News 3/30

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1083821&format=text

C’s hit easy street

By Steve Bulpett | Sunday, March 30, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
After dusting off a pair of Western Conference contenders by 20 points apiece, the Celtics [team stats] find a schedule that better resembles an exhibition slate leading into the postseason.

Of their 10 remaining opponents, just one (Washington) currently has a winning record. In fact, the Celts will meet the East’s bottom six teams during this stretch, with Milwaukee on tap twice.

All that is left for the C’s is clinching the best record, and they have a six-game lead over Detroit entering last night’s play. The fact the Celts hold the tiebreaker against the Pistons makes their position even more solid.

Because of that, the Celtics’ goals down the stretch will be less obvious but just as important.

“The goal is still to wrap up homecourt advantage,” Paul Pierce [stats] said. “Also, we’re playing to get better. Coach said right before practice that we’ve been through a lot of challenges. Now the biggest challenge is ourselves. You know, do we have the mentality to go out there and execute and do the things that are going to help us in the long run? Even though we’re playing against teams that are under .500, what are we going to do to get better? We feel it’s all about us right now.”

Before taking his team through a light walkthrough yesterday, coach Doc Rivers discussed the situation with his staff. Miami is on the docket tonight, and it’s hard to muster much of a pep talk when a loss would cut the Celtics’ lead over the Heat to a mere 43 games.

“We were talking about that today,” Rivers said, “and I said, ‘Guys, in our mind we have never played anyone. That’s the way we look at it. The opponent is us every night.’ You know, we have 10 games to get ready for something, not 10 games to play. I think our guys are pretty good with it.

“The challenge for us is ourselves again. We have to challenge ourselves not to look at who we’re playing but what we’re playing for. If we do that, we’ll be fine.”

Still, the to-do list is fairly short.

“I just want to accomplish execution on both ends, getting smarter and better each game as a group,” Rivers said. “And then finding out how we can and how we will use Sam (Cassell). Other than that, we just want to keep doing what we’re doing.”

When yesterday’s session finished and players spread out to shoot free throws, Cassell, P.J. Brown, Tony Allen, Glen Davis and Brian Scalabrine went to one end to work on plays with Rivers and assistant coach Armond Hill.

“The two days of practice that we had (Tuesday and Thursday) were great for Sam and P.J.,” Rivers said. “P.J. basically has it. Some of the things he’s late on on both ends, but for the most part he’s so smart that he pretty much has it. Sam’s a little more difficult.”

Rivers said Cassell will be playing more in these last games, which won’t be hard considering he logged just four seconds against New Orleans on Friday.

“We’re counting on him, but how much?” Rivers said. “We’ll find that out. But we’re definitely counting on him.”

Although the offense has seemed sluggish with Cassell of late, Pierce remains a supporter, believing Cassell’s experience will be beneficial in the playoffs.

“The coaches can figure out what they want to do with Sam,” he said. “I’ve just got to go out there and do what I’ve been doing to help the team win. The coaches will figure out the Sam thing. He’s definitely a great addition. He’s going to help us along this road.”

After meeting the Heat, the road of which Pierce speaks will largely be played out on the road. Six of the Celts’ next eight games are away from home, beginning Tuesday in Chicago. After a home date with Indiana on Wednesday, they head out for a trip to Charlotte, Milwaukee and Washington.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1083812&format=text
Sun not the only thing sinking in West

By Mark Murphy | Sunday, March 30, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP
The Western Conference has become so difficult -- and good -- that the slightest tweak can now doom a team.

“The way it is now,” said the Suns’ Amare Stoudemire, “in no time at all you can drop from first to fifth.”

Or from fifth to zero.

That is now the fear in Dallas, where the adjustment problems of Jason Kidd have given way to fear of what a prolonged absence from Dirk Nowitzki will mean.

The Mavericks center’s absence has been pegged at anywhere from three to six weeks as the result of a high ankle sprain.

As of Friday, Dallas held the seventh spot in the Western Conference, with two very hungry teams (No. 8 Golden State, Denver) just below. The fight for those last two playoff (seventh and eighth) playoff spots is going to be fierce, with Dallas, Golden State and Denver currently separated by two games in the standings.

“We’re just hoping we can catch a break and he’ll heal pretty soon,” Mavs coach Avery Johnson said of Nowitzki. “But right now Dirk’s not coming back. There’s no Dirk coming out of a phone booth or anything. So hopefully that will help us in the way we mentally prepare for these games, and go out and do the job without him.”

Nowitzki tried his best to cheer everyone up when he said, “I’m usually good with recovering from injuries.”

Right now they need his healing skills to be exceptional.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1083810&format=text
Amare enters love Shaq

By Mark Murphy / NBA Notes | Sunday, March 30, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage
Some predicted - however implausibly - that the addition of Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix would have a negative impact on the development of Amare Stoudemire.

That the young big man would not be suited to once again playing power forward. That he would butt heads against another big post presence - make that the biggest post presence.

Celtics [team stats] fans likely walked away with a different view after their team routed the Suns by 20 points Wednesday.

Stoudemire, allowed to start farther out on the wing thanks to the insertion of the Big Aristotle in the paint, exploded for 22 of his 32 points in the first half.

He seemed like a player reborn.

He also seems like a player who is thoroughly enjoying the experience.

