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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 7:27:20 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1086642&format=textCelts won’t buck trend Keep focus to roll past Milwaukee By Mark Murphy | Saturday, April 12, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Lisa Hornak The Celtics [team stats] had Gabe Pruitt making a rare appearance with nine minutes left and Glen Davis line driving home an improbable 18-foot jump shot. Sam Cassell, back after a two-game absence, was the crunch time point guard and the starters waited patiently on the bench for the nightly airing of Gino’s victory dance. The Celtics obviously don’t make the same mistake twice. Faced with a combative Bucks team Tuesday night in Milwaukee, the Celtics bench needed to go to overtime for a win. Last night the Celtics improved on their act with a 102-86 win over the Bucks for their 63rd victory of the season. The Celtics are now a remarkable 36-1 against sub-.500 teams, which goes a long way toward explaining why they have the best record in basketball. “We play for ourselves, not other teams,” said Kevin Garnett. “That’s what (coach) Doc Rivers says to us. That comes to life when we play teams that don’t have any significance. “We tend to not play to the competition’s level, because we are playing for the postseason. We must experience the reps. If we go in thinking we have to take care of business, and give other players the chance to play, we need nothing more and nothing less.” None of the starters played more than 25 minutes - the amount logged by Ray Allen - and none scored more than Rajon Rondo [stats], who despite low minutes (23) still walked off with a 16-point, 10-assist double-double. Instead, this marked yet another night for the bench to develop its playoff rhythm, with Cassell in particular jumping on the opportunity. The point guard with the classic mid-range game finished with 10 points, four assists and four rebounds in 17 minutes. He also shot a solid 5-for-10 from the floor, looking very much at home with the reserve unit he will be expected to lead in the playoffs. “I actually thought Sam was big in that - keeping the team together,” Rivers said. Overall the numbers were truly bizarre, with the Bucks attempting 25 more free throws (30-5), making 17 more (21-4), and still losing by 16 points. Milwaukee also outworked the Celtics on the offensive glass (17-11). But defense, as usual, was all the Celtics needed to close this game out. The most telling number was in shots. The Celtics made 13 more hoops (44-31) and attached a near-absurd 33 assists. The Celtics were on their way into the stratosphere with a 25-point third-quarter lead (72-47) when the Bucks finally dug in. Milwaukee scored the next six points and after Cassell interjected with a 10-footer, Michael Redd hit his third 3-pointer of the night. But the Bucks could only trade baskets for the rest of the quarter, with James Posey finally polishing off the third with a 3-pointer for a 79-58 Celtics lead. By the fourth quarter the game had completely slipped away from the Bucks, with Rivers going quickly to his reserves. It was Cassell’s turn, in particular, to shine. And overall, it was time to show the rest of the league that regardless of the opponent, the Celtics are particularly good at looking straight ahead. They don’t lapse against the insignificant teams, as Garnett calls them. “We did what we know we are capable of doing - just keeping it simple,” Allen said. “It hasn’t been a problem all year. We just have to make the simple pass. Offensively we have a lot of talent. Sometimes you get bogged down doing the mundane things, but it’s important that you follow the script and make the easy play.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 7:29:53 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1086640&format=textCassell on point with second unit By Rich Thompson | Saturday, April 12, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Lisa Hornak Veteran point guard Sam Cassell gave Celtics [team stats] fans a glimpse of what he’ll bring to the postseason during last night’s 102-86 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Banknorth Garden. Cassell did an efficient job directing the Celtics’ second unit for coach Doc Rivers, the veteran guard compiling his best statistical effort since arriving as a free agent on March 4. Cassell logged 17 minutes and shot 5-for-10 from the floor, scoring 10 points, while adding four rebounds and four assists. “I didn’t play deep minutes so I can’t say this was my best game,” said Cassell, who came to the Celtics after negotiating his release from the Los Angeles Clippers. “I played solid tonight and I was comfortable,” he said. “When you come to a new team and it’s a winning team, you are looking to see where you fit in. I could have gone to a bad team and scored the ball like I did in LA. But this is a team that’s won 60-something games.” Rivers has given Cassell command of the second unit that consists of center P.J. Brown, forwards Glen Davis and James Posey and guard Tony Allen. The group hit the floor at the start of the second quarter with the Celtics leading 31-21. Cassell played just under eight minutes and hit three medium jumpers and assisted on two baskets by Brown. Cassell rejoined the battle with 5:30 to play in the third and scored four points with an assist while covering elusive Bucks rookie guard Ramon Sessions. The knock on the Celtics’ second unit was they weren’t holding leads that the starters had handed over before leaving a game. But when Cassell gave the floor back to Rajon Rondo [stats] with 4:29 to play in the first half, the lead had expanded to 44-30. “We were trying to give some guys a rest and play the game of basketball,” Cassell said. Rivers planned to limit Cassell’s playing time to 16 minutes. Cassell had missed the last two games with a back injury.