Two things to hit on today. Luckily, they're both good things.
According to ESPNBoston's Jackie MacMullan, Kevin Garnett plans on playing a 19th season in 2013-2014.
MacMullan, who was a guest on Comcast SportsNet's Sports Tonight, said that she is hearing that Garnett will return. She also said that the rest of the organization is waiting for Garnett to make his decision official before moving forward.
MacMullan also said that she believes Garnett would play one more year regardless of what the team decides to do with Paul Pierce.
Contrary to what has previously been reported, MacMullan also stated that the Celtics are still unsure if Garnett needs surgery to fix his left foot and ankle problems. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald wrote back on May 18 that Garnett will not need surgery. He included a quote from Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, where he said, “I think there was some question whether he was going to have surgery on his foot, but the last I heard, which was a few days ago, is that he won’t need surgery." Bulpett also wrote that the medical staff believes that rest will solve the problems.
As for other matters, MacMullan said, "Everyone knows [the Celtics] covet Paul Millsap." When asked what she believes "Plan A" is for the offseason, she said it's getting Millsap. Millsap, 28, is an unrestricted free-agent, and signing him straight up would be extremely difficult to do for the Celtics even if they buy out Pierce. If Boston uses the amnesty clause on Pierce, they will clear $15.3 million in cap room. Then things could get interesting.
The Utah Jazz can pay Millsap the most money, and with the Celtics still over the cap, they are hard pressed to get something done. But hey, stranger things have happened.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Report: Nets want Rivers
A couple of notes from the past few days...
* According to Jackie MacMullan of ESPNBoston.com, the Brooklyn Nets have contacted Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge with hopes of speaking to Doc Rivers about their vacant head coach position. Sources claim that Ainge denied the Nets' request. "Doc has told me he's coming back," Ainge said. "I talk to him almost every day about our team and what we are going to do moving forward." Rivers has three years $21 million left on his contract.
* There has been much speculation as to why Rivers has not publicly said what he is going to do. Last Thursday, Ainge told reporters at the NBA Draft Combine that Rivers would indeed return. It has been eight days since then, and yet Rivers has still not said anything. Maybe he feels that Ainge has already spoken for him and he does not feel the need to say anything at all. Maybe he is using this as leverage. Maybe he is waiting to see what Ainge does with the team. Who knows?
* In an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub, Celtics CEO Wyc Grousbeck said that he, along with the rest of the Celtics front office, is unsure of what the future has in store for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Grousbeck said that the front office gathered earlier this week and had preliminary discussions about the direction of the team. While admitting that keeping the team in tact is a possibility, Grousbeck hinted that changes are in store. "I don’t know what will happen, I’ll know more about the plan in early July," Grousbeck said. "At the moment, we just have to see what the options are...Keeping it all together just as it was is one option, but we lost in the first round, so there is an obvious possibility that we ought to start making some changes. And we’re going to have to make those decisions. They won’t be made in May."
* James Pallotta, Celtics minority owner and president of the Italian soccer club A.S. Roma, traveled to the Vatican on Wednesday as part of his presidential duties. His team is taking on its rival Lazio in the Coppa Italia final this weekend. Delegations from the two clubs visited St. Peter's Square during Pope Francis' daily general audience as part of a peace initiative and presented the Pope with jerseys from each side. Along with soccer memorabilia, Pallotta presented the Pope with a Celtics jersey. The jersey has "THE POPE" written on the back of it and has the number one. Pretty cool.
* For those of who looking for a fun way to kick off your Memorial Day weekend, tune into E!'s Fashion Police tonight at 10 p.m. EST. Why? Because fashion virtuoso Rajon Rondo will stop by for a visit. Must-see television, people.
* According to Jackie MacMullan of ESPNBoston.com, the Brooklyn Nets have contacted Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge with hopes of speaking to Doc Rivers about their vacant head coach position. Sources claim that Ainge denied the Nets' request. "Doc has told me he's coming back," Ainge said. "I talk to him almost every day about our team and what we are going to do moving forward." Rivers has three years $21 million left on his contract.
* There has been much speculation as to why Rivers has not publicly said what he is going to do. Last Thursday, Ainge told reporters at the NBA Draft Combine that Rivers would indeed return. It has been eight days since then, and yet Rivers has still not said anything. Maybe he feels that Ainge has already spoken for him and he does not feel the need to say anything at all. Maybe he is using this as leverage. Maybe he is waiting to see what Ainge does with the team. Who knows?
* In an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub, Celtics CEO Wyc Grousbeck said that he, along with the rest of the Celtics front office, is unsure of what the future has in store for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Grousbeck said that the front office gathered earlier this week and had preliminary discussions about the direction of the team. While admitting that keeping the team in tact is a possibility, Grousbeck hinted that changes are in store. "I don’t know what will happen, I’ll know more about the plan in early July," Grousbeck said. "At the moment, we just have to see what the options are...Keeping it all together just as it was is one option, but we lost in the first round, so there is an obvious possibility that we ought to start making some changes. And we’re going to have to make those decisions. They won’t be made in May."
* James Pallotta, Celtics minority owner and president of the Italian soccer club A.S. Roma, traveled to the Vatican on Wednesday as part of his presidential duties. His team is taking on its rival Lazio in the Coppa Italia final this weekend. Delegations from the two clubs visited St. Peter's Square during Pope Francis' daily general audience as part of a peace initiative and presented the Pope with jerseys from each side. Along with soccer memorabilia, Pallotta presented the Pope with a Celtics jersey. The jersey has "THE POPE" written on the back of it and has the number one. Pretty cool.