“It feels good, man,” said Stoudemire. “Now I’m back to the 4-spot. Shaq has been Shaq. He’s an entertaining, fun guy. He understands the game. He brings fun to the game. He’s been at it now for 12 or 13 years now, so he knows what it takes.”

Thirteen years ago Stoudemire was 12.

Fifteen years ago, when O’Neal was a rookie, he was 10.

Somehow this first-hand experience hasn’t wiped away any of the boyish reverence Stoudemire originally had for O’Neal.

“My thoughts haven’t changed about him,” said Stoudemire. “He’s still got it going. He’s got the same personality.”

This attitude is obviously not unusual. Every time O’Neal plays against or with another big man under the age of 25, he’s playing against another former kid who probably had his poster up on the wall.

Celtics forward Glen Davis, who grew up in Baton Rouge, La., idolizing O’Neal, was electrified by his chance to finally play against Shaq on Wednesday.

But Stoudemire gets something more.

He is the first to admit that he has benefited from the position change. He is now free of the steady diet of double teams that existed prior to O’Neal’s arrival. His body may also be the better for wear as a result.

“I never felt like a center,” Stoudemire said. “Guys like Dwight Howard and, well, Shaq, always had 70 pounds on me.

“If Shaq was sitting here next to me, I’d look more like a point guard than a center. So you can imagine what it was like when I had to guard him. But with Shaq now it definitely takes some attention off of me.

“They’re not double-teaming him as much right now, but they will because he’s playing well. But now you’re going to have to pick your poison when you’re guarding us.”

His performance Wednesday was a testament to that.

“It’s freed him up,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “And when the playoffs start, that is going to help them even more.”

Or so it would seem.

Stoudemire, for all of his joy, still believes the Suns were pretty good before they made this trade.

“We had a great chance with Shawn Marion, too,” he said. “But I like what we have now.”

Thanks for coming

It could be a record year for one-and-done coaches.

Charlotte’s Sam Vincent has been rumored to be on thin ice ever since midseason. The former Celtic has been roundly criticized for an inconsistent approach to his lineups, and also a fragile working relationship with the front office icon - Michael Jordan.

Jordan has reportedly been like a bad sports parent, looking over Vincent’s shoulder at all times and offering all kinds of unsolicited advice. Perhaps Vincent will be happy to free himself from that kind of attention.

Sacramento’s Reggie Theus has also had trouble with his players, and resorted to the destructive practice of fining any player who spoke out to the media. Not exactly the way to build a base of support in a league where the players have the last say, especially with young coaches.

But perhaps the biggest surprise is word that Marc Iavaroni is in trouble in Memphis. As a Suns assistant, Iavaroni was the golden child, everyone’s pick as promising head coaching material.

And now he appears to be damaged as much by a poisoned organization as by any of his own shortcomings. Just as general manager Chris Wallace wasn’t the person responsible for the one-sided trade that sent Pau Gasol to the Lakers in what was essentially a salary dump, Iavaroni shouldn’t be held responsible for the losing product he must now put on the floor every night.

That blame falls squarely on the shoulders of Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley, though as James Dolan has repeatedly shown in New York, owners aren’t accountable beyond the money they lose from bad franchises.

No, you do it . . .

The New York Daily News reported last week that Dolan has told prospective general managers - with longtime Indiana boss Donnie Walsh poised to take over any day now - that he prefers to hold onto Isiah Thomas, but will not get in the way if his new personnel chief decides otherwise.

I’m certainly not trying to elevate Thomas with the following comparison, but his boss appears to have turned into Pontius Pilate.

He saves face with Thomas by continuing to insist that he wants the coach to stay, but he also washes his hands by allowing Walsh to do the dirty work.

Dolan, a weak leader, thus gets to squirm out of pulling the trigger himself.

That’s not to say that Thomas will buy Dolan’s posturing when it’s time to take the next step toward saving the organization.

But there are simply too many good coaching candidates out there - perhaps more at this time of year than in recent memory.

Jeff Van Gundy probably doesn’t want to return to New York, but Scott Skiles is another tough guy this team could use.

Think Eddy Curry is worried? . . .

Commissioner David Stern, in announcing next fall’s slate of NBA games in Europe - this time with the Wizards, Hornets, Nets and Heat playing in four European cities - continued to create the impression that he someday wants to expand the league to Europe.

The demand for that NBA brand knows no bounds.

Consider his answer to a question of just how serious he was about European expansion:

“If you had suggested to me in 1992 after the Olympics in Barcelona that at this time we would have had as many as 80 international players in our league, I would have said not possible - the game won’t grow that fast.

“If you had suggested that we would be in 215 countries in 41 different languages, I would have thought you optimistic. Now that we have played what is our McDonald’s Championship in every city from Rome (Italy) to Madrid (Spain) to Barcelona (Spain) to Munich (Germany), Paris, Milan (Italy) and then have these series from the four wonderful cities we’re going to, and adding Istanbul (Turkey) and Madrid and Malaga (Spain), I think we are determined to begin to develop the fan base.

“And if fans say yes because they are the new generation that is playing EA games and going to NBA.com and watching our games on television, then it will happen. If they don’t, it won’t happen.

“But given the pace of globalization, I think that’s a real possibility, and we are going to follow the developments of the fan affinity for our game.”