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 7:33:49 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1086643&format=textKG gets Auerbach nod Garnett honored by team award By Mark Murphy / Celtics notebook | Saturday, April 12, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Lisa Hornak Kevin Garnett met Red Auerbach early in his career, with Kevin McHale facilitating the introduction. “I don’t think (Auerbach) was too thrilled to be meeting an opposing player,” Garnett said last night after becoming the third recipient of the award that bears the late Celtics [team stats] patriarch’s name. “But it was like when I met Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell of course, and Mr. (Bob) Cousy. It was an honor. I will take those meetings to my grave with me. “Red solidifies basketball history with all the prestige. It’s huge. Obviously the award hasn’t been out that long, but it solidifies the excellence of the team as a whole, the history of basketball in general.” The announcement of the award, which goes to the player “who best exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a Celtic,” didn’t exactly surprise anyone. “They robbed me,” joked Paul Pierce [stats], who won the first Auerbach award two years ago. “It’s good for him, man,” Pierce said. “We’ve got to keep him happy.” Doc Rivers, also in a joking mood, said, “Maybe it will give him more energy. “Obviously we all knew how good he was as a player. But as a person he’s exceeded everything I knew or thought.” Hamm-ond it up Though John Hammond - second in command to Joe Dumars in Detroit the last seven years - was officially named as Milwaukee’s general manager during the third quarter of last night’s game, Rivers spilled the beans earlier. He once played for Hammond with the Clippers, and has great respect for the man, so the Celtics coach figured it was all right to talk. “A very good choice,” he said. “It’s not official? Well, let’s make it official. It’s a great choice that came out of nowhere. He obviously coached the game and he’s been upstairs, so he knows both sides. The good thing is that he has a good feel for the coaches as well.” Meaningless mark With Pierce leading the team with a 19.9 scoring average, it’s conceivable that none of the Celtics will break the 20-point mark. “I haven’t even thought about that,” Pierce said. “The results I care about are wins.” Playoff preview? Considering Atlanta’s battle with Indiana for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, tonight’s Hawks-Celtics game carries a lot of implications. “It’s definitely a game you want to win, but this is the time of year when coaches like to play their chess matches,” Pierce said. “So who plays and who doesn’t can sometimes be hard to figure.” Rivers indicated he has no intention of deviating from his recent method of staffing games, even if it means giving more time to his bench. But at this stage of the season there’s little in the playbook that is a mystery. “This has to be the most overscouted league in the world,” Rivers said. “You don’t want to run any new (plays), but now when you call a timeout, it’s going to be for something you’ve run already, anyway.” Injury report Leon Powe (ankle) and Eddie House (groin) sat out last night’s game. Glen Davis, whose sore hamstring drew a derisive “he’s living up to his nickname” response from Rivers in Washington on Wednesday, had six points and four rebounds in his return last night. . . . Scot Pollard, who has television experience dating back to his time with Sacramento, is about to reprise that role during tonight’s game alongside Mike Gorman and Greg Dickerson.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 7:36:26 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/04/12/bucks_stop_with_rondo_cassell?mode=PFBucks stop with Rondo, Cassell By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | April 12, 2008 Sam Cassell was asked what it would mean to the Celtics in the postseason if he and fellow point guard Rajon Rondo played consistently as well as they did in last night's 102-86 victory over Milwaukee. His reply? "Championship." Rondo had a double-double with 16 points (8-of-12 shooting), 10 assists, and 5 rebounds in 23 minutes in front of a sellout crowd at TD Banknorth Garden. Cassell added 10 points (5-of-10 shooting), 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in 17 minutes. Since Cassell's arrival March 4, last night's contest was probably the best combined game he and Rondo have had as a point guard duo. "I know what he's going to do and I think he knows what I'm going to do," Cassell said. "I'm just going to get my rhythm the next couple of games and be Sam Cassell out there. I was trying to fit in when I just got here and now [coach] Doc [Rivers] is telling me to 'just be yourself.' " Said Rivers: "They both were very good and efficient. Rondo came out and was attacking early. Just great basketball decisions, which is what we want him to do every night. And I thought Sam kept the second unit together. I was really surprised how sharp he was with all the time he missed. Great efforts from both." Rondo, who wasn't available for comment, and Cassell (back spasms) both returned to action last night. Rondo was hampered by food poisoning during Wednesday's loss at Washington and didn't play in the fourth quarter. Rivers said Rondo actually shouldn't have played that game. Kevin Garnett, who had 12 points and eight rebounds, was surprised Rondo played last night considering how bad he felt on the plane coming back to Boston late Wednesday night. "[Rondo's] being Superman," Garnett said. "The extra time for us today not having shootaround [helped]." Cassell, who missed the previous two games, had no negative effects last night. Cassell, 38, however, said he was able to play against Washington but was told by Rivers to sit. Cassell is averaging 5.6 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 16 minutes during 14 contests with Boston and said he began feeling comfortable offensively a week ago. "With a team like this, I can afford to take a day or two off for the future of the ball club," Cassell said. The Celtics have won five straight games at home, improved to 34-6 there this season, and won the season series against Milwaukee, 3-0. The Celtics' All-Star trio of Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen combined for 37 points while each played no more than 25 minutes. The Bucks shot a woeful 38.3 percent from the field, missed 9 of 12 3-pointer attempts, and were down by as many as 25 points. "There's a reason they've got the best record in the league," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "They play together. They play really hard. They've got some hunger on the other side and we had our hands full. "They're at a time in the season where some teams have shut it down to rest everybody. I think it's pretty impressive even [though key players] are going limited minutes that they're not really upsetting the flow of the game." For the Celtics, Leon Powe missed the game with a sore right foot and Eddie House was out with a strained right groin. Both are expected to be out tonight at Atlanta. Milwaukee was without four players, including ex-UConn star Charlie Villanueva (strained right hamstring). "It's definitely a game you want to win," Pierce said about tonight's game against the Hawks, whose magic number is 2 to clinch the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff seed. "You've got a team we've beaten two times already. To go down there and win a third game just to put it in their head that, 'Hey, this is a team we've got to see in the first round and it's not going to be easy. They beat us three times.' You know the psychological effect, especially for a team if you've beaten them three times." Said Hawks coach Mike Woodson: "They're the best in the East. They're having a phenomenal season."