Former Celtic and current Washington Wizards center Jason Collins announced in a first-hand story for this week's Sports Illustrated that he is gay.
Collins becomes the first active player in a major American sport to publicly come out as gay.
Collins has played for six teams throughout his 12-year career. During the offseason, he signed a one-year deal for the veteran-minimum with the Celtics. Collins played in 32 games with the Celtics and averaged 10.3 minutes per game. He was known for his tough defense and veteran presence in the locker room.
Collins was traded to the Wizards along with Leandro Barbosa before the trade deadline for Jordan Crawford. Celtics coach Doc Rivers was very disappointed to part with Collins, and Rivers called him "one of the best guys I've ever had" in the locker room.
Rivers released a statement regarding Collins's announcement earlier this afternoon:
"I am extremely happy and proud of Jason Collins. He's a pro's pro. He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite 'team' players I have ever coached. If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept. It will be society who has to learn tolerance. One of my favorite sayings is, 'I am who I am, are whom we are, can be what I want to be its not up to you, it's just me being me.'"
Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Final: Knicks 90, Celtics 76
I stand corrected. The Knicks are unstoppable right now. They are really good. And I'll admit, I totally underestimated this team. The Celtics caught the Knicks at the wrong time.
The Celtics fell to them tonight, 90-76. They are now down 3-0 in the series. Yes, the Red Sox did it, but no NBA team has ever come back when down 3-0 in a series.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* The Knicks were still ten points under their season average and they still won by 14 points.
* Kevin Garnett gave everything he had and then some. KG finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds. The 17 boards were the second most Garnett has grabbed in a playoff game as a Celtic.
The bad:
* I will make this as simple as possible. The Celtics offense is bad. Very bad. You know why? Their best offensive player is on the sidelines. No one on the Knicks -- or any other team in the Eastern Conference for that matter -- could guard Rajon Rondo.
* Turnovers killed the Celtics. It seemed as though the Knicks capitalized on every turnover. The Knicks made the Celtics pay for every solitary mistake they made. The Celtics allowed the Knicks to score 14 points off turnovers in the first half alone.
* It's really disappointing to see the Celtics go down like this. They've been through a lot this season, and it's hard to rely on two guys that are 35 and over to produce like they're 25.
Boston will look to avoid a sweep on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
The Celtics fell to them tonight, 90-76. They are now down 3-0 in the series. Yes, the Red Sox did it, but no NBA team has ever come back when down 3-0 in a series.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* The Knicks were still ten points under their season average and they still won by 14 points.
* Kevin Garnett gave everything he had and then some. KG finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds. The 17 boards were the second most Garnett has grabbed in a playoff game as a Celtic.
The bad:
* I will make this as simple as possible. The Celtics offense is bad. Very bad. You know why? Their best offensive player is on the sidelines. No one on the Knicks -- or any other team in the Eastern Conference for that matter -- could guard Rajon Rondo.
* Turnovers killed the Celtics. It seemed as though the Knicks capitalized on every turnover. The Knicks made the Celtics pay for every solitary mistake they made. The Celtics allowed the Knicks to score 14 points off turnovers in the first half alone.
* It's really disappointing to see the Celtics go down like this. They've been through a lot this season, and it's hard to rely on two guys that are 35 and over to produce like they're 25.
Boston will look to avoid a sweep on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals - Game 3: Knicks at Celtics
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| If Paul Pierce is going to stop Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks, he's going to need some help. |
The green will look to protect their home court in front of what is expected to be an emotional crowd. As Doc Rivers said after yesterday's practice, "There's no better crowd in the NBA than ours."
After only going through a portion of yesterday's practice, Kevin Garnett is expected to be in the starting lineup. For the Knicks, everyone is ready to go.
And so are the 18,624 that will fill TD Garden.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Knicks:
Raymond Felton
Pablo Prigioni
Iman Shumpert
Carmelo Anthony
Tyson Chandler
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Keys to the game:
1. WAKE UP!: The Celtics' second-half struggles in this series have been widely documented. Their offensive execution down the stretch has been horrible. After setting a franchise playoff low of 25 second-half points in Game 1, the C's broke their own two-day record by scoring only 23 second-half points in Game 2. Needless to say, the Celtics need to wake up when that clock begins ticking down from 12:00 at the start of the third quarter. In order to do so, the Celtics need to get stops when they need them in order to convert on easy opportunities in transition. That's easier said than done against an offensive juggernaut like the Knicks, but the Celtics have shown in the first two games that defense is not the problem.
2. "He's Paul Pierce, not Christopher Reeve": This is a quote from Doc Rivers when asked about Paul Pierce's workload over the past two games. Rivers couldn't have said it any better. Pierce is being asked to do way too much, and he is not Superman. He's been called upon to be a playmaker, facilitator and a defender -- not to mention the team's best scorer. For a 35-year-old who has played nearly 51,000 career minutes, that is simply too much to ask. For the Celtics to be successful, Pierce cannot do it all. He needs help from his teammates. Jason Terry needs to walk the talk and convert on open looks. Brandon Bass needs to get more than 6 shots. Jeff Green needs to be consistent for 48 minutes. The Celtics are going to need all hands on deck if they want to come back in this series.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Reasons for optimism
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| The Celtics will take the parquet floor tomorrow night for the first time since April 10. |
As much as I hate to admit it, Rick Pitino was right. The negativity in this town does suck.
For the past two days, I've heard and seen nothing but negativity with regards to the Celtics chances of getting back into the series and possibly advancing.
Granted, the Celtics haven't done anything to change anyone's opinion. Their play has been putrid thus far and has given no reason for any fan to be optimistic.
However, that's where I come in. I tend to look at the positive side of things, and that's exactly what I'm about to do. Before I present some silver linings, here's what I do know after the last two games.
Are the Celtics in trouble? Yes.
Do they look lost without Rajon Rondo? At times, yes.
Do Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce look old? Yes.
But if there's one thing I've learned about this team, it's to never count them out, even when they look like they're on their last leg. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers have proven us wrong before, and they have earned that respect. You cannot count this team out because they deserve that much.
So here are three reasons to be optimistic that the Celtics cant turn it around:
1. They're back in Boston: The Celtics returned home yesterday for the first time in exactly a week. A lot has happened since then, to say the least. They have not played at TD Garden since last Monday's bombings at the Boston Marathon and the ensuing fiasco that was the rest of the week. Their final home game of the regular season was then canceled due to the incident. From there, the Celtics headed north of the border and down to the Big Apple. This team is more than ready to play in front of what should be highly energized and emotional crowd. Not to mention the fact that the C's had a 27-13 home record this season, good for fourth-best in the Eastern Conference.
