This shot by Rondo is simply amazing. With the shot clock winding down, he puts up a shot that was blocked and with one motion he swats the loose ball at the basket and it hit nothing but net.
The Celtics came out strong in this game and looked like they were going to run away with this game in a blow out. The Celtics sprinted out to a 17-2 start in which the Wizards' only points came on a Kevin Garnett goal tending call, which was actually a clean block. At the end of the first quarter, the Celtics were up 26-12 and led by 7 at the half. The Wizards' second unit was much better than their starters in this game and brought the Wizards back after their starters fell behind and the second unit kept them in the game until the very end.
Doc mixed up his starting lineup for this game, starting Jared Sullinger and bringing Brandon Bass off the bench. This seemed to be a good move as Sully gave the Celtics an inside presence and a rebounder while Bass gave the second unit some much needed scoring. But Washington, led by a bench unit that included some hot shooting from Crawford and Seraphin, mounted a slow and steady comeback. They got to within two at 69-67 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter. Jeff Green and Paul Pierce hit back to back threes to give the Celtics a little breathing room.
Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, center, battles for the ball
against Washington Wizards guard Jannero Pargo, left, and Kevin
Seraphin, right, of France, during the first half of an NBA basketball
game on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
But, Washington wouldn't go away and took their first, and only, lead in the game with 2:52 left in the game. A Paul Pierce 3 put Boston back up by 1 and they wouldn't relinquish the lead again. Both teams missed on final-minute scoring opportunities
before Jason Terry sealed the win with two free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining. The Wizards missed their final shot giving the Celtics the 3 point win.
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Tommy Heinsohn is on Twitter! You can follow him at @CSNTommy and he tweets the best of Tommy during games. Here are couple of Tommy's best tweets from tonight.
Sullinger's "gotta change his number to 88, cause number 7, they'll keep calling fouls on. They're not gonna keep saying '88!'"
— Tommy Heinsohn (@CSNTommy) November 4, 2012
On Seraphim: "He's a beefy boy. He ate the whole hamburger."
— Tommy Heinsohn (@CSNTommy) November 3, 2012
#Celtics have to build progress: "When you're building a house, you've gotta have the plans...When we get to the window, I'll let you know."
— Tommy Heinsohn (@CSNTommy) November 4, 2012
I like that first one especially. Poor Sully has been a foul magnet and hasn't gotten any respect from the refs. Tommy has a great idea. Wearing a number like 88 or 77 would make the refs have to work a little harder to call those fouls and they might let up a little. As always, Tommy has a point. Speaking of Tommy Points,
And it's @paulpierce34! "He did an outstanding job, and for his leadership in this game, he wins the #TommyAward!"
— Tommy Heinsohn (@CSNTommy) November 4, 2012
Jared Sullinger gets his first NBA start tonight, with Brandon Bass coming off the bench.C's-Wizards 6:30 WEEI
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) November 3, 2012
Rather than keep the rotations consistent as the team tries to build confidence and chemistry, Doc is still mixing it up and trying to find the right combination of players for this team. To that end, Jared Sullinger will be getting his first career start in regular season action tonight with Brandon Bass coming off the bench.
Brandon Bass has been the one player in the starting lineup who has played very well in both games so far so this might seem like a strange move. But, it also might give some cohesion and leadership to a second unit that has been struggling. Also, playing with alongside KG could give Sully some confidence and improve the rebounding for the first unit. We'll see if it has any effect in the win column.
Kyrie Irving is back as the enigmatic Uncle Drew, but this time with a couple of friends. This time, Kevin Love has joined in the fun, dressing as a teammate of Uncle Drew's from his heyday. The two teamed up under the premise that Uncle Drew is getting his old team back together -- a move encouraged by none other than Celtics legend Bill Russell.
Bill, in the role of elder statesman, tells Drew to go out there and put his team together. He adds this bit of wisdom as well,
"What these youngbloods have to understand is that this game has always been, and will always be, about buckets."
