Who needs Rajon Rondo anyway?
Led by a dominant second quarter in which the Celtics outscored the Kings 34-17, Boston (22-23) won it's second straight game since Rondo went down for the season as they defeat the Sacramento Kings, 99-81.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Boston's ball movement was phenomenal. When Boston led 86-69 in the fourth quarter, I started to count the number of passes on each of their possessions. They averaged nearly 4 passes per possession. As I said at the half, Boston needs to be able to move the ball without turning the ball over in order to be successful for the rest of the season.
* Six of the eleven Celtics scored in double figures. How's that for balanced scoring.
* Who said Rondo was the only one dishing out assists? Boston came into tonight sixth in the league in assists with 23.1, and Rondo finished his season averaging 11.1. Tonight, they had 22 and the Kings had 13. Not too shabby.
* On the whole, everyone played well. Pierce turned in his second-consecutive double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds), and the bench scored 50 of the Celtics' 99 points, including 12 points a piece for Jason Terry, Jeff Green and Brandon Bass.
The bad:
* The one issue that caused 20 teams to pass on him in the NBA Draft creeped up on Jared Sullinger tonight. Sullinger left the game at the 7:52 mark of the first quarter with back spasms and did not return. The issue is not expected to be serious. Celtics' team doctor Brian McKeon said in the first quarter that Sullinger would "likely" return, but he was then ruled out for the game later in the first half. His status for Friday's game is unknown.
* As a side note, Sacramento is just a bad basketball team. From shirt grabbing, hand checking, bad body language, constant complaining, head shaking, and lack of movement on offense, the Kings play an undisciplined style of basketball. DeMarcus Cousins spent more time handling the ball outside the paint by the elbow and free-throw line than he did down low. That sums it up right there.
Boston will look to extend their winning streak to three games on Friday when they take on the Orlando Magic at the TD Garden at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Halftime thoughts: Celtics 59, Kings 38
As strange as it is to see the Celtics without Rajon Rondo, it looks as if they aren't missing anyone. They lead the Kings at the half, 59-38.
Here are my thoughts:
* Boston turned the ball over too much in the first quarter. They had 6 turnovers to Sacramento's 1. If the Celtics are going to be successful without Rondo, they need to limit their turnovers.
* Out of all the Celtics, Kevin Garnett appeared to take the loss of Rondo the hardest. Tonight, he's playing inspired basketball, and the Rondo factor definitely has something to do with it. The big fella is a perfect 5-of-5 from the field for a team-high 11 points. He has an extra hop in his step tonight.
* The aggressive Jeff Green continues. He started the second quarter by scoring Boston's first three baskets. His lefty hook shot was pretty nice too.
* If Avery Bradley's fantastic block is not on the Sportscenter top ten tonight, then ESPN should be ashamed. After getting the ball stripped from his hands by Isaiah Thomas, Bradley sprinted behind Thomas, chasing him all the way to the basket and eventually catching up to him and blocking his shot. One of the Celtics' best plays of the year.
* Sacramento is just a bad basketball team. They play defense with their hands, grab players' jerseys, do not move without the ball on offense. They're an undisciplined basketball team. Oh, and about the whole DeMarcus Cousins thing, I'm not so sure about that anymore.
Here are my thoughts:
* Boston turned the ball over too much in the first quarter. They had 6 turnovers to Sacramento's 1. If the Celtics are going to be successful without Rondo, they need to limit their turnovers.
* Out of all the Celtics, Kevin Garnett appeared to take the loss of Rondo the hardest. Tonight, he's playing inspired basketball, and the Rondo factor definitely has something to do with it. The big fella is a perfect 5-of-5 from the field for a team-high 11 points. He has an extra hop in his step tonight.
* The aggressive Jeff Green continues. He started the second quarter by scoring Boston's first three baskets. His lefty hook shot was pretty nice too.
* If Avery Bradley's fantastic block is not on the Sportscenter top ten tonight, then ESPN should be ashamed. After getting the ball stripped from his hands by Isaiah Thomas, Bradley sprinted behind Thomas, chasing him all the way to the basket and eventually catching up to him and blocking his shot. One of the Celtics' best plays of the year.
* Sacramento is just a bad basketball team. They play defense with their hands, grab players' jerseys, do not move without the ball on offense. They're an undisciplined basketball team. Oh, and about the whole DeMarcus Cousins thing, I'm not so sure about that anymore.
No Rookie All-Star Game for Sullinger
Celtics' rookie forward Jared Sullinger was not named to the rookie roster as part of the Rising Stars Challenge at the NBA's All-Star Weekend.
Sullinger, who was inserted into the starting lineup on Sunday for the time being, is averaging 6.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in 44 games this season.
Sullinger has the highest rebounding rate among rookie power forwards, and his plus/minus was tops among all rookies in the month of January.
In other words, Sully was snubbed. Big time.
Sullinger, who was inserted into the starting lineup on Sunday for the time being, is averaging 6.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in 44 games this season.
Sullinger has the highest rebounding rate among rookie power forwards, and his plus/minus was tops among all rookies in the month of January.
In other words, Sully was snubbed. Big time.
No comeback for Dooling
According to his Twitter account, Keyon Dooling will not be making a comeback.
At 1:55 p.m., Dooling tweeted the following:
"Hey everyone thank you for all the love and support that you guys give me daily.FYI I won't be returning this season #StayTuned @CelticsLife"
Celtics' coach Doc Rivers said at yesterday's practice that he told Dooling to get into shape.
"He would be the closest for me if we had to go in another direction (at guard)," Rivers said. "We'd have to find out if he could still do it. He knows our stuff. He's the easiest by far. He's going to (get in shape) anyway."
Dooling told CSNNE.com last night, "I've upped my exercise starting today and if Doc (Rivers) gives me the word I will be ready."
Game 45 Preview: Kings at Celtics
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| Courtney Lee and the rest of the Celtics' guards are going to have to step up in Rondo's absence. |
Rajon Rondo is gone.
To quote former Celtics' and current Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, "He ain't walkin' through that door."
There's nothing anyone can do about it, so it's time to move on. Of course it will be strange not see number nine out there for the remainder of the season, but that's just the harsh reality that the Celtics and their fans have to deal with. The season goes on, and the Celtics (21-23) have a chance to start a winning streak as they take on the Sacramento Kings (17-29).
Sacramento comes into tonight's game losers of four of their last five games. Their only win came in their last game on Monday night in a 96-94 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Boston and Sacramento have faced each other earlier this season in a game that the Celtics would like to erase from their memory. The Kings dominated the Celtics in Sacramento by a final of 118-96.
Hopefully, things go the Celtics way this time around.
No kidding.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Kings:
Isaiah Thomas
Tyreke Evans
John Salmons
Jason Thompson
DeMarcus Cousins
Celtics:
Courtney Lee
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Jared Sullinger
Kevin Garnett
Keys to the game:
1. The changing of the guard: In their last meeting, Sacramento's guards combined for 70 points, led by starting point guard Isaiah Thomas, who scored a game-high 27 points. That was partly due to the fact that Rondo was playing on a bum leg and Avery Bradley did not play. Now, Rondo is out, Bradley is back, but Courtney Lee is playing a high level. That duo should take care of the Kings' backcourt, but Boston cannot let the Kings' guards take over the game like they did last time.
2. Good defense: Not a flashy title or a specific key, but it's an important one. At the time of their last meeting, the Celtics allowed the second-highest point total of the season with 118. They let three of Sacramento's starters score at least 20 points. Simply put, the Celtics have to defend better than they did last time. Now that Rondo is gone, there is this belief that the Celtics' defense will be better. To a point, I agree. This team is going to play defense collectively, and we might even see some more zone now that Rondo is no longer out there to ran rampid. Just don't allow the Kings to shoot 54%, please?
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Keep moving forward
Tuesday officially began the first day of the rest of their lives.
The Celtics practiced on Tuesday afternoon for the first time without Rajon Rondo. They will return to game action tomorrow night when they host the Sacramento Kings at the TD Garden.
While he acknowledged the team is still grasping the fact that Rondo will no longer be guiding them on the floor this season, Kevin Garnett knows that the Celtics need to dust themselves off and realize that there are still 38 games to be played. "I think everybody's trying to put their arms around the concept that [Rondo's] actually hurt -- hurt to the point where he can't play. And I think that's what's got everybody kind of like bewildered or in a fog, if you will. Even him. But I think we have to [come together as a team]. I think we have to. To pick up the responsibility of one man, yeah, I think we have to."
Rajon Rondo was present at the the Celtics training facility, but did not speak to reporters.
Paul Pierce and coach Doc Rivers agreed that one player cannot replace the All-Star point guard. Instead, it's going to be a collective effort. "It's just basketball. There's no point guard," said Rivers. "It's just basketball by committee."
As far as how different this team will look, expect Rivers to do nearly all of the play-calling. The offense will primarily be run in the halfcourt, and the Celtics will run only when the opportunity presents itself. Their defense up front will improve, and their ball movement will improve. The ball has to move. If the ball doesn't move, then the Celtics are in trouble.
Rivers said that Courtney Lee would start alongside Avery Bradley in the backcourt for the time being, and Jared Sullinger will also remain in the starting lineup.
As far as potential additions, you can cross out Allen Iverson's name from the list. Iverson tweeted this morning that he will not accept an offer from the Dallas Mavericks' D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends. Plus, Iverson's personality and style of play would not be a good fit in Boston.
However, Rivers did say today that Keyon Dooling coming back is a possibility, and he has told Dooling to start getting in shape. On Sunday, Dooling told ESPNBoston.com that he's in"good human shape," but that it would take him "three weeks" to get into basketball shape. When asked if he'd consider a comeback, Dooling responded, "I would do anything for Doc and Danny." However, Danny Ainge ruled out any talk of a return for Dooling after Sunday's game.
The Celtics practiced on Tuesday afternoon for the first time without Rajon Rondo. They will return to game action tomorrow night when they host the Sacramento Kings at the TD Garden.
While he acknowledged the team is still grasping the fact that Rondo will no longer be guiding them on the floor this season, Kevin Garnett knows that the Celtics need to dust themselves off and realize that there are still 38 games to be played. "I think everybody's trying to put their arms around the concept that [Rondo's] actually hurt -- hurt to the point where he can't play. And I think that's what's got everybody kind of like bewildered or in a fog, if you will. Even him. But I think we have to [come together as a team]. I think we have to. To pick up the responsibility of one man, yeah, I think we have to."
Rajon Rondo was present at the the Celtics training facility, but did not speak to reporters.
Paul Pierce and coach Doc Rivers agreed that one player cannot replace the All-Star point guard. Instead, it's going to be a collective effort. "It's just basketball. There's no point guard," said Rivers. "It's just basketball by committee."
As far as how different this team will look, expect Rivers to do nearly all of the play-calling. The offense will primarily be run in the halfcourt, and the Celtics will run only when the opportunity presents itself. Their defense up front will improve, and their ball movement will improve. The ball has to move. If the ball doesn't move, then the Celtics are in trouble.
Rivers said that Courtney Lee would start alongside Avery Bradley in the backcourt for the time being, and Jared Sullinger will also remain in the starting lineup.
As far as potential additions, you can cross out Allen Iverson's name from the list. Iverson tweeted this morning that he will not accept an offer from the Dallas Mavericks' D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends. Plus, Iverson's personality and style of play would not be a good fit in Boston.
However, Rivers did say today that Keyon Dooling coming back is a possibility, and he has told Dooling to start getting in shape. On Sunday, Dooling told ESPNBoston.com that he's in"good human shape," but that it would take him "three weeks" to get into basketball shape. When asked if he'd consider a comeback, Dooling responded, "I would do anything for Doc and Danny." However, Danny Ainge ruled out any talk of a return for Dooling after Sunday's game.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Now what?
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| Rajon Rondo and his coach, Doc Rivers, share an emotional moment after Sunday's win over the Miami Heat. |
So, what's next?
Where do they go from here?
Is this finally the end of the line?
Rajon Rondo's anterior-cruciate-ligament tear leaves many questions, but as of now there are no answers to these questions.
But, now that it appears that Boston's championship aspirations are no longer feasible for the 2012-2013 season, the Celtics are finally faced with the harsh reality that it's time to break up the band.
Today, I will try to make sense of it all. So, here goes nothing...
