The Shield Is Down

Wow. Raise your hand if you turned away from this at halftime (as it seemed pretty predictable at that point) and ended up going to bed early. My hand is raised. Good thing we have DVR. I can't wait to check out how it went down at the end.

Worth mentioning (and I know you've heard this 1 million times already) that this is the third time the Magic have defeated the Cavs in their four total meetings. I know people say it's irrelevant, but I don't really see how they can feel that way. Cleveland didn't take many nights off, and they certainly didn't lose many games. Obviously there's something to it.

In this era of Shaq-proofed backboards, this counts as a serious feat of strength:

Flatline Blue and the Taste of Loss: The Roomofzen Tries To Live Up To Its Name

The only disappointing thing about this team is the way that they went out. It would have been much more appropriate, and much more telling of the season they had, for them to go out fighting and clawing for victory. That didn't happen. But, we can't complain. This Celtics team defended their title valiantly all season, and they never let any setbacks turn into excuses for them to mail it in. They gave us everything they had. Unfortunately, last night, they had nothing left. And I'll thank them for that, because it's not often you see a team completely empty themselves.

I still feel upset about last night, not upset at the Cs, but just because it was upsetting to watch. We started to see signs that this team was done in the second half of game 6 when they uncharacteristically pissed away a lead (sorry for not being more eloquent). But, it was clear last night that the Celtics' tank was empty. Orlando hasn't been able to hold a lead in the fourth quarter throughout this entire series (let it dwindle down in game 1, lost it in games 4 and 5). But heading into the fourth last night, with the Celtics barely breathing, the Magic sharpened their focus and squeezed the life out of the Cs. The Celtics let a lot of shots go uncontested, they were sloppy, and they couldn't finish. Paul Pierce's two missed free throws and Kendrick Perkins' three consecutive missed layups on one possession were tell tale signs that this team was exhausted.

I should say something like "Tip of the hat to the Magic. They were able to weather some tough setbacks in this series. They have some great shooters, and they create a lot of tough matchups." But, I'm still bitter, especially because with both teams at full strength the Celtics win. So, what I have to say would probably come out filled with backhanded compliments like "Dwight Howard impacts the game in so many ways that no other player can. Once he actually learns how to play basketball, he'll have a real shot at becoming one of the best big men this game has ever seen". And, I certainly don't want to do that.

We'll have a lot of issues to tackle this offseason, the biggest being the futures of Leon Powe and Glen Davis. I wouldn't be surprised if Big Baby played his way right into a big contract during this postseason. Don't expect the Celtics to overpay. Remember, they wouldn't overpay to bring James Posey back. All the reports I read last offseason indicate that the biggest priority is making sure there will be enough room to retain Rondo and Perk (in 2010 and 2011, respectively), as the organization views the two of them as the bridge out of the big three era and into the future. Will Glen Davis be the third part of that bridge? Tough to say right now, but I expect that we'll know where the organization stands soon enough.

We're going to spend a day or two reflecting on everything that has happened, and then we'll be counting down the top ten moments of this season. PLEASE send us an e-mail at oracle@roomofzen.com with your votes on both the top moment, and how you think the top ten will shake out. We'll hopefully have a reader quote for each moment. Be sure to include moments that you think would be in the bottom half of the list (as some of those are more memorable).

After a brief staff meeting, here are some of the nominees to be on our Official Roomofzen Top Ten Moments of the 2009 Season:

Opening Night, Paul Pierce in tears as the trophy is brought to him by the Celtic greats

November, Celtics come from behind to knock off the Raptors, KG wags his finger in Calderon's face

Two days later, Paul Pierce hits a buzzer beater to sink the Hawks

Election night, the Cs grind out a tough victory in Houston, I get yelled at by my fiancee for refusing to change the channel (in the final minute of the game) to the announcement of the new president, causing us to miss the official announcement.

Ray Allen hits a big three to seal a victory in Philadelphia

The KGless, TAless Celtics defeat the Cavaliers in Boston on a Friday night in March. Big Baby is ejected, LeBron clangs a dunk right off the rim.