Rather strange words from a man who made his reputation on the other end of the court - with defense.
at Boston Celtics (0-2) at Wizards (0-1) Regular Season Game #3, Road Game #2 Saturday, November 3, 2012 7:00 PM ET TV: CSN-NE, Comcast Sportsnet, NBA-LP 751(BOS)/752(WAS) Radio: WEEI, WJFK Verizon Center Referees: Joey Crawford, David Guthrie, Derek Richardson
The Celtics will look to avoid an 0-3 start tonight as they take on the
Washington Wizards. The Celtics main concern going into this game is
their defense. Last year, the Celtics led the league in opponents' FG
percentage allowing teams to shoot just 41.9 from the floor. This
season they have allowed the Heat to shoot 54.4% (and score 120 points)
and the Bucks to shoot 46.5%
The Celtics are playing in the
second of back to back games, after a rather listless loss in their home
opener to the Bucks. The Wizards have had 3 days off and have spent
practice studying the Celtics tendencies and feel that they are ready
for the challenge. Even without their star guard John Wall, who is out
with a knee injury, the Wizards are an improved team and will present a
test for the Celtics. The Celtics will need to do more than just show
up in order to avoid yet another loss.
KG spoke to the team
after their loss last night and encouraged them to imitate a pack of
hyenas with their play. That could be good advice for them. They
have a lot of individual talent on this team but they have yet to put it
together and play as a team, especially on the defensive end. They
need to band together and develop chemistry on the court in order to
right the ship. That should be just a matter of time and could happen
with any game.
This is the first of a rare home and home set
for these two teams and they will face each other again on Wednesday in
Boston. With each game, this team should be learning more about
themselves and building chemistry bit by bit. Look for the Celtics to
come out more aggressively tonight and for the bench to step up a bit
more than they have in the first two games. Both teams are looking for
their first win. It is the Wizards home opener. Expect a dog fight
from both teams. Or perhaps, for the Celtics, a hyena fight.
Comments after losses are usually pretty depressing. I have to say, I kind of like Bucks fans. They seem like a decent bunch who have been used to cheering for a losing team and seemed quite surprised by this win. Not much hate for the Celtics like there is in a lot of fan bases either. So, in spite of the loss, these comments aren't all that bad. Hopefully tonight we get our first winning version of CFTOS!
We our going to get beat down pretty bad I think. Boston is better, smarter, and have our number. I expect a double-digit loss. Hoping to see Lamb get minutes though.
103-87 for the Celtics. They are just plain better than us.
I would be shock if we come out with a win. I'm predicting a typical bucks style flow. Get down early hanging around that 10 point range. Keep it interesting to give us a little hope, but then go scoreless for the last 5 minutes
I think we are going to take a brutal beating. I think that Jennings and Ellis will shoot a combined 27%, but that will not deter them from shooting incredibly frequently.
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KG has entertained us in the past with his rants on 3 point shooting, on being called old, and even talking about the Celtics in culinary terms. Last season, when the Celtics started out slowly, he talked about building chemistry like this,
"Timing is everything," he said. "Chemistry is something that you don't just throw in the frying pan and mix it up with another something, then throw it on top of something, then fry it up and put it in a tortilla and put in a microwave, heat it up and give it to you and expect it to taste good. You know? For those of you who can cook, y'all know what I'm talking about. If y'all can't cook, this doesn't concern you."
Celtics fans who are worried right now after seeing the team look out of sync and defenseless over the first 2 games might take comfort in those words from KG from last season. The Celtics are playing just 4 players who were playing with the team at the end of last season: KG, Pierce, Rondo, and Bass. Everyone else has either played briefly in Doc's system (Green and Wilcox), or are new to the Celtics (everyone else). We can't just throw them all in the frying pan and mix them up and throw them out there and expect them to be great right off the bat.
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On Friday night the Celtics opened up their 2012-2013 season at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. Coming off a loss to the Miami Heat the Celtics looked to crack down on the defensive end and continue to execute on offense. Unfortunately neither of these things happened for the Celtics as they lost to the Bucks 99-88.
The Celtics struggled from the start looking sloppy on offense and struggling on defense falling victim to Milwaukee's pick and roll. The Celtics opened up with a starting lineup of Rajon Rondo, Courtney Lee, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass, and Kevin Garnett. Of the starters Rajon Rondo played a team high 41 minutes while scoring 14 points and adding 11 assists. The Celtics as a team shot very poorly at 44.6% from the field. Paul Pierce shot a measly 3-11 on the night finishing with 11 points and 6 rebounds. The Celtics made it a point to go to Kevin Garnett early in the game and he answered the call. Garnett shot 6-14 finishing for 15 points and 4 rebounds.
