News 3/28

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083407&format=text

Shot at big turnaround

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Friday, March 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Herald file
The Celtics [team stats] are on the verge of even more franchise history, with an NBA mark just around the corner.

A victory against New Orleans tonight would give the Celts their 57th triumph, a 33-win improvement from last season’s 24-58 dive. That would better the turnaround of the 1979-80 C’s, who went from 29 wins the previous year to 61 after acquiring a certain L. Bird.

In addition, the Celtics need just five wins in their last 11 games to break the NBA-record 36-game improvement of the 1997-98 Spurs.

“It’s nice,” coach Doc Rivers said, “but, again, all that gives us is something to talk about. Hopefully by the end of it, we’ll be able to say more about what we’ve done than just this.”

It’s interesting to note that the 1979-80 Celts lost in the Eastern Conference finals (4-1 to Philadelphia), and the 1997-98 Spurs fell in the West semis (4-1 to Utah).

And as was the case with San Antonio resting so-called “injured” players to get a better chance at Tim Duncan in ’97, Rivers doesn’t consider last year’s Celts as bad as their record was.

“We had a lot of injuries,” he said. “And people forget that before the injuries we had won five in a row . . . Then that next game is when all those injuries started happening. I don’t ever forget that.

“But having said that, almost none of those guys are here, so it’s pretty much a completely different team. But I’ve always thought we were far better than what we were last year.”

And just to show that turnarounds are relative, the second biggest jump in Celtics history came when Rick Pitino’s first team won 36 games after the franchise ebb 15-win season in 1996-97.

A win tonight would also give the Celts a victory against every team in the league this season.

“I was watching ‘SportsCenter’ and one of the guys said that, and I said, ‘Oh, wow, that’s cool,’ ” Rivers said.

Rondo shouldn’t sit long

Rajon Rondo [stats] didn’t practice yesterday, but he doesn’t expect his hamstring injury to keep him out tonight.

“He did something with his hamstring (Wednesday) night (against the Suns), and we didn’t want to take a chance,” Rivers said. “I don’t think it’s anything bad. He should be fine by (tonight), but if he’s not, we’ll just go with someone else.”

Rondo said he just wanted to get some rest and treatment to be ready for Hornets star Chris Paul.

“I’ve got to bring my game and make him play some defense,” he said.

Rivers agreed, saying of the 22-year-old Paul, “He’s special. What he’s doing right now is really impressive for a point guard as young as he is. He’s clearly dominating the league with his play, but it’s not about him. That’s what makes him so good. It’s team play. He’s dominating the game with team play. He’s making plays for his teammates as much as he’s making them for himself.” . . .

A limited number of Celtics playoff tickets will go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. They will be sold in strips of 16 for all possible home games. Prices starts at $840 for the 16-game package.

A maximum of two playoff strips per order can be purchased by calling 866-4CELTIX. For more information, visit www.celtics.com.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083406&format=text

Pierce on plate for Great 8

By Herald staff | Friday, March 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Herald file
The online ballot boxes were bursting at the seams this week as the Herald’s Greatest Celtic of All Time poll was knocked down to a Great Eight that could serve as an NBA All-Star team for the ages.

Paul Pierce [stats], a No. 3 seed, pulled off the only upset of the Sweet 16, garnering nearly three-quarters of the votes in his Grousbeck Bracket showdown with second-seeded Bill Sharman.

John Havlicek, that bracket’s top seed, cruised past Kevin Garnett in the other semifinal.

The other brackets followed form with all of the higher seeds defeating their lower-seeded opponents.

In the Auerbach Bracket, Bill Russell rolled over KC Jones and Robert Parish defeated Tiny Archibald.

In the Walter Brown Bracket, Larry Bird advanced past Frank Ramsey, and Dave Cowens knocked off Sam Jones.

Finally, in the Gaston Family Bracket, top-seeded Bob Cousy dribbled past Dennis Johnson, and Kevin McHale eliminated Tommy Heinsohn.

So with four matchups remaining, we are asking readers to vote on the next round to whittle this Great Eight down to a Final Four. Visit www.bostonherald.com and vote this week. Results will be announced in next Friday’s Herald.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/28/paul_has_hornets_buzzing?mode=PF

Paul has Hornets buzzing
He gets a big assist for leading New Orleans
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | March 28, 2008

New Orleans point guard Chris Paul has a welcoming smile, boyish looks, and an engaging personality. He is currently starring in a commercial inviting tourists to come to New Orleans in the post-Hurricane Katrina era. At 6 feet, 175 pounds, he isn't physically imposing to the average person, let alone an NBA player.

But looks can be deceiving in this fiery MVP candidate's place.

"Off the floor he's nice, mild, and polite," said the Celtics' P.J. Brown, who played with the Hornets during Paul's rookie season. "But when he gets in between the lines, he's a whole different person. He comes out there and tries to take your heart. People around the league recognize that now.

"He's a winner."

Paul is the leader of a Hornets team that owns the Western Conference's best record at 49-21, and a five-game winning streak. Although he has some talented teammates in forward David West, center Tyson Chandler, sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic, and reserve swingman Bonzi Wells, the spotlight shines brightest on Paul.