KG's (temporary) return inspires the Cs to victory on a Friday night in San Antonio

A Sunday afternoon in March, the Celtics lose to Orlando, but Paul Pierce passes Robert Parish to become number three on the all-time Celtics scoring list (behind Bird and Havlicek)

Round 1, Game 2, Ray Allen wins it for the Celtics with a last second three pointer. About an hour later, we see Tommy Heinsohn at the Fours. He exclaims "It's time to wet the whistle" and orders a bloody mary and a shrimp cocktail

Round 1, Game 5, with KG in street clothes and Ray Allen fouled out, Paul Pierce leads the Celtics to a 2 point overtime victory.

Round 1, Game 7, Celtics seal up a victory in one of the greatest first round series in NBA playoff history.

Round 2, Game 4, Glen "the raging animal" Davis hits a last second jumper to give the Cs the victory and even up the series.

Round 2, Game 5, Despite being down double digits with just over 5 minutes to go, the Celtics find a way to win at home and take a lead in the series. The highlight was Stephon Marbury scoring 12 points in the first 6 minutes of the fourth quarter. Ray Allen hit a big three to seal it for the Cs.

Again, please email oracle@roomofzen.com with your picks for top moment, your top ten moments, and please let us know if we've left some out.

For now, I will refuse to go quietly in to baseball season. Let's all hope that Carmelo, KMart, and Chauncey can be 2009's version of Pierce, KG, and Ray.

This game is beautiful.

Game 6: Yes, Please Give Dwight More Touches

Physically, there are few athletes who can match Dwight Howard. What the guy has been able to accomplish thus far in his young career is incredible. However, this point is where the rubber finally meets the road. It's probably hard for Dwight to hear people questioning his game, because it may be the first time it's ever happened. Sure, people have questioned his mean streak and his killer instinct, but this has to be the first time people are actually criticizing his game. Kendrick Perkins has shut him down this series. Once he gets about a foot outside the charge circle, he cannot score. He has no post game whatsoever. He's airballing baby hooks!

I'm sure it's frustrating for him to hear people say that he doesn't deserve more touches. I predict Dwight will take a huge leap next season as a player, because this is the kind of thing that will force him to develop his game more this summer. It really seems like he hasn't developed at all. While LBJ comes back every season with a new facet of his game tightened up, Dwight is still having the same issues (swatting the ball out of bounds on every block, unable to score on any player that keeps him more than an arms length away from the rim, incompetent at the free throw line) that he has always had. I'm not bashing him. It seems like life on planet Dwight has been pretty sweet thus far. But, he SHOULD be a better player than Kendrick Perkins, and he has not been in this series. He needs these types of failures if he is ever going to become one of the all-time great big men that this league has ever seen.

So yes, please, give Dwight the ball tonight. As long as Rashard Lewis doesn't have it, I won't be worried.

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.

Tuesday Afternoon: Where The Butterflies Are Starting

--It was May 19, 1985, and the Philadelphia 76ers had just defeated Boston 115-104 in Philly to cut the Celtics' lead in the best-of-7 series to 3-1. The next game would be in Boston and a sixth game, if necessary, would be played in Philadelphia.
As the Celtics left the Spectrum floor in defeat, a Sixers' fan yelled at him: "Hey Larry, we'll see you back here for Game 6." Bird, not missing a step or an opportunity, shot back: "You've got a better chance of seeing God."--

From Larry Bird: An Indiana Legend


I know I said on Sunday night that I felt content, but forget all about that. These are the goddamned Boston Celtics we're talking about and I'll be damned if I'm going to let them go quietly against this bunch of pansies from a fake mickey mouse city where fans buy their spoiled kids (I will now always think of that kid as Spaulding from Caddyshack)front row seats, dress them up in "Beat Boston" shirts, and then complain about being too close to the players.

Bill Simmons said it best: if you want to know why people hate America so much, look no further than Orlando.


GET IT UP!

Game 3: The New Way

The Orlando Magic have made it clear to everybody that they are fairly content to have simply advanced to round 2 of the playoffs. Going further would be nice, but they're not going to beat themselves up over a secound round exit. They didn't seem overly determined to hold off a late game 1 Celtics charge, and they certainly could not have cared less about salvaging any of their dignity as the Celtics wiped the floor with them in game 2. I can't accept losing to a team like this. A loss to the Bulls, who played balls to the wall every minute of the postseason, I would have been able to accept given the absence of KG and Leon. But a loss to this Magic team who, like their city, seem to lack any substance or grit would just be crushing.