The Bucks dominated the game leading by 22 points at one point in the game. Of their starters Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, and Tobias Harris all played extremely well. Jennings set the tone with a double-double scoring a game high 21 points and adding 13 assists. His teammate in the back court, Monta Ellis, only shot 6-20 but managed to finish with 14 points. The biggest surprise of the game was Tobias Harris a second year player who shined going 8-11 for 18 points. Read more » Leave a comment Link backs Tweet
Molly McGrath presents her first Celtics Minute with some discussion on Leandro Barbosa's Microwave-like performance in the first game and a warning to expect more small ball in tonight's game against the Bucks.
Great Vid in the series Jason Terry Is A Celtic. In this episode Terry hits the streets of Boston to lay his iconic sweatbands on the heads of his new fans. From speechless young Celtics lovers to outspoken veteran fans, all of Boston is wearing the JET crown once he is done.
at Milwaukee Bucks (0-0) at Boston Celtics (0-1) Regular Season Game #2 – Home Game #1 Friday, November 2, 2012 7:30 PM ET TV: CSN-NE, FSN-WI, NBA-LP 755(MIL)/756(BOS) Radio: WEEI, WTMJ TD Garden Referees: Bill Spooner, David Jones, Violet Palmer
After a disappointing loss to the Heat to open the season the Celtics
return home looking to establish dominance at home and get their first
win of the season. Defense will be a priority for the Celtics as will
getting better play from the second unit.
Milwaukee has held
Boston below 90 points in three of the past five meetings but has only
scored an average of just 80.0 points per game over those 5 games.
But that was against the Celtics team that was ranked at the top of the
league for the past two seasons, not the team that allowed 120 points
to the Heat in the opener. Hopefully, the Celtics will soon get back
to being that defensive team again soon.
The Bucks' losing
streak in the series between these two teams reached 6 games when the
Celtics beat the Bucks on April 26, in a game where Rajon Rondo went
scoreless but had 15 assists and the Celtics won 87-74 in a defensive
struggle.
Former Celtic Marquis Daniels will return to the
Garden with his new team and deserves a big hand from the fans.
Opening their season on the road is nothing new for the Bucks as this is
the 28th consecutive season that they have opened on the road. In this
instance Milwaukee will also begin the season at the same location its
previous season ended with a 74-87 loss at the Garden on April 26.
With
a couple of days off to study film and try to correct the mistakes of
the previous game, hopefully the Celtics will come out with a defensive
mindset and play a bit more cohesively.
As you might expect, a lot of the talk was about the Celtics lack of defense in their first game. Each player mentioned the need for better transition defense, which means that Doc had drilled that fact into their heads during the preceding practice. Along with transition defense, communication was a topic as well.
It was also announced today that Rondo's Flagrant 1 foul was upheld by the league.
Dwyane Wade called Rajon Rondo's hard foul in the opener a "punk play" and said that only knowing his children were watching kept him from retaliating. Today after practice, Rondo talked a little about the foul although he wouldn't say too much, asking the reporters if they were trying to get him a fine. But he did say at the end of the interview,
"I mean, I don't think it was a hard foul," said Rondo. "[Wade] sold it a little bit, and that's basketball. They were up, he drove to the hole, I didn't want to give up a layup. Simple as that. I didn't yank him down, or, dirty plays that you've seen him play in the past. So that's what it is."
I'm sure that Rondo was thinking back to that play in 2011 where Wade threw him down, dislocating his elbow. But that's just one play where Wade played dirty. His resume is loaded with dirty plays or, as he would say, "punk plays." Except, when he makes a punk play, unfortunately, others get hurt. I mean, who breaks a guy's nose in an ALL STAR GAME??? Here's a short compilation of Wades recent "punk plays."
Micah Downs was one of the final cuts to the Celtics training camp roster. He showed some flashes of talent in his time with the Celtics but in the end, it was a numbers thing and there wasn't room for him on the roster. The Red Claws have announced that Downs is one of 8 players invited to their training camp.
The other players include 7 footer and Harvard product Brian Cusworth, forward Chris Wright, and guards Xavier Silas, Chamberlain Oguchi, Farnold Degand, DaQuan Brooks and Raheem Singleton.