In my opinion, the Celtics are best off leaving the team as it is currently constructed. They should pursue free-agent guard Delonte West due to the gaping hole at the point guard spot, along with his familiarity with the system. They will most likely use Paul Pierce as the primary ball-handler when the ball crosses halfcourt for the immediate future -- his triple-double on Sunday is further evidence of Pierce's versatility. But they should not break the band up. At least not yet.
What we saw yesterday afternoon was typical of this season's Boston Celtics, and what we've come to see as the norm for recent Celtics teams. They know how it goes. They understand the need to play well and form chemistry, but they take it easy during the regular season, playing up and down to competition -- playing well against the big names and powers of the league, then getting obliterated by the lowly Sacramento Kings -- and then make their money during the postseason (a player's salary does not include postseason, but you get the cliche). They underestimate the abilities' of their opponents during the regular season and tend to take their foot off the gas on occasion. Then comes the postseason. The lights get a little bit brighter, the switch is flipped, the intensity is kicked up a few notches, and they use their veteran prowess and playoff experience to get the better of upstart teams such as the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks of the world.
This season is different. They've had their ups and downs, peaks and pits, or whichever term you'd like to use. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have shown their age, the bench has been inconsistent at best, and their coach has been unable to reach them after calling them out on several occasions. First, coach Doc Rivers called his team soft after their melee with the Brooklyn Nets back on November 28. He didn't exactly reach his players with that striking comment, as they went on to go 4-5 in their next 9 games, a stretch that even included a three-game losing streak. Then, on January 20 after an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons and in the midst of what would become a six-game losing streak, Rivers threatened changes if his team's play didn't improve. Boston went on to lose to the New York Knicks after poor offensive execution near the end of the game with Paul Pierce's two turnovers on the final two possessions of the game were the highlights of Boston's inefficiency on offense. It all culminated in Atlanta in a game that may have been their worst loss of the season, they blew a season-high 27-point lead to the Atlanta Hawks on their way to their sixth-straight loss.
That night in Atlanta will also be remembered for another loss, because that is the night in which Rajon Rondo played his final game of the season after tearing his right ACL apparently at the 2:10 mark of the fourth quarter after landing awkwardly on his right leg after a drive to the basket. Comcast Sportnet New England had the video first, which is shown below.
What's remarkable is that Rondo went on to play 12 minutes with a torn ACL. Although his stats in those 12 minutes are not eye-popping (2 points on 1-of-5 from the floor, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 turnovers, and 2 fouls), considering the circumstances, Rondo's effort is simply remarkable.
“It means he’s pretty tough," Rivers said of Rondo continuing to play with the injury. Rivers himself endured an ACL injury during his time with the Knicks. "I know when I tore mine, I was crying on the floor like a little baby."
"Rajon’s played through a lot of different things that you guys have no idea about nor will I share," said Garnett after the game. "And, after the game, we’d kind of look at him and be like, ‘What are you doing?’ In Sacramento [playing through a hip injury in December], he shouldn’t have even played that game. ... He’s a tough kid, I learned that the first day I got here. It’s no surprise, that’s why the first thing I said to him was, 'Don’t play hero. You’re a human being, take care of yourself.'
What's even more remarkable is the fact that Rondo was in the lineup a mere 24 minutes before Sunday's game and participated in the team's shootaround before the game. And even more insane is the fact that Rondo thought he had a hamstring injury. Rondo was receiving treatment and icing his hamstring before the game. Rivers described what happened next: "Doc [Brian] McKeon took a look and started moving it around and said to me, 'I'm telling you, that's an ACL. I'm pretty sure.'"
From there, Rondo went to get an MRI, unaware that his season was over. The only ones who knew were Rivers and McKeon. ESPN's Jackie MacMullan approached him in the hallway of the TD Garden as Rondo was about to get his MRI results when she said to him, "Hey, people are reporting you have a torn ACL."
"Who said that?" Rondo responded. "A torn ACL? I don't even have the results yet. I'm going to see the doc right now."
Rondo added, "Could I be walking around like this with a torn ACL?"
MacMullan simply responded, "Yes."
At that point (2:38 p.m.), Rondo went to get his results. Three minutes later, Celtics public media relations Jeff Twiss made it official.
The game went on, the Celtics displayed "grit and balls," and pulled off a rather impressive victory without their leader, who they all thought had a hyper-extended knee. The atmosphere in the locker room after the game was similar to how this season has gone: up, then quickly down.
So now the Celtics must carry on without their floor general, their walking triple-double, someone who may be the best point guard in the league.
However, I believe this team will be better defensively without Rondo. The combination of Courtney Lee and Avery Bradley in the backcourt has given opponents a pain in the rear due to their tenacity.
Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Danny Ainge and company have struggled with the idea of keeping this team together or breaking it up. Maybe this finally gives Ainge a good reason to break up the core.
Or maybe it doesn't.
Kevin Garnett has a full-trade clause, and he has expressed his desire to finish his career under Doc Rivers, so he's not going anywhere. Paul Pierce has one year remaining on his deal, and only $4 million is guaranteed, which makes him a potential asset to trade, but the move may not sit well with fans. Ever since he was drafted, Paul Pierce has been the Boston Celtics. Simple as that. Jeff Green's contract is ridiculous and no team would want to take on that sort of money, unless you're the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jason Terry is a 35-year-old guard who has been on the decline over the past two seasons. Avery Bradley has been injury prone, with his ankle injury during his rookie season and his shoulder issues over the past two seasons. Doc and Danny have mentioned how they want to build around Jared Sullinger. Courtney Lee is having a down year by his standards.
Those are all the Celtics valuable assets. In layman's terms, the Celtics should stand pat.
Think about this.
When the Celtics contemplated breaking up the core over the past few seasons, the Celtics chose not to. Why? One reason was due to the fact that the aging veterans' performance during past seasons and playoff runs -- this group has always made it past the first round -- gave Ainge hope that there was more left in the tank.
The other reason was the simple fact that it was their best option. Last offseason, the Celtics best opportunity to be competitive was to reload around Kevin Garnett due to the lack of attractive trade opportunities and free agents. Since the summer of 2010, there have been no big-time free agents worth spending huge dollars on. Plus, with the new salary cap restraints as a result of the new CBA, it would be difficult to take on large contracts.
Why else should the Celtics stick together? Well, the East isn't all that competitive this season. Boston has proven it can play with Miami, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Indiana, all teams that are ahead of them in the conference standings. Two-and-a-half games separate the 2-7 teams in the conference, so if Boston can go on a little bit of a run and play inspired basketball over the next few weeks, with 5 of their next 7 games coming against teams under .500.
Plus, since the start of 2009-2010, Boston is 21-13 without their All-Star point guard. That's a pretty good sample size.
Also, making the playoffs as, at worst, an eighth seed and getting bounced in the first round beats the alternative, which would be tanking the season and hoping for a lottery selection (how did that work out in 2007? That wasn't a lot of fun)
Let's face it: the Celtics will not be raising banner 18 on opening night next season. It's simply the truth. There's no way to replace a player like Rajon Rondo, someone who Rivers has said on multiple occasions is the smartest player he's ever been around and is the engine that makes this Ferrari go. Boston may have beaten the best team in the East yesterday, but that was only one game. Asking this team to win 4 out of 7 games against a team in Miami with two of the best players in the world with more games most likely being played in Miami than Boston is way too much out of this group without Rondo.
But by no means does that signify that the Celtics are waving the white flag.
Celtics' radio play-by-play announcer tweeted after yesterday's game, "On the day they lose Rondo, the Celtics found their heat. That simple." Over the next few weeks, we're going to find out how true that statement really is. It's about time that certain players (cough, Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Leandro Barbosa, Jeff Green, cough) finally step up. The opportunity has presented itself, and now they must seize it. Maybe this gives the team a reason to unite, to come together and play with a purpose.
Rivers said after Sunday's game that he thinks the team, as currently assembled, is capable of being competitive. “Listen, when something like this happens, we’ll find someone that’s already in our locker room that’s going to play terrific. And I have no idea who it is. [Sunday] it was [Leandro Barbosa] and the team [as a whole]. And that’s what we’re going to have to do.”
Rivers wants to give this team a chance, adding, "I still like my team."
These Celtics will not go down without a fight. Whenever their season does end, they will have wreaked some havoc and caused some problems. They won't pack it in; not on Doc's watch.
The Celtics will make some noise. Maybe in some sick way, the Celtics will come together and make this season unlike any other.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
An emotional roller-coaster: Boston 100, Miami 98
First things first.
For those of you who have not heard, Rajon Rondo has torn his right ACL and miss the rest of the season. According to ESPN.com, his surgery will take place on Friday.
Rondo made an appearance at the TD Garden to watch the second overtime.
Oh, and by the way, the Celtics (21-23) won, 100-98 over Ray Allen and the Miami Heat.
The Celtics played back to back double-overtime games for the first time since 1951, and they came out victorious.
This game was filled with emotions, from Allen's return to the news of Rondo's injury. This team showed, as Kevin Garnett said last season, "grit and balls." In my opinion, considering the circumstances, this was the best win of the season for the Boston Celtics.
As for what's in store for this team in the future, who knows. We'll see. But for right now, I'm going to focus on today, and the significance of today's win. It was a big win, and the Celtics stepped up to the level of competition to snap their six-game losing streak. No one knows what Danny Ainge is going to do, but for right now, let's enjoy this win over their arch-rivals, the Miami Heat.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Paul Pierce is slowly snapping out of his funk. The captain tallied his seventh-career triple-double, and his first since 2010. Pierce finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Pierce hit some clutch shots, such as the go-ahead jumper to put Boston up 99-98.
* After logging 32 and 38 minutes in back-to-back nights, one would think that Kevin Garnett would have nothing left in the tank. Not so much. KG turned in his second-consecutive double-double, finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds. His defense was superb, and he grabbed rebounds with force.
* With Rondo now lost for the season, it's time for someone to step up. Tonight, Leandro Barbosa did the honors. Barbosa was arguably the best player off the bench today, providing a much-needed scoring spark. He had 9 points on 4-of-8 shooting, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.
* Jeff Green is starting to turn his season around. He scored 11 points in 42 minutes, but that doesn't explain the impact he had on this game. He played marvelous defense on LeBron James, and added to his collection of posterizing dunks in the fourth quarter. Green has had his hands full in the past four days, having to guard two of the top
* Boston played sensational defense today. They held the fifth-highest scoring team in the league to 87 points in regulation. The Celtics held the Big Three to 42.9% from the floor.
* If you would have told me before the game that Boston would double up Miami in the fastbreak department, I would've told you to go (bleep) yourself. But, that was indeed the case tonight,
* After exploding for 10 points in the first quarter, the Celtics held Chris Bosh to only 6 points in the final 59 minutes of action.
* I focused on Dwayne Wade in my pregame post, and the Celtics must have listened. Avery Bradley and the rest of the guards did their part to hold Wade to 6-of-20 from the field.
The bad:
* Come on, wasn't Ray Allen on your team for the past five seasons? How can you leave him wide open!
* Miami controlled the offensive glass today, edging Boston 17-8. Miami is the worst rebounding team in the league. That's bad.
Boston gets a bit of a break, and they return to action at the TD Garden on Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings.
For those of you who have not heard, Rajon Rondo has torn his right ACL and miss the rest of the season. According to ESPN.com, his surgery will take place on Friday.
Rondo made an appearance at the TD Garden to watch the second overtime.
Oh, and by the way, the Celtics (21-23) won, 100-98 over Ray Allen and the Miami Heat.
The Celtics played back to back double-overtime games for the first time since 1951, and they came out victorious.
This game was filled with emotions, from Allen's return to the news of Rondo's injury. This team showed, as Kevin Garnett said last season, "grit and balls." In my opinion, considering the circumstances, this was the best win of the season for the Boston Celtics.
As for what's in store for this team in the future, who knows. We'll see. But for right now, I'm going to focus on today, and the significance of today's win. It was a big win, and the Celtics stepped up to the level of competition to snap their six-game losing streak. No one knows what Danny Ainge is going to do, but for right now, let's enjoy this win over their arch-rivals, the Miami Heat.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Paul Pierce is slowly snapping out of his funk. The captain tallied his seventh-career triple-double, and his first since 2010. Pierce finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Pierce hit some clutch shots, such as the go-ahead jumper to put Boston up 99-98.
