Several reports coming from training camp. One of the best is on Celtics Blog from Fabio Anderle. Fabio has been a scout, a coach and a GM and knows his basketball and has been giving us some very informed reports that leave the regular media in the dust. He said something in today's article that especially caught my attention. Perkins is in great shape, his chiselled body is ready for the season and he runs as if he had never suffered because of that nasty plantar fasciitis. This caught my attention because of something Doc said in the Herald the other day. “I’m always on him about conditioning,” the coach said. “I thought he came into camp in average shape, and he should have been in great shape. I told him, ‘You’ve got family things you have to do, but you can still work out.’ But he’ll be fine. He’ll catch up with that. I thought he worked his butt off, and then he took two weeks off. That’s a long time to take off before camp, but that’s all right. Life happens, and you’ve just got to get over it.” This puzzled me at the time and puzzles me even more now. Perk took exactly 2 days off after the season and has been pushing himself the entire summer. So, he took 2 weeks off for the birth of his first child. This is a once in a lifetime event and I am proud of Perk for putting Vanity and his child first. Then, Doc comes out and says that Perk came into camp in average shape. I just don't get how all that hard work could be undone in 2 weeks. Fabio's report sounds more like reality. Perk is in great shape and has continued to push himself to be the best he can be. He is running the floor well and looks great and this is from someone without an agenda who knows basketball. Be sure to check out his whole article as it has some great observations.
The Herald reports that the Celtics have until the end of October to work out and extension for Tony Allen and Pierce thinks they need to do it quickly. The Celtics [team stats] have until the end of this month to sign Tony Allen to a contract extension, and Paul Pierce [stats] thinks it might behoove the club to get on it.
“Yeah,” said Pierce with a smile, “they’d better do it right now because he may be worth a whole lot more if they wait until after the season.”Perhaps the Celts should take heed. Pierce’s last advice to management was to get some good veterans.
After just a few days of training camp, the club has indeed seen enough from Allen to believe he will recover well from his left knee reconstruction. Danny Ainge acknowledged yesterday that the team needed to be sure with his health before proceeding.
Allen can be a restricted free agent (the Celts could match any offer) next summer if he does not sign in the next three-plus weeks, but the club will now see if there is something that makes sense for both sides. From all reports out of Rome, Tony still isn't 100% but he still brings energy and leadership to the team and is healing very well from his injury. Many have felt all along that if Tony can get back to where he was before the injury, he could very well be the X-factor on this team. He certainly brings a lot to the team.
The Globe reports on the 4 players who are vying for the final 2 spots on the team.
Going into camp, it was pretty much assumed that Wallace and Manuel would be the odd men out but it may be Jones and Manuel judging from reports from camp. Wallace went undrafted out of South Carolina and is the only one of the four with guaranteed money in his contract, which he signed July 10. The 6-9, 203-pound forward averaged 4.2 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist in 22.4 minutes per game in summer league play. The Jackson, S.C., native (Wallace) also may have the surprise play of practice thus far, as he dunked on 10-time All-Star Kevin Garnett Wednesday. Batista and Wallace could be helped by the fact the Celtics are more in need of size than guards.
ESPN Insider has an article that gives 5 observations from a British writer. These include this info on Ray Allen: Little known fact, but the new Celtics guard spent the bulk of his early years in Europe, living in Germany and England where his father Walter was a master sergeant and metals technician in the US Air Force.
Indeed, Allen did not play organized basketball until he returned to live permanently in the States at the age of 10, a fact which explains why he looked so adept with the ball at his feet, rather than his hands, during post-practice horseplay in Rome this week.
"Oh I could have been a pro soccer player, easy," joked Allen. "I'm not saying being a soccer pro is easy but the focus, the hard work, the determination to be here in the NBA would have been there if I played baseball, soccer, anything.
The same writer also has another article on ESPN about Garnett's leadership on the team so far.
Be sure to check out Peter Stringer's EuroBlog over on Celtics.com as he updates it with great info daily. Also they update the photo gallery with new photos. Comcast SportsNet also has new videos up from practice. Also, Big Baby's Diary is must read if you need a smile.
Finally, if you haven't been following the Blog Previews, here is a recap of the Atlantic Division.
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