This year, the Celtics will be the only affiliate of the Red Claws and will be responsible for their operation. This will be ideal for developing the rookies as the Celtics can now run their own system and the players will learn the same plays and defense that they will need on the parent club. Also the Celtics can now send players to the Red Claws and call them back as many times as they want to and are no longer limited to just 3 times as they were in the past.
In Other D-League News
Celtics former first round pick JaJuan Johnson, who was waived by the Rockets, has entered the D-League draft and is expected to be the number one pick by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Chris Palmer has an article on ESPN Insider where he lists the top five glue guys in the NBA. He describes glue guys as players who accept any role, do the dirty work, have outstanding basketball instincts and promote team chemistry. They also have a willingness to sacrifice their own personal agenda in order to make the team better.
While Rajon Rondo may be much maligned in some corners for his petulance and sometimes losing his cool on the court, Palmer sees him as one of the top five in the league for keeping things together on their teams. James Harden, Shane Battier, Kyle Lowry and Andre Iguodala round out the group.
Here is Chris' case for Rondo being one of the top glue guys:
The glue guy isn't usually a team's best player. Normally his particular set of skills complements the franchise star and helps create an environment that allows him to do what he does. But in this case the Celtics are in the rare position of having their glue guy and their best player be one and the same.
Few franchise cornerstones collect floor burns the way Rondo does. His evolution into glue role began when the Celtics assembled the Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Rondo was charged with keeping them all happy by spreading the ball around and was subsequently pushed into a role in which the only thing else left to contribute was dirty work. Rondo has embraced the tough defensive assignments and gritty aspect of the game so much that the Celtics have depended on, and come to be defined by, his grit.
Doc Rivers calls him one of the smartest players he's ever coached, and Rondo uses that intelligence to expertly manage the game by keeping both role players and stars satisfied. Rondo can be mercurial, aloof and even prickly but his unique blend of aggressiveness, ingenuity and court awareness is sometimes all that holds Boston together.
All this talk about Dwyane Wade whining about Rondo's hard foul had me thinking about how basketball used to be played. You know by now that I read a lot of books on Celtics history. I love reading the story about how the Celtics didn't back down from anyone. Those Celtics teams in the old days had some swagger. I know that part of that swagger came from winning, but anther part came from just being the Celtics. They had the attitude that they were the Celtics and they won because of the swagger, not the other way around. The 2007-08 team had that swagger. This team is showing that same swagger and I love it.
While some people may be questioning Rondo's hard foul, I loved it. I love that he wasn't going to take the hooking and shoving off on every single drive and let them know that. Sometimes technicals are worth it. That's why I love Perk so much. He won't take anything from anyone and lets them know it. As I said after the game, Rondo's foul reminded me of Dave Cowens. In case you didn't read it there, the story goes that Dave Cowens was called for fouls several times down the court as the Rockets' Mike Newlin flopped and got the calls. If there was one thing Cowens hated, it was flopping. Later in the game, Cowens slammed Newlin with a blind-side hit with both forearms that flattened him to the floor. "Now that's a foul!" Cowens was heard to say to the ref as he left the court. Dave sure had swagger.
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Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a big fan of the NBA's officials. I've watched too many Heat and Lakers games where those teams get special treatment. I've seen too many stars allowed to get away with things and too many rookies called for phantom fouls. I've seen many make up calls, complete incompetence, favoritism, and ego.
The above video is an example of just a terrible call. KG runs past Chalmers and lifts his elbow up to clear Chalmers' head as he runs past. Clearly no contact was made but Chalmers jerks his head back and KG was called for the foul. It will be interesting to see if Chalmers gets a warning for flopping. Even though he didn't fall down, he exaggerated jerking his head without contact in order draw the foul and that should be considered flopping.
I really wish I could trust the refs. Every year I start out in hopes that it will be different. They have a new VP of Referee Operations this season, a former player, and I was once again hoping to see some fair and unbiased officiating. But watching Wade push off and hook every time he drove with no fouls called dashed those hopes very quickly.
One thing I know for sure, if it's like most years, the Celtics won't get much love from the referees. It will be frustrating for the players if, like in Tuesday's game they get fouled time and again with no calls while they get called for phantom and ticky tack fouls. They have to learn to play through poor officiating and get the last laugh by winning the game.
