News 3/29

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083604&format=text

Celtics beat all comers
New Orleans last team to fall victim

By Mark Murphy | Saturday, March 29, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
In a year when records just keep falling, the Celtics [team stats] are rolling with the locked-in purpose of a Tiger Woods putt.

The latest victims are the New Orleans Hornets, who last night became the 29th and final NBA team to lose to the Celtics, dropping a 112-92 decision at TD Banknorth Garden.

The Celtics last beat every team in the league during the 1990-91 season, when there were only 27 in the field instead of 30.

The Celtics also polished off the biggest turnaround in franchise history, their 57 wins marking a 33-victory improvement over last season’s 24-win team. They had been tied with the 1979-80 Larry Bird Celtics.

The NBA record belongs to the 1997-98 Tim Duncan/David Robinson Spurs, who engineered a 36-win turnaround. But based on the way the Celtics closed out New Orleans - the team with the best record in the Western Conference - 36 isn’t an airtight number.

The importance of this depends on whom you ask.

As he has whenever a milestone was passed this season, Doc Rivers shook his head and proclaimed the number irrelevant.

“It’s nice, but I don’t think about it because I can’t right now, if you know what I mean,” the Celtics coach said.

Paul Pierce [stats], however, also lived through that horror of a 24-win season. That team was centuries removed from the one that has just put together back-to-back 20-point wins against Phoenix and New Orleans - two of the best the West has to offer.

“It’s very satisfying. We couldn’t get any lower than we did last year, just as we can’t get any higher now - I can’t speak for the Minnesota situation,” Pierce said of the turnaround, smiling at a nodding Kevin Garnett. “But it’s the greatest feeling.”

That’s especially true considering the competition - a 49-22 Hornets team that frustrated the Celtics greatly by coming back for a 113-106 win in New Orleans on March 22.

But the memory of David West springing for 37 points in that game - he had 14 under special attention from Garnett and Leon Powe last night - was enough to force the action at both ends in the second half last night.

Pierce, who stepped up with a 27-point, nine-assist, six-rebound performance, was once again at his best in the second half, when Garnett (21 points, 13 rebounds) was particularly dominant.

They collectively also knocked the Hornets - who were shooting 50 percent at halftime - down to 44 percent by the end of the game. Not even a 22-point, 10-assist gem from MVP candidate Chris Paul was going to overcome that kind of drop.

“Great - we split 1-1,” Paul said. “I think they are a great team, but we felt this was a team we should have won (against). We felt like it got away from us in the third quarter, but that’s our fault.”

The Celtics played about as well as they could offensively in the third quarter - with a bullish Garnett scoring eight of their first 10 points, and Kendrick Perkins [stats] adding a three-point play for a 69-66 lead - and still it almost wasn’t enough, thanks to back-to-back bombs from Paul and Peja Stojakovic.

But New Orleans finally hit a lull, and the Celtics exploded with a 12-0 run that included six points from a possessed Rajon Rondo [stats] - the biggest a 15-footer over Paul after letting the shot clock run down to two seconds.

The Celtics gratefully carried an 88-75 lead into the fourth.

Just as Eddie House blew a hole in Phoenix’ hull Wednesday with back-to-back 3-pointers, the Celtics guard forced the Hornets to take on serious water with consecutive treys, the latter with 10:07 left in the game for a 96-78 lead.

[FLCeltsFan]

No MVP in Green
Celts too busy to worry about individual honors

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Beats | Saturday, March 29, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
Kevin Garnett shouldn’t be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player this season. Paul Pierce [stats] shouldn’t be MVP, either. And the Celtics [team stats] should want it no other way.

Let the award go to Kobe or LeBron. Let Chris Paul get his just recognition. Their numbers and their performances are certainly worthy of the honor. That’s not to say Garnett and Pierce haven’t been spectacular this year. Their numbers are nice, and both may be even better in defensive areas that have no corresponding stat. There is no easy way to quantify how many times they have denied their opponent his desired position. There is no figure for stepping out to show on a pick-and-roll, thus ruining the foe’s continuity.

But the fact of the matter is Hornets coach Byron Scott was absolutely correct last night when he said Garnett shouldn’t be MVP because he’s got too many good players around him.

Instead of arguing the point, the Celtics should say thank you. That’s just how Danny Ainge planned it. Without each other - and Ray Allen and the rest - Garnett and Pierce would be forced to seek out additional points every night. That would take away from the win total and the energy they would have left for the defensive end of the floor. We know this is fact because they’ve all been there and done that.

So if you want to be totally honest about it, Garnett and Pierce did the most to hurt their own MVP chances the moment they decided that winning a championship is No. 1 on their priority list.

And that there is no No. 2.

Would the Celtics have 57 wins this morning if Garnett, Pierce or Allen were consciously intent on winning an MVP?

“No,” said Doc Rivers. “No, we would not.”

The coach has been offering testimonials for his stars, but he is well aware his statements constitute the lion’s share of MVP discussion within the Celtic walls.

“They don’t care,” said Rivers. “That’s the good part. I think they’d both be happy to take it if someone gave it to them. Having said that, that’s not what they’re playing for - and that’s what makes them so neat.

“If I were making an argument for them, I would say that’s MVP attitude. But, hey, they’ve both been so good they’ll probably cancel each other out anyway.”

That is the Celtic way. It remains a badge of honor that the franchise has never had one of its players lead the league in scoring, a tribute to the concept of team basketball. Yes, four Celtics have taken home a total of 10 MVPs, the last three by Larry Bird in 1984, ’85 and ’86. But Bill Russell had half of them for playing defense. (Bob Cousy and Dave Cowens had the others.)

This situation is different, and it must be taken in context. Garnett, Pierce and Allen already have received numerous individual honors. Garnett, in fact, was the MVP just four years ago. But as has been mentioned here often, the most important stat they share is the zero in the “championships won” category. To that end, the three are critical to the Celtics’ campaign for a 17th banner. But their realization that they cannot do it by themselves has been a large part of earning the best record in the league.

Do the Celts win last night if Rajon Rondo [stats] doesn’t make 8-of-10 shots against Chris Paul? Do they skate away to a 20-point victory if Leon Powe doesn’t continue what Garnett started by getting into David West’s face? And what about Tony Allen sacrificing his already sore back to stop an alley-oop jam by Tyson Chandler?

The point is the Celtics have played in a manner that accepts singular stardom only in small doses. So while it may be fun to chant “MVP, MVP” when Garnett or Pierce goes to the line, it might be even cooler for one night if the chant accompanied every free throw taken by a Celtic.

