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RETRIEVING CONTENT...PLEASE WAIT
Young Celtics Drop One in Philly 88-82
Friday, March 30, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 11:35 PM
March 30, 2007
Celtics took the floor tonight with only 9 players and Ryan Gomes was the oldest player at the ripe old age of 24. Pierce sat out with his sore elbow and will be day to day for the next game and in his absence, the young Celtics played hard but came up short. They were behind by as many as 15 and came back to tie the game with 5 minutes left in the game. They just didn't have enough to finish though without any veteran leadership on the floor.
Rondo once again filled up the stat sheet and finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. I can't wait to see what he can do with a summer to work on his game and coming back with a year under his belt. Telfair played 18 minutes and didn't score but had 5 assists. Allan Ray played 26 minutes and struggled on both ends of the court. He finished with 7 points on 1-6 shooting and was 4-4 from the FT line. He struggled on the defensive end and was constantly burned by Korver as he went for 26 points.
Delonte West is becoming the iron man of the Celtics playing 45 minutes and finishing with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Gomes finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals and looks as if he is getting his legs back under his jumper after coming back from the injury. Gerald Green started in place of Pierce and played 20 minutes. He finished with 12 points and 3 rebounds.
Al had another strong game finishing with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assists. Perk played only 28 minutes. He did a good job defensively when he was in and wasn't in foul trouble so I am not sure why he wasn't on the floor more. He finished with 6 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. His assists were great bullet passes from the top of the key inside to Al. Both resulted in a 3 point play for Al. Powe played 12 minutes and as always made the most of his minutes finishing with 6 points, 4 rebounds and took a couple of charges. He also had 2 fouls which should make Doc happy.
It seems as though this team depends on Pierce for so much when he is playing, they have trouble executing the plays when he goes out. They play hard and are in the game right up until the end but just can't seem to finish out games. I really hope they can pull it together and win a couple more without Pierce even though Milwaukee is sneaking up on us for the second worst record. They are only 3 1/2 games behind us now and breathing down our necks. But right now, the confidence that these kids would get from pulling out a few wins on their own would be worth it.
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Pierce Out for Now
by FLCeltsFan 4:07 PM
March 30, 2007
The Herald is announcing that Pierce will not play tonight but he isn't ruling out playing in other games this season.
Doc Rivers said after the just-completed shootaround at the Wachovia Center that if the pain and swelling in Pierce’s left elbow calms down there is a chance he will play again before the season ends.
But the problem is certainly serious for now. Pierce came on the trip here looking to play in tonight’s game against the 76ers, but he ended up not even coming over for the morning workout and walkthrough. The team discussed sending him back to Boston now, but it was decided he’d watch the game and then return with the club to Boston tonight.
I would assume that Green or Gomes will start in his place, but that wasn't mentioned in the article.
source: Boston Herald
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Perk Stepping Up
Thursday, March 29, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 11:15 PM
March 29, 2007
This season, I have heard a lot of grumbling about Perk. I have been saying all along that Perk is going to turn the corner and surprise a lot of people. His recent play is opening up some eyes as he has shut down a few All Stars and has either learned to play though the pain better or the plantar fasciitis is getting better.
Perk came into the league directly from high school and his first season he played all of 30 minutes all season. But he used that time to work hard and mold his body into NBA shape. The difference in him from the first season to the second is unreal.
 
These pictures show the big difference in Perk as he worked very hard to remake his body from High School shape to NBA ready. And keep in mind that he had already started working out and had come a ways already before the first picture was taken.
"I remember in my first training camp, I almost died," said Perkins, laughing. "It's a matter of going into the off-season and doing the work. Not only do you want to lose weight, but you also got to make sure that you keep your strength. So you've got to lift at the same time. You've really got to step your game up because this ain't high school no more, so you've got to elevate your game."
"I just try to keep improving and not let them down, because the Celtics drafted me. I feel like I owe them something," said Perkins.
Perkins continued to work on his body and his conditioning, and over the course of his first three years he lost 53 pounds of body fat and transformed his bulky frame into a constantly evolving NBA body.
"Defensively, Perk comes out with a purpose every night," said Doc Rivers, speaking rather loudly within an earshot of his team after practice, perhaps sending a not-so-subtle message. "I think he's the only guy who gives us an identity, and he's starting to learn how to play physical without fouling." Before this season, Perkins said that he watches himself on tape after every game, looking for ways he can improve. He checks to make sure he saw cutters, set good screens and was in proper position on set plays. He sees improvement in his overall game on a daily basis, and he points to his post moves, an improved jump hook and the way he runs the floor as the biggest strides in his development.