Paul is averaging 21.6 points and 3.9 rebounds, and NBA bests of 11.4 assists and 2.71 steals. Paul, selected to the All-Star team this season, was the West Player of the Week from March 17-23, becoming only the third Hornet to win the award twice in one season, joining Larry Johnson and Glen Rice.

"Chris is having an MVP season, so it is no surprise for him to be recognized for his outstanding efforts," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "He's been the catalyst for what we've accomplished not only in the last week, but for the entire season to this point."

Paul's name is being mentioned for MVP with Boston's Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, Cleveland's LeBron James, the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Orlando's Dwight Howard, Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, and Houston's Tracy McGrady. The success of the Hornets, the biggest surprise in the NBA season, helps Paul's candidacy. Hornets fans chant "CP3 . . . MVP" at the now sold-out games at New Orleans Arena.

Paul, however, expresses a humble point of view when MVP talk arises.

"To tell you the truth, I really don't think about it," he said. "It's an honor to be mentioned among those guys. Part of the reason is we're winning and we're having a good season, so we have to continue to do that."

Paul was in foul trouble during the Hornets' 113-106 victory over the visiting Celtics last Saturday, but he finished with 19 points and seven assists. Celtics coach Doc Rivers views Paul as a true point guard reminiscent of Isiah Thomas.

"He's in the line with Kevin, LeBron, and Kobe," said Rivers, about Paul being an MVP candidate. "He's a terrific player. But what I think sets him apart or sets him with that group is he's a terrific competitor and a terrific leader.

"He's closest to Isiah that I've seen and in demeanor, as well. He's a little ornery guy and that's what you loved in Isiah. I don't like [comparing], but they are very similar in how they play."

The Hornets haven't been to the playoffs since 2004. Paul has yet to make a postseason appearance and the Hornets don't have the playoff experience that most of the Western Conference contenders have, but he remains confident.

"Every game we go out I feel like we're supposed to win," he said. "Twenty-one losses are too many, if you ask me, and that's the way it's always been. I feel like every night when we go out, if we do what we're supposed to, we're supposed to win.

"[Teams] may [respect us]. They may not. It really doesn't matter. In this league, it doesn't matter who you play on any given night. We're all professionals. You never know who's going to win."

Celtics guard Rajon Rondo rode an exercise bicycle during yesterday's practice because of a right hamstring injury he suffered in the third quarter of Wednesday's win against Phoenix. "I'm playing [against New Orleans] for sure," he said . . . West is averaging 20.3 points and 9.1 rebounds and scored 37 against the Celtics last Saturday. "David West, you forget, is an All-Star. He's a heck of a basketball player," Rivers said . . . The Hornets are the only team the Celtics have not beaten this season . . . The Celtics announced that a limited amount of playoff strips, which start at $840 per seat, go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. The strips include all 16 possible home games, with a maximum two strips per order. For tickets, call 866-4CELTIX.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/28/hornets_thumbnails/

Hornets thumbnails
Email|Print|Single Page| Text size – + March 28, 2008
more stories like thisWhen, where: Tonight, 7:30, at TD Banknorth Garden.
TV, radio: CSN, WEEI (850).
Records: New Orleans is 49-21; Boston is 56-15.
Scoring: Chris Paul 21.6, David West 20.3, Peja Stojakovic 16.1.
Rebounding: Tyson Chandler 12.2, West 9.1, Stojakovic 4.3.
Assists: Paul 11.4, Jannero Pargo 2.4, West 2.3.
Head to head: This is the second of two meetings. The Hornets defeated the Celtics, 113-106, last Saturday.
Miscellany: Paul had 20 assists and one turnover in a 100-99 victory over Cleveland Thursday . . . The Hornets are riding a five-game winning streak . . . West has scored 20 points or more the last four games, which included a season-high 37 against the Celtics.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/green_room/2008/03/mvpierce.html

MVP(ierce)
Email|Link|Comments (2) Posted by Matt Hafele March 27, 2008 12:38 PM
I recently mentioned how Paul Pierce should get some serious consideration for this season’s MVP. I made it a quick bullet point but, through some additional fan comments and KG winning the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award, I decided this needed some more discussion – so here goes.

I know many of the Celtics’ fans that watch game after game agree with me and realize that without Paul Pierce this team wouldn’t be coming up on 60 wins. That’s not to say the same doesn’t go for Garnett, but he gets the respect whereas Pierce doesn’t. The big additions of Ray-Ray and KG have given the media a false sense of reality – KG is the only MVP on the Celtics because last year they had Pierce and they were dreadful.

Throughout the year the MVP talks have focused around LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Chris Paul. I’m not taking anything away from any of those players as they all are worthy candidates, but I think Pierce needs to be included in these discussions. Personally, I don’t see how anybody but King James could win the award based on his Magic Johnson-like stats and the fact that his team couldn’t win a game in the WNBA let alone the NBA without him. Still, it’d be nice if Pierce’s name was brought up when the term ‘MVP’ came rolling around.

