Requiem For a Lost Season

by Kevin on May 20, 2009

By Jeremy Gottlieb

Well, that was a huge bummer, eh?

Talk about an anti-climax. The last thing I or pretty much anyone to whom I’ve spoken would have predicted for Game 7 at the Garden the other night was that the weary Celts would be blown out of the gym. The Celtics had history, experience, their home crowd and a seemingly mentally weak opponent all working in their favor and they still managed to drop one of the biggeststinkbombs of the season. So I guess that means it’s time to reflect now that enough time has passed that I can clearly wrap my head around it all. But before we go any further, let me put out one, small disclaimer. This will not be another one of those, “If only KevinGarnett had played, then they may have won it,” columns. So many supposedly shrewd, intelligent writers have mailed in that kind of drivel in the last couple of days, it’s made my eyes bleed. Really, guys? You think ifGarnett had played, the Celtics might have beaten the Magic? Wow, thanks for such astute, expert analysis. Now I know exactly why they lost.

No, here at the BSMW Full Court Press, we don’t believe in insulting our readership with such simplified obviousness. Everyone who has ever watched a sporting event knows that if the team thatlost’s best player didn’t play, that’s probably a huge reason why said losing team went down. Apparently, a lot of our local bastions of basketball knowledge forgot this.

Anyway, let’s not waste any more time discussing such nonsense. I’d prefer to examine how the Celtics got as far as they did and why. The series against Orlando didn’t have nearly the drama or suspense or sheer joy of the first-round series with the Bulls. But there were plenty of twists and turns. On one hand, you could argue that the Celts should have lost in five games. Orlando had both Games 4 and 5 wrapped up before going completely mental and spitting the proverbial bit. On the other hand you could argue that the Celtics should have won in six games. When Paul Pierce stepped to the line with 2:03 left in that game, just after the play of BrianScalabrine’s life (his “in your face” stuffing of Rashard Lewis on the low block that couldn’t possibly happen 99 out of 100 times) the Celtics had a chance to jump ahead after having held the Magic to just four points in the previous four minutes. Pierce, who shot 85 percent from the stripe in the series, missed enough big ones both against the Bulls and the Magic that when he clanked up both attempts, it wasn’t really surprising. What was surprising was that Orlando, which had virtually cornered the market on not being able to capitalize on pretty much anything up to that point, saw an opening, somehow flipped a switch on their collective mental toughness meter (which at that point was hovering around zero) and ran off an 11-2 run to escape with an 83-75 win and force another Game 7.

In hindsight, that was pretty much it. Like several Celtics fans I know, I figured the whole Game 7 at home thing would be enough to carry them. I thought it was a fluke that the Magic had kept their composure and managed to take advantage of such a huge chance at the end of Game 6. They had blown their wad in doing that, it seemed, and there was no way such a fragile group could summon the requisite chutzpah to beat a defending champ on the road in a deciding game, even a defending champ as tired and depleted as the Celtics.

Of course, that wasn’t remotely what happened. Instead of yet another Game 7 triumph, the Celtics completely wilted when it mattered most. I won’t waste too much time belaboring this point, but under the circumstances, considering the losses in personnel and the subsequent alternatives, reaching the ultimate game of the conference semifinals was a major accomplishment. It’s a bit astounding that they got as far as they did. That by no means absolves them of their performance on Sunday, but it is worth noting.

It was awful, really. Even though Ray Allen played by far his best game of the series, everyone else was basically out of it. Pierce was doubled anywhere on the floor at which he touched the ball and had no answer for it. Kendrick Perkins had his worst game in weeks, disappearing on offense and even missing three straight layups on a single possession at one point. Rajon Rondo hit a couple of jumpers but lacked the explosiveness he displayed earlier in the playoffs and was mostly ineffective, not to mention the fact that he was schooled by the not-really-that-good Rafer Alston. I would mention the bench, but there isn’t one, although one particular yokel earlier this week was shouting at me about how Doc Rivers should be ashamed of himself for employing an eight-man rotation, even though pretty much every coach since the beginning of time has done the same come playoff time (including Doc Rivers last year), and that Mikki Moore and Tony Allen should have played more in Game 7. Whatever, it was the worst-case scenario and not too many of us saw it coming.

But even though they absolutely stunk on Sunday, it’s hardly the last or most pertinent thing we should remember about this particular Celtics team. Instead, the focus should be on how admirable their overall performance throughout the last few weeks has been. I’m not a huge fan of trafficking in cliches, but this team showed a massive amount of heart, the heart of a champion. They outlasted Chicago and its Energizer Bunny youngsters and they came within one game (or a couple minutes, going back to Game 6) of bouncing an Orlando team with far more talent and athleticism while using Scalabrine as their sixth man/main backup at center and both forward slots. They were so thin that they had to take Big Baby (who is about to get PAID) out after one foul as opposed to two. They were forced to rely on Stephon Marbury at times, and even though he rewarded them for it in Game 5 and was by all accounts a perfect soldier during his time here, he was still too rusty and out of his element to live up to it.

All that, and they still were this close to winning the right to get swept by LeBron and the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals. They were tired and banged up and practically patched together with duct tape, yet they just missed winning two playoff rounds. Not too shabby. Of course, the end was bitter and disappointing. But it was a hell of a ride and for that, this group, the 2008-2009 defending NBA champion Boston Celtics, should be commended.

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So Now What, Celtics Fans?

by Kevin on May 4, 2009

By Jeremy Gottlieb

I don’t know about you, but I feel like tonight should be Game 8.

It seems really hard to grasp that the Celtics’ first-round series against the Bulls is over. By the time the third overtime of Game 6 rolled around, I figured that the two teams would just keep playing each other forever, or at least until someone keeled over. And now, it’s over. Let the withdrawal symptoms begin.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy the Celtics won. I’m ecstatic about it, actually. The fact that they were able to stay on their feet throughout all seven of those games plus all seven of those overtimes and wind up the ones that didn’t get knocked out wassupremely impressive. Both teams were so totally staggered, so banged up and so running on fumes by the time Saturday night rolled around, being the one who gave out first was nothing over which to sulk. They showed tremendous character and fortitude in outlasting the Bulls and should be not only commended, but remembered for it, no matter what happens next.

Which leads us to that very question: what is going to happen next? We know that the Orlando Magic, their monster of a center and their wildly oversensitive head coach will invade the Garden tonight for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. And that’s about it. Just as the last series proved to be impossible to predict (even in the end, when it seemed the Celtics and Bulls couldn’t play without at least one extra period, they finished Game 7 in regulation with barely a sliver of the suspense found in the previous three games), what the Celtics may do against Orlando is a complete mystery.