2. The bench is turning the corner: After scoring a mere 4 points -- all of which came on free throws -- in Game 1, the Celtics bench came to life in Game 2. The bench had 19 points on Tuesday night. With Boston's starting five struggling to score, it's vital for the bench to help in any way possible. Their bench consists of only two legitimate scorers: Jason Terry and Jordan Crawford. Those two looked good on Tuesday, and here's to hoping they can carry that momentum into tomorrow night's game.
3. Boston has not been a fun place for New York: Or any other team in the playoffs since 2008. Up until this season, the Knicks had not won a regular season game in Boston in twelve seasons. Twelve. Also, the Knicks have not won a road playoff game since 2001. In the Carmelo Anthony era, the Knicks are 2-4 in six games (including playoffs) at TD Garden. During his Knicks tenure, Anthony has struggled in Boston, shooting only 38.9% from the field and 27.8% from three-point land.
A few notes from today's practice:
* Coach Doc Rivers said today that Kevin Garnett is still nursing a hip pointer that he suffered during Tuesday night's game. Rivers told reporters before practice that he was going to limit Garnett during practice. "I'm not going to let him go through the entire practice even if he's feeling good," said Rivers. "You don't want somebody to bang into you or something. We have to be careful with that." Rivers insisted that Garnett will play tomorrow night.
* The NBA announced today that Doc Rivers has been fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing the officials after Game 2. "I thought the fouls on Kevin were horrendous, and had a huge effect on us,” Rivers said after the game.
* Rivers also told reporters that Jordan Crawford has taken Courtney Lee's spot in the rotation."I'm not playing him right now," Rivers said of Lee. "Honestly, Jordan [Crawford] has moved in front of him on the depth chart. But Courtney will have a say in this series. I believe that." Crawford scored 10 points on Tuesday night, while Lee has barely played in this series.
* Avery Bradley was late to today's practice. A Celtics spokesman offered no reason for his tardiness. Bradley was also seen leaving the medical area of the team's training center. Don't know what that means, but just figured I'd throw that out there.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Final: Knicks 87, Celtics 71
After feeling confident coming into the game, the Celtics can't help but feel lost.
They fell to the Knicks in Game 2, 87-71.
Carmelo Anthony struggled in the first half, but he turned it on in the second half and finished with 34 points on 11-of-24 from the floor.
After back-to-back poor second halves and a lack of offensive rhythm through the first two games, one has to wonder where the Celtics go from here.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Paul Pierce battled hard tonight. He scored a team-high 18 points in 38 minutes. He was constantly malled and double-teamed as soon as he touched the ball. He had to work for all of his points. The Truth did all he could tonight.
* Brandon Bass continues to grind. He finished with only 6 points, but he grabbed 10 rebounds. At this morning's shootaround, Doc Rivers said he wanted to get Bass more shots tonight. He only took 6 in 34 minutes. Bass needs to be more involved.
* The defense hasn't been the problem. It's been the offense. Although the Knicks have gone on prolonged scoring runs, the Celtics have held them to under 90 points in both games, and they've held the Knicks to 15 points under their season average. In Game 1, the Celtics held the Knicks to 41% and tonight they held them to 42%.
The bad:
* Wanna know how bad the second half was? It was the lowest scoring half in the playoff in team history. The third quarter in particular was brutal and ultimately decided the game. In the third, the Celtics scored only 11 points on 4-of-18 shooting (22%). On the other hand, the Knicks scored 32 points on 12-of-17 from the field (71%). There's been one quarter that has burned them in these first two games, and they both came in the second half.
* The offense. Offensive droughts are killing this team. It's been a problem all year long and it's been a problem through the first two games of this series.
* Jason Terry started off nicely, hitting his first 3 shots (all of them being three-pointers). After that, he missed his next 5 shots.
* Kevin Garnett is not right. Something is wrong there. He appeared to grabbing his stomach and/or side area several times throughout the second half. This is just pure speculation, but with the way he has played in this series thus far, and considering that fact that his foot is still bothering him, you can't help but wonder how much Garnett has much to offer for the rest of this series.
The Celtics will look to regroup over the next few days before the series resumes on Friday night at TD Garden at 8:00 p.m.
They fell to the Knicks in Game 2, 87-71.
Carmelo Anthony struggled in the first half, but he turned it on in the second half and finished with 34 points on 11-of-24 from the floor.
After back-to-back poor second halves and a lack of offensive rhythm through the first two games, one has to wonder where the Celtics go from here.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Paul Pierce battled hard tonight. He scored a team-high 18 points in 38 minutes. He was constantly malled and double-teamed as soon as he touched the ball. He had to work for all of his points. The Truth did all he could tonight.
* Brandon Bass continues to grind. He finished with only 6 points, but he grabbed 10 rebounds. At this morning's shootaround, Doc Rivers said he wanted to get Bass more shots tonight. He only took 6 in 34 minutes. Bass needs to be more involved.
* The defense hasn't been the problem. It's been the offense. Although the Knicks have gone on prolonged scoring runs, the Celtics have held them to under 90 points in both games, and they've held the Knicks to 15 points under their season average. In Game 1, the Celtics held the Knicks to 41% and tonight they held them to 42%.
The bad:
* Wanna know how bad the second half was? It was the lowest scoring half in the playoff in team history. The third quarter in particular was brutal and ultimately decided the game. In the third, the Celtics scored only 11 points on 4-of-18 shooting (22%). On the other hand, the Knicks scored 32 points on 12-of-17 from the field (71%). There's been one quarter that has burned them in these first two games, and they both came in the second half.
* The offense. Offensive droughts are killing this team. It's been a problem all year long and it's been a problem through the first two games of this series.
* Jason Terry started off nicely, hitting his first 3 shots (all of them being three-pointers). After that, he missed his next 5 shots.
* Kevin Garnett is not right. Something is wrong there. He appeared to grabbing his stomach and/or side area several times throughout the second half. This is just pure speculation, but with the way he has played in this series thus far, and considering that fact that his foot is still bothering him, you can't help but wonder how much Garnett has much to offer for the rest of this series.
The Celtics will look to regroup over the next few days before the series resumes on Friday night at TD Garden at 8:00 p.m.
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals - Game 2: Celtics at Knicks
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| After a big first half on Saturday, Jeff Green needs to do it again tonight. |
Boston played well in Game 1, but appeared to run out of gas in the fourth quarter and let a win slip from their grasps. After two days off -- as well as plenty of practice, film and reflection -- the Celtics have expressed their confidence in tying the series up before heading back to Boston.
