At last, Celtics fans get the matchup they've been waiting for all season. After playing every other team in the Atlantic Division, Boston (16-17) finally has it's chance to go up against the division-leading New York Knicks (23-10).
New York, the oldest team in the NBA, owns the second-best record in the East behind the Miami Heat. They're led by MVP-candidate Carmelo Anthony, who is second in the league in points per game (29.3), shooting 47.7% from the field (his best mark since 2007-2008), and is shooting a career-high 43.5% from three-point range. The Knicks have attained many quality wins, such as defeating the Heat twice (once without Carmelo Anthony) and the San Antonio Spurs twice. What has made them so successful thus far has been their offense. Led by Anthony, the Knicks are averaging 102.5 points per game (good for sixth in the NBA), shooting 38.8% from beyond the arc (third in the league), and are getting career years offensively from players such as J.R. Smith, Jason Kidd, Steve Novak, and Raymond Felton. Its also worth noting that Tyson Chandler is leading the league in field-goal percentage at 69.5%.
Both of these teams come into tonight's game having won two in a row. They both last played on Saturday in the Southeast (Boston played in Atlanta, and New York played in Orlando), so fatigue is not a factor. With the way the Celtics are playing of late, this matchup is now all the more intriguing.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Avery Bradley
Jason Terry
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Knicks:
Jason Kidd
Ronnie Brewer
Carmelo Anthony
Marcus Camby
Tyson Chandler
Keys to the game:
1. Perimeter defense: Since the return of Avery Bradley, the Celtics' defense has returned to form. In the three games he's played in, the Celtics are giving up a sensational 79.7 points per game. Furthermore, their perimeter defense has improved tremendously. Bradley has provided his signature on-ball defense that makes his opponents cringe. He has been forcing the opposing ball-handler to to keep the dribble and not get a pass off to someone else until a good chunk of time has past on the shot clock. Bradley has made Rajon Rondo and Jason Terry better defenders as well -- Courtney Lee's stellar defense can be thrown in there as well. What's more is that going into their game with Memphis, Boston was the worst in the league at defending the three. Over their last three games, the C's are only allowing teams to shoot 34.7% from downtown. 33.2% of New York's points come from their three-point shooting, and they have three players (Novak, Anthony, and Kidd) in the top-ten in three-point percentage. It will be crucial for the Celtics to take away the three as much as possible.
2. Playing their game: If you take a closer look at some of the major statistical categories, you won't find the Knicks near the top of any of them besides points per game and three-point shooting. In fact, they're near the bottom in a lot of categories. They rank rank second-to-last in points in the paint, 26th in fast break points, 24th in rebounding, and 22nd in opponent field-goal percentage. The Knicks have decided to live and die with the jump shot, and so far they've been thriving with it. But you can't expect them to shoot the ball this way over the course of the entire season -- expecting 39-year-old Jason Kidd to shoot 43.5% from beyond the arc the rest of the way is absurd. The Celtics just need to continue to improve with Bradley and Bass back in the starting five. The team showed some grit and emotion -- things we've been waiting to see all year -- Saturday night in their 19-point comeback win. The Celtics are on a little roll, and if they stick to what they've been doing of late, they'll be in a position to climb back to the .500 mark by the time the final horn sounds.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Varnado, Joseph waived
The Celtics announced today that they have waived Jarvis Varnado and Kris Joseph.
Both have had limited minutes in their time in Boston.
The two were working on non-guaranteed contracts, and the deadline to guarantee those contracts was 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Varnado saw action in 5 out of a possible 7 games. He was signed from the D-League when Chris Wilcox went down with a thumb injury.
Although he was a second-round draft pick, Joseph was highly praised by Celtics brass throughout the preseason and during his time with Maine.
These moves give the Celtics two more open roster spots, and with Darko Milicic's spot still open, the Celtics now have three open roster spots and have cleared a small amount of cap room.
Both have had limited minutes in their time in Boston.
The two were working on non-guaranteed contracts, and the deadline to guarantee those contracts was 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Varnado saw action in 5 out of a possible 7 games. He was signed from the D-League when Chris Wilcox went down with a thumb injury.