It’s the points they’ve been trying to make since Rome.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083607&format=text
Garnett, Powe show West how it’s done

By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Saturday, March 29, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
Sometimes Kevin Garnett gets lost in his own intensity.

For instance, he doesn’t remember getting down on all fours, like an attack dog, as David West approached late in the third quarter last night.

“The messed-up thing is that sometimes I do things on the floor that I don’t even remember, and that might have been one of them,” Garnett said after the Celtics [team stats] beat New Orleans last night, 112-92.

Apparently, images of West going for 37 points during the Hornets’ comeback win over the Celtics on March 22 lingered in Garnett’s head.

So he and Leon Powe - the two players sent after West last night - went at each other hard in practice Thursday.

“In my mind, this game started (Thursday) in practice,” Garnett said. “He had 37 in New Orleans, and I took that a little personally.”

For a time, he also took the sight of Powe personally.

“It was pretty intense between me and him,” Powe said. “I was kind of surprised, but (coach Doc Rivers) really let us go at it. Both of us got better on defense because of that.”

Proof of that was evident in West’s frustration down the stretch last night, when his wrestling match with Powe resulted in a pair of offensive fouls - both going against the Hornets forward.

“When West got that one foul he got so upset, and the next time you could tell he was going to take it off the dribble,” Rivers said. “At halftime I had a tiny talk with Leon about his defensive energy. I told him, ‘It’s your defense that will get you a big payday someday.’ It was his toughness more than anything that you saw tonight.”

West finished with 14 points, including just six in the second half.

House of fire

Eddie House buried back-to-back 3-pointers for the second straight game, once again finishing off one of the best teams in the West.

This is precisely what director of basketball operations Danny Ainge had in mind when he signed House last summer.

“You leave him and it’s a mistake, because he’s definitely going to take it,” Rivers said. “The thing I love about Eddie is that he is who he is. He makes those (nail-in-the-coffin) shots as much as anyone I’ve ever seen.”

CP3 for MVP?

The NBA MVP debate wore with another candidate - Chris Paul - in town for his last regular-season appearance against the Celtics.

A biased Byron Scott considered the Hornet point guard’s worthiness beyond question.

“Two reasons,” the Hornets coach said of what justifies Paul’s candidacy. “It’s his numbers and our record. After that I guess it’s LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.”

Mention of Garnett’s name brought an indifferent look to Scott’s face.

“I guess he’s up there,” he said, brushing off the argument that the Celtics have the best record in the league by saying, “He’s got Ray Allen and Paul Pierce [stats] - two guys you could be talking about as Hall of Famers.

“Kobe had Pau Gasol for a while, and Chris has David West and the others, but I think they have more of a cause.”

Rivers continued to beg out of the MVP argument.

“Byron’s a very smart man, but I’m not getting into the whole thing,” the Celtics coach said. “I’m not making an argument for anyone. It’s silly. Right now I’m just thinking about the New Orleans Hornets.”

He’s got moves

When Rajon Rondo [stats] went out for some early shooting last night, the move he made on Steve Nash during Wednesday’s win over the Suns was still the talk of the building.

Actually, make that the league.

“That play he made on Steve Nash might be the best of the season,” Paul said of Rondo’s juking drive that left Nash flat-footed in the lane.cw-0

Indeed, Paul was so impressed that upon spotting Rondo down the other end of the floor, he shouted, “Why did you have to do Nash like that?”

Paul isn’t the only one who has been on Rondo’s case about the move.

“I can’t stop thinking about it because people won’t let me,” Rondo said. “That will stay alive because people won’t let it rest.”

Rondo, who missed Thursday’s practice with hamstring pain, was certain he would play last night.

“I knew I was playing (on Thursday),” he said. “I knew I wasn’t going to miss this game.”

With Paul on tap, Rivers never had any doubt, either.

“I left it up to Eddie (Lacerte),” Rivers said of the Celtics trainer. “I didn’t think it was that bad, and Eddie didn’t think it was that bad.”

With Rondo scoring 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting last night, it seems their appraisal was spot on.

“Actually, it was nice not having Rajon in practice, because it gave Sam (Cassell) that much more time to run with the first unit and learn things,” Rivers said.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083571&format=text
Pierce scores 27 as Celtics roll past Hornets

By Associated Press | Saturday, March 29, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
BOSTON - Kevin Garnett’s odd-looking, on-court message apparently got the point across.

Paul Pierce [stats] scored 27 points, Garnett added 21, and the Boston Celtics [team stats] moved closer to wrapping up the top record overall by avenging last weekend’s loss in New Orleans with a 112-92 win over the Hornets on Friday night.

In the midst of a tight game, Garnett wanted his teammates to pick up the intensity defensively midway into the third quarter, and he showed them when he dropped to his knees with his hands close to the floor while setting up to cover David West at the top of the key. West did drive by for a basket after Garnett squared up defensively, cutting it to 72-68, but the Celtics scored 19 of the next 24 points over the ensuing 5:56 to move ahead 88-73.

"In my mind the matchup started (Thursday) in practice," Garnett said. "(West) scored 37 when we played them in New Orleans. I took that a little personally. In my mind I do a lot of things on the court I can’t remember. I was just trying to be aggressive on defense and be as aggressive as I could."

Eastern-conference leading Boston (57-15) opened its advantage to six games over the idle Detroit Pistons with 10 games left. The Hornets (49-22) had a five-game winning streak halted. With the victory, the Celtics have beaten every team at least once this season for the first time since 1990-91.

"It always starts with our defense, and that’s what we say every game," Pierce said.

New Orleans, which leads a strongly contested Western Conference, beat Boston 113-106 last Saturday night.

"I thought the second half they got real aggressive defensively. They did a great job," Hornets coach Byron Scott said.

Rajon Rondo [stats] added 17 points and Ray Allen had 12.

Rondo certainly followed Garnett’s lead.

"I know KG said this was a statement game for us, and I’m sure he’s right," he said. "He’s been in the game 13 years. I’m still learning the game."

Chris Paul paced the Hornets with 22 points and 10 assists. Peja Stojakovic had 17 points and David West 14.

"We feel like it got away from us in the third quarter, but that’s our fault," Paul said. "You cant take anything away from them. They have a great team, but we feel like we let one get away."

Rondo keyed the decisive spree with consecutive jumpers that ignited a 12-0 run. Boston shot 68 percent in the third, hitting 13 of 19 attempts.