For the Knicks, Pablo Prigioni is expected to play after missing Game 1 with a right ankle sprain. Other than that, there is no other injury news.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Knicks:
Pablo Prigioni
Raymond Felton
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Copeland
Tyson Chandler
Keys to the game:
1. Finding a rhythm: Let's face it: if you score 78 points, your chances of winning are minimal. If you score only 8 points in the fourth quarter against a team with the league's leading scorer and the league's Sixth Man of the Year -- the NBA announced yesterday that J.R. Smith was the recipient of the honor -- your chances of winning decrease incrementally. For the Celtics to win tonight, they need to establish a rhythm on offense and stick with it. They need to get Kevin Garnett more touches. After playing what Doc Rivers described as the "perfect game," Brandon Bass has to get more than 2 shots in 33 minutes. The bench, whose 4 points came off free throws from Courtney Lee, needs to play better, particularly Jason Terry. Although he did log a season-high 45 minutes, Jeff Green needs to play consistently. After scoring 20 first-half points, Green shot 1-of-5 in the second half and scored only 6 points. He played the entire fourth quarter and only had 1 field goal attempt. Doc Rivers said after the game that the Celtics lack of ball movement led to their fourth quarter collapse. Boston needs to get back to what made them successful when Rajon Rondo went down, which is moving the ball and not relying on what Doc Rivers calls "hero basketball."
2. Don't let up: Through the first three quarters of Game 1, you couldn't have asked for more out of the Celtics. They did what they do best; they made New York grind out every offensive possession, shared the ball on offense and managed to lead by three going into the final frame. From there, it all fell apart. The Celtics know they can't let that happen tonight. For the first 36 minutes, the Celtics turned the ball over 13 times, shot a better percentage than the Knicks (44% to 41%) and had 16 assists on 24 baskets to New York's 11 assists on 24 baskets. In the fourth, the Celtics shot a hideous 27% and committed 8 turnovers. They have to play 48 minutes on offense. They also cannot afford to let up on defense. After holding him to 9-of-24 from the field through the first three frames, the Celtics allowed Carmelo Anthony to go off in the fourth quarter, as he scored 8 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Limiting New York's effectiveness on offense will allow Boston to get into a better offensive rhythm. Because it's awfully hard to maintain any rhythm when you're constantly taking the ball out from under the basket.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals - Game 1: Celtics at Knicks
The day has finally arrived.
The Celtics and Knicks will kick off the NBA playoffs this afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
Both teams have had two days to practice and to get healthy. For the Knicks, Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin are all active and ready to go. Pablo Prigioni is out for today's game but is expected to return for Game 2. For the Celtics, everyone is healthy and ready to go.
The Celtics announced today that they will be wearing patches on their jerseys for the remainder of the season in memory of those lost in the Boston Marathon tragedy.
Here we go:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Knicks:
Raymond Felton
Iman Shumpert
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Copeland
Tyson Chandler
Keys to the game:
1. The three: The Knicks have lived and died by the three all season long. So far, it has worked. New York is 39-12 when making 10 or more three-pointers. In four games against the Celtics, the Knicks averaged 11 threes a game. Simply put, if the Celtics can limit New York's effectiveness from beyond the arc, they'll be in a great position to steal this one.
2. Do it: Everyone knows that this Celtics team is built for the playoffs. The regular season is obviously important, but this team has shown that they can turn the switch whenever they want. Hopefully they can today. Considering the emotion of not only the playoffs but also the events that have taken place in Boston during the past week, the Celtics should have a lot of motivation today. It's just a matter of going out there and doing it.
The Celtics and Knicks will kick off the NBA playoffs this afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
Both teams have had two days to practice and to get healthy. For the Knicks, Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin are all active and ready to go. Pablo Prigioni is out for today's game but is expected to return for Game 2. For the Celtics, everyone is healthy and ready to go.
The Celtics announced today that they will be wearing patches on their jerseys for the remainder of the season in memory of those lost in the Boston Marathon tragedy.
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| The patch the Celtics will wear. |
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Knicks:
Raymond Felton
Iman Shumpert
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Copeland
Tyson Chandler
Keys to the game:
1. The three: The Knicks have lived and died by the three all season long. So far, it has worked. New York is 39-12 when making 10 or more three-pointers. In four games against the Celtics, the Knicks averaged 11 threes a game. Simply put, if the Celtics can limit New York's effectiveness from beyond the arc, they'll be in a great position to steal this one.
2. Do it: Everyone knows that this Celtics team is built for the playoffs. The regular season is obviously important, but this team has shown that they can turn the switch whenever they want. Hopefully they can today. Considering the emotion of not only the playoffs but also the events that have taken place in Boston during the past week, the Celtics should have a lot of motivation today. It's just a matter of going out there and doing it.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Celtics-Knicks schedule
FINALLY!
After 81 games and much anticipation, the Celtics have reached the end of the regular season.
They finished with a 41-40 record after last night's 114-90 loss to the Toronto Raptors. To show how little the game mattered to the team, when asked what he learned about his team from the defeat, coach Doc Rivers responded, "Nothing."
Boston will practice in Toronto today before flying to New York where they will practice again on Friday.
Here is the schedule for the first round series with the Knicks:
Game 1: Saturday, April 20, Celtics at Knicks, 3:00 p.m.
Game 2: Tuesday, April 23, Celtics at Knicks, 8:00 p.m.
Game 3: Friday, April 26, Knicks at Celtics, 8:00 p.m.
Game 4: Sunday, April 28, Knicks at Celtics, 1:00 p.m.
*Game 5: Wednesday, May 1, Celtics at Knicks, TBD
*Game 6: Friday, May 3, Knicks at Celtics, TBD
*Game 7: Sunday, May 5, Celtics at Knicks, TBD
*TBD -- if necessary
After 81 games and much anticipation, the Celtics have reached the end of the regular season.
They finished with a 41-40 record after last night's 114-90 loss to the Toronto Raptors. To show how little the game mattered to the team, when asked what he learned about his team from the defeat, coach Doc Rivers responded, "Nothing."
Boston will practice in Toronto today before flying to New York where they will practice again on Friday.
Here is the schedule for the first round series with the Knicks:
Game 1: Saturday, April 20, Celtics at Knicks, 3:00 p.m.
Game 2: Tuesday, April 23, Celtics at Knicks, 8:00 p.m.
Game 3: Friday, April 26, Knicks at Celtics, 8:00 p.m.
Game 4: Sunday, April 28, Knicks at Celtics, 1:00 p.m.