I’ve always been a big Pierce guy. He made the Celtics worth watching throughout the forgettable last decade. He led my greatest Celtics’ moment and the greatest comeback in playoff history in the fourth quarter against New Jersey in the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals. He would come on the microphone at The Garden at every home opener and give some words of hope, even though I’m sure even he knew the words wouldn’t materialize into wins. Most importantly, he loves playing for the Celtics.

Player of the Week

Obviously I’m happy for KG, as he was named last week’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The week covered the three games in Texas (San Antonio, Houston and Dallas) and the only loss of the road trip, at New Orleans. KG played great in all four games and I agree somebody from the Celtics deserved the honors after sweeping the dreaded ‘Texas Triangle’. But why not throw Paul into the equation and give Garnett and Pierce a Co-Player of the Week award?

Here’s a breakdown of each player’s stats through the four-game-span.

Garnett averaged 35.5 minutes, 20.5 points on 45% shooting, 11 boards and about 3 assists.
Pierce averaged 39.5 minutes, 23 points on 52% shooting, about 8 boards and 4 assists.

Their stats are pretty much a wash. Anybody who watched these four games knows Pierce and Garnett both played integral parts in each game. They matched numbers throughout the week and I’d have to say it was Pierce who hit more big shots. Again, I’m not saying Garnett should not have won the award, but when is Pierce going to start getting the credit he deserves?

Lack of Recognition

Garnett had an outstanding game against the Suns on Wednesday, but it was Pierce who took a relatively close game and put the final nail in the casket. Pierce has been doing that all season. When he gets hot, he can't miss. Of course the majority of Pierce's hot streak in this game came against the lackadaisical defense of Gordon Giricek, but it was impressive nonetheless. It was mainly Pierce who pushed a manageable 11-point fourth quarter margin (against the league's second highest scoring team) to 20, and put the game out of reach.


Giricek is just one of the many defenders Pierce has left in the dust this season. (Brian Babineau / Getty Images)
Garnett then stepped to the line after the Pierce show and chants of "M-V-P" reigned down from the rafters. All I could think after hearing that was, sure Garnett had a great game, but the most important player on the court that night was Paul Pierce. Even the questions after the game were centered on Garnett and the MVP race. The media has once again flooded to Garnett and left Pierce on the backburner.

As a small sidebar, the Garnett and Pierce after-show has become one of my favorite Celtics' rituals now. Whether it's a win or a rare loss, I always like watching their post-game press conference. They work well together on the court but they work well off it as well. Their banter is always amusing and Pierce usually has a couple of sarcastic comments to throw Garnett's way. I could easily see them in their own reality show someday - something like Rob & Big. Sure they'd have to move in together, but what are friends for? On second thought, that's a little far-fetched, so I'll settle for a Scalabrine and Pollard reality show instead. That would be nothing short of legendary.

Pleading the Case

As important as Garnett is, I think Pierce has made more big plays. Whether it's catching fire and putting close games out of reach, or driving to the hoop to draw the defense and setup somebody else for an easy basket (see the Detroit games), Pierce is always involved in the plays that decide games.

He was always an All Star but it just seems like he keeps getting better every year. I wasn't sure how well he would fit in with both Garnett and Allen but obviously the results (up to this point) have been incredible. I don't doubt that some of his improvement has stemmed from Garnett, but it's still Pierce who is executing to near-perfection.

As commented on by a Green Room fan, Pierce's free-throw shooting is up about ten percentage points from last season. He seems much more confident from the charity stripe this season, especially in late game situations. I've always been fearful of the Celtics down two with Pierce at the line for a pair with little to no time left. Prior to this year he seemed to hit only one of two in those situations, but this season I have all the confidence in the world he'll make both. I think he realizes he now has other players that can make big plays in crunch time, so the responsibility doesn't rest solely on his shoulders. Pierce has never been shy about his skill level but this year he's playing with a newfound confidence.

His defense has been his biggest improvement. Although his own opinion may differ, he has never been a great defender by any stretch of the imagination. This year has been a completely different story. The defense as a whole has made a monumental improvement from last season thanks to Coach Thibodeau and KG. Thibodeau gives the defensive schemes while KG coaches the floor. Regardless of who is responsible for the change, Pierce is an entirely new player on the defensive end.

Paul is averaging his typical 20, 5 and 5 numbers again this season. But, as anybody supporting Garnett in the MVP race would tell you, it's not all about the numbers. Garnett brings all the intangibles and there is no doubt that he has transformed this team, but more often than not it's Pierce taking over a game for the Celtics. Early on I'd say Garnett was the MVP of this team, but Pierce has been putting on a show the last couple of months.

The Final Word

Perhaps it was Garnett himself who said it best during Wednesday night's post-game press conference: "This is my MVP right here," as he pointed to Pierce.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x1880446781?view=print

Celtics have another chance at history
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By Scott Souza/Daily News staff
The MetroWest Daily News
Posted Mar 28, 2008 @ 12:05 AM

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WALTHAM — There's a scene late in the "Godfather" when Michael Corleone turns to his soon-to-be-late brother-in-law Carlo Rizzi and informs him: "Today, I settle all family business."

