Wallace Could Do Wonders

About 2 1/2 months ago when the Celtics were battling in the playoffs, I half-jokingly posted about the importance of the return of Brian Scalabrine.

That was the main problem -- it was only half a joke. What the C's desperately needed was someone who had the length to alter shots on defense and could stretch the floor on offense.

Scal did those things. Rasheed Wallace does them better. Way better.

That's why the Celtics impending signing of Detroit's big man to a 2-year, $11.5 million contract is a big deal. 'Sheed gives the Celts size, rebounding and a perimeter game that they were lacking at the tail end of last season.

Leon Powe is out for half the year and probably not coming back. Big Baby is undersized, has an inconsistent jumper and may not be back either. Signing Wallace was basically Plan A and B for the Celtics. Their whole offseason hinged on it.

Now they can sit back, with a core of Wallace, Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Eddie House and Rajon Rondo and hope the likes of Grant Hill, Tyronn Lue and some sort of backup big man feel like joining the fray and gunning for a title.

Boston still has the cap-friendly veteran's minimum ($1.3 million) and biannual exception ($1.9 mill) to dole out. Hill and/or Lue would be a candidate for one or both. Another low-cost big man (like a Patrick O'Bryant, but maybe not as stiff) will be added as well.

All in all it gives the C's a solid compliment off the bench or starting in place of KG or Perk, the former coming off knee surgery and the latter susceptible to annual shoulder injuries.

I'm not saying this is on par with the Cavaliers getting Shaq or the Magic landing Vince Carter, but it certainly helps the C's in various areas of need.

And what more do you want in your offseason signings?

--Nick

What are the Celtics up to?

Quick Answer: Who the hell knows?

In-depth approach: Hmmm...after the latest rumor to surface today involving point guard Rajon Rondo -- Rondo and Brian Scalabrine to Memphis for Mike Conley and and Rudy Gay -- it has become 100% clear that the Celtics are intent on shopping around their once-prized point guard to at least see if they can get anything of value.

Why? Well it looks like Danny Ainge sees trouble ahead in his contract negotiations with Rondo. The Kentucky alum has one year left on his deal and has already been quoted saying he's looking for max money. That's laughable unto itself, but the fact that Rondo legit thinks he's worth that much has to be scary for Ainge and the C's brass, especially considering they already have three players (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen) making max or close to it.

Ray will be off the books by then and you can bet that's the ONLY reason why he's being shopped around in these reported Rondo deals. A) In the downtrending economy and in a league that was hesitant to make trade-deadline deals because of financial concerns, Allen's $19 million+ expiring deal becomes a valuable trading chip. B) The Celtics regardless if they trade Allen or let him walk after next season (can we all agree he's 3-years-and-done with the Green?) it will free up plenty of cap space for the vaunted Summer of 2010 when Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki and plenty of others becomes free agents.

In fact, the C's have already been linked to DWade by more than one outlet.

Still, it remains a bit perplexing to see the Celtics so adamantly shop their fine young point guard. When we first heard Rondo and Ray to Phoenix for Amare and Barbosa, we all laughed, Ainge denied it and we shrugged it off. Then a few weeks later we heard Rondo to Sacramento for Jason Thompson and the No. 4 pick. Peculiar we thought, since this is widely held as one of the weakest drafts in recent memory, one where the difference between the second and 15th pick could be negligible. Why would you want to trade up in a draft like that? Rubbish, we thought.

But thennnnn, yesterday the big bombsell dropped. This wasn't just a few reports on local radio stations or various blogs, this was SportsCenter, the juggernaut of all things sports, leading off it's morning program with a whopper of a rumor: the Celtics approached Detroit about sending Rondo and Ray Allen to the Pistons for Rodney Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton.

Of course we were told that this was just a few "lower level" execs talking shop. Not Joe Dumars or Danny Ainge. Predictably, Ainge broke his cone of silence yesterday to address the swirling Rondo and Ray to Detroit rumors. Here's what he said YESTERDAY:

“I’m not sure why his name keeps popping up, but I’ll tell you this: We love Rajon, and I think everyone in here knows what kind of a player he is and what kind of a bright future he has.

“I’m not going to comment on which trade rumors are true and which ones aren’t true, but it’s amazing. And I hope you can all maintain your integrity in this world of media that we live in. It doesn’t seem that you have to have any source anymore. You can just write stuff and print stuff and things just come out of the air.

“The one thing I can assure you - I will never sit up here and say there is one player that is untradeable ever,” Ainge continued. “But the notion we might be trading him because of some reason other than we think we can be better trading any player because of any (other) reason (is not true).

“Because of his contract situation, I’ve heard speculation. I’ve heard speculation of we’re dissatisfied with him or his attitude. That stuff is so false. He showed up late for a playoff game so we’re going to trade him. None of those things are true. We love the kid and we think he has a very bright future.”