* For those of who looking for a fun way to kick off your Memorial Day weekend, tune into E!'s Fashion Police tonight at 10 p.m. EST. Why? Because fashion virtuoso Rajon Rondo will stop by for a visit. Must-see television, people.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Rivers to return
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge told reporters at the NBA Draft Combine this afternoon that Doc Rivers will indeed return for a 10th season as Celtics head coach.
After an 88-80 loss in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Rivers said that he was unsure if he was going to return. However, Ainge said today that Rivers is on board with the plan --whatever it may be -- going forward.
"Doc and I are talking about our team for next year," Ainge said. "We've got a coach everyone would love to have."
Rivers has three years remaining on his contract after signing five-year extension before the 2011-2012 season.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Bradley earns All-Defensive 2nd team honors
Avery Bradley is finally getting recognition for his stellar defense.
Today, Bradley was named to the NBA's All Defensive second team for the first time in his three-year career.
The honor is voted on by all the NBA's head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own players, and they vote for first and second teamers for each position.
Bradley received 10 first-team votes and 5 second-team votes for a total of 25 points. He joins Memphis's Mike Conley as the two guards on the All-Defensive second team.
Today, Bradley was named to the NBA's All Defensive second team for the first time in his three-year career.
The honor is voted on by all the NBA's head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own players, and they vote for first and second teamers for each position.
Bradley received 10 first-team votes and 5 second-team votes for a total of 25 points. He joins Memphis's Mike Conley as the two guards on the All-Defensive second team.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Should they stay or should they go
O.K. Danny, time to put your money where your mouth is.
Not literally, but you know what I mean.
In my mind, this will be the most important and most challenging offseason in Danny Ainge's tenure as Celtics GM. Last season, the only real question mark was Kevin Garnett. When Garnett re-signed, that made Ainge's life that much easier, as he had no choice but to add reinforcements to give this group another crack at it. This year, things are a bit more tricky.
So, what should he do?
First, let's start with Garnett. Garnett played with a variety of ailments during the playoffs, and he may end up retiring. According to reports, Garnett may need surgery on both ankles to remove bone spurs. When last season came to an end, Doc Rivers said that despite all the whispers and rumors that Garnett might walk away, he was certain Garnett would return in 2013. After Game 6 last Friday night, when asked if he believed Garnett would return, Rivers responded, "I'm not so positive." Garnett made it clear after Game 6 that one of the major reasons he came to the Celtics was because of Paul Pierce, which leaves you to believe that if Pierce goes, so does KG. The two are virtually intertwined.
Which brings me to Pierce. He's due to make $15 million next season if the Celtics are to hold on to him, or they can buy him out for $5 million. After watching the likes of Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton completely embarrass him during the playoffs, it's hard to fathom why the C's would pay $15 million to a soon-to-be 36-year-old Pierce. It's easy to let the last time we see players be the lasting image we have of them, but we should not view Pierce for what he did in Game 6. He couldn't have picked a worse time to play his worst game of the season. His legs looked shot. He looked overmatched. He looked slow. In a word, he looked old.
However, we also shouldn't look at Pierce as the guy who scored 29 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and handed out 6 dimes in Game 4. At this stage in his career, Pierce is somewhere in the middle. I'd say that the Paul Pierce we saw in Game 4 -- 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting, 4 rebounds and 5 assists -- is most likely the Paul Pierce you'll see on a nightly basis if the C's are to retain him. For a guy going into his 16th NBA season, those aren't terrible numbers.
It's clearly obvious they just finished year six of a three-year plan. This group was not supposed to be together in 2013. The window was supposed to close in 2010, and as far as a championship window, it probably did. Ainge was the one who said that he would not make the same mistake his former coach Red Auerbach did by hanging on too long to the old Big Three. So far, Ainge hasn't lived up to his word.
Call me a homer or a sentimentalist, but I still want these guys here. They may be in the twilight of their careers, but answer me one question: do you want to go back to the days of 18-game losing streaks and 24-58 records? I sure as hell do not. It may be basketball purgatory, but it's better than basketball hell. It's more entertaining, to say the least.
Answer me another question: unless Dwight Howard or Chris Paul abandon their respective Hollywood comrades and head to the East coast, who in the East seriously has a shot of knocking off the Heat? The answer: no one.
Look, this is LeBron James's world, and we're all living in it until he tells us otherwise. As long as the Heat stick together -- I don't see any reason why James would opt out and go somewhere else -- and stay healthy, they should be representing the East in the Finals for the next four to five years. Let's all agree on that.
So what's the next best thing? Meet them in the playoffs and go from there. Since Miami's Big Three came together, the one team that has always given them fits and has never been afraid of them has been the Celtics. The C's match up well with the Heat. Let's not forget, the Celtics took them to an elimination game last season up 3-2 in Boston with basically six players. Anything's possible, right KG?
I've thought about this long and hard. Believe me. Taking all emotions out of it, it probably is best to see what this group has left. Think about this: the Celtics were prohibitive favorites to meet the Heat in the conference finals. In their preseason predictions, three of the seven NBA writers for Sports Illustrated picked the Celtics and Heat as the last two teams standing in the East. ESPN had the Celtics fourth in the preseason power rankings, only trailing Miami, San Antonio and the L.A. Lakers.
This team was widely regarded as the deepest roster since the 2008 championship squad. With Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Brandon Bass and Leandro Barbosa supporting the Big Three, this team was supposed to be really, really good. But consider this: the Celtics only played 11 games with their "full" squad. ELEVEN. How can you make any conclusions about this team if you never knew what they had? That's my biggest thing.