In one respect, the Celtics will get their chance to make a similar statement tonight.

With a victory over the Hornets (TD Banknorth Garden, 7:30 p.m.), the Celtics will have completed the extraordinary task of beating every team in the NBA at least once this season. It is the type of accomplishment that doesn't have a lot of tangible benefit, but like any looming achievement brings with it a certain amount of motivation.

Not that this Celtic team would admit to that in advance. So, sometimes it's easier to plead ignorance. When it comes to most records, streaks and regular-season honors, the Celtics have gotten good at that on their way to an NBA-best 56-15 mark this campaign.

"I didn't know that until (Wednesday) night," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of the potential 29-team victory tour that visited stop No. 28 with Wednesday's 117-97 late rout of the Suns. "I was watching SportsCenter and one of the guys said that, and I said, 'Oh wow, that's cool.' But other than that, I don't pay attention to that. I guess it will (be significant) someday, but not right now."

"We just try to win as many games as possible, for the most part," said forward James Posey after a spirited shooting session following yesterday's workout in Waltham. "There's an ultimate goal here that we're trying to achieve. You take it one game at a time and we learn from the games that we don't win."

One of those recent games was against the Hornets. Saturday night in New Orleans, the Celtics held the Western Conference leader (49-21) at bay for three quarters before turnovers, cold shooting and some crazy makes by the Hornets turned an 89-83 lead after three into a perfect road trip-busting 113-106 defeat.

The Celtics followed that up with a 95-90 loss to the Sixers Monday, which included a 19-0 Philadelphia run in the fourth quarter, before bouncing back in a big way against the Suns on Wednesday.

"It really doesn't matter whether we played them four months ago (or last week), we still prepare for them the same way," said point guard Rajon Rondo, who declared he would be ready to go tonight after sitting out the fourth quarter Wednesday and yesterday's practice with a sore right hamstring.

"We just didn't take care of the ball. In back-to-back games (against the Sixers two days later) it was the same thing. Last night, we took care of the ball better."

Rondo (23 points, 7 assists) had a big game against a foul-plagued Chris Paul (19 points in 29 minutes) on Saturday. While Rondo deemed the individual rematch as like "every night in the NBA, especially at the point guard position," Rivers lauded the New Orleans MVP candidate.

"He's special, and what he is doing right now in our league is really impressive for a point guard as young as he is," the coach said. "He is clearly dominating the league right now. But it's not about him. That's what makes him so good. It's about team play. He's making plays for his teammates."

One of those teammates is vastly underrated forward David West, who dumped 37 points on the Celtics on Saturday, and hit a game-winning bucket in the final seconds at Cleveland on Wednesday.

"He's the quiet assassin for the most part," fellow Xavier alum Posey said. "He's scoring, he's rebounding. He's a good player. There's a reason he's an All-Star."

Despite the Hornets' balance, talent and largely unexpected success this season, the Celtics know they let one get away in the Big Easy. Six days later, they get a chance for quick redemption.

"You've just got to finish the game," Posey said. "That's what we didn't do down there. We didn't execute, but you've got to give them credit because they executed. They stayed in the game pretty much the whole game, made the final run, and were able to get the win.

"(Tonight) we want to finish the game at a higher level than we did and make sure we're executing and getting the stops at the end."

If they do and get the victory, they will fill the one remaining spot for a notch on their collective regular season gun. Sure, there will be more important battles down the road in the playoffs. But after all, in the first installment of the "Godfather" trilogy, Michael Corleone was just getting warmed up too

[FLCeltsFan]

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

Thursday, March 27 - PracticeRajon Rondo may have put a SportsCenter move on Steve Nash Wednesday night, but he wasn't really allowed to move on Thursday.

Rondo spent Thursday afternoon watching practice from the stationary bike after tweaking his right hamstring at some point during the third quarter against the Phoenix Suns. Rondo called it a "little pull" when he met with reporters Thursday afternoon, and both he and his coach seemed to think that he'd be ready to go against New Orleans Friday night.

"He did something with his hamstring last night so we didn't want to take the chance. He should be fine by tomorrow," Rivers said.

Rondo had issues with the hamstring early in the season and missed the December 30 road game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I just remember pulling up on it and it was hurting me. I just want to get some rest and treatment," Rondo said of Wednesday's injury. "I'm playing tomorrow for sure."

Presuming he plays, Rondo will have another tough matchup tomorrow, playing against Chris Paul, an MVP candidate who is playing some of his best basketball and led the Hornets to a victory over the Celtics Saturday night in New Orleans.

"What he's doing right now in our league is really impressive, for a point guard as young as he is. He's clearly dominating the league with his play right now," Rivers said.

Rondo wouldn't argue with his coach's assessment.

"He's definitely elite. He's consistent every night. He puts on a show," Rondo said. "I've got to bring my game tomorrow and make him play some defense."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_8716060
Shaq may have his legacy, but on this night Celts had the win
By Lynn Worthy, [e-mail]
Article Last Updated: 03/27/2008 11:55:20 AM EDT


BOSTON -- He'll be "Shaq" as long as he continues to play.

