Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics

I hate to take away from Nick's pending wedding, but I'm pretty sure he want me to post this. So congrats Nick and enjoy:

This morning I caught Rajon Rondo on the Dennis and Callahan show responding to swirling trade rumors. Supposedly Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins are also on the block. Now as Wyc Grousbeck recently said on the Dale and Holley show phones calls and discussions happen all of the time in the NBA. Of course that’s what any savvy owner would say. Still, initially I was a little taken back by the rumors, as I’ve grown attached to this team over the last two years. Yet I like the fact that Danny Ainge is always thinking about how to prevent the C’s recent revival from being a flash in the pan. In order to be good over the next 5 years the Celtics are going to have to make some hard decisions. They have to decide who gets paid. And at the heart of it’s the delicate line professional sports teams walk right now. When it comes down to it fans in the 21st century are rooting for the jersey. But it still helps to follow guys over the course of several seasons. Ultimately this is a Rajon Rondo post, but I’d like to make three points regarding all of these rumors before delving into the numerous points of information that have surfaced about the former Kentucky point guard.

1. Kevin Garnett’s health or lack thereof hangs over all of this. I’m even more convinced than I was in January that if healthy the C’s could have made a hell of a run at the championship in 2009. I’d like to see this team get one more shot at it next year. Of course if KG is not effective, it’s not going to happen.

2. I’ve loved everything Ray Allen has brought to the C's. He’s been unselfish, professional and at times an assassin. I understand that he may have to be traded or not resigned after next season. But I don’t want the C’s to align themselves for one of the marquee 2010 guys and miss out on acquiring someone. I honestly don’t see LeBron or Wade ending up in Boston. And I’m not sold on Bosh. Wait and see I guess.

3. I’m a huge fan of Perkins. I know people outside of Boston can’t stand him, but it’s been awesome to watch his growth as a player. Just know that moving him will make things more difficult for KG.

On to Rondo…

Point One: Rondo is somewhere between stubborn/difficult and uncoachable.

- This notion has been floating around over the last few days and I just don’t buy it. Granted if memory serves that was the word out of Kentucky and Rondo slipped in the draft as a result. I’m positive that a lot more goes on behind closed doors than we’ll ever know. And I don’t doubt that Rondo and Doc Rivers disagree frequently. But how can you explain Rondo’s improvement over the past few seasons? He fits within Boston’s systems and can’t be doing this all on his own.

Point Two: Rondo was late for a playoff game, showing up an hour before tip off.

- Rondo danced around this a little bit in the Dennis and Callahan show. He never addressed the specific incident, but did admit he hates wasting time in the locker room. He just likes to show up, get dressed and play. In fact at times he’ll get to the game and sit in his car for a half hour before heading in. I’m torn on this one. To be honest it’s a little weird. Granted he’s entitled to his own routine. It just screams a little bit as a guy who is relying heavily on his health and youth. It does shed some light on the final topic.

Point Three: Rondo is not well liked by some of his teammates.

- My initial reaction is, what is this freaking kindergarten? You know who everyone likes? The 15th man on the roster. If they didn’t he be gone. This is the freaking NBA. Being liked isn’t the be all end all. He does not appear to be a cancer and if Rondo is such a jerk why is he in Perk’s wedding later this summer? Still I could see how he might not be buddies with everyone. The guy roller skates a massive amount in the off season and by all account is a little quirky. Still, is the NBA really a league where everyone is buddy buddy.

Point Four: Rondo’s defense suffered when KG went out and Derrick Rose lit him up in round one of the playoffs.

- This one might make me the angriest. You mean Rondo was a better defender when KG was on the floor? I always thought Brian Scalabrine, Glen Davis and Leon Powe brought the exact same defense. Here’s a thought. Paul Pierce was a better defender with KG. And so were Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins. And I bet KG would argue that it’s easier to defend with Rondo and Perk on the floor than say Ervin Johnson and Troy Hudson. And for the record Rose had a huge game one, got burned plenty by Rondo and did not win the series. Finally, Steve Nash has been talked about as a possible replacement. Now there’s a guy who struggles on D. And Nash is also almost exactly 12 years older than Rondo.
Point Five: Rondo is carried by the Big Three.

- As good as Rondo is he’s not at the point where he’s raising teammates’ games like Jason Kidd during his best years with the Nets. Still Rondo brings much needed energy, athleticism and playmaking to the C’s. He’s a rising star at the point guard position and there are not a lot of guys in the league who could do what Rondo does with the C’s, big three or not.

Point Six: He can’t shoot:

- I won’t point to his superb field goal percentage, which is greatly helped by layups and floaters. I don’t even think it’s necessary to delve into his improvement since coming out of Kentucky and all the work he is currently putting in. I’ll just say this. I hate when we focus on what a guy can’t do instead of looking at what they do. How many guys can throw up triple doubles in the playoffs? Not many.

Point Seven: Rondo thinks he’s a max contract guy.

- In the Dennis and Callahan interview Rondo said while he may not be there yet, he’d like to be. It was unclear if he thought he’d be there once his current contract runs out or after his next one. I absolutely love his game but I’m not sold on the max contract. Just because a team has the ability to give a max contract does not mean it should. One needs to only look at division rival Philadelphia, and numerous other teams as well, to see what happens when guys get drastically overpaid.
Point Eight: Overall Rondo is difficult.

- I’ve probably touched on this already. It’s just important to stress that shipping a guy out of town for that reason makes way less sense if Amar’e Stoudemire is on the other end of the deal. I’d like to compare it to the Red Sox letting Mo Vaughn walk and trading for Carl Everett, but Rondo doesn’t deserve to be spoken about in that company. How about the fact that Rondo will be 23 in February? How long did it take Paul Pierce to get it? Guys frequently come into the league, put up stats, get paid, and then figure out what it takes to win as they mature. Rondo has to go through that process as well. I'd hate to see a guy leave town because he's quirky and still maturing.

Clearly I’ve written 1000+ words when I could have gone with three: Don’t Trade Rondo. On the bright side it’s June, the C’s were knocked out in the second round and the NBA season is over. Yet the Celtics got some substantial airtime of late on WEEI. What a difference a few years make. Nothing wrong with that.

Embrace The Weekend: Be Afraid, NBA.

KG had successful knee surgery this week, which means that Cleveland and Orlando had better enjoy this moment they have right now, because they will not get off so easy next year. To those who say that KG is all done, and really to all those people that have been trying to knock him down over the past two months, I'd like to submit this 90 second video clip to express how I feel about you and your beliefs:







I've wrote several times on this site about what a great album Live Through This is. You can say that Hole sucked, and I can't argue with you. But that one album, Live Through This, was the epitome of catching lightning in a bottle (which is why I suspect Kurt Cobain played a heavy hand in it). Anyways, enjoy the weekend everyone:

The Top Ten Moments of the 2009 Boston Celtics, Part 1

I'm just warning you now, part 1 of this list is very Truth-heavy.

