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RETRIEVING CONTENT...PLEASE WAIT
Saturday's Odds and Ends
Saturday, January 6, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 10:16 AM
January 6, 2007
What a great win last night. I am still excited about the way the team played together and shared the ball and played defense. Perk and Wally are finally looking healthy and both were big in the win. Scal had his best game as a Celtic. West still worries me. He played great but the way he has trouble getting up from falls has me worried he is going to do irreparable harm to his back by playing so hard with it still bothering him. The Globe, Herald, and MetroWest Daily all have game reports from last night's victory. Here is what is going on in the Celtics Nation today.
The Patriot Ledger has an interesting article today. Mike Fine seems to be a bit of a pessimist lately. He mentions that even though the Celtics have the worst home record in the league, the fans still seem to come and support the team. I still support them in spite of the losses because they are exciting and fun to watch and are going to put it all together in the very near future. The most interesting thing in this article are some comments by Cousy:
A little more from Couz, who isn’t surprised that Sebastian Telfair has fallen out of favor with coach Doc Rivers: ‘‘I think I like (Rajon) Rondo better. I think he can perhaps do more things in the future. Obviously, he doesn’t shoot it as well as Telfair, but Telfair’s not a great shooter, either. I guess the reason Doc is going with Telfair is because of his experience factor.’’ I take Cousy's opinion on PG's very seriously. He knows his stuff. I agree with him on Rondo. The kid does so many good things out there. I don't get why Doc doesn't play him more. (same with Powe!)
The Globe and Herald both have articles on Pierce staying home and working on his conditioning rather than joining the coaching ranks. Both articles also have Doc's thoughts on the Fratello firing and the Globe adds that Kandi will remain with the team for the rest of the season as the date to cut non guaranteed contracts has passed.
Hoopsworld discusses Rondo, Ray and Powe and the way they deal with lack of playing time in their rookie years compared to being a go to guy in college. Personally I don't understand playing Telfair over Rondo and I don't understand at all not playing Powe.
Eric Weiss has an interesting piece on the Celtics from a psychological perspective and discusses leadership, chemistry and group orientation.
Finally, on a blog called Words Matter, there is an interesting piece on Cheering for the Underdog. The Celtics can certainly be considered underdogs at this point. No one expects this group to win with all of the youth on the team. But every game, I see those young players growing and improving. I love Green, Allen, Jefferson, West, Perk, Powe, Rondo, and Gomes. They are all exciting players and are beginning to meet expectations that we had for them when we drafted them. I would love to see this group stay together and be allowed to take the next step as a unit.
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Celtics Roll Over Grizzlies 128-119
Friday, January 5, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 11:00 PM
January 5, 2007
Celtics had a very strong game tonight as once again they played as a team and out ran the Grizzlies to a tune of 128-119. They played as a team and shared the ball with 7 player in double figures and everyone who played except Rondo scored. It was Perk's best game since the injury. It was Scal's best game as a Celtic. And it was West's best game as a PG this season. And they won as a team.
Stellar individual performances abounded tonight starting with Scal, who was the Tommy Award Winner. He finished with 16 points on 5-8 shooting and played some very good defense along with his points. This was his best game as a Celtic. Perk had his best game since coming back from the injury. He finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in only 18 minutes. He was very aggressive on defense and bothered quite a few shots in the lane. He was also hitting his hook shot in the lane with regularity and moving better than he has since going down with plantar fasciitis.
West played very well at the PG finishing with 16 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 steals. He gave us a very scary moment when he went down after a driving layup and didn't get back up. A time out was called and when they came back from the time out, he was back out on the floor and played the rest of the way. Telfair ended with 7 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists in 18 minutes in a back up role. Rondo only played 6 minutes and finished with 1 assist.
Wally has found his legs. He came out and hit a 3 and then hit his next 3 shots also. He finished with 26 points on 9-14 shooting to go with 3 rebounds and 1 assist. It was nice having him find his stroke again. Gomes had his usual quietly solid game with 16 points on 7-12 shooting with 5 rebounds and 1 assist. He isn't flashy but just plays solid every game.