Although he was a second-round draft pick, Joseph was highly praised by Celtics brass throughout the preseason and during his time with Maine.
These moves give the Celtics two more open roster spots, and with Darko Milicic's spot still open, the Celtics now have three open roster spots and have cleared a small amount of cap room.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Final: Celtics 94, Pacers 75
Well that's more like it.
The Celtics snapped their longest losing streak of the season as they dominated the Indiana Pacers, 94-75.
After a poor offensive first quarter, the Celtics came out in the second and took over the game. They outscored the Pacers 32-19 in that quarter, and the Celtics never looked back.
The Celtics started the game with the lineup that turned things around last season of Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass, Paul Pierce, Avery Bradley, and Rajon Rondo for the first time since last year's playoffs. And boy did it pay dividends.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Rajon Rondo did what he had to do: be aggressive. Rondo had a team-high 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting. He also had 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. What made Rondo so successful tonight was his ability to play to his strengths. Only 4 of his 14 shots were outside the paint, where he shoots the ball so successfully.
* The Celtics played the kind of defense that has made them so successful over the past five years. It was refreshing to see all 12 guys give 100% on the defensive end and force the Pacers to take difficult shots. Boston played tenacious defense for 48 minutes, something that's been a rarity this season. Indiana was very physical, and the Celtics responded to that nicely. They did not overreact and lose their temper, but they hit back and asserted themselves.
* I feel bad for Jared Sullinger. He gets little respect from the referees, and he appears to have gained the reputation among the referees as someone who gets the quick whistle. He fouled out for the second straight night, but nonetheless, Sullinger once again made his impact felt. He pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. Sullinger plays like a veteran, positioning himself perfectly down low to grab rebounds and to draw fouls. Like many of his peers have said before, Sullinger has such a high basketball IQ.
* Kevin Garnett bounced back terrifically after his 5-of-14 performance on Wednesday. He had 18 points on 8-of-16 from the floor to along with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. Garnett was ejected after being whistled for a flagrant-two foul on Tyler Hansbrough midway through the fourth quarter. Garnett did a tremendous job defending in the paint. Him and Roy Hibbert were going at it all night long, and Garnett got the better of that match up.
* Sometimes, you have to sacrifice one thing in order to get something else. Tonight, Paul Pierce sacrificed a bit of his offense in order to give his full attention to defending Paul George. Pierce only had 13 points, but he held George to only 9 points on 4-of-18 shooting. Pierce has said numerous times recently that he's tired of the Celtics trend of losing and giving up 100 points on a consistent basis. Tonight was a big game, and Pierce knew that his defense was more important tonight, and he did a great job.
* I mentioned in the game preview the importance of containing the Pacers' starting frontcourt. David West, George, and Hibbert combined for 26 points on 11-of-42 shooting and 9 turnovers.
* BREAKING NEWS: The Celtics won the rebounding battle, 49-47. The Celtics had many guys getting to the paint when shots went up. Hell, I even saw Brandon Bass go box someone out when a shot went up in the fourth quarter. Savor this, Celtics fans. It might not happen again for a while.
* This was only the second time this season the Celtics have forced more than 12 turnovers and held an opponent to under 40% shooting.
* That's the type of game Courtney Lee needs to play more often. Lee led the bench with 13 points on 6-of-9 from the field. He also had 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Lee ran the floor nicely and played good defense. He took only one three-pointer (which he made), a good sign considering he's struggled mightily with his three-point shot.
The bad:
* I know I might be knit-picking here, but the first quarter offense was brutal. I know Doc Rivers liked the ball movement and was encouraged, but the Celtics needed to convert more out of the gate. I always stress the importance of the first quarter. The Celtics did their part defensively by limiting Indiana to 16 points, but they have to take advantages of their opportunities.
The Celtics snapped their longest losing streak of the season as they dominated the Indiana Pacers, 94-75.
After a poor offensive first quarter, the Celtics came out in the second and took over the game. They outscored the Pacers 32-19 in that quarter, and the Celtics never looked back.
The Celtics started the game with the lineup that turned things around last season of Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass, Paul Pierce, Avery Bradley, and Rajon Rondo for the first time since last year's playoffs. And boy did it pay dividends.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Rajon Rondo did what he had to do: be aggressive. Rondo had a team-high 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting. He also had 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. What made Rondo so successful tonight was his ability to play to his strengths. Only 4 of his 14 shots were outside the paint, where he shoots the ball so successfully.