Last season, Perk finally started to get playing time and we saw the chemistry between Perk and Al developing when they both went down with injuries. Then, in the off season, Perk once again injured his shoulder and had surgery. He wasn't able to take advantage of working with Clifford Ray and couldn't work out until just before the season, although there were reports that he tried to sneak onto the court a few times before he was cleared to work. He was just starting to get into shape when the plantar fasciitis struck and he has tried to play through the pain all season. Because of all this, many have felt that he was a bust. But then again, I read many of the same things about Big Al last season.
I loved the story yesterday in the Globe that pointed out that Perk doesn't care about individual statistics but just wants to be a defensive stopper and help his teammates play better. "I want to be a defensive presence and a defensive stopper. I think you need that to win because every winning team has one. I know the game and certain rotations. I can tell people where to go on defense. I can holler when they're not in the right spots or fuss at them. I know how to push people out to rotate to certain men. I pretty much can direct people in defensive rotations. It's just one of my strong points."
Perk is not only becoming a defensive presence, but he is also becoming a leader. Last season, Pierce was lagging and not playing hard in a game and Perk called him out for it in a time out. This team very much needs a player like Perk who will be a leader on the floor willing to do the dirty work and also direct the defense.
Perk is a hard worker and I am sure that as soon as the season is over he will be on the court working hard to be better for next season. His plan for last season was to work on his offense and develop a shot around the basket but with the injury, he never got a chance to. I expect that to happen this season. Just as Al broke out this season once he was finally healthy, I expect perk to do the same next season. We are getting a taste of it now. He is still playing in pain and not 100% but he is playing well enough to make us excited about what is to come next season. And considering the price of big men these days, Perk is a real bargain!
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Al and Perk Come Up Big in 2OT Win Over Magic
by FLCeltsFan 12:57 AM
March 28, 2007
Paul Pierce was clutch and Perk and Al both came up big in a 105-96 win in double OT over the Orlando Magic. There was some exciting individual play as well as great team play.
Perk was the player of the game. I said it in the game thread and still believe it after watching the game. His defense on Howard was key to the game. He came up big on both ends of the floor finishing with 11 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks. Big Al also came up big, scoring 8 straight points in the second overtime and finishing with 23 points, 13 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block in spite of being in foul trouble much of the game. Powe played only 6 minutes and fouled out after pulling down 1 rebound. Doc had to be happy, after telling Powe that he needed to foul more, Powe took his advice to heart.
Rondo proves to me more and more that he is the point guard of the future (and present) for this team. The team just runs so much smoother when he is at the point. He needs to work on his shot over the summer and if he can come back next season able to hit the mid range shot consistently, the sky is the limit for this kid. He does everything else so well. He finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Telfair had a tough night and struggled his way to 4 points, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, and a technical foul for losing his cool on a call where he stepped out of bounds. Allan Ray played only 6 minutes and had 2 points.
Pierce came up big in spite of reinjuring his elbow early and playing in pain much of the game. He finished with 32 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block in 53 minutes. He scored 15 of his points in the 4th quarter and 2 OT sessions, including an 18 foot jumper to send the game to OT and a 3 pointer to send it to double OT.
West played a game high 54 minutes and finished with 17 points (6-13), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. When matched against his old friend Jameer Nelson, he got the best of the matchup. On the defensive end, he was on Hill much of the night and Hill's 4 inch height advantage allowed him to get easy shots over Delonte. Gomes is still struggling to get his conditioning and shot back after his recent injury. He finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Green played only 9 minutes and finished with 2 points (an impressive windmill dunk), 1 rebound, and 1 block.
This was a good win for us in that the team never lost focus. They withstood several runs by Orlando and fought back with tenacity and defense. The Celtics out rebounded the Magic 46-45 thanks to the unrelenting efforts of Al and Perk on the boards. We also committed only 14 turnovers to 20 for the Magic. It was a good effort all along. The Magic does have something that the Celtics desperately need right now and that is Lottery Luck. They have won it 3 times including twice in a row when they chose Shaq and Hardaway and one time when they had the 11th worst record. Danny needs to talk to Pat Williams and find out his secret before May 22.
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Wyc and Danny on WEEI
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 5:50 PM
March 28, 2007
Wyc was just on WEEI and made the announcement that the Celtics games will be moving to WEEI as of next season. This was also simultaneously announced on Celtics.com In the announcement they stated that both Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell are expected to remain as the play-by-play team and that Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers will continue to make their weekly appearances on WEEI during the season.