There are at least a couple of possibilities. They could be completely spent from the energy, both physical and mental, expended against the Bulls. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and Doc Rivers can talk all they want about how playing a ton of minutes doesn’t matter because they’re all basketball players and that’s what they do. Tack on the amount of time played by the Celtics’ starting five to the amount they’ve all played over the course of the season, plus all of last season, when they participated in 26 playoff games, and you have a truckload of minutes. Enough minutes that would add at least a little bit of weight to even the most well-conditioned player’s legs. And on top of that, there’s the emotional toll after a series that featured so many highs and lows that even the most stoic, bloodless guys had to have felt them. The Celtics are exhausted and they may be too gassed to stay with the Magic.

Or, they may be recharged and re-energized. There’s no doubt that the Celts are flying after coming out on top against the Bulls. Even for a team that has been to the heights that the Celts have reached, winning such a battle, especially while playing severely undermanned, has to be totally elating. Now, after showing the kind of heart and resolve on display against Chicago, perhaps they see themselves as world beaters and will play as such. Or maybe they’re just so happy to be rid of the Bulls (especially the hideous Brad Miller andJoakim Noah) that just seeing a different uniform on the other side of the floor will carry them. Who knows?

What is clear, or at least clearer, is that the Celts are going to have to deal with a better, more experienced group. As well as the Bulls played all series long, particularly the duo of Ben Gordon and Derrick Rose, they don’t have anyone who even approaches Orlando’s Dwight Howard. Howard, who on any particular night may well grab 25 rebounds and block seven shots, is an absolute beast, a prototypical center for this era of the pro game. As well as his will to rebound and defend at the highest possible level, he is extremely quick and is able to get around pretty much every big man he faces with ease. He has harnessed that quickness and applied it to his offensive repertoire to the tune of 21 points a game. He can post up or face up and be just as dangerous regardless.

If the Celtics want to win, they may just have to live with giving Howard what he wants. As we all know so well, the Celts’ front line is thin. Kendrick Perkins will have the task of checking Howard and he has to stay out of foul trouble, not just so there will be less need forMikki Moore and Brian Scalabrine on the offensive end but on defense as well, where each of them will be eaten alive before fouling out in 10 minutes. Big Baby Davis had one of his better games of the season against Howard and the Magic, outplaying him on both ends, but that was with KevinGarnett backing him up. Big Baby emerged as a true threat against the Bulls and the Celtics will need all they can get from him in this round, so the less time he has to spend grappling with Howard the better. Howard’s going to get his, so the Celts just have to ensure that everyone else in blue doesn’t.

After Howard, the Magic thin out. Hedo Turkoglu is their next best player, and although he has proven to be somewhat of an assassin at big moments both in these playoffs and before, he’s been playing on a bad wheel that may or may not affect him, particularly when it comes to driving to the basket. The point guard isRafer Alston, a journeyman equally capable of throwing out a great game and a stinker. Rashard Lewis, the team’s highest paid player, was quiet in the Magic’s first-round win over Philly and has appeared to be rather passive in big games. Their starting 2-guard a rookie named Courtney Lee who can really shoot, is out with a fractured sinus. No one on their bench is all that scary, unless you count Duke alum/slow, no-position, long range gunner J.J.Redick scary. Second-year big guy Marcin Gortat, did put up 11 points and 15 boards in place of the suspended Howard in the clincher against the Sixers so given the Celts’ depleted frontcourt, they may need to pay him some mind.

The point is that these are the guys the Celts have to make beat them. Despite Howard’s mammoth presence up front, the Magic are a perimeter-oriented outfit. They shoot three after three after three with a lot of screen and roll up top to freeTurkoglu and Lewis for open looks, as well as a fair amount drive and kick stuff too. There won’t be as much ball movement as the Bulls employed and Orlando doesn’t have nearly the team speed that the Bulls had. Although they will get out and run from time to time, these factors play into the Celts’ hands.Rajon Rondo, who must be considered among the league’s elite point guards after his performance against the Bulls, shouldn’t have too tough a time against Alston, and both Pierce and Allen are likely to be able to operate a little bit more freely against the Magic’s D, which won’t be as quick or aggressive as the Bulls’ was. Orlando probably caught on to the fact that Pierce’s worst moments in the last round were when he was trapped or at least doubled at the three-point line so seeing that approach won’t be surprising. And a more consistent effort from the bench, thin as it is and Eddie House’s perfect Game 7 notwithstanding, would be nice, though saying that is like hoping for rain in the midst of a drought.

So that’s what next. I’m not particularly ready to leave the Bulls series behind just yet (and by the way, as great a series as it was, and man was it amazing, it was not one of the best series of all time for the simple fact that it was just the first round – move it up a couple rounds and we’re onto something) but as gratifying and meaningful as it was, it’s now history. It was one step, even if it felt like 20. And now, another task is at hand. It’s a task the Celts will handle – they take the Magic in six.

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Classic Stuff on a Hot Sunday Afternoon

by Kevin on April 27, 2009

By Jeremy Gottlieb

Four games down and it feels like 24. One blowout sandwiched among three total nail biters, the most recent of which was an absolute classic. What more can the Celtics and Bulls possibly give us? Yet there are at least two, potentially three more games to play (and believe me, this series is going seven) and if those games follow anything close to the same path the rest of the series has, ESPN Classic may have to rethink its strategy of showing nothing but reruns of the World Series of Poker. The series has had its fair share of intriguing plotlines, from the explosion of Derrick Rose to Rajon Rondo’s taking the next step, to Paul Pierce’s surprising amount of lethargy in three of the four games to the emergence of Joakim Noah as a supervillian (the thought here is that he’s involved in at least one fracas before the series is over). And as entertaining as each of the first three games were in their own ways, none of them combined added up to what we got from Game 4, a relentlessly “can you top this,” type of contest that alternately blissfully and painfully seemed to never end. It was playoff basketball at its finest, one of the best, most competitive games of the year, a true test of wills that ended with the Bulls winning 121-118 in double overtime.

Early on, things were mundane at best. It took Pierce, who was absolutely blistering hot to start Game 3, until almost halfway through the second quarter to score his first points. Kendrick Perkins, who seems to have Noah’s number in the low post, was the Celts’ most reliable option at this point, and he, along with Rondo, carried the load while Pierce was taking his time waking up in time for the noon central time start and Ray Allen got untracked. Meanwhile, as happened so often during the season, the bench turned a slim, first quarter lead into a 16-2 Bulls run practically on cue in the early stages of the second quarter. It was quite dispiriting to see Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore, after each of their solid performances in Game 3, return to the ranks of the irrelevant at best, hopelessly lost/overmatched at worst.

The Bulls were certainly not the same team that stunk out the gym in Game 3. They were much looser, more focused and calmer. Their energy, which was nonexistent Thursday night, gave the Celts fits, especially on the defensive end, particularly when it came to Pierce. And speaking of energy, the game also marked the official emergence of Tyrus Thomas as a certifiable beast. Thomas was all over the place, adding to his league-leading playoff blocked shot total, in on every rebound, ferocious on defense, particularly down low and pretty much just jumping through the roof. All the talk about Rose and his enormous talent is certainly justified, but if Thomas, who also has hit a few big shots in the series, continues to develop, he will be an all-star several times over.