Fine. Perhaps the Portland Trailblazers should start packing now for their first game against the Paris Musketeers.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/30/challenge_for_celtics_is_motivation?mode=PF

Challenge for Celtics is motivation
By Peter May, Globe Staff | March 30, 2008

Eric Reid and Jose Paneda were in the house Friday night to see the Celtics and Hornets. As the broadcast duo for the NBA team formerly known as the Miami Heat, Reid and Paneda might be two of the most bereft souls in the NBA these days. It would not be a stretch to say they were at the game to see real NBA basketball again, especially having weathered an overtime game Wednesday between the Heat and Knicks.

(Q. What is worse than a game between the Heat and Knicks? A. An overtime game between the Heat and Knicks.)

And as another delighted capacity crowd exited the building soon-to-be-formerly-known as TD Banknorth Garden, they all had something in common with Miami's unfortunate lads: It may be a while before they, too, see real, heart-stopping basketball, at least the kind we've seen these last two games with big mouths and big stars descending on the city.

The drought starts tonight with the aforementioned Heat in town, a team with a roster so tattered and hapless that 10-day-contract guys are playing serious minutes. Pat Riley might even take a pass on this one and, well, could anyone blame him? Then April, come she will (with apologies to Paul Simon), and it is anything but the cruelest month (apologies to T.S. Eliot) for Doc Rivers & Co.

In fact, if you're a season ticket-holder and have some overdue Christmas, er, obligations, there is no better time to offer up your ducats to those on your list who are still clamoring to see the Celtics. Shaq and D-Wade aren't playing tonight. (Can you imagine having gotten those tickets, say, two months ago?) Milwaukee, Indiana, and the regular-season finale against New Jersey round out the rather underwhelming slate of home games.

The road games aren't that much more appealing; in fact, of the remaining 10 games, only one, the game in Washington a week from Wednesday, is against a team with a winning record. After big-time wins over the Suns and Hornets, things drop off exponentially. The next game the Celtics will play at home against a team with a winning record will not come until the second round of the playoffs (barring a miracle, the No. 8 seed in the East will be well under .500).

So what do you do if you're Rivers (and Georgetown is out of the NCAA Tournament?). You put the lads through an extended walkthrough yesterday ("We didn't even practice," Rivers said) and try to keep their eyes on the prize.

"The challenge for us," Rivers said, "is ourselves. It's not to look at who we're playing, but what we're playing for. We have 10 games to get ready for something, not 10 games to play."

And there is still some work to do. Rivers wants to give Sam Cassell more time (although Cassell isn't complaining now; he's one guy whose eyes are squarely focused on the postseason). Rivers really wants to find a way to get Tony Allen more involved. "We need him. We really need him," Rivers said. "I've got to find a way."

And there's the constant refrain: "We can still get better." This is what Paul Pierce noted Friday after the team's second straight 20-point thrashing of a Western Conference pretender: "We need to do a better job against the Philadelphias and everybody else. I mean, there aren't too many teams we are going to play that are over .500, but it doesn't matter. We want to go into the playoffs playing well."

The schedule should pretty much take care of that. The Celtics can (and should) complete a season sweep of Miami tonight, which would be a first for the franchise since 1999, when they won all three. Prior to this season, the Heat had won eight of the last 11 against Boston. But that's when they were not a D-League team.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/30/challenge_for_celtics_is_motivation?mode=PF

Challenge for Celtics is motivation
By Peter May, Globe Staff | March 30, 2008

Eric Reid and Jose Paneda were in the house Friday night to see the Celtics and Hornets. As the broadcast duo for the NBA team formerly known as the Miami Heat, Reid and Paneda might be two of the most bereft souls in the NBA these days. It would not be a stretch to say they were at the game to see real NBA basketball again, especially having weathered an overtime game Wednesday between the Heat and Knicks.

(Q. What is worse than a game between the Heat and Knicks? A. An overtime game between the Heat and Knicks.)

And as another delighted capacity crowd exited the building soon-to-be-formerly-known as TD Banknorth Garden, they all had something in common with Miami's unfortunate lads: It may be a while before they, too, see real, heart-stopping basketball, at least the kind we've seen these last two games with big mouths and big stars descending on the city.

The drought starts tonight with the aforementioned Heat in town, a team with a roster so tattered and hapless that 10-day-contract guys are playing serious minutes. Pat Riley might even take a pass on this one and, well, could anyone blame him? Then April, come she will (with apologies to Paul Simon), and it is anything but the cruelest month (apologies to T.S. Eliot) for Doc Rivers & Co.

In fact, if you're a season ticket-holder and have some overdue Christmas, er, obligations, there is no better time to offer up your ducats to those on your list who are still clamoring to see the Celtics. Shaq and D-Wade aren't playing tonight. (Can you imagine having gotten those tickets, say, two months ago?) Milwaukee, Indiana, and the regular-season finale against New Jersey round out the rather underwhelming slate of home games.

The road games aren't that much more appealing; in fact, of the remaining 10 games, only one, the game in Washington a week from Wednesday, is against a team with a winning record. After big-time wins over the Suns and Hornets, things drop off exponentially. The next game the Celtics will play at home against a team with a winning record will not come until the second round of the playoffs (barring a miracle, the No. 8 seed in the East will be well under .500).

So what do you do if you're Rivers (and Georgetown is out of the NCAA Tournament?). You put the lads through an extended walkthrough yesterday ("We didn't even practice," Rivers said) and try to keep their eyes on the prize.