10- Sunday, March 8th, 2009: Despite trailing by 18 at the half and missing both Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo, the Celtics are able to pull within double digits by the end. More important than the outcome of the game was the announcement that Paul Pierce had passed Robert Parish to become number three on the all-time Celtics scoring list, behind Larry Bird and John Havlicek.

I'll never forget this, because we all got to our feet and clapped, and the older couple next to me shook their heads in disaproval. "It's really too bad, Parish was a much better player, Pierce is just a ballhog" the woman said to me, her husband nodding in agreement. It's interesting that Pierce was never embraced as unconditionally by all of Celtics nation as the two men ahead of him and the man who he passed. Part of it, I guess, is that older people always seem to think that what's happening now isn't as great as it used to be. The other is that I suppose these fans need somebody to blame for the subpar years that this team has seen with Pierce. In my opinion, he belongs in the company of all the Celtics greats, and this was a really great moment in an otherwise frustrating afternoon.





9- Monday, November 10, 2008: On the eve of Veteran's Day, the Celtics found themselves down eight points to the Raptors in the fourth quarter. It was then that Paul Pierce took over. He scored 22 points in the final quarter, and led the Celtics to victory in a game in which they had trailed since the opening minutes. When Pierce took the stage at the postgame press conference with his hand wrapped in ice, Kevin Garnett jokingly informed the media that Pierce's shooting hand needed to be cooled down. While Pierce's performance drew national praise, there was also many around North America who were upset with Kevin Garnett waving his finger in Jose Calderon's face as Calderon was advancing the ball.

While KG's finger wag upset many, I loved it. My reaction to it now is the same as it was then: If you don't like one of the highest paid veterans in the league going balls to the wall and doing everything he can to win in November, you've got problems. You're probably one of the same people who complains about NBA teams coasting through the regular season. Some people are never happy. Eat a dick, essentially, is what I'm saying to you.

Here were KG's postgame thoughts on Pierce's performance (it's funny, but a little awkward...very nasaly performance)




8- Tuesday, April 28, 2009: Eastern Conference Playoffs, Round 1, Game 5. Kevin Garnett is not playing. Ray Allen fouled out with over 5 minutes remaining (the last two fouls were VERY questionable calls, particularly the 6th.) Things were looking bleak. However, as he so often does, Paul Pierce took the team on his shoulders. He tied the game with 10 seconds left in the fourth, and then scored 6 in the overtime. His final two, a signature jumper from the elbow, put the Celtics up 2 with 3 seconds left in the overtime.

It should be noted here that Richard Phillips (the Captain captured by Somali pirates) was the "Celtics Hero Among Us" of this night. I should probably say something about gaining a lot of perspective on sports and realizing what a real role model is and all that stuff. I just thought it was cool. That's all I have to say.




7- Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009: The Celtics had won 11 straight heading into their road matchup with the Sixers. With less than a minute remaining, Ray Allen hit a three pointer to tie the game up at 97, apparently prompting Cedric Maxwell to exclaim "Sugar Ray! That's onions right there! Not onion rings, but onIONS!" (see video below). However, after Andre Iguodala hit a beautiful fallaway shot with six seconds left, it looked like that 11 game win streak would come to an end. However, Doc Rivers drew up a beatiful inbounds play for Ray Allen, who gave the Celtics the win by hitting a three pointer from the corner with less than a second left on the clock.

Words can't do this one justice, watch it:




6- Wednesday, November 12, 2008: Two nights after scoring 22 fourth quarter points to beat the Raptors, Paul Pierce scores 34 with the final two coming on a fallaway jumper with his team down 1 and .5 seconds left on the clock to beat the previously undefeated Hawks. KG had 25 and 12 in this one as well. After the game, Kevin Garnett had this to say to the media:

"The last play was drawn up: Get the ball to Pierce; get the hell out the way," Garnett said. "Superman's in the booth. Let's go home. That was the play, and if you don't believe that ask Doc Rivers and he'll say the same exact thing."

This week was my favorite of the entire season, and this would probably be my top moment of the season if the playoffs had never happened. This was early November, and teams were coming in to the Garden to play the defending champs with intensity usually reserved for postseason game 7s. They were pushed to their breaking point twice in a row, and both times they dug deep and provided the fans with moments they won't soon forget.

Here is the buzzer beater from that night:




Moments 5-1 coming at you Monday or Tuesday.

Doc: Pierce, Perk, KG All Most Likely Need Surgery

Doc Rivers, on with Dennis and Callahan this morning as he is every week during the season, shed some light on KG's knee, other injuries that impacted the team, and how the team will progress moving forward.

From Green Street

On whether KG's knee is more serious than was reported:

"I don’t think there will be much more (than reported). I think it will be the strained tendon and the bone spur. What they started thinking at the end was that maybe the bone spur had something to do, maybe it started rubbing against the tendon and that’s what kept it inflamed. But they don’t know that. That’s just an assumption."


On other injuries that affected the team and will need to be addressed:

"Ray Allen had a hamstring problem throughout the Orlando series that was not getting better. Paul had some bone spurs that may need to be removed as well. (Kendrick Perkins) may have to have a procedure on his shoulder… In Ray’s case, I thought his hamstring was bothering him a lot. That could have had an effect on him (during the Magic series)."


On the future of he and Thibs with the C's:

on himself: "I have every intention of coming back".

on Thibs: "I hope he’s not back…(The 76ers job) will be a tough one to get. Tom’s not a good guy – he’s a great guy. And he’s a terrific coach. So I’m really pulling for him."



So, let's give a quick rundown of what we've learned:

1) It sounds like all the Celtics really knew was that KG's knee was effed up. There was no specific injury that people were keeping under cover. At no point was he "done for good" and they weren't telling us. If what Doc is saying is true, it sounds like it was really bothering him, and they kept trying it out, and the tendon was too inflamed for him to go. It also sounds like removing that bone spur will be the key to a clean bill of health for the big ticket.

2) Ray's hamstring was bothering him, which surely impacted his shooting (and allowed JJ Redick to stay with him). Paul Pierce had bone spurs in his knee, and may require surgery. We at roomofzen could tell Paul was not healthy, and were wondering about his knees very early in the postseason. I'm not the least bit surprised to learn that. Anybody could tell he was not healthy. Finally, Perk's shoulder, which the trainers were always working on before and during games, clearly didn't affect his overall game. However, I do wonder if there were times (for example, missing three straight layup tries in one posession in game 7) where the combination of the pain and the fatigue was too much for the big man. Luckily, these all sound like issues that can be cleared up in the offseason, and can have all these guys back and as good as new by the pre-season.

3) Doc is a committed family man and his family lives in Orlando, so I always worry about whether or not he will come back. It's great to hear that he'll be back. I truly believe he proved himself to be the best coach in the NBA this season. As far as losing Tom Thibodeau goes, it will be tough. I am going through a similar crisis with my New York Giants losing Steve Spagnuolo. But, this is the circle of life in professional sports. Doc has to be behind him, and so do we. If Doc were trying to convince him to stay, Thibs would start to resent him anyways. Good luck to him. And, besides, as we saw in 2007, it's more about the players than anything. As long as KG is back, I have faith that this team will play some serious D.