Eddie House nailed back-to-back 3s to push it to 96-78 early in the final quarter. House’s jumper from the left corner pushed Boston’s lead to 20 points with 7:31 to play.

New Orleans, which shot 60 percent in the second quarter, led 60-56 at the half.

Neither team had more than a six-point lead in the opening quarter that ended with Boston leading 30-24 before the Hornets’ bench outplayed the Celtics’ reserves during a 13-4 spree that opened the second quarter.

"I felt coming into the game, you knew Kevin was going to be better defensively," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "That’s what makes him great."

Notes: Rondo started after missing Thursday’s practice with a sore right hamstring. "I don’t feel it at all," he said before the game. He showed it with some spinning and twisting drives during his 8-point opening quarter. ... Scott has three players on his list that he’d consider as the MVP. "When you talk about MVP, it’s three guys," he said, "LeBron (James), Kobe (Bryant) and Chris (Paul)." He was reminded about the night’s opponent Garnett and responded, "He’d be in there, but he’s got Ray Allen and Paul Pierce — two Hall of Famers." ... Rivers wouldn’t get dragged into the topic about Scott omitting Garnett. "I think Byron’s a smart guy, but I’m not getting into that thing. I’ll pass," he said.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/29/celtics_cut_the_hornets_down_to_size?mode=PF
Celtics cut the Hornets down to size
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | March 29, 2008

The entire league has now succumbed to the Celtics.

With last night's 112-92 win over the New Orleans Hornets at TD Banknorth Garden, the Celtics have beaten every team in the NBA.

The Celtics' trimmed their magic number to 4, a combination of Celtics wins and Detroit losses, to clinch the best regular-season record in the Eastern Conference. The last time the Celtics defeated every team in the league was the 1990-91 season; the only other team to do it this season is Utah. Boston (57-15) is 25-5 against the Western Conference overall and 14-1 at home.

Paul Pierce scored 27 points and Kevin Garnett added a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds. Chris Paul had 22 points and 10 assists for New Orleans (49-22), which entered the game with the Western Conference's top record.

The Celtics host the NBA's worst team tomorrow night - Miami - and play their final 10 games against teams that likely - at best - have a chance to finish eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Nationally, the Celtics are considered the Eastern Conference's top team. While the Hornets sit atop the West, they are not considered the top team, primarily because they haven't been to the playoffs since 2004 and are led by point guard Paul, who has yet to play in the postseason.

"I really don't care what people think," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "I'm not paying it any attention."

Said Hornets center Tyson Chandler: "They're probably not [predicting us to make the NBA Finals] just because people are still surprised we are in first place at this point in the season. I don't think we're getting much respect. They think we may not even make it past the first round."

The Celtics shot 63.2 percent in the first quarter en route to a 30-24 lead. Pierce and Rajon Rondo had 8 points apiece. The Hornets shot 39.1 percent and allowed 20 points in the paint.

The Hornets opened the second quarter with a 17-6 run, finalized by a Bonzi Wells putback, to take a 41-36 lead. The Celtics responded with a 7-0 run punctuated by a Ray Allen 3-pointer to take a 43-41 lead with 5:46 left. Peja Stojakovic's 3-pointer gave New Orleans a 60-56 lead with 0.2 seconds left in the half.

The Hornets outscored the Celtics, 36-26, in the second by making 15 of 25 from the floor and nailing three 3-pointers. Paul and Wells had 8 points each to lead New Orleans. Garnett, Pierce, and Stojakovic had 13 points at halftime.

The Celtics scored the first 8 points of the third quarter, 6 from Garnett, to take a 64-60 lead. But back-to-back 3-pointers by Paul and Stojakovic put New Orleans back up, 66-64. The Celtics used a 22-7 run to take an 86-73 lead with 58.6 seconds left in the third. David West went to the bench with 42.5 seconds left in the third after receiving his third foul in the quarter. The Celtics led after three, 88-75.

Two straight Eddie House 3-pointers gave the Celtics an 18-point lead, 96-78, with 10:07 remaining in the fourth quarter. A House jumper gave Boston a 100-80 lead with 7:33 left and the Hornets never challenged after that.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/29/rondo_proves_his_point?mode=PF

Rondo proves his point
By Jackie MacMullan, Globe Columnist | March 29, 2008

Another night, another elite team featuring players with MVP credentials - and another third-quarter smackdown.

Seriously, now. Who can beat the Boston Celtics when they play like this?

Last night's victim was the ballyhooed (and, by the way, quite legitimate) New Orleans Hornets, who came to town with the West's best record and the league's top point guard, Chris Paul.

This was the last team on the league-wide docket your locals had not beaten. Paul is a gifted 22-year-old who certainly demonstrated his ability to make plays, whether for himself or for his teammates. He is the primary reason the Hornets will be around for the duration. While other Western powers (San Antonio, Dallas, and Phoenix) understand their window of opportunity will soon be closing, the sill on this youthful franchise is going up, up, up.

All that is well and good, but there was one Celtic in particular who isn't interested in advancing the life and times of the Hornets or Chris Paul: Rajon Rondo.

Boston's own floor general, all 170 pounds of him, more than answered the challenge of keeping Paul from completely taking over the game last night.

And, while Rondo (17 points) was at it, he knocked down three of the biggest shots of the night to enable his team to pull away in - you guessed it - that all important third quarter. When it was over, the Celtics had deflated yet another contender, 112-92, and their young playmaker had gained yet another chunk of respect.

As the closest (and most crowded) MVP race in years continues to percolate, the coaches of the candidates come to town trying to win games, but also to sell the wares of their superstar. Byron Scott did his due diligence last night in laying out why Paul should be No. 1 on everyone's ballot: his ability to excel against the iron of the league, his combination of playmaking and 3-point shooting, his undervalued defensive skills, and his ability to handle the expectations that mount as the Hornets continue to win.

"He thrives [on pressure]," Scott explained. "He loves it. It's a chance for him to rise to the top."

Scott acknowledged the worth of Kobe and LeBron in the MVP sweepstakes, but was unwilling to add Kevin Garnett to that mix. His reasoning: KG has too much help. Meanwhile, down at the other end of the hall, Doc Rivers heartily agreed Paul might be the best point guard in the league, but he wasn't about to anoint him an honor he believes KG merits consideration for as well.

While the KG and Paul arguments lingered, another 22-year-old point guard - Rondo - sat in the Celtics' locker room plotting his strategy for limiting yet another elite player. Two nights earlier, he had schooled Steve Nash with his quickness and guile. While Rondo has hardly fallen prey to the mano a mano subplots that often develop in an NBA game, he certainly planned to prove to Paul - and anyone else who happened to be watching - he had his own skills worth discussing.