Tony once again had a great game. He hit jumpers, slashed to the basket, dunked with authority, and played solid defense, holding Mike Miller to 2-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Green played only 15 minutes and finished with 5 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal. Gerald had his normal highlight film play when Telfair threw a lob inside and Gerald flew in out of nowhere to slam it home. The guys on the post game have nicknamed him High 5. Good name for him.
This was a great game in that it was a total team win. They played together on both ends of the floor. There are so many promising signs that this team is on its way to being something special. Guys are coming back strong from injury and being integrated back into the flow. Players like Tony, Al, Perk, and Green are taking the next step in their development. Tonight we just did a great job all around. We kept our turnovers down to 15 while forcing 19 on the Grizzlies. We won the battle on the break with 15 fast break points to 13 for them. We were out rebounded by 1 but considering they have a 7 footer in Gasol, that is a very good showing. The future truly is bright for this team if they can keep this up.
[Box Score]
[Recap]
[Play by Play]
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Friday Odds and Ends
by FLCeltsFan 12:29 PM
January 5, 2007
Game day against the Grizzlies who are just 8 and 25 on the year. But, since the last time we played them and lost at home, they have changed coaches and are a completely different team and are 2 and 1 under their new coach, scoring 144 points in their last outing. We will have our hands full if we expect to beat them since we still have Doc as our coach and without a doubt will be outcoached by Barone since Doc micromanages and Barone lets them run. In the meantime, here is what is going on in the Celtics Nation today:
The Herald Notebook begins by discussing Ratliff's impending surgery and the fact that he was lost to the team before ever being actually on it since he has only played 44 minutes the entire season. Also mentioned is that Al sat out practice with a sore hamstring and Perk is struggling with getting his timing and conditioning back after sitting out with plantar fasciitis. Wally is still trying to "work through" his ankle sprains. I admire him for trying to play through pain and help the team. I just wish he would do it without shooting so much.
The Globe Notebook also begins with the fact that Ratliff is done for the season. If you were wondering if Portland got the better of the Raef/Ratliff trade, the article reports that Raef has played just 65 minutes for the Blazers and Ratliff's tired body is only on the books for 1 more year as Raef's is on the Blazers' books for 2 more years and more money. May also mentions the Grizzlies' new outlook since switching coaches. I can't help but think that the Celtics would have an even more dramatic change if we would switch coaches. Also mentioned is Doc's memory of playing for a conditioning obsessed Pat Riley, who suspended Walker and Posey for too much body fat.
The Green Room muses on the fact that the Celtics are finally getting in sync without Pierce in the lineup. They mention something I noticed in the last game as well. They are running a pick and roll finally. We still have problems defending it, but if they learn to run it efficiently, they may even begin to defend it. They, as well as most Celtics fans, enjoyed having Tommy back for the Cavs game. His desire to wipe the smirk off Damon Jones' face was priceless.
On Fox Sports, Charlie Rosen finds some diamonds in the rough among the Celtics young players. He does a good job on everyone but Perk. Perk is still trying to get his timing and conditioning back after sitting out with an injury. He has had very limited practice time and 9-11 minutes a game to try to work on it. Give the kid a break. I still love Perk and believe that he is going to be a dominant center in time. I love his work ethic, his toughness and his desire. He is definitely a keeper.
Delonte.com discusses why Pierce's injury is a good thing. Doc tends to over play vets and not play the kids until he is forced to by injuries or trades. Because of injuries, Allen and Green have both seen more playing time and are responding because of it. Now if only Wally would sit out a few games to heal his ankles, it would be even better.
The Patriot Ledger notebook reports that Doc is going to give Pierce some coaching duties while he is sidelined with the stress reaction. This may be a good thing since Pierce has encouraged the team to get the ball to Al inside more and also has encouraged Green and other young players to be more aggressive. They also report that Doc plans to continue starting the gimpy Wally while bringing Green off the bench.
The New York Post reports that ABC has its eyes on Doc to join their analyst team. I for one would love to encourage Doc to quit this dead end job and go for it.