After watching how well he performed in the playoffs, there is no doubt in my mind that Kevin Garnett still has something to offer. He can still rebound, defend and knock down shots. He may not be as quick or as agile as he used to be, but he can still defend. When Garnett is on the floor, the plus/minus numbers are staggering. Keeping Garnett around is a good idea not only for his performance on the floor but for his leadership, on and off the floor. Health and mileage are definitely issues with Garnett, but if Rivers can manage his minutes yet again, I truly believe Garnett will be fine next year.
As far as Pierce is concerned, I believe the Celtics should keep him. He is most valuable to the Celtics. He's still their best all-around player. Plus, look at the free-agent market. Who is going to replace him? Besides Paul and Howard, there aren't any gems out there to be signed. Pierce is still better than 95% of the market.
At the end of the day, Ainge's best option is to keep the gang together for another year. Pierce's contract is up after next season, so that will free up $15 million in cap space. Garnett may walk away as well. Add a few complimentary pieces. See what this roster has over the course of a full season. You're most likely not going to win it all next year anyway, so what's it matter? Just make the playoffs again and make some noise, because a thrilling playoff run is better than watching a losing team. And if you say otherwise, than that's just silly.
Not literally, but you know what I mean.
In my mind, this will be the most important and most challenging offseason in Danny Ainge's tenure as Celtics GM. Last season, the only real question mark was Kevin Garnett. When Garnett re-signed, that made Ainge's life that much easier, as he had no choice but to add reinforcements to give this group another crack at it. This year, things are a bit more tricky.
So, what should he do?
First, let's start with Garnett. Garnett played with a variety of ailments during the playoffs, and he may end up retiring. According to reports, Garnett may need surgery on both ankles to remove bone spurs. When last season came to an end, Doc Rivers said that despite all the whispers and rumors that Garnett might walk away, he was certain Garnett would return in 2013. After Game 6 last Friday night, when asked if he believed Garnett would return, Rivers responded, "I'm not so positive." Garnett made it clear after Game 6 that one of the major reasons he came to the Celtics was because of Paul Pierce, which leaves you to believe that if Pierce goes, so does KG. The two are virtually intertwined.
Which brings me to Pierce. He's due to make $15 million next season if the Celtics are to hold on to him, or they can buy him out for $5 million. After watching the likes of Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton completely embarrass him during the playoffs, it's hard to fathom why the C's would pay $15 million to a soon-to-be 36-year-old Pierce. It's easy to let the last time we see players be the lasting image we have of them, but we should not view Pierce for what he did in Game 6. He couldn't have picked a worse time to play his worst game of the season. His legs looked shot. He looked overmatched. He looked slow. In a word, he looked old.
However, we also shouldn't look at Pierce as the guy who scored 29 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and handed out 6 dimes in Game 4. At this stage in his career, Pierce is somewhere in the middle. I'd say that the Paul Pierce we saw in Game 4 -- 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting, 4 rebounds and 5 assists -- is most likely the Paul Pierce you'll see on a nightly basis if the C's are to retain him. For a guy going into his 16th NBA season, those aren't terrible numbers.
It's clearly obvious they just finished year six of a three-year plan. This group was not supposed to be together in 2013. The window was supposed to close in 2010, and as far as a championship window, it probably did. Ainge was the one who said that he would not make the same mistake his former coach Red Auerbach did by hanging on too long to the old Big Three. So far, Ainge hasn't lived up to his word.
Call me a homer or a sentimentalist, but I still want these guys here. They may be in the twilight of their careers, but answer me one question: do you want to go back to the days of 18-game losing streaks and 24-58 records? I sure as hell do not. It may be basketball purgatory, but it's better than basketball hell. It's more entertaining, to say the least.
Answer me another question: unless Dwight Howard or Chris Paul abandon their respective Hollywood comrades and head to the East coast, who in the East seriously has a shot of knocking off the Heat? The answer: no one.
Look, this is LeBron James's world, and we're all living in it until he tells us otherwise. As long as the Heat stick together -- I don't see any reason why James would opt out and go somewhere else -- and stay healthy, they should be representing the East in the Finals for the next four to five years. Let's all agree on that.
So what's the next best thing? Meet them in the playoffs and go from there. Since Miami's Big Three came together, the one team that has always given them fits and has never been afraid of them has been the Celtics. The C's match up well with the Heat. Let's not forget, the Celtics took them to an elimination game last season up 3-2 in Boston with basically six players. Anything's possible, right KG?
I've thought about this long and hard. Believe me. Taking all emotions out of it, it probably is best to see what this group has left. Think about this: the Celtics were prohibitive favorites to meet the Heat in the conference finals. In their preseason predictions, three of the seven NBA writers for Sports Illustrated picked the Celtics and Heat as the last two teams standing in the East. ESPN had the Celtics fourth in the preseason power rankings, only trailing Miami, San Antonio and the L.A. Lakers.
This team was widely regarded as the deepest roster since the 2008 championship squad. With Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Brandon Bass and Leandro Barbosa supporting the Big Three, this team was supposed to be really, really good. But consider this: the Celtics only played 11 games with their "full" squad. ELEVEN. How can you make any conclusions about this team if you never knew what they had? That's my biggest thing.
After watching how well he performed in the playoffs, there is no doubt in my mind that Kevin Garnett still has something to offer. He can still rebound, defend and knock down shots. He may not be as quick or as agile as he used to be, but he can still defend. When Garnett is on the floor, the plus/minus numbers are staggering. Keeping Garnett around is a good idea not only for his performance on the floor but for his leadership, on and off the floor. Health and mileage are definitely issues with Garnett, but if Rivers can manage his minutes yet again, I truly believe Garnett will be fine next year.
As far as Pierce is concerned, I believe the Celtics should keep him. He is most valuable to the Celtics. He's still their best all-around player. Plus, look at the free-agent market. Who is going to replace him? Besides Paul and Howard, there aren't any gems out there to be signed. Pierce is still better than 95% of the market.