* After logging 32 and 38 minutes in back-to-back nights, one would think that Kevin Garnett would have nothing left in the tank. Not so much. KG turned in his second-consecutive double-double, finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds. His defense was superb, and he grabbed rebounds with force.
* With Rondo now lost for the season, it's time for someone to step up. Tonight, Leandro Barbosa did the honors. Barbosa was arguably the best player off the bench today, providing a much-needed scoring spark. He had 9 points on 4-of-8 shooting, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.
* Jeff Green is starting to turn his season around. He scored 11 points in 42 minutes, but that doesn't explain the impact he had on this game. He played marvelous defense on LeBron James, and added to his collection of posterizing dunks in the fourth quarter. Green has had his hands full in the past four days, having to guard two of the top
* Boston played sensational defense today. They held the fifth-highest scoring team in the league to 87 points in regulation. The Celtics held the Big Three to 42.9% from the floor.
* If you would have told me before the game that Boston would double up Miami in the fastbreak department, I would've told you to go (bleep) yourself. But, that was indeed the case tonight,
* After exploding for 10 points in the first quarter, the Celtics held Chris Bosh to only 6 points in the final 59 minutes of action.
* I focused on Dwayne Wade in my pregame post, and the Celtics must have listened. Avery Bradley and the rest of the guards did their part to hold Wade to 6-of-20 from the field.
The bad:
* Come on, wasn't Ray Allen on your team for the past five seasons? How can you leave him wide open!
* Miami controlled the offensive glass today, edging Boston 17-8. Miami is the worst rebounding team in the league. That's bad.
Boston gets a bit of a break, and they return to action at the TD Garden on Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings.
Halftime thoughts: Celtics 45, Heat 45
In a game featuring many changes -- seeing Ray Allen on the parquet in a different uniform, no Rajon Rondo, and Jared Sullinger in the starting lineup over Brandon Bass -- the Celtics have done a nice job of holding their own. They are tied at 45 with the Heat at the half.
Here are some thoughts:
* Early on, the absence of Rajon Rondo was obvious. There was little ball movement, and a lot of Celtics were standing around on offense. However, that quickly changed in the second quarter.
* Boston's bench is the only reason the Celtics are tied at the half. Led by Leandro Barbosa's 7 points, the Celtics' bench is outscoring Miami's, 18-13. Seeing the need for someone to step up in Rondo's absence, Barbosa dialed up his aggressiveness and became a spark plug on the offensive end.
* I'm sorry, but Jared Sullinger did not deserve a technical foul for getting into it with Rashard Lewis. The technical was the first of Sullinger's career. Danny Crawford and company blew that one.
* Miami is controlling the offensive boards, holding a 9-4 lead in that category. Miami has three players with 2 offensive boards. Boston was doing a poor job of boxing out until the bench (particularly Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger) started to put a body on someone and get physical.
* I loved when Sullinger made the extra effort on the defensive glass when he stayed with the play, slapped the ball away from Chris Bosh, and was fouled, earning himself a trip to the free throw line. If this game was televised on CSNNE, Tommy Heinsohn definitely would have given him a Tommy point.
* Stunning stat of the game: Boston holds the advantage in fastbreak points, 12-3. Shocker.
Here are some thoughts:
* Early on, the absence of Rajon Rondo was obvious. There was little ball movement, and a lot of Celtics were standing around on offense. However, that quickly changed in the second quarter.
* Boston's bench is the only reason the Celtics are tied at the half. Led by Leandro Barbosa's 7 points, the Celtics' bench is outscoring Miami's, 18-13. Seeing the need for someone to step up in Rondo's absence, Barbosa dialed up his aggressiveness and became a spark plug on the offensive end.
* I'm sorry, but Jared Sullinger did not deserve a technical foul for getting into it with Rashard Lewis. The technical was the first of Sullinger's career. Danny Crawford and company blew that one.
* Miami is controlling the offensive boards, holding a 9-4 lead in that category. Miami has three players with 2 offensive boards. Boston was doing a poor job of boxing out until the bench (particularly Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger) started to put a body on someone and get physical.
* I loved when Sullinger made the extra effort on the defensive glass when he stayed with the play, slapped the ball away from Chris Bosh, and was fouled, earning himself a trip to the free throw line. If this game was televised on CSNNE, Tommy Heinsohn definitely would have given him a Tommy point.
* Stunning stat of the game: Boston holds the advantage in fastbreak points, 12-3. Shocker.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Game 44 Preview: Heat at Celtics
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| Jesus Shuttlesworth is back in Boston, but this time he's wearing the enemy's colors. |
Yes, he's back, and as he said in the Bible...
...wait, that's Jesus Christ. I apologize, I was mistaking him for Jesus Shuttlesworth.
Regardless, Ray Allen, LeBron James, and the rest of the big, bad Miami Heat come to Boston for the first time this season.
This game was supposed to be about Allen's return to Boston as a member of the dark side. Instead, this game is about the Celtics (20-23) looking to find their way and trying to snap out of their longest losing streak since 2007.
The Celtics desperately need to get off the schneid, and a victory over the best team in the conference would be a great place to start. But, it will most certainly not be easy.
Miami (28-12) had been slumping to start the new year, going 3-4 in their first 7 games of 2013. Miami's mini rut coincided with Boston's six-game winning streak, and the Celtics shrunk the Heat's lead in the Eastern Conference to 4.5 games. However, Miami comes into today's matinee winners of four straight and have expanded their lead over the 8th place Celtics to 9.5 games.
These teams know each other very well, having squared off 21 times (including the playoffs) since the 2010-2011 season.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Heat:
Mario Chalmers
Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Udonis Haslem
Chris Bosh
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Keys to the game:
1. Pick your poison: The Celtics can do one of three things: a.) choose to shut down LeBron James, which would leave Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh free to roam, b.) pick on Wade, but that would mean leaving James and Bosh open, or c.) cover Bosh, which would leave arguably the two best players in the world open. No matter which path the Celtics decide to take, the point is that each option comes with its own pros and cons. We've seen James take things into his own hands when he saved Miami's season in Game Six of last year's Eastern Conference Finals in an epic, one-for-the-ages playoff performance in which he compiled 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists in 45 minutes. Wade has had his share of big moments too, and Bosh was the x-factor when he returned in Game Five of last year's conference finals. So, if you're the Celtics, what do you do? Doc Rivers and the Celtics should shift their attention to Wade. Avery Bradley only played two games against the Heat last season, and in those two games, he was the primary defender on Wade, and he held Wade to 39.5% from the floor. This season, Wade has not been the same player as he has been in the same. This season, Wade's scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, and free-throw percentage numbers are the lowest of any season with the exception of his rookie season. Bradley will be more than up to the challenge of guarding one of the best in the game, and if he defends Wade the way he did last season, the Celtics will be in good shape.
2. Take away the three: This is by no means a way for me to mention Ray Allen, but stopping Ray is going to be crucial. 24.4% of Miami's points come from three-pointers, the seventh highest rate in the NBA, and it all starts with Allen. For the season, Allen is shooting 44.3% from beyond the arc, which is good for fifth in the league. As a team, Miami is shooting 38.6% from long range, good for third-best in the league, and they boast six players who shoot better than 37% from distance. With all this in mind, it is of utter importance for the Celtics to be near-perfect in their perimeter defense.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Final: Hawks 123, Celtics 111
At least you can say they're consistently inconsistent.
The Celtics (20-23) are just not a good basketball team right now. They've been inconsistent all season. After winning a season-high six in a row, they've now dropped a season-high six in a row. During their winning streak, Boston looked fantastic, and coach Doc Rivers echoed this sentiment after the game: "We go out and play near-perfect basketball." During this current losing streak, Boston looks beaten, broken, like Bruce Seldon struggling to get up after a ferocious blow from Mike Tyson.
We're 43 games into the season, and it's time to face the facts: Boston is not a good basketball team right now. Simple as that. They cannot seem to put together a full, 48 minute effort on a consistent basis. As Doc Rivers alluded to after their loss in Detroit, the Celtics played well for the first three games of their winning streak, but then "just won" the other three games.
This was like a complete 180 of the last meeting between these two. On January 5, Atlanta led 53-38 at the half. Boston came out at the start of the third and completely ran away with the game. Tonight, Boston carried a 57-38 lead into the half. Then, when the second half began, Atlanta came out on the attack and went on to win the game.
According to Rivers, the game started to swing when he put the starting five back in with nearly 4 minutes to go in the first half. From there, Atlanta finished the half on an 11-6 run.
I would like to disagree with Doc. This one was over the moment Kevin Garnett fouled out in the second overtime. CSNNE sideline reporter Greg Dickerson said that during a timeout soon after Garnett leaving the game, Rivers could sense the Celtics losing their spirit. After Garnett fouled out, Atlanta went on a 13-4 run to finish the game. Atlanta took advantage of the Jared Sullinger-Al Horford matchup, which was more than an advantage for Atlanta considering Sullinger had 4 fouls himself. Then, it only took a minute and 35 seconds for Sullinger to foul out.
The third quarter has been the deciding quarter in the two games these two have played. Back on January 5, Boston won the third quarter, 33-9. Tonight, Atlanta dominated the third, 31-16.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Rajon Rondo had his second-consecutive triple-double. He finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. But, once again, it wasn't enough. Boston is now 2-3 when Rondo has a triple-doubles. Coincidence? I'll let you all come to your own conclusions.
* All things considered, the bench was O.K. tonight. Jeff Green finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds, Jason Terry had 12 points. Courtney Lee was the star of the bench, finishing with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. His energy on defense was phenomenal. He, along with Avery Bradley, took the challenge of trying to stop Kyle Korver. He did O.K., but it wasn't enough. Nonetheless, Lee probably played his best game as a Celtic.
* Kevin Garnett had himself a game. He compiled a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds. After 32 minutes last night, Garnett finished with 38 tonight. Great job by the big fella.
The bad:
* It only took 5 minutes and 44 seconds into the third quarter for the Hawks to erase 57-38 halftime deficit. They went on a furious 19-0 run, and the Celtics just didn't respond.
* Losing a game in which you have a season-high 27 point lead is simply unacceptable.
* Boston had no answer for Kyle Korver. The Hawks' sharp-shooter had a game-high 27 points. All 8 of Korver's field goals were three-point field goals.
* Paul Pierce's woes continue. The Truth finished with 12 points on 4-of-13 from the floor including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc. Over his past three games, Pierce is 3-of-25 from three-point range. This is the definition of a BIG-TIME slump. Pierce has to get hot at some point...right?
* Boston did not score a field goal in the final 3:39 of the fourth quarter. The pace of the game slowed down considerably, and it led to inefficient offense.
* In the final 34 minutes of the game, Boston committed 15 turnovers. Atlanta took advantage of nearly every turnover and ran rampid on the Celtics.
This isn't the way the Celtics wanted to enter their duel with Ray Allen, the Big Three and the Miami Heat. Sugar Ray will be making his first appearance in Boston since his departure for Miami. Tipoff is Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
The Celtics (20-23) are just not a good basketball team right now. They've been inconsistent all season. After winning a season-high six in a row, they've now dropped a season-high six in a row. During their winning streak, Boston looked fantastic, and coach Doc Rivers echoed this sentiment after the game: "We go out and play near-perfect basketball." During this current losing streak, Boston looks beaten, broken, like Bruce Seldon struggling to get up after a ferocious blow from Mike Tyson.
We're 43 games into the season, and it's time to face the facts: Boston is not a good basketball team right now. Simple as that. They cannot seem to put together a full, 48 minute effort on a consistent basis. As Doc Rivers alluded to after their loss in Detroit, the Celtics played well for the first three games of their winning streak, but then "just won" the other three games.
This was like a complete 180 of the last meeting between these two. On January 5, Atlanta led 53-38 at the half. Boston came out at the start of the third and completely ran away with the game. Tonight, Boston carried a 57-38 lead into the half. Then, when the second half began, Atlanta came out on the attack and went on to win the game.
According to Rivers, the game started to swing when he put the starting five back in with nearly 4 minutes to go in the first half. From there, Atlanta finished the half on an 11-6 run.
I would like to disagree with Doc. This one was over the moment Kevin Garnett fouled out in the second overtime. CSNNE sideline reporter Greg Dickerson said that during a timeout soon after Garnett leaving the game, Rivers could sense the Celtics losing their spirit. After Garnett fouled out, Atlanta went on a 13-4 run to finish the game. Atlanta took advantage of the Jared Sullinger-Al Horford matchup, which was more than an advantage for Atlanta considering Sullinger had 4 fouls himself. Then, it only took a minute and 35 seconds for Sullinger to foul out.