* The Celtics played the kind of defense that has made them so successful over the past five years. It was refreshing to see all 12 guys give 100% on the defensive end and force the Pacers to take difficult shots. Boston played tenacious defense for 48 minutes, something that's been a rarity this season. Indiana was very physical, and the Celtics responded to that nicely. They did not overreact and lose their temper, but they hit back and asserted themselves.
* I feel bad for Jared Sullinger. He gets little respect from the referees, and he appears to have gained the reputation among the referees as someone who gets the quick whistle. He fouled out for the second straight night, but nonetheless, Sullinger once again made his impact felt. He pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. Sullinger plays like a veteran, positioning himself perfectly down low to grab rebounds and to draw fouls. Like many of his peers have said before, Sullinger has such a high basketball IQ.
* Kevin Garnett bounced back terrifically after his 5-of-14 performance on Wednesday. He had 18 points on 8-of-16 from the floor to along with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. Garnett was ejected after being whistled for a flagrant-two foul on Tyler Hansbrough midway through the fourth quarter. Garnett did a tremendous job defending in the paint. Him and Roy Hibbert were going at it all night long, and Garnett got the better of that match up.
* Sometimes, you have to sacrifice one thing in order to get something else. Tonight, Paul Pierce sacrificed a bit of his offense in order to give his full attention to defending Paul George. Pierce only had 13 points, but he held George to only 9 points on 4-of-18 shooting. Pierce has said numerous times recently that he's tired of the Celtics trend of losing and giving up 100 points on a consistent basis. Tonight was a big game, and Pierce knew that his defense was more important tonight, and he did a great job.
* I mentioned in the game preview the importance of containing the Pacers' starting frontcourt. David West, George, and Hibbert combined for 26 points on 11-of-42 shooting and 9 turnovers.
* BREAKING NEWS: The Celtics won the rebounding battle, 49-47. The Celtics had many guys getting to the paint when shots went up. Hell, I even saw Brandon Bass go box someone out when a shot went up in the fourth quarter. Savor this, Celtics fans. It might not happen again for a while.
* This was only the second time this season the Celtics have forced more than 12 turnovers and held an opponent to under 40% shooting.
* That's the type of game Courtney Lee needs to play more often. Lee led the bench with 13 points on 6-of-9 from the field. He also had 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Lee ran the floor nicely and played good defense. He took only one three-pointer (which he made), a good sign considering he's struggled mightily with his three-point shot.
The bad:
* I know I might be knit-picking here, but the first quarter offense was brutal. I know Doc Rivers liked the ball movement and was encouraged, but the Celtics needed to convert more out of the gate. I always stress the importance of the first quarter. The Celtics did their part defensively by limiting Indiana to 16 points, but they have to take advantages of their opportunities.
Bass to start
It appears Danny Ainge will get his wish.
A day after saying in a Boston Globe article that he wishes to see more of the starting five that turned the Celtics season around last year, Doc Rivers is granting Ainge's desire. Brandon Bass is replacing Jason Collins in tonight's lineup. This move puts Kevin Garnett back at the five. He will have the tall task of going against Pacers' center Roy Hibbert.
A day after saying in a Boston Globe article that he wishes to see more of the starting five that turned the Celtics season around last year, Doc Rivers is granting Ainge's desire. Brandon Bass is replacing Jason Collins in tonight's lineup. This move puts Kevin Garnett back at the five. He will have the tall task of going against Pacers' center Roy Hibbert.
Game 32 Preview: Pacers at Celtics
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| Rajon Rondo may not be completely healthy, but he is going to have to lead the Celtics out of their current rut. |
The Celtics (14-17) now have the same record at this point in the season as they did last season.
I'm sure everyone has heard the "well, it's just like last year" phrase, and everything will work out just fine. But that was last year. This is a totally different team, a totally different season, with totally different expectations.
Last year's Celtics were not the deepest team -- when Greg Stiemsma and Ryan Hollins are playing significant minutes in the playoffs, you know your team lacks depth. This year's team is younger, more athletic, and was supposed to actually challenge the Miami Heat for the top spot in the East.