Dateline Alabama has a preview of the Celtics/Grizzlies match up. Reading this article got me all fired up and realizing what a difference a coach can make. Also adding to the fire was an article by JB over on CelticsStuff Live. Please, Doc, take up ABC on their offer. It will be better for everyone all around. Think of your family. Think of the Celtics. Think of my blood pressure!
Finally since by most accounts, we will be in the Greg Oden sweepstakes, the Chicago Sun Times has an article that reports that Oden is weighing his options for next year. While he is enjoying college and would love to win a title in college, he also knows that it may be stupid not to enter the draft if his stock is high enough.
Tonight's game should be interesting. If we can play good defense and pull together like we did in the Cleveland game, we have a good chance of winning it. If not, Doc will be out coached by an interim coach and we are one step closer to a new coach next year and the above mentioned Greg Oden Sweepstakes. Join us on Celtics Green for the play by play and for Q and Derren's insightful color commentary. Should be a good one.
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Like Thoroughbreds Harnessed to a Plow
by FLCeltsFan 12:12 PM
January 5, 2007
I have been reading about the Grizzlies since Barone took over. Oh my! These aren't the same Grizzlies that they were under Mike Fratello. They are a running team and a high scoring team. He has unleashed them and in a win against the Warriors on Wed, they scored 144 points in regulation!!!! They are 2-1 since Fratello was fired.
What a difference a coach can make. Gasol, Miller and Swift are on a tear and will be a handful to guard being that they run and run and run and by running, they get easy baskets. I got this quote from an article on CSL by JB:
Quote:We will have our hands full tonight, against a team that is unleashed from the chains of a controlling ego maniacal, defensively obsessed coach
Doc is a controlling ego maniacal obsessed coach, but he isn't defensively obsessed so he is even worse. He just micromanages and holds these players back from letting loose. I have realized this since he mentioned adding 3 defensive sets 2 days before the end of training camp and they already had 5 of them in place. He has a plethora of offensive sets as well and at one point mentioned that he was going to make it simple and use only 2... but I am sure he is back to a full playbook as he can't stand not micromanaging the team.
This is from a Celtics/Grizzlies preview :
Quote:``We got tired halfway through the third quarter,'' said Barone, a former NBA assistant who will finish the season as coach, then return to his original post as director of player personnel.
``I saw some eyes starting to cross in the huddle. So I asked them: 'OK, would you like me to start calling plays from here on in?' They said no, so I said: 'OK, start running again.' There's no magic in coaching.''
This is a coach that Red would have loved. Don't call plays every time down the floor. Don't have 8 or 9 defensive sets. Don't have a ton of plays that the players have to memorize and then execute. No wonder our guys get lost on offense and defense at times... they forget whether they are running play number 10 or play number 20.
Over the past 3 years, Danny has built this team to run. We have a team full of ultra athletic players and 2 of the fastest PG's in the league along with some very tough big men capable of playing in the post. If Doc would do like Red did, or like Barone is doing, and turn the PG's loose to run and create, we would be so much better. Even though we have a team built to run, and Doc promised to have the team run, we are stuck in the half court most of the time. On the brief occasions that Rondo comes in and brings his energy off the bench, we do run and see a glimpse of what this team could do if allowed to run. I just hate the thought that we are stuck with Doc the rest of the season and that he may be ruining 2 good pass first running PG's in the process.
This is also from JB's article
Quote:But that is what is killing me right now, the obvious need we have to play a rebounder/shot tblocker with Jefferson and Doc is hung up on playing Gomes, who is undersized and Rosen correctly saw get pushed around by the other power forwards…..
This has been the knock on Doc for years. He doesn’t seem to appreciate big man skills.
