the rest of the way for a win that left the visitors impressed. Related links Box score vs. New Orleans Hornets, 7:30 p.m. Friday, at TDBanknorth Garden Your Turn: Which team is best in the West? “Against a team like this in this building you can’t make a lot of mistakes,” said the O’Neal. “We made too many mistakes, too many turnovers (21) against a great team. In this building, you have to do everything right.” The Celtics flashed the balance that’s come to define the team this season. Kevin Garnett, who heard loud chants of “MVP, MVP” ringing in his ears while shooting a pair of fourth-quarter free throws, led the Celts with 30 points. Paul Pierce owned the fourth quarter, swishing jumpers and knifing his way to the basket for 12 of his 27 points. But it was the so-called fringe players who also helped carry the Celtics to their 56th win. All five starters scored in double figures, Rajon Rondo was outstanding and James Posey and Eddie House hit big shots off the bench as the Celts shared the ball smoothly with 27 assists on 45 field goals. Boston let a 33-20 first-quarter lead slip away in the second period as the Suns cranked up their running game and raced to a 57-57 halftime tie. But a recommitment to defense held the Suns to 16 third-quarter points and turned the game in Boston’s favor. “We didn’t change a thing,” Pierce said of the third-quarter defense. “We did things we’ve done all year. We just had to do them a little bit harder.” The Celtics needed a superlative effort to hold the Suns in check. Phoenix owns one of the smoothest-running teams in basketball with Nash (12 points, 9 assists) as the game’s pre-eminent point guard and Stoudamire (32 points, 6 rebounds) a running forward who scores in bunches. Stoudamire poured in 22 first-half points and got Garnett and Kendrick Perkins into foul trouble. But the Celts regrouped. A 73-69 lead grew to 80-69 in a matter of seconds, with Posey canning a corner 3-pointer as Stoudamire slammed into him. His free throw made it a four-point play. Point guard Rajon Rondo then laid a slick dribble crossover on Nash and scooted in for a layup. The third quarter ended with the Celtics up, 84-73, and a heavy one-two dose of Pierce and Garnett knocked the Suns out early in the fourth. Both teams clearly enjoyed the matchup of heavyweights. Before the game, Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said, “Three of the best on one side, a lot of guys on the other. It’s a high-level game. It’s all good.” The Celtics lost at Phoenix last month, 85-77, just after the massive O’Neal was acquired from Miami in a trade for Shawn Marion. The Suns are just 13-10 since the trade as they integrate the big man into their lineup. It’s an adjustment both on and off the court. “We had a little buzz going, anyway, but Shaq only enhanced it. He’s coming along,” said D’Antoni. Can these two teams hook up in June? Will we see the sport’s final show come down to a mid-June battle alternating between spring in Boston and the desert heat? It sure seems possible. The Suns are a good team to ask. They’ll have a fight on their hands out West, but they’ve just seen the best in the East. They lost at Detroit (110-105) Monday night and were knocked around by the Celts last night. Nash rated the Celtics-Pistons “a tossup.” O’Neal agreed. “Different styles. In order to come out of the East they’re going to have to go through each other, no doubt about that.” The Celtics have beaten virtually every major Western power of late. They turned heads with a Texas sweep through San Antonio, Houston and Dallas, and now they’ve thumped the Suns.
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