The third quarter has been the deciding quarter in the two games these two have played. Back on January 5, Boston won the third quarter, 33-9. Tonight, Atlanta dominated the third, 31-16.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Rajon Rondo had his second-consecutive triple-double. He finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. But, once again, it wasn't enough. Boston is now 2-3 when Rondo has a triple-doubles. Coincidence? I'll let you all come to your own conclusions.
* All things considered, the bench was O.K. tonight. Jeff Green finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds, Jason Terry had 12 points. Courtney Lee was the star of the bench, finishing with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. His energy on defense was phenomenal. He, along with Avery Bradley, took the challenge of trying to stop Kyle Korver. He did O.K., but it wasn't enough. Nonetheless, Lee probably played his best game as a Celtic.
* Kevin Garnett had himself a game. He compiled a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds. After 32 minutes last night, Garnett finished with 38 tonight. Great job by the big fella.
The bad:
* It only took 5 minutes and 44 seconds into the third quarter for the Hawks to erase 57-38 halftime deficit. They went on a furious 19-0 run, and the Celtics just didn't respond.
* Losing a game in which you have a season-high 27 point lead is simply unacceptable.
* Boston had no answer for Kyle Korver. The Hawks' sharp-shooter had a game-high 27 points. All 8 of Korver's field goals were three-point field goals.
* Paul Pierce's woes continue. The Truth finished with 12 points on 4-of-13 from the floor including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc. Over his past three games, Pierce is 3-of-25 from three-point range. This is the definition of a BIG-TIME slump. Pierce has to get hot at some point...right?
* Boston did not score a field goal in the final 3:39 of the fourth quarter. The pace of the game slowed down considerably, and it led to inefficient offense.
* In the final 34 minutes of the game, Boston committed 15 turnovers. Atlanta took advantage of nearly every turnover and ran rampid on the Celtics.
This isn't the way the Celtics wanted to enter their duel with Ray Allen, the Big Three and the Miami Heat. Sugar Ray will be making his first appearance in Boston since his departure for Miami. Tipoff is Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Halftime thoughts: Celtics 57, Hawks 38
Not to toot my own horn, but I saw this coming.
With the way this season has unfolded so far, one thing that I have learned from the Celtics is to always expect the unexpected. When you think the Celtics would have heavy legs and look sluggish, they come out and dominate.
Last night was encouraging, with the only thing wrong being the inefficiency of the offense. Tonight, the offense has returned, and they lead the Hawks at the half, 57-38.
At one point in the second quarter, Boston had a 27 point lead, which was tied for their largest lead not of the past week, the past month, but of the entire season.
Here is some food for thought:
* In my opinion, the first quarter is always the most important quarter of the game. I have stressed the importance of the first many times, and I even did so before last night's game. I didn't tonight because I figured Boston would either grab it by the horns or look completely disengaged. Fortunately, the former took place and the Celtics won the first quarter, 29-10.
* Each Celtic that has seen playing time tonight has either not scored or scored at least 6 points. The Celtics have 7 players with at least 6 points. Talk about balanced scoring.
* Boston is in complete control in the assist department. They hold the advantage, 15-6. The Celtics starting lineup has more assists (9) than the entire Hawks team.
* If you would have told me that Boston would have a 10-point edge in fastbreak points at the half on the second night of a back-to-back, I would reply, "Yeah, and I am the President of the United States." But that's exactly the case tonight, as Boston leads in that category, 16-6. Guess I can be the president for one night.
* The one thing I'm concerned about is how the Celtics will manage playing the rest of the way with a big lead. We've seen the Celtics botch big leads on numerous occasions this season, so there is some reason to be uncomfortable with this big lead. What Boston needs to do is not take their foot off Atlanta's throat and keep attacking. They CANNOT be content with where they are.
With the way this season has unfolded so far, one thing that I have learned from the Celtics is to always expect the unexpected. When you think the Celtics would have heavy legs and look sluggish, they come out and dominate.
Last night was encouraging, with the only thing wrong being the inefficiency of the offense. Tonight, the offense has returned, and they lead the Hawks at the half, 57-38.
At one point in the second quarter, Boston had a 27 point lead, which was tied for their largest lead not of the past week, the past month, but of the entire season.
Here is some food for thought:
* In my opinion, the first quarter is always the most important quarter of the game. I have stressed the importance of the first many times, and I even did so before last night's game. I didn't tonight because I figured Boston would either grab it by the horns or look completely disengaged. Fortunately, the former took place and the Celtics won the first quarter, 29-10.
* Each Celtic that has seen playing time tonight has either not scored or scored at least 6 points. The Celtics have 7 players with at least 6 points. Talk about balanced scoring.
* Boston is in complete control in the assist department. They hold the advantage, 15-6. The Celtics starting lineup has more assists (9) than the entire Hawks team.
* If you would have told me that Boston would have a 10-point edge in fastbreak points at the half on the second night of a back-to-back, I would reply, "Yeah, and I am the President of the United States." But that's exactly the case tonight, as Boston leads in that category, 16-6. Guess I can be the president for one night.
* The one thing I'm concerned about is how the Celtics will manage playing the rest of the way with a big lead. We've seen the Celtics botch big leads on numerous occasions this season, so there is some reason to be uncomfortable with this big lead. What Boston needs to do is not take their foot off Atlanta's throat and keep attacking. They CANNOT be content with where they are.
Game 43 Preview: Celtics at Hawks
I'm sure you're all familiar with the cliche "there's no rest for the weary." But with the Boston Celtics, that's literally the case tonight.
The Celtics did not touch down in Atlants until 4:00 a.m. after last night's loss to the New York Knicks. That game started at 8:00 p.m., and the last time the Celtics won the second game of a back-to-back on the road after the first game began at 8 was when they were in...wait for it...Atlanta.
Will history repeat itself? We'll see, but Boston (20-22) has it's hands full tonight with the Hawks (24-18). Atlanta has won two straight coming into tonight's action. They didnt exactly defend their homecourt so well the last time the Celtics visited Phillips Arena. After a sluggish first half, Boston came out on the attack in the second half, led by a dominant 33-9 third quarter en route to an 89-81 victory.
Atlanta is dealing with some big injuries. They lost Lou Williams for the season due to an ACL tear. He erupted for 28 points the last time the Hawks faced the Celtics, so Boston won't have to worry about him. Hawks' coach Larry Drew told the media at the team's shootaround that Al Horford, Devin Harris, and Zaza Pachulia are all gametime decisions. If they all aren't able to go -- which is highly unlikely, but you never know -- this could get ugly.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Hawks:
Jeff Teague
Kyle Korver
Deshawn Stevenson
Josh Smith
Al Horford*
* gametime decision
Keys to the game:
1. Energy boost: As has been the case with the Celtics in recent years, the second night of back-to-backs have given this old team issues. In games like these, the Celtics need other guys to step up. Tonight would be the perfect opportunity for Brandon Bass and Jason Terry to steal the show. Bass, who has the lowest plus/minus on the team, and Terry, who hasn't scored more than 13 points since the calendar turned to 2013, are due for breakout games. In their last meeting, Bass scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooing. Terry and Bass have to provide that pick-me-up that this team might need tonight.
2. Picking up those boards: Boston did a nice job on the glass in their last visit to Atlanta, outrebounding the Hawks 44-36. They did even better on the offensive glass when they doubled up in that category 16-8. After comparing these two teams, statistically speaking they're very similar, so something has to give. Boston needs to edge Atlanta in this category to gain an advantage in this game.
The Celtics did not touch down in Atlants until 4:00 a.m. after last night's loss to the New York Knicks. That game started at 8:00 p.m., and the last time the Celtics won the second game of a back-to-back on the road after the first game began at 8 was when they were in...wait for it...Atlanta.
Will history repeat itself? We'll see, but Boston (20-22) has it's hands full tonight with the Hawks (24-18). Atlanta has won two straight coming into tonight's action. They didnt exactly defend their homecourt so well the last time the Celtics visited Phillips Arena. After a sluggish first half, Boston came out on the attack in the second half, led by a dominant 33-9 third quarter en route to an 89-81 victory.
Atlanta is dealing with some big injuries. They lost Lou Williams for the season due to an ACL tear. He erupted for 28 points the last time the Hawks faced the Celtics, so Boston won't have to worry about him. Hawks' coach Larry Drew told the media at the team's shootaround that Al Horford, Devin Harris, and Zaza Pachulia are all gametime decisions. If they all aren't able to go -- which is highly unlikely, but you never know -- this could get ugly.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Hawks:
Jeff Teague
Kyle Korver
Deshawn Stevenson
Josh Smith
Al Horford*
* gametime decision
Keys to the game:
1. Energy boost: As has been the case with the Celtics in recent years, the second night of back-to-backs have given this old team issues. In games like these, the Celtics need other guys to step up. Tonight would be the perfect opportunity for Brandon Bass and Jason Terry to steal the show. Bass, who has the lowest plus/minus on the team, and Terry, who hasn't scored more than 13 points since the calendar turned to 2013, are due for breakout games. In their last meeting, Bass scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooing. Terry and Bass have to provide that pick-me-up that this team might need tonight.
2. Picking up those boards: Boston did a nice job on the glass in their last visit to Atlanta, outrebounding the Hawks 44-36. They did even better on the offensive glass when they doubled up in that category 16-8. After comparing these two teams, statistically speaking they're very similar, so something has to give. Boston needs to edge Atlanta in this category to gain an advantage in this game.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
A taste of their own cereal: Knicks 89, Celtics 86
So now they're even.
The drama is over, Carmelo Anthony will most likely be reimbursed for the money lost for his one-game suspension, and the Knicks (26-14) got revenge on Boston's home floor after defeating the Celtics (20-22), 89-86.
It wasn't exactly the prettiest performance, but it was fun to watch.
You never want to lose, but if you're a Celtics fan, you have to be encouraged with Boston's performance. They played decent defense and did what they had to do to stick around with one of the best teams in the league. The inability of the offense to execute down the stretch and costly turnovers were the only real issues with this game, but there's nothing you can do about missed shots, and turnovers can be easily corrected.
Like I said, don't panic, green teamers. The Celtics are getting there. Slowly but surely.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Rajon Rondo did not disappoint. He registered his NBA-leading 4th triple-double of the season and 27th of his career, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. 20 of Rondo's 27 triple-doubles have now come on national television. Rondo made some huge jump shots and layups down the stretch, and he did all he could to keep Boston in the game.
* Although his shots weren't falling, Kevin Garnett played with a lot of energy tonight. He looked rejuvenated, far from the shell of himself that has donned the number 5 jersey for the past week. His defense was up to par and grabbed rebounds at will. He finished with a team-high 12.
* Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points, but it took him 28 shots to get there. Anthony finished the game 11-of-28. In the two games against the Celtics, Anthony is 17-of-54. In the first half, Anthony got good looks, but he just missed shots. In the second half, the Celtics -- particularly Jeff Green -- did a great jump of making things difficult for Anthony,
* Before tonight's game, the NBA All-Star reserves were announced, and Paul Pierce was not selected as a reserve for the first time since 2007. With the way he played tonight, Pierce played as if he was sending a message to the league that he deserved to be on the team. The captain finished with 22 points and 6 rebounds. But Pierce's performance was not all that great...
* Holding the 8th-best scoring team in the league to 89 points is no small feat.
* Boston even held their own on the glass, only getting outrebounded by 3, 49-46.
* The Celtics (finally) made an adjustment and stopped taking jump shots. Boston scored 50 points in the paint, a reflection of ball movement, movement without the ball, and aggressiveness. That's a great sign for Boston, and if they continue this trend, they'll be out of this funk in no time.
The bad:
* Paul Pierce turned the ball over twice in the final minute. Not what you would expect from an experienced veteran in the final minute of a crucial game.
* If you're able to hold a high octane offense like New York's to only 89 points and 38%, you need to win that game. The Celtics were not able to knock down shots, and they committed 8 turnovers in the second half.
Boston has a tough road ahead of them. They will fly to Atlanta tonight and take on the Hawks on Friday night, before the long-awaited Ray Allen and the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon.