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 7:37:35 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/04/12/hawks_control_their_own_fate?mode=PFHawks control their own fate By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | April 12, 2008 To Atlanta coach Mike Woodson, it's simple. If his Hawks take care of their own business, they will make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. That would also likely mean Atlanta's first-round opponent would be the Celtics. "We need to win," Woodson said yesterday afternoon before the Hawks beat the Knicks, 116-104, in New York. "That would make life a lot easier. That would put us in good position." The magic number for Atlanta (37-42) is down to 2 to clinch the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Indiana (35-44) is close behind. The Pacers have won four straight, own the tiebreaker, and beat the Hawks Tuesday. The reward for the East's eighth seed is a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Celtics. "[The Pacers] did what they had to do," Woodson said. "We just have to handle our own business." Atlanta hosts the Celtics tonight and completes its regular-season schedule against Orlando Tuesday and at Miami Wednesday. The Hawks are led by All-Star guard Joe Johnson, veteran point guard Mike Bibby, Defensive Player of the Year candidate Josh Smith, and Rookie of the Year candidate Al Horford. The Celtics are up, 2-0, in the season series. "It would be huge," Woodson said of making the postseason. "This is an organization that hasn't been there in nine years. It would be really huge for our young team." Garnett gets Red Prior to last night's game against Milwaukee, Kevin Garnett was presented the Red Auerbach Award, given to a player who exemplifies what it means to be a Celtic. The award is named in honor of the late Arnold "Red" Auerbach, the former Celtics coaching legend, general manager, and president. Previous winners include Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson. "Red solidifies basketball history, all the prestige," said Garnett, who met Auerbach during his early years playing for Minnesota. "It's huge. Obviously, the award hasn't been out that long, but it solidifies excellence in the team as a whole, history of basketball in general, the prestige in it." He likes what he saw Celtics general manager Danny Ainge was impressed with the talent he witnessed at the Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational Tournament this week. The tournament includes the top collegiate seniors who fly under the radar. The Celtics have the 30th overall pick in the first round and the 60th overall pick in the second round in the NBA draft June 26. Ainge said there were Portsmouth prospects the Celtics could potentially draft. "Most of these guys are players that would be second-round picks to undrafted free agents," Ainge said. "They are trying to move into first-round status in the draft. A lot of their status depends on whether many underclassmen come out. There are a lot of guys with solid college careers that can make rosters." Pollard in the booth Injured forward-center Scot Pollard will fill in for Tommy Heinsohn and provide color commentary on Comcast SportsNet's telecast of tonight's game against the Hawks, joining play-by-play analyst Mike Gorman. Pollard, who is out for the season after left ankle surgery, also has color analyst experience with the Kings and WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs. The 10-year NBA veteran has an interest in sports analysis and small movie parts. He has a television show on CSN. "This is the first time I'm replacing a color man," Pollard said. "I'm all grown up. I will test the market down the road. So far I've enjoyed my experience and I'd like to keep practicing at it." Pollard is slated to go to Indianapolis Tuesday to get an update on his ankle and hopes to get the protective boot off soon. "It's my six-week checkup to let me know if I'll be able to get out of the boot gradually," he said. "I think it's ready for a little bit of walking." Writing on the wall Ray Allen, an ex-Sonics star, said he isn't surprised about the recent reports that the Sonics' new ownership planned to move the team to Oklahoma City all along. "I believe that," he said. "It goes to the past organization and past ownership. They knew what they were doing. They sold it to an Oklahoma City investment group and if they didn't get what they were asking for, they were going to move to Oklahoma City. The people knew it. The whole time both sides were trying to work on a deal, but they knew what their long-term goals were." . . . The Bucks last night announced that Detroit vice president of basketball operations John Hammond has been hired as their new GM. Hammond was an assistant coach for the Clippers when Celtics coach Doc Rivers played there in 1991-92. "He's great, he really is," said Rivers. "He really knows the game."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 7:44:09 GMT -5
aol.nba.com/celtics/news/blog/post-ups.html?dPostgame Wrap Nice win for the C's tonight, as Doc kept all of his starters under 25 minutes. Even Scal and Pruitt got some burn tonight, as this game was over after three quarters. With three games remaining, it has to be tempting to consider sitting starters tomorrow night in Atlanta (A) because they'll likely meet in the first round of the playoffs next weekend and (B) it's the second night of a back-to-back on the road. The good folks in Indiana are certainly wondering, as their playoff hopes are pretty well tied to what happens in the A.T.L. tomorrow night. With three games to play, the message has to be what it's been all year: "Don't get bored with the process." Doc's said it all year and it still applies now. And keeping his team fresh remains Rivers' first priority. "I've told them, 'legs over mind,'" Rivers said. "Veterans are smart enough, but we've got to save their legs." Asked if his team has been playing at close to playoff intensity all season, Rivers told reporters that the Celtics have been "pretty close", but said that focus is more important than intensity in the postseason. "I do think there's another level of focus you have to have for the playoffs," Rivers said. "At the end of the day, you have to be who