At the end of the day, Ainge's best option is to keep the gang together for another year. Pierce's contract is up after next season, so that will free up $15 million in cap space. Garnett may walk away as well. Add a few complimentary pieces. See what this roster has over the course of a full season. You're most likely not going to win it all next year anyway, so what's it matter? Just make the playoffs again and make some noise, because a thrilling playoff run is better than watching a losing team. And if you say otherwise, than that's just silly.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Final grades
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| The Celtics 2012-2013 team photo. |
Let's not waste any time. Here are the grades:
PLAYERS:
Kevin Garnett (A-) The Big Ticket -- you ever notice no one calls him that anymore? -- turned in another solid season. Given the circumstances -- a 36-year-old in his 18th season who has logged nearly 48,000 minutes in the regular season -- his season was great. He averaged 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and shot 49.6% in 68 games. Garnett battled through a variety of ailments towards the end of the season, but that didn't stop him from performing. He turned in a double-double in each of the last five games of the first round series against the Knicks. He was (and still is) the league playoff leader in rebounding, pulling down 13.7 boards a game. KG even garnered a fifth-place vote for the MVP. Again, the numbers aren't off the charts, but considering the context, Garnett was phenomenal.
Paul Pierce (B) Even in his 15th season, Pierce proved he is still the Celtics' best all-around player. The Truth finished the regular season averaging 18.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game and shot 43.6%. He turned in his highest rebounding and assists numbers since the 2005-2006 season, and the spike on these numbers was a result of an increased workload after Rajon Rondo went down for the year. After a prolonged slump during the doldrums of winter, Pierce finished the regular season on a high note, scoring 17.8 points on 48% shooting over his final 22 games. Pierce also suffered his share of minor maladies towards the end of the season, from a pinched nerve in his neck to a nagging left elbow injury. Pierce's playoff performance was pedestrian at best. He had at least 5 turnovers in each game of the series, shot 37% from the field and 27% from three-point land. There were times throughout the year where Pierce showed his age, but more often than not, he showed why he is still the best player the C's have.
Rajon Rondo (B+) You know what's fascinating about Rondo's season? When he went down on January 25 in Atlanta, Rondo turned in his league-leading fifth triple-double. At season's end, he still led the league in triple-doubles. He also led the league in assists (11.1) when he went down, and by the end of the year he was still on top -- no one else even finished in double-digits. Here's what we do know: the Celtics are not a better team without Rondo. That was proven in the playoffs. Here's what we don't know: can the Celtics build around him, and how is he going to bounce back after ACL surgery?
Brandon Bass (C+) After a breakout 2011-2012, Bass settled down a bit this year. His minutes were in flux, as he was in and out of the starting lineup all year, and Jared Sullinger got some of his minutes. However, when the team needed him most, Bass stepped up. With Sullinger hurt, Garnett battling injuries and Chris Wilcox's inconsistencies, Bass answered the bell. Bass did whatever the Celtics needed him to do on a given night. He would rebound, score, defend, anything. Doc Rivers called Bass the MVP of Game 4 against the Knicks for his defense on Carmelo Anthony. He earned Rivers's trust after defending LeBron James pretty well during last year's Eastern Conference Finals. I give him a C+ because of a.) how poorly he started the season, and b.) the expectations on him coming into this year.
Jason Terry (C) Honest to goodness, I was never able to make up my mind on Terry. At times I loved him, at times I couldn't stand him. Terry was average, inconsistent, mediocre, whatever adjective you'd like. He had his ups and downs. When I first heard of the Terry signing, I wasn't opposed to it. It's impossible to replace Ray Allen, but signing an NBA champion and former Sixth Man of the Year isn't that bad of an option. To his credit, he did not have a defined role until the latter part of the season. Throughout his career, he has thrived in the sixth man role, and he never got to do that until the end of the season and the playoffs. Terry kept telling everybody that he was a big game player, and although it took him a while, he backed up the talk. His 9 overtime points kept the series alive in a Game 4 victory over the Knicks. Take away his pitiful Game 1, and he had himself a great series. Terry acknowledged after Game 6 that he hopes to get back to that sixth man role, and he wants it to be set in stone. Terry, soon to be 36, can still play, but let's hope he can regain his old form.
Jeff Green (B+) Jeff Green's improvement -- in his health and in his game -- was the most encouraging sign of the season. Green is not an All-Star yet, but he proved as the season went along that he is not that far from being one. He has another level, something he and Rivers have acknowledged. Hell, even Kevin Garnett said Green will go down as one of the best of all time. Yeah, he said that. I was Green's biggest critic all season because he is just so talented, and it appears that at times he wastes it. At times he'll show flashes of greatness, then at times he'll look completely lost. When Green is engaged and in attack mode, he is nearly unstoppable. He put up 43 points against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. He guarded the opposing team's best player nearly every night (from Carmelo Anthony to Kevin Durant). From February 1 to the end of the playoffs, Green averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and shot 48.2%. Likewise with Rondo, there's one thing we need to find out about Green: can the Celtics build around him?
Courtney Lee (C) Lee came into this season with high expectations. In four seasons with Houston, New Jersey and Houston, Lee was a career 10.1 points per game scorer, shot 40% from beyond the arc and was a good defender. Needless to say, Lee didn't live up to expectations. He got off to a horrible start. He was lost on defense and couldn't throw the ball in the ocean if he were standing on the beach. But it wasn't because of a lack of effort. Lee fell out of Doc's rotation during the playoffs, but the C's could have used a defender to stay in front of Raymond Felton. Look for Danny Ainge to shop Lee during the offseason, but his age -- he'll turn 28 in October -- and team-friendly contract will likely keep Lee in the mix for next season.