"The challenge for us," Rivers said, "is ourselves. It's not to look at who we're playing, but what we're playing for. We have 10 games to get ready for something, not 10 games to play."

And there is still some work to do. Rivers wants to give Sam Cassell more time (although Cassell isn't complaining now; he's one guy whose eyes are squarely focused on the postseason). Rivers really wants to find a way to get Tony Allen more involved. "We need him. We really need him," Rivers said. "I've got to find a way."

And there's the constant refrain: "We can still get better." This is what Paul Pierce noted Friday after the team's second straight 20-point thrashing of a Western Conference pretender: "We need to do a better job against the Philadelphias and everybody else. I mean, there aren't too many teams we are going to play that are over .500, but it doesn't matter. We want to go into the playoffs playing well."

The schedule should pretty much take care of that. The Celtics can (and should) complete a season sweep of Miami tonight, which would be a first for the franchise since 1999, when they won all three. Prior to this season, the Heat had won eight of the last 11 against Boston. But that's when they were not a D-League team.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/30/being_benched_would_be_ok?mode=PF
Being benched would be OK
Cassell's next move likely to coaching
By Peter May, Globe Staff | March 30, 2008

Sam Cassell's contract expires at the end of this season. We might not be seeing the last of him, however. He could be back in Boston next season - holding a clipboard alongside Doc Rivers.

Or he might decide to try to play another season at age 39. "I feel pretty good right now," Cassell said. "If I was still playing with the Clippers and my season ended like their season is going to end, it'd be my last year. But I like these guys."

One of those guys he likes is Rivers. Cassell already has decided what his next career move will be - coaching - and having been here only a month, he is intrigued by the prospect of joining Rivers's staff. The two already have talked about it, although nothing firm is in place.

"Basketball is my passion," Cassell said. "With me, you like to get paid for what you do, but this is my passion. I've been wanting to be a head coach in this league for a while. Just don't be surprised if I leave this game as a player that I might be right up here with Doc on the staff."

Cassell also mentioned joining George Karl as an option, although we're not sure how long Karl is going to stay in Denver. Rivers appears to have a little bit longer of a leash, especially if the Nuggets somehow don't make the playoffs.

"I just like how Doc Rivers has handled the whole situation," Cassell said. "He allows his coaches to coach and that's the thing I enjoy about being here."

What about it, Doc?

"I think he would be a great coach," Rivers said of Cassell. "I just would hate to be in his meetings because he never shuts up. And how would you keep him quiet on the bench? But he has an unbelievable knowledge of basketball. I told him a week ago, 'I hope you're not retiring any time soon, but if you do, I'd love to have you stick around.' And I meant it."

You can already see the seeds of a future coach simply by watching Cassell on the bench. He is into the game. He takes Rajon Rondo aside to offer encouragement and advice, which, he understands, is one of the reasons he's here. Whether he plays or not, he always is someone to seek out after the game for his thoughts on what just happened.

"I understand what it takes to be a head coach," he said with characteristic Cassellian confidence.

Cassell has made quite a career for himself after coming from a football school (Florida State) and being picked late in the first round of the 1993 draft. He has two NBA titles - and wants a third. He's played in an All-Star Game. He'd been around some of the greats (Kevin Garnett, Hakeem Olajuwon, Ray Allen) before arriving here and, if nothing else, his one month as a Celtic has rekindled the flame, so to speak.

"These guys make the game so enjoyable," he said of the Celtics. "If we lose, these guys talk about the loss. What happened? But everyone has the same intentions. Everyone, even guys who don't play a lot, like Scal [Brian Scalabrine] is in on the discussions. I like that. That's championship basketball. With the Clippers, if we lost, it was more like, 'What the hell just happened?' Well, we lost by 30, that's what happened. Everyone's at fault. Management. Players. Owners. Everyone."

But there remains that other option - returning for what would be a 16th NBA season. Cassell hasn't ruled it out, even if his 15th ends the way he hopes it ends.

"I don't know," he said when asked about next season. "I think I'll play. I feel good. The good thing is I don't have to play 30 minutes every night. I like my backup role. I like having Rajon in front of me. And Doc does a great job managing all this. And as he told me, this is really all about the postseason. They want me to be ready for that."

After that, it's anyone's guess. Coach Cassell? It certainly would be entertaining. And one thing would have to change - Rivers would have to remove the gag order placed on the Celtics' assistants. Cassell not talking? Not in this lifetime.



Among the missing?
The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of doing something no team has done in 33 seasons - and it isn't something good.

The Mavericks entered the last weekend of March clinging to the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference, barely ahead of Golden State and Denver. One of those three teams is going to Secaucus for the lottery in May, which is a frightening thought. And with the Mavericks' personnel issues (no Dirk Nowitzki) and remaining schedule (six of 10 on the road and seven games against winning teams), the possibility looms that American Airlines Center will be dark in May for the first time.

If that happens, the Mavericks would be the first team since the 1973-74 Milwaukee Bucks to own the best regular-season record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs one year, then fail to qualify for the playoffs the next season.

The 1998-99 Chicago Bulls also qualify, but not totally. The Bulls shared the best record the year before with Utah and the Jazz had home-court advantage. And given the historic diaspora after the 1998 championship, the 1998-99 Bulls were a completely different team.