you are. You've got to execute the stuff that you've done all year." Speaking of all year, if anyone's brought it all year long, it's Kevin Garnett, and to that end, he was honored with the third annual Red Auerbach Award tonight before tip off. A student of basketball history, Garnett was humbled by the honor. Garnett said he met Auerbach once when he was in Boston as a visitor. Kevin McHale made the introduction, and Garnett said he will take the memory of the meeting to the grave with him. Sickness Won't Stop Rondo Garnett told reporters that Rondo was very sick on the plane ride back from Washington, and said he didn't think that he'd be able to play at all tonight. Couper Moorhead has more on Rondo's night... Live from Courtside 102-86 Celtics, FINAL: Rajon Rondo is your Celtics.com Player of the Game for his 16-point, 10-assist performance in just 23 minutes. So he's got that going for him, which is nice. Tomorrow night's game against the Hawks is looking like a playoff preview. Doc says the Celtics will hold nothing back, so we'll see if they look to send any psychological messages... 95-77 Celtics, 3:13/4th: Gino Time! 87-69 Celtics, 7:07/4th: Brian Scalabrine and Gabe Pruitt (fresh from his D-League assignment) just checked in; Scal hasn't played in a home game since March 7 vs. Chicago, while Pruitt last appeared on the Garden parquet on January 18. 79-58 Celtics, End of 3rd: Apparently Milwaukee point guard Ramon Sessions is having himself a decent night too; he's got 10 dimes and four rebounds. But the C's are shooting 52.3% from the field through three quarters and that 21-point lead looks pretty comfortable. 72-53 Celtics, 3:20/3rd: Michael Ruffin was just at the free throw line about 40 feet in front of me. I always knew he was a muscular guy, but my man is absolutely jacked. Apparently that doesn't help his free throw shooting; he's just 1/4 from the line tonight. And he's shooting 40% from the line this year and 45% for his career. Yikes. It might not be safe at the table... 72-47 Celtics, 5:30/3rd: The Bucks are fading fast, so their P.R. department did they only thing they could to stem the tide: officially announce John Hammond as General Manager and pass the release out on press row. 57-39 Celtics, Halftime: Just overheard Bob Cousy gushing about Rondo's bounce pass in the paint to set up KG. It's one thing when Tommy compares Rondo to Cousy, but when the man himself is praising him, well, does it get any better than that? 47-33 Celtics, 2:28/2nd: Sam Cassell's played seven minutes, and he's already got three assists, which is as many as he'd logged in five total games from March 26-April 5. Meanwhile, Garnett, Pierce and Allen returned for the last few minutes of the half and appear on track to play about 30 minutes a piece tonight. 31-21 Celtics, End of 1st: 12 points, six assists and three rebounds is a pretty good line for Rajon Rondo, who played the entire first quarter. Do you smell a triple double? KG, Ray and Paul all played about 10 minutes each here in the first, and if House and Powe were available, we'd be curious if they'd even take the court in the second quarter. Perhaps Gabe Pruitt will get some burn tonight. 22-16 Celtics, 3:00/1st: Noteworthy: Dan Gadzuric, who made a habit out of dunking on the Celtics' Director of Sales and Marketing Operations (and Club Green founder) Matt Griffin back in his high school days, got the start tonight in place of Charlie Villanueva, who's battling a strained hamstring. I'd guess Gadzuric would rather battle Griffin than Garnett in the paint tonight. 15-11 Celtics, 5:33/1st: Rajon Rondo's been busy stat-stuffing in the opening minutes, hitting for six points, three rebounds and three assists. The Celtics are getting open looks at the hoop, and it shouldn't come as a surprise; the Bucks are one of the league's worst defensive teams. They're giving up a .476 shooting percentage to opponents, second-worst only to the Memphis Grizzlies. Auerbach Award - Kevin Garnett Boston Celtics co-owners Bob Epstein, Steve Pagliuca and Wyc Grousbeck presented the Red Auerbach Award to Kevin Garnett. The award is given to a Celtics player who best exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a Celtic. This award is named in honor of legendary coach, General Manager, and President of the Boston Celtics, the late Arnold "Red" Auerbach. The Red Auerbach Award was created in 2006. Previous recipients include Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson. Pregame Media Access Preview | Live Scoreboard (7:00) With the playoffs around the corner and the Milwaukee Bucks in town, it was a relatively quiet pregame at the Garden tonight. Larry Krystowiak pleaded ignorance about the Bucks finally hiring (although it's not technically official) John Hammond from the Pistons to run their basketball operations. The team has yet to announce it, but Doc Rivers seemed to think the story was legit when he met with reporters. Sorry, Bill Simmons. I guess you're stuck doing what you do best, which is loving the Celtics and giving everyone a reason to print out ESPN.com articles. As for the Celtics, Eddie House and Leon Powe are both out for tonight and tomorrow, according to Doc Rivers. Rivers wasn't 100% positive, but indicated that he believed House had a strained groin, while he said Powe had a minor ankle sprain that he suffered against Washington. As he loves to remind reporters, "Doc" is just a nickname. "We laugh, because when Eddie [Lacerte] says, 'Hey, Eddie [House] has,' I said, 'He's not playing. I don't even let him finish the sentence right now," Rivers said. Aside from the injury update, Rivers talked a bit about why the Celtics have been so good in ATO situations, which for the unhip, are "after timeout" plays. He first responded with, "We have Kevin, Paul..." but when pressed that his team was also good at them last year with a far less talented team, Rivers delved a little deeper. "It's a focus of mine, and we work on it in practice. Every shootaround, I usually give them two and then tell them that there's wings to that play, there's more options to it," Rivers said. "I think when you work on stuff, they tend to execute it very well." Check the Audio Archive for sound from Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and both coaches.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 7:45:52 GMT -5