Avery Bradley (B) During the first two months of the season, Bradley was deemed the savior. It was all about Bradley coming back, and then we will be able to judge this team. Bradley's return put Terry back in his usual role and Lee back on the bench. For the first month, he was the savior. His defense was dynamite and his jump shot continued to improve. When Rondo went down, Bradley's responsibilities increased, and his game went south. He was severely exposed during the playoffs for his lack of ball-handling skills. During the fourth quarter of Game 6, we saw the real Avery Bradley, a guy who can wreak havoc on defense and capitalize in transition. For the first time in his NBA career, Bradley will have a full, healthy offseason. He will get a full training camp as well. With Rondo alongside him next year, expect Bradley to return to form.
Jared Sullinger (A-) I would have given Sullinger an A+ if it weren't for his foul troubles throughout the season. Sully proved to be a steal as the 21st pick in last year's draft. He was arguably the team's best rebounder. He took charges and did the little things. And, he can score. No wonder why this kid was an two-time All-American at Ohio State. The C's, along with every other NBA team, knew the risk with picking Sullinger: his back. After having surgery in February, let's hope the back isn't an issue anymore. Because when Sullinger is on the floor, he can make a big impact.
Chris Wilcox (D) Wilcox played well for most of 2011-2012 before having to undergo heart surgery. As Wilcox regained his stamina this season, he started playing well. Then, his game basically fell off a cliff. His defense was a train-wreck, and we all know that if you can't play defense for Doc Rivers, you're probably not going to play. He did flourish with Rondo because he was a big guy that Rondo could run with in the open floor. He had some bright spots, but he fell out of favor with Rivers as the season went along. Don't expect to see him around next season.
Jordan Crawford (D+) Crawford was brought in to be a scorer. He did that at times. Most of the time, he did nothing. Except for jawing with Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton after Game 5 in New York, a game in which Crawford didn't even see the court. He's young and immature. He had his issues with Washington, but Rivers and company were willing to look past them and see how he was first-hand. He's not a defender. He's not a point guard. He's a scorer. He did that to an extent, but he just didn't fit in my opinion. But what do I know.
Fab Melo (Incomplete) Melo played in 5 games this season. He went back and forth from the D-League to the big club all year long. Melo is raw and needs a lot of work, but he has potential.
Shavlik Randolph (B-) In 16 games played, Randolph did a nice job with the C's. He was this year's Greg Stiemsma...almost. Randolph was a rebounding machine, averaging 12.2 rebounds per 36 minutes. He did what you would want a backup center to do: block shots, grab boards and clog up the paint on the defensive end. He moved ahead of Chris Wilcox in the rotation, and deservedly so. I hope the Celtics hang on to Randolph. Bring him into training camp, see what he can do over a full season, and I don't think anyone will be disappointed.
D.J. White (Incomplete) White only saw 86 minutes in 24 regular season games. That isn't enough to garner a grade.
Terrence Williams (C+) Williams played well during his stint with the Celtics, but it took him a while to get on Doc's good list. When asked after Game 5 when he started to trust Williams, Rivers responded, "During the game." Williams is athletic, can handle the ball and can rebound. He's big for a point guard; he's 6'6''. Rivers viewed him during the season as a point guard because he excelled in that role. His defense is questionable, and his offense needs to improve. Overall, he's not a bad guy to have around next season.
COACHING:
(B+) Over the past few seasons, Rivers has been widely regarded as the best coach in the league, and rightfully so. He has earned that distinction. He's a players' coach who protects his guys but will hold them accountable. I think the one knock on Doc for this season was his inability to get these guys to buy in. He tried reaching them, but it was to no avail. It took him a while -- let's face it, it took a major injury -- for this team to come together. But hey, at least something did it. When everyone decided to listen and quit the "hero basketball," the Celtics turned it around. Rivers had a difficult time of finding a rotation for the playoffs with all the injuries and the late additions to this team (the three players from China and the Jordan Crawford trade), so I'll cut him some slack on that. Resting his veterans -- and the minute restriction plans -- did pay off, as Garnett, Pierce and Terry were able to play big minutes and perform in the playoffs. Bottom line: Rivers did a very good job this season.
MANAGEMENT:
(B) I sound like a broken record, but it's true: Danny Ainge and company did a great job over the offseason of reloading this team. The Celtics brass re-signed Garnett and Bass, signed Terry and Barbosa, traded for Lee and drafted Sullinger and Melo. Many felt the C's were the Heat's only competition in the Eastern Conference. However, injuries and inconsistencies shook any plans of title contention. At the trade deadline, Ainge tried to trade Garnett and Pierce but felt he wasn't getting enough in return. He acquired a scorer -- albeit one with character issues -- for an offensive spark off the bench. With all the cap restrictions and what not, Ainge did all he could. Now comes the real test, and where Ainge will make his money: this offseason. What will he do? Who knows. I doubt Ainge even knows.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
A rockin' roller coaster
They went from the favorite to challenge the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference title to the little engine that eventually could not.
They had a stretch in which they won six straight, lost six straight and then won six straight.
There were highlights -- Jeff Green's 43 point performance against the Heat, the triple-overtime thriller against the Denver Nuggets, a 20-0 run in Game 6 -- and lowlights -- a 17 point loss on their own floor in Game 3 of the playoffs, three straight losses on the West coast by at least 18 points, two losses to the Charlotte Bobcats.