The drama is over, Carmelo Anthony will most likely be reimbursed for the money lost for his one-game suspension, and the Knicks (26-14) got revenge on Boston's home floor after defeating the Celtics (20-22), 89-86.
It wasn't exactly the prettiest performance, but it was fun to watch.
You never want to lose, but if you're a Celtics fan, you have to be encouraged with Boston's performance. They played decent defense and did what they had to do to stick around with one of the best teams in the league. The inability of the offense to execute down the stretch and costly turnovers were the only real issues with this game, but there's nothing you can do about missed shots, and turnovers can be easily corrected.
Like I said, don't panic, green teamers. The Celtics are getting there. Slowly but surely.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Rajon Rondo did not disappoint. He registered his NBA-leading 4th triple-double of the season and 27th of his career, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. 20 of Rondo's 27 triple-doubles have now come on national television. Rondo made some huge jump shots and layups down the stretch, and he did all he could to keep Boston in the game.
* Although his shots weren't falling, Kevin Garnett played with a lot of energy tonight. He looked rejuvenated, far from the shell of himself that has donned the number 5 jersey for the past week. His defense was up to par and grabbed rebounds at will. He finished with a team-high 12.
* Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points, but it took him 28 shots to get there. Anthony finished the game 11-of-28. In the two games against the Celtics, Anthony is 17-of-54. In the first half, Anthony got good looks, but he just missed shots. In the second half, the Celtics -- particularly Jeff Green -- did a great jump of making things difficult for Anthony,
* Before tonight's game, the NBA All-Star reserves were announced, and Paul Pierce was not selected as a reserve for the first time since 2007. With the way he played tonight, Pierce played as if he was sending a message to the league that he deserved to be on the team. The captain finished with 22 points and 6 rebounds. But Pierce's performance was not all that great...
* Holding the 8th-best scoring team in the league to 89 points is no small feat.
* Boston even held their own on the glass, only getting outrebounded by 3, 49-46.
* The Celtics (finally) made an adjustment and stopped taking jump shots. Boston scored 50 points in the paint, a reflection of ball movement, movement without the ball, and aggressiveness. That's a great sign for Boston, and if they continue this trend, they'll be out of this funk in no time.
The bad:
* Paul Pierce turned the ball over twice in the final minute. Not what you would expect from an experienced veteran in the final minute of a crucial game.
* If you're able to hold a high octane offense like New York's to only 89 points and 38%, you need to win that game. The Celtics were not able to knock down shots, and they committed 8 turnovers in the second half.
Boston has a tough road ahead of them. They will fly to Atlanta tonight and take on the Hawks on Friday night, before the long-awaited Ray Allen and the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon.
Game 42 Preview: Knicks at Celtics
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| Kevin Garnett and Carmelo Anthony will renew acquaintances tonight at the TD Garden. |
This should be fun, no?
After defeating the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden over two weeks ago, the Celtics (20-21) will look to take the first two games of the season series against the Knicks (25-14) tonight.
Things got heated in their last meeting due to the Kevin Garnett-Carmelo Anthony trash-talking drama, which is what most will remember that game for. In fact, as of just minutes ago, there has been yet a new development in the saga. According to ESPNNewYork.com, Anthony has filed an appeal with the league to regain the money he lost due to his one-game suspension for his actions after that game. Due to the suspension, Anthony lost a game's pay, which for him is $176,000 -- 1/110 of his salary. Really, Carmelo?
But let's not forget, amid all the hysteria, Boston did emerge victorious, 102-96, to extend their winning streak to three games at the time.
However, the Celtics are looking to halt a, frankly, embarrassing four-game losing streak this time around.
The Knicks, on the other hand, are stumbling a bit after getting off to a scorching 18-5 start. Including their loss on Christmas day against the Los Angeles Lakers, New York has lost 7 of its last 5 games. They are coming off a tough loss to their other Atlantic Division nemesis, the Brooklyn Nets, on Monday night.
It only seems right that Boston and New York are facing off in a rivalry game, only this time its in basketball.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineup:
Knicks:
Jason Kidd
Iman Shumpert
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Copeland
Tyson Chandler
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Keys to the game:
1. Putting the biscuit in the basket: The major problem during Boston's recent slide has been their offense. In their four-game losing streak, Boston is shooting a mere 41.4% from the floor, far from their season average. Maybe being home will help the Celtics. They're shooting 47.6% at home, 5th best in the NBA. Boston needs to be more efficient and put some points on the board against a team in the Knicks that knows how to score.
2. Strong out of the gate: The Celtics desperately need to get off to a good start. I feel like a broken record, but the Celtics are almost always falling behind early in games. This leads to them expending so much energy just trying to get back into the game, and then they run out of gas. In their last three games, the Celtics have trailed after the first quarter by an average of nearly 6 points. During their four-game losing streak, Boston has allowed an average of 25.3 points in the first quarter. Not to mention that the Knicks are 5th in the NBA in first-quarter scoring, averaging 25.4 points in the first quarter. Boston should get a boost from its home crowd -- a crowd that should be fired up for this one -- and they need to do all they can to make a statement out of the gate.
3. Don't contain Carmelo: That sounds odd, doesn't it? But, it's true. The Celtics cannot spend all their energy on one player because almost every other Knick is a dangerous offensive player. Celtics' coach Doc Rivers always tells his team that when they play a team the features a superstar or two, the superstars are going to get their points. That doesn't mean you don't defend them, but there's a reason why their considered superstars. The objective is to make sure no one else beats you. However, against a Knicks team that possesses three players that average more than 15.0 points per game, the Celtics need to do all they can to stop, well, everyone. The Celtics did a great job in their last meeting with the Knicks of limiting their leading scorers, Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, to go 13-of-44. When Anthony scores over 30 points, the Knicks are only 7-5. When he scores under 30, they're 17-10. My point? If Carmelo goes nuts and starts hitting nearly everything, don't panic. Just don't let everyone else go crazy with him.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Boston Celtics progress report
It's that time of the year. We're officially halfway through the season, and it's time to grade the Celtics.
Things haven't gone as smoothly as hope. There have been ups and downs, highs and lows, moments of greatness and moments of absolute misery.
The Celtics have made things interesting to say the least.
41 down. 41 to go.
Here are my grades for each of the Celtics for the first half of the 2012-2013 season.
PLAYERS:
Paul Pierce - (B-): Pierce's numbers look fine, but a prolonged shooting slump over his last seven games has not helped his team or his grade. The one alarming stat that is not in line with past seasons is his shooting percentage. Pierce is converting on a mere 42.3% of his shots, the third-lowest rate in a season for his career. On the defensive end, it's been hit or miss with Pierce. We've seen him shut down Paul George, but then we've also seen Jameer Nelson and Joe Johnson break his ankles. Pierce has shown his age this season at times, but Pierce is still the team's rock.
Rajon Rondo - (B+): Rondo leads the league in assists at 11.1 and he's shooting 48.4% from the floor, and that number includes an ample amount of jumpers -- his improvement on jumpers this season is something you can't ignore. But Rondo has reverted back to his immature ways at times. For a player with so much hype surrounding him coming into the season, Rondo has for the most part lived up to par. He's dazzled opponents at times, and at other times he makes silly mistakes that make you scratch your head. We all thought Rondo would take on more of a leadership role, and he has failed to live up to that.
Brandon Bass - (D): I never mention Bass that much, and there's a reason for it: he has made little impact on the court this season. Of all the disappointments on this team thus far, I'd have to say Bass' performance this season has been the most disappointing. Coming off arguably the best season of his career, Bass was supposed to be a knock-down shooter off pick-and-pops, and he told everyone coming into this season that he would become more of a force on the glass. Well, his numbers have not backed that up. Now, we all knew that Bass would come back to Earth a little bit after a breakout season, but we didn't expect him to get lost in the galaxy on his way back.
Jason Terry - (D): I stand corrected: Jason Terry has been the most disappointing player on the Celtics. To his credit, Terry never really had a defined role until the return of Avery Bradley. Terry, who has made a successful career out of being a dynamite scorer as a Sixth Man of the Year winner, bounced from the starting five and the bench. But Terry is a professional, he's in his 14th season, and he should be able to adapt. His shooting percentage is low, his impact has been minimal, and his trademark swagger and confidence has not been there.
Courtney Lee - (C): After a horrendous start to the season, Lee has turned things around nicely. His shooting percentage has gone up and his scoring has increased. Lee has also done a nice job of rebounding, as he has 6 games of more than 5 rebounds. His defensive intensity has also increased as the season has progressed. His defense has improved tremendously with Avery Bradley's return. However, he was expected to do more. He's committed silly turnovers, has been involved in many miscommunications on both ends, and sometimes looks frustrated and forces the issue. He's making the silly mistakes you wouldn't expect him to make.
Kevin Garnett - (B): For some reason, Garnett was talked into signing a three-year deal this offseason. He was confused then, and he's definitely confused as ever now. Garnett didn't come back for this. He didn't come back to be the team's best player. He came back to be another piece of the puzzle. His grade is a bit skewed because of the role he has had to take on. On the bright side, Garnett made the All-Star team for the 15th time, quite the achievement for a 36-year-old who failed to make the squad last season. At the same time, Garnett is in his 18th season, and he has shown his age of late. He is not the defender he used to be, but he's still very good. He's still shooting 50% from the floor, but his free-throw shooting has not been as good. Basically, Garnett's unexpectedly high workload has cost him in his grade.
Avery Bradley - (B+): We all know the stats of the Celtics' performance with and without the chosen one. Bradley helped lead the Celtics on a six-game winning streak upon his return. The concerning aspect? He has done little in this four-game losing streak, partly due a recent rib injury. I still think he needs a few more games to a.) regain his game legs after missing a good chunk of the season recovering from double shoulder surgeries, and to b.) get fully healthy after this rib injury for us to determine what he can do.
Jeff Green - (C): I'm Jeff Green's harshest critic, but I believe this grade is fair. Overall, he has been an average player. He has embodied what the Celtics are this season: inconsistent with flashes of greatness. To his credit, Green has turned up his aggressiveness since the Celtics west-coast trip. However, he is still not producing the way everyone expected him to. I think him being the central figure off the bench is not good for him. In my opinion, Green should be starting. Green's ability to defend and run the floor are valuable assets for what is right now a slow basketball team. Plus, he will fly under the radar and not receive all the attention, as opponents will be focused on Rondo, Garnett, and Pierce. Playing alongside them will also most certainly help Green. I would love to see it happen.
Jared Sullinger - (A-): Sullinger has been the biggest, most pleasant surprise this season. People will look back on the 2012 NBA Draft and shake their heads at how Sullinger slipped all the way down to the Celtics at the 21st spot. Without Sullinger, the Celtics would not be where they are today. He's leading the Celtics in plus/minus at plus -55, a spot that has been owned by Kevin Garnett in recent years. He is second on the team in rebounding to Garnett -- Sullinger is at 6.1 to Garnett's 7.0 -- and is doing so in 9.7 minutes less per game. I think it might be time for Doc Rivers to try Sullinger out in the starting lineup. At this point, you have to try something to shake things up.
Leandro Barbosa - (B+): Barbosa has done a nice job in limited minutes. I believe he should get more minutes and Terry and Lee's minutes should be cut. Barbosa has proven to be a spark plug off the bench, evident by his days in Phoenix. Barbosa is sneaky quick, and has shown the ability to get to the basket at will. Barbosa's quickness helps him defensively as well. I think Doc needs to give him a chance.
Jason Collins - (B-): When the Celtics signed Collins in the offseason, he was signed for one reason: to be a defender on the low block who could grab rebounds. So far, so good for Collins. He started 7 games and did a nice job for the Celtics. However, he would run into foul trouble easily, limiting what he could do in most games. That must improve.
Fab Melo - (Incomplete): Melo has not seen any action with the big club, so he doesn't get a grade. He has been impressive though in the D-League.
Chris Wilcox - (C+): Wilcox has only played 23 games due to injuries, but when he has been on the floor, he has done a nice job of running the floor and grabbing rebounds. His athleticism and quickness for a big man is something that has helped make him and Rajon Rondo dynamic on fastbreaks. Wilcox needs to be healthy, and that will allow him to maximize his potential. I'm not sure why Rivers has not played him lately because he brings energy on both ends of the floor, something the Celtics have been lacking of late.