Paul Pierce tweeted a photo of his family ready for some Halloween fun. Pierce has always gotten into the Halloween spirit. Remember this costume from 2010?
Darko is already winning over fans in Boston. He has already said that if he has to kill someone on the court for the Celtics to win, he's ready to do that. As much as I loved Perk's attitude, he's never offered to murder anyone. He just scares them off. But Darko's serious here. They don't call him the Serbian Gangster for nothing.
Most Celtics fans were impressed with his play in the preseason before he injured his wrist. He played tough defense and surprised many of us with his ability to pass the ball. Sitting out a few games to rest his injured wrist may have mellowed him a bit, but not much. Instead of offering to off someone for the Celtics, now he's ready to just rough them up a bit.
"In the last second Boston came out, which I was surprised about. They were really serious about me," Milicic told WEEI.com Sunday of the Celtics' offseason interest in him. "I know I'm a minimum player right now, but that doesn't really matter. I'm going to help these guys, whatever I need to do to bring a title back here. Whatever they tell me to do. If they tell me to fight that guy, I'll go fight that guy. Just help them in some way, whatever way it is. I know Miami is a good team and a champion, but Boston has a history. You can't say no to Boston."
Lots of hate for the Celtics as can be expected along with some gloating over Ray's performance. They also do a lot of whining about the refs for a team that gets more than their share of the calls. They think Wade gets no respect from the refs? How about the fact that he was allowed to push off on every drive to the basket and get away with it, which resulted in a hard Rondo foul out of frustration because of it. All I have to say is that they are going to see a very different Celtics team the next time they meet. I hope you enjoy today's comments in spite of the loss.
Ray Allen for the last seconed game winner 3 pointer. Or we could just blow them out.
I can't wait for this game. I want Ray to just nail some jumpers in Rondo's face.
A team like Boston usually takes a few weeks into the regular season to get their feet under them. They run such a strict defense and active offense it usually takes time. Heat seem to be meshing early and have the superstar talent to carry them early season with or without a system that is working.
I'd love to see a blowout, just to remind Boston that they're nowhere near the World Champs!
I think the Heat hate the Celtics too much to not show up for this game, especially Ray Allen.
Well, that didn't go as I expected. The biggest culprit in last night's loss was the defense. For a team that was near the top of the league for the last 5 years on defense, the Celtics didn't play very Celtic-like defense last night. The same failures on stopping the pick and roll that plagued them in the preseason were back again in this game. They allowed the Heat to get to the rim all night long. They allowed the Heat to shoot 54% from the field and score 120 points. The Celtics have to tighten up the defense or we won't see Banner 18 this year. Defense wins championships. It's that simple.
I think most of the problems that surfaced last night were the result of having just 4 players from last year play in this game. It's going to take a little time for all the new players to mesh, especially on defense. Doc is going to have to trust them though as they find their way. Once they get past the jitters of first game and get more cohesiveness on the court all the bugs from last night will work they way out. Paul Pierce should never play 40 minutes again this season. He started off strong but was worn down by the end.
The Celtics announced yesterday that they picked up the option on Avery Bradley's contract for the 2013-2014 NBA Season. This would seem an obvious move since Bradley had a break out season last year, moving into the starting lineup until shoulder injuries forced him out of action in the playoffs. He has emerged as one of the best on the ball defenders in the league.
Bradley averaged 7.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 21.4 minutes of play over 64 games last season. He shot 49.8% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc. Bradley is expected to return from dual shoulder surgeries some time in December and will more then likely return to the starting lineup when he does.
Dionte Christmas will continue his career with CSKA Moscow, according to Eurohoops on Twitter. Christmas will replace Drew Nicholas who did not play up to the expectations of the coaching staff in the first months of the season. Christmas averaged 18.6ppg, 4rpg and 3apg with AGOR last season. He had turned down offers from European teams before he accepted the partially guaranteed contract with the Celtics. His dream is still to make it in the NBA but that dream is once again on hold for a little longer.
The Celtics opened up their 2012-2013 NBA Season against the rival Heat on Tuesday night. Coming in, the game was filled with storylines such as; a rematch of the Eastern Conference final, Celtics vs. Ray Allen, and the crowning of the King. All of these aspects played a big part in the game as emotions were high.