It was all just like a wild roller coaster ride, which is the only way to define the 2012-2013 Boston Celtics.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge did a fantastic job of retooling the team over the offseason. He re-signed Garnett to a three-year deal, brought in two former Sixth Man of the Year award winners (Jason Terry and Leandro Barbosa) and took a chance on former number two overall pick Darko Milicic. With salary cap restrictions and a poor free-agent market, Ainge did as well as he could. The additions were supposed to take the load off aging stars Paul Pierce and Garnett. As the season unfolded, this did not prove the be the case.
The Celtics struggled out of the gates, failing to gel together on the court and relying heavily on what Doc Rivers calls "hero basketball." The offense was inefficient, and the defense lacked communication. Rivers even threatened changes after an embarrassing 15 point loss to the Detroit Pistons on January 20.
Many believed the season didn't really begin until the whole team was on the floor, and that did not come until January 2 when Avery Bradley made his long-awaited season debut. Bradley underwent double shoulder surgeries that forced him to miss the first two months of the season. His unexpected emergence was part of the reason Ray Allen left for South Beach. Alongside Rajon Rondo in the starting backcourt, Bradley flourished. His defense was other-worldly. His offense evolved right before our eyes. When he went down, many felt he would be a cornerstone of this franchise for years to come.
When Bradley came back, so did the Celtics urgency. They reeled off 6 straight wins, then lost six straight, the last of which came in a double-overtime loss in Atlanta. The loss set the Celtics three games under .500. The Celtics lost more than just the game that night.
Before the team's next game against the Heat, Rondo complained of leg soreness. He went for an MRI, and it revealed a torn ACL. Three days later, rookie sensation Jared Sullinger left the game against the Kings with back soreness. The next day, Sullinger underwent season-ending back surgery. Nearly two weeks later, Leandro Barbosa, an offensive spark plug off the bench, tore his left ACL and his season was over.
With three key contributors gone for the year, many wanted to bury the Celtics right then and there. "You can write the obituary, but I'm not," Rivers said after their game against the Heat on January 27. We all should have known better than to write off this old, proud and stubborn bunch.
When their star point guard went down, the Celtics went on to win 16 of their next 18 games. Paul Pierce did it all, from scoring to ball-handling and grabbing rebounds. Kevin Garnett stepped up, as if an 18-year veteran and 15-time All-Star needs to step his game up. The C's moved the ball and spread the wealth. Their defense remained a staple, and other players stepped up, particularly Jeff Green.
Rivers also likes to say, "When one guy goes down, someone else steps up." That was the case with Green. When Green was inserted into the starting lineup, he didn't look back. Green averaged nearly 16 points as a starter. It wasn't a coincidence that Green's game turned the corner as he started getting healthy and more consistent minutes.
As the end of the regular season crept up on the Celtics, so did the injury bug yet again. Kevin Garnett missed 13 of the final 17 games with various ailments. As Rivers said after Game 6, Garnett "limped into the playoffs." Paul Pierce also missed 3 of the final 8 games. Jason Terry also got some rest. With major contributors missing a lot of time down the stretch, and with a new starting lineup, it was hard for this team to get any sort of chemistry. The C's thought they could flip the switch going into the playoffs. They were mistaken.
The Celtics ran into a scorching hot New York Knicks team in the first round. After falling into a 3-0 series hole, the Celtics did what they have done all year: fight. They refused to give in, even when all odds were against them. No NBA had ever come back from an 3-0 deficit, and that was again the case this year.
This was a frustrating, yet exciting team to watch. When they were at their best, they could play with anybody. When they were at their worst -- their 23, 25 and 27 point halves in the playoffs were rock bottom -- it was excruciating to watch. And even faced with a 26 point deficit in their final quarter of the season, they refused to give in. Rivers put it best when he said, "They just never didn't think they could do it."
It may not have ended the way they wanted, but let's face it, no one expected the Celtics to win it all this year. To win in the playoffs without arguably your best offensive player is such a tough task. The Celtics gave it their all, but once again, it simply wasn't enough. For the fifth year in a row, a major injury has impacted this team's chances at legitimately going after a championship. But hey, injuries are apart of the game.
Is this the end of the Big Three era? Who knows. If it is, it sure was one wild ride.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Nothing left: Knicks 88, Celtics 80
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| Kevin Garnett may have walked off an NBA court for the final time. |
As Jason Terry said after the game, "We just ran out of gas."
The Celtics were overpowered in this one, as their season came to an end after falling to the Knicks, 88-80.
Boston's offensive woes came back to haunt them once again. They scored only 27 points in the first half, the lowest scoring first half in team playoff history. In the series, the Celtics set three franchise playoff records for scoring.
The Celtics offered us a little silver lining, as they always seem to do. The fourth quarter summed up the season for these old, proud Celtics. After being down 26 with 9:49 remaining, the Celtics showed us all why we still believed in this beat up, undermanned group even when Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger and Leandro Barbosa went down and Kevin Garnett limped into the playoffs. The C's went on a 20-0 run to cut the lead to as little as 4 points, but that was as close as they would get.
And now begin the questions about the future. Will Doc Rivers return? Will Garnett retire? Has Paul Pierce played his final game as a Celtic? I will give my take on those questions tomorrow. For now, I'll focus on the game and what went right and what went wrong.
The good:
* After taking a huge step backwards in this series, Avery Bradley decided to be Avery Bradley in the fourth quarter. Bradley ignited the Celtics majestic run, scoring 10 points and stealing the ball 3 times en route to making a Game 7 seem like a very real possibility. He forced turnovers, wreaked havoc on the defensive end and drew offensive fouls. The fourth quarter showed the real Avery Bradley. Let's hope that gives him some momentum going into next season.
* If this was indeed his last game, it sure was a good one. For the majority of the game, Kevin Garnett was the only offense this team had. Garnett finished with 15 points on 7-of-10 from the floor. He tallied his fifth-straight double-double as he pulled down 10 rebounds. Like he has all season -- and for his entire career -- Garnett left everything he had on the floor.