Doc doesn't know how to play big men and doesn't use them correctly. He loved Raef because Raef camped out on the 3 point line to "stretch the defenses" and he never crashed the boards. Doc also loves Scal. Now Scal plays hard and is a good 11th or 12th man to bring in energy at times, but he, like Raef, often camps out on the 3 point line. Raef and Scal were not post players and neither was Blount and Doc loved them, playing them big minutes at the expense of our true post players. Doc never gives minutes to the players who play in the post unless he is forced to by injuries and trades. Just look at all the minutes Scal plays and Powe sitting on the bench. I am surprised that Clifford Ray doesn't pitch a fit about the way Doc uses big men. If we would play Jefferson and Perk together and Powe and Gomes together to have an offensive and defensive big on the floor at the same time, and allow the big men to play in the paint, it would make us a much better team. But Doc doesn't like his big men to play with their backs to the basket. Even Al plays too far out and should be encouraged to play in the post more. The few times we see Al and Perk on the floor together, we see that they play well together and have great chemistry and make good things happen. When Powe plays, he hasn't been ruined by all of Doc's plays and goes on instinct and also makes good things happen.
What I am becoming afraid of is that Danny will make trades based on what Doc is doing with the kids and not what they are capable of. Turn Telfair and Rondo loose to run and create. Play Perk and Al together and Powe and Gomes together and we would be a much better team. We need a coach who will unleash the horses and let them run. Don't call plays but tell them to run. Instead, they are like thoroughbreds being harnessed to a plow.
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News from Practice - Al sits out
Thursday, January 4, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 3:25 PM
January , 2007
 
Celtics.com has an update from practice along with the Ratliff news. Al sat out practice today with a sore right hamstring. According to Doc, he has been complaining about it for awhile now. After all the questions about his toughness last season, I think he has answered them this season. He was back playing just 2 weeks after an emergency appendectomy. And now we learn that he has been playing (and playing very well, I might add)with a sore right hamstring. Remember, this is what sidelined Gomes for several games. Hopefully he won't have to sit out any games and it won't be a problem.
Also mentioned is the fact that Perk is struggling with his conditioning after sitting out with plantar fasciitis. His foot isn't causing pain but he is unable to move as well as he would like and is still trying to get his conditioning and timing back. It will take a little time. I expect him to come on strong in the second half of the season.
[More]
source: Celtics.com
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Ratliff Likely Done for the Season - Opts for Back Surgery
by FLCeltsFan 2:33 PM
January 4, 2007
The Herald Insider is reporting this:
Celtics center Theo Ratliff said today that “all indications” are that he will have back surgery sometime in the next two weeks for a herniated disc that will almost certainly end his first season with the Celtics.
Ratliff said the surgery is minimally evasive, but that the recovery time of six weeks, plus the six more weeks it would take to get back in basketball shape, would mean the earliest he could return to the floor would be April. Given the team’s current standing, it seems unlikely the Celtics would push him back whether they were headed for a playoff series at that point or not.
Ratliff said he does plan to be back at full health for next season.
Coach Doc Rivers said after today’s practice that he had not heard definitive word on the surgery decision, but that he was not surprised by Ratliff’s statements. Rivers has said since Ratliff went down with a second bout of back pain that he doubted the 13-year veteran would return this year.
I have been expecting him to consider surgery when it hasn't been improving by other means. I would also be surprised if he is a big factor next season if he does come back. Possibly a 3rd string 11.6 million dollar expiring contract. I expect Perk to rebound from his foot injury and have a very solid second half of the season as long as Doc gives him minutes. Hopefully Doc will play Perk and Al together more as good things happen when they are on the floor together. Then he can play Powe and Gomes on the second team. Powe with his long arms and leaping ability could do a decent job as back up center if Doc would give him the chance.
[More]
source:Herald Insider
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Odds and Ends on a Thursday
by FLCeltsFan 10:03 AM
January 4, 2007
Last night's game was encouraging from the standpoint of the play from our young players including Al, Tony, Telfair, and Tony. They all played very well. In spite of playing 5 on 8 all night, they never gave up and never stopped coming in spite of many bad calls from the refs. Al reminds me more and more every game of a young Kevin McHale. Gerald Green is giving us glimpses of the future and it is very bright, and Tony continues his solid play on both ends of the court. You can find game reports in the Herald, Globe, Projo and Worcester Telegram. Of course, you can read my slightly biased report below as well.