KG: Footprints

As someone who finds their spiritual center in the world of sports, the imagery of KG as a Christ figure to a Celtics franchise that had suffered for a long stretch is not lost on me. I have felt his impact on what this team has done throughout the post season, and it has been most evident in the play of Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins. In particular, Davis seems to be channeling Garnett's offensive game in a way that I never thought possible. At this point, I really think the sky is the limit for this team. They could find themselves back in the finals. And, if they do, I'd like to begin a new series of scripture that shall begin with the following reading.

(note: i don't know where this footprints thing originated, but everyone seemed to know it when outside providence came out).



One night Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Eddie House, Brian Scalabrine, Stephon Marbury, Mikki Moore, and Glen Davis all had a dream. They dreamed they were walking along the beach with Kevin Garnett. Across the sky flashed scenes from their lives. For each scene, they noticed nine sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to each of them and the ninth to KG.

When the last scene of their lives flashed before them, they looked back at the footprints in the sand. They noticed that one time along the path of their lives there were only eight sets of footprints. They also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and scariest time of their lives, the 2009 NBA playoffs.

This really bothered them and they questioned KG about it. They said "you said that once we decided to follow you, you'd walk with us all the way. But we have noticed that during the most troublesome time in our lives there are only eight sets of footprints. We don't understand why when we needed you most you would leave us."

KG replied, "my motherfucking precious, precious children, I Love you motherfuckers and I would never leave you! During your motherfucking times of trial and suffering when you see only eight motherfucking sets of footprints, it was then that I carried you motherfuckers on my back."


Amen.

Fucking God, man.

It's Spring

I got a text from LaRocque today that simply said, "It's a perfect day to take down a D'angelo's number nine for lunch." Three thoughts:

1. He's right.

2. The expression "take down" doesn't get enough play. Yes I'm the same guy that tried to get people to transition away from "spread like wildfire" to "spread like herpes". But in this case there really is a ton of untapped potential with "take down".

3. The text motivated me to write the following post, which has been in the back of my mind for a week or so.

Last Wednesday I walked out my front door to make the short walk to work and it hit me - it was nice outside. I should preface this by saying I live in New Hampshire and the last couple of winters have been abysmal. Maybe it's because I don't like outdoor winter sports. Maybe I'm just getting older. Whatever the reason San Diego or any other place that's warm and has reliable water is looking more and more appealing. However, back to last week. For the first time it was warm and there was not a doubt in my mind what I would be doing that night - grilling steak. It was noticeably more upbeat at work, the day went quicker and I can't adequately describe how awesome it was to break out the grill for the first time all season.

Not to go all Hallmark here but the coming of spring made me think about the Boston Celtics. Stay with me on this one. I loved everything about the 2008 Celtics squad and a lot of other people did too. Yet I'd argue that banner 17 meant a lot more to people who watched large chunks of the 2007 Celtics, got excited by the 1998 season opener and have opinions on Orien Greene, or anybody else who walked through the door since Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish stopped doing so. I beg you to look at those previous two links. The former is downright comical at this point. The latter sums up the Orien Greene era better than I ever could. Regardless I'm convinced that people who stopped watching the C's sometime in the early 90s simply didn't enjoy last season as much as I did.

And that brings me to the point of this post. I don't care what happens from this point forward. Even if Kevin Garnett is forced to retire and the Celtics fall into mediocrity I will never say a bad thing about the KG trade. It was fantastic to watch Paul Pierce change his entire legacy with a Finals MVP performance. It's impossible to judge how much playing for a winning, defensive juggernaut did for Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo, and to a lesser extent Glen Davis and Leon Powe. Bottom line Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson, and whoever else was not winning a title.

More Reflective Reading

I have been reading Breaks of the Game for a second time during these playoffs, and providing certain excerpts where I see them fitting in with the current cycle of madness upon which we all embarked on Saturday.

The following comes during a losing streak. Halberstam discusses how much a player like Bill Walton would have affected the psyche of those around him, and how much Jack Ramsay misses his talents during a rough stretch. There are many similarities and many vast differences between Walton and Garnett's career paths. Walton won a championship early, he was vocal about his displeasure with management, and he sounds like he was not always the best teammate. But, both played in Boston late in their careers. Both were dominant players of their era. Both have similar skill sets. Anyways, this passage could have been written in 2009 with Garnett's name substituted for Walton's and nobody would even think twice (the only obvious difference, I guess, is that Walton is not present in this case because he's no longer with the team. In KG's case, it is an injury). It's great, and I think it clearly hashes out some of the psychological issues that the Celtics have had to deal with since Thursday of last week. Remember, it was the first time that the players actually had to face the reality that KG was not coming back. That is a big departure from their mindset closing out the season:

"Suddenly it was not just a game or two, suddenly it was what all basketball people, players and coaches alike, feared most, a losing streak. For basketball people believed that their game was far more psychological than football or baseball. Players, if they were going well, believed they could do certain things, shoot and make certain shots, stop certain players on defense. That had been part of the immense intangible value of Walton: he was so superior a player and his talents so directly encouraged other players; because he was so good on defense they were able to play better defense too, for they had less territory to cover; he passed so well that they got better shots. But as basketball players lost their confidence, their ability diminished, they no longer believed. They would hesitate and become tentative. Natural shooters began to push their shots. Fine passers overreached themselves and passed into the hands of opponents. Rebounders found themselves unable to take the position they wanted. Players began to doubt not just themselves, but their teammates as well. Contemporary professional basketball was a curious amalgam of great skill, great ego and great anxiety."


This paints a clear picture of what we saw from the Celtics in game 1 and for the early parts of game 2. However, the feeling that this team was psychologically turning the corner was palpable inside the Garden after Ray hit that three. Hopefully the best lies ahead.



Also, you must watch the video posted below by Demers.

Day 1: All Rise

Check out my playoff predictions here.


Before we begin the celebration, a reading from the book of Halberstam:

"It was clear at the end of the season that he would not be coming back. He and Snyder had a meeting. 'I think we should change coaches,' Snyder said. 'I think we should too,' Ramsay said. 'How do we do it?' Snyder asked. Ramsay sensed immediately that it was a question of the deferred money and that Snyder wanted him to quit in anger so that he could avoid paying it. 'Well, I think you should go ahead and announce that there's going to be a coaching change," he said.

So it was that Jack Ramsay left Buffalo, neither fired nor rehired. Stu Inman, looking for a coach, had seen the final game of the Washington playoff series, and asked Ramsay about coming to Portland. The first thing Ramsay thought of was not how far west Portland was, it was no longer near Japan; the first thing he thought of was that Bill Walton played there and Walton lived by speed."

--Breaks of the Game.


Here's to new beginnings everybody.







Today's Festivities:





Chicago at Boston, 12:30


Celticsblog: "Just in case the world hasn't met Rajon Rondo yet, they are about to get a steady dose of reminders that the kid is grown up. Its no longer about "potential" with Rondo. He is, hands down, one of the best point guards in the game. He can dominate a game without taking a shot outside of 3 feet but don't look now, he's also adding that 12 foot jumper that everyone said he needed. Rondo's already a star, it just may take these playoffs for everyone to notice."