COACHING:
(B-): Nobody's perfect, and that includes Doc Rivers. I'm a big fan of Rivers, and all emotions and bias aside, Rivers has done a somewhat decent job. He's tried 11 different starting lineups and has yet to find consistency with this roster. He has had to manage the minutes of the Big Three, and had to find ways to put the new guys in positions to be successful. He told reporters during his postgame rant on Sunday night that he needs to do a better job of finding the right combination and getting the most out of his guys. Rivers should reduce some players' playing time and give some more to the likes of Leandro Barbosa and Chris Wilcox.That being said, the onus is on the players to do their part in getting the most out of themselves. Rivers has not found a consistent winning formula yet, and the turnaround starts with him.
MANAGEMENT:
(A-): Listen, Danny Ainge and company put together a championship-caliber team. Of course, we all know that championships are not won on paper, but if they were, the Celtics would definitely compete for the 18th banner. It's crazy to think that the Celtics had such a successful offseason while still losing arguably the greatest shooter of all time. The best-case scenario ensued for Boston, and Ainge gave Rivers all the pieces to compete at a high level.
Things haven't gone as smoothly as hope. There have been ups and downs, highs and lows, moments of greatness and moments of absolute misery.
The Celtics have made things interesting to say the least.
41 down. 41 to go.
Here are my grades for each of the Celtics for the first half of the 2012-2013 season.
PLAYERS:
Paul Pierce - (B-): Pierce's numbers look fine, but a prolonged shooting slump over his last seven games has not helped his team or his grade. The one alarming stat that is not in line with past seasons is his shooting percentage. Pierce is converting on a mere 42.3% of his shots, the third-lowest rate in a season for his career. On the defensive end, it's been hit or miss with Pierce. We've seen him shut down Paul George, but then we've also seen Jameer Nelson and Joe Johnson break his ankles. Pierce has shown his age this season at times, but Pierce is still the team's rock.
Rajon Rondo - (B+): Rondo leads the league in assists at 11.1 and he's shooting 48.4% from the floor, and that number includes an ample amount of jumpers -- his improvement on jumpers this season is something you can't ignore. But Rondo has reverted back to his immature ways at times. For a player with so much hype surrounding him coming into the season, Rondo has for the most part lived up to par. He's dazzled opponents at times, and at other times he makes silly mistakes that make you scratch your head. We all thought Rondo would take on more of a leadership role, and he has failed to live up to that.
Brandon Bass - (D): I never mention Bass that much, and there's a reason for it: he has made little impact on the court this season. Of all the disappointments on this team thus far, I'd have to say Bass' performance this season has been the most disappointing. Coming off arguably the best season of his career, Bass was supposed to be a knock-down shooter off pick-and-pops, and he told everyone coming into this season that he would become more of a force on the glass. Well, his numbers have not backed that up. Now, we all knew that Bass would come back to Earth a little bit after a breakout season, but we didn't expect him to get lost in the galaxy on his way back.
Jason Terry - (D): I stand corrected: Jason Terry has been the most disappointing player on the Celtics. To his credit, Terry never really had a defined role until the return of Avery Bradley. Terry, who has made a successful career out of being a dynamite scorer as a Sixth Man of the Year winner, bounced from the starting five and the bench. But Terry is a professional, he's in his 14th season, and he should be able to adapt. His shooting percentage is low, his impact has been minimal, and his trademark swagger and confidence has not been there.
Courtney Lee - (C): After a horrendous start to the season, Lee has turned things around nicely. His shooting percentage has gone up and his scoring has increased. Lee has also done a nice job of rebounding, as he has 6 games of more than 5 rebounds. His defensive intensity has also increased as the season has progressed. His defense has improved tremendously with Avery Bradley's return. However, he was expected to do more. He's committed silly turnovers, has been involved in many miscommunications on both ends, and sometimes looks frustrated and forces the issue. He's making the silly mistakes you wouldn't expect him to make.
Kevin Garnett - (B): For some reason, Garnett was talked into signing a three-year deal this offseason. He was confused then, and he's definitely confused as ever now. Garnett didn't come back for this. He didn't come back to be the team's best player. He came back to be another piece of the puzzle. His grade is a bit skewed because of the role he has had to take on. On the bright side, Garnett made the All-Star team for the 15th time, quite the achievement for a 36-year-old who failed to make the squad last season. At the same time, Garnett is in his 18th season, and he has shown his age of late. He is not the defender he used to be, but he's still very good. He's still shooting 50% from the floor, but his free-throw shooting has not been as good. Basically, Garnett's unexpectedly high workload has cost him in his grade.
Avery Bradley - (B+): We all know the stats of the Celtics' performance with and without the chosen one. Bradley helped lead the Celtics on a six-game winning streak upon his return. The concerning aspect? He has done little in this four-game losing streak, partly due a recent rib injury. I still think he needs a few more games to a.) regain his game legs after missing a good chunk of the season recovering from double shoulder surgeries, and to b.) get fully healthy after this rib injury for us to determine what he can do.
Jeff Green - (C): I'm Jeff Green's harshest critic, but I believe this grade is fair. Overall, he has been an average player. He has embodied what the Celtics are this season: inconsistent with flashes of greatness. To his credit, Green has turned up his aggressiveness since the Celtics west-coast trip. However, he is still not producing the way everyone expected him to. I think him being the central figure off the bench is not good for him. In my opinion, Green should be starting. Green's ability to defend and run the floor are valuable assets for what is right now a slow basketball team. Plus, he will fly under the radar and not receive all the attention, as opponents will be focused on Rondo, Garnett, and Pierce. Playing alongside them will also most certainly help Green. I would love to see it happen.
Jared Sullinger - (A-): Sullinger has been the biggest, most pleasant surprise this season. People will look back on the 2012 NBA Draft and shake their heads at how Sullinger slipped all the way down to the Celtics at the 21st spot. Without Sullinger, the Celtics would not be where they are today. He's leading the Celtics in plus/minus at plus -55, a spot that has been owned by Kevin Garnett in recent years. He is second on the team in rebounding to Garnett -- Sullinger is at 6.1 to Garnett's 7.0 -- and is doing so in 9.7 minutes less per game. I think it might be time for Doc Rivers to try Sullinger out in the starting lineup. At this point, you have to try something to shake things up.
Leandro Barbosa - (B+): Barbosa has done a nice job in limited minutes. I believe he should get more minutes and Terry and Lee's minutes should be cut. Barbosa has proven to be a spark plug off the bench, evident by his days in Phoenix. Barbosa is sneaky quick, and has shown the ability to get to the basket at will. Barbosa's quickness helps him defensively as well. I think Doc needs to give him a chance.
Jason Collins - (B-): When the Celtics signed Collins in the offseason, he was signed for one reason: to be a defender on the low block who could grab rebounds. So far, so good for Collins. He started 7 games and did a nice job for the Celtics. However, he would run into foul trouble easily, limiting what he could do in most games. That must improve.
Fab Melo - (Incomplete): Melo has not seen any action with the big club, so he doesn't get a grade. He has been impressive though in the D-League.
Chris Wilcox - (C+): Wilcox has only played 23 games due to injuries, but when he has been on the floor, he has done a nice job of running the floor and grabbing rebounds. His athleticism and quickness for a big man is something that has helped make him and Rajon Rondo dynamic on fastbreaks. Wilcox needs to be healthy, and that will allow him to maximize his potential. I'm not sure why Rivers has not played him lately because he brings energy on both ends of the floor, something the Celtics have been lacking of late.
COACHING:
(B-): Nobody's perfect, and that includes Doc Rivers. I'm a big fan of Rivers, and all emotions and bias aside, Rivers has done a somewhat decent job. He's tried 11 different starting lineups and has yet to find consistency with this roster. He has had to manage the minutes of the Big Three, and had to find ways to put the new guys in positions to be successful. He told reporters during his postgame rant on Sunday night that he needs to do a better job of finding the right combination and getting the most out of his guys. Rivers should reduce some players' playing time and give some more to the likes of Leandro Barbosa and Chris Wilcox.That being said, the onus is on the players to do their part in getting the most out of themselves. Rivers has not found a consistent winning formula yet, and the turnaround starts with him.
MANAGEMENT:
(A-): Listen, Danny Ainge and company put together a championship-caliber team. Of course, we all know that championships are not won on paper, but if they were, the Celtics would definitely compete for the 18th banner. It's crazy to think that the Celtics had such a successful offseason while still losing arguably the greatest shooter of all time. The best-case scenario ensued for Boston, and Ainge gave Rivers all the pieces to compete at a high level.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Final: Cavaliers 95, Celtics 90
Before the season started, if you would've told me that at the midway point in the season that the Celtics (20-21) would be under .500, I would've told you that the sky would turn green.
Well, the unexpected has unraveled and here we are. As unfathomable as it may be, the Celtics are 8th in the Eastern Conference and sit under .500 through the first half of the regular season for the first time since...wait...last season -- that should give you some hope -- after falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 95-90.
Tonight was the Kyrie Irving show. The point guard scored a game-high 40 points on 16-of-24 from the floor. He also had 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals. He and Tristan Thompson scored 61 of the 95 Cleveland points.
The Celtics have now lost 4 straight with a big game against the Atlantic Division-leading New York Knicks on Thursday night.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* The Celtics executed their offense at the start of the game. They scored 53 first-half points and shot 48.8%.
* Avery Bradley's third-quarter block on Dion Waiters. Bradley hustled from the Celtics' basket all the way down to Cleveland's basket and blocked the shot just before Waiters was able to lay it in. A Tommy Point for sure.
* Kevin Garnett played exceptionally well in the first three quarters. He was 5-of-10 in 23 minutes. The problem was the fourth quarter.
* Boston outrebounded Cleveland, 48-39.
* Jared Sullinger finished with a double-double, 12 points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes. Half of his rebounds came on the offensive glass. I think it might be time for Doc to seriously consider inserting Sullinger into the starting lineup.
* Although he forced a lot of passes and tried so hard to make things happen, Rajon Rondo had a decent game. He finished with a team-high 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists. Turnovers continue to haunt Rondo, as he finished with a team-high 5.
The bad:
* As Doc Rivers said after the game, "95 points is not a bad number." The problem was the offense. Boston shot a mere 38.1% for the game and 26.8% in the second half. Paul Pierce's cold streak continues as he was only 3-of-15 from the floor.
* Boston's offensive execution was very poor in the fourth quarter. Their spacing was bad, and they did not get great shots. In the team's current state, the blame goes to Doc. Rivers has to recognize that this team does not trust each other (as he said on Sunday night) and that he needs to guide them in the right direction.
* Cleveland dominated Boston in the paint, 46-28. Boston let Cleveland get to the rim at will. The Cavs got plenty of good looks right at the rim.
* Avery Bradley is not fully healthy. He is definitely not 100%, and that is evident in his play, especially on the defensive end. That has a huge impact on what goes on on the court.
Well, the unexpected has unraveled and here we are. As unfathomable as it may be, the Celtics are 8th in the Eastern Conference and sit under .500 through the first half of the regular season for the first time since...wait...last season -- that should give you some hope -- after falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 95-90.
Tonight was the Kyrie Irving show. The point guard scored a game-high 40 points on 16-of-24 from the floor. He also had 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals. He and Tristan Thompson scored 61 of the 95 Cleveland points.
The Celtics have now lost 4 straight with a big game against the Atlantic Division-leading New York Knicks on Thursday night.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* The Celtics executed their offense at the start of the game. They scored 53 first-half points and shot 48.8%.
* Avery Bradley's third-quarter block on Dion Waiters. Bradley hustled from the Celtics' basket all the way down to Cleveland's basket and blocked the shot just before Waiters was able to lay it in. A Tommy Point for sure.
* Kevin Garnett played exceptionally well in the first three quarters. He was 5-of-10 in 23 minutes. The problem was the fourth quarter.
* Boston outrebounded Cleveland, 48-39.
* Jared Sullinger finished with a double-double, 12 points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes. Half of his rebounds came on the offensive glass. I think it might be time for Doc to seriously consider inserting Sullinger into the starting lineup.
* Although he forced a lot of passes and tried so hard to make things happen, Rajon Rondo had a decent game. He finished with a team-high 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists. Turnovers continue to haunt Rondo, as he finished with a team-high 5.
The bad:
* As Doc Rivers said after the game, "95 points is not a bad number." The problem was the offense. Boston shot a mere 38.1% for the game and 26.8% in the second half. Paul Pierce's cold streak continues as he was only 3-of-15 from the floor.