The idea that the Mavericks could miss the playoffs, especially after their acquisition of Jason Kidd, is mind-boggling, and speaks to the incredible depth in the West. But Kidd has been the Heathcliff Slocumb of the Mavericks; Dallas's loss in Denver Thursday night made the Mavericks 0-9 in games against winning teams since Kidd came on board. He'll get a chance for that first W tonight at Golden State.

Asked about the possibility of his Mavericks missing the playoffs, Mark Cuban told TNT, "If someone would have said to me with 12 games to go you would be four games out of first, before the season started, I would have said, 'I'll take it.' The West is crazy this year, it's so competitive and every game is a playoff game."

Or not.


Webber could make healthy Hall case
Chris Webber, Hall of Famer?

He retires with 17,182 points, 8,124 rebounds, and 3,526 assists, numbers that would have been more impressive had he experienced consistently good health. He never played more than 76 games in a season, and had seasons of 15, 23, and 42 games.

But according to the Elias Sports Bureau, only seven players in NBA history matched or exceeded Webber's totals in all three of those categories: Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Elgin Baylor, Karl Malone, and Kevin Garnett. Five of those seven are in the Hall of Fame and the other two are in the green room. And of those, Garnett is the only one yet to play in the NBA Finals, something he hopes to remedy soon.

Barkley went to bat for Webber, who joined the TNT crew for Thursday night's telecast. "Everywhere he's been, he's won," said Barkley, apparently forgetting Webber missed the playoffs in three of his first five seasons. He also missed them playing for the 38-win 76ers in 2005-06, when he played a career-high 2,893 minutes.

"Chris Webber is a Hall of Famer, not just because of numbers but because every team he played on he's been a winner."

The guy who probably knows Webber as well as anyone, Houston (and former Sacramento) coach Rick Adelman, thinks Webber deserves serious consideration for Springfield.

"The numbers are there and if he doesn't make the Hall of Fame, the only reason is because of his injuries," Adelman said. "If he doesn't get those injuries, he might still be playing in Sacramento. When he got hurt it really set us back and set him back big time. He was in the prime of his career right then, playing really well. I think he deserves to be up there."


Etc.
He's not a mad Max
Kendrick Perkins, who probably more than anyone has benefited from the arrival of Kevin Garnett, is on pace to break a Celtics record that has stood for 27 seasons - Cedric Maxwell's field goal percentage mark of 60.9, set in 1979-80. Asked about possibly being supplanted by Perkins, who is shooting 62.3 percent, Maxwell said, "Has he done it yet? I've still got my hexes that I'm saving for layups." Max then got serious, saying, "Look, you have to feel good for him. You can see the change in his game and his confidence. He finishes plays around the basket now. Then again, if he stopped putting the ball on the floor, he might shoot 70 percent." Is Max upset that his mark might fall to a player who doesn't shoot from beyond 2 feet? "Not at all," he said. "Neither did I."

1-2 punched
So, the Suns got to see the Pistons and Celtics some 48 hours apart last week and lost to both (one a blowout, one in overtime). Can we take anything away from the disparity of the two games? "We kicked their butts pretty good when they came to see us," Raja Bell said, referring to the Suns' 85-77 victory over the Celtics Feb. 22 in Phoenix. "So, I think it's pretty square right now. Detroit did beat us twice, but I'd be reluctant to say they're the better team or Boston is the better team. All I can tell you is they're both really, really good." Shaquille O'Neal seconded that. "Different styles," he said, when asked to compare the two. "But in order to come out of the East, they're going to have to go through each other, no doubt about that. Both those teams [are] experienced, veteran teams. You have to play damn near perfect basketball to beat them, especially at their place."

Inconsistent release
Former NBA center Marc Jackson's second tour through Europe seemed, on the surface, to be going well. Jackson, who played last season with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (56 games), was the leading scorer and second in rebounding for Olympiakos, the second-best team in Greece's top league. But in a move that can only be explained by these three words - that's European basketball - Jackson was released just before the start of a three-game playoff series with CSKA Moscow, and was replaced on the roster by Qyntel Woods. (That's a story for another day.) A Greek mole said the main reason for the move was that Jackson and new Olympiakos coach Giannakis Panagiotis, who also happens to be the national coach, have not seen eye-to-eye since Panagiotis took over six weeks ago. He considered Jackson to be more interested in stats, a liability on defense, and a bad influence on Lynn Greer, one of the team's best players (and former Milwaukee Buck, who, like Jackson, went to Temple). Former Sun/Grizzly Jake Tsakalidis is getting more time in Jackson's spot and Olympiakos also will be able to add Baby Shaq (Sofocles Schortsianitis) for the playoffs. He has been on a weight-loss program all season.

It happened in Vegas
When you get bounced from the NBA for violating the league's drug abuse program, your options are pretty limited. No one has to tell that to the Hornets' Chris Andersen. Any FIBA-affiliated team was off limits, so Europe wasn't an option. Nor was the NBA's D-League. But it didn't preclude him from the next best thing - working out with that noted slacker, Garnett, and others in Las Vegas over the summer. Garnett is, of course, maniacal in these matters and no one appreciates that more than Andersen. "It's a great experience to go against someone of Kevin Garnett's status," Andersen said. "It brings the best out playing the best of the best." Andersen also worked out in Vegas with Chauncey Billups, Jermaine O'Neal, and Corey Maggette among others. During the season, he worked out in Denver.