Celtics Hub: "Can the Bulls stop the Celtics? I don’t see it. Derrick Rose cannot guard Rajon Rondo, and nobody on the Bulls can guard Paul Pierce–especially not with John Salmons nursing a gimpy groin. The Bulls starting shooting guard, Ben Gordon, is not tall enough at 6′3” to effectively check Ray Allen. Perk could average 12 points a game given the size advantage he’s going to have and his recent uptick in offensive activity; he averaged 11-9 in March, a career month, and he’s only slowed down a bit this month. He’s put up a KG-esque 16-9 against Chicago this year. I mean this sincerely: Perk can be a weapon in this series."



Blog a Bull: "So while we've seen in the past where Thomas and Noah are completely thrown off their games against Garnett, this series can provide a chance for them to finally give it to the Celtics. For Noah to crash the offensive glass instead of picking up fouls. For Thomas to force the Celtics to foul him instead of settling for a jumper while Tom Thibodeau grins.

Both have made strides this season, though it wasn't exactly a breakout campaign for either, and questions remain in terms of how they can handle themselves against the elite teams. But Noah's certainly gotten stronger (literally, even) after a bad offseason and start to the year, and Thomas keeps showing more and more reasons to even consider not trading him for Amare Stoudemire, which is more than can be said the season prior. Thomas in particular can really raise his status with a great playoff performance."


Roomofzen note: respect Perk or get your feelings hurt.





Detroit at Cleveland, 3:00


Cavs News: "The point is that even when the Pistons were a legitimate contender they never had much success guarding James—and this year’s Pistons are not nearly as good defensively (or offensively) as the 2006 and 2007 versions were, while the Cavs clearly have a much more talented and deeper roster than they did back then. The Pistons still have a fine midrange shooter (Richard Hamilton), a good wing defender (Tayshaun Prince) and their rotation of bigs—including Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess and Jason Maxiell—can do some damage but overall the Pistons do not match up well with the Cavs, who won three of the four regular season meetings. Detroit’s lone victory against Cleveland came all the way back on November 19 and the since banished Allen Iverson played a prominent role, scoring 23 points on 8-16 shooting; that was during a stretch when Detroit won four out of five games–including victories over the Cavs and Lakers—by featuring Iverson and Rasheed Wallace in screen/roll actions that were very tough to defend: give Iverson space and he would jet to the hoop but give Wallace space and he would drain three pointers (3-6 from long range versus Cleveland in that game).

Fortunately for the Cavs, the Pistons inexplicably abandoned the idea of using Iverson effectively, tried to turn him into a sixth man and later asked him to stay away from the team for the rest of the season. With Iverson out of the picture, young guards Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum have to shoulder heavy responsibilities, though Prince or Hamilton can also assume some playmaking duties."



Need4Sheed: "I have my own bright spots here and there like the surprising and refreshing play of Will Bynum, the heart and determination of Antonio McDyess, Rip Hamilton’s return to the starting lineup, the defense of Arron Afflalo and iron man Tayshaun Prince, but all those things just don’t add up to what it takes to beat (and I hate saying this) a powerhouse like the Cavs.

The Cavs are 66-15 and have won 18 of their last 20, and like I mentioned before have lost just one at home. The series starts with the first two games in Cleveland. LeBron has dominated Detroit in the playoffs and to this day he’s responsible for my worst memory of the Palace (remember that fateful game 5). Add in the Cavs defense, the calls they get and it’s a recipe for disaster."


Roomofzen note: Pistons will lose game 1 by double digits and then steal game 2. That's their style.







Dallas at San Antonio, 8:00


Mavs Moneyball: "The Mavs are peaking in only one way: Their offense has evolved into such a deadly weapon that it is overcoming troublesome weaknesses on defense. As you look at the last ten games of the season, it is clear that Rick Carlisle has achieved what Mavs fans desperately needed after the last three playoff series: An offense that is not only potent but varied in its attack and difficult to stop even with the preparation you see in a seven game series.The Mavs are not peaking at all on defense. They are better than they were during the entire season, but they are just as inconsistent and far from dominant or even very good. This has been hidden by the devastating effectiveness of the Mavs offense, but make no mistake: The defensive flaws are still there."



Pounding the Rock: "But the facts remain that the Mavs, those stupid, ugly, dirty, foul-mouthed, devil-worshiping, gun-running, heroin-trafficking, Ozone-ruining, wife-beating, animal-abusing, child-pornography viewing, non-recycling, Grisham-reading, drunk-driving, seal-clubbing, Holocaust-denying, binge-eating, Taliban-supporting, ESPN-viewing, GOP-voting, puppy-murdering, Christian rock-listening, reality television-loving, Jagermeister drinking* Mavs are relatively healthy while my Spurs are without the services of one Emanuel David Ginóbili, our talisman, fourth quarter savior and resident force of nature.

While Ginóbili has spent most of this season in a jacket, delighting crowds with his comic timing and romantic flair, he’s generally been more valuable in the past as a postseason assassin. In losing him the Spurs are missing their only penetrator besides Parker, their peskiest defensive playmaker, their most clutch free throw shooter and just a guy who manages to make the momentum turning play more often than not. We at PtR would contemplate sacrificing a carnal evening with Mila Kunis for a healthy Manu Ginóbili (in the end we’d still probably opt for the former, but at least we’d have contemplated it)."



Roomofzen note: Any team that sent Devin Harris and two first-round picks away for Jason Kidd in the twilight of his career does deserve to get out of the first round. I believe this with every fiber of my being.








Houston at Portland, 10:30

Blazers Edge: "The problem for the Blazers is the Rockets have more experience, more defense, and more potential for physically punishing play. If this series is only going to be ground and pound it looks good for Houston. Portland cannot and should not abandon the high percentage offense, interior bulwark defense, and strong rebounding style that got them this far. But the Blazers need to throw in some tempo-changing wrinkles of the variety we saw late in the regular season. They cannot simply walk the ball up, try to match their offense against a set Houston defense, allow Houston to do the same at the other end, and expect to sustain an advantage. Here's the mantra from the Blazers' end of things for this series:
'The slower we go, the faster we lose.'"



The Dream Shake: "Yao Ming struggles with one brand of center: a small, agile post player with a low center of gravity and quick feet. Luckily, Portland suits up two giant slow people in Greg Oden and Joel Pryzbilla. While Oden and the Pryz may be solid low-post defenders and great shot-blockers, they play the kind of old-school, post-on-post defense that Yao thrives against. No post player in the NBA has a better post move arsenal than the Ming Dynasty, and his will be on full display for the duration of the series.

Brandon Roy is one of the best young talents in The Association, but Houston has two shutdown defenders in Shane Battier and Ron Artest that serve as the perfect remedy for Roy. Remember, in the first meeting, Roy was guarded by an ailing Tracy McGrady, and was able to have a good game. This time around, he’s going to struggle with not one, but two premier perimeter defenders known collectively as "White Pills" rotating on and off of him."