Pierce and Allen both hit a few shots in the waning stages of the first half but for the Celts, it was all about Rondo. He hit the break with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists, and continued to be the best player on the floor wearing a green uniform. On defense, he was a one man swarm, holding Rose pretty much in check (at least temporarily) while keeping up his furious pace on the glass and doing all of the little things that any team needs to win. On the ABC telecast, both Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy were falling all over themselves praising Rondo for everything short of doing cartwheels, all of it perfectly justified. And even though Pierce made just three of 10 shots and Allen took only four in the half, the Celtics were ahead going into the locker room.

The second half started quite similarly to the first, with the Celts confounding propensity for sluggish starts rearing its head again. They missed nine of their first 10 shots in the third quarter but were bailed out by the Bulls’ youth and inexperience. The hosts couldn’t get out of their own way, committing seven turnovers and sending the Celts to the line 12 times in the quarter. Worse, Rose was playing passive which made up for the facts that Pierce again couldn’t get going and Big Baby, such a crucial offensive weapon for the Celts since his man doubles off him and he’s wide open all the time, was suffering through a horrendous shooting day. It seemed as though the Bulls wouldn’t be able to capitalize on their best chance of the day to send the Celts home and the Celts took advantage when Pierce got hot toward the end of the quarter and they ended the frame on a 12-0 run.

The fourth quarter was when things started to enter a different realm. Big Baby and Bulls’ big man Brad Miller got into a near-scuffle and it ignited Rose. Suddenly, the player who owned Game 1 was back. Rose was trying to take the game over and if it wasn’t for Rondo, who was careening toward another triple-double, he may well have done it. Meanwhile, Perk, who averages 1.5 moving pick fouls per game, committed his second one of the game and fouled out. I love Perk and how he’s developed over the past couple of years, but it would not be asking too much for him to learn how to set a legal screen. Anyway, his expulsion from the proceedings robbed the Celts of their only real shot blocker and their second best rebounder (if anyone wants to argue that Rondo is not their best right now, please feel free to bring it). This lack of a defensive presence in the paint opened things up for Rose even more and he took advantage.

Down the stretch, with Rondo still controlling things and Big Baby’s shooting struggles extending into the post, where he missed three layups between the final quarter and second overtime, Allen started to make his presence felt. He hit a three in the final two minutes so naturally, with the Bulls up three with just under 10 seconds to play, it seemed a foregone conclusion that he’d be getting the ball. What wasn’t so obvious was that the Bulls defense on the play would be so bad. Both Noah and Thomas got caught in a screen set by Big Baby and Allen’s look from the right wing was wide open. He buried the shot and we were on to the first OT.

Soon after extra session No. 1 began, Rondo had the triple-double. He’s now averaging one for the series, only the fourth player to ever do that, and the first Celtic since Larry Bird in 1986 to have two in the same series. Allen drilled a couple more from long range and Rose was beginning to lag. When they went up five with two minutes left, it felt like the Celts would survive. But Ben Gordon, who put on the best Andrew Toney impression in Game 2 since Andrew Toney, had bounced back from a sore hamstring to make a couple of big shots in the overtime, including a swooping runner high off the glass over both Big Baby and Tony Allen that defied logic. Ahead by two, Pierce made a free throw then missed his second one of the series that would have ended the game with nine seconds left. Just as it was a no-brainer for Allen to take the shot at the end of regulation, so too was it that Gordon would get the ball at the end of the overtime. The Bulls called his number, he barely shook free of Pierce, launched an off-balance bomb from the right wing and nailed it. What goes around comes around and we were headed for another extra frame.

There was some suspense in OT, version 2.0, but not as much as there had been. The Celtics were the team that seemed to have had its spirit broken, not the youthful, inexperienced Bulls. John Salmons, who was awful in the first half, made two big shots, scored six of the Bulls 11 points in the frame and rung up two huge defensive plays on Pierce, one a strip while Pierce was driving with the Bulls up two and the second a partial block of Pierce’s last-second three-point heave. Rose and Gordon each had a couple more big moments and even though Pierce made a huge three to cut the Bulls lead to one, making the thought of a third overtime very real with about 15 seconds left, it just wasn’t going to happen, despite the heroics of both Rondo and Allen. Both teams had multiple chances to win and both teams probably should have won before it was all said and done. The Bulls just made one more shot than the Celts did, the way it usually goes down in the best games.

So what do the Celts need to do going forward? They need Pierce to play more like he did in Game 3, for starters. Sure, the Bulls are playing him extremely well, trapping and harassing him when they can and siccing defensive maven Kirk Hinrich on him when they can’t. But his energy and intensity just don’t seem right which is very confusing. He must step up, which we all know he can if he so chooses. They also need to tighten up defensively. They were positively demonic on D in Game 3 and for stretches yesterday. But there were missed assignments and slow rotations at crucial points yesterday as well and that sort of thing needs to be eliminated.

Still, there isn’t that much to complain about. It was a very tough loss and naturally, it’s far better to be coming home up 3-1 than tied 2-2. But it was such a great game, so worthy of all the praise one can dish out, so exhilarating and infuriating and exhausting and magnificent all at once that the final outcome seems less important. It will be pretty hard for any of the remaining games to live up to Game 4. But it can’t hurt to hope.

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The Give and Go: Game 3 Breakdown

by Kevin on April 24, 2009

By Mike Brilliant and Tom Scott

Tom:

Great end to the first half. Good to see the team extend the league with Rondo on the bench. Was the celtics demise greatly exagerated?

Mike:

The Celtics were being counted out by most experts. Going in to tonight’s game, the Bulls were even money to win this series. And what about all that talk of Pierce being too tired, too run down and the victim of over 200 games in the past 20 months?

The key to the first half was Pierce getting off early and the Celtics playing their championship defense. It seemed like Boston was creating turnovers on every other possession, and they got to just about every loose ball.

Rondo turned in another awesome effort and even Marbury created a spark off the bench tonight that we all expected from Day 1.

Tom, what do the Celtics need to do in the second half to continue their success?

Tom:

Defense and ball movement. The first half defense was great. The bulls shot 33% and they were taking at least 15 seconds a possession in order to get a shot off. Keep the defensive intensity and the hustle to loose balls. On offense, it’s the ball movement. They had about a five minute stretch in the first half when it was Paul Pierce isolation offense from 2005. There’s no need to repeat that again.

Give me your two things that make you confident and two things that still concern you going forward?

Mike:

I really like how Rondo is running the team. Right from the get-go, it seemed like Rondo was running after every defensive board. Rose has received all of the publicity this series, but Rondo has clearly outplayed him. He has been the MVP of the series so far.

I also loved the way the Celtics came out and played defense. You expect it from Rondo and Perkins, but even Big Baby was moving his feet and blocking shots. The Bulls had over 20 turnovers. Many of those were self inflicted, but the Celtics force many more with their aggressiveness.