No commentators, former coaches, or so-called basketball experts are going to change the lasting image of Shaquille O'Neal as one of the most memorable players of all-time.

Discussions of "The Diesel" at age 36 often veer toward his past injuries, his conditioning, and his downward sloping statistics. People around the game on a regular basis aren't so quick to jump on that bandwagon.

"His legacy is cemented to me," Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said of O'Neal. "He's one of the greatest bigs to play the game. All he can do is add to it. There are certain players who literally change the game, change how you have to guard people, and he was 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 hell he was -- he was too big for me, I just know that."

The Feb. 6 trade from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns has the big man -- check that, at 7-foot-1 321 pounds he's a huge man -- talking about championships and finishing his career on top.

The Suns have won with remarkable regularity during the regular season for the last three seasons, averaging 59 wins a year in that span. They just haven't been able to win a title.

"It gives me another chance especially to go out with a bang. This is a far better team than the one I was on," O'Neal said of coming to Phoenix before smiling and adding. "It keeps my


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winning record intact."
The early speculation about the trade was that the Suns were throwing an oversized anchor on their streamlined jet boat of an offensive juggernaut highlighted by two-time NBA MVP point guard Steve Nash and explosive power forward Amare Stoudemire.

O'Neal has yet to slow down the Suns as they've seen an increase in their offensive production as well as better defensive efficiency.

"It's a big guy that controls the defensive boards, so that means we're going to run more," Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It's a guy that takes away easy shots, which means we're going to get out and run more. It's a guy that we can go to in a crunch inside so our shooting percentages kind of go up.

"But also it's a feeling that the players think that we have a legitimate shot to win a title so everybody is a little peppier a little bit happier with what's happening."

O'Neal still carries the confidence of a man who has earned three NBA Finals MVP awards, one NBA MVP (1999-2000), an Olympic gold medal (1996), the NBA Rookie of the Year award, 14 All-Star selections, and been named to All-NBA team 13 times in 15 seasons.

He also has four NBA championship rings.

O'Neal failed to look like a geriatric patient last night against the NBA's best team, the Boston Celtics.

In the first quarter his presence prompted hesitation and pump fakes from Celtics big men in the paint. Kevin Garnett found himself seated on the bench after he picked up his second foul with 6:15 remaining in the first quarter. Garnett was a victim of O'Neal getting great position in the post, committing the foul as much out of self-defense as anything else.

Offensively, O'Neal scored eight first-quarter points, showing he still has impeccable footwork in the low post by spinning on both Garnett and Kendrick Perkins to score easy baskets.

The difference was palpable on defense when he went to the sideline. Garnett immediately fed Perkins and Leon Powe for dunks and lay-ups. O'Neal finished the night with 16 points, seven rebounds (all defensive rebounds), and one assist.

Of course, one big man can't be expected to make up for all mistakes, particularly against the NBA's best. The Celtics became more aggressive in the second half, forcing turnovers (21 by the Suns), pulling down rebounds, and eventually opening up gaps in the Phoenix defense and running away with the game in the fourth quarter en route to a 117-97 Celtics victory.

O'Neal remains a believer that the Suns can make a run at a championship as presently constituted, saying he has won titles with far less talent than he is playing with in Phoenix (47-24).

"We know we can play with the best of them," O'Neal said. "Teams really haven't beat us yet. We beat ourselves more than anybody else has beaten us. When we do everything right and we get beat, then I'll worry."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080328/SPORTS/803280357
Celtics legend Russell still a winner
March 28, 2008 6:00 AM
SWANSEA — Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell has been nothing but a winner for much of his life. He won back-to-back NCAA championships with the University of San Francisco, as part of a run of 56 straight victories. From there, he won a gold medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. And once he joined the Celtics, he captured 11 championships in his 13 seasons, tying him for the most titles by any one individual in the history of North American professional sports.

And at the Venus de Milo restaurant in Swansea on Thursday night, Russell won over the crowd while waxing nostalgic on his days in the green-and-white and offering lessons he's learned in a life that has been successful at nearly every turn.

Russell was the keynote speaker for the annual Celebrity/Scholarship Dinner to benefit UMass Dartmouth's Center for Marketing Research. The Center is designed to foster relationships between marketing students and the local business community, many of which donated the scholarships being presented at the dinner.

Russell told the 24 students receiving scholarships that they must "carry to each profession a sense of self," something he did during his 13-year playing career.

He recalled a story from back in his playing days in which he was asked in an airport by a number of different gentlemen if he was a basketball player, to which he responded "no" each time. When teammate John Havlicek asked him why kept saying no, Russell's response was, "That's what I do; that's not who I am. If I allowed myself to (just) be a basketball player, I'd be cheating myself, because that would be all that I am."

During the course of his half-hour speech, Russell shared anecdotes about his playing days as well as his early life, and the path he followed to become one of the NBA's greatest players. But Russell, who went to USF on a scholarship, presented his life not as the glorious path of today's athletes, but as a lesson in how hard work and opportunities can make any dream come true.