Roomofzen note: I really think the matchups favor Houston in this one, which is why I picked the Rockets to win this series. The game that Dream Shake mentions, in which T-Mac attempted (in his own special way) to defend Brandon Roy was THE ONLY game in which the Blazers defeated the Rockets this season. And, they needed Roy to hit an improbably buzzer-beater to pull it off. I know everyone is high as can be on Portlant right now, but I just don't see it. Houston will advance.

Foil in The Oven Returns: Playoff Predictions

"I don't need your fucking sympathy, man. I need my fucking johnson"

--The Dude

I woke up this morning being 26 years old for the first time. That, in itself, is a lot to deal with. By the time we hit ten o'clock, I was trying to somehow make sense of the announcement that not only was Kevin Garnett not playing in round 1 of the playoffs, but he was most likely out for the entire postseason. I had resigned myself to the fact that he just needed rest. I didn't see this coming. Then, around 3:00, the news comes that John Madden is retiring from broadcoasting. I, personally, would have appreciated a little notice before his last game. By 5 o'clock tonight, Danny Ainge had suffered a heart attack. The guy is in great shape. And, he's only 50. I'm now more than halfway there. Needless to say, this was a very complicated day. A lot of ins, a lot of outs, a lot of what have yous. Fortunately, we've been adhering to a pretty strict drug regiment here to keep our minds, you know, limber.


I can't speak fully to the KG injury right now. All I can really say is that I have never been anywhere near this deflated by an sports injury. If there are any Patriots fans out there (so pretty much 3/4 of our readers), please leave some comments about how this stacks up against the Brady injury.

The one thing I was finally able to arrive at that gave me the strength to push on with my day and pump out these predictions was this:

at least this didn't happen last year.

Really, can you imagine how devastating this would have been last year? It's not much, but for now it's all I've got.

So, let's not wait any longer. Here are the picks (the West picks are without comment because I certainly don't watch enough of the West to say anything meaningful).




ROUND 1

EAST

Cleveland vs. Detroit:

The Pistons gave up on this season the minute they sent Chauncey Billups to Denver. They were, of course, open to the possibility of catching lightning in a bottle with AI, but more than anything this move was about Joe Dumars conceding that his group was no longer good enough to make it out of the East. As things currently stand, with a record below .500 and AI literally paying no dividends on the court (I hope this ungraceful exit is not the last we see of him), the question now becomes not who will win this series, but what type of series it will be.

The Pistons have played the Cavs tough this season. Rasheed Wallace has gone on the record as saying that he expects his team to re-gain their swagger once the post-season begins. I do believe in Detroit’s veteran leadership. I believe in the power of their home crowd and in their ability on defense to make LeBron James have to beat them all on his own. However, I also believe I’ve seen him do that before. Since then, he’s gotten better and Detroit has gotten worse.

The pick: Cleveland in 6.





Boston vs. Chicago:

This Bulls team is not the matchup I wanted for round 1. They really improved themselves at the trade deadline, and they've had the look over the past month of a team that could shake up the post-season. All that being said, they have no shot here. If they were a legitimate threat, they would have beaten Toronto last night (the news about KG wasn't out yet, they had something real to play for) at home. The absence of Luol Deng means big production for Paul Pierce. Kendrick Perkins will swallow Joakim Noah. Derrick Rose had a great season, but Rajon Rondo has blossomed into one of the league's premiere point guards. The Celtics have the advantage in every matchup.

The pick: Boston in 6






Orlando vs. Philadelphia:

There is no way Philly takes this series. They have no answer for Dwight Howard and don't have anybody that can shoot, which should translate to a lot of easy buckets in transition off of missed shots for the Magic. The Sixers are also horrendous in the half court, and Orlando’s ball movement should lead to a lot of good looks both on the interior and from long range.

I wanted to actually analyze the matchup here, but all I really needed to do was point out that the Celtics beat Philly on Tuesday night without KG or Ray Allen, and that it took overtime for the Sixers to knock off Cleveland’s athletic training staff last night.

The Pick: Orlando in 5







Hawks vs. Heat:

These should be great games to watch, regardless of the score is when you flip to them. It’s hard not to get excited about a team as athletic as the Hawks facing off against Dwayne Wade. I really want to take Miami here. I think that D-Wade has been just as spectacular as LeBron this season. I’m also excited to see how Michael Beasley performs in his first playoff series. If he is able to elevate his level of play, he could give his team the edge. Miami has really impressed me over the second half of the season. However, while most of the national media has been ignoring the Hawks, they have been playing incredibly consistent basketball. It’s hard not to give Atlanta the edge when you weigh the matchups. The Wade/Johnson matchup will be great to see, and I will be interested to see how much Miami gets out of Jermaine O'Neal. This is hands down the toughest one to pick, so I’m going with my gut:

Even though it doesn’t make sense: Heat in 6.







ROUND 1
WEST (ABRIDGED):

Lakers over Jazz in 4:

Nuggets over Hornets in 7: Note: I don't want to miss one minute of this series.

Houston over Portland in 6:- I know people are saying "nobody wants to catch Portland right now", but I think Ron Artest provides Houston with the mentality they need to advance to round 2.

San Antonio over Dallas in 6:







ROUND 2: EAST

Cleveland over Miami:

Regardless of whether they see Atlanta or Miami, I wouldn't be surprised to see Cleveland coast in round 2. Detroit is a tougher matchup.

The pick: Cavs in 5.





Boston over Orlando:

I'm not sold on Orlando, and there is nothing they can do against Philadelphia that will convince me otherwise. I can't help but wonder if the people who wrote them in as championship contenders last month have been paying any attention at all to what has been happening this month. They were certainly impressive in March (12-2), but they have come crashing back down to Earth in April (4-5 this month, including losses to Toronto, New York, New jersey, and an 18 point loss to the Bucks).

On March 25th, the Magic defeated Boston by 2, and moved the Celtics down to third place in the East. This was the last game in which Kevin Garnett was able to play (and his role was very limited). Leon Powe, Tony Allen, and Brian Scalabrine were all out as well. How could Orlando not have held on to that 2 seed? It's inexplicable. They are not contenders.

Kendrick Perkins will be the key to Boston's success in this series, as he is the NBA's premier Dwight Howard stopper. Throw in the fact that there are serious questions about the health of Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, Boston is tough at home, and that there isn't anybody on the Magic capable of defending Paul Pierce, and this all adds up to a victory for the Cs.

The pick: Celtics in 7







WEST ROUND 2 (Abridged)


Lakers over Rockets in 5:

Spurs over Nuggets in 6:








Eastern Conference Finals:

Cavaliers over Celtics: There are many out there who say that the Cavs win this series even if it involves a healthy KG. I'm not one of those people. I think the Cavs are flawed, and I've felt all season long like the Celtics were the superior team. The two games the Cavs took from Boston this year were, in my opinion, two of the most uncharacteristically bad performances the Celtics turned in all season. Easter Sunday's performance was the worst (Pierce 4-17, totally flat performance, shooting 35% as a team). The statistics in these performances indicate that the Celtics would have lost to most NBA teams on these days. When they play at a level more aligned with their season averages, they have beaten Cleveland twice, including once with Kevin Garnett out.