It’s tough to criticize a team that wins on the road by 30, but I’m a bit concerned about their big man situation. As noted before, Mikki Moore is a human foul machine and is really the only reserve big man. I know Scalabrine is back…but he hasn’t played in two months.

Tom Scott:

Big Baby had a great game, he is getting better and better. The man is incredibly light on his feet. He looked good with that finger roll the other day and tonight he had some nifty moves. As an aside, with NFL draft coming up, could big baby have become Antonio Gates? He’s got great feet and is quicker than he looks.
 
The other plus item was clearly the defense. They came out with much better focus on defense.  I think part of it was the “us against the world on the road” metality but the other half was effort.  They shut down the lane, challenged most shots and made the Bulls work hard.
 
On the downside, Pierce and Ray Allen had a combined total of one rebound and zero assists. They did play good D tonight but it would be nice for them to contribute in these other categories.  The Celtics’ best games this year involved these two stuffing the stat sheet
 
Prediction for Game 4?

Mike:

To beat the same team they just blew out on the road will be a tall task for the Celtics. Chicago will have three days to think about how bad they were, which should prove to be the ultimate motivation. Saying that, if the Celtics play stellar defense and the starters stay out of foul trouble, there’s no reason they shouldn’t have a good chance to win.

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Give and Go: Bum Rush the Playoffs Edition

by Kevin on April 22, 2009

By Mike Brilliant and Tom Scott

Editor’s Note: With two playoff games in the books, I’ve solicited the contributions of two former writers for the Full Court Press to chip in with playoff coverage. Last season, they gave us their back and forth opinions in a regular column called the “Give and Go”. Thankfully, Mike and Tom “the Chest” Scott are back. As noted in the past, these guys are all about the basketball.

Tom Scott:

With Game 2 over, another thriller, the question is – Are the bulls a good #7 seed or are the Celtics just a bad #2 seed?

Mike:

There have been many first round series that have been much closer than anyone expected. Off the top of my head, I can remember the Celtics being involved in quite a few. There was Cleveland back in the mid-eighties. Indiana in 1991 and 1992.

Having said that, I think the Bulls are comparable with the Hawks and the Heat who are the #4 and #5 seeds respectively. Since the acquisitions of Brad Miller and John Salmons, Da Bulls are playing well over .500 basketball. Chicago could be this year’s Atlanta.

So what is/are the Celtics’ problem(s)?

Tom Scott:

Chicago is even better than that. They might be equal to Orlando. They finished the season 14-7 since March 4th. Orlando was 15-7 and the Celtics were15-6. So clearly they came together after the trade while Rose got used to the league (what rookie wall?). They really remade that team nicely by getting rid of Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden and Nocioni. Brad Miller and John Salmons really round out the team. Salmons is playing good defense on Pierce. They are definitely a team on the rise.

That being said, Boston’s problems really arise from one major issue – Defense. The Bulls are getting transition points all of over the place by out-hustling the Celtics on the break. After the first 8 minutes of Game 2 until the end of the half, the Bulls were pushing when they could. It also helps that they are more athletic than the Celtics.

The help defense is also a problem. Without KG, they are not able to rotate quick enough and to help protect, like when Rose blew by Rondo all throughout Game 1. Then Chicago put up 115 points in Game 2 and they shot 50%. This is way above the average they allowed all season.

I also have to wonder: What happened to the bench?

Mike:

I agree. The Boston defense over the last two games has been their biggest problem. Giving up 115 points per game is not going to win you many playoff games. Also, Ben Gordon was getting far too many open looks. The Celtics didn’t really pay attention to him until it was too late. He was totally “en fuego.”

Regarding the Boston bench, they obviously didn’t do a great job in the first half of Game 2. Once Rondo and Perkins came out of the game, the Celtics blew their double digit lead almost immediately. It seems like the only players I truly trust off the bench are Eddie House and Leon Powe. Um, make that just House as we won’t be seeing Leon on the floor anytime soon after he tore his left ACL.

Rondo and Perkins were superb in the first half. Their replacements, Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore? Not so much. I’ll start with Moore. You would think that he should be able to match up with Noah (athletic, slim build) and Brad Miller (a jump shooter). But Moore is a human fouling machine that can’t rebound and can’t seem to grasp the Celtics’ defensive concept.

As for Marbury, not only is he tentative going to hoop, but he somehow lost his outside shot. We know he can’t play on the ball defense, so the Celtics appear to be left with Sebastian Telfair all over again.

Doc Rivers didn’t do the starters any favors either. It seemed like House was the only significant bench player who received minutes in the second half. By the end of the game, it seemed like the offense was stagnant probably due mostly to fatigue. Pierce wasn’t going to the hoop at all. Then again, I’m not sure I can attribute that to fatigue or the lack of calls he’s been getting all series from these minor league NBA refs.

All that said, if there was one guy who should have played more, it’s Tony Allen. As hot as Gordon was in the fourth quarter, why wouldn’t you put Allen on him? I asked the same question in Game 1 when Rose went off for 36.

What’s your forecast for Game 3? Will the Celtics’ road woes from last year’s playoffs continue?

Tom Scott:

I agree on TA. I was wondering if he was hurt. He would have been a good matchup for Gordon and would have been useful on Rose on Saturday.

I think they can win one in Chicago but I’m not sure it will be Game 3. The crowd will be crazy and the team will definitely feed off that. I guess the biggest hope is that perhaps the Bulls will read their own clippings and may not have the same focus they had in Boston. Conversely, maybe the Celtics can rally around themselves and try to survive in a hostile environment.

Ultimately, they need the defense to be better and they need the offensive movement they had in Game 2. Ray Allen finally decided to move in the second half and it showed. In Game 1 and in the first half of Game 2, he stood around. He wasn’t doing what made him successful, i.e. coming off picks, moving and finding the soft spots.

What happened to Pierce in Game 2? He looked out of the game.

Mike:

Pierce looked like he was exhausted. How else to explain why he got his jumper blocked by a point guard, Derrick Rose, late in the game? He also was very hesitant to drive to the basket all throughout the game. Then the few times he did, the refs didn’t give him a single call.

Pierce played 43 minutes on Saturday. This is fine, because the game went into overtime, which added 5 minutes to his total. But Doc really put a lot of pressure on the starters Monday with his non-existent substitutions. I remember Doc blew a game by leaving his starters in all second half during Game 2 in 2005 versus Indiana. He’s lucky it didn’t cost him on Monday.

Tom Scott:

Pierce got outhustled on the block and the out of bounds save and looked like he was out of energy. Now with Powe out, using the bench effectively will be important. They need to continue with rotating substitutions rather than bringing on four bench guys at once. They’ll probably use Marbury on Rose but they might be better off letting him take Hinrich to the hoop and abuse him a bit. Generally speaking, Stephon and Eddie House both need to step up big on Thursday.