*Game 5: Wednesday, May 1, Celtics at Knicks, TBD
*Game 6: Friday, May 3, Knicks at Celtics, TBD
*Game 7: Sunday, May 5, Celtics at Knicks, TBD
*TBD -- if necessary
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Game 81: Celtics at Raptors
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| Avery Bradley and the Celtics finish off the regular season tonight. |
Doc Rivers told reporters on Sunday that the majority of his regulars would play in Tuesday's game and "some" of them would play Wednesday. After Tuesday's cancellation, I would imagine that Rivers would want his regulars to go a week between games.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Raptors:
Kyle Lowry
DeMar DeRozan
Rudy Gay
Amir Johnson
Aaron Gray
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Keys to the game:
1. Keeping fishing for bass: Brandon Bass, that is. Bass has been on a roll of late, averaging 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 64% over his last six games. Bass needs to keep on keeping on and continue his solid play going into the playoffs. His success will be crucial to the Celtics' success in the playoffs. Brandon, whatever you're doing now, keep doing it.
2. Iron Man: Jeff Green told reporters at Sunday's practice that playing all 82 games -- this was before the cancellation of Monday's game -- and every playoff game is a goal of his and would be a tremendous accomplishment a year after heart surgery. If Green does play the rest of the way, that would be a phenomenal feat. Here's to Jeff Green.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Celtics-Pacers canceled
In the wake of today's tragedy at the Boston Marathon, the NBA announced that tomorrow's Celtics-Pacers game has been canceled.
The cancellation means that both teams will finish with 81 games played. The NBA regular season concludes on Wednesday, and both teams play on Wednesday, leaving no time to make the game up.
It is uncertain when the Celtics will travel to Toronto for Wednesday's season finale.
According to a Pacers official, the team is looking to leave Boston some time tonight, but it is more likely that they fly back to Indianapolis tomorrow.
The Pacers spent their off day at the Red Sox game this afternoon -- Fenway Park is less than 1.5 miles away from where the explosions took place -- after head coach Frank Vogel decided to cancel practice for Monday afternoon at Emerson College.
The Eastern Conference playoff seedings are not affected by the cancellation.
The cancellation means that both teams will finish with 81 games played. The NBA regular season concludes on Wednesday, and both teams play on Wednesday, leaving no time to make the game up.
It is uncertain when the Celtics will travel to Toronto for Wednesday's season finale.
According to a Pacers official, the team is looking to leave Boston some time tonight, but it is more likely that they fly back to Indianapolis tomorrow.
The Pacers spent their off day at the Red Sox game this afternoon -- Fenway Park is less than 1.5 miles away from where the explosions took place -- after head coach Frank Vogel decided to cancel practice for Monday afternoon at Emerson College.
The Eastern Conference playoff seedings are not affected by the cancellation.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
It's official
It is now etched in stone.
With their 90-80 victory over the Indiana Pacers this afternoon, the New York Knicks officially clinched the second seed in the Eastern Conference, which means a first-round matchup with the Celtics.
Boston clinched the seventh seed with last night's 120-88 victory over the Orlando Magic.
According to reports, the series is set to begin Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Both Boston and New York have two games remaining, and both wrap up the regular season on Wednesday night.
With their 90-80 victory over the Indiana Pacers this afternoon, the New York Knicks officially clinched the second seed in the Eastern Conference, which means a first-round matchup with the Celtics.
Boston clinched the seventh seed with last night's 120-88 victory over the Orlando Magic.
According to reports, the series is set to begin Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Both Boston and New York have two games remaining, and both wrap up the regular season on Wednesday night.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Too much "O": Heat 109, Celtics 101
Playing without Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, the Celtics jumped out to an early 13-5 lead. From there, it was all downhill.
Boston (40-39) fought from start to finish, but they fell to the Heat (63-16) tonight 109-101 behind a dominant offensive performance by Miami's supporting cast.
Seven Heat players scored at least 9 points. Miami's bench outscored Boston's bench 42-14. Hell, Rashard Lewis led all bench players with a season-high 19 points. If Rashard Lewis is scoring that many points, you know you're in trouble.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Jeff Green returned to form, scoring a team-high 25 points on 10-of-17 from the floor. He also pulled down 8 boards. Green made Celtics fans' hearts stop for a moment in the third quarter. Green went up for a dunk midway through the third quarter and fell awkwardly on his left arm. He was diagnosed with a bruised left elbow, and coach Doc Rivers said after the game that he expects Green to be ready for tomorrow's game.
* Brandon Bass played extremely well tonight. Bass finished with 17 points on an efficient 6-of-9 and also grabbed 9 rebounds. Bass was aggressive all night and constantly battled for boards with Miami's bigs. Such a good sign for the Celtics going forward.
The bad:
* The Celtics are now 1-8 in their last 9 road games, which is not a good sign for a team without homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
* Boston started off well in the paint, driving to the hoop and getting easy buckets at will. In the third quarter, they seemed to shy away from that. Boston shot way too many jumpers in the third. As a result, they shot only 39% for the quarter.
* Way too many open shots for Miami in the third quarter, and a lot of those open looks came from miscommunications on defense. Jordan Crawford, Jason Terry and Terrence Williams were the main culprits of that.
* Speaking of Terry, he had an atrocious game. Terry finished with 6 points in 28 minutes on 3-of-9 shooting. He also had 4 turnovers. The Celtics need Terry to get going before the playoffs.
* The 41 points scored by Miami in the second quarter were the most points the Celtics have allowed in a single quarter all season. It was also the highest scoring quarter of the season for the Heat.
Boston is back at it tomorrow when they take on the Orlando Magic. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
Boston (40-39) fought from start to finish, but they fell to the Heat (63-16) tonight 109-101 behind a dominant offensive performance by Miami's supporting cast.
Seven Heat players scored at least 9 points. Miami's bench outscored Boston's bench 42-14. Hell, Rashard Lewis led all bench players with a season-high 19 points. If Rashard Lewis is scoring that many points, you know you're in trouble.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Jeff Green returned to form, scoring a team-high 25 points on 10-of-17 from the floor. He also pulled down 8 boards. Green made Celtics fans' hearts stop for a moment in the third quarter. Green went up for a dunk midway through the third quarter and fell awkwardly on his left arm. He was diagnosed with a bruised left elbow, and coach Doc Rivers said after the game that he expects Green to be ready for tomorrow's game.
* Brandon Bass played extremely well tonight. Bass finished with 17 points on an efficient 6-of-9 and also grabbed 9 rebounds. Bass was aggressive all night and constantly battled for boards with Miami's bigs. Such a good sign for the Celtics going forward.