* Boston's offensive execution was very poor in the fourth quarter. Their spacing was bad, and they did not get great shots. In the team's current state, the blame goes to Doc. Rivers has to recognize that this team does not trust each other (as he said on Sunday night) and that he needs to guide them in the right direction.
* Cleveland dominated Boston in the paint, 46-28. Boston let Cleveland get to the rim at will. The Cavs got plenty of good looks right at the rim.
* Avery Bradley is not fully healthy. He is definitely not 100%, and that is evident in his play, especially on the defensive end. That has a huge impact on what goes on on the court.
Game 41 Preview: Celtics at Cavaliers
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| The Celtics need to get off to a fast start, and it starts with Rajon Rondo. |
After tonight's game, we will have officially arrived at the halfway point in what has been a rather disappointing season for the Celtics thus far.
Doc Rivers has had enough, evident by his postgame outburst on Sunday night in Detroit where he threatened changes if the team's play did not improve immediately.
Danny Ainge has tempered that sentiment, saying yesterday that it is still too soon for big changes.
Rajon Rondo said after Sunday's game that some players are too relaxed and that the Celtics need to alter their approach. Rondo even said, "Until guys get sick and fed up with it, I don't know if things are going to change."
From the aforementioned information, things appear to be plummeting. Fortunately, the Celtics (20-20) have a chance to right their wrongs tonight when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers (10-32), who possess the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. But don't be fooled: this does not guarantee a Boston victory, considering the Celtics have fallen to teams such as the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Hornets, and Detroit Pistons (twice) this season.
This is a matchup of two cold teams. The Cavaliers have lost 4 of its last 5 games and are coming off a 109-98 loss to the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. The Celtics come in losers of three straight.
The good news for the Celtics is that they won't have to deal with Cleveland center Anderson Varejao. Varejao is out for the season after knee surgery, but after the surgery, he suffered a blood clot in his lung. Let's hope he has a speedy recovery.
After a surprise start on Sunday, Avery Bradley should start tonight, but his status may still be up in the air, considering he only played only 19 minutes and did not look himself.
In an effort to make up for the loss, Cleveland made a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies today, a trade that would send big man Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington, and Josh Selby to Cleveland for Jon Leuer and a future first-round pick.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Avery Bradley*
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Cavaliers:
Kyrie Irving
C.J. Miles
Alonzo Gee
Tristan Thompson
Tyler Zeller
* subject to change
Keys to the game:
1. A big start: On Sunday night, Boston's starters shot 35%. Every Celtic starter needs to step up. Whether it be Brandon Bass (whose shooting percentage hasn't been this low since 2006) and Paul Pierce (whose shooting 39% over his last 6 games) mired in shooting slumps, or Kevin Garnett not looking like his normal self, each member of the starting quintet needs to step up.
2. Playing with the lead: How many times this season have the Celtics led from start to finish? Every time you look up, the Celtics are usually behind. It's a rarity for the Celtics to completely dominate a game this season. In the past, we've seen the Celtics strangle their opponents and take games by the throat. Especially against a team as bad as Cleveland, Boston needs to give a full 48-minute effort, and more importantly, they need to be on top for the majority of those minutes.
3. Point of attack: Rajon Rondo, where you at bro? I know he's put up some nice stats of late, but Rondo needs to be the dominant aggressor that makes this team so successful. Yes, he scored 30 points last Friday. O.K., he registered his 26th-career triple-double last Monday. But he needs to take over games on a more consistent basis. Tonight would be a great place to start, but he'll have his hands full with Kyrie Irving. Irving is one of the league's young, bright stars, but Rajon Rondo is one of the elite point guards in the game, and Rondo should get the better of this matchup.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Tough love: Pistons 103, Celtics 88
Wow.
I know most of you are wallowing in south pity over the Patriots' loss, but Celtics' coach Doc Rivers absolutely blasted the Celtics after the game.
Out of all the jaw-dropping things to come out of Rivers' mouth, perhaps the most powerful was this: "If we don't play better, we're gonna get some guys out of here."
We're almost exactly halfway through the season, and the Celtics are now a .500 basketball team (20-20) after a terrible loss to the lowly Detroit Pistons, 103-88.
I'll keep this recap brief because again, I know some of us are going to need a little bit of time to recuperate after a tough day in Boston sports.
The good:
* The Celtics came back from an 18-point deficit to tie things at 48.
* Detroit only edged the Celtics in points in the paint by 4, 44-40. That's not bad, right? Hey, I pointed it out beforehand that Boston needed to improve in that area, give me some credit!
The bad:
* The Celtics have now lost 4 straight to the Detroit Pistons.
* They did not have a SINGLE lead.
* After only 5 turnovers in the first half, the Celtics committed 13 in the second half. Rajon Rondo had a season-high 9 for the game. Sheesh.
* After 9 shots in the first half, Kevin Garnett only took 2 shots in the second half. For the team's leading scorer on that night to have 2 shots in a half, it's a disgrace.
* No offense, but if Courtney Lee is your third-leading scorer, you have a problem.
Tomorrow's practice should be very interesting to say the least. The Celtics need to do a whole lot of soul-searching to say the least. They are back in action on Tuesday in Cleveland against the Cavaliers.
I know most of you are wallowing in south pity over the Patriots' loss, but Celtics' coach Doc Rivers absolutely blasted the Celtics after the game.
Out of all the jaw-dropping things to come out of Rivers' mouth, perhaps the most powerful was this: "If we don't play better, we're gonna get some guys out of here."
We're almost exactly halfway through the season, and the Celtics are now a .500 basketball team (20-20) after a terrible loss to the lowly Detroit Pistons, 103-88.
I'll keep this recap brief because again, I know some of us are going to need a little bit of time to recuperate after a tough day in Boston sports.
The good:
* The Celtics came back from an 18-point deficit to tie things at 48.
* Detroit only edged the Celtics in points in the paint by 4, 44-40. That's not bad, right? Hey, I pointed it out beforehand that Boston needed to improve in that area, give me some credit!
The bad:
* The Celtics have now lost 4 straight to the Detroit Pistons.
* They did not have a SINGLE lead.
* After only 5 turnovers in the first half, the Celtics committed 13 in the second half. Rajon Rondo had a season-high 9 for the game. Sheesh.
* After 9 shots in the first half, Kevin Garnett only took 2 shots in the second half. For the team's leading scorer on that night to have 2 shots in a half, it's a disgrace.
* No offense, but if Courtney Lee is your third-leading scorer, you have a problem.
Tomorrow's practice should be very interesting to say the least. The Celtics need to do a whole lot of soul-searching to say the least. They are back in action on Tuesday in Cleveland against the Cavaliers.
Halftime thoughts: Pistons 52, Celtics 48
After being down 18, the Celtics scratched and clawed their way back to tie things at 48 near the end of the half. However, they trail after 24 minutes of action, 52-48.
For those of you watching the Patriots, I wouldn't blame you early on. The Celtics only had 5 points as late as the 3:32 mark of the first quarter. They looked uninterested and flat.
Then, Boston responded after coach Doc Rivers ripped into his teams during a first-quarter timeout while calling their play "embarrassing."
Here are some thoughts:
* Although he hasn't scored much, Paul Pierce is impacting the game in other ways. He took a charge in the second quarter during their big run, played good defense, and even grabbed a team-high 7 rebounds.
* After a 9-0 run by Detroit to begin the second quarter, the Celtics finally woke up and responded with a 10-0 run of their own.
* On the other hand, the first quarter was just about as bad as it could get. The Celtics were not hitting their shots, Rondo was in foul trouble, and their defense was non-existent.
* Pick-and-roll defense killed the Celtics. Jason Terry was caught going underneath screens twice -- twice! -- leading to baskets. Right after that, the Celtics finally stepped it up.
* Detroit is still kicking Boston's you-know-what on the glass. They're out rebounding Boston 28-19.
For those of you watching the Patriots, I wouldn't blame you early on. The Celtics only had 5 points as late as the 3:32 mark of the first quarter. They looked uninterested and flat.
Then, Boston responded after coach Doc Rivers ripped into his teams during a first-quarter timeout while calling their play "embarrassing."
Here are some thoughts:
* Although he hasn't scored much, Paul Pierce is impacting the game in other ways. He took a charge in the second quarter during their big run, played good defense, and even grabbed a team-high 7 rebounds.
* After a 9-0 run by Detroit to begin the second quarter, the Celtics finally woke up and responded with a 10-0 run of their own.
* On the other hand, the first quarter was just about as bad as it could get. The Celtics were not hitting their shots, Rondo was in foul trouble, and their defense was non-existent.
* Pick-and-roll defense killed the Celtics. Jason Terry was caught going underneath screens twice -- twice! -- leading to baskets. Right after that, the Celtics finally stepped it up.
* Detroit is still kicking Boston's you-know-what on the glass. They're out rebounding Boston 28-19.
Game 40 Preview: Celtics at Pistons
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| Paul Pierce will try to get the Celtics back on track in the Motor City. |
After losing two straight to close out their homestand, the Celtics (20-19) will look to get back to their winning ways as they hit the road for their second visit of the season to The Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Celtics will take on a Pistons (14-25) team that has lost three of it's last four games. Detroit last played on Thursday against the New York Knicks, a game that was played at the O2 Arena in London. The Pistons fell to New York, 102-87.
Boston is coming off an emotional loss to the Bulls on Friday night. However, that is all in the past, and the Celtics will have to lick their wounds and move on.
They may have to do so without Avery Bradley. Bradley's rib injury is still affecting him, but he did make the trip with the team. He is questionable for tonight's game and will be a game-time decision.
With or without Bradley, the Celtics still need to bring their A-game against Detroit, who man-handled the Celtics the last time these two squared off.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Leandro Barbosa*
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Pistons:
Brandon Knight
Kyle Singler
Tayshaun Prince
Jason Maxiell
Greg Monroe
* Subject to change
Keys to the game:
1. An answer for Monroe: In their last meeting, Detroit center Greg Monroe dominated the Celtics. He had 20 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Furthermore, Monroe led the charge in the paint for Detroit as they went on to outscore Boston in paint 44-30. Over his last 6 games, Monroe is averaging 17.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. Needless to say, Boston's interior defense needs to be sharp. It starts with Jared Sullinger and Kevin Garnett. Sullinger needs to do all he can to stay on the floor, and Garnett needs to return to form after showing his age over the past two games.
2. Sharing is caring: Also in their last meeting, the Celtics had a season-low 12 assists on 32 field goals, and Rajon Rondo had 10 of them. The ball movement was horrendous, and Rajon Rondo needs to do what he can to get his teammates involved.
3. Intensity: Detroit looked like they wanted to be there, and Boston did not. It was as simple as that. The Celtics had no energy, and it was clearly evident in their play. A Sunday night game in Detroit in the middle of the season is not a game anyone is going to get excited about -- also throw in the fact that they will tip-off roughly around the start of the second quarter of today's AFC Championship -- but a win is a win and a loss is a loss. They're all the same.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Some odds and ends from today's practice
After missing last night's game with a rib injury suffered during Wednesday night's game, Avery Bradley underwent another set of x-rays due to a lack of improvement in his condition.
To be clear, Bradley's condition has not worsened; the Celtics are just being cautious. Coach Doc Rivers said at practice today, "They just want to make sure his ribs aren't cracked or something like that. I think the X-ray showed it wasn't, but maybe do a deeper one just to make sure."
Bradley's x-rays came back negative, and he travelled with the team after today's practice. Rivers said after last night's game that Bradley status is on a "game-to-game basis."
In the 8 games he's played this season, Bradley has helped the Celtics compile a 6-2 record.
Another interesting tidbit from today's practice was the aftermath of last night's heart-breaker. By that, I mean how the Celtics dealt with the loss.
Rivers said the Celtics sent a video of last night's questionable jump-ball call to the NBA offices.
When asked what he hoped to accomplish by sending in the video, Rivers responded, "I would feel better."
Fair enough, but it doesn't take away from the sting of the loss, Doc.
To be clear, Bradley's condition has not worsened; the Celtics are just being cautious. Coach Doc Rivers said at practice today, "They just want to make sure his ribs aren't cracked or something like that. I think the X-ray showed it wasn't, but maybe do a deeper one just to make sure."