Coming attractions on FCP: More “Give and Go” with post-game analysis of Game 3

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Junk Food for the Celtics Fan’s Soul

by Kevin on April 21, 2009

By Kevin Henkin

Although this has nothing to do with the Bulls or even the Celtics, I thought it was worth mentioning nonetheless:

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal had a piece that embarrassingly fawned all over the Los Angeles Lakers and their semi-passionate fan base. My favorite nugget of information gleaned from the article was the fact that, according to one Los Angeles insurance carrier, at least 350 pets in the LA area are named after Kobe Bryant.

Hmm. Actually, I think it makes far more sense for Celtics fans to name their dogs after Kobe because it would provide everyone with a constant source of amusement whenever discipline was required . “Oh no! Kobe Bryant just peed all over the floor! Bad Kobe !” Or “No! No! No! Kobe , how many times have I told you not to eat your own poop!” Or “Fer Crissakes, Kobe Bryant just ran away with my dirty underwear again!” And finally: “Kobe, leave that poor woman’s leg alone! That’s disgusting!”

Moving along, some might call this the blatant recycling of old material. I prefer to view it as a fond reminiscence of those heady days of the title run of last spring. Here are some random Rolling Observations I made during a couple of the playoff games I attended last year. They’re about a few specific players that I happen to find myself missing these days:

Kevin Garnett (from Game 1 of the Cleveland series):

Anderson Varejao draws a hard foul. While at the line, the crowd starts a “Sideshow Bob” chant. It’s funny because it’s true. Sideshow Bob can’t cover Kevin Garnett either.

Leon Powe (from Game 1 of the Atlanta series):

Just when the crowd seems to be getting a little sleepy, Leon Powe wakes them up with an eye-popping jam against double coverage, including Josh Smith. I’m pretty sure Leon Powe could muscle a slam through a truck full of fast drying concrete. This from a guy who couldn’t get on the floor at the beginning of the season. Now he’s clearly an important (if unheralded outside of Boston) part of the rotation.

James Posey (from Game 1 against Atlanta):

After a Joe Johnson three, James Posey responds seconds later with his own three, then grabs the rebound on the next defensive possession. This reminds me of the words of his former coach Pat Riley offered earlier this season in the bowels of this very building. After a drubbing by the Celtics, when asked to reflect on the loss of James Posey (due to salary cap considerations), Riley said, “James Posey is a big shot, big game, big time player.” True, that.

Sam Cassell (from Game 1 against Cleveland):

Sam Cassell knocks down his first jumper after talking some smack to Delonte West. Although I couldn’t catch the full exchange, it was something about West’s mother being overweight and crashing through the wall yelling Kool-Aid.

and:

After a Cleveland miss, Sam Cassell of all people tears away the rebound and is subsequently knocked to the floor by Ilgauskas. The big Lithuanian knees Cassell in the head for good measure, but Cassell knees the Cavs in the groin by knocking down his free throws.

Coming attractions on FCP: The revival of the “Give and Go” by Mike Brilliant and Tom “the Chest” Scott

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Rose Blooms as He Dooms Celtics in Game 1

by Kevin on April 18, 2009

By Kevin Henkin

The NBA: Where Immense Frustration Happens. Ugh. Where to begin? With some salient facts, I suppose, which are as follows:

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Boston Celtics at home in Game 1 of their first round playoff series, in overtime, by a score of 105-103.

Bulls rookie point guard Derrick Rose submitted a performance for the ages. In 49 minutes of play, he recorded 36 points on 12-19 shooting to go with 11 assists. He also hit all 12 of his free throws.

Rajon Rondo was almost as magnificent with 29 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

Ray Allen, meanwhile, was horrid. Yes, he missed the shot on a good look at the end of overtime that would have tied it for Boston but it was his overall line of 4 points on 1-12 shooting (including 0-6 from deep waters) that spoke volumes. With Kevin Garnett out, the Celtics simply cannot afford to have Ray Allen become invisible for another playoff series.

Joakim Noah hauled in 17 rebounds to go with his 11 points and 3 blocks. Noah in particular seemed to swallow up Glen Davis whenever Baby approached anywhere near the basket. Brad Miller grabbed another 12 boards off the bench. For the game, Chicago out-rebounded Boston by a margin of 66-57. The effort by the Bulls on the glass was certainly among the primary deciding factors.

Paul Pierce had a lackluster first half, scoring only 4 points before coming alive in the third quarter and beyond. For the game, he finished with 23 points on 8-21 shooting. What he’ll be remembered for most, however, was missing the second of two free throws with 2 seconds left in regulation. Hitting the shot would have sent the Bulls packing. Instead, the miss left the game tied at 97 all. In the subsequent overtime, Tyrus Thomas seemed to become Ray Allen by connecting on multiple contested outside jumpers whereas Ray Allen seemed to become Tony Allen, suffering form a sustained poor shooting touch as well as a nasty case of butterfingers at the most crucial of times.

Now for some musings beyond the numbers:

I think anyone watching the game had to feel very early on that the Celtics were not submitting a playoff level of intensity. Doc Rivers admitted as much during his in-game comments to ESPN. I remain mystified by this. As a team without its emotional leader and defensive anchor, the Celtics obviously realize that their margin for error, even against a lesser team like the Bulls, has shrunk considerably. Therefore, one would think that no one in a Celtics uniform would ever be seen – on the parquet floor, no less – TAKING PLAYS OFF. And yet that’s exactly what happened on numerous occasions over the course of the game.

Take, for example, the last play of the first half. With time winding down, Ben Gordon launched a three point shot from the top of the key. When the shot left his hands, only Brad Miller moved towards the basket. When the shot bounced wide to the left with one second left, it fell into the hands of the advancing Miller, who laid it in easily just before time expired. Replays showed that no Celtics players were even in the lane when Miller received the ball, with most of them still stuck to the floor exactly where they were when Gordon launched the shot. It was an inexcusable collective lack of effort that ended up costing the Celtics dearly later in the game.

There were other examples, such as a Rajon Rondo drive just inside the three minute mark of the third quarter. On that play, Rondo took a deep rebound and charged full steam up the court against a back-peddling Bulls defense. Again, replays showed that the only other Celtics player even within twenty feet behind him was Ray Allen as the lagging trailer. Meanwhile, the other Boston players – Pierce, Davis and Kendrick Perkins – all jogged up the court behind the play. Left alone, Rondo stubbornly charged hard into the heart of the Chicago defense with the hopes of drawing a foul. He turned the ball over instead.

These are the plays that I cannot erase from my mind, and believe me, there were others worthy of scrutiny. Look, we all know that losing playoff games at home is going to happen. It just shouldn’t ever come down to a lack of proper effort. Yes, it’s true that Derrick Rose played out of his mind. It’s also true that the officials were regrettably a factor. Hell, an entire article could be devoted to exploring their gross incompetence displayed over the course of this game. Leading the charge was Bennett Salvatore, the man you may well remember for calling the ludicrous offensive foul against Paul Pierce in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Detroit last year.