Despite their lack of a killer instinct (see Rajon Rondo throwing down on Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis below), they are very talented, and that's why tonight is a must-win game for the Celtics. With Rafer Alston out, the Magic will be extremely vulnerable tonight. In a way, I think this is a bigger blow than when they had to play game 6 of last series without Dwight Howard. Without Howard, they were faster and forced Philly to totally rethink their entire strategy (I'm certainly not suggesting that they'd be better without him long term, but it seemed to actually help in a one game situation). Without Alston, the game plan doesn't change, it just gets more difficult to execute. The Celtics SHOULD be able to win this one easily. And, if they do, the Magic will roll over and die in this series. At least, everything I've seen about them tells me they would. They don't have what it takes to come back from two straight losses.

It sounds simple, and it may seem foolish for me to suggest that a game 3 against a team missing a key player is a must win. But, for as great as the Celtics have been over the past two seasons, there has been one constant frustration. They let teams hang around in the postseason. They don't put series away quickly when they have the chance. This trend, more than anything, makes me worried about tonight. If they're going to have any shot of beating Cleveland, they're going to need to end this thing quick and get as much rest as possible.

So, to be clear, tonight is not a must-win in the sense that a loss would inevitably lead to a series loss. Tonight is a must win in the sense that a win would prevent this from becoming the 7 game barn burner that many expect. Keeping this series short and clean is the only way we can hope to not be Cleveland's sacrificial lamb in round 3.




Simmons on Manny. Frickin amazing article.

When will I watch baseball again? Difficult to say. Not any time soon.

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.

Foil in the Oven: The Deep Sigh of Relief

With about 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the Celtics up 92-91, Rajon Rondo lost the ball out of bounds. The Bulls inbounded to Derrick Rose, who pushed the ball up the court ahead of the entire Celtics team and laid it in to give Chicago the lead. "Jesus, that was pathetic" I yelled (sprinkled with expletives). The next 5 minutes were probably the lowest point of the past two seasons for me. The defense was lazy, Ben Gordon couldn't miss, and at the end of it the Bulls had a five point lead and all of the momentum. I was furious. I couldn't believe that this team would allow their defensive effort to dissipate in the closing minutes of this one, wasting special performances from Big Baby, Rondo, and Perk in the process. They were going to lose, and it was going to be a death blow.

At this point, Doc called a timeout and ripped his team a new one for their lack of intensity. We all saw how it went down after the time out, and it was great. There was so much to feel good about after that win. However, I have a lot of concerns, and those need to be addressed first.

- Things are going to get much more difficult if Leon is not able to return in this series. It only took Mikki Moore 8 seconds to commit his first foul last night, and Doc's supply of front line minutes is getting more and more depleted.

- It's hard for me to even string together a rational thought about the repercussions that the Cs would face if Rondo's ankle blew up like a balloon last night and he's unable to go in Chicago.

- The bench was absolutely horrendous last night, accounting for only 9 of the Cs' total 118 points. Great bench play was an essential piece to last year's championship run. The Celtics are going to need more from these guys, especially Eddie House, going forward.

- Speaking of the bench, Tony Allen did not play a single minute last night and I don't know what to make of it. Last night seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to see heavy minutes defending Ben Gordon. At the very least, I expected to see him come in at the end with the Celts up 115-113 to defend Gordon. He didn't, and Gordon tied up the game. So, what does this mean? If we can't call on Tony Allen to come in and give good defensive minutes, especially against a team with such good scorers in the backcourt, things are going to be a lot tougher.

- I can't tell if Paul Pierce is hurt or if he is just worn down. With Deng out, I expected him to control this series and he hasn't been up to the task. He's passing up shots (huge red flag!), he is having trouble getting back every time of defense, and he hasn't seemed to be able to break down anyone off the dribble. I thought Salmons (especially with a bad groin) and Hinrich would be great matchups for him.
I guess the true indicator of whether or not PP is hurt will come in Chicago. We've seen him worn down before, and he usually manages to spring back just when we need him most.

- As was the case on Saturday, there were lapses in Boston's intensity and execution. It's frustrating, and I feared it would once again cost them. It's held true over two games now: they must make getting back on D the number one priority. Although they did a better job yesterday, they still gave up far too many easy points (Chicago shot 50% from the field. Abysmal).