Now, the Celtics are left searching for answers after they suffered their fourth consecutive double-digit loss on Wednesday night to the Memphis Grizzlies, 93-83. Wednesday night's performance included some good and some bad. The Celtics made a spirited run in the fourth quarter when they turned up their defensive and offensive intensity, leading them to outscore Memphis in the fourth, 24-18. However, the Celtics' glaring issues were too great to overcome. Coach Doc Rivers put it perfectly when he said, "Whatever we're doing wrong, it isn't going to get fixed in a day."
If the Celtics are to go on a run, it would be ideal for it to start tonight, as the Central Division-leading Indiana Pacers (19-13) come to town. Indiana is coming off an 89-81 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. Indiana is second in the league in points allowed at 90.0, trailing none other than the Memphis Grizzlies (89.8).
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Pacers:
George Hill
Lance Stephenson
Paul George
David West
Roy Hibbert
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Jason Collins
Keys to the game:
1. The two Paul's: I know all Celtics fans are familiar with their starting small forward in Paul Pierce. But does anyone know a thing about Indiana's starting small forward, Paul George? If you don't, you will get to see everything he's capable of tonight. The 6'8'', 220-pounder is one of the most underrated players in the league. He does a little bit of everything, as he's averaging 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and nearly a block per game. Not to mention, he is an 83% free throw shooter and shooting 39% behind the three-point line. He is coming off arguably his best game of the season, as he registered his sixth double-double of the season by scoring a game-high 29 points to go along with 14 rebounds. He also had 3 assists and 2 steals. Paul Pierce's nemesis may no longer be Luol Deng after tonight's game. Paul Pierce is going to have to bring his A-game. He needs to make a concerted effort of getting George out of the paint and to make sure he is not a factor on the boards -- not to mention on the offensive side of the ball as well.
2. Containing the bigs: Due to Indiana's strong frontcourt, expect Jason Collins to get the nod tonight. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge said yesterday that he wants to see the lineup the Celtics used last year that made them so successful in the second half of the season, and that lineup would be inserting Brandon Bass and taking out Collins. But Collins is better suited to match up with Roy Hibbert tonight, which is why I would expect him to start over Bass. The Pacers are fifth in the league in rebounding, snatching 45.5 boards per game. Their starting frontcourt of Paul George, David West, and Hibbert make up more than 50% of the team's total rebounding. The Celtics did a great job on Memphis' bigs on Wednesday, only allowing Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol to combine for 11 points and 15 rebounds. If the Celtics can duplicate their success from the other night against the bigs of Indiana, they'll be in good shape.
3. All systems go: Rajon Rondo has not looked himself in these past two games. After sitting out Saturday night's game with right hip and upper thigh bruise, the point guard has not looked like his normal self against the Kings and Grizzlies. He has not been aggressive, and when he has taken jump shots -- an area he has improved dramatically in this season -- they have been off by a long margin. For the Celtics to be successful, it all starts with the driver behind the wheel, and that's Rondo.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Halftime thoughts: Grizzlies 50, Celtics 41
Eh. That's how I feel about that first half. There were some good things and bad things. But overall, it was ok.
Here's some food for thought:
* Paul Pierce has been the offense so far. He leads the Celtics 15 points and also grabbed 5 rebounds to lead the team. In 16 minutes, he's 5-of-8 from the floor including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Setting up to be a big night for the captain.
* Kevin Garnett has not had a good game offensively thus far. He's taking a lot of jumpers and not connecting very often. Although his defense is stellar, his offense is not there. He only has 2 points on 1-of-7 shooting.
* Although he hasn't had a major impact offensively, Avery Bradley is doing a very good job defensively. His on-ball pressure has been exceptional, and that improved perimeter defense has taken pressur off the bigs.
* After shooting 68%in the first quarter, the Celtics are now down to 47%. They finished the first half 3-of-15 from the floor.
* Doc Rivers went 10 guys deep in the first quarter. Pretty interesting. Goes to show the depth this team now has.