The game got off to a quick start with high energy and back and forth scoring as both Lebron James and Paul Pierce started out hot. With 2:45 left in the first quarter things heated up as Ray Allen entered the game for the first time as a member of the Miami Heat. Upon entering Allen made his way to the Celtics bench shaking hands with former coaches and teammates. Kevin Garnett would have none of it as he didn't even acknowledge Allen's presence but Allen let it be known almost immediately by hitting a corner 3 pointer.
The Celtics opened up with a starting line-up of Rajon Rondo, Courtney Lee, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass, and Kevin Garnett. Rondo was his typical efficient, feisty self tallying 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 13 assists. He also managed to draw a technical and flagrant foul as his frustration with the refs continued in the new season. Paul Pierce looked good in the opener shooting 6 of 15 for 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. He totaled the second most minutes playing 41 but looked to be fatigued in the end.
After a terrific offseason including, a great draft, trip to Istanbul and Milian, and finalizing the roster to 15 the Celtics open up the NBA season tonight against their rival, the Miami Heat.
Before we do so, I'm proud to kick off this years first Rookie Round-Up. Throughout the season we will review the Celtics rookies and their contributions as the season progresses. In our first we'll take a look at the rookies' background, their journey into the NBA, and their role this upcoming year.
A Great Start
The offseason started off well for the Celtics as they owned back to back picks in the first round at numbers 21 and 22 in the 2012 NBA draft. Rumors surfaced that sophomore Jared Sullinger from Ohio State was flagged with back issues that dropped his stock from a high lottery pick to a potential risk in the later rounds. Sullinger, a standout Power Forward and two time All-American in college waited as the Draft went on and his name was uncalled. And then it happened; "With the 21st pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Boston Celtics select Jared Sullinger from Ohio State". Jared had fallen into the lap of Celtics' President Danny Ainge and he wasn't about to pass on a player of that caliber.
Following the Celtics marquee selection was that of Fab Melo from Syracuse University who was taken as the 22nd overall pick. Melo, a towering 7 foot Center was the 2012 Big East Defensive Player of the Year and first Syracuse center taken in the first round since Ethan Thomas in 2002. Melo was largely considered a project by analysts as he would have to adjust to a faster pace and more man-to-man defensive schemes compared to the 2-3 zone he played at Syracuse.
In the second round, at the 51st overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected senior Kris Joseph, a small forward from Syracuse University. Kris played all four years of college basketball and was Syracuse's leading scorer in both his junior and senior seasons averaging about 14 PPG. This was the second year in a row the Celtics selected players who were teammates in college and hoped their relationship would help with their transition to the NBA.
Boston Celtics (0-0) at Miami Heat (0-0) Tuesday, October 30, 2012 8:00 PM ET Regular Season Game #1, Road Game #1 TV: TNT, SNET1 Radio: WEEI, WAXY, ESPNR American Airlines Arena
Referees: Monty McCutchen, Kane Fitzgerald, Sean Wright
Game day is finally here and excitement throughout Celtics Nation is very high. The Heat and Celtics face off for the first of four meetings between
these rivals. The Heat and
Celtics met four times during the 2011-12 regular season with Boston
winning the season series, 3-1. They also faced off
in the Eastern
Conference Finals, marking the third straight post-season that the two
teams were matched against each other in the playoffs. The Heat won the
series, 4-3. Overall during the regular season the Celtics are 61-38
all-time against the Heat, and are 28-23 in games played in Miami.
Doc
Rivers has made the Heat the #1 enemy of the Celtics by playing the
Eastern Conference Finals games on a continuous loop in the locker room
all during training camp. Even the new players now hate the Heat.
There is also added intrigue to the rivalry with Ray Allen turning his
back on the Celtics to join the enemy. There have been many words back
and forth this preseason and now it comes down to putting it all on the
court.
We know that Jason Terry badly wants to out-play Ray.
Ray wants to stick it to the Celtics more than he already has. The
Celtics need to look past their desire to beat their old teammate for
his defection and his jabs at the team in recent interviews, however and
play team ball, concentrating on playing as a team and stopping the Heat as a team. Like Doc
said, if all they focus on is Ray, they will lose by 40.