That mind-set led to exchanges like the following: At the 7:50 mark of the first quarter, Paul darts toward the basket, then retreats. During that split-second when the Celtics' defense exhales, relieved that Paul has vacated the paint, he quickly wheels around and scoots back to the hole practically unhindered.

It takes all of 14 seconds for Rondo to answer. He pushes tempo, passes off, then cuts to the basket. When he receives the ball again, he turns on the jets, squeaks through along the endline, then drops in an over-the-shoulder reverse layup.

You think Rondo is intimidated by Chris Paul? Isn't it apparent by now the young Celtics point guard isn't afraid of anybody?

"I like that about him," said Paul before the game. "He's a competitor. He's exactly what Boston needs. I always thought I had big hands. His hands are four times the size of mine."

But Rondo has a ways to go before he has the same impact on the game that Paul does. Early in the third quarter, with his team trailing, Paul found himself all alone at the 3-point arc because of a botched Celtics defensive switch. He hesitated, waited, then stroked the trey - then looked at the Boston bench quizzically as if to say, "What, y'all don't plan on guarding me?" He finished with 22 points and 10 assists.

Seconds later, Paul pickpocketed Paul Pierce in the backcourt, started the break, then dished it to Peja Stojakovic on the wing. Stojakovic drained the 3-pointer, and the Hornets were back in front, 66-64.

Although Paul and, to a lesser extent, David West garner most of the headlines in New Orleans, there is far more to the Hornets roster. There is the reinvented Tyson Chandler, who has blossomed since he left Chicago. There is Stojakovic, who, when healthy, is a lethal perimeter threat. There's Bonzi Wells, a classic energy player who is behaving himself (as a bench player, no less) with the Hornets.

But, just as there's more to New Orleans than Paul and West, there are other Celtics besides Garnett, Ray Allen, and Pierce who can deliver a big shot.

And that's where Rondo comes in again. After New Orleans closed within 76-73 with about four minutes left in the third quarter, Rondo stood on the left baseline while his more celebrated teammates garnered all the attention.

When the ball came to him, the skinny kid from Kentucky nailed it so cleanly, you'd think he'd been shooting it like that forever. Then, when he did it from the other corner, the Garden exploded.

That ignited a crushing 12-0 Celtics run that tore this game open. West aided in the implosion of his team by collecting three fouls during that stretch, two on the offensive end.

The second was particularly egregious, as West, obviously frustrated, merely lowered his head and tried to bull his way to the basket. When Leon Powe took the charge with 42 seconds left on the clock, and Boston up, 86-73, the Garden trembled with excitement.

As the final ticks of the third quarter ran down, Rondo caught the ball in the corner with Paul in his grill. Powe ambled over to set a screen, but Rondo emphatically waved him off. He set, dribbled hard to the left, then pulled up for a fallaway over the New Orleans MVP hopeful.

Swish.

Rondo ain't no league MVP, we all know that. But he sure looked the part last night.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/29/hornets_andersen_on_road_to_recovery?mode=PF
Hornets' Andersen on road to recovery
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | March 29, 2008

Just before the Hornets' Chris Andersen was reinstated to the NBA after a lengthy absence, there were rumors the Celtics were interested in him. "The Birdman" was intrigued about the prospects of flying with the Celtics, too.

But Andersen returned to New Orleans after a two-year ban for substance abuse.

"I was told I wasn't going back to the Hornets at first," Andersen said. "It seemed that they weren't going to bring me back to my old contract prorated; they wanted me as a free agent. But everything worked out better than I was hoping. I was worried and stressed out. But I let it go and I came into a good situation.

"Boston has a lot of history and a lot of legends and the rumor of possibly having the opportunity to play for a franchise like that was flattering and motivating."

Andersen was suspended Jan. 27, 2006, after violating the anti-drug policy. He admitted he was an alcoholic. He completed an alcohol rehabilitation program in Malibu, Calif., shortly after being suspended and says he has been alcohol- and drug-free since.

After Andersen was reinstated, the Hornets had the option of signing him to a prorated amount of his contract for the rest of the season or allowing him to be a free agent. The Hornets re-signed him March 5 and he'll be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

P.J. Brown, who played with Andersen, is happy to see him back on the court. Andersen has played sparingly in three games since his return. Last night, he played 12 minutes but was held scoreless in the Hornets' 112-92 loss to the Celtics.

"I'm very excited to see him back and I'm very happy for him," said Brown, who played with the Hornets from 2002-06. "He's a great guy and he was a great teammate when I played with him. I'm very glad to see him come back and hopefully 'Bird' keeps going in the right direction."

Andersen is hopeful his story could motivate others. "The main objective was to get back. With what I've accomplished, it makes it more rewarding when you get to where you once were, where you are actually playing and trying to produce. To actually tell your story means a lot more now to kids."


Personal favorite
Hornets coach Byron Scott described his point guard, Chris Paul, as the front-runner for Most Valuable Player, followed by the Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Cleveland's LeBron James. Omitted from Scott's discussion was Kevin Garnett.

"Kevin would be up there, I guess, really," Scott said. "But Kevin has Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Kevin has two guys that have been established for years."


Top priority
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said "the most important thing" for the rest of the regular season is getting reserve guard Tony Allen playing at a high level. Allen, who missed the last 48 games last season because of left knee surgery, is averaging 6.3 points and 2.2 rebounds. "I got to do a better job with him," Rivers said. "I know he can play." . . . Celtics rookie guard Gabe Pruitt could be back from his third and final stint with Utah of the NBA Development League in about two weeks. If Utah doesn't make the playoffs, its final game will be April 12. "He'll come back as soon as it's over there," said director of basketball operations Danny Ainge . . . Ainge has been in Phoenix scouting the NCAA Tournament and might attend the Final Four in San Antonio . . . The Celtics have canceled morning shootarounds for all three home games this week and have had late afternoon workouts instead to give players more rest. The team is expected to do the same for tomorrow's game against Miami. "I don't like keeping them on the same schedule," Rivers said. "We'll have shootarounds and no practice to keep things interesting. It's good to keep changing." . . . The Celtics-Wizards game April 9 will be on ESPN at 7 p.m.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x1759924417
Celtics 112, Hornets 92: A clean NBA sweep
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Photos
Photos

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
Celtics captain Paul Pierce looks to get by Hornet Chris Paul (right) during Boston's big home win.