OK, damage control. But WHY were the C's so intent on shopping Rondo for the past few weeks? I mean, didn't we all think things were working out fine after last year's title run and this year's KG-less second-round exit? All of a sudden Chad Ford is on ESPN telling people the C's are unhappy with Rondo, that he has an attitude problem and he's tough to coach??

We've had Doc Rivers -- always the player's coach -- throw a few veiled references out there that Rondo may be a bit stubborn. But after his first year and the first half of the 2007-2008 season, we didn't hear much else. And when was Rondo late for a playoff game? No Celtics beat that I read covered this?

Well, things got a whole lot more interesting today. Here is what Danny Ainge had to say this morning on WEEI. Let me remind you, this is today, ONE DAY after he said the aforementioned comments above.

On being late:
"We expect him to play by the rules and be a leader as a point guard. We need him to be more of a leader," Ainge said. "There were just a couple situations where he was late this year, I don't know if he was sitting in his car, but showed up late and the rest of the team was there. We have team rules and you have to be on time. He was fined for being late, he said he was stuck in traffic, and it's just unacceptable."

On the playoff series with Orlando:
"As we saw in the Orlando series, they left him wide open," Ainge said. "His presence hurt us in winning right now because his man went and doubled onto Ray [Allen] and Paul [Pierce] and made it difficult for us."

On Rondo's attitude:
Ainge said Rondo wasn't "that disruptive of a player," but that he still hasn't fully matured.
"He's got to grow up in some cases, and I think he is, too," Ainge said. "Slowly but surely Rondo is maturing. He's getting a little bit more control over his emotions and he's responding in a more positive way as he gets older and more mature in the league."

On Rondo's contract situation:
"Not right now, I don’t think that Rondo’s a max contract player. I think it’s a good goal for Rondo to have from a monetary standpoint, to be that kind of player that warrants a max-contract player. I certainly don’t see Rondo as a max contract player today."

On signing LeBron or Dwyane Wade:
"It’s something we’ve discussed, and it’s something we’ve actually set ourselves up for, to have an opportunity to think along those lines. This year, it’s a tough call because we’re trying to win now. If we try to improve our team this summer, it could prevent us from having an opportunity to be in the stakes for a big superstar in 2010 unless it’s through a sign-and-trade. A sign-and-trade might be a more viable way to get him than through cap space.

"You’re at a disadvantage with cap space because you can’t pay them within $30 million of what their team that they’re currently with can pay them, and you can’t pay them the length of the contract for the same amount of years. So it’s better and more likely to get a superstar free agent, in most cases, through sign-and-trades.

"That’s probably our best opportunity. You also have to be an attractive team, and a team that has some value. You can’t just have the money. You have to have other players that will allow that player to win. With KG and Paul and the contracts that remain going forward, that may be the attraction. We may not have enough money, but if you have some assets to trade for that superstar, that may be your best opportunity."

--What the?? What the F is going on here. The Celtics sure kept a good lid on how unhappy they were with Rondo during the past few years. Why did no reporter cover this story? And where is Doc Rivers on all this? Wouldn't you just love to get his take?

There are possibly a few things going on here, all or none of which could be true:

1) The Celtics really are unhappy with Rondo, don't think he's going to be signable for an amount OK for them, and wouldn't mind dealing him for a young point for cheap money and either a draft pick (Ricky Rubio?) or a complementary player.

2) The C's are more concerned with clearing cap space for 2010, getting Ray Allen out of here and using their one solid trade chip (Rondo) to do so.

3) But why come out and bash Rondo in the public eye if you're trying to trade him? Makes no sense. Red's Army had an interesting theory that maybe Ainge is trying to negotiate throgh trade rumors and the media. Something like: "You haven't been the perfect model citizen and team player for us, we even tried to trade you and no one bite, you know you aren't worth max money, but we'll pay you X instead."

or 4) Ainge has zero clue what he's doing. Why would he want to trade a pass-first point who has proven he can deal with 3 superstars and is more than capable of running the offense and driving to the hoop when he absolutely has to. It's like the pre-Big Three Era when Ainge flip flopped between making a playoff run (Gary Payton, hello again Antoine Walker) and rebuilding (tanking, trading Ricky Davis for nothing, etc.) every other year.

What's the answer? I have no idea. But if you believe in one of the four options, or have a theory of your own, by all means comment. I know we have some serious hoop fans here. So lemme know what you think.

--Nick

The Slow Demise of Boston...

So here we are, coming off a weekend where we saw the both the Bruins and Celtics drop Game 7s and the Red Sox lose 4-of-6 on the West Coast.

There will be no June playoff games in Boston, a thought as surprising in April (Bruins) as it was in October (Celtics). We are now officially a one-sport town until September. How did we use to do this before???

The Celts was a far less surprising loss after the Game 6 defeat. Let’s face it: they didn’t have much left. The C’s looked as good as they had all series in the first three quarters on Thursday, but after they blew the lead in the fourth, you just had a feeling that the meter was finally a little too far past empty – these boys were on strictly fumes.