One of the kings of swings
Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni often wonders why the name Manu Ginobili doesn't surface when the topic concerns today's great swingmen. "If you were picking a small forward or a big guard for your team, he's got to be one of the top five that you'd be talking about," D'Antoni said. "I mean, look at what he's done. Three [NBA] championships. An Olympic gold medal. And yet he doesn't even make the All-Star team. I don't know if you mention him in the same sentence with the real greats, but if this is about winning, then what he has done is unbelievable. I don't think we put enough of a premium on that. I think he's one of the best players in the league." D'Antoni saw Ginobili quite frequently in Europe, before Ginobili joined the Spurs. "I was working for the Spurs at the time and we talked about him a lot," D'Antoni said. "I knew he had a chance to be a good pro. But I don't think anyone envisioned he'd be this good."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/03/30/heat_thumbnails/

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Heat thumbnails
Email|Print|Single Page| Text size – + March 30, 2008
When, where: Tonight, 6, at TD Banknorth Garden.

more stories like thisTV, radio: CSN, WEEI (850).

Records: Miami is 13-59, Boston is 57-15.

Scoring: Dwyane Wade 24.6, Shawn Marion 14.3, Ricky Davis 13.6.

Rebounds: Marion 11.2, Udonis Haslem 9.0, Dorell Wright 5.0.

Assists: Wade 6.9, Jason Williams 4.8, Davis 3.1.

Head to head: This is the fourth and final meeting. The Celtics are 3-0, including a 117-87 win Jan. 29.

Miscellany: Wade is out for the season with a knee injury . . . Marion has missed the last six games with back spasms and is not on this trip . . . Against Detroit Thursday, the Heat used their franchise-record 28th different starting lineup of the season . . . Pat Riley may miss the game to scout the NCAA Tournament; in his absence, assistant Ron Rothstein would coach.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.enterprisenews.com/sports/pros/x79617073
Celtics should cruise through rest of regular season
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Photos
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Boston Celtics

By Jim Fenton
GateHouse News Service
Posted Mar 29, 2008 @ 08:46 PM

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BOSTON — The NBA schedule-maker has provided the Boston Celtics with a rather soft touch to close out the regular season.

The Celtics will play just one team with a winning record in the final 10 games and probably just two teams who will be advancing to the playoffs.

With a 57-15 record, the Celtics will have no difficulty climbing above the 60-win mark for the first time since 1985-86 -- the last championship season-- and 12th time in franchise history.

The easy stretch drive begins tonight when the Celtics conclude a four-game homestand by facing the woeful Miami Heat.

The only team above .500 the Celtics will see between now and the playoffs is the Washington Wizards on the road a week from Wednesday.

They have a road game against the Atlanta Hawks, a possible first-round opponent for Boston, and have games with the New Jersey Nets and Indiana Pacers, who are still in range of getting the eighth spot in the playoffs.

The Celtics, who entered Saturday night with a magic number of four to clinch the best overall record, don't figure to play another meaningful game until the weekend of April 19-20 when the playoffs get under way.

For now, the Celtics will be motivated by the fact that they still need to nail down home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

After that, they will be tested by some teams in desperate need of victories as they try to get into the playoffs.

"We're still trying to play for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, so it's going to be easy (to stay motivated),'' Paul Pierce said. "But at the same time, you know these teams that are scrapping for the seventh and eighth spots are going to give it their all.

"We've got to be up for the challenge, mentally and physically, and not have any letdowns. We want to be playing well.

"It doesn't matter who comes into our building, it doesn't matter where we are. We want to be playing well when the playoffs start.''

The Celtics have been playing well in their past two games, roaring past the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Hornets by 20 points to finish 25-5 against the Western Conference.

Coach Doc Rivers said he has paid little attention to the upcoming schedule, choosing to look only at what is next on the agenda.

"As far as I'm concerned, we play Sunday,'' Rivers said. "Sometimes, the opponent in our mind is division-less. We say we're our own opponent.

"That doesn't matter to us what other people are doing. We've got to keep working on us and getting ready.''

There will probably come a point in the next two weeks when the Celtics start getting players like Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen some rest, but Rivers wants to keep them as sharp as possible.

The players would like to keep the same routine, which has been a smashing success through five months.

"We said at the beginning of the year we wanted to take care of each game one at a time, and I feel consistently we've done that,'' Garnett said.

"When you touch the floor, you want to be consistent, be dominant and play as a team and we've done that.''

In addition to getting over the 60-win barrier and clinching the best record, there is something else the Celtics are playing for.

They are in position to claim the best turnaround in NBA history, a mark held by the San Antonio Spurs, who went from 20 wins in 1996-97 to 56 a year later when Tim Duncan arrived.

The 1989-90 Spurs are second with a 35-win improvement, going from 21 to 56 victories.

The Celtics have won 33 more games than a year ago, breaking the team record of 32 set by the 1979-80 squad that had a rookie named Larry Bird and went from 29 to 61 wins.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/x594942293
The magic number is 5 for Boston to gain the home-court advantage in the playoffs.
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By Jim Fenton
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
Posted Mar 27, 2008 @ 03:20 AM
Last update Mar 27, 2008 @ 11:56 AM

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They have been the model of consistency throughout this season, avoiding losing streaks in remarkable fashion.

The Boston Celtics have dropped two consecutive games on two occasions and had a season-high three-game losing streak last month.

The dips have been very rare as the Celtics have put together a 56-15 record while sitting atop the NBA since early November.