By Scott Souza/Daily News staff
The MetroWest Daily News
Posted Mar 28, 2008 @ 11:55 PM
Last update Mar 29, 2008 @ 02:17 AM

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BOSTON — If this figured to be the last truly compelling game of the regular season entering the night, it certainly lived up to its billing.

With a chance to avenge their only unanswered loss of the season, and chants of "MVP!" flowing freely from the sellout Garden crowd, the NBA-best Celtics (57-15) used an emotional, 12-0 run late in the third quarter and a killer instinct early in the fourth for a 112-92 victory over the Western Conference-leading Hornets (49-22) last night.

The triumph capped a three-week stretch stacked with NBA Finals contenders. Kevin Garnett (21 points, 13 rebounds) and Paul Pierce (27 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds) each got plenty of MVP endorsements from the crowd, while Rajon Rondo (17 points on 8-of-10 shooting) played a frustrated Hornets MVP candidate Chris Paul to nearly a draw.

"This was sort of a monkey on our back a little bit," said Garnett, referring to Boston's 113-106 loss in New Orleans six days ago. "We were really disgusted with how we played down there in New Orleans how we gave up the lead and lost the game. So this was one of those games we were really looking forward to tonight."

Garnett seemed particularly inspired as he matched up against Hornet All-Star David West, who dropped 37 points on the Celtics last Saturday, but was held to just 14 last night.

"In my mind, the matchup started yesterday in practice in preparing for (him)," Garnett said. "I took that (the 37 points) a little personal. It started in practice and I wanted to carry over that energy."

"It was really intense in practice with KG between me and him," affirmed Leon Powe, who had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 19 minutes off the bench. "We were going at it on the defensive end and offensive end. Coach let us go at it. At first, I thought he wouldn't, but he did. It showed today. Our focus was better on defense and we did a good job."

While the offense was there throughout the game, the defense fired up in the second half. Down 60-56 at the break, Boston outscored the Hornets 32-15 to take control in the third quarter. The Celtics used a 26-7 run overall from the 3:48 mark of the third to a 22-point lead with 6:58 left in the fourth.

"At halftime they had no turnovers," Garnett said. "We thought that was, not an insult, but I don't think I ever came into halftime when a team had no turnovers. So in the second half we wanted to turn it up and I did."

The Celtics shot 63 percent in the first quarter (12-for-19), while holding the Hornets to 39 percent (9-for-23), in building a 30-24 lead after one. But five straight points from Paul (22 points, 10 assists for the game) sparked the Hornets to a 53-47 lead with 2:50 left in the half. Boston closed the gap to one twice in the final minute before a Peja Stojakovic bomb from the corner made it 60-56 at the break.

The Celtics then came storming back out of the half similar to the way they started the game with back-to-back Garnett baskets and a Ray Allen drive putting them back up two and drawing a quick Byron Scott timeout 88 seconds in the third quarter. A third Garnett basket in the run made it an 8-0 burst before Paul and Stojakovic hit back-to-back treys for a 66-64 Hornet lead.

A Kendrick Perkins three-point play and Allen 3-point shot put the Celts up four at 6:17. The Celtics then went up seven with 2:52 left on back-to-back long jumpers from Rondo, and Pierce stretched the gap to 82-73 on pair of free throws at 2:30.

An Allen pull-up jumper and Pierce turnaround shot pushed the run to 10-0. As the crowd volume elevated, Powe took a charge on West for West's fifth foul of the game with 42.5 seconds left in the quarter. Rondo completed the 12-0 blitz spanning 3:24 when he stuck a jumper in Paul's mug with 18.5 seconds remaining.

The Celtics walked off the floor to a standing ovation at the end of the quarter up 13 entering the fourth.

Rivers went to a bench unit - with Garnett - to start the fourth and the unit didn't give an inch. Powe sank two free throws, James Posey took a charge, and Eddie House broke up a 3-on-1 and drilled two 3-pointers for a 96-78 cushion 83 seconds into the session.

"I think in the first half the second unit didn't really get anything accomplished," said House of the reserves. "We didn't really get any shots. They were hitting a lot of jumpers. We just wanted to continue to play with the energy the first team did on the defensive end. That was our main focus coming in (during the second half) to not have a letdown. We focused on more defense than offense and got easy opportunities."

A third long House jumper of the quarter and four points from Pierce (2 free throws and a spinning drive) made it a 102-80 game with 6:53 to go and the 29-team Victory Tour of the NBA was just about complete.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x2111176382
Lenny Megliola: Great night to be at the Garden
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By Lenny Megliola/Daily News staff
The MetroWest Daily News
Posted Mar 28, 2008 @ 11:52 PM

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BOSTON — You could make a good case that this was the best night all year to have tickets to a Celtics game. The best attraction of the season, with all due respects to the Lakers, Pistons and Spurs. And LeBron of course.

Yep, Celtics vs. Hornets. A year ago, how laughable would that have been? Neither team made the playoffs. Combined, they won 63 games. This morning, they've already combined for 106 wins. They're both in first place. Welcome to Dreamland.

Actually, this one turned out to be a nightmare for the Hornets. They led by four points at the half. After the third quarter they were behind by 13. The fourth quarter was reserved for garbage time. The final was 112-92. It might have been the best second half of the season for Boston. It was the Celtics' second straight 20-point win in three nights over a quality Western Conference team. If the playoffs would only start next week.

"Great win for us, on both ends," said coach Doc Rivers.

Before it was over, Paul Pierce heard a few M-V-P chants when he was at the foul line, where he was 13-for-13. Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo had big nights. Eddie House drilled a couple of trey daggers. Ray Allen hardly had to lift a finger.

Leon Powe leaned on David West and managed to score 12 points and grab seven rebounds in less than 20 minutes, earning a verbal bouquet from Garnett. "He plays minimal minutes but brings a sense of dominance."

KG explained that "we were disgusted the way we played in New Orleans." The Hornets walked off with a 113-106 win on March 22. This time, Boston pounded it inside for 56 points in the paint.

The Celtics are 57-15, and no one appreciates it more than Pierce. "It's very satisfying. It couldn't get any lower last year or higher than it is right now."

Upon hearing this Garnett, sitting next to Pierce, let out a little groan. "I can't speak for Minnesota," quipped the captain, referencing the tumbling Timberwolves of '06-07.

OK, it wound up a blowout, but there's no doubt the Hornets are for real. A team with a second-year 6-foot point guard who's in the MVP conversation is bound to be interesting. That would be Chris Paul, who only averages 21.6 points and 11.5 assists. Twice he's racked up 20-assist games. Looking for the next Jason Kidd, the next Steve Nash? He's here. And Paul is a better scorer than Kidd and Nash.