* The Celtics once again proved in this series why they consider themselves a defensive team first. They held the Knicks to 90 points or less in every game. They limited Carmelo Anthony to 25-of-82 (30%) from the floor in the final three games.
The bad:
* As been the case all series, the Celtics were careless with the ball. Part of the reasons for their turnovers was the Knicks defensive pressure. Part of it was the lack of a true point guard. The other part was poor judgement. They committed 20 turnovers last night. Over the six games, the Celtics averaged 17.3 turnovers. That, quite frankly, isn't a key to success.
* For as much as he had on his plate, Paul Pierce still looked overmatched. Last night was, in my opinion, his worst game that I've seen him play. He finished with 14 points on 4-of-18 from the floor. The captain was 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. He also committed 5 turnovers. Turnovers were a big problem for Pierce in this series. I'm not sure what Danny Ainge is thinking regarding Pierce's future, but one thing is for sure: he has been a terrific -- and in my opinion, a top five -- Celtic.
Ainge has a lot to think about. Over the coming weeks, we'll find out what the future has in store. Regardless, it was a wild, yet entertaining ride.
Check back tomorrow for my season recap and what I think should happen going forward.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals - Game 6: Knicks at Celtics
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| Kevin Garnett will look to get the Celtics over the hump. |
There's been trash talk, black clothes and, as Kevin Garnett put it, "scrappy basketball." And that's when the Celtics are at their best, when they grind games out and make things a little ugly. It is exactly how the Celtics are going to have to be if they want to extend their season.
Doc Rivers said in his pre-game meet with the media that he may stretch his rotation, but he will determine that with the way the game is playing out. For the Knicks, Steve Novak is out after leaving Game 5 with back spasms.
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. Limit turnovers: Out of the 16 playoff teams, the Celtics have the third-highest turnover rate. They have turned the ball over an average of 16.8 times in five games thus far. New York has taken advantage of nearly every Boston turnover. Especially in their own building, the Celtics have to be conscious of their turnovers.
2. Keep him out: I mentioned in my Game 5 recap that if the Celtics are to make history, they need to make the days of Raymond Felton getting to the paint with ease history. Felton said it himself earlier in the series that he could get into the paint against the Celtics anytime he wants, and so far that has proven to be true. But the Celtics need to fix that. It opens up good looks for the other four Knicks, alley-oops to Tyson Chandler and open looks at the basket for Felton himself.
3. Shut down from downtown: Over the last two games, the Celtics have held the Knicks to 12-of-52 from beyond the three-point line. 32% of the Knicks points during the regular season came from three-pointers, the best mark in the league. In order for the Celtics to force a Game 7, they need to continue to shut down the Knicks from the outside.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Dead wrong: Celtics 92, Knicks 86
If the Knicks were dressed for a funeral, it appears they dressed for their own funeral.
The basketball gods punished the Knicks for their trash talk and arrogance.Kenyon Martin, the master-mind behind the all-black attire idea, had 2 points, 2 rebounds and 5 fouls in 13 awful minutes. J.R. Smith, who said the series would have ended Sunday had he played, could not walk the talk. Smith started the game 0-of-10 from the field and finished 3-of-14 -- one of the three field goals was a meaningless three-pointer as time expired.
They blew a chance to bury these old, washed-up Celtics. Boston showed some "grit and balls" as they edged the Knicks, 92-86.
After being down 11-0 to start the game, the Celtics hung in there and slowly chipped away at New York's lead. They went on to outscore New York in the first half, 45-28.
Although Doc Rivers cut his rotation very short, the Celtics played team basketball. All seven guys that played contributed in one way or another. Five of the seven scored at least 16 points. That is balance. That is team basketball.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* After being called the MVP of Game 4 by his head coach, Brandon Bass was probably the MVP of this one as well. Bass carried the Celtics in the first frame when their offense was non-existent, as he scored 9 points on 3-of-3 from the field. Bass finished the game with 17 points and 5 rebounds. What was more impressive than his offense was his superb defense on Carmelo Anthony. For the second straight game, Bass shut Anthony down. Over his past two games, Anthony is 18-of-59 from the floor and has missed his last 11 three-point attempts, all largely due to Bass's defense.
* Kevin Garnett became the first player since Larry Bird to finish a playoff game with at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists. On the night, Garnett had 16 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Garnett hit a crucial 20-foot jumper to give the Celtics a 90-83 lead with 48 seconds remaining. It was the third straight game in which Garnett has grabbed at least 17 rebounds.
* What's so fascinating about the Celtics is that they still haven't figured out their rotation. After leap-frogging Courtney Lee earlier in the series, Jordan Crawford did not play a single second last night. He was leap-frogged by the forgotten Terrence Williams. Williams did an exceptional job. His size was valuable on the boards and on the defensive end. His ball-handling skills were necessary after Avery Bradley struggled mightily. Williams only finished with 4 points and 4 rebounds, but he played a solid 17 minutes.
* The C's held the Knicks to 22% (5-of-22) from three-point land. The Knicks have lived and died by the three-ball all year, and they have died by it lately. The C's have done a tremendous job of running the Knicks off the three-point line and forcing them to take difficult, contested shots. The general consensus coming into the series was that if the Knicks were to make 10 threes in a game, they would win. In the Celtics' two wins, the Knicks have combined for 12 threes.
The bad:
* The Celtics have to find a way to stop Raymond Felton from getting into the paint so easily. Once again, Felton was phenomenal, scoring 21 points on 10-of-19 from the floor and grabbing 6 rebounds. Last night, Felton was 1-of-7 outside the paint and 9-of-12 inside it. He got to the rim at will off screens. The Celtics need to figured out how to keep him outside the paint in Game 6.