aol.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar041108-rondo.htmlRecovered from Sickness, Rondo Back On Game By Couper Moorhead Celtics.com Correspondent April 11, 2008 He still occasionally gambles on defense. The jumper can still get called into a Law and Order lineup. And he's still just a second year player. But Friday night, with little on the line concerning the playoffs and Celtics Coach Doc Rivers concerned with his starters' minutes, point guard Rajon Rondo played and controlled the tempo like a veteran. So did the vet behind him. Two days after coming down with flu-like symptoms, Rondo played the hunter against the Milwaukee Bucks, posting a cool 16 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in less than 23 minutes. He ducked out of the locker room early to catch the team flight to Atlanta, but left his teammates impressed with his comeback performance. "He's being Superman," Kevin Garnett said. "If you saw him two days ago, you would never think we would have played tonight." With a lottery-bound Bucks squad showing the creases in its defense early, Rondo exploited them to their fullest, dishing to Paul Pierce on the wing, scooping to Kendrick Perkins in the paint, bouncing a no-looker to Garnett for the and-one layup and finding Ray Allen in the left corner for a pair of threes. By the time the first buzzer sounded, Rondo's line read 12 points, six assists, and three boards. And, most importantly to the Celtics' playoff hopes, his jumper was falling. "They're gonna give Rajon open shots, they're gonna make Rajon a lot of money...a lot of money," said backup point Sam Cassell. "Because he's going to knock 'em down." Cassell, playing for the first time since hurting his back against Charlotte, put on full display the veteran presence he was signed for March 4. With Boston's major guns on the bench, Cassell brought poise, and that patented jumper, to the second unit, showing with his on-court coaching and calm with the rock that the once-questionable point guard position now has two perfect compliments. "Both were very good. Efficient," Rivers said. "Obviously, Rondo came out, was attacking early, [made] just overall great basketball decisions, which is what we want him to do every night. And I though Sam kept the second unit together. So, great efforts from both." Together, Rondo and Cassell may not put up the gaudy assist numbers of Toronto's T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon, but while the numbers told Rondo's story tonight, come playoff time plenty will be left between the lines. Except for that jumper. If the defense is going to rotate off the big three, and Rondo is going to be hitting nylon, for the Celtics that may very well mean...well, let the backup "understudy" tell it. "Oh, Championship," Cassell said.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 8:11:47 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20080412/NEWS/804120457/1009/SPORTSCeltics avoid being Buck shot victims By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com BOSTON— Maybe it’s because Kevin Garnett wouldn’t allow the drop in intensity, or it could be that the Celtics grow disgusted with teams that remind them of themselves of a year ago, but whatever the reason, Boston doesn’t let up against teams it’s supposed to beat. With their 102-86 dismantling of the Milwaukee Bucks last night at the Garden, the Celtics improved to a mind-boggling 36-1 against teams with losing records. That bodes well for their chances in the first round of the upcoming playoffs, considering that they’re assured of playing a team with a below-.500 record. Their opponent probably will be Atlanta, but it could be Indiana or Philadelphia. “Doc (Rivers) has a saying that we don’t play for other teams, we play for ourselves,” Garnett said. “That comes to light when we play teams that really don’t have any significance. If you tend to play to the competition’s level, then that’s your style. We try to be a little bit different from that, knowing that we’re preparing for the postseason.” Atlanta and Indiana both won last night, so the Hawks remain two games ahead of the Pacers for the final playoff spot with three games left. Indiana owns the tiebreaker. Atlanta hosts the Celtics at 7 tonight and Orlando Tuesday night before closing out the regular season Wednesday at Miami. Indiana hosts Charlotte tonight, visits Washington Monday and hosts New York Wednesday. If Atlanta wins out and Philadelphia loses its last three games, both teams would finish 40-42, and the Hawks would win the tiebreaker, so the Sixers would wind up as the eighth seed. Toronto also could finish 40-42, but the Raptors own the tiebreaker against Atlanta and Philadelphia. The Celtics beat the injury-riddled Bucks for the second time this week, and won all four games against them this season to sweep the season series for the first time since going 5-0 against Milwaukee during the 1985-86 season. Boston fans hope that sweep is another omen: The 1985-86 season also was the last time the Celtics won 60 games and an NBA championship. The Celtics improved to 63-16 overall, tying for the third-most victories in franchise history with three games left — at Atlanta tonight, at New York on Monday and at home against New Jersey Wednesday. Rajon Rondo had 16 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds. His backup, Sam Cassell, collected 10 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. “Obviously, Rondo came out and was attacking early,” Rivers said. “Just overall great basketball decisions, which is what we want him to do every night. I thought Sam kept the second unit together. I was really surprised how sharp he was with all the time he missed.” Rondo left Wednesday’s loss to Washington with a sour stomach, but came out strong last night, scoring 12 points in the first quarter as the Celtics took a 31-21 lead. “Knowing how ill he was in Washington,” Garnett said, “and seeing how he played (last night), it’s kind of like coming out of the booth, so to speak, being Superman. When we saw him on the plane, he was really messed up.” Paul Pierce scored 14 points, Garnett added 12 points and 8 assists, and Ray Allen scored 11. None of the starters played in the final quarter. The reserves wasted a 25-point lead Tuesday night in Milwaukee before the Green prevailed in overtime. Last night, James Posey had 13 points and 8 rebounds, and Tony Allen had 10 points and 5 assists off the bench. Michael Redd had 18 points and Andrew Bogut scored 14 for Milwaukee, which has lost five in a row and owns one of the worst road records (7-33) in the league. The Celtics already have broken the NBA record for the greatest improvement in victories from one year to the next, but last night presented another reminder of how far they have come: A year ago, they were worse than the Bucks are this year, and that’s pretty bad. The Bucks fell to 26-53 with three games remaining. Boston finished 24-58 last season. The Celtics set franchise lows for fewest free throws attempted (five) and made (four).