David West is a 6-foot-9, 240-pound bona fide load. The ex-Xavier star has raised his scoring average the last three years: 17.1, 18.3, 20.3. He's also good for nine rebounds a game this season. Garnett called Paul and West "one of the best 1-2 punches in the league." That is no longer a secret. Nor is the fact that Peja Stojakovic is the Hornets' lights out guy. He'd made 115 3-pointers in the last 34 games.

In the blissful madness that is the Western Conference, the Hornets can slip through the cracks without much trouble. They will have to prove in the playoffs that it hasn't been a flukey season. How about a Boston-New Orleans final? Wouldn't that be cool? (Whadda mean, you want a piece of the Lakers, for old-times sake?)

Last night's first half was almost worth the price of admission. Paul and Rondo went at it from the opening bell. Paul had 12 points, Rondo 11. Paul had six assists, Rondo three. Paul finished with 22 points and 10 assists. Rondo (17 and 4) was no slouch. Statement game for the Celtics? "I don't believe in statement games," Rondo said.

Garnett seemed more pumped than usual, which pretty much made him a time bomb. He had more rebounds (4) in the first four minutes than he did in the entire Phoenix game on Wednesday. When Pierce popped a short jumper with 11 seconds left in the half, it pulled the Celtics to within one point.

At the other end Paul, on one end of the court, found Stojankovic deep in the corner at the other end (could've been from the first row) and he nailed a trey with two-tenths of a second left.

And so it went for the thoroughly entertaining first 24 minutes. Then it was all Boston. So was Garnett impressed by the fact the Celtics have beaten every team in the league now? "Personally no," he said. "It says something. We've played consistent basketball."

"I think (the Celtics) are a great team," said Paul. "We felt this was a game we should have won. It got away from us in the third quarter (32-15). That's our fault."

Tomorrow (yawn) the Celtics play the Heat. That is, if Miami's still in the league.

[FLCeltsFan]

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

Postgame Wrap Up - KG or K9?
Recap | Box Score

In the postgame press conference, KG claimed he didn't even remember going down on all fours to defend David West.

I believe him.

"I don't even know what you're talking about. In my mind, the matchup started yesterday in practice. He had like what, 37 when we played them in New Orleans? I took that a little personally. Tonight, defensively, I was trying to be as sound as I could, trying to make him do some different things. I was energetic," Garnett said.

"The messed up part about some things I do on the court, I don't even remember. This might be one of those situations. I was fired up. I tried to zig-zag him as we say in basketball. I was just trying to be aggressive on defense and be as active as I could."

So where does KG go in the playoffs? Does he have another gear we don't even know about?

"I don't know if he has another gear. I'm fine with where he's at," Rivers said. "If he can stay at this level, I'm gonna be pretty happy."

Still, we're not sure Rivers really enjoyed seeing his 6'13" power forward down on all fours.

"When you do that, though, you've got to stop the guy," Rivers joked, adding that he thought West traveled on the play anyway...

Live from Courtside

112-92 Celtics, FINAL: Once again, Paul Pierce is the Celtics.com Player of the Game. He couldn't be stopped in the post tonight, and any time you tie the Houdini of the Hardwood, well, that's noteworthy.

110-92 Celtics, 2:43/4th: Leon Powe got a couple of easy buckets and it's time to shake shake shake! Gino Time!

This was one of the most well-played games of the season; both teams are really taking care of the ball (only six turnovers apiece) and shooting high percentages from the field.

Pierce (27 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists) is a perfect 13/13 from the line tonight, and he's been posting up more than we've seen him do it in a long, long time. The Hornets don't seem to have an answer for it. Pierce just tied Cousy for second all-time in free throw attempts...

96-80 Celtics, 8:12/4th: There is a ton of dialogue going on out there, mostly between the Celtics bench and Chris Paul. This game has playoff intensity for sure. Pierce and Garnett each have 21; Pierce is back on the floor after his quick tape job.

88-75 Celtics, End of 3rd: The Celtics started the quarter by working through Garnett, and they closed it by going through Pierce. That said, The Truth slipped on the last trip down the floor and went back to the locker room to get both of his ankles re-taped, according to PR jefe Jeff Twiss.

The C's outscored New Orleans 32-15 in the quarter.

Rondo is especially fired up tonight. He had some words for the New Orleans bench after draining a baseline jumper right in front of them, and then took Paul to school and buried a pull-up jumper at the shot clock in the final minute of the quarter, bringing the Garden to it's feet.

80-73 Celtics, 2:30/3rd: Both teams are picking it up with regard to physicality. The crowd is hot and the Garden is rockin'. The Celtics continue to shoot over 60% but the Hornets are hanging around thanks to Paul, who's got 15 points and eight assists.

72-68 Celtics, 6:03/3rd: KG is losing it. The man just got down on all fours for what was supposed to be a defensive stance against David West. Reporters at courtside are shaking their heads. We don't quite know what to make of it.

You know how players turn it up a notch for the playoffs? How much higher can KG go? Honestly! He's at like a 17 out of 10 right now.

Kendrick Perkins just picked up his first two fouls, Doc didn't like it and then he picked up a tech for himself. This game is getting pretty intense.

62-60 Celtics, 10:32/3rd: The C's came out like a house of fire to start the half. KG connected on an alley-oop, then a top of the key jumper. Ray Allen followed it up with a driving layup and suddenly the Celtics have a 62-60 lead, forcing a New Orleans timeout.

60-56 Hornets, Halftime: Chris Paul's sixth assist was his most impressive. With the half winding down, he drew a crowd of defenders in the paint while Peja Stojakovic leaked out to the corner. Paul rifled a one-hander to him for the three-pointer just before the horn.

Stat of the Half: Points in the Paint; Celtics 34, Hornets 20.

57-54 Hornets, 25 seconds/2nd: Ray Allen's got three personals, pressing TA back into action. Rivers said before tonight's game that he needs to find ways to make Tony a better player, and that he probably needs extended minutes to do it. Ask, and ye shall receive. He's got six points on 3/5 shooting and just went to the bench after 11 minutes of play.

Tony just got stepped on when he hit the deck, and trainer Eddie Lacerte was up quick to look at him from the sideline, but he appears to be fine.

43-41 Celtics, 5:33/2nd: The Celtics bench didn't fare so well without KG, Pierce or Allen, falling behind 41-36, so the first unit came back in and promptly regained the lead with a 7-0 run.