* Before the game, Rivers told Comcast SportsNet New England play-by-play announcer Mike Gorman that one of the stats to keep an eye on is turnovers. The Celtics turned the ball over 17 times to the Knicks 9. Boston only scored 4 points off Knick turnovers while the Knicks scored 16 points off Celtic turnovers. The Knicks do a good job of taking care of the ball. Going back home, the Celtics can ill-afford to pile up the turnovers.
Boston has a chance to even the series at three games a piece tomorrow night at TD Garden. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
The basketball gods punished the Knicks for their trash talk and arrogance.Kenyon Martin, the master-mind behind the all-black attire idea, had 2 points, 2 rebounds and 5 fouls in 13 awful minutes. J.R. Smith, who said the series would have ended Sunday had he played, could not walk the talk. Smith started the game 0-of-10 from the field and finished 3-of-14 -- one of the three field goals was a meaningless three-pointer as time expired.
They blew a chance to bury these old, washed-up Celtics. Boston showed some "grit and balls" as they edged the Knicks, 92-86.
After being down 11-0 to start the game, the Celtics hung in there and slowly chipped away at New York's lead. They went on to outscore New York in the first half, 45-28.
Although Doc Rivers cut his rotation very short, the Celtics played team basketball. All seven guys that played contributed in one way or another. Five of the seven scored at least 16 points. That is balance. That is team basketball.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* After being called the MVP of Game 4 by his head coach, Brandon Bass was probably the MVP of this one as well. Bass carried the Celtics in the first frame when their offense was non-existent, as he scored 9 points on 3-of-3 from the field. Bass finished the game with 17 points and 5 rebounds. What was more impressive than his offense was his superb defense on Carmelo Anthony. For the second straight game, Bass shut Anthony down. Over his past two games, Anthony is 18-of-59 from the floor and has missed his last 11 three-point attempts, all largely due to Bass's defense.
* Kevin Garnett became the first player since Larry Bird to finish a playoff game with at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists. On the night, Garnett had 16 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Garnett hit a crucial 20-foot jumper to give the Celtics a 90-83 lead with 48 seconds remaining. It was the third straight game in which Garnett has grabbed at least 17 rebounds.
* What's so fascinating about the Celtics is that they still haven't figured out their rotation. After leap-frogging Courtney Lee earlier in the series, Jordan Crawford did not play a single second last night. He was leap-frogged by the forgotten Terrence Williams. Williams did an exceptional job. His size was valuable on the boards and on the defensive end. His ball-handling skills were necessary after Avery Bradley struggled mightily. Williams only finished with 4 points and 4 rebounds, but he played a solid 17 minutes.
* The C's held the Knicks to 22% (5-of-22) from three-point land. The Knicks have lived and died by the three-ball all year, and they have died by it lately. The C's have done a tremendous job of running the Knicks off the three-point line and forcing them to take difficult, contested shots. The general consensus coming into the series was that if the Knicks were to make 10 threes in a game, they would win. In the Celtics' two wins, the Knicks have combined for 12 threes.
The bad:
* The Celtics have to find a way to stop Raymond Felton from getting into the paint so easily. Once again, Felton was phenomenal, scoring 21 points on 10-of-19 from the floor and grabbing 6 rebounds. Last night, Felton was 1-of-7 outside the paint and 9-of-12 inside it. He got to the rim at will off screens. The Celtics need to figured out how to keep him outside the paint in Game 6.
* Before the game, Rivers told Comcast SportsNet New England play-by-play announcer Mike Gorman that one of the stats to keep an eye on is turnovers. The Celtics turned the ball over 17 times to the Knicks 9. Boston only scored 4 points off Knick turnovers while the Knicks scored 16 points off Celtic turnovers. The Knicks do a good job of taking care of the ball. Going back home, the Celtics can ill-afford to pile up the turnovers.
Boston has a chance to even the series at three games a piece tomorrow night at TD Garden. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals - Game 5: Celtics at Knicks
"Don't let us win today."
That's a quote I'm sure nearly every Bostonian is familiar with. Former Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar said this before Game 4 of the 2004 American League Championship Series when the Red Sox trailed the New York Yankees 3-0. We all know what happened from there.
The Celtics are now back in New York were they lost the first two games of this series by an average of 12 points.
The Knicks are out for blood tonight, and they will have reinforcements. J.R. Smith returns after being suspended for Game 4.
Kenyon Martin told reporters on Sunday that he told his teammates to wear black to the game tonight. Martin said tonight would be the Celtics' funeral. And wouldn't you know, each member of the Knicks wore black upon arriving at Madison Square Garden tonight.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Jeff Green
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Knicks:
Raymond Felton
Pablo Prigioni
Iman Shumpert
Carmelo Anthony
Tyson Chandler
Keys to the game:
1. Avoid the one big quarter: In each of the first four games, there has always been one bad quarter. In Game 1, it was the 8 point fourth quarter. Game 2 had an 11 point third quarter. Game 3 saw the Celtics score 13 points in the second quarter, and Game 4 saw the C's score 14 points in the third quarter. It's pretty clear that the C's need to avoid that one bad quarter, specifically the third.
2. Offensive glass: In Game 4, the Knicks outrebounded the Celtics on the offensive glass, 16-3. Yeah, that's bad. Tyson Chandler (5) had more than the entire Celtics team. By Chandler tapping the ball back out to his teammates off of missed shots, it gave the Knicks extra opportunities and they took advantage of them. Doc Rivers has made it a point over the past few days that the C's really need to limit extra chances for the Knicks. You especially don't want to give them extra chances in their own building.
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