So, just to clarify, if the Celtics were coming into this series with Kevin Garnett healthy, they would win. They simply have too much front line depth (KG, Perk, Big Baby, Leon, Mikki Moore) for Cleveland to handle.

But, we're dealing with reality here, and the reality is that I can't pick the Celtics to win this series. On paper, the Cavs seem harmless. Mo Williams? really? That's the other big gun? Delonte West? Don't try that shit with me. I'm well aware of what he can and can't do. When you look at the roster, and then you see how much LeBron is able to raise the level at which all of these guys play, you can't help but cast your MVP vote for anybody else. And, believe me, I'd like to.

The pick: Cleveland in 6





Western Conference Finals (abridged):

Lakers over Spurs in 5.








NBA Finals:

Lakers over Cavs in 5.

This is the Lakers' year, and nothing LeBron James does can change that. The Cavs will be totally outmatched in this series. There is no way they can compete with a front line of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. Number 24 is pretty good too. Even though he hasn't averaged so few points per game since 2004, I've never been more in awe of him.

Why You Shouldn't Hate the Celtics

Over the course of this season we've seen a tremendous amount of negative sentiment towards the Boston Celtics to the point that they may be the most disliked champion in quite some time. Criticism seems to focus on the following points:

1. They're dirty. LaRocque touched on this in a couple of posts not to long ago. Read them here and here. I'll hold off on my take on this for now and just say that I agree with LaRocque's line of thinking on Trevor Ariza's flagrant foul on Rudy Fernandez. Ariza definitely looked like a guy trying to make a basketball play.

2. They talk way too much. LeBron, Quentin Richardson and other have led the charge on this at times.

3. Some of the C's are arrogant in a way that is not in line with their abilities. Kendrick Perkins and Leon Powe often come up in these discussions. People around the league hate the perceived sense of entitlement.

4. They're fake tough. Ric Bucher frequently references D.J. Augustine's take on the Celtics' tendency to punk their opponents and fold if they meet resistance.

Clearly I'm here to argue on behalf of the Celtics. In the words of Adam Carolla, "let's get it on" one point at a time:

1. By the 2009 NBA standards the Celtics definitely walk the line between physical and dirty. In the process they cross over to the dirty at times, based again on those aforementioned standards. I'd argue that the Celtics' dirty plays often stem from their tremendous effort on D and dedication to contest everything. I also don't believe they ever play with an intent to injure. Ultimately I hope this doesn't take away from the fact that the 2008 Celtics were a truly special defensive team. And though the 2009 edition is a notch below that, the players still care. In a league where people are often suspect of whether or not certain players or teams do in fact care, it should be refreshing to witness a team that does.

2. Keeping in mind the fact that I'm incredibly biased, I'd aruge that the C's never ending talk is a part of their desire to win another title. Would it be better if the C's completely folded like the Heat did after 2006? What if Boston rested on its laurels like the Detroit Pistons did at times? To be fair the C's have much to accomplish if they want to match Detroit's run. But I'm not the only one that thinks Detroit may have left a title on the table. Whether the C's get there again or not, and given injury and depth concerns it's going to be a struggle, the C's will give it their all and go down fighting. That's all a fan can ask. Furthermore, the league should be excited about a team that values its title and desperately wants to repeat.

3. Leon Powe, despite his one big game in the Finals, still has a lot to prove. So the fact that he's adopted KG's persona at times may be a bit much. I've been on the Powe bandwagon for three years and even I can accept that. Although it has to be mentioned that he's also out there fighting for every minute. People are kidding if they say they wouldn't want him on their teams. Now on to Kendrick Perkins. He does have his limitations as a player. His offensive repertoire is basic, he's not great against the pick and roll and his constant scowling rubs people the wrong way. But he's a much better passer than he gets credit for, positions himself well on offense and defends the basket with a vengeance. Yes KG makes Perk better. That's what great players do. Perk needs KG. And KG needs Perk, albeit to a lesser degree. I bet KG would have taken Perk on those Minnesota teams. Bottom line Perk has worked tirelessly to be a starter. He was an instrumental part of a title team and just happens to be a bad ass. I don't think he should apologize for that.

4. Let the record show that the Celtics make everyone else bring it. The 2008 squad was impossible to blow out and the 2oo9 team fights as well. Maybe it was a poor decision to come out of the gates so hot. Yet as you've probably figured out at this point, I'm okay with that a flaw. How a team that fought its way through 108 games for a title could be fake tough is beyond me. I'll close with a brief recap of the recent win over Charlotte.

Wednesday night the C's went to double OT at home against a Charlotte team that was playing its second game of the dreaded back-to-back. The Bobcats are 34-41. You can easily make the case that despite its injuries Boston should have taken care of business in regulation. I understand all of that. However, it's really a testament to what the C's have established over the last few seasons. They could have accepted the fact that they're banged up and it just wasn't their night. They've fallen short in other games, such as that trip to Chicago a while back. In a league that gets it's fair share of criticism the Celtics embody a lot of the traits that are supposed to be non-existent. And as a fan of the Celtics it makes me look forward to watching them every chance I get. Bring on the Hawks...

Random Aside - DeSagna Diop is AWFUL from the line. Just throwing that out there.

I Didn't Fill Out a Bracket - So What?

When I was younger I used to follow a ton of sports, leagues and events closely - NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball, the NCAA Baseball Tournament, high school sports in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Olympics (summer and winter), world championships. I even tried to keep up with the NHL, even though hockey never quite clicked with me. But then I got older, got a job, and I could not keep up with everything. I found myself gravitating towards the Patriots and the Celtics. The former because the NFL is so easy to follow and the C's because I'm fascinated by the NBA.

Well all of the sudden it's 2009 and I didn't fill out a bracket. Not one. And the NCAA tournament has gotten to the point that seemingly everyone else did. Initially I was honest and admitted, "I just didn't get around to it." People were borderline offended. Other mocked me. I got into a few arguments about it. It's not that I didn't mind the jokes about my manhood or lack thereof. Rather I was annoyed by the assumption that I was somehow not a sports fan. It was as if my credentials were on the line. Really? Consider the following.

I watched every game of the 2006-2007 Celtics season. I bought a round for some people in Cambridge, England who didn't even follow the NBA when the KG trade was announced. Three days ago I dressed up as this guy. I'm probably going to help out with a JV baseball team a few days a week because I like throwing BP and hitting fly balls. There was a point where I was the self proclaimed best NBA Jam player in the world. I just knocked the ROOMOFZEN's T and his "Nobody Beats the Wiz" out of the fantasy basketball playoffs. Okay you got me. This was just an elaborate plan to drive home that last point. And I don't care if T stopped playing weeks ago and had injured guys in his lineup. Nor do I care that I'm going to get bounced this round. Nobody Beats The Wiz? Cobra Kai beat the Wiz. SWEEP THE LEG! PUT HIM IN A BODY BAG!