Regardless, if we’re going to assign blame, accusing fingers should be pointed first and foremost at everyone in a Celtics uniform not named Rajon Rondo. Outside of the young point guard, who nearly dragged his team to victory all by himself, all other Celtics players were guilty of either inexcusably dogging it on occasion or submitting a sub-par overall performance. Ray Allen, as noted above, was beyond ineffective. So too were Eddie House, Glen Davis, Stephon Marbury and – to a lesser degree – Paul Pierce.

In the wake of the news that Garnett was likely a scratch for the playoffs, the Celtics players to a man said all the right things. Don’t count us out. We’re still playing for a title. Sounds great in front of the microphones but now it has to be backed up on the basketball court. That includes the entire forty-eight minutes of the game, by the way. Forget all the doomsday prognostications about Cleveland or even Orlando. Chicago is the team that presently stands in the way of a successful title defense. Get past them and maybe we can resume discussing of likelihood of an upset against the vaunted Cleveland Cavaliers.

To be continued…

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THE FIVE-PACK – PLAYOFF EDITION

by Kevin on April 17, 2009

By Jeremy Gottlieb

Woke up this morning all ready to do some serious Celtics playoff analysis. There were visions of the KG-fortified Celts bludgeoning their way back to the Finals and a rematch with the Lake Show dancing in my head. I couldn’t stop thinking, “finally.”

Then I turned on the computer.

Now, I’m feeling rather confused about the whole thing. I mean, aren’t you? Not only did we discover that KG would not be returning from his endlessly shape-shifting knee injury for the playoffs, but then came word that GM Danny Ainge had a heart attack and was in the hospital. The actual games and all that would go into them don’t seem nearly as interesting, appealing or important anymore. Ainge is going to be fine – word is, he’s resting comfortably at the Mass. General and will be home in a couple days. But his situation takes the conversation to an entirely different level, rendering any analyzing of matchups or strategy or what have you far less meaningful, at least temporarily. KG’s injury is just bad timing for his team, bad luck for him. It’s also just an injury. What happened to Ainge is far more serious, and transcends the game.

The show must go on, though. Just as KG will recover, so will Ainge, and the games will be played, starting tomorrow with Game 1 against the better-than-you-think Chicago Bulls. They pay me the big bucks to write about stuff like that, not to get holier-than-thou on all 12 of you. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at five playoff-oriented issues regarding the Big Ticket-less defending champs on the eve of the postseason.

1. THE BIG GUYS BETTER BE READY TO PLAY D

News Flash – the Celtics will miss Garnett the most on the defensive end. There’s simply no replacing the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, which was more than evident in the 22 regular season games he’s missed since the injury happened. His absence on defense will be magnified in the postseason because at this point, so many games become bruising, half-court battles of attrition. This is where Big Baby Davis, Leon Powe and Mikki Moore come in. Big Baby, a free agent who was hardly a regular contributor and seemed ticketed out of town on Opening Night, has made himself into a highly skilled and valuable offensive player and now looks like a guy at whom the team will have to throw some money. Leon is another guy you don’t need to worry about on offense while Moore has shown a nice shooting touch since his arrival from Sacramento. But on the defensive end, all three combined might not be as good as Garnett. Davis is the furthest along – he doesn’t ever seem too lost on D. But Leon has a rather maddening tendency to miss a rather important rotation or two and Moore is, to put it extremely kindly, a foul machine. This troika, along with Kendrick Perkins, has quite a bit of work to do if it wants to even approach recouping the loss of Garnett on defense. The perimeter will be well secured most of the time thanks to Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and the defensive demon, Rajon Rondo (as well as Stephon Marbury, hopefully). How the healthy bigs perform will reflect a lot on how far the Celtics advance.

2. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO PLAY PHILLY

It’s not like the Bulls are the second coming of the ’96 champs or anything, but they pose a bigger threat to the Celtics than the Sixers. The Bulls extricated themselves from nearly two full seasons of serious underachieving when they banished Andres Nocioni and Drew Gooden (since resurfaced in San Antonio) to Sac-town and rid themselves of arguably their worst acquisition of that stretch in Larry Hughes. In came Brad Miller and John Salmons, two talented, hungry dudes who were stagnating in the depths of the Western Conference. A team that was floundering at the all-star break then seemed to turn itself around, ending the season with eight wins in 11 games while getting clutch, consistent play not only from alpha dog Ben Gordon but from promising youngsters Tyrus Thomas and Derrick Rose. The Bulls are relatively young and fresh-legged. They have the guns to run up and down the court with Rose, Joakim Noah and the freakishly athletic Thomas leading the way, or they can slow it down and have Salmons (38 points in their St. Patty’s day win over the Celts) and leading scorer/wizened veteran Ben Gordon generate the offense. They also have the experience of upsetting another defending champ in the first round just two years ago when they dispatched D-Wade, Shaq and the Heat with a few of the same guys under taskmaster Scott Skiles. In short, there is a wealth more talent and know-how here than in Philly. The champs will win the series, but not without a fight. Celtics in 6.

3. EVEN WITHOUT KG, THE MAGIC AREN’T THAT SCARY

Odds are that while the Celtics are dispatching the Bulls, Orlando will be doing the same to Philly, which was mired in a crushing, six-game losing streak down the stretch before needing overtime to barely beat the LeBron/Mo Williams-less Cavs on Wednesday. Assuming both outcomes are fulfilled, it’s hard not to like the Celts’ chances, KG or no KG. A month ago, the Magic looked better than the Celtics, looked like they would have home court in a series between the two teams and even looked like they could potentially give the Cavs a run if given a chance. Now, they seem a bit lost. Tied with the Celtics in the standings 10 games ago, they went 5-5 down the stretch, giving three games and guaranteeing a potential Game 7 here. Dwight Howard, who is capable of looking eerily like Moses Malone with a bit of Bill Russell sprinkled in, seemed to fade as the season wore on. His April averages of 16 and 12 were his worst of any month of the season. And his primary running mates, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, were hobbled by nagging ankle and knee injuries in the season’s final weeks. Even if all three are operating at peak efficiency, is there enough defense here? Will their offensive style, reminiscent of the Hakeem Olajuwon-led teams on the ‘90s on which four guys stood around the three-point line and Olajuwon roamed the post, hold throughout the tournament? Will their weaknesses in the back court hurt them? It’s likely that some combination of these potential problems will creep up in a slugfest against a team as focused and determined as the Celtics. Can the Magic work through it? I don’t think so, not yet. They’re too much finesse, not enough toughness.