In addition to sharing stories about his grandfather building the first black school in his father's hometown in Louisiana, Russell also talked about the lessons his father gave him while raising his two sons as a single parent following the death of his mother when Russell was 12.

When the Celtics star signed a lucrative $100,001 contract during his playing career (paying him $1 more than nemesis Wilt Chamberlain was earning), he called his father and told him he could quit his job at a foundry.

"I'm not quitting my job. I gave them 35 of the best years of my life," Charles Russell told his son. "Now, I'm going to give them a few of the bad ones."

Russell talked about how proud he was of the salaries today's NBA players receive, because he and his contemporaries helped initiate the NBA Players' Association in the 1960s, ensuring fair treatment by team owners.

While the legend didn't offer any thoughts on this year's championship-caliber Celtics, he did recount his early days with the Green, when he had a tendency to get the rebound and try to initiate the fast break himself. But then, he looked over his shoulder, and saw Bob Cousy.

"Here's a guy who is the best at what he does, and he can't do it because of the way I'm playing," Russell said. "So from that moment on, when I got a rebound, the first thing I did was look for Cooz. I've got to get the rebound, pass it out, run the lane and know I'm not going to get the shot. Now that requires discipline."

The night honored Russell just as much as it did the scholarship winners. Fall River mayor Robert Correia presented Russell with a key to the city. It's unknown whether or not Correia was aware of the story of when Russell received the key to Marion, Indiana. After he was refused service at his hotel's restaurant later that evening because of the color of his skin, Russell went to the mayor's house, woke him up and returned the key.

New Bedford mayor Scott Lang, a former NBA agent, presented Russell with a replica of the Whaleman's statue that adorns City Hall plaza. State senator Joan Menard and state representative Michael Rodrigues each presented Russell with a citation.

UMass Dartmouth men's basketball coach Brian Baptiste and athletic director Ian Day presented Russell with a photograph of the 1951 New Bedford Textile team, the precursor to today's UMD team. That year, the assistant coach was William Chase, who will forever be connected with basketball lore; he played in the very first basketball game ever organized by the sport's inventor, Dr. James Naismith. In fact, Chase scored the very first basket in the sport's history, and the only one of the first game, as his team won 1-0.

While Russell scored a lot more than just one point in the course of his 13-year career — 14,522 of them, in fact — he left the attendees with one simple thought: It's not about the glory, it's about kindness.

"Some people mistake kindness for weakness, but every act of kindness is an act of strength," he said.

He also told the scholarship recipients that they must set their own standards in life in order to be successful.

"You need to ask, what are the real questions? Unless you know what the real questions are, you have no idea where you can go," Russell said. "It's far more important to pose the questions than it is to fill in the blanks."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/pros/x32502137
Celtics show how the West was won
Boston is 24-5 against the other conference, including 13-1 at home.
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By Jim Fenton
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
Posted Mar 28, 2008 @ 02:09 AM

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BOSTON — As they rolled to a 29-3 start in the opening nine weeks of the season, the Boston Celtics still faced some skeptics.

There were followers of the NBA who pointed out that just 10 of the Celtics’ first 32 games were against teams from the mighty Western Conference, and only four of them were on the road.

Wait until the Celtics get a steady dose of the superior conference, especially away from the TD Banknorth Garden, is what those skeptics cautioned.

Tonight, the Celtics close out the Western Conference portion of their schedule, and instead of being brought back to the pack, they have dominated the conference that has nine teams playing above .600 basketball.

The Celtics, who host the New Orleans Hornets (7:35, TV: Comcast SportsNet; radio: WEEI-850 AM), are 24-5 against the West, including 13-1 at home.

It marks the first time since the 1992-93 season that the Celtics have compiled a winning record against the West. They were 15-11 that season, and the best the Celtics had done since was 15-15 in 2004-05 and 14-14 in 2001-02.

The Celtics are one of just four teams in the East (joining the Detroit Pistons at 20-8, the Cleveland Cavaliers at 17-13 and the Philadelphia 76ers at 15-14) to have a winning mark against the West this season.

The obstacle that was supposed to trip up the Celtics turned out to be no problem at all for the team with the best record in the NBA.

“You don’t differentiate between whether you’re playing the Eastern or Western Conference,” said guard Ray Allen. “We have a game. We know what we’re trying to accomplish. That’s it. There’s a great amount of focus this team has had, more than any team I’ve played on.”

The Celtics won their first 16 games against the West before losing three in a row at Denver, Golden State and Phoenix to open the post-All-Star break road trip last month.

Their only other losses against the West came at home to the Utah Jazz two weeks ago and against New Orleans last Saturday, when the Hornets put together a fourth-quarter rally.

The Celtics have won by an average of 12.8 points in their 13 home victories over Western Conference teams and by 13.5 points while going 11-4 on the road.

The 24 victories over teams from the West surpasses the total from the previous two seasons, when Boston was 8-22 a year ago and 14-16 in 2005-06.

The Celtics’ record against the West is better than any team from that conference has against the weaker East.