Matt Kalman has a piece in the Herald on Gerald's big game last night. He drew complements from LeBron James and was just spectacular in 19 minutes. I have said it before and will say it again, this kid needs more minutes. Doc should be playing Green 29 minutes and Wally 19 minutes while Pierce is out and Wally is hobbling around on 2 sprained ankles. If Green had taken a few more shots and Wally a few less, we may have seen a different result last night.
The Herald's Celtics Notebook tells us that Pierce is improving but will be out at least until January 19, which is longer than first thought. I am not all that upset that he is still out because players like Tony and Gerald are benefitting from the longer playing time in his absence and we have to be about developing these kids at this point. Also mentioned is that Delonte says his back is feeling better, but you couldn't tell last night when he went down after a driving layup and took awhile to pick himself back up. The kid is a warrior but he needs to let his back heal.
The Herald also reports that our old friend Antoine Walker has been deactivated by the heat for conditioning issues. Seems he is still packing on the pounds. Several seasons in Boston, Walker came into the season way out of shape and it wasn't until his last season here that we saw the slimmed down version of Antoine. Riley is even saying that if he and James Posey don't slim down and meet the team's conditioning criteria by January 15 they could face a suspension.
The Celtics Notebook in the Globe also discusses Pierce's status and quotes Doc saying that he will be more involved in the coaching during his recovery. Doc wants to get him in coaches meetings and have him involved in film sessions, etc. Also in this piece, Perk figures that his ghastly free throw percentage had to be the new/old ball since he swished his only 2 free throws last night. Happy Birthday to Big Al who turns 22 today. Tony Allen (Jan. 11), Gerald Green (Jan. 26), and Leon Powe (Jan. 22) also have birthdays this month.
According to Frank Dell'Apa's Globe article, LeBron's 80 foot heave at the buzzer in the third quarter was no fluke. He practices that shot in the event that he will have to take one in a game. I still feel that it was a shame that in Doc's post game press conference instead of focusing on all the good things that this team and Gerald did in particular, he seemed to harp on Gerald's not defending that 80 foot heave.
The Globe Blog has some quotes from the Celtics Locker Room. Doc called the last play for Wally to take a 3 saying: "Right now you can clearly see Wally can’t get his balance. But he’s our best three point shooter and we got a shot.” Uh Doc, look at the box scores, will you? Gerald is shooting 47% from behind the arc vs 36% for Wally. Last night Gerald was on fire and Wally was struggling. Just another instance of bad decisions by Doc in games. If I was playing to win, Gerald would have taken that last shot.
The Worcester Telegram Notebook also addresses Pierce's status. It also reports that Wally is still sore from the two ankle sprains but Doc will continue to start him over Green at least until Pierce returns. Doc also mentions height as one of the reasons that he is starting West over Telfair. Also mentioned is that 3 of the Celtics Dancers have been nominated to represent the team at the All Star Game. You can vote for them on NBA.com.
SI.com is continuing their features of Gerald Green's diaries. They published his Rookie diaries last season and this season they are giving us his Sophomore Diaries. One of Gerald's goals is to make the Rookie/Sophomore game. Let's hope that his play of late will get him an invitation to play in it. He also wants to participate in the Slam Dunk contest and has been working on some special dunks for that purpose. If he isn't in it, it would be a crime against the fans because he will definitely bring some excitement to the contest.
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Celtics Fight Hard but Come Up Short
by FLCeltsFan 8:21 AM
January 4, 2007
In spite of the 107-104 loss in the box score, this was actually a pretty good game. They played together as a team, hustled hard the whole game, and didn't hang their heads when they got hung out to dry by the officials. For much of the night it was very obvious that the Celtics were playing 5 on 8. We finished with a 23-16 disparity in free throws taken, but up until the end, it was more like 18-5. There were so many bad calls that even the posters on the Cavs boards were mentioning it. A couple of months ago, that would have been enough to make the young Celtics hang their heads and give up, but they kept fighting and finished strong. If we had at least half the bad calls by the refs we would have won going away. One of the worst was a break away foul on Gomes where he was right beside him when the foul occurred. It was a bad call and they got 2 free throws and a 3 on the following inbounds play. It was a 5 point turn around based on a bad call by the refs.