Notes on the Boston Celtics

I intended to write this post before the news of Kevin Garnett's continued injury woes surfaced. However, I got distracted and now its inevitable that Doc Rivers' recent take on the situation, "It's just not progressing the way we anticipated it would progress" will linger over the entire post. But here goes.

- Mike Gorman and the ABC crew have done a great job pointing it out, but it deserves my attention. Eddie House has been outrageously hot from deep. Dating back to January 12th, over a 36-game stretch, he's gone 79-152 from beyond the arc. That's 52%. In one 4-game strech he went 7-11 (Miami), 0-1 (Orlando), 7-11 (Dallas) and 8-9 (Sacramento). Factor in the entire Eddie House experience and it has been tremendous to watch. Though I'm rightfully concerned by the Stephon Marbury/House pairing on the defensive end, it's nice to see the former ASU star get minutes at the 2, run off screens, and get it done.

- As well as House has shot he's got nothing on Paul Pierce, who has had some fantastic stretches. I know the game went to overtime and Dwyane Wade didn't suit up, but it doesn't take away from the fact that Pierce was lights out against Miami. He pulled a similar effort in defeat the previous night in Chicago. He's evolved into a tremendous weapon from around the free throw line. Yet Pierce still takes it to the rack and gets to the line. And when KG made his short lived return the Truth immediately worked to get Garnett back in the flow of the offense. Pierce's growth as a player has been rocky and ultimately rewarding.

- A while back Mike Gorman's disdain for Carmelo Anthony's game came through in Boston's trip to Denver. Gorman went as far to say that he wouldn't trade a bag of balls for Anthony. Ignoring the obvious salary cap issues with the proposed deal I was somewhat bothered by the commentary. First of all the Celtics broadcast crew is widely considered to be the most biased in the entire Association. Tommy Heinsohn and Donny Marshall see to that. So I've always relied on Gorman to stay above the fray, provide some objectivity and keep the broadcast from falling into an unmitigated Celtics love fest. That's particularly the case when Marshall is on the air as Heinsohn has earned the right to do whatever he wants given his decade long assocication with the organization. Furthermore, I don't entirely agree with Gorman's assessment. Yes, he knows the players better than I do and has the best seat in the house. However, Carmelo can flat out score. And though he's made it into the headlines for his fair share of idiocy, it's way too early to cut ties with the former Syracuse star. Just look at Pierce's growth and maturation process.

- I might be in the minority on this one, but I was a little disappointed to see Mikki Moore and Stephon Marbury running around in the numbers formerly worn by Big Al and Antoine. Granted the C's have a lot of unavailable numbers. And Jefferson and Walker didn't exactly have the most distinguished careers. I just felt that same way I did when I first saw Rocco Baldelli's rocking Nomar's #5. I'd feel better if those numbers were taken by better players or guys with a future in Boston. In the end it's really a minor thing. More importantly Moore's love of personal fouls and Marbury's inconsistent play have concerned me. Still it's hard to join a team late in the season and there are signs of both guys coming along. And no matter what happens Marbury took a charge against Tim Duncan of all people. True story.

- I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Stan Van Gundy. I tend to agree that he's one of the better coaches in the NBA. I follow the line of thinking that the Shaq feud was pretty one sided and unnecessary on the Diesel's end. Van Gundy's defense of Patrick Ewing/shots at the Knicks caught me off guard. However, it's always admirable to see a head coach try to get his assistants to the next level. In fact it's something that probably doesn't happen enough. So ultimately my hesitation on Van Gundy comes down to 2 things.

1. We'll never know exactly what went down, but he was bounced in Miami by Pat Riley who then took the Heat all the way. Does that happen with Van Gundy? Once again we'll never know. And while Van Gundy has clearly bounced back well, it does linger at least somewhat. Maybe that's just me.

2. Van Gundy was recently critical of Boston and its injuries excuse: "I want to know how some teams get on the list, where they get excuses and other teams are not on that list. All I've been hearing about is all the injury problems the Celtics have had this year." Is he right? Maybe. Still there's no denying that losing KG, Leon Powe and as weird as it may sound Brian Scalabrine has had a noticeable impact. The C's are incredibly thin at the 4 and by extension the 5 as some of the aforementioned guys get minutes at center as well. Factor in Rajon Rondo's ankle issues and that's a legitimate excuse. At the same time every team has injuries. Off the top of my head LA (Andrew Bynum), San Antonio (Manu Ginobili), Orlando (Jameer Nelson), Cleveland (Ben Wallace), Milwaukee (Michael Redd), Philadelphia (Elton Brand), and Washington (Gilbert Arenas) come to mind. The list goes on.

Ultimately I always prefer the Bill Belichick style refusal to even acknowledge injuries. And of course Van Gundy is doing his job attacking the bullies in the East. It just makes me want to see the C's drive the dagger through the Magic even more. That's it for now.

Guatemala and Jerseys

A few weeks back I headed down to Guatemala. Whenever I leave the country I always have several goals:

1. Don't get arrested.

2. Eat some local cuisine. Unhealthy in a caloric sense is a plus. Of course any type of Montezuma's Revenge scenario is not.

3. Do something that would be hard/impossible to experience in New England.

4. Keep track of NBA jerseys.

In the words of Will Ferrell, "I think I did alright." (Sadly I spent the last 20 minutes trying to find the classic "Delco Cat Toys" skit that I just referenced. It's nowhere to be found. If you haven't seen it I'm deeply sorry.) Ultimately goal #4 is the only one that really has any relevance right now. So let's get right down to the rankings.

Honorable mention: Though this is really about NBA jerseys I did get a kick out of a number of random t-shirts. In the end the Springfield YMCA basketball t-shirt stood above the rest. It's at least slightly odd to come across in a village of people mainly of Mayan descent.

5. Kobe Bryant's #24 home jersey: As a Celtics fan one would expect this would grab the final spot. First of all it's Kobe. And second of all I despise his move away from #8 to #24. But the owner of said jersey flew by me at a high speed on a motorcycle. This deserves respect for a couple of reasons:

- The roads in Guatemala are treacherous. Think of the worst frost heave hit road you've come across and you're on the right track.

- I found little to no evidence of road rules. Yes, I saw a few pick up trucks pulled over with police standing by with intimidating guns. In fact we were pulled over at one point so the police could check us out. However, pedestrians have no rights, everyone (sugarcane trucks included, which are outrageously long and in a hurry) passes with reckless abandon, and though there were some posted speed limits, the government/police seem to rely on numerous speed bumps instead. Add it all up and it's not that easy to drive around. Of course the motorcycle only increases the degree of difficulty.

Having said all that it's still Kobe. So he's last, but I thought about it.

4. Jason Kidd. Team unknown: I was a passenger in a yellow school bus, the kind you see on American streets everyday, that was in the process of dangerously passing another yellow school bus. As this happened I saw several old women hacking branches with machetes, three policemen brandishing guns by a pickup truck they pulled over, and a random dude in a J-Kidd jersey. It was too much to take in at once and I blanked on the team. Sadly it was definitely not a cleverly made volleyball throwback style jersey created on the heels of completely unfounded, borderline irresponsible rumors.