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 8:14:12 GMT -5
www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/2008/04/11/hawks_0412.htmlHawks hold off Knicks, hang onto 8th seed Magic number trimmed to two over Indiana By SEKOU SMITH The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 04/11/08 New York — Magic numbers and playoff-clinching celebrations will have to wait for another night. Right now, the Hawks have to concentrate on just trying to win every time they hit the floor. They held their concentration just long enough to turn back the lowly New York Knicks 116-104 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, blowing a 21-point lead in the process. "We can't afford to do stuff like that, but we're such an inexperienced team, you get a lead like that, our guys want to play a lot of one-on-one instead of continuing to do what we did to get the lead," said Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson, who led the Hawks with 34 points and six assists. "You've got to be able to step on a team's neck and put them away. And we haven't shown that ability all year, to be able to put a team away after we get a huge lead early." With their chief competition for that playoff spot, Indiana, rolling to a crucial 85-76 road win in Philadelphia on Friday night, the Hawks have absolutely no room for error, not with a shaky two-game lead over the Pacers for that eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Hawks (37-42) were busy surviving the Knicks. Instead of stretching their lead to say 31 points, the Hawks toyed with the Knicks long enough late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to allow the Knicks to shoot their way back into the game. They got as close as 95-91 inside of five minutes to play but could never climb all the way back, despite the Hawks' anything-goes attitude on defense. "Listen, that's how it should be," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said of his team's plight to get into the playoffs. "I don't want us to depend on somebody to help us get our playoff spot. That's the only way it should be, so at the end of the day nobody can say you backed in. We have to play our way into the playoffs. We've got to home and play a tough one against Boston." The Hawks will no doubt pay for their lack of urgency tonight when they host the Celtics at Philips Arena in what could be a preview of their first-round playoff series against each other. Then again, if the Hawks can't finish off the Knicks, what makes anyone think they'll have an easier time with the likes of the Celtics, Orlando [Tuesday] or even the wretched Miami Heat? The Hawks conclude the regular season Wednesday night in Miami. "Listen, we're focused, and Indiana is focused," Josh Smith said after abusing the Knicks for 24 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. "We might have a little tougher road than they do, but that's just the way it is. I know the Knicks aren't in the playoff mix, but they're proud bunch of guys, they weren't going to let us come in here and just walk over them. They're trying to play to knocks somebody off and they came to play tonight."Johnson led the way with more than 43 minutes, and Mike Bibby, who broke out of his shooting slump with a much-needed 24 points on 10-for-19 shooting, played 42 minutes and 55 seconds. Al Horford (19 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks), Marvin Williams, Smith and Childress all played 33-plus minutes. "At this point in time minutes shouldn't be an issue," Woodson said. "Boston played [Friday], too. And I don't know how many minutes their guys played. But it shouldn't matter."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 8:17:59 GMT -5
www.patriotledger.com/sports/x1148172715Easy does it for Celtics The Celtics overpower Milwaukee for win No. 63. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photos Photos Paul Pierce of the Celtics looks for room against Milwaukee Bucks' Desmond Mason Friday night in Boston. By Jim Fenton ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER Posted Apr 12, 2008 @ 12:34 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — They are spending the final days of the NBA regular season out of the spotlight that shines on the Boston sports scene. While the Boston Celtics are playing out the string, the Boston Red Sox are renewing acquaintances with the New York Yankees, the Boston Bruins are in the NHL playoffs and Boston College is bidding for a national hockey championship. The spotlight will shift to the Celtics next weekend when the postseason gets going, but for now, they are simply in a fine-tune mode with nothing left to play for as they await the postseason. That didn’t stop the Celtics from rolling to yet another victory Friday night, their 63rd of the season, against the lottery-bound Milwaukee Bucks. Taking control in the opening minutes, the Celtics never let up and bounced the Bucks, 102-86, at the TD Banknorth Garden. With a 63-16 record, the Celtics are tied with two other teams for the third-most wins in franchise history, trailing only the 1972-73 squad (68 victories) and the 1985-86 team (67). Next on the agenda is a game in Atlanta tonight against the Hawks, a team the Celtics could face in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks’ magic number to clinch the eighth and final Eastern Conference spot is two. The Celtics were able to keep the minutes of all five of their starters under 25, and reserves like Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown got plenty of playing time. There was even a Gabe Pruitt sighting in the fourth quarter. “I just thought everyone came in and was very professional about doing their jobs and trying to stay within their roles, and that’s what we need,” said Coach Doc Rivers. “Our starters right now, even thought they’re not playing a lot of minutes, they have a great rhythm. We just want to keep that going.” It was Rajon Rondo, who had to leave Wednesday’s loss in Washington due to an upset stomach, who got the Celtics going in the first quarter, and that aggressiveness took the Bucks out of the game. Rondo finished with 16 points, 10 assists and five rebounds while Paul Pierce added 14 points, James Posey contributed 13 points and eight rebounds and Kevin Garnett scored 14 points. The Celtics are now 36-1 against teams with losing records as they continue to maintain focus, even with everything wrapped up. “Doc has a saying that we don’t play for other teams, we play for ourselves,” said Garnett. “Obviously, it comes to light when we play teams that really don’t have any significance. “If you tend to play to the competition’s level, then that’s your style. We try to be a little bit different from that, knowing we’re preparing for the postseason. “We go in thinking, ‘Let’s come in here, take care of business, get rest, get the guys who don’t play a lot a chance to play. That’s the mindset.” The Celtics took the lead for good just 1:59 into the game, and a short time later, went on a 10-2 run to open an early 20-11 advantage. Boston set the tone early, taking quick control of the Bucks with 54 percent shooting in the opening quarter that produced a 31-21 lead after 12 minutes. Rondo led the way with his scoring (12 points on 6 of 8 shooting) and playmaking (six assists), and Rivers went with his starters for most of the quarter. The Celtics had the lead in double figures throughout the second quarter, peaking at 20 points on two occasions. Cassell, who missed the past two games with back spasms, had six points, three rebounds and three assists in the period as the Celtics opened a 57-39 halftime lead. Cassell (10 points, four assists, four rebounds) was the first point guard off the bench as Eddie House was sidelined with a strained groin. The Celtics opened their biggest lead of the night at 72-47 midway through the third quarter on a Pierce 3-pointer, and it wasn’t long after that when Rivers removed his starters. Garnett and Rondo came out for good with 5:30 still to go in the quarter, Pierce was replaced with 4:29 to play and Ray Allen lasted until 2:34 remained in the period. Garnett was taken away from his usual pregame routine when he received the third annual Red Auerbach Award prior to the tipoff.