When Big Baby is giving you Big Minutes and you feel like you need to keep Scal out of foul trouble, you are wayyyy past being competitive. Forget KG, even Leon Powe would have changed the dynamic of this team. So would have any big man with half a brain (you know, not Mikki Moore).

The Bruins, well, that’s a different story. Like New Jersey before them, the Bs were outworked, outhustled and at some points overmatched by an otherwise inferior team. The salt on the wound was that the goal was scored by Scott Walker. But then again, isn’t this how it always ends for the B’s? A bit too early in May? This team was supposed to be different, but flaws were exposed during this series. Not so much in the X’s and O’s, but more in the character of a young club and possibly the ability of the coach to get the most out of his players. Yes, I’m pointing a finger at Claude Julien. When a team with 116 points in the regular season can’t connect on simple tape-to-tape passes or clear their own zone for three straight games, something is wrong.

The Hurricanes are not winning the Stanley Cup. Plain and simple. But they took down two teams who could have.

As good as a Pittsburgh-Boston series would have been, Detroit-Boston would have been even better. As it stands now, looks like we’re looking at a rematch of last year’s Cup Finals (Red Wings – Pens).

The NBA? This final was decided long ago. Was there anyone who thought it wouldn’t be Cleveland-LA? Of course, the Magic and Nuggets might have something to say about that, but let’s be real, this is Lebron and Kobe time.

And that’s really the only thing that can save us: the prospect of two entertaining finals in both sports. Sure, we wish we could have our clubs in there, but at least there’s a chance we see some of the best teams – with the best players – duke it out for the title.

Now, if it’s Anaheim-Chicago or Denver-Magic, then we can bitch. Or shoot ourselves. Either one, I guess.

--Nick

Red and Me

I'm sure you are all well aware of Bill Russell's new book, Red and Me about his friendship with Celtics' coach, Red Auerbach. I believe it came out either yesterday or the day before in stores. This isn't a review by any means, no worries. This blog isn't a forum for me to dazzle you with my spectacular (aka limited/embarressing) knowledge of sports, but I do enjoy sports' history, fo' sho' and I am definitely planning on reading this.

Now, on to my main point. So, I had enough elbow room on the T this morning to actually spend some QT with the Wall Street Journal. And in spite of the inherently dissappointing news about the Boston Globe and the outlandish amounts of cash-money Bank of America needs to stay in bidness while still remaining the bane of my existence, I came across a really solid piece on Russell's book by WSJ writer, Jeff Trachtenberg, that I thought I would pass on.

All the other articles on the book I read were subpar. I think this write-up would make even the least likely Celtics' fan (maybe even a Lakers' fan) pick up and read the book. Here's the LINK, I believe it should work. (Also, that's the pic from the Journal, I thought it was pretty baller -- circa 1969)

Go Ceeeeees. Side note, does J.J. Reddick still reek of DUKE and awfulness to anyone else?

<3kate

Sometimes the Bear Gets You

Remember when I told you all about 2 of the Blogfathers and a Blogfollowers attempt to hit up the Celts-Bruins double-home playoff games on one Saturday, followed by a Sox matinee and Marathon Monday expedition on that Patriots' Day?

Well, I wanted to make a photo diary. What were the chances of that actually happening? 10 percent? 20 percent? Zero?? I'm the same guy who brings a camera on vacation and leaves it in the hotel the whole time. I'm not good with these things. Plus the times I really want to remember are the times were I usually am too impaired to make it happen. Damn. What follows is a super piss-poor example of a photo journal, with jusssst enough to make it funny that I even tried. Woo, Sorry for Partying.

10:35 AM: Gotta take the T on a day like this. The goal of this pic was to justbarely get us all in the corners of it. That way ppl on the T wouldn't think we were trying to take a self-pic. Nice.


12:15 PM: Celtssss brooooo. Let me innnnn.


DX was there:

They gave out Boston is a Brotherhood T-Shirt. I've since warn it twice more. The Celts have lost 3 three times. Needless to say, that shirt is retired for awhile.

We were upgraded to 10th row Loge from balcony for free. Good seats...

...you know, cept for the hoop..

Came down to the wire...

Met up with some ill Boston bros at the Greatest Bar, maybe the best place to go if you're around the Garden. If you're at Fenway, then it's obviously the Tavern. Notice my uniform change and the vintage B's jersey. Thing's a men's medium I've had since I was 12 years old. Look at that Bear on the sleeve. Just don't make em like that anymore...or with the fat mustard and shit all over it.

7:59 PM: Back to the timestamp for effect. I had 3 pictures total from the Bruins. Here, I set the camera setting to "My Vision" and this is what I got.

11:59 PM: Over 12 hours later, back home. Good looks to Jules on the picture.

Marathon Monday: My seats at the Sox were too tight to reach in and get my camera out. I'm only joking 10 percent. So squished. Jake thinks he is going to run one of these:

This sums it all up:

Sorry for wasting some of your life.