4. IT MAY NOT BE SO BAD TO BE UNDERDOGS AGAINST CLEVELAND

If the Celtics can survive the first two rounds and meet their fated opponent the Cavs, they will be huge underdogs, as well they should. Not only are the Cavs better, they will have home court and if you haven’t heard, the Celtics haven’t won in Cleveland practically since the halcyon days of the Richfield Coliseum. But it remains to be seen how the LeBrons react to that kind of pressure. The Celtics will be playing with house money. To have gotten that far will be even more improbable than winning 62 games amidst all of the tumult of this season. The Cavs will be the team that’s supposed to win. The Celtics were anointed as such last year and even though there were some very serious bumps in the road, they proved to be up to the challenge. It’s likely that the Cavs will be as well – LeBron is so unbelievably good and so amazingly tough that he may be able to single-handedly keep them from losing if it comes to that. It probably won’t, but under the current circumstances, the Cavs either getting psyched out or psyching themselves out may be the only chance for the Celtics to beat them outside of LeBron breaking his leg while participating in one of those wacky pregame rituals they’ve adopted.

5. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE HEART OF A CHAMPION

Grasping at straws? Hardly. In fact, it’s fair to say that the Celtics showed even more heart and passion this season than they did last. In winning those 62 games, the Celtics did it not just having to deal with Garnett’s injury, but also huge shots to their depth thanks to injuries to Powe and Davis. Rondo had to battle ankle problems for half the season yet he still took the proverbial “next step.” Rivers had to turn Marbury and Moore from insurance policies into regular contributors far faster than expected. And Pierce, who had what is most likely his best all-around season, had to maintain his usual workload while also guarding the opponents’ best perimeter guy and getting everyone’s best possible effort every night, more than 20 times without Garnett at his side. It certainly helped that Ray Allen played like a true, unquestionable Hall-of-Famer all year long and that the Celtics got off to such an incredibly hot start and maintained the pace for as long as they did (remember when they were 28-2?). Naturally, if they want to win again, he is going to have to carry them. I don’t think that they will, but I have no doubt that he can.

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THE FIVE-PACK – HOME STRETCH EDITION

by Jeremy on March 25, 2009

THE FIVE-PACK – HOME STRETCH EDITION

by Jeremy Gottlieb

There, now that’s more like it, eh? A nice, tidy, four-game winning streak and with 72 games down and 10 to go, the Celtics seem to have returned to their happy place, or at least something that resembles it. KG is back, Ray Allen shook off his tender elbow and is still shooting lights out, Stephon Marbury has yet to take a blowtorch to the locker room and Tony Allen is still a ways away from returning. It would seem that entering the regular season’s home stretch, the Celtics are right about (or near) where they need to be. And with a crucial, playoff-esque showdown with Orlando on the schedule for tonight and the postseason just three weeks away, what better reason is there to examine the state of things for your defending World Champs? So with that in mind, let’s take a look at five issues at the forefront of the final days of the regular season.

1. THE SWAGGER IS BACK

All it took for the Celtics to at least slightly resemble their old selves was (HELLO!!!) the return of Garnett. When it was reported that he was on the team plane down to San Antonio last weekend, it was a foregone conclusion that he’d be getting some run against the Spurs – the guy can’t even sit on the bench at home games when he’s out due to his competitiveness so how much sense would it make for him to fly to Texas only to stay at the hotel? Anyway, even though he only played a handful of minutes (and will apparently continue to do so for at least a few more games), his mere presence made the Celtics look like a different team than the one that had been staggering through the previous several games, mixing and matching lineups, displaying zero defensive intensity and generally looking lost. Sure, the Spurs were/are struggling without their sparkplug Manu Ginobili, but they still trotted old standbys Tim Duncan and Tony Parker out there to play at home against Garnett at half speed and Paul Pierce suffering through a dreadful shooting night and still lost (of course, it helped that they missed so many foul shots down the stretch). That win, coupled with the win against Miami last week propelled the Celts to two blowouts over doormats Memphis and the Clippers, no small feat considering that just weeks earlier, without Garnett, the Green either were beaten or made to sweat profusely by both. So, headed into tonight’s game, another winning streak has been borne and just at the right time. Even if KG only plays 20 minutes tonight, as he pretty much has for the last three games, those are 20 minutes in which the Celtics will be the better, more intense defensive team, will be more cohesive on offense and will be 20 minutes in which rookie Bill Walker and foul machine Mikki Moore don’t have to be out there as much. That gives the Celtics the edge, even in Dwight Howard’s house.

2. PIERCE IS STILL THE MAN

Since Garnett’s return, Pierce is 8-29 for 24 points. That’s three games worth of stats. In the final game prior to KG coming back, a thrilling overtime win over Miami in which Pierce was forced to completely take over in the fourth quarter and OT despite the fact that the Heat were playing without MVP candidate Dwayne Wade, he scored 36 points on 14-23 shooting. It should also be mentioned that in the St. Patrick’s Day game at Chicago (you know, the one in which the Bulls inexplicably wore green), which just so happened to be the night before the Miami win, Pierce went for 37, again hoisting a slew of shots just so his team would have a chance. The point to all of this, of course, is that he expended so much energy in those two games (with Ray Allen hurt against the Bulls and out against the Heat) that he’s stepped on the brakes somewhat since then. There is no need to be alarmed, however. He did go 3-16 in the San Antonio game, but took six and seven shots respectively against Memphis and the Clippers, both blowout wins. With the Celtics nearly at full-strength (the only key contributor missing is Leon Powe), Pierce can afford to kick back a bit when the situation deems fit, especially against powder puffs like the Grizz and Clip joint. There has been not a whisper about any kind of injury, he’s simply a bit spent, as coach Doc Rivers confirmed after Monday night’s contest. This is completely understandable given the hits the Celtics have taken since the all-star break. It seems like everyone except Pierce has missed at least some time over the past month and that, combined with mixing in the new guys who are trying to learn the system without actually practicing it, has put an onus back on the captain’s shoulders not seen in these parts since Al Jefferson/Ryan Gomes days. Pierce will be fine. He is fine. It’s only a matter of time before he explodes in the final quarter of a close game and leads the team to a win again. It may even happen tonight. You can count on it.

3. THE BENCH? STILL???

Is anyone else starting to get bored with seeing the horrors that occur in almost every game around the beginning of the second quarter? That’s bench time, folks, and you know what that means. It means fasten your seatbelts. In the Miami game, with Eddie House, Marbury, Gabe Pruitt, Walker and Moore on the floor to start the second, everything went into complete vapor lock. A 15-point, first quarter lead was a two-point deficit within nine minutes and the Celtics would eventually be outscored 33-15 in the period. It was completely predictable that Rivers then left the starters in throughout the third quarter and Pierce and Rajon Rondo for the fourth. Then in the Clippers game, most of the same crew surrendered a 19-5 run in the second, this time allowing a 31-18 first quarter lead to be whittled to two at the half. One has to think that by the time the playoffs come around, having been here for nearly two months, that Marbury and Moore will have learned enough to be more consistent on both ends of the floor than they have been over the last three and a half weeks. Given that they both were needed to contribute immediately upon arrival thanks to all the injuries the team has suffered, it is completely reasonable that they’ve had their fair share of tough moments, but such things can’t happen in the postseason. It would be nice to see Moore make one rotation on defense without fouling someone; hopefully, it’s only a matter of time. The fact that he was signed means he must have something to offer, right? And now that Garnett is back and Big Baby has willed himself into a valuable weapon at both ends, the need for Walker – who it says here will be a very solid pro someday – to do anything more than clean up is gone. Still, the issues the Celtics have had all season with their reserves continue to linger and it’s getting awfully late.