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 8:32:09 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/article/20080412/NEWS/804120463/1009/SPORTSFor 3, it’s about team Stats may be down, but team is up at the top CELTICS NOTES By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF wdoyle@telegram.com BOSTON— Paul Pierce has stumped for Kevin Garnett to be voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, but he had a different reaction when he learned that Garnett was going to be presented the third annual Red Auerbach Award by Celtics owners Wyc Grousbeck, Steve Pagliuca and Bob Epstein prior to last night’s game. “They robbed me?” Pierce replied in mock surprise. “It’s good for him, man,” Pierce said, turning serious. “You’ve got to keep him happy, even though it should have been mine.” Pierce and Al Jefferson previously received the award, which is given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a Celtic. The award is named after the team’s former president, general manager and coach, who died just prior to last season. Garnett met Auerbach only once when Kevin McHale introduced him early in his career just before a game. “I don’t think he was too thrilled to be meeting an opposing player,” Garnett said, “but that’s what it was. It was more of an experience for me than him, probably. That was memorable for me, like when I met Wilt Chamberlain, obviously when I met Bill Russell, Mr. Bob Cousy. Those are all monumental memories for me that I will take to my grave.” Before this season, there was talk about Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen all averaging more than 20 points. After last night’s game against Milwaukee, none of them are. Pierce is averaging a team-high 19.9 points, his fewest in eight years. Garnett is averaging 18.9 points, his fewest in a decade. Allen is averaging 17.7, his lowest number in nine years. Most importantly, though, all three sacrificed to enable the Celtics to own the NBA’s best record. Pierce said he didn’t care if he finished the season averaging under 20 points. “Even though it’s not one of my better years statistically,” he said, “I’m totally happy with everything, especially when it shows up in the win-loss, which is the most important thing to me right now.” You have to go back to the lockout-shortened season of 1999 to find the last time no Celtic averaged 20 or more points. Antoine Walker led the Green that year (18.7). Resting Powe, House Leon Powe (sore right foot) and Eddie House (strained right groin) did not play. Coach Doc Rivers described both injuries as minor, but said they also won’t play tonight when the Celtics visit Atlanta. Rookie Gabe Pruitt had two points and two assists in his first action since Feb. 25. The Celtics likely will face Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs, but Rivers said he wouldn’t hold anything back tonight. “Are we going to hold back a play that we’ve been running?” he asked. “This is the most over-scouted league in the world. What you wouldn’t do is run new (plays).” Rivers said he hasn’t run any new wrinkles on plays for the past week because Atlanta and Indiana have scouted the games. Pierce wants to win tonight to gain the psychological edge of sweeping the season series from the Hawks. Sam Cassell returned to the lineup last night after missing the previous two games with back spasms. After the Celtics clinched the top playoff seed, Rivers had hoped to play Cassell more to acclimate him to the team’s plays, but his back acted up. Rivers said his playoff rotation has been set for a while; only the number of minutes may change. Tony Allen probably has the most to prove in these last few games. “I just want him to keep getting better,” Rivers said. “Keep getting better and just being not only offensively more solid, but defensively I need him to be more solid.” Allen admitted he felt these last few games as if he were auditioning for more playing time in the playoffs. Pollard dons headset Injured center Scot Pollard will provide color commentary in place of Tommy Heinsohn on Comcast Sports Net during tonight’s game in Atlanta. Heinsohn has traveled less this season, and Donny Marshall normally fills in for him on the road, but he has a commitment tonight. Marshall will join play-by-play voice Mike Gorman for Monday’s Celtics game in New York. Heinsohn will work the regular-season finale here Wednesday against New Jersey with Gorman and Bob Cousy. Heinsohn said he would not travel during the playoffs, either. Carlisle to Bucks? The Bucks named Detroit vice president of basketball operations John Hammond as their new GM last night. Hammond is expected to name a veteran coach to replace Larry Krystkowiak at the helm of the Bucks. Worcester Academy graduate Rick Carlisle reportedly is Hammond’s first choice. “I don’t know the first thing about it,” Krystkowiak said before last night’s game. “Until I hear those words from his mouth and our organization’s mouth, all I know is that there are an awful lot of rumors, and he’s a hot commodity. If that were true, I’d be disappointed. Beyond that, I’ll wait and see what happens.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 8:34:06 GMT -5
www.patriotledger.com/sports/x2718992463rd triumph this season is a historic one for Celtics -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jim Fenton GateHouse News Service Posted Apr 11, 2008 @ 11:33 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — They are spending the final days of the NBA regular season out of the spotlight that shines on the Boston sports scene. While the Celtics are playing out the string, the Red Sox are renewing acquaintances with the Yankees, the Bruins are in the NHL playoffs and Boston College is bidding for a national hockey championship. The spotlight will shift to the Celtics next weekend when the postseason gets going, but for now, they are simply in a fine-tune mode with nothing left to play for as they await the playoffs. That didn’t stop the Celtics from rolling to yet another victory Friday night, their 63rd of the season, against the lottery-bound Milwaukee Bucks. Taking control in the opening minutes, the Celtics never let up and bounced the Bucks, 102-86, at the TD Banknorth Garden. With a 63-16 record, the Celtics are tied with two other teams for the third-most wins in franchise history, trailing only the 1972-73 squad (68 victories) and