The bad:
* The Celtics are now 1-8 in their last 9 road games, which is not a good sign for a team without homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
* Boston started off well in the paint, driving to the hoop and getting easy buckets at will. In the third quarter, they seemed to shy away from that. Boston shot way too many jumpers in the third. As a result, they shot only 39% for the quarter.
* Way too many open shots for Miami in the third quarter, and a lot of those open looks came from miscommunications on defense. Jordan Crawford, Jason Terry and Terrence Williams were the main culprits of that.
* Speaking of Terry, he had an atrocious game. Terry finished with 6 points in 28 minutes on 3-of-9 shooting. He also had 4 turnovers. The Celtics need Terry to get going before the playoffs.
* The 41 points scored by Miami in the second quarter were the most points the Celtics have allowed in a single quarter all season. It was also the highest scoring quarter of the season for the Heat.
Boston is back at it tomorrow when they take on the Orlando Magic. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
Game 79 Preview: Celtics at Heat
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| At least Jason Terry and Ray Allen are playing tonight! |
The Celtics played without Kevin Garnett in their last matchup, and they're playing without Garnett and Paul Pierce tonight. Using Miami's last two games against Boston as evidence that they will have no trouble with the Celtics is silly.
But hey, games have to be played, and as Lupe Fiasco said, the show goes on.
The Celtics (40-38) will take on the Heat (62-16) tonight in Miami.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will play together tonight for the first time since March 29. Udonis Haslem (sprained right ankle) and Shane Battier (minor injuries) will not play for Miami.
Coach Doc Rivers said at the team's shootaround this morning that Garnett and Pierce would play tomorrow against the Orlando Magic.
Rivers did not say who would start, but he did say that it would be a bit different from the lineup the team has used without Pierce and Garnett. I'm going to take a shot in the dark at it and see what happens.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Jason Terry
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Shavlik Randolph
Heat:
Mario Chalmers
Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Chris Bosh
Joel Anthony
Keys to the game:
1. Come away healthy: That goal may already be half accomplished with Garnett and Pierce sitting out, but that also goes for guys like Jason Terry and Jeff Green. Let them get their minutes, but don't go overboard and push them to the limit. Rivers and company have seemingly waved the white flag on the season and have succumbed to the seventh seed. Going you-know-what's to the wall in the 79th game of the season with the seventh seed all but clinched is asinine. The guys need to get their work in, break a sweat or two and get out.
2. Show 'em what you got...sorta: Tonight's game gives the other guys a chance to strut their stuff. Jason Terry, this is your time to show green teamers why the Celtics chose you over Ray Allen. Jeff Green, it's time to get back on track and give the Heat something to think about for the future. Brandon Bass, do your thing, bro. Show Miami that there is more to this team than just Pierce and Garnett.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
The lowdown in Miami
If you bought tickets to tomorrow night's Celtics-Heat game with the expectation of seeing the some of the best players the NBA has to offer, I feel sorry for you.
The Celtics announced just moments ago that both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will not play tomorrow night due to sore left ankles. They are both listed as day-to-day.
Garnett and Pierce made the trip to Miami, and their status for Saturday night's game in Orlando is to be determined.
For the Heat, they may be without their Big Three. Miami clinched homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs with their victory over the Wizards last night, so they seemingly have nothing left to play for. LeBron James has been dealing with a sore hamstring, Chris Bosh has been sick and Dwyane Wade is dealing with a right knee bruise. The three did not play last night, and there is a great chance -- now that Pierce and Garnett are officially out -- that all three will sit again tomorrow night.
Sorry to burst everyone's bubble.
The Celtics announced just moments ago that both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will not play tomorrow night due to sore left ankles. They are both listed as day-to-day.
Garnett and Pierce made the trip to Miami, and their status for Saturday night's game in Orlando is to be determined.
For the Heat, they may be without their Big Three. Miami clinched homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs with their victory over the Wizards last night, so they seemingly have nothing left to play for. LeBron James has been dealing with a sore hamstring, Chris Bosh has been sick and Dwyane Wade is dealing with a right knee bruise. The three did not play last night, and there is a great chance -- now that Pierce and Garnett are officially out -- that all three will sit again tomorrow night.
Sorry to burst everyone's bubble.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Raining points: Nets 101, Celtics 93
I guess when it rains, it pours.
The Celtics (40-38) couldn't stop the Nets tonight, falling by a final of 101-93.
Boston started off well as they dictated the pace of the game and shot close to 50% for the first half. After that, it was all down hill and there was no stopping Deron Williams. The Celtics swapped baskets with the Nets for the majority of the second half and were unable to get consecutive stops on the defensive end.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Paul Pierce did all he could to keep the Celtics in the game. Pierce finished with a team-high 23 points on an efficient 7-of-11 from the floor including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. The captain scored 13 points in the third quarter alone.
* The Celtics held their own on the offensive glass. They edged the Nets in this category, 10-9. Hey, gotta start somewhere, right?
The bad:
* Jeff Green had a terrible night. He scored 11 points on an abysmal 4-of-17 from the field. Just one of those nights.
* Avery Bradley struggled mightily covering Deron Williams, a feat that not many have had success with lately. Bradley picked up 5 fouls in 10 minutes and never got into a rhythm.
* With Paul Pierce being the exception, Celtics starters combined to go 15-of-42 from the floor, which translates to a mere 36%. Yikes
* Each time the Celtics have played the Nets, the team that won on the boards won the game. That was the case once again tonight. Brooklyn outrebounded Boston 39-37.
* When you allow three players from the other team to score at least 20 points, you don't put yourself in a good position to win. The Celtics let Brook Lopez (21), Deron Williams (29) and Joe Johnson (20) do that.
Miscellaneous:
* Interesting to see Shavlik Randolph as the first big off the bench for the Celtics. It not only shows the increased confidence Doc Rivers appears to have with Randolph, but it could be a sign of things to come. Going forward, it'll be interesting to see which big gets the nod first off the bench.
* The Nets are a very good basketball team. I said it back in November and I stick by it. The Celtics do not match up well with the Nets. With Atlanta winning and Milwaukee losing, it's looking more and more likely that the Celtics will end up with the seventh seed, which means a date with the New York Knicks in the first round. If the C's were to get past New York, they could see Brooklyn in the second round, and things could get a little dicey.
Boston will travel to South Beach tomorrow for a Friday night date with the Miami Heat.
The Celtics (40-38) couldn't stop the Nets tonight, falling by a final of 101-93.
Boston started off well as they dictated the pace of the game and shot close to 50% for the first half. After that, it was all down hill and there was no stopping Deron Williams. The Celtics swapped baskets with the Nets for the majority of the second half and were unable to get consecutive stops on the defensive end.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Paul Pierce did all he could to keep the Celtics in the game. Pierce finished with a team-high 23 points on an efficient 7-of-11 from the floor including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. The captain scored 13 points in the third quarter alone.