With an impressive 117-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night at the TD Banknorth Garden, the Celtics stayed away from their second three-game losing streak of the season.

After falling to the New Orleans Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers last Saturday and Monday nights, the Celtics had what was supposed to be a tough test in the Suns, who have been rolling since getting accustomed to having Shaquille O’Neal.

But the Celtics outscored the Suns, 60-40, in the second half and limited Phoenix to just two fast-break points in the game. The victory reduces the Celtics’ magic number for clinching the best overall record to five with 11 games to play.

“It was very important,” said center Kendrick Perkins of ending the brief losing streak. “We’re still trying to get home-court advantage. I think we’ve still got a ways to go. We’re still trying to improve in these last 11 games. It was a good win. We’ve just to keep improving.”

The Celtics had collapsed in the fourth quarters against the Hornets, who will be at the Garden on Friday night, and the Sixers.

That wasn’t the case against the Suns, who were not the same team after getting 37 second-quarter points to create a 57-57 halftime tie.

The Celtics played solid defense in the final 24 minutes and were sharp on offense with starters Kevin Garnett (30), Paul Pierce (27), Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo (14 each) and Perkins (13) all hitting for double figures.

“We shared the ball a lot better than our previous games,” said Garnett. “When traps occurred, we moved the ball. The ball never stuck in someone’s hands.

“A couple of times Paul had (isolations) and was aggressive from the giddy-up. When we’re like that, when we’re talking on defense, we’re a tough team to deal with. Somehow, we’ve got to keep that a constant thing coming down into April and on into the playoffs.”

The Celtics, who are now 24-5 against the Western Conference with one game remaining, had a rare practice session on Tuesday, and it paid off as they were determined not to let the losing streak continue.

“I love this team because they’re so mentally tough,” said Coach Doc Rivers. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have been that concerned (with another loss). I really wouldn’t have been. They’re a bounce-back team. They always will be, this group.”

Said Garnett, “(Tuesday), we had a practice and it was a high energy, high intensity, get after practice and I felt it was really what we needed.”

Pierce rebounds:

When the Celtics lost to the Suns, 85-77, in Phoenix last month, Pierce had a brutal night, missing 11 of 13 shots and scoring eight points in 34 minutes.

He went 9-for-16 to score his 27 points, 12 of them coming in the fourth quarter when the Celtics pulled away.

“I really never think about my last game, truthfully,” said Pierce. “Once it happens, it’s behind me. I think I’m one of the more confident players.

“Shoot, I can miss 100 shots in a row and I feel like the next one is going in. That never entered my mind. It was about getting off this two-game schneid we were on and trying to get a win.

“I really don’t care about my individual shooting, as long as the team wins. I can go 0-for-10 and if we win a game, I really don’t care.”

Rondo makes a move:

Rondo had one of the highlight plays of the night, faking Steve Nash to the right in the lane and blowing past him to the left for a layup late in the third quarter. “It was just in and out and he went for it and I got a layup,” said the modest Rondo, who had six rebounds and six assists … Leon Powe also had a play that will show up on highlight shows as he took a shot while seated on the floor and was fouled by Boris Diaw in the final minute of the first quarter … James Posey, who missed Monday’s game due to family matters, had six points and six rebounds. He also converted a rare four-point play in the third quarter, hitting a 3-pointer from the corner and getting fouled by Amare Stoudemire.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.eagletribune.com/pusports/local_story_090014739.html?keyword=topstory
Point Well Taken: Risk pays off as Rondo surpassing all expectations

By Bill Burt
Staff Writer


BOSTON — Talk about a risky investment.

You trade the farm and bring in two pro basketball behemoths with Hall of Fame credentials, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Mind you, there is another behemoth, Paul Pierce, with similar credentials, already in-house.

You do nothing with the point guard position. In fact you eliminate one candidate in the "farm" trade, which was universally termed the worst point guard group in the National Basketball Association last winter.

And you hand the reins of this new, star-driven team to an unproven, sometimes obstinate point guard, Rajon Rondo, who averaged just 6.4 points and 3.8 assists as a part-time starter as a rookie the year before.

That's akin to buying 2008 Mercedes and asking a 15-year-old to be the chauffeur.

"Yes, that's pretty much what happened," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "Sounds a little risky? From the outside, I guess, I could see it from that perspective."

Rivers is not crazy. His perspective is just much different than yours and mine.

He was a life-long point guard, averaging 10.9 points per game over his 13-year NBA career. He knows a thing or two about feeding a Hall-of-Famer as he started eight years in Atlanta with Dominique Wilkins.

"There are a few ways of looking at it," says Rivers, of the hand-off this summer to Rondo, who turned 22 in February.

"The way I look at it is, as a point guard, you don't have to do as much with Kevin, Ray and Paul," says Rivers. "It's a good place to learn about the game."

Point guard has pretty much been a minor-league position on the Celtics since Dennis Johnson retired in 1990. With all due respect to Brian Shaw, Sherman Douglas and Kenny Anderson, since DJ, the point-guard play has been forgettable.

"I've been saying for a long time that you have to take care of the point guard position if you want to win in this league," says ex-Celtics great Bob Cousy.

"Frankly, it hasn't been a position of strength with the Celtics. I like that they drafted a player they wanted to develop. He's got a long way to go, but you can see he's got ability. He sees the floor pretty well. It's a good sign."