the 1985-86 team (67). Next on the agenda is a game in Atlanta tonight against the Hawks, a team the Celtics could face in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks’ magic number to clinch the eighth and final Eastern Conference spot is two. The Celtics were able to keep the minutes of all five of their starters under 25, and reserves like Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown got plenty of playing time. There was even a Gabe Pruitt sighting in the fourth quarter. “I just thought everyone came in and was very professional about doing their jobs and trying to stay within their roles, and that’s what we need,” said coach Doc Rivers. “Our starters right now, even thought they’re not playing a lot of minutes, they have a great rhythm. We just want to keep that going.” It was Rajon Rondo, who left Wednesday’s loss in Washington due to an upset stomach, who got the Celtics going in the first quarter, and that aggressiveness took the Bucks out of the game. Rondo finished with 16 points, 10 assists and five rebounds while Paul Pierce added 14 points, James Posey contributed 13 points and eight rebounds, and Kevin Garnett scored 14 points. The Celtics took the lead for good just 1:59 into the game, and a short time later, went on a 10-2 run to open an early 20-11 advantage. Boston set the tone early, taking quick control of the Bucks with 54 percent shooting in the opening quarter that produced a 31-21 lead after 12 minutes. Rondo led the way with his scoring (12 points on 6 of 8 shooting) and playmaking (six assists), and Rivers went with his starters for most of the quarter. The Celtics had the lead in double figures throughout the second quarter, peaking at 20 points on two occasions. Cassell, who missed the past two games with back spasms, had six points, three rebounds and three assists in the period as the Celtics opened a 57-39 halftime lead. Cassell (10 points, four assists, four rebounds) was the first point guard off the bench as Eddie House was sidelined with a strained groin. The Celtics opened their biggest lead of the night at 72-47 midway through the third quarter on a Pierce 3-pointer, and it wasn’t long after that when Rivers removed his starters. Garnett was taken away from his usual pregame routine when he received the third annual Red Auerbach Award as the player who best exemplifies the spirit and meaning of what it means to be a Celtic. “It’s huge,” he said. “Just to be associated with it is an honor, knowing Red signified excellence and team. He’s imprinted in basketball history.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 8:36:47 GMT -5
www.patriotledger.com/sports/x1763205567On Saturday, the Boston Celtics will take part in what very likely will be a postseason preview. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Patriot Ledger Posted Apr 11, 2008 @ 11:29 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — At some point next weekend, they will begin the NBA playoffs with a home game against a sub-.500 opponent. On Saturday, the Boston Celtics will take part in what very likely will be a postseason preview. The Celtics will be in Atlanta to play the Hawks (7:05 p.m., Comcast SportsNet), who are eighth in the Eastern Conference with three games remaining. Atlanta began Friday night with a 36-42 record, two games ahead of the Indiana Pacers (34-44) and a magic number of three to clinch a playoff spot. “That’s going to be a heckuva game,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers of Boston’s first trip to Atlanta this season. “They’re going to be up. It’s going to be a playoff atmosphere for them.” Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce will probably continue to play reduced minutes, but Rivers said the Celtics won’t make any major alterations for the Hawks. “What are we going to do? Hide a play that we’ve been running?” said Rivers. “It’s the most overscouted league in the world. What you wouldn’t do is run new (plays) and stuff like that. “Other than that, they know what you run, we know what they run. There are going to be no secrets.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 12, 2008 8:42:40 GMT -5
blogs.metrowestdailynews.com/celtics/?p=1182Back at Garden: House, Powe out tonight Posted on April 11, 2008 by Scott Souza Filed Under Uncategorized | BOSTON - After more than a week away from the Garden the Celtics are back tonight as their countdown to the playoffs continue. That countdown - for one night anyway - will not include either Eddie House or Leon Powe as Doc Rivers has opted to sit both for what he termed “minor injuries.” He added that Sam Cassell will play restricted minutes and will be held to 16 tonight, while he hopes to get Gabe Pruitt a lot more time - especially tomorrow night vs. Atlanta. “Eddie (Lacerte) and I laugh right now because when he says ‘Eddie(House) has a’ … and I stopped him right there and said ‘He’s not playing.’ I don’t even let him finish the sentence right now.” Rivers had said he won’t rest players just to rest them, but that any injury - even the most minor - is an excuse to sit them out. For the record, the team is saying House has a sore groin and Powe has a sore right foot. … Paul Pierce spoke before the game - a bit of a rarity the second half of the season - and said he wasn’t necessarily in a hurry to get these final four games over with. “I am definitely not at the point where I just want to get (the playoffs) started,” he said. “I want to build on these last (four) games going into the postseason. Coach has said all season long ‘Just don’t get bored with the process.’ And I think that’s the key. You have to take the roads you have to take to be where you want to be. That means finishing out these three games.” Ray Allen put it a little differently, saying all season you have tunnel vision, and in the distance you see the light at the end of that tunnel, and that at some point you have to come out of the tunnel. As much as they won’t admit it, it seems for some it is right about that time. … Over the past two years, the Celtics were among the teams criticized for sitting players later in the season - if not necessarily “tanking” them - in games that could affect the playoff race. Now they may be in position to deal with it the other way where they are doing so well what they do against the Hawks tomorrow night could affect the race for the eighth spot with the Pacers when it doesn’t really matter to the Celtics at all. The Celtics went full bore against the Pacers and blistered them last week. If they do anything less against the Hawks tomorrow, could they be accused of foul play? More importantly, do they care? “You can’t. We’ve played ourselves in this position. Let’s say if it was the last game of the year and we decided to sit everybody, and that team needed to win to get in, if you are the other team then they are pissed at you. But it’s still not our fault. “It doesn’t (affect our decision-making) at all. I played for the Hawks, and it doesn’t at all.” That said, there was no indicated before the game whether this would be a heavy-minute or light-minute night for the starters. Both Pierce and Ray Allen said they didn’t know, and while Rivers said he has determined it, he wouldn’t tell the media or the players themselves.
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