To alleviate this, I think Doc needs to rotate in more bench minutes. In particular, why haven't we seen Bill Walker? I know he's inexperienced, but it's not like we'd be throwing him out there against the Lakers. This is a young Bulls team. Walker would allow more rest for the starters, and I think he could match Chicago's intensity. A fucking spark! That's what this team has needed throughout this series. I really think, in this specific case, Walker can provide that spark.


So, yes, I still have a lot of concerns. But, I'm confident that things are going to pick up. Our readers all know that I have a pretty serious mancrush on Paul Pierce. Hearing his distinct, sultry voice tell me that "our best is yet to come" brought me great comfort.


Now, not to overlook the positive:

- 28 second half points for Ray, who looked like his old self down the stretch. We can all stop panicking now about a repeat playoff slump.

- It's incredible how much Rondo and Big Baby have improved their outside shot, and it gives me so much hope for the future of the Celtics post-big three. Both of these guys can now make teams pay for playing off of them (and Big Baby did, over and over again last night). This will make the Celtics even more dangerous when they are back at full strength next season.

- Rondo is a tough motherfucker. I've heard some talk from the anti-Celtics camp that he likes to ham it up a bit when he goes to the floor so that people will give him more credit for his toughness. First of all, that's ridiculous. He hits the floor hard every night. Secondly, nobody can deny that ankle last night. It was clear as day on the replay. To come back from that and still finish with a triple double is ridiculous. Add 5 steals to those triple double numbers. Hands down the most important player of the series so far. I wish he'd start padding himself up like Dwayne Wade does. It makes sense.

- The Celtics returned to their old ways and dominated the glass in this one. In particular, credit Rondo and Perk with 7 offensive boards apiece. Big Baby made up for his poor rebounding performance on Saturday, and it made his 26 points all the more impressive.

- Perk did everything in this game. He pulled down tough rebounds in traffic, he blocked a key shot at the end of the game, and his ability to work Chicago's front line on offense appeared at times in the first half to be the only constant for the Cs.

- The Bulls came in to this determined to get a split in Boston. They did a hell of a job with it. Back to back career nights from different players. However, they will not have guys step up like that every night. They can't. Just as Rose came back down to earth last night, Gordon will come down on Thursday.

- We finally saw life from this team in the second half. It came quickly once they started to build some momentum. They are better than this Chicago team, which is why I can't understand the sheepishness with which they have approached their business for much of this series. They are the world champs, and I'd like to see some front running. They play better and with a hell of a lot more intensity when they carry that attitude with them. I don't care if it takes KG taunting opponents from the bench and picking up technicals. I don't care if it takes Perk putting Noah down hard (by don't care I mean I'd fucking love it) and taking a technical. The swagger needs to return. That will get them back on defense. That will lead to more scoring. That's when the Celtics are at their best.




Final note:

After the game, my fiancee and I went across the street to the Four's for some beer and nachos. After leaving the Garden, there was no way we could just go home. Well, the next thing we know, Tommy Heinsohn is sitting in the booth right behind ours. I had a dead on view of him, and took in as much as I could. I started thinking to myself....is there a more significant Celtic that I could be looking at right now? Heinsohn won 8 rings as a player and 2 more as a coach. He was a six time all star and coach of the year. He's the face of the franchise as an announcer. Really, there is no question that this was more significant than drinking ten feet away from Larry Bird. I guess the only guy you could argue would be Bill Russell.

I kept in close contact with his waiter. He drank bloody marys and ate shrimp cocktail. That's a meal very heavy in tomatoes (lycopene, good for the prostate). Bloody Marys late at night? The man is an animal.

Foil in the Oven: Eyes On The Road

Hopefully this will be just what the Celtics need to get focused.


Look, this was a great game, and that's why you should feel good if you're a Celtics fan. Some analysts are saying it was the greatest opening playoff game they can remember, which is strange because I just found it incredibly frustrating. Really, with the way they were playing, the Celtics had no business being in this one. They could not have played worse. And yet, they were one missed free throw away from taking it.

Really, think about that game. Ray Allen turned in one of the worst performances of his career. 1-12 shooting, 4 points, and uncharacteristically sloppy play. Ray missed a dunk! Ray Allen, who is smoother than a fucking silk diaper on a baby's ass, clanged a dunk. Overall, 4-16 from beyond the arc yesterday for the Celtics, who were the the league's top three point shooting team this season. No mystery here, the Celtics struggle when they don't shoot well (see rough January stretch after Christmas loss to Lakers).