3. KG's home Timberwolves jersey: This gains points because KG is involved. Yet it's lower on the list because the owner lives in Texas most of the time. I think that matters. Meanwhile, though this has absolutely no relevance, I am intrigued by KG's new commercial.

2. Vince Carter's purple Raptors jersey: It's important that you disregard everything I previously wrote about Kobe. Here goes. I actually like Vince Carter, mainly because nearly everyone despises him. It's not that I admire everything about his game, his last days in Toronto or his legacy. And I understand the criticism. Most of it seems to revolve around his unwillingness to go to the rim, a tendency to get franchise player money and not deserve it and a collective decision that he wasted his talent. It just seems like animosity towards a player gets to a certain point where everybody makes the same critiques time after time and he becomes underrated. Put it this way. There are some guys on this list stealing money and Carter is by no means the biggest offender. Bonus points because the owner was seven years old and was carrying a cinder block on his shoulder. Awesome.

1. Jermaine O'Neal's blue Pacers jersey: I always enjoyed O'Neal's good Indy teams. And as a fan of the NBA I'm still a little bummed out that core did not reach its natural end. Unless of course you think Ron Artest charging into the stands with Stephen Jackson and the subsequent suspensions/trades was its natural end. As a side note if I'd seen a Ron Artest jersey it would have been #1 on the list and out of respect I would have ranked the next jersey #3. But that almost goes without saying.

More Support For Horse

In recapping his trip to Phoenix for All-Star weekend, Craig Kwasniewski of the association says the following:

"Thumbs down to the crowd control for H-O-R-S-E. Look, I wanted to see it... and so did most of the fans in downtown Phoenix. There was a buzz about the return to an old-school favorite but having very limited seats in the smallish All-Star Block Party killed any chance of me seeing it (lines to get in were around the block). The NBA clearly underestimated the interest of the fans for it."

We said earlier this week that HORSE seemed like a blast, and appeared to be the kind of event that would translate well to the big arena on Saturday night. This quote offers support to my movement to replace the skills challenge with HORSE. It would be the ultimate warm up for the three point and slam dunk contests.





Unfortunately, Craig also wrote a post on February 2nd in which he dismisses the notion that Andrew Bynum's knee injury was karma biting him for what he did to Gerald Wallace, and then senselessly lashes out at Kendrick Perkins and what he calls "the front running KG-Celtics Era". To be honest, I feel like Bynum's elbow to Gerald Wallace and what Perk did to Jason Maxiell in Detroit were pretty similar. I find both to be in a different category than what David West did to Mike Miller, which was clearly not basketball.


I don't understand all the hatred for the Celtics that's out there, particularly from those who seem to want to vilify KG. How could you not love KG? It's not just because he's a Celtic....I had nothing but respect for the way he played while he was in Minnesota. The NBA is all about personality, and there is not a more passionate and exciting player in the league. This is one of the good guys. I just don't get it.




As for Perk, he does need to be more mindful of his propensity for technical fouls. But, I think there is far too little appreciation for how integral he is to the success of the Celtics. He has shut down the league's best centers, including holding Dwight Howard to ten points below his season average both times they have squared off this season. He is one of the most underrated defenders in the league, and his ability to hold down the paint allows much more range for Garnett. He has made great improvements on both ends of the floor since he began with the Celtics, and everyone associated with the team says he has an incredible work ethic. He is an enforcer. There's no question about that. But, that is essential to a team that prides itself on physical play.


Still the greatest album of all time:

Can Steph Help the C's Get Their Swagger Back? Plus..the Playoff Picks

Don't try and convince yourself, that was not a close game last night. The setting was perfect for them to make a statement, and because of that it would have been nice to see a sense of urgency. Even if they hadn't been sliding, this was a huge game. I had it circled in December, during the midst of a huge winning streak, because I knew Cleveland was right on our heels (those were good days..) and I knew that this was a possible Eastern Conference Finals matchup. This should have been one of the most epic games of this regular season. And yet, the only player on the court that seemed to grasp the magnitude of the night was LeBron James.


Now, I'm not panicing by any means. Kelly Dwyer has been saying this week that what we're seeing from the Celtics is "regression to the mean". I like the way that sounds. Normal NBA teams go through these types of skids. But, something happened this morning that I never expected:


I woke up, got out of bed, and said to myself "man, we NEED Stephon Marbury."


I was livid when I first read the reports that the Celtics were interested in bringing Marbury on board. But, this morning, it makes sense. They said on the radio last night that Rondo has been in a lot of pain from being knocked hard to the floor so many times. We're not even halfway through the season. He's going to need some stretches in which he plays fewer minutes. On top of that, although he did have a stretch earlier this year where he looked like the best point man in the East, Rondo is still a work in progress.

Marbury would give the Celtics a guy that could play a lot of minutes when Rondo struggles. Additionally, he will keep defenses more honest than Rondo or House can. Teams cannot leave him open to shoot as they do with Rondo, and yet he can create offense and handle the ball better than House can. In fact, he could be very dangerous on the floor with the starting unit.

Marbury's "cancer" effect is well documented (if you haven't read this yet, get on it!). But, I'm not really concerned that he will be able to negatively change the chemistry of this team. The leadership is too solid. On top of that, who in the NBA has more to prove than Marbury (you could argue several people here, but just stick with me)? The guy DOES NOT WANT to be a cancer. He grew up devoting his life to basketball. I'm sure it kills him that he has developed this reputation. I think the sense of rejection that he felt from the Knicks this season really hurt him and led to the actions that we're seeing (sorry, I've been attending native american peacemaking circle training for the past two days and I am going for the final day in about 15 minutes). I think he will be ecstatic to be joining such a great organization, and I think he will be happy to contribute.

I have heard several people on the radio make the "Manny to the Dodgers" comparison. That doesn't work that well for me. I think Randy Moss to the Patriots is a more accurate comparison. The Oakland Raiders and the New York Knicks parallel one another in many eerie ways. Marbury is a real talent, and I think he would relish the opportunity to join forces with guys like KG, Pierce, and Ray Allen (as Moss felt with Tom Brady). This is a shot at redemption for him.

So, there it is. I'm crying out for Stephon Marbury. We need some swagger back. We need to shake it up. I also really, really hope PJ Brown is working out right now and that he and Danny Ainge have already had phone conversations about when exactly he will be joining the team, but only time will tell.






The Picks:

TITANS OVER RAVENS: This is going to be a battle, but I expect the Titans to run on Baltimore. The Titans will lock down McLain and Mcgahee.

CAROLINA OVER ARIZONA: The line is something insane (I think 9.5) on this one. I don't expect it to be that lopsided, but Williams and Stewart will keep Carolina's offense on schedule.

GIANTS OVER EAGLES: A new season starts now for the Giants. If you've actually been watching the Eagles, they aren't that scary. If Philly plays the game they played last week, the G-Men will run away with this one.

SAN DIEGO OVER PITTSBURGH: The Steelers can't protect Ben Roethlisberger, and I don't think their offense will be able to do anything against the Chargers, who have just the right kind of momentum right now.