As much as Ordway tried to get Danny and Wyc to commit to something, anything specific, they pretty much only spoke in generalities. Both said they expect Doc back next season as he has a contract and both said that they weren't going to discuss an extension until the season was over. All that was said seemed to indicate that Doc will indeed be back.
When asked for some hint of who the Celtics might be looking at for the draft with either the first or second pick, or if we pick 3-6 and Danny wouldn't give any indication. Wyc was only slightly more forthcoming saying that he feels that there could be 5 all stars coming out of this draft. When asked who the Celtics might be looking at, he quoted Red saying that you can't teach size. He said that whoever we look at will have some size because we have plenty of "smurfs."
Danny said that his opinion of players hasn't risen or fallen with tournament play and that he looks at a good showing in the tournament doesn't affect his choices. He looks at their whole career. He also said that more mistakes are made in the draft by teams picking size rather than best player available. Wyc said that he is thinking of sending one of the legends to the lottery - maybe Cousy or Tommy.
In other than draft talk, Wyc said that he wants to retire Pierce's number in Boston. They both worked very hard not to comment on anything specific concerning the draft or any players therein. They are both publicly supporting Doc and talking as if he will be back next season and the only thing they need to discuss is whether he will get an extension. All in all, nothing really new was said in 2 hours of talk.
source:The Big Show, WEEI
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Kandi Shut Down for the Season
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 12:11 AM
March 26, 2007
Celtics.com announced this today:
Michael Olowokandi's season came to an end Monday when the team announced that the backup center has a fractured cuboid bone in his left foot.
Olowokandi re-signed with the team in the offseason as a free-agent after being acquired in the Wally Szczerbiak deal last January, and he appeared in 24 games this year for the Celtics. Olowokandi averaged 1.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in just under 10 minutes a game.
His best outing came against Tim Duncan in the Celtics streak-snapping win over the San Antonio Spurs on St. Patrick's Day, when he had eight points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks in a shade under 23 minutes of play.
He never fully recovered from the abdominal tear that kept him out earlier and so really never had a chance to contribute this season. On the other hand, Perk is looking better and better and hopefully will be able to play more minutes the rest of the way. It will also mean more minutes for Powe who continues to impress whenever he gets on the floor.
source: Celtics.com
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Celtics Avoid Sweep - Beat Raptors 95-87
Monday, March 26, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 11:16 PM
March 26, 2007
In a game where the Celtics led almost the entire game, they showed teamwork and a strong effort from start to finish. Doc didn't hang the bench out to dry and played them mixed with the starters and we saw good effort throughout the game without the customary let ups.
Rondo was huge in this game and finished with 16 points on 4-6 shooting and he hit all 8 of his free throws. He also had 5 rebounds and 8 assists. He kept the tempo up and constantly found the open man. Perk made a huge difference with his defense in this game and played Bosh very well holding him to 5-19 shooting. Perk had 2 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block while basically shutting down Bosh.
West played 43 minutes and finished with 18 points (6-17), 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Telfair played 12 minutes and didn't score but pulled down 4 rebounds and dished out 1 assist. Allan Ray played just the last 16 seconds of the game and had 1 rebound.
Al was again dominant in the paint and finished with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks. At one point in the 4th quarter, Garbajosa hit Al hard as he was going up for a layup and came down wrong on his ankle and it looked to be broken. Al couldn't bear to look at it and I imagine it brought back bad memories of ankles past. As hard as Garbajosa hit him, it could just as easily been Al getting hurt. Gomes still seems to be struggling to get back to shape after his injury and finished with 0 points on 0-4 shooting with 2 rebounds and 1 assist.
Green played well with 10 points on 5-11 shooting to go with 5 rebounds and 1 block. 2 of his points were on a spectacular dunk on a fast break. Earlier in the game he missed an alley oop dunk but made up for it with that one. Powe again played well in his limited minutes scoring 4 points and pulling down 5 rebounds and 1 steal. In the midst of talks of shutting him down, Pierce played 37 minutes and finished with 23 points (8-20), 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.
It was a good win for us and more and more I like the starting lineup of Rondo, West, Pierce, Al and Perk. Al and Perk play very well together and so do West and Rondo. Game by game, Rondo improves and is showing that he is indeed our PG for the future. Doc even had a break through in this game in that in his post game interviews he mentioned that he was going to call a play and then stopped because he realized that Rondo was doing well out there and what he was doing was working. Now that is a step in the right direction.
[Box Score]
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