* The Celtics held their own on the offensive glass. They edged the Nets in this category, 10-9. Hey, gotta start somewhere, right?
The bad:
* Jeff Green had a terrible night. He scored 11 points on an abysmal 4-of-17 from the field. Just one of those nights.
* Avery Bradley struggled mightily covering Deron Williams, a feat that not many have had success with lately. Bradley picked up 5 fouls in 10 minutes and never got into a rhythm.
* With Paul Pierce being the exception, Celtics starters combined to go 15-of-42 from the floor, which translates to a mere 36%. Yikes
* Each time the Celtics have played the Nets, the team that won on the boards won the game. That was the case once again tonight. Brooklyn outrebounded Boston 39-37.
* When you allow three players from the other team to score at least 20 points, you don't put yourself in a good position to win. The Celtics let Brook Lopez (21), Deron Williams (29) and Joe Johnson (20) do that.
Miscellaneous:
* Interesting to see Shavlik Randolph as the first big off the bench for the Celtics. It not only shows the increased confidence Doc Rivers appears to have with Randolph, but it could be a sign of things to come. Going forward, it'll be interesting to see which big gets the nod first off the bench.
* The Nets are a very good basketball team. I said it back in November and I stick by it. The Celtics do not match up well with the Nets. With Atlanta winning and Milwaukee losing, it's looking more and more likely that the Celtics will end up with the seventh seed, which means a date with the New York Knicks in the first round. If the C's were to get past New York, they could see Brooklyn in the second round, and things could get a little dicey.
Boston will travel to South Beach tomorrow for a Friday night date with the Miami Heat.
Game 78 Preview: Nets at Celtics
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| Brook Lopez has always been a tough matchup for Kevin Garnett. |
77 down, 5 to go.
The Celtics (40-37) get back to work tonight as they take on the Brooklyn Nets (45-32).
Boston wakes up this morning with a three game advantage over the Milwaukee Bucks for the seventh seed after Milwaukee's 94-83 loss last night to the Miami Heat. Boston also wakes up losers of the Atlantic Division for the first time since 2007 after the New York Knicks clinched their first division title last night since 1994. I'm sure Doc Rivers and company are heartbroken.
Anyway, the Nets come into tonight's action winners of three of their last four games after last night's 104-83 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Deron Williams's turnaround has been a major factor in Brooklyn's second half success. After a slow start, Williams has come on of late, averaging 22.4 points, and 7.6 assists while shooting 49% from the field in his last 19 games.
With a rested Kevin Garnett and a rejuvenated Paul Pierce, the Celtics should be ready to go.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Nets:
Deron Williams
Joe Johnson
Gerald Wallace
Reggie Evans
Brook Lopez
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Keys to the game:
1. Getting the "D": Brooklyn's defense is very good. Since March 1 -- a span of 19 games -- the Nets have allowed their opponents to score 100 points only six times. Brooklyn is giving up only 94.8 points per game, good for fifth best in the NBA. What's interesting is Brooklyn scores 96.5 points a game while the Celtics allow an average of 96.4 points per game -- if I were to make a guess, I'd say the outcome will be close and hover around the mid-90s. With that in mind, Boston must be crisp. After a short break and some practice time, they must come out sharp and prepared to play against a very good basketball team.
2. A BIG problem: Just because Kris Humphries may not play does not mean the Celtics will have it easy on the boards. Reggie Evans has picked up his teammate and then some. Evans has grabbed at least 16 rebounds in 11 of his last 17 games. Last night against the Sixers, he grabbed 17 rebounds...in the first half. Not to mention the Nets have averaged 15.3 offensive boards in three games against the Celtics. They've absolutely torched the Celtics on the glass. With the Celtics bigger lineup and with the emergence of Chris Wilcox and Shavlik Randolph, the Celtics should be better prepared to battle with Brooklyn's bigs.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Doc's checklist
All is well in Celtic world once again.
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are back. Jeff Green is now a starter. It appears that it's all systems go from here on out for the Celtics. For Doc Rivers and his coaching staff, the rest of the season serves as an opportunity to check off some things that should be on their personal check list.
Here's a breakdown of what Rivers and company need to do in the days leading up to the playoffs:
1. Head into the playoffs HEALTHY: Health cannot be stressed enough with this team. It's all about health with this group. Whether that means resting Garnett and Pierce the rest of the way, then so be it. But this team can ill afford to have someone go down now. Boston's pitiful 13-25 road record is a bit concerning with the Celtics not having homecourt advantage, but Rivers and GM Danny Ainge would put health over seeding and homecourt every day of the week.
2. Regain chemistry: It was clear during Sunday night's game that the Celtics have to work out some kinks with their chemistry on both ends of the floor. Communication on defense should improve with Garnett's return, but the other four players need to readjust to Garnett's presence. With this new starting five and the new guys (Jordan Crawford and Shavlik Randolph) vying for minutes, it is important for the Celtics to find some practice time over the next two weeks to work out any chemistry issues they have.
3. Make this new starting five comfortable: Once again, Rivers has a fine line to walk in this regard. He needs to find the right balance between rest and playing time. When Rivers permanently inserted Green into the starting five last week, it gave the Celtics their 20th different starting lineup. The quintet of Green, Pierce, Garnett, Avery Bradley and Brandon Bass have played together at various points during the year, but getting them on the same page right from the tip is going to be an adjustment.
4. Figure out the rotation: The starting five is set, but the bench is not. There are still plenty of questions to be answered. Can Chris Wilcox be reliable in the playoffs? What should Doc do with Shavlik Randolph? Is Jordan Crawford deserving of Rivers's trust? These next five games should provide answers to all those questions. Jason Terry and Courtney Lee are locks, but who else will be in the mix?
5. Stay put: Hey, the guy said it himself. When asked if he preferred to stay in the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, Rivers responded, "“Of course we would...Listen, I’m not that dumb. I’m not the brightest guy but come on. Really, you would love to avoid anyone [like Miami]." The C's hold a one-and-a-half game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for the seventh spot. The Bucks have six games remaining, and their opponents have an average winning percentage of .536. Meanwhile, three of the five opponents on the Celtics' schedule have records better than .500, meaning the Celtics can't just stop playing. They have to continue to win as many games as they can and lock up that seventh spot. If I were Milwaukee's head coach Jim Boylan, I would try my hardest to get my team out of the eighth spot to avoid Miami.