--Nick

Don't Mess with Sports

Don't dare try and mess with sports in the spring. They are in control. Sport normally play a large part in my life, but at this time of year, they simply dictate it.

TV shows gather up dust on my DVR, movies from Blockbuster online sit idly in their cases, workout times get skipped, trips to the mall or movies are nixed and phone calls to friends and relatives are just a passing thought.

Because every night there is a playoff game -- hockey or basketball -- and more than likely, a baseball game to boot. You just can't beat this time of year.

We saw the last round of the NCAA Tournament in April, followed by the first few weeks of baseball and the NFL draft.

We rang in May with the Kentucky Derby and the Pacquiao-Hatton fight. And over the course of it all, the NBA and NHL playoffs played out into the second round.

It's a good time to be a dude. Only one problem: how do you expect me to not drink everyday? I have crispy cold Coors Lights and Sam Summers in the fridge, and you think I can just let these treats rest while I watch the Celts, Bruins and Red Sox? C'mon now. No true man can say no. It's not healthy, but it's not fair. Any fan with a rooting interest needs beer with sports. And why don't you throw in some chips, pizza, or nachos too. For the boys.

So when you see me hovering around 300 pounds in the future, just know I did it for the sake of your favorite teams.

That said, here's a quick outlook at where we stand on the day of the Celtics-Orlando Game 1, Sox-Yanks in the Bronx and less than 24 hours after the Hurricanes tied up the Bruins:

B's: Outplayed in the two periods I saw last night. Carolina goalie Cam Ward is sneaky. He was the playoff MVP for the 'Canes when they won the cup in 2006, and he looked sharp last night. Eric Staal finally showed up on the scoresheet -- the first time he's done so in six games against Boston. Overall, I'm not too worried, the Bruins had to lose at some point, but it always hurts to drop one at home. I think we split in Carolina and take the last two games (1-and-1) to win in six.

C's: After the most epic first-round series in sports history and one of the best series in basketball maybe ever, the Celtics will be hard-pressed to avoid a hangover against Orlando. I like the Magic, even without Dwight Howard (actually I teased Orlando minus Dwight against Philly along with Houston over Portland on Thursday night. Easy $$). The Magic played us tough all year and once again, Boston's lack of big men will come back and haunt it. If Paul Pierce plays like he did collectively in the Chicago series, than I can't see this one going past 5-6 games. But who knows, whenever I underestimate Pierce, he comes through. Guy's a machine. If we can get Howard in foul trouble, guard Turkoglu's step-back 3 and limit Rashard Lewis' open looks, we'll be in good shape. That's a lot of 'ifs' but the point is clear: in this series, success will start and end on the defensive end.

Sox: After getting pwned by Carl Crawford and the Rays all weekend, the suddenly pitching-less Sox make their first trip to the New Yankee Stadium (is that its official name or just what everyone calls it??). Would love to see Jon Lester turn in a good start tonight, but more importantly I'd like to see the starters do better as a whole. Anyone not named Wakefield has so far pitched poorer than expectations. Well, not Masterson, but he's a spot starter for now. Lineup has been grinding and tough to get through usually, although it sputtered a bit against The Rays' Matt Garza and James Shields; something the club needs to figure out sometime this year. Lovin' Youk right now. He seriously might be the best hitter in the AL. The BHITAL, if you will. The former BHITAL, David Ortiz, is now the WHITAL. Kiddin. Kind of. But he doesn't seem happy, and in my opinion, really hasn't since the Manny trade. You saw that in his body language all weekend. Tossing the bat, slamming his helmet, and sitting by himself in the dugout. He needs a little fake DL stint to get his mind right, I think. He pretends like he doesn't care that columnists and fans doubt him now, but the reality is he cares tons.This quote from the Globe pretty much sums it up:

"I'm not happy," Ortiz said. "Why should I be? But I'll tell you what ... I'm just gonna keep the flow, keep playing the game, not worry about too many things. I don't want to be listening to all the negativity, all the (expletive) everybody come with. Because it seems like it's never enough. People all they like to see is people fail so they had a reason to talk (smack). So I'm not paying attention to any of it. I'm trying to stay away from talking because I don't need to talk, I need to do things right now. I will do things, believe me."

I'll leave you with this, which is how you really brawl in baseball. In fact, I heard of the Perkins' brothers starting the same thing in the Brockton league on Sundays:



Leave thoughts/comments below.