The Suns (22-6), Spurs (23-7) and Rockets (22-8) lead the way against the East, and 11 teams from the West have winning records against the East.

A victory over the Hornets tonight would give the Celtics a win over every NBA team this season.

It is a matchup of teams on top of their respective conferences as the Celtics (56-15) lead the Pistons (51-21) while the Hornets (49-21) have a slim lead in the West. Boston’s magic number to clinch the best overall record is five.

One of the reasons for the Celtics’ success against teams from the Western Conference has been the play of Rajon Rondo.

Faced with the task of going against top-flight point guards, Rondo has done a creditable job, which was the case Wednesday against the Suns. Rondo had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists in his matchup with two-time most valuable player Steve Nash, who had 12 points and nine assists.

Rondo did not practice Thursday afternoon due to a slight hamstring pull but should be in the lineup tonight, facing his next challenge.

“Rondo has been showing all year that he can stand up and look pretty much every point guard eye-to-eye that he matches up with,” said Paul Pierce. “You look at the guards he had to match up with in the last week and a half, the Tony Parkers and the Chris Pauls, and, to me, he outplayed those guys.

“He’s a guy still learning the game, in his second year, but he’s fearless and doesn’t care who he plays against, night in and night out. He feels he’s one of the best guards in the league also.”

Rondo will be matched up with Paul, whose name has been tossed into the most valuable player discussion, for the second time in a week.

Last Saturday, Rondo made 10 of 15 shots and had 23 points and seven assists while Paul had 19 points and seven assists.

Playoff tickets on sale:
The Celtics will put a limited number of playoff tickets on sale Monday at 10 a.m.

The strips of tickets will be for all 16 possible postseason games and start at $840 per seat. A maximum of two strips can be purchased by calling 866-4CELTIX. The playoffs start the weekend of April 19-20.

[FLCeltsFan]

forum.connpost.com/celticscentral/2008/03/who_is_the_clutchest_celtic.html#comments
Who is the clutchest Celtic?
82games.com has a 'Clutch Stats' page and seems to be keeping it updated fairly regularly.


I just looked at it and thought I would share some Celtic stats and observations from it.


First of all, I don't completely agree with its very premise - that basic scoring percentages in the final 5 minutes of a game with a team within 5 points of the lead (either ahead or behind) is an accurate way to define clutchness. But it's close enough to get a good idea of who performs well in a close scenario.


As with all statistics, a little 'modular' thinking is required. Every save in baseball is not equal. Neither is every assist in basketball. But they are in the record books. So why not a parameter for clutchness.


I won't debate the premise. But I will share where the Celtics came out.


Number one in points scored (on a 48 minute basis)? Ray Allen.


It justifies my thinking about Ray's clutchness for the Cs. He is the most prolific scorer on the team under the criteria. Ray is 52nd overall at 26.2 points. Kevin Garnett is the next Celtic at 21.1, followed by Paul Pierce at 20.2. Overall, not surprising at all.


Because each of these stars have taken turns trying to win at crunch time, none of the three has dominated the scoring, as they might have, if still starring on other teams. But Ray is slightly ahead, as I thought he might be. Ray has had a knack for coming up big at the ends of games.


Lebron James is hands down number one in the league at 60.7 points (per 48) in crunch time. Kobe is number two at 53.5. Neither one surprises for reasons obvious even to a blind man on Mars.


But here is a surprise...


Guess who is a clutch Celtic foul shooter?


One Mister Rajon Rondo. He is shooting 87% from the foul line in these circumstances. While he hasn't taken a lot, he has made most of those he was asked to. 87% would stand with almost anyone. Johnny Rondo has nerves of steel, and rises to the occasion, it seems.


James Posey has shown to be a clutch foul shooter all year and leads the team is FT accuracy at 88%. While neither Rondo nor Posey take a lot, they have been more than good when they did.


Paul Pierce has quietly upped his foul shooting this season, including crunch time. He is 3rd on the team at 83% in those moments. He seems more focused, and his form even seems more of a crouch this season. He had a recent streak of foul shooting in the low 90s. He once said this season, that he wasn't sure people noticed that he had improved in this category. Paul, they will now know.


Ray Allen is surprisingly 4th with a pedestrian 78%. Ray is 4th in the league overall (.907), but not so much in the last 5 minutes. That was a little surprising. Far behind is Garnett at 68%.


But who hits their shots with the best accuracy in this situation?


The envelope please.....


"And the winner is....Rajon Rondo. It's an upset folks!"


That is correct. in 28 games that fit the parameters, Rondo leads the Celtics with a .444%. He is followed by Ray Allen at .431%. Garnett is next at .410%. Posey is far back at .267%, followed by Pierce at a paltry .250%. Who would have thunk it.


One thing - the low-high range for all the Celtic players mentioned here was from 28 to 34 games and from 81 minutes to 134 minutes, so each had a significant enough amount to time to make comparisons with.


The best clutch 3 point accuracy?


Ray Allen at 33%. Posey was next at .308%. Pierce was next at .182%. Needless to say, unless it was Ray Allen shooting, the Celtics haven't won too many games with 3 point bombing at the end. It also follows Doc's 'take it to the hoop' philosophy, and with those numbers, reinforces his thinking, doesn't it?