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are back. Jeff Green is now a starter. It appears that it's all systems go from here on out for the Celtics. For Doc Rivers and his coaching staff, the rest of the season serves as an opportunity to check off some things that should be on their personal check list.
Here's a breakdown of what Rivers and company need to do in the days leading up to the playoffs:
1. Head into the playoffs HEALTHY: Health cannot be stressed enough with this team. It's all about health with this group. Whether that means resting Garnett and Pierce the rest of the way, then so be it. But this team can ill afford to have someone go down now. Boston's pitiful 13-25 road record is a bit concerning with the Celtics not having homecourt advantage, but Rivers and GM Danny Ainge would put health over seeding and homecourt every day of the week.
2. Regain chemistry: It was clear during Sunday night's game that the Celtics have to work out some kinks with their chemistry on both ends of the floor. Communication on defense should improve with Garnett's return, but the other four players need to readjust to Garnett's presence. With this new starting five and the new guys (Jordan Crawford and Shavlik Randolph) vying for minutes, it is important for the Celtics to find some practice time over the next two weeks to work out any chemistry issues they have.
3. Make this new starting five comfortable: Once again, Rivers has a fine line to walk in this regard. He needs to find the right balance between rest and playing time. When Rivers permanently inserted Green into the starting five last week, it gave the Celtics their 20th different starting lineup. The quintet of Green, Pierce, Garnett, Avery Bradley and Brandon Bass have played together at various points during the year, but getting them on the same page right from the tip is going to be an adjustment.
4. Figure out the rotation: The starting five is set, but the bench is not. There are still plenty of questions to be answered. Can Chris Wilcox be reliable in the playoffs? What should Doc do with Shavlik Randolph? Is Jordan Crawford deserving of Rivers's trust? These next five games should provide answers to all those questions. Jason Terry and Courtney Lee are locks, but who else will be in the mix?
5. Stay put: Hey, the guy said it himself. When asked if he preferred to stay in the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, Rivers responded, "“Of course we would...Listen, I’m not that dumb. I’m not the brightest guy but come on. Really, you would love to avoid anyone [like Miami]." The C's hold a one-and-a-half game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for the seventh spot. The Bucks have six games remaining, and their opponents have an average winning percentage of .536. Meanwhile, three of the five opponents on the Celtics' schedule have records better than .500, meaning the Celtics can't just stop playing. They have to continue to win as many games as they can and lock up that seventh spot. If I were Milwaukee's head coach Jim Boylan, I would try my hardest to get my team out of the eighth spot to avoid Miami.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Game 76 Preview: Cavaliers at Celtics
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| Jeff Green lifted the Celtics over the Cavs in their last meeting. |
So what else is there to play for?
Well, for the Celtics (39-36), there's still a lot to be sorted out. They are two-and-a-half games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the fifth seed in the conference while holding a two-and-a-half game edge over the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth seed.
Boston will look to garner some momentum going into the playoffs and they will start with a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers (22-52).
Cleveland has been bad. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Kyrie Irving returned to the lineup on Sunday but has not been cleared to play in back-to-back games. That isn't a problem tonight as the Cavs haven't played since Wednesday when they lost to the Brooklyn Nets 113-95.
But lest you forget, they beat the Celtics back on January 22, and Byron Scott will have his troops playing hard until the end.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Cavaliers:
Kyrie Irving
Wayne Ellington
Alonzo Gee
Tristan Thompson
Tyler Zeller
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Courtney Lee
Paul Pierce
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Keys to the game:
1. Stop being so sloppy: Over their last eight games, the C's have allowed 103 points per contest. I know Kevin Garnett is out, but that is a lot of points. Boston needs to grind this one out and keep it in the double digits. The Celtics need to come together and tighten up their "d."
2. Rebounding: During Wednesday night's game, the Celtics were outrebounded 52-34. What's worse? They were outrebounded on the offensive glass, 25-4. Yikes. Now part of that was due to the Celtics' success shooting the ball. They shot 51%, giving them very little opportunities to grab offensive boards. Are they a great rebounding team? No, of course not. But they can't be that bad! Cleveland pulls down nearly 50 a game, so the Celtics better be up to the challenge tonight.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Practice notes
After a 98-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons and a Philadelphia 76ers loss to the Charlotte Bobcats, the Celtics officially clinched a playoff spot last night. They currently sit in the seventh seed in the East, two games behind the Chicago Bulls for the sixth seed and two-and-a-half games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the fifth seed.
Boston has seven games left, four at home and three on the road. The Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers are the only teams they play that have a record better than .500.
With all that in mind, here are some notes from today's practice.
* The fact that the Celtics officially clinched a playoff spot did not come as a surprise to anyone in the Celtics' locker room. Just ask Jason Terry. "There was never any doubt in my mind, or anybody in the locker room, or in the coaching staff, that we wouldn’t be in the playoffs," Terry said. "It’s good to be solidified, but we’ve still got some work to do. Good practice time coming up here for the next week and a half, and then it’s on. The show begins."
* Paul Pierce told reporters this morning that he tweaked his right ankle in last night's game and if there was a game today, he would not play unless it was a playoff game. Pierce rolled his right ankle on Sunday against the New York Knicks and spent the fourth quarter icing it on the bench. He missed the following game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but coach Doc Rivers said that was due to personal reasons. Pierce returned to the floor last night and scored 17 points on 5-of-14 from the field. Pierce should play tomorrow versus the Cavaliers.
* Pierce's personal reason was the birth of his third child, Prince Paul Pierce. His wife, Julie, gave birth at 8:21 p.m. on Tuesday.
* Rivers said in his weekly appearance on sports radio WEEI that Garnett will return to action soon. He hinted that his return could come as early as tomorrow night when the Celtics host the Cleveland Cavaliers. "He'll play soon," Rivers said. "I don't know if he'll play Friday, but I think he'll be back maybe as early as Sunday." Garnett has missed the last seven games with left ankle inflammation.
* Rivers told reporters at practice that Jeff Green is a permanent starter. "I think he's earned that," Rivers said. No kidding, Doc. Rivers also said that Green would start at various positions. In 11 games as a starter this season, Green is averaging 22.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and shooting 56.3%.
Boston has seven games left, four at home and three on the road. The Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers are the only teams they play that have a record better than .500.
With all that in mind, here are some notes from today's practice.
* The fact that the Celtics officially clinched a playoff spot did not come as a surprise to anyone in the Celtics' locker room. Just ask Jason Terry. "There was never any doubt in my mind, or anybody in the locker room, or in the coaching staff, that we wouldn’t be in the playoffs," Terry said. "It’s good to be solidified, but we’ve still got some work to do. Good practice time coming up here for the next week and a half, and then it’s on. The show begins."