Here's some food for thought:
* Paul Pierce has been the offense so far. He leads the Celtics 15 points and also grabbed 5 rebounds to lead the team. In 16 minutes, he's 5-of-8 from the floor including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Setting up to be a big night for the captain.
* Kevin Garnett has not had a good game offensively thus far. He's taking a lot of jumpers and not connecting very often. Although his defense is stellar, his offense is not there. He only has 2 points on 1-of-7 shooting.
* Although he hasn't had a major impact offensively, Avery Bradley is doing a very good job defensively. His on-ball pressure has been exceptional, and that improved perimeter defense has taken pressur off the bigs.
* After shooting 68%in the first quarter, the Celtics are now down to 47%. They finished the first half 3-of-15 from the floor.
* Doc Rivers went 10 guys deep in the first quarter. Pretty interesting. Goes to show the depth this team now has.
Game 31 Preview: Grizzlies at Celtics
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| The 2013 portion of the Celtics schedule starts tonight, and with it brings the return of Avery Bradley. |
A new year brings a clean slate and a chance to start fresh.
Well, not exactly.
There's no erasing the Celtics miserable 14-16 record. But a new year gives the Celtics a chance to right their wrongs and hopefully move forward in order to become the team that everyone expects them to be.
And it all starts tonight with the return of the savior, the chosen one, the one and only, Avery Bradley.
No pressure kid.
Before yesterday's practice, coach Doc Rivers said Bradley needed to get through one last hurdle (practice) before it was all systems go. "We're just going by how our practice looks. If [Bradley] looks ready to start, he’ll start, he’s a starter," said Rivers. Fortunately for Doc and the Celtics, Bradley successfully made it through practice, and he is expected to start tonight.
With the return of Bradley, the Celtics now have all the weapons in the arsenal ready for attack. Jason Terry will go back to his usual sixth man role and the expectations for Courtney Lee will be lowered, which should make both more comfortable and allow them to play to their capabilities.
While Bradley's status is no longer a question, the uncertainty and questions now shift to Rajon Rondo. Rondo is still dealing with a bruised hip and thigh after taking a knee from Clippers' forward Matt Barnes last Thursday night. Rondo did not practice yesterday and is listed as questionable for tonight's game.
Rivers also said yesterday that the Celtics will stick to their big lineup of Kevin Garnett at power forward and Jason Collins at the center spot for the time being.
The Celtics will ring in the new year with a visit from the Memphis Grizzlies (19-9). Memphis is coming off an 88-83 loss to the Indiana Pacers on New Year's Eve. This is a very good and complete basketball team. For much of the early part of the season, the Grizzlies owned the best record in the NBA. Now, they're only three-and-a-half games behind the San Antonio Spurs for first place in the Southwest Division.
Maybe the Celtics have caught the Grizzlies at the right time.
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Grizzlies:
Mike Conley Jr.
Tony Allen
Rudy Gay
Zach Randolph
Marc Gasol
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo*
Avery Bradley
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Jason Collins
* status is TBD
Keys to the game:
1. Keep this a low-scoring affair: In order for the Celtics to keep this close, they have to get into a grind-it-out type of game. Both teams have offenses that rank in the bottom half of the league -- Boston's is 17th to Memphis' 22nd. Memphis is number one in points allowed. However, The Grizzlies only shoot 43% as a team. In Boston's 14 wins this year, they have had opponents to 43% from the field. It looks like 43 is the magic number. If the C's can hold Memphis at or around 43%, they should be in good shape.
2. Heavy-duty work: It's all hands on deck once again for the Celtics on the glass. They have one of their toughest challenges yet with rebounding beasts Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Collins and Garnett have their hands full, but it also starts up front. With Bradley back to provide his trademark on-ball defense -- which in turn allows Rondo to take a back seat and pick off passes in passing lanes -- the perimeter defense will be better, which in turn is good news for the bigs. It's a collective effort.
3. Mindset: The Celtics desperately need a win. Tonight starts a stretch of four games in a row against teams over .500 (Memphis, Indiana, Atlanta, New York). After an embarrassing road trip, the Celtics need to dig deep against one of the best teams in the league and show that they are better than what their record shows. Having Bradley back will certainty help, but it's going to take the other 11 active guys to look in the mirror and rise from the darkness.
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