Bradley's x-rays came back negative, and he travelled with the team after today's practice. Rivers said after last night's game that Bradley status is on a "game-to-game basis."
In the 8 games he's played this season, Bradley has helped the Celtics compile a 6-2 record.
Another interesting tidbit from today's practice was the aftermath of last night's heart-breaker. By that, I mean how the Celtics dealt with the loss.
Rivers said the Celtics sent a video of last night's questionable jump-ball call to the NBA offices.
When asked what he hoped to accomplish by sending in the video, Rivers responded, "I would feel better."
Fair enough, but it doesn't take away from the sting of the loss, Doc.
A low blow: Bulls 100, Celtics 99
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| Rajon Rondo did all he could, but he and the Celtics came up just short. |
Excruciating. Heart-breaking. Fun-sucking. Crappy.
All of the above are some of the emotions hat I along with every other Celtics fans experienced after this one wrapped up.
No matter what the final score was going to be, this game was an absolute classic. Unfortunately, the Celtics (20-19) were the ones on the short end as they fell to the Chicago Bulls in overtime, 100-99.
Bulls' forward Marco Belinelli provided the dagger, hitting a desperation turnaround jumper with 3.0 seconds left in overtime to put the Bulls ahead 100-99. Boston had no timeouts, so they had to go full-court with 3.0 seconds to get a shot. The Celtics got a good look on a Courtney Lee three-pointer, but he did not even get any rim.
This was a game that saw 7 ties and 12 lead-changes in the fourth quarter and overtime. To say the least, this was one of the more entertaining Celtics' games I've seen in quite some time.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Rajon Rondo was the Celtics' star of the game. Without Rondo, this would've been a total wash. Rondo put the Celtics on his back and turned in one of his best performances of the season. He had a game-high 30 points to go along with 7 assists and 2 steals. Rondo was 5-of-10 outside the paint and hit his jumper with regularity. Rondo almost single-handedly won the game for the Celtics. With 1:31 to go in the fourth and just out of a Chicago timeout, Rondo stole the inbounds pass, and on the next offensive possession, he hit a go-ahead jumper to put the Celtics up 86-84 with 36.6 seconds left in regulation. He was also very aggressive driving to the hoop, and as I always say, when Rondo is aggressive and looking to make things happen, the Celtics are dangerous.
* Boston did a great job in transition. They dominated in fast break points, 14-2. They forced 21 Bulls' turnovers -- although some of Chicago's turnovers were self-inflicted -- and were always on the run looking to capitalize. Rondo was very effective in attacking the rim.
* Courtney Lee and Jared Sullinger did a phenomenal job off the bench. Lee provided a spark offensively in the first half, scoring 7 points in the half. He also grabbed 6 rebounds for the game. Before fouling out in overtime, Sullinger had his hands -- literally -- all over this one. He was consistently banging down low with Chicago's bigs, and he grabbed 15 rebounds and 5 on the offensive glass, both team-highs.
* After only touching the ball once and not even attempting a shot in the first half, the JET took off in the second half. Jason Terry finished with 9 points, but his two biggest field goals came in overtime. First, Terry hit a three-pointer to put the Celtics up 93-92. Then, he hit a go-ahead jumper to put Boston up for the final time, 99-98.
* For a Chicago team that was 7th in the NBA in rebounding coming into tonight's game, the Celtics held their own against them. They were only outrebounded by one, 43-42. Carlos Boozer had 20 and Joakim Noah had 13, but the next highest total was 4 from Jimmy Butler. Boozer and Noah were obviously going to get theirs, and all things considered, the Celtics did just fine.
The bad:
* The good news is the Celtics were able to turn it up a notch in the fourth quarter. The bad news is that the Celtics were able to turn it up a notch in the fourth quarter. It's frustrating to see this team coast through the first three quarters and then flip the switch when it matters most. We've heard jokes over the past few seasons that this team shuns prosperity, and that they always like to make things hard on themselves. They waited until the last possible moment, and they decided to clamp down defensively and take their defensive intensity to the next level. At this point, you can't expect that kind of play out of the likes of Garnett and Pierce all the time, but for the duration of time they are on the floor, they need to clamp down on the defensive end.
* Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett combined to go 10-of-33. Furthermore, through the first three quarters, the two were 4-of-22. Garnett also missed some crucial free throws in the fourth quarter, going 5-of-8 in the final quarter of regulation. To give them credit, Pierce and Garnett stepped it up when it mattered most, combining to go 6-of-11 in the fourth quarter and overtime, but for the majority of this one, Pierce and Garnett were non-factors. For the majority of the fourth quarter, Pierce wasn't even on the floor. Some credit goes to Chicago's defense, but the two veterans also missed some of the shots they usually hit with consistency.
Miscellaneous:
* Call me crazy, but the Bulls are just as, if not more, effective without Derrick Rose than they are with him. Their defense is just phenomenal; it is absolutely stifling. Chicago's defense made Boston's life on the offensive end just a nightmare for the majority of the night, as Boston only shot 38% from the field through the first three quarters. I may be going out on a limb, but I would rather face the Miami Heat in a best-of-seven playoff series than the Chicago Bulls.
* Tom Thibodeau is a great basketball coach. He may call a lot of timeouts, but his timeouts kill the opponent's momentum. There were many instances in tonight's game that the Celtics would make mini runs and Thibodeau would call a timeout.
* Chicago let Boston hang around for way too long. They shot themselves in the foot, committing an astonishing 21 turnovers and going 23-of-32 from the free throw line. If they took care of business, this game would not have been as close as it was.
* As much of a heart-breaking loss that this was, I'm not that disappointed. The Celtics played without Avery Bradley, and we all know how drastically different this team looks without Bradley on the floor. Over the past two seasons, when Bradley does not play at least 10 minutes in a game, the Celtics are now 19-29. They're 40-17. That says something.
* Doc Rivers is a big believer in fouling the other team when the Celtics have a one-possession lead at the end of games. You can't question that strategy because Doc has the stats that back it up, so that shouldn't be a problem.
* I hate to say this, but if anyone thinks the officiating did not have an impact on the outcome of this one, you're crazy.
Boston will begin a two-game road trip in Detroit against the Pistons on Sunday night at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Halftime thoughts: Bulls 45, Celtics 39
Boston has their hands full tonight with this Bulls team. Even without Derrick Rose, they are a force to be reckoned with. They lead the Celtics at the half, 45-39.
Chicago has held the Celtics to 40% from the floor and has out rebounded Boston 20-18.
Here are my thoughts:
*Jason Terry needs to be more involved offensively. Terry had one touch in 8 minutes and got to the free-throw line. The reason he is on the bench is because he has been so successful as a scorer off the bench, and he's not getting his chances tonight.
* Jared Sullinger and Courtney Lee have been the best players off the bench. Sullinger has done a nice job defending Chicago's bigs, as he's made Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah earn every point. Lee has 7 points and 5 rebounds in 12 minutes.
* I like the Celtics putting Sullinger and Bass on Noah as opposed to Garnett. It has worked so far as Noah only has 6 points in 19 minutes. However, Noah has covered Garnett on the other end, and has held KG to 1-of-5 from the floor. Lets see if Boston tries to shake things up and get Garnett free.
* The Celtics need to capitalize on Chicago's turnovers. They've turned the ball over 11 times. If Boston wants to get it's 21st win, they're going to need to continue capitalizing in transition, and it starts with Rajon Rondo.
* Paul Pierce has to get hot at some point, no?
Chicago has held the Celtics to 40% from the floor and has out rebounded Boston 20-18.
Here are my thoughts:
*Jason Terry needs to be more involved offensively. Terry had one touch in 8 minutes and got to the free-throw line. The reason he is on the bench is because he has been so successful as a scorer off the bench, and he's not getting his chances tonight.
* Jared Sullinger and Courtney Lee have been the best players off the bench. Sullinger has done a nice job defending Chicago's bigs, as he's made Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah earn every point. Lee has 7 points and 5 rebounds in 12 minutes.
* I like the Celtics putting Sullinger and Bass on Noah as opposed to Garnett. It has worked so far as Noah only has 6 points in 19 minutes. However, Noah has covered Garnett on the other end, and has held KG to 1-of-5 from the floor. Lets see if Boston tries to shake things up and get Garnett free.
* The Celtics need to capitalize on Chicago's turnovers. They've turned the ball over 11 times. If Boston wants to get it's 21st win, they're going to need to continue capitalizing in transition, and it starts with Rajon Rondo.
* Paul Pierce has to get hot at some point, no?
Game 39 Preview: Bulls at Celtics
The show goes on for the Boston Celtics (20-18) as they will try to start a new winning streak when they wrap up their five-game homestand tonight against the Chicago Bulls (22-15).
The Bulls and Celtics have squared off twice already this season with each team winning a game. Both games were in Chicago, and tonight is the first time this season the two will meet in Boston.
Chicago is coming off 107-105 overtime victory in Toronto against the Raptors.
The victory came with a price, as forward Luol Deng injured his hamstring in the first quarter of Wednesday's game. Deng said that he should be ready to go, but his coach Tom Thibodeau was a bit more cautious about Deng's status. "We'll see," said Thibodeau of Deng. "He's day to day. He got treatment (Thursday). He's a little better (Thursday) but we'll see. Game-time decision." Deng has averaged 21.5 points in the two games played against Boston this year.
The Celtics will have their hands full tonight with a Bulls team that's doing all this without their star point guard Derrick Rose.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Bulls:
Kirk Hinrich
Richard Hamilton
Luol Deng*
Carlos Boozer
Joakim Noah
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Keys to the game:
1. Bench play: In their last meeting, Boston's bench only scored 16 points, and Nate Robinson scored 18 points off Chicago's bench. Letting one player outscore an entire bench is asinine. The Gangster Squad, the nickname that Boston's bench has coined for themselves, needs to do their thing tonight and not allow Chicago's bench, a bench that ranks 24th in the league in scoring, to outplay them. With the way the bench has been playing of late, that shouldn't happen. But you never know when Nate Robinson is going to go off.
2. A bounce-back night from the Big Ticket: Kevin Garnett did not have a good game at all on Wednesday against the Hornets. Although his stats over the past week or so have been KG-esque, Garnett has looked tired and even (gasp) old of late. It doesn't get any easier for KG as he takes on his nemesis, Joakim Noah. In the two meetings this season, Noah has averaged 14.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 2.0 blocks. Noah tallied his second-career triple-double against the Celtics in their 100-89 victory on December 18. Garnett is going to have to step it up and play one of his better games in order to lead the Celtics to victory.
3. Men on the run: In their previous two meetings, Boston edged the Bulls in fast break points, scoring 14 in each game. The Bulls are not a run-and-gun team. They like to run their offense in the half-court. Boston generates 8.7 steals per game, which is good for 4th in the NBA. In the two games against Chicago, Boston has averaged 8.0 steals. The Celtics are going to have to be active and score in transition like they did at the start of Wednesday night's game -- they had 5 steals in the first quarter -- but that intensity is going to have last for the whole game.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
KG, Rondo named All-Star starters
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| Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo will once again be paired up on the 2013 Eastern Conference All-Star team. |
Rondo and Garnett held a spot in the starting lineup in each of the three voting returns, so their selection is not a surprise.
Rondo will make his first start in the All-Star game. This is his 4th time being named an All-Star.
Garnett is now tied with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal for the second-most All-Star appearances with 15, second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 19. He will make his 12th start in the All-Star game.
As for other All-Star news, Rondo said earlier this week that his participation in other All-Star weekend activities would depend on whether or not he made the team. Now that he has secured a spot, it'll be interesting to see if Rondo competes in the skills competition or even the H-O-R-S-E competition, both of which he has competed in at past All-Star weekends.
The All-Star reserves are voted on by the coaches, and a coach cannot vote for his own players. The reserves will be announced next Thursday. Paul Pierce is worthy of another All-Star berth. The Truth has once again posted solid numbers of 19.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals.
Keep an eye out for Jared Sullinger, who definitely deserves a spot in the Rising Stars Challenge, the "All-Star game" of rookies vs. second-year players. Players for that game will be announced at a later date.
Here all the full starting lineups for both conferences:
East:
Rajon Rondo
Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Carmelo Anthony
Kevin Garnett
West:
Chris Paul
Kobe Bryant
Kevin Durant
Blake Griffin
Dwight Howard
The 62nd NBA All-Star Game will be played at the Toyota Center on Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. EST.
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