* Paul Pierce told reporters this morning that he tweaked his right ankle in last night's game and if there was a game today, he would not play unless it was a playoff game. Pierce rolled his right ankle on Sunday against the New York Knicks and spent the fourth quarter icing it on the bench. He missed the following game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but coach Doc Rivers said that was due to personal reasons. Pierce returned to the floor last night and scored 17 points on 5-of-14 from the field. Pierce should play tomorrow versus the Cavaliers.
* Pierce's personal reason was the birth of his third child, Prince Paul Pierce. His wife, Julie, gave birth at 8:21 p.m. on Tuesday.
* Rivers said in his weekly appearance on sports radio WEEI that Garnett will return to action soon. He hinted that his return could come as early as tomorrow night when the Celtics host the Cleveland Cavaliers. "He'll play soon," Rivers said. "I don't know if he'll play Friday, but I think he'll be back maybe as early as Sunday." Garnett has missed the last seven games with left ankle inflammation.
* Rivers told reporters at practice that Jeff Green is a permanent starter. "I think he's earned that," Rivers said. No kidding, Doc. Rivers also said that Green would start at various positions. In 11 games as a starter this season, Green is averaging 22.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and shooting 56.3%.
Monday, April 1, 2013
A lost pack of wolves: Timberwolves 110, Celtics 100
With no Paul Pierce and no Kevin Garnett, the Celtics just had no chance.
They fell to the Timberwolves, 110-100.
Nikola Pekovic, whose status was up in the air after an ankle injury forced him out of Minnesota's previous game, was the star of the game. He posted a game-high 29 points in 41 minutes. Minnesota force fed Pekovic the ball down low with the lack of Boston big men and he capitalized on nearly every opportunity.
Boston has now lost two straight, and with Milwaukee's win tonight, the Celtics now only hold a 2 game advantage -- Milwaukee only trails Boston by one game in the loss column -- over the Bucks for the seventh spot in the East.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* After struggling mightily over his last 10 games, Avery Bradley bounced back nicely. He scored a team-high 19 points on 8-of-14 from the field.
* The Celtics didn't lose because of bad offense. They shot 52% from the field and put up 100 points, and seven of the ten Celtics that saw action shot over 50%.
The bad:
* Points in the paint was a huge problem tonight, and the majority of that problem came from Pekovic. 8 of his 9 field goals came in the paint. Minnesota dominated Boston in the paint, outscoring them 62-38. Minnesota was 10-of-28 outside the paint, but they were 30-of-55 inside the paint. To say they exploited Boston's thin front line would be an understatement.
* Minnesota shot 93% from the free throw line. Boston shot 64%. Uh oh.
* Boston's defense is just not the same without Garnett. With him, they are one of the better teams in the NBA. Without him, they look like a lost pack of wolves. Yes, the pun was intended.
The Celtics will have tomorrow off before getting back to work on Wednesday night at TD Garden against the Detroit Pistons.
They fell to the Timberwolves, 110-100.
Nikola Pekovic, whose status was up in the air after an ankle injury forced him out of Minnesota's previous game, was the star of the game. He posted a game-high 29 points in 41 minutes. Minnesota force fed Pekovic the ball down low with the lack of Boston big men and he capitalized on nearly every opportunity.
Boston has now lost two straight, and with Milwaukee's win tonight, the Celtics now only hold a 2 game advantage -- Milwaukee only trails Boston by one game in the loss column -- over the Bucks for the seventh spot in the East.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* After struggling mightily over his last 10 games, Avery Bradley bounced back nicely. He scored a team-high 19 points on 8-of-14 from the field.
* The Celtics didn't lose because of bad offense. They shot 52% from the field and put up 100 points, and seven of the ten Celtics that saw action shot over 50%.
The bad:
* Points in the paint was a huge problem tonight, and the majority of that problem came from Pekovic. 8 of his 9 field goals came in the paint. Minnesota dominated Boston in the paint, outscoring them 62-38. Minnesota was 10-of-28 outside the paint, but they were 30-of-55 inside the paint. To say they exploited Boston's thin front line would be an understatement.
* Minnesota shot 93% from the free throw line. Boston shot 64%. Uh oh.
* Boston's defense is just not the same without Garnett. With him, they are one of the better teams in the NBA. Without him, they look like a lost pack of wolves. Yes, the pun was intended.
The Celtics will have tomorrow off before getting back to work on Wednesday night at TD Garden against the Detroit Pistons.
Dooling signs with Memphis
Former Celtics guard Keyon Dooling has signed with the Memphis Grizzlies.
There was much speculation that Dooling would return to the Celtics after Rajon Rondo went down for the season with a torn ACL.
Dooling, 32, had been serving as a player development coordinator for the Celtics.
After being waived by the Celtics on October 20, Dooling decided to retire and later accepted an offer from Celtics GM Danny Ainge to join the front office.
There was much speculation that Dooling would return to the Celtics after Rajon Rondo went down for the season with a torn ACL.
Dooling, 32, had been serving as a player development coordinator for the Celtics.
After being waived by the Celtics on October 20, Dooling decided to retire and later accepted an offer from Celtics GM Danny Ainge to join the front office.
Game 74 Preview: Celtics at Timberwolves
The C's are coming off a brutal loss last night at the hands of the New York Knicks, 108-89.
During that game, Paul Pierce rolled his right ankle and spent the entire fourth quarter sitting on the bench with the ankle wrapped in ice. Coach Doc Rivers said after last night's game that Pierce would not play tonight.
For the Timberwolves, Nikola Pekovic is questionable with ankle woes of his own.
Minnesota is 3-3 in their last six games, including a 101-93 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.
With all their injuries, road woes and the fact that they're on the second night of a back-to-back, the Celtics will have their hands full and then some tonight.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Jordan Crawford
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Chris Wilcox
Timberwolves:
Ricky Rubio
Luke Ridnour
Andrei Kirilenko
Derrick Williams
Greg Stiemsma
Keys to the game:
1. Taking advantage: The Wolves -- along with the Celtics -- are one of the few teams in the NBA who let up more points than they score. Also, they could be missing their top two scorers, so offense will be even harder to come by tonight. The Celtics have to capitalize on that. They need to make this a grind-it-out game and keep the score in double digits.
2. Seeing what you got: Tonight will be a great opportunity for Rivers to see what he has with his bench. Terrence Williams, Shavlik Randolph, Jordan Crawford, Chris Wilcox, here you go. This is your time to shine. Tonight will allow Rivers to see who he can use during the playoffs.
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