***

The cross-over dribble versus two-time MVP Steve Nash on Wednesday night was the stuff of legends. Nash literally tripped over his own feet as Rondo feigned a hard move to his right before opening up a wide open lane up the middle for an easy layup.

That flair for the spectacular is nothing new.

It couldn't touch the thunderous dunk against the Detroit Pistons, which saw him decide at half-court that something special was going to happen. He blew by Richard Hamilton and threw down a vicious slam on 6-7, 260-pound leaper Jason Maxiell, who flattened the slight 6-1, 171-pounder on the play.

The game in Denver on Feb. 19 was a personal highlight reel for Rondo.

Among the several memorable moves was a one-handed runner near the 3-point line over two Nuggets forwards at the halftime buzzer, his classic fake behind-the-back pass and layin over a legs-tangled Anthony Carter, and, best of all, a flying dunk off an offensive rebound.

"Rajon is an incredible athlete," says C's shooting guard Ray Allen. "We see that stuff every day, in practice. I'm not surprised by anything he does."

That has been part of the problem. Rondo's moves flaunt his incredible athleticism. But according to those who know him best, Rondo's basketball IQ might even trump his flashy moves.

"He's by far the smartest kid I've ever coached," says Doug Bibby, Rondo's high school coach from ninth to 11th grade at Louisville's Eastern High.

"People see the athlete. And he's one of the best athletes I've ever coached," said Bibby, who should know a thing or two about point guards as his uncle is long-time NBA point guard and coach Henry Bibby and he's also related to Atlanta Hawks point guard Mike Bibby. "But nobody has a mind like his. He knows the game better than most. And I'm referring to the NBA, too. He knows the game."

Rondo admits he is not a just a player, but a student, too.

"I look at films almost every night. In fact, I do look at them every night during the season," says Rondo. "I have a collection on every point guard. I have (Steve) Nash, (Chauncey) Billups, (Andre) Miller ... all of them. I like to see their tendencies."

He also likes to see their boxscores.

"Yeah, I do look at how they have played and their numbers," says Rondo. "It's just doing my homework. This is a tough position. It seems like every night it's somebody else."

***

Draft day. That was a day that still stings.

While there was talk he could go in the top 10, a panel of ESPN analysts pooh-poohed that notion right away.

"The problem is he can't shoot it all," said ESPN's Jay Bilas.

That hurt. But it was the truth. In fact, if he could have shot a lick he probably would have been a top-5 pick and probably never a Celtic.

After shooting .418 from the floor including a miserable .207 on 3-pointers as a rookie, Rondo spent most of his offseason in Waltham at the team's practice facility. It has paid off as he's currently shooting a fine .485 from the floor and is much improved from 3-point land (.294).

"I would get up in the morning and immediately come over here," says Rondo. "I would work on my shot first and then ball-handling. I would do that for a couple of hours. Then I would lift a little, and then go home. Then I usually would come back after dinner and work on free throws."

Rondo wasn't alone for most of his morning workouts. Ray Allen was a regular with Rondo.

"I credit Ray Allen a lot for talking to Rajon and working with him this summer," says Bibby. "Ray is just what they say he is, a pro. I think that's one of the reasons they work so well together. Rajon knows where Ray is going to be and where he wants the ball. That goes back to their work in the summer."

Rondo says there is always advice among ex-Celtics who seem to make their way to HealthPoint or the Garden. One guy who seems to always throw his two cents in is JoJo White.

"He is always talking about being aggressive on offense," says Rondo. "If the shot is there, take it. If the lane is open, drive, he says. That means a lot to have a legend like him supporting me. It feels good."

***

It was during a first quarter timeout against the Phoenix Suns and Rivers was talking about a potential play.

"Rajon (Rondo) says, 'We're all set. We know what to do,' " recalls Rivers.

While Rivers has gone out of his way this winter to give him bonus points for leadership and bravado among a bevy of accomplished veterans, this was not one of those times.

"So I said, 'What if they change their defense?' " says Rivers. "And he just looks at me, saying nothing. He got my point."

One of Rondo's biggest faults, besides his mediocre jump shot, is that he can be pig-headed. He and ex-Kentucky coach Tubby Smith often butted heads.

"He has a very high basketball IQ," says Rivers. "That's part of the problem. He knows a lot for a kid his age. But there's a lot he doesn't know, too. Sometimes he has a problem understanding the second part."

Rivers says one of Rondo's faults is committing to something and never wavering, even when something else develops.

"It's common with young players," says Rivers. "Instead of allowing for the possibility, like the defense changing, he sometimes makes a decision and isn't ready. But he's getting better in that area."

While Rondo's numbers — 10.7 points, 5.0 assists, 4.1 rebounds — aren't going to put him the MVP category, they are picking up each month.

He has scored 20 or more points in five games over the last two months, but more importantly he has played a key role in several recent wins over some of the NBA's elite. He had 20 points and six rebounds against San Antonio, 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists against Phoenix and 17 points (8-of-10 shooting) and four assists Friday against New Orleans.

"My job is to run this team. It's not to score," says Rondo. "I feel very fortunate. I realize that this is a big job and there is a lot of responsibility.

"The fact that we have some superstars here makes my job a little easier. They are always talking to me and they've been very supportive. That means a lot."

There is a reason "they" (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) are supportive.

The Celtics, best record or not, will be playing in May and possibly June if Rondo is on his game.

"The better he is," says Ray Allen, "the better we all are."