Here's a question: why do the referees wear blue pleated slacks but no belt? It looks weird.

30-24 Celtics, End of 1st: Doc Rivers chased Tony Allen down after the horn to explain to him that he needs to go strong to the basket rather than trying to avoid defenders. "Take it to the glass Tony!" Rivers implored.

24-20 Celtics, 1:58/1st: Paul Pierce is getting in on the stat-stuffing act as well, with four points, two rebounds and three assists. The Celtics are shooting 69% from the field. And only five of their 17 attempts have come from the perimeter, so their getting in the paint pretty easily. Rondo appears to be showing no ill effects from the hamstring problem that took him out of Wednesday night's game against the Suns.

16-14 Celtics, 5:13/1st: KG is gobbling up rebounds early on, but he hasn't had to work to hard to clear the ball, the Hornets seem content to shoot from the perimeter and run back on defense. Apparently, they play an uptempo style on the both ends of the floor. But he's already got five boards, four points and two dimes after less than seven minutes of action.

Pregame Media Access
So much for the Post Ups Notebook. Doc Rivers is threatening to start a blog (!) of his own.

Okay, he was joking, but Rivers had some fun during his pregame presser when reporters were trying to get him to debate the merits of KG for MVP over Chris Paul. Minutes earlier, down the hall outside the visitors' locker room, Hornets coach Byron Scott made it clear that he thinks his point guard is the league MVP, and mentioned Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as his chief competition, snubbing Mr. Garnett.

Pressed by Boston reporters, Scott allowed that Garnett had to be in the conversation, but stood fast that Paul was the MVP, saying the Paul didn't have the benefit of playing with two future Hall of Famers like Allen and Pierce.

Rivers, on the other hand, didn't want to get involved in arguing over who the MVP is. He must be saving it for the blog...

Otherwise, he noted that Sam Cassell still has some work to do on learning the playbook but noted that he does know "15", which is their high pick-and-roll play.

Check the audio archive for more from Doc, Byron, Rajon Rondo and P.J. Brown.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/pros/x1886025470
Celtics, Hornets in middle of MVP debate
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By Mike Fine
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Mar 28, 2008 @ 11:25 PM

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BOSTON — This probably won’t come as a shock, but New Orleans Hornets coach Byron Scott feels that his point guard, Chris Paul, is the NBA MVP this year.

It’s certainly true to form. Doc Rivers stands behind his man, Kevin Garnett, and Phil Jackson and Mike Brown are undoubtedly square behind Kobe Bryant of the Lakers and LeBron James of the Cavs. They are, after all, their coaches.

Scott’s logic is the same as Rivers’ for his guy. “Two reasons,” he said. “His numbers and our record.” The Lakers and the Celtics certainly have the lofty records, too. The Celtics came into Friday’s Garden meeting with the Hornets at 56-15. The Hornets were 49-21 and clinging to the best record in the West.

If there were one factor that worked in Paul’s favor, though, it’s the numbers. Paul was averaging 21.6 points per game with league bests of 11.4 assists and 2.7 steals. He is the main reason why the Hornets are where they are, and while the Celtics can make the argument that Garnett is their catalyst, they’re 7-2 without him.

In fact, Scott didn’t even immediately include Garnett on his list of MVP candidates. “I think it’s LeBron and Kobe and Chris,” he said, and when asked about Garnett, he added, “Kevin would be up there, I guess. But Kevin’s got Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, probably two Hall of Famers.”

He established that the other candidates are playing with teammates who’ve been established for years, while Paul, the third-year point guard, has only David West, himself an All-Star this season. Asked about that, Celtics coach Doc Rivers, usually exceedingly accommodating, didn’t even want to discuss it. “Byron’s a very smart man,” he said, “but I’m not getting into the whole thing. I’ll pass.”

Rivers has said previously, however, that he believes Garnett is the MVP because of his impact on the team, and the team’s record.

He doesn’t deny, though, that Paul is the best point guard in the league, perhaps a notch above Utah’s Deron Williams. Paul came in off a 20-assist effort in a win at Cleveland. He had nine 20-point, 15-rebound games this season-while the rest of the NBA had eight combined.

“The ball’s in one guy’s hands when you play this team,” he said. “He’s difficult to play against. That’s why people are talking about him for the MVP vote.” He said he believes in players like Williams and Paul because of their youth. Paul is only 22.

“What we call pressure, he thrives on,” said Scott. “He’ll continue to get better. I hope I’m still around to see how much better he’ll be.”

The player who was guarding Paul, Rajon Rondo, did a reasonable job against him in New Orleans’ 113-106 win over the Celtics last Saturday, although Paul was hurting and played reduced minutes. “He’s real good,” Rondo said. “He’s elite. He can pass the ball, run his team. He doesn’t show a lot of emotion. He’s a winner.”

Around the rim

Scott was also complimentary about Rondo, a second-year guard. “He’s a young man who keeps getting better, as well. The thing he’s got to improve on is his shot. He’s extremely quick and he loves a challenge, as well. He’s a good, solid player with a high IQ.” The perception of Rondo is that he must improve his shooting, but he came in at .480, .313 on 16 3-point attempts. “I don’t worry about 3-point shots with Ray on this team,” he said. “I want to get my range from 15 to 17 feet and get that down. Sam (Cassell) is one of the best mid-range shooters, and I want to try to mimic that.” The 17 offensive rebounds the Celtics pulled down against Phoenix were a season high P.J. Brown had sat out two straight games before the Hornets. Rivers says he’s just part of a rotation of big men. “We’re a deep team,” Brown said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can perform at a high level.” Added Brown, “I’ve come a long way in four weeks. There’s still things I want to iron out, especially defensively, but I make a mistake here and a mistake there. Nothing major.” Rivers said he needs to get Tony Allen into a flow. “I’ve got to put him in better spots. Whatever we’re doing hasn’t worked yet. I know he can play. We need him. We really do need him.” The Celtics have 10 games remaining, only one of them against a team (Washington) that’s currently above .500. “As far as I’m concerned,” Rivers said, “we play Sunday (Miami, 6 p.m. at the Garden). It doesn’t matter to us what the other people are doing.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/pros/x1150794979
Another great win for Celtics
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By Mike Fine
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Mar 28, 2008 @ 11:25 PM

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BOSTON — Simply the best. Better than all the rest.

The Boston Celtics don’t have anything left to prove in the regular season. Friday’s lightning-quick, 112-92 demolition of the NBA West-leading New Orleans Hornets said it all.