The starting lineup is likely to be the one posted after the jump. Rondo, Lee, Pierce and KG are a pretty safe bet to start. However, as late as an hour ago, Doc was not sharing who would start at power forward. We can speculate that it will be Brandon Bass, who started there last season. However Doc has said that he will use 3 different lineups this season with Bass, Green and Sullinger rotating at the 4. I don't see Doc starting a rookie in the very first game. So, I'm guessing it will be Bass, but Doc could surprise and start Green (or really surprise) and start Sully.
Another
side note is that the Heat will be receiving their Championship rings
in a ceremony before tip off. Back in 2008 when the Celtics received
their rings on opening night against the Cavs, LeBron chose to remain in
the locker room rather than watching the proceedings. Doc has said today that he will keep his team in the locker room during the ring ceremony.
With Opening Day just a few hours away, I decided to post an introspective look into my being a Celtics fan in another country. Hope it satiates the hunger for a bit while waiting for the 2012-2013 season.
There is something special about being a Celtics fan. Maybe it’s
the rich history, or the championship banners, the legendary Celtic pride,
Ubuntu or all of them. I really cannot explain.
Let me rephrase that: there is something special about the
consequences of caring for a group of professional athletes who have embraced
true team basketball and inimitable pride in their craft.
I am proud to call myself a Celtics fan, even in a country where
basketball is only played by expatriates and the number one sport is soccer.
Here in the United Arab Emirates, the sport of David Beckham is king. Still, life
isn’t so bad, as the numerous basketball tournaments here sponsored by generous
Filipino communities make sure that the game of hoops is well and alive in the
Middle East.
Kevin Garnett was in China in the offseason to promote his new shoe for Anta, and he also made an appearance on The Generation Show. He was joined by another major star athlete in China, ping-pong world champion Wang Hao. KG and Wang Hao played a game of ping pong and thankfully, both took it a little easy on each other. Wang Hao used his off-hand, and still had to take it extra easy on KG and KG didn't bring any of his trademark intensity (or language) to the match. Everyone, especially KG, looked like they had a lot of fun.
ESPN Dallas is reporting that the Mavericks have officially waived Delonte West. After suspending Delonte twice within a two week period for conduct detrimental to the team, they have officially waived him. The move will allow them to keep Eddy Curry on the roster as a fill in for Dirk until he recovers from knee surgery.
Sources said the Mavs were concerned that West was negatively influencing younger players on the roster. There was a belief that West, an eight-year veteran who was a valuable role player for the Mavs last season, could not handle the frustration of having to settle for another one-year, veteran-minimum contract.
I've always liked Delonte. He always did really well in Boston and is a tough player who goes all out on the court. He has had some problems due to bipolar disorder, but can definitely help a team if they are willing to work with him. There's no chance for a third stint with the Celtics at this point but I'd always welcome him back.
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Here is the video that the photo that has been going around the internet came from. I know that I may seem obsessed with Gerald. But I'm just following a former Celtic that I've always liked and that I'm rooting for. Now, Perk is my real obsession. If you don't believe me, you can check out my Celtic Thunder website. I still love Perk. He'll always be my favorite Celtic and my favorite player. But you have to be fascinated with a kid like Gerald that can dunk looking down at the basket. He NEEDS to be in the dunk contest.
Six of the SI Writers make their picks for Eastern and Western Conference Champs along with NBA Champion. No love for the Celtics at all. Kind of reminds me of the ESPN Predictions in 2008 where all but Tim Legler picked the Lakers to beat the Celtics. Here are the SI picks.
In and Insider article, Mark Stein posted his top five potent duos in the NBA. There are the ones that you might expect. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James lesd the list. He lists Dwight Howard with any one of 3 other Lakers (Kobe, Nash, or Gasol) as his second choice. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are the third, which kind of surprised me. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah came in 4th. And in 5th, he listed Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Here is what he had to say about this Celtic duo.
5. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett
This might surprise you, but these guys have complemented each other more over the past five seasons than any of the previously mentioned tandems. In the past, Pierce has been the cold-blooded scorer while Garnett was the monster defender and uber-competitor.
But over the past few seasons their roles have changed, in part because of what they do for each other. Garnett was dominant through much of the playoffs last season, fiercely demanding the ball in the paint and then finishing the job. But Pierce has learned to be a fierce fighter on defense and hits the glass when his team needs a jolt of extra energy and lift. Each can still do what they have always done, but the years of playing together has helped each other develop new skills and make their tandem far more formidable than it was when they first joined forces.