4. SAINT STEPH

Um, yeah, so I was wrong on this one. So far. Actually, I take that last part back. I was wrong about what Marbury would bring to the team and I’m pretty happy about it. For all of the apparent insanity over the years, Marbury has never been dumb, which is why he must realize that this is his last chance. If he flips, as I incorrectly predicted he would, he’s gone right away and every other team in the league wonders, “If he can’t step into line there, how would he possibly step into line here?” It’s perfectly plausible to assume that he’s seething about being a reserve, averaging 17.6 minutes a game. But he has to know that making a big deal out of it, or shooting off his mouth, or pouting, could mean the end of him. And on the court, he’s shown flashes of his former, all-star self, enhancing the possibility that he could really be a big help in the playoffs. I hope it turns out that way. And then, when he signs a multi-year deal with Milwaukee or Memphis or Golden State in the offseason, he can do all the freaking out he wants.

5. HOME SWEET HOME

The Celtics don’t seem to outwardly care that they probably have no shot at home court throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. I’ve read several quotes from Rivers and some players unequivocally stating that it doesn’t matter where the games are played, they can win anywhere. Of course this is what you will hear and read, but do they really feel that way? Remember last season when no home court would have meant losing to Atlanta in the first round? Or to Cleveland in the second round? Of course, they figured it out by the time the Detroit series came around, winning twice at the Palace, including the clincher. And the huge comeback that turned the Finals came in L.A. But even with those wins under their belts and a 25-12 road record thus far this year, there is enough doubt to suggest that having to win a Game 7 in Cleveland instead of here won’t be so easy. Just the same, the Celtics would probably much rather not have to play an elimination game in Orlando either, lending more importance to tonight’s matchup, with only one game separating the two teams in the standings. Repeating as champs is hard enough. The Celtics will need every advantage they can get their hands on if they want to do it, the home court advantage the most important one.

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Marbury NOT the Answer

by Kevin on February 27, 2009

By Jeremy Gottlieb

In an interview with the New York Times yesterday in which he disclosed the news that he was to sign with Celtics, Stephon Marbury was asked to discuss his thoughts regarding his role as Rajon Rondo’s backup. His response?

“I’ll just let my game speak for itself.”

Not, “I’ll do whatever is asked of me to try to help win a championship.” Nothing of the kind, in fact. Just the words (or variations on the words), I and me.

And thus, the Stephon Marbury in Boston era begins.

This move stinks so bad I can smell it here in Somerville, a few miles from the TD Banknorth Garden. The Celtics are going to bring in the league’s single biggest knucklehead in their quest to repeat. Batten down the hatches.

It feels awfully strange to think that such a bad guy will be a part of this team, as genuine a group of good guys that you’ll find in all of pro sports. The Celtics rationale for making the move is completely understandable. The depth that played such a huge role in last season’s title is not as strong thanks to the absences of James Posey and P.J. Brown. There is no one on the roster that can adequately back up Rajon Rondo (Vaya con dios, Gabe Pruitt). Marbury has put up all-star caliber numbers throughout his career and to get such a talent at such a low cost is a no-brainer.

It would seem that the next logical question is: How much are those factors worth? The Celtics aren’t guaranteed banner 18 by making this move – they may have a better chance at it, but obviously, that’s all. There probably will be no better options, especially in light of the rule that no one signed after Sunday is eligible to play in the playoffs, another pro to making the deal.

And then there are the cons, starting with the fact that for all intents and purposes, Marbury is a total and complete malcontent certain to be overcome by ego and selfishness if things aren’t satisfactory to him. I’ve talked to a couple people this week who have likened the circumstances to those of the Patriots acquiring Corey Dillon prior to the 2004 season. It’s not close. Dillon played for the worst team in the NFL for seven years, dutifully put up big numbers and seethed over the losing. After a few outbursts near the end of his tenure in Cincinnati, he was branded a bad team guy, as if the Bengals absolutely sucking for all that time had more to do with him than anyone else. He came to Foxboro, didn’t say a bad word all year, put up one of his best seasons and won a Super Bowl.

Marbury has played for four teams and managed to be banished from each one. He is a perpetual complainer. He is eminently unlikeable. The only time he has ever been in a winning situation, he flipped out over not being the highest paid/most visible/go-to guy and forced his way out of town. Teams routinely get better after he leaves (check out the Nets, Suns and Knicks’ records in his final year with each of them as well as the first year after he’s gone). He cannot/will not be coached (see Larry Brown, Mike D’Antoni, Don Casey, Scott Skiles and Flip Saunders for more information). He epitomizes the stereotype of the modern, me-first athlete and if that wasn’t already evident in his play throughout the years, it was unmistakable in his behavior toward the Knicks this season, from his refusal to play when needed to his hard-headed unwillingness to surrender $1 million in his buyout negotiations of a contract worth more than $20 million. He is so toxic, he couldn’t even get along with his brother from the coaching/executive division of human team incinerators, Isiah Thomas, who enabled and coddled him more than anyone this side of his old stomping grounds in Coney Island.

Everyone, both with the Celtics and who supports the move is saying all the right things. Everything stays in house. The locker room is policed by Capt. KG and his lieutenants Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. If anyone steps out of line, they will have to face those three future Hall-of Famers. The winning culture and mutual respect will force Marbury to stay in line. The financial commitment is relatively small, making it an easy option to send him packing if he doesn’t comply. This is his chance to prove to any doubters (meaning, pretty much all observers) that he can function in a winning atmosphere, that he’s capable of subverting his massively over-inflated opinion of himself for the greater good. Etc.

It doesn’t matter. To repeat, Marbury has gotten himself run off of four teams. His exploits are not comprised of isolated incidents. They are all part of a large pattern that suggests an irredeemable quality. He has never played for a team on which he didn’t commit some act of loserdom, so why are the Celtics the exception? He’s such a negative that I can’t even describe him without resorting to double negatives.

Anyway, what’s done is done. He has been signed. He’s on the team. The experiment has begun. Perhaps, he will be a good soldier, come off the bench, play 15-20 minutes a game, score about 10 points and dish out three or four assists, smile and keep his mouth shut. Maybe, when Garnett is healthy, the two of them will rekindle some of the magic of their youths in Minnesota. Who knows? He may be just what the Celtics need to stave off Cleveland and the Lakers and win another championship. I hope he is. And I will gladly declare mea culpa if needs be.

I just can’t see it, though. I see him lasting a month here, maybe less. And then we can all move on and pretend the time the Celtics brought in the league’s biggest knucklehead never even happened.

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