--Nick

Will Farrell's Influence & Jacoby the Jet

At the risk or wasting all my good material in one day, I can't wait to get the following three items out there and off my chest. Firstly, there were two great Will Farrell influenced moments in sports this weekend. One was all the comparisons between Brian Scalabrine, wearing a protective headband since he returned from a concussion, and Jackie Moon, Farrell's character in Semi Pro. I searched forever but couldn't find a picture of Scal with a headband, but I found one of him recently without and when compared to Jackie Moon without, they like still look alike:

The second Farrell-related thing was the best. Carl Edwards suffered a crazy crash while fighting to keep his lead on the last lap at Talladega, flipped his car, then got out and ran on foot to the finish line. Re-read that sentence. He did the real life Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights. Clip is right here:

And finally the last - but certainly not least - item I have for you is regarding Jacoby Ellsbury. After Ellsbury swiped home last night, my old roomate texted me "Benny the Jet Rodriquez" in honor of the star player in the movie The Sandlot who famously stole home ('The Jet Stole Home!'). While the reference was only in relation to the steal, in my head I kind of remembered The Jet when he was younger looking like Ellsbury. Looked it up today and picture it's the same guy. Here's Benny the Jet, aka Young Jacoby Ellsbury:

Finally, we'll leave you with this little nugget. I thought the officiating was a little one-sided in yesterday's Celtics game. I just had no idea how much. From the Herald:

"At least one member of the Celtics entourage was taken aback at the sight of the officiating crew exiting the United Center. Two of the three members of the group, which consisted of Danny Crawford, Bill Kennedy and Marc Davis, were spotted with their families decked out in Bulls gear.

Kennedy ejected Celtics coach Doc Rivers from a game in Chicago on March 17, and two days later was fined (as was Rivers) for his actions."

---Nick

The Return of a Savior?

Tonight’s Game 3 matchup between the Celtics and Bulls marks a semi-historic night.

For Celtics’ fans, the return of a legend is upon us. A big man. A center or power forward. A man who, so amassed with talent, was starting every game at one point during the season.

He can shoot. He can defend. He makes the Celtics better.

Yes, I’m talking about Brian Scalabrine.

The Big Redhead is set to return from post-concussion syndrome for tonight’s game at the United Center, and it couldn’t have come soon enough.

Seriously, the Celtics need Scales. With KG resigned to making Don't Be a Menace faces on the bench and Leon Powe now done for the year, the Cs are desperately short on big men. Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis and Mikki Moore were all that were available to coach Doc Rivers in Game 2 in Boston.

Scalabrine, despite not playing since February, will actually step right into the rotation. In fact, after a few games – if the Celtics are still in it – he’ll probably start.

What Scales brings to the table is two things:

1) He stretches the floor offensively, with Chicago forced to cover a 4 or 5 who can bust a 3-ball. This obviously opens things up for slashers like Pierce and Allen.

2) He helps the club defensively by being able to guard the Thomases, Tim and Tyrus, either on the perimeter or down low. He’s also a smart player, a guy who won’t get lost in the defensive rotation (hello, Mikki Moore).

Yes, I know this was a bit-tongue-in-cheek and hyperbolic, but I am legit happy to be getting Scales back. Like it or not, we need this man.

Go Celts.

-Nick

The Kid Is Back

Sorry for the 3-day absence. I had a crazy past couple of days that included a visit from my best dude from college, a double-dip playoff day on Saturday and Sox game/Marathon fest yesterday. Basically, I’m spending the next 2-3 weeks in a local rehab facility.

The Saturday B’s and C’s games were unreal. To be at the Garden area for 12-13 hours with some of the illest partiers around during two playoff games is absurd. Three of us went in to the games (barely), and I’m glad to say, three of us went out. It ended pretty much as expected, with a broken phone, an all-out legit header down two rows of seats and a Chris Farley-esque, beer, flying, ass skidding slip down the balcony stairs. A little something for all of us. But because I haven’t worked for the past 3 business days and because I’m deathly tired, I’ll save the stories/comments and a lame attempt at a photo journal (what there the real chances of that happening?) for another post.

For now, here are some random thoughts:

-Picture you care zero who wins the Boston Marathon, but it remains an unreal fixture in your life regardless. The day off, the craziness, the early Sox game and the overall drunken stupor make it an event worthwhile. People have been getting hammered and high-fiving tired-ass runners for years.

-I love the online ads for the celebrity IQ tests. Oh yea, I’m sure Oprah took your little online quiz. Who the hell is this tricking? “Oh, looks like Mylie Cyrus scored a 118 on this IQ test, I bet I can beat her!!” C’mon now. Either the people making these ads are clueless or the public is a lot dumber than I’m giving them credit for.

-Why do you have to pay more for iced coffee when you get less coffee and more water than regular coffee?

-The waffle shirt/thermal or white long sleeve under your T-shirt is really the best way to go during the springtime. It allows you to get away with not wearing a jacket, which will just hinder your movement all night and give you something to leave behind, and also provides a fresh look and the ability to roll up the sleeves to cool off.

-Like it or not, you can’t stop Ron Brownz. Peep that song in this week’s Music Monday. Oh man.

-I can never go without the internet on my phone again. Not knowing everything and anything whenever I want is unacceptable to me now. Kinda like how I love watching TV with a laptop. Never know when I need sports stats, IMDB or Wikipedia. Chances are strong I’ll need all three. How the hell did people go about their lives 30 years ago? You just didn’t know much I guess. And if you wanted to find something out, you had to go to the library, ask an elder or call like a radio station or something. Haha. Must have saccckkked.