Ray Allen actually is 5th in the league with 3 point attempts at 12.1 (per 48 min.). No other Celtic comes close. Pierce is way down at 4.2 (per 48 min.), and who could blame him with a .182% success rate.


Pierce, not surprisingly, leads the Celtics in foul shot attempts at 11.4 in crunch time.


One more surprise stat.


Guess who leads the Celtics in rebounding in clutch situations at the end of games?


We have a multiple clutch stat winner, folks....


Rajon Rondo at 13.9. Yes, he even beats 7 foot board eater, Kevin Garnett, who gets 13.2 boards in those situations.


One final thought - the only Celtic with a positive plus/minus was James Posey at +9. Every other Celtic is a strong minus. That seems to mean that the other teams are uniformly outscoring the Celtics in those situations. With only 15 losses, that would also suggest that teams were mostly closing in on a Celtic lead.


So young and 'never nervous' Rajon Rondo is the top rebounder, top FG%, and 2nd in FT% for each of these stats. While I'm not sure he is who I want taking the last shot or shooting the game winning foul shots for us, when he has been asked to do so, he has responded with great success. He has shown a knack for making big plays all year. Clutch time is no exception. In fact, he has excelled in such moments.


You can take your pick who you want taking the shot in the last few minutes with the game on the line, but for me -


if it's a three pointer - give me Ray.


if it is a drive to get fouled - give me Pierce. He mostly makes those clutch FTs now.


If it is a mid range or drive to score - give me Garnett.


Oh yeah, if you want the rebound - put Rondo in there. He has come up with big rebounds so often, you almost expect him to find his way to the ball against anyone. Remember that rebound he slid in front of Dirk for? He has an uncanny knack for rebounding.


Some surprising numbers, some not so surprising. The plus-minus numbers would indicate that the Cs need a little work in those close, end of game situations. but with a 56-15 record, I guess there isn't too much to be concerned about.


And Rondo is quietly answering all critics with his play as he hones his craft.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/jordan/2008-03-27-notes_N.htm
Versatile Posey carves out role with Celtics

By Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY
Everyone knows what Kevin Garnett means to the Boston Celtics: consistent productivity, defensive presence and spirited leadership.
Likewise, forward Paul Pierce is a priceless piece of the team's reconfigured puzzle. He leads the team in scoring and, on most nights, is the go-to guy in green because he can not only shoot off the dribble, he posts up defenders.

Then there's veteran sharpshooter Ray Allen, up-and-coming point guard Rajon Rondo and improved center Kendrick Perkins.

But who ever talks about James Posey?

"He does so many little things that do not show up on the stats sheet," coach Doc Rivers said of the 6-8 reserve forward who is playing for his fifth NBA team in the last six years. "It's not like when we went after him I knew (how multitalented he was). I wanted him because I knew he was a good defender."

In road victories against the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, Posey scored a combined two points in 58 minutes but also had three steals, five assists, 12 rebounds and only one turnover.

"I thought he was as important a player on the floor as we had," Rivers said. "On top of that, he's the perfect guy to have in an NBA locker room. He gets no credit, but he's been so valuable to our team."

Mountain makes mole hill:

They climbed the championship summit together two seasons ago with the Miami Heat. When push came to shove this week, Pat Riley appeared to stand taller than 7-1 Shaquille O'Neal.

The Phoenix Suns center criticized Riley, also Heat team president, for not taking responsibility for the team's rapid decline, telling The Boston Globe that, "If I ever came into that kind of power, I think I'd be willing to admit if I messed up."

But Riley publicly has fallen on the sword of accountability for personnel decisions, ones he was handcuffed by because of the $20 million salary the team paid O'Neal, who also left on bad terms with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers.

"Ever since I was a little kid, I've been the scapegoat when things went wrong," O'Neal told the newspaper. Riley described Shaq's reaction to reporters as sad. "We sent him to utopia, and we're left here with the carnage."

Carter healed:

At 31, Vince Carter is no longer the invincible human highlight reel he was in his prime. But a recent stretch of big games by the 6-7 swingman, recovered from a November ankle injury, has helped propel the New Jersey Nets into playoff contention.

Carter is averaging 24.9 points, 5.0 assists and 8.0 rebounds the last seven games, entering tonight's contest at the Indiana Pacers. The Nets (31-41) trail the Atlanta Hawks, the No. 8 Eastern Conference seed, by a half-game for the final playoff spot.

Briefly:

Kobe Bryant's next technical foul will cost him a league-mandated one-game suspension. The Los Angeles Lakers guard was teed up for the 14th and 15th times this season in a 29-second span during his team's 108-95 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats this week. The Bobcats have won four of the last five meetings with the Lakers. … During a recent stretch, the Denver Nuggets fired in 663 points, the most during a five-game span since the Chicago Bulls scored 668 in 1990.

Quotable:

"People say you got to go until the wheels fall off. Well, the wheels fell off." —Chris Webber, 35, upon announcing his retirement this week after 15 seasons