Another in a string of great wins over another great team – Phoenix by 20 points one night, New Orleans by 20 the next – this one gave the NBA’s best team a victory over every other team this season, something the franchise hasn’t done since 1990-91. The Celts have defeated 29 teams, something the franchise had never done.

Their 57th win of the season is 33 more than last season, the best turnaround in club history and just three behind the NBA-best 36-gamer by the Spurs when they picked up Tim Duncan in 1997.

It’s safe to say this was super satisfying, since the Hornets had beaten the Celtics with a 32-17 fourth-quarter run last Saturday in New Orleans. This time, the Hornets scored 32 points in the second half.

“We were disgusted the way we played in New Orleans,” said Kevin Garnett, who took this challenge personally, “the way we gave up the lead and lost the game.”

Garnett said that he got a “giddyup” in practice Thursday and it carried over into the game. “I was all geared up for the David West challenge,” he said.

“In my mind the match-up started yesterday in practice. He had 37 in New Orleans, and I took it personally.”

Garnett met the challenge quite nicely, although at one point when he got down in a four-point stance to stop a West drive, he allowed West to swoop in for a layup. But Garnett held the one-time All-Star to only 14 points while others also took up their own challenges. Rajon Rondo, perhaps tired of the Chris Paul-for-MVP talk, scored 17 points, and hit three big jumpers – one over Paul as time expired on a 12-0 third-quarter run that put the game away. Fighting a minor hamstring strain, Rondo hit eight of 10 shots. Paul was good for 22 points and 10 assists, 10 and four in the second half.

The Celtics poured it on from the beginning of the third quarter, when they found themselves down, 60-56, thanks to zero first-half turnovers by the visitors. Just as they did against the Suns on Wednesday, the Celtics broke away with a second-half blitzk that left their opponents stunned. They limited the Hornets to 4-for-12 third-quarter shooting, reeling off 12 straight points at the 3:29 mark, and kept the Hornets from scoring a field goal for the final 4:22.

Throw in two quick Eddie House 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter and the Celtics were able to coast.

Pierce netted 27 points on 13-for-13 free throw shooting, pushing him past Bob Cousy into second place on the Celts all-time list. He threw in six rebounds and nine assists. Garnett added 21 points and 13 rebounds.

The Celtics shot 59.5 percent with 56 points in the paint, which wasn’t surprising considering they started the second half with Garnett immediately putting down a one-handed alley oop dunk off a Kendrick Perkins feed. Then they were off to the races, getting a boost from Leon Powe (12 points, seven boards).

“This is very satisfying,” said Pierce, who worked so hard the needed both ankles re-taped after the third quarter. “We couldn’t have gotten any lower than a year ago.”

Garnett was also in “amen” mode, thinking back to his Minnesota days: “It’s fun to be back in the playoffs, with the fans in the stands cheering.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.projo.com/celtics/content/sp_bkn_celtsjo29_03-29-08_L69IBMD_v6.36660d3.html

Hornets’ game was must for Rondo

01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, March 29, 2008

BY ROBERT LEE

Journal Sports Writer

Boston’s Rajon Rondo goes up for a shot against New Orleans last night in a game he said he couldn’t miss.


The Providence Journal / Kris Craig
BOSTON — The Celtics received a minor scare earlier this week when starting guard Rajon Rondo suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for practice on Thursday.

But Rondo told his teammates that there was no way that he was going to miss last night’s game against New Orleans.

“I knew I was playing [on Thursday],” Rondo said before the game.

Rondo said his hamstring started bothering him in Boston’s victory over Phoenix on Wednesday and that’s why he remained on the sideline after Boston built a big second-half lead late in the game.

So why did he want to play so badly last night instead of resting his hamstring?

Because he wanted to try to help Boston beat New Orleans — the only NBA team that Boston had not beaten this season entering last night’s action — and to face New Orleans All-Star guard Chris Paul.

“Chris Paul has been doing an excellent job all year,” Rondo said. “He’s an MVP candidate.”

Rondo showed no signs of his injury early in the game. He scored eight points on 4-for-5 shooting and had two assists in the first quarter.

Rondo not practicing on Thursday helped newcomer Sam Cassell, who is still trying to find his groove with Boston.

“It allowed Sam to be with one unit the entire practice so that was probably good for him,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said.

Brown is one happy Celtic

P.J. Brown came out of retirement to sign with the Celtics on Feb. 27 in an attempt to win an NBA championship.

The 6-foot-11, 239-pound center is a 15-year NBA veteran who was named to the NBA All-Defensive second team three times, but he has played only limited minutes for Boston so far this season. That may change in the playoffs once he gets a full grasp of Boston’s playbook and improves his game shape.

“I’m just trying to prepare myself,” Brown said of perhaps playing a larger role in the playoffs. “All I can do is control what I can take care of, so I try to stay in the gym and do what I need to do from that standpoint and when my name is called, be ready to go.

“I’ve come a long way these four weeks. It was a lot harder and a lot tougher four weeks ago, but there are still some things I need to iron out — but nothing major.”

Boston signed Brown to be a defensive specialist in the playoffs.

“We’re going to use him in-and-out,” Rivers said. “He’s just part of that committee that in some games I’ll use him and then I won’t. I will say he has picked up things pretty well. The defensive rotations, because he was in a [Pat] Riley system, I thought allowed him to pick things up a little quicker than everybody else.”

Along with the Celtics, Brown said that he was also considering re-signing with the Hornets, the team he played for from 2000 to 2006 before he was traded to Chicago for the 2006-07 season.

“Being in my own backyard, it would have been very comfortable for me to go back there and sign there. But … in the end I could only pick one team and I came to Boston,” said Brown, who played college ball at LSU. “This is where I feel like I belong and I’m glad I’m here.”

Brown loves being in Boston.

“This is a very fun team to be around. I’m excited to come to work. It hasn’t been that way in a long time. I really enjoy coming to the gym, preparing, getting with these guys and working with them. They are a great group to work with.”

Scott rejects Garnett as MVP

MVP candidates were the talk of the night last night.

Paul and Boston forward Kevin Garnett are considered two prime candidates, but New Orleans coach Byron Scott doesn’t have Garnett ranked in his top three.

Why?

Because Garnett plays with two future Hall of Famers — Ray Allen and Paul Pierce — Scott said. Scott’s top three MVP candidates are the Hornets’ Paul, Lakers’ guard Kobe Bryant, and Cleveland guard LeBron James, all three of whom don’t have as good as a surrounding cast that Garnett does, Scott said.