-My favorite jokes when I’m out drinking now are ‘bro-ing’ people and calling myself “the kid” to be obnoxious. Both make me dece giggle.

--Nick

A Tribute to....Me ranting

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Rivers: KG NOT Ready for Playoffs

Doc Rivers was on EEI this morning. Just awful, terrible news. I'm so mad about this. This injury has been the most confusing, shadiest thing this side of Brady's knee. I'll let Doc take it from here:

“I don’t see it. I just don’t,” Rivers said about Garnett being ready to play. “I’ve flipped completely, because I was watching him move (before) and he looked great.

But after today, there’s no way he can play.”

Would he would tell Garnett he can’t play?

“I did today. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t keep getting treatment and see where he can go, but there’s no way he can play.”

“The guy’s a warrior and you can see him trying to mask it, but after 20 minutes of running, there’s just no way,” Rivers said.

“It may send a message to our guys that there’s nobody you’re waiting for. And it can help us in that way. That’s the only way it can help us.”

Facccckkkkkk. Look the NBA refular season is way too long. I can't remember the last time I actuall watched a Celtics game end to end. I thought it was because the seeding has been decided forever or because I'm just plain sick of regular season ball since at this point all that matters is the playoffs. But that's not it at all. It's because of this guy. KG, bro, I miss you so much. Don't get why they tease us every few games seying you're ready to come back. Get well. We NEED you this spring...

Titletown, USA

(WARNING: It's about to get real obnoxious for anyone not from New England. But F it, like Khaled says, "We daa besssttt.)

Nice little feature from John Powers in today's Globe talking about how Boston has the chance to go for four titles this year, considering the Celts and B's are top contenders and the perenial compeitivness of the Pats and Sox.

It reminded be of a convo I had with the vote-rigging Blogfather Jake about a month ago. Over a few frosty brew treats, Jake and I were discussiong which of the four major teams had the best shot to win a title this year. And it's not any of the answers that make it memorable, but just the fact that we were entertaining the idea of such a scenerio shows you just how good things are right now.

The 2004 season was great when the Sox and Pats won it all. But there really hasn't been a time since both the Celts and Bruins competed in the same year since maybe 1986. With the Bruins mammouth series with Montreal set to begin Thursday night at the Garden and the Celts set to tip off Staurday against any one of a number a teams (also, mind you, at the Garden) now is as good as it gets in terms of playoff atmosphere. I don't know about you, but spending my spring nights alternating between Celts and Bs playoff games is possibly the best thing I could ask for; my liver on the other hand, not so much.

In conjunction with that Globe article, they also did a photo shoot. The one at the top of the post was my fav. Here is a short video from the shoot. Pretty sure Ortiz just walked in with that outfit:

Also in anticipation of the Bruins playoff series -- since it is only 2 days away against their most storied of rivals -- here are two sweet commercials for those who haven't seen 'em. How ill the bear?:

Pretty sure the guy in this one is like my uncle:




--Nick

The Raja Bell Watch...

After the Celtics “trade” of Sam Cassell for a future protected 2nd-round pick to the Kings in exchange for Sam I Am and a half a mill, we now have about an hour and a half to see if the Celts do anything before the trading deadline.


What the Cassell deal did was effectively save the Celts about $800,000 of the cap while freeing up a roster spot (they have 2 now that Tony Allen is on injured reserve).

The No. 1 pursuit is Charlotte guard and former Boston University star Raja Bell. While the Celts have shown interest in the only current NBA player from BU, reports indicate that they may not have the chips to get a deal done. Boston really has nobody to trade outside of JR Giddens and a draft pick, both of which won’t pry someone like Bell.

What is more interesting is the fact that New Orleans’ trade of Tyson Chandler to Oklahoma for Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith was vetoed by the Thunder over concerns of Chandler’s big toe (weird because the doctor who looked at him was the doctor who performed the tow surgery last year when the Hornets were in OK: “Yea, turns out I did a sucky job.”) This is relevant because now Smith – highly coveted by Danny Ainge and the Celts’ brass – is now back on the market. And while, again, we may not see a trade happen, if Smith does get bought out, he’d like to come to the Green.

Also, Calvin Booth was just traded to the Kings along with Rashad McCants with Sheldon Williams and Bobby Brown headed to the Timberwolves. Booth has played just one game for Minny this year and he, like Cassell, should be waived by the Kings soon after his acquisition. Booth, for some reason, is another target of Ainge.

And finally, Stephon Marbury. Starbury won’t be bought out before the trade deadline, but there are reports that he still will get cut by the Knicks in time to join a team for the playoff run. If he is finally bought out, look for him to come to Boston.