Glen Davis only had 3 rebounds, and that makes it hard to feel good about his scoring. The C's were outrebounded in this one (the margin was only 8 but it seemed like more). Leon Powe went virtually unnoticed, which can't happen if we are going to have any hope of making it to the Cavs.

Defensively, this was a lazy, uninspired nightmare. They were horrible in transition, and Joakim Noah reaped the benefits. Derrick Rose pushed the tempo, and the Celtics had no answer. They couldn't keep Rose in front of them, and they really struggled against the pick and roll (I'm sure they heard about that from KG immediately). I'm not too concerned here. Tom Thibodeau will make adjustments.


OK, so this was a full-blown disaster. The Celtics struggled in all areas. And, Derrick Rose turned in a perfect game. And yet, if Paul Pierce hits his last free throw with 2 seconds left, the Celtics take the game. When you take all of that into account, how could you be worried? Disappointed? Of course. That was a pretty anti-climactic way to start off the playoffs, particularly at home. If this were March Madness, we'd be devastated. But, it's not. It's a 7 game series, and I don't think the Bulls can pull this off again.


Some final loose thoughts:

- The one pleasant aspect of this matchup was watching Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo go at each other. Brilliant performances turned in by both of these guys. I can't even count how many times in the fourth quarter Rose made me say to myself "jesus, there is no fucking way we are beating this guy today." He played a perfect game.


- I am probably in the minority here, but I was impressed with Stephon Marbury's ten minutes. He was finding good, open looks for his teammates. They just weren't knocking them down.


- Kirk Hinrich is still impressive to watch defensively. He kept Rondo in front of him, and he even did a good job on Pierce.

- The Bulls, in general, did a good job denying Pierce the ball. He kept getting the ball outside the three point line. This is going to have to be remedied. In particular, they need to figure out how to get Paul the ball down low when Hinrich is on him.

- Derrick Rose shooting free throws with ten seconds left on an off the ball foul.........questionable. I might not be bringing it up if Bennett Salvatore was not officiating (we know he has NO PROBLEM putting guys on the line at the end of big games), or if Rondo hadn't chased down a loose ball and been clobbered by three Bulls without a whistle, or if a travel call on Salmons hadn't just been reversed. Whatever, I said it. The Celtics didn't deserve the win, so I'm not blaming anybody. But, it had to be said.

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.

One More Night: Chris Paul and Tyson Chanler Run the Pick and Roll to Perfection

As I did last year, I will be rooting wildly for the Hornets to advance as far as they possibly can. With Tyson Chandler making a successful return in their final regular season game, they have once again become must-see tv. I am going to have my DVR on standby to make sure I do not miss a second of their first round matchup with Denver. I suggest all of you do the same. New Orleans may not get out of round 1, and we all want to see as much of this as possible:



warning: if you experience an erection lasting longer than four hours, please seek immediate medical attention

Hope Is Not Gone....

First, a positive note. As many readers know, our apartment was robbed in late June. When we received the police report, in the victim's section, my build was listed as "heavy". The NBA playoffs had just ended, and lots of late night pizza and beer had gotten the best of me. At the same time, I was finishing up my graduate program and was not exercising. Since then, I have made a real effort to get to the gym regularly and eat better......

Last week, I was driving on Tremont Street. It was the afternoon, so the road was jam packed and things were moving slowly. Then, a bicycle swung around my car, caught his handlebar on the front of the car and fell. Everything was fine, but a police report was written nonetheless. Once again I appear in the victims section, but this time my build is given as "medium". That, followers, is progress.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------


I was surprised and excited to wake up this morning and see that Tyson Chandler was headed back to New Orleans after failing his physical in Oklahoma City. I'm still feeling a little confused. So, I think the best way to work this out is to work through my feelings before and after this news.

First, my anger over the original trade has been growing since I originally read it, and I need to get it out:






This trade crushed me, and frankly I still don't understand it. Tyson Chandler is 7 foot 1, is extremely explosive, and is one of the best post defenders in the NBA. Could the Hornets really be in such dire economic circumstances that it is worth moving a guy like that simply to avoid paying the luxury tax? Because, in the long term, this all seems ass-backwards to me.