Nice to see The Captain and KG getting some respect. It's much deserved.
"If you go small against us, you may be playing into our hands." - #Celtics Doc Rivers before the C's practice this morning.
— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) October 29, 2012
The Celtics have so much versatility this season with small ball lineups. Let's see what Doc can throw out there to throw the opponents' defenses into disarray.
He can throw out a 4 guard lineup with Rondo, Jet, Courtney, Barbosa, along with Jeff Green. That could be the fastest 5 man unit in the league. Or, we might see Rondo, Barbosa, Lee, Green and Wilcox. And let's say we have Rondo, Bradley, Barbosa, Lee and Green. Or, just for fun, let's see a 5 guard lineup with Rondo, Bradley, Barbosa, Lee and Jet. We wouldn't get many rebounds, but maybe we wouldn't need any with the speed, scoring, and defense of that team. Doc will be like the proverbial kid in a candy store as he picks and chooses his lineups. This is going to be a fun year.
With the preseason over, Celtic fans can look ahead to October 30th,
when our newly reloaded Celtics finally take the floor against the reigning NBA
Champions and Eastern Conference roadblock Miami Heat. Throw all the analysis,
prognosis and speculations out the window: it’s time for some real basketball
to begin.
What else can we look forward to this upcoming week?
The real start of the basketball season: as I mentioned,
the games will matter now and teams will begin to play at full strength. The
experimental lineups will be scrapped and we will see regular rotations take
the floor. Of course, there is only one rotation that we are most interested
in, and that will be Doc Rivers’. My money is on a
Rondo-Lee-Pierce-Bass-Garnett lineup to begin the season, and hopefully draw
first blood in the battle to beat the Heat.
Jared Sullinger’s ‘real’ pro debut: When we saw
Sully lead the Celtics in the Summer Leagues, we gushed with anticipation. When
he played well with Boston starters in the preseason, we were flooded with
excitement. But the real test comes in Sully’s first NBA regular season game, a
baptism of ‘fire’ on the road against Miami. If he plays anything at all like
we have seen from his first two ‘debuts’, Sully can very well be the steal of the
draft. I’m
almost thankful to the NBA for red-flagging him during the draft.
Jeff Green’s triumphant return and tempering of expectations: Jeff Green is a
feel good story, a young swingman with potential to be very good for quite some
time. His preseason was excellent, although one of the things most pleasing
about him is his ideal for self-improvement. James
Worthy-comparisons aside, Celtic fans see Green as either the heir to Paul Pierce after the
Captain hangs ‘em up or an overpaid role player. I think it’s time for
everybody to temper their expectations and just let Green play.
The bench comes out to play: A bench this deep can wreak havoc on
the second units of most NBA teams. Depth has been a key issue for the C’s for
a while now, with loveable scrubs Ryan Hollins (gone to Hollywood) and Greg
Steimsma (guaranteed contract with Minnesota) getting big man playing time with
Mickael Pietrus (funny guy) and Keyon Dooling (retired) in the backcourt. The
dynamic will change drastically this year, with Sixth Man of the year awardees
Jason Terry and Leandro Barbosa (albeit in a smaller capacity) and the
aforementioned youngsters Green and Sullinger, among others.
Kevin Garnett, the anchor: After an offseason in which he kept everybody guessing on his next
move, Kevin Garnett is back. We can thank Danny Ainge for talking him into
three more years of Celtic basketball and while Doc Rivers never really
believed that KG would retire, I for one had to sit through the Game 7 Conference
Finals loss to the Heat wondering if this was the last time I will ever see the
chest pounding, jump-shootin’, chalk-tossin’ KG in the NBA. Thank God he’s
back.
No. 20 sniping against, not for, Celtic green: After five
years of the Big Three, Ray Allen is no more. The offseason stories have been
written, frustrations have been aired on both sides and now the time has come
to play the Heat with Allen in South Beach White. It feels like a betrayal, and
I will leave it up to you if it indeed counts as one, but it is all over and done
with and now it’s time to play some real ball. Less talkin’ more ballin’, I
say.
Stay tuned for our weekly prognosis and summary, including coverage
leading up to opening week.
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