We end with this sweet video of KG “dressing down” one of my fav gimmicks, Craig Sager:

Visiting The King

I'm kicking myself for not making some money last night. I loved the Cavs only laying 4 at home. I was even writing up the pick of the night post when two of my places I check for handicapping advice had the Celts as their lock so I layed off. Oh well, you always seem like a better gambler when you don't actually bet. There aren't many worse things then listening to stories about gambling losses though. Well unless its really amazing like the time my buddy lost a grand when he had the over in the Pacers/Pistons Brawl game. He needed 2 more points with 45 seconds to go for the over to hit. Then Artest charged the stands, the last 45 seconds never got played, and it stayed under. Anyway, back to the Cavs/Celts.

In terms of how the game played out, it was all about The King. Lebron is on another planet. The MVP this year should probably be unanimous. I had to write a little bit about him after seeing that.

"James scored 38 points, 23 in the second half. He added seven rebounds, six assists, four steals, three blocks and made Pierce's life miserable for 35 minutes." - AP

The King's evolution from average defender to one of the best in the world is frightening (for the Celts). On the perimeter he is shutting people down. I heard Steve Kerr say in an interview that this year Lebron has turned himself into the best perimeter defender since Scottie Pippen in his prime. Thats what happens when the best athlete on the planet applies some technique and effort to that end of the court.

The aspect of James' freakish athleticism that allows him to do a lot of the superhuman things he does is his lateral quickness and agility. He can play tight on guys out on the perimeter with his huge frame and wingspan, while at the same time not be worried about getting beat to the hoop because of his shuffle prowess. You can also really see that lateral explosion in action when he is driving to the hoop and takes gazelle angles to get there. Its to the point where defenders can't attempt to draw a charge because when he sees them set their feet he just power hops to the left or right, blows right by them, and still somehow has enough speed to crunk a dunk with one more jump.

Lebron has officially passed Kobe as the best player individual player in the game now. Lebron's talent has finally caught up to Kobe's polish and work ethic. In that debate before this year, you could always point to Kobe's defense and scoring. And now Lebron might be playing better defense than Kobe and they both can score for days. The reality of the situation is that Lebron has more potential than anyone in the history of the game. Kobe is a hall of famer, an all time great even, but he is Jordan Lite. Lebron is different. He is a hybrid of all the all time greats, a frankenstein, a perfect storm. He could be the G.O.A.T., its atleast possible. And thats enough to keep me watching...

-This Celts slide is ugly but they will get it together and make it to the Eastern Conf Finals. Can they beat Cleveland though? I was petrified of that matchup when the Celts had 2 losses all year and had won 20 in a row. So at this point, with Cleveland looking like they have a good chance to get home court after Boston just ripped off 7 losses, I don't like their chances. We can't count out a KG led team though. If Boston and Cleveland are both playing their best basketball, that playoff series will be gold.

Rondo vs Stuckey (Vote In Poll Below)

There is no more wondering how well Rodney Stuckey would play if he had the chance to start. That time came in December when Michael Curry decided to Play Iverson at SG and give the heir apparent his shot at the point. Any question marks about him were erased when he put up 40 on Chicago shortly thereafter. The Pistons are now 13-3 in games where Stuckey starts at PG. At this point, Stuckey is having big games more often, including last Friday against the Kings where he put up 38 (even without hitting a 3ball) with 7 assists and 2 steals. Rajon Rondo handled the ball for the 2007-08 NBA Champions. And in my opinion this year Rondo is just as important to their success as Paul, Kevin, or Ray. Rondo's potential is through the roof. Both Stuckey and Rondo have legitimate cases to be named All Stars. Name me better PG's in the east, its tough huh? What I want to go over though is how they stack up against each other and who is the better baller. Lets look at their strengths and weaknesses. 

Rondo is never going to have a jumper, thats just a fact. He has gotten his field goal percentage up to respectable levels now but I bet that is more due to him torching defenders and getting layups. I would characterize his shooting as serviceable at best. The foul shooting percentage in the mid 60's is just awful for a starting point guard. Rondo's foul shooting holds his game back because he can torch almost anyone off the dribble, but drawing fouls with him usually only 'nets' 1 point. Rondo also has less range than KG on his shot and for some reason he always lays it up right handed and gets terrible rolls from the rim. So I basically could have just said shooting for Rondo. Stuckey's skill set is pretty well rounded. An early knock was his defense but he has actually been playing D well so far this season. One thing Stuckey can't do is distribute as well as Rondo, though not many people can. Stuckey can get shot happy as you might have seen when he launched 24 shots against the Clippers on Sunday.

These two young point guards are the future at the position in the Eastern Conference. Both Rondo and Stuckey can break people down off the dribble extremely well and are top notch athletes. Rondo is a little better at it but 5o cent, I mean Stuckey, is the better finisher. Rondo has extremely long arms at 6'1 and plays very good on the defense. Rondo legit has AI's number when they go at it. He shuts guys like that down if they can't use their size against him. Rondo has very good court vision, and you'll see the oops to KG on a regular basis. He is a very good passer and doesn't turn the ball over at a high rate. Stuckey is a big guard at 6'5 and is an explosive scorer. He plays a little like his backcourt mate Iverson in that he still gets assists but he loves putting the ball in the basket. Stuckey is big and strong but also has excellent quickness and can go left or right off the dribble and pull up for the silk J or take it to the rim and finish in traffic.