Like most of the country, I was completely captivated by the Hornets in the playoffs last season. I had taken every advantage to see them whenever they played on national tv, but the opportunity to watch them every game in the post-season was fantastic. Chris Paul's offensive wizardry, Chandler's explosive finishes of Paul's feeds, and David West's offensive consistency all made this team incredibly exciting to watch. I won't pretend to have been excited about Peja Stojakovic, but he was there.....



........I can't even think of something funny to write here.


Anyways, this team was must-see tv in the playoffs. I can specifically remember leaving Fenway Park early so that I'd be to Gillian's in time to order a Jalapeno cheeseburger, and be ready to eat in time for the tipoff of game 1 against the Spurs. You could feel the energy in the arena whenever they played at home.

Now, this has been a down year because of injuries to major frontcourt players. However, this team is currently twelve games above .500, they are in fifth place in the West, and they just laid an asswhooping on Orlando last night. If Chandler is able to get healthy (which seems likely, since he's missed time with a sprained ankle), then we could all be in store for another electric playoff run. That's how you bring fans in. You need to build their trust over time.

Now, I'm all for clearing cap space when your team sucks. But, doing it when you have a contender is inexcusable. Even if Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox were able to come in and contribute, they'd be off the books after this season. Who the fuck is going to come see them then? This is just horrible on so many levels, and it seems incredibly shortsighted. These are tough economic times for everyone, but you have to field a winner to get something back.


There, that feels better. I've been waiting to get that out.


So, now we know that the trade is off. I was happy for a second, thinking that some higher power had stepped in on behalf of all NBA fans. But then, I transitioned to dismay. Chandler has not played in over a month because of his ankle, and if this physical revealed serious damage, then this would mean that the dream is dead and we would all be doomed to see Chris Paul's rare abilities underutilized in the playoffs. However, the latest report states that the trade was rejected because of concerns about Chandler's left big toe, which was operated on in April of 2007. In the report, the Thunder team doctor (who was the one operating on Chandler's toe) told Chandler "I have no doubt you can play on it. I'm just saying it could take a turn for the worse if you come down on somebody's foot or hyperextend it or something."

Well, that sounds like a go to me. So, for the time being, we're all just waiting on Chandler's ankle to heal and looking forward to another epic Hornets playoff run. Thank you, basketball gods.






Now, the Kings were a team that actually did need to shed salary. On the surface, the Bulls don't really seem like a team that could take on more. John Salmons is having a great year, but that backcourt is already incredibly expensive (they have to move Kirk Hinrich). Brad Miller is a great fit for Chicago. He will give a huge defensive boost, and will also allow the offense to function much more smoothly.

Finally, as we look as Chicago's cap situation, we see that Miller and Larry Hughes (26 million combined) will give the Bulls quite a bit of cap room heading into the most anticipated summer of free agency in history.


To be honest, I couldn't care less about this Chicago trade. I'm going to spend today holding my breath hoping that Cleveland doesn't pull anything off. I've heard some scary names thrown out in the last 24 hours......





The Tony Allen injury was a tough pill to swallow. Most of the reports indicate that he should be back in time for the post-season, but I feel like his basketball IQ (already lacking) is going to drop substantially in the mean time. Between now and then, the Celtics are pretty thin on the perimeter. I hear rumors about Raja Bell yesterday, but there's no way the Cs have the resources for that. Celticsblog seems optimistic about the team's chances of bringing in Marbury and Joe Smith after the deadline. That would be phenomenal. However, I don't like the sense of panic that I'm feeling from the fanbase right now. I think we will be able to bring in some help. However, if nothing happens, this is still a very good team. The reason there aren't any resources available to move is because WE ALREADY HAVE PAUL PIERCE, KEVIN GARNETT, AND RAY ALLEN!

Look, the Celtics did not play good basketball in the playoffs last season until the Pistons series. If the current team does that, they will not repeat. However, this team can beat anybody when they're on. I do think help will arrive, and I expect TA to be back and filling the defensive void that James Posey left. However, if these things don't happen, then this is just going to require a leap of faith on our part. What fan wouldn't kill for this team? Regardless of what happens, I feel good about this roster heading into the playoffs.