"Rondo has the ring and is proven. Stuckey is all flash and no cash. Seriously, Rondo is the better player right?". Its not that simple to me. Sure, most Celtic fans are going to say Rondo without blinking. But if you are being honest with yourself, and have seen Stuckey play, you have to atleast think on it. I am a big Rondo fan. For this Celtics team he is almost perfect. The youth, speed, handle, vision, distributing, athleticism and defense. Boston's 6'11 big man shoots 80% from the line, the franchise player is the best scorer in Boston since Bird, and their shooting guard is one of the best pure shooters of the last 30 years. In other words, Rondo's weaknesses aren't a huge problem. Rondo also has games where he is flat out dominant. Games where his confidence is on mars and he is eating the other pg's lunch, blowing by defenders effortlessly, his jumper is falling, making passes like Hot Sauce from 'And 1', and snatching rebounds. He even had a couple triple doubles this year so far. Danny Ainge described Rondo as a superhero who just found out about his powers and can't control them all the time. Sort of ridiculous but also pretty real.

"Stuckey is a future superstar. He already had 40 and 38 pt games in his short time as a starter. Rondo plays with 3 hall of famers, any mediocre PG could do that". I disagree with the Rondo knock that its all about the big 3. Of course that helps the teams success but Rondo's game has improved exponentially over the last 2 years. Theres no doubt in my mind he would do well anywhere. Stuckey is a future superstar. I also think its interesting that AI and Stuckey both start for Detroit now but thats for another blog. Back to Rondo vs Stuckey. Both players are young studs, but it really depends on what your team needs. If I have my scorers already, I am taking Rondo to run my squad. If I am starting from scratch or have a team of scrubs, I take Stuckey over Rondo. Keep your eye on both of these cats in the future.

-Jared Wolfe

Do People Forget Marbury is ill?

“Do people forget Marbury is ill?” – Chris Hall

In the wake of the Celtics’ recent run of futility, the above statement is becoming more and more poignant.

Do the Green need some outside help? After six losses in the past eight games, the answer seems unequivocally to be ‘yes’. Is it panic time? Of course not. But it’s evident this team needs a little bench help.

I mean, could Boston use a backup point guard who has averaged nearly 20 points and eight assists per game? I think so.

Quite frankly, Stephon Marbury would help this basketball team and here’s why:

1) The Celts have no backup behind Rondo. Cassell is a coach, Gabe Pruitt is too raw (why do you think they have interest in Marbury to begin with?) and Eddie House is a shooter, not a ballhandler, and he’s playing abysmal this season anyway.

Marbury shores up this spot considerably. Can you think of a better Sixth Man than a two-time All-Star who has the potential to drop 30? I can’t. Plus, in certain situations that you’d want to leave Rondo in, you could bring Marbury in at shooting guard and let him fire away.

2) The Celts could go (scary) small. Remember Game 4 of the NBA Finals when the C’s were trailing LA by 20-something, looking hopeless, then on top of it all lost Kendrick Perkins to a shoulder injury? Well, they went to a smaller lineup after that (Garnett at the 5, followed by Posey, Pierce, Allen and Rondo/House) and literally shot their way back into the game, eventually overtaking the Lakers in one of the best comebacks in NBA history.

Marbury would allow them to do something similar. Whether it’s because they’re in a huge hole like the LA game or if they just want to matchup against quicker teams that may go small against them (think Golden State, Charlotte, etc.), the Celts would at least have the opportunity to play Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Marbury and Rondo.

3) Ahh, what you’ve been waiting for this whole time: the attitude. You really, honestly think that after all this, the whole draw-out battle with the Knicks, his reputation tarnished beyond repair, the hoards of sportswriters talking heads out for blood, that Marbury would come in here and become a cancer? No. Chance.

He knows this would be his last stop. He knows everyone would be watching his every move. And he knows that if he did anything, anything bad at all, he’d simply get cut. He’d be making the veterans minimum or whatever portion of the mid-level exception the Celtics have remaining and he’d come in knowing it would be in a reserve role. The Celtics have a locker room full of veterans, a coach who relates to point guards and a tradition and attitude of winning. Hell, even Garnett said he’d take him.

There’s no risk here – and I don’t understand why some people don’t get that. Marbury would be pumped to play again. He’d play with fire and intensity whether out of spite of the Knicks or the thrill of a championship atmosphere. When you can get a veteran former all-star with the potential to be a game changer, and for practically nothing…I say it’s a no-brainer.

--Nick

And one more thing....

These guys are UNSTOPPABLE.