There was plenty to be happy about from our young players last night. Al continued his strong play of late with another double double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and a steal. He had 4 turnovers as well with 2 of those being travels that really didn't look like travels as he spun to the basket. He had been called for those travels early in the season and Doc sent a tape to the front office and then they stopped calling it but it looked like the refs last night didn't get the message. Perk played 13 minutes last night and finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. He played a short stint along side Jefferson and they looked really good together. I wish Doc would play them together more often.
Tony Allen also continued his strong play on both ends of the floor with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. He made his points from all over the floor including drives, free throws, jumpers and even a 3 pointer. He missed a big free throw that could have tied the game with 8 seconds to go and afterwards said that he would practice 1000 free throws because of it. Gerald Green had one of his best games finishing with 21 points on 8-13 shooting to go with 2 rebounds. It bothered me that Doc seemed to harp on his defense on LeBron's 80 foot heave at the end of the third period. No, Green wasn't in his face, but how many times do 80 foot heaves at the buzzer go in? But he did so many other things that were good in the game, that shouldn't be the defining moment of the game for him. He did a fantastic job of curling to the basket off screens and hitting the shots.
West is still hurting in spite of his assurances that he is feeling better. In the 4th period he went down after a driving layup and it was painful to watch him get up. He took so long getting up that Tony gave a foul at the other end to stop play thinking he was hurt. In spite of the back still bothering him, he started the game and played 32 minutes. He finished with 10 points on 4-9 shooting to go with 8 assists, 1 rebound, and 2 steals. A couple of his assists were very nice bounce passes through traffic inside for a hoop. I just hope he isn't hurting himself by playing with the back injury. Telfair had 24 solid minutes with 10 points, 4 rebound, 5 assists and 1 steal with 0 turnovers. Rondo had only 7 minutes and hauled in a rebound and an assist.
Wally continued his shooting woes tonight going 4-13 from the field and 1-5 beyond the arc for 13 points, 5 rebounds and 3 turnovers. I don't get Wally going 29 minutes and Green going 19 minutes when Green is obviously out playing Wally on both ends of the court and Wally is obviously not 100%. And Doc called the last play for Wally to hit a 3 from the top of the arc. I don't get that one either. Green is obviously our best 3 point shooter right now. Wally is struggling, so why call the last play for the person who is in a shooting slump. Why not go with the hot hand? Another coaching decision by Doc that has me shaking my head. Gomes had another fairly quite game with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. He isn't spectacular but he doesn't make many mistake either. A solid player.
Scal had 13 minutes (same as Perk) and finished with only 2 turnovers and 2 fouls. Kandy had a 4 minute cameo and made the most of it with 1 rebound and 1 blocked shot. Contrast this with Powe's 5 point 4 rebound performance in just under 3 minutes or any other time that he is on the floor and you really have to wonder why this guy is on the bench. It is definitely a mystery to me!!
One thing that I found particularly encouraging is that they finally were working the pick and roll. This is good because it really opens up the floor for Al and the person feeding him the ball as well. Now we just have to work on defending it better. All in all, this was an encouraging game. We stayed with the team who his tied for the lead in the Eastern Conference, without our star player and with 2 of our starters obviously hurting and if it wasn't for a plethora of bad calls against us, we would have won it. It was very encouraging though that the players didn't waste time arguing calls or hang their heads. They just kept playing hard and that bodes very well for our future.
[Box Score]
[Recap]
[Play by Play]
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Parquet Magazine Features Big Al
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 3:30 PM
January 3, 2006
Celtics.com has a piece on Parquet Magazine's feature article on Big Al. My favorite part is this:
Clifford Ray's voice is echoing through he gym as he hollers at Al Jefferson. He's demanding that Jefferson pick up the basketball off the floor, bring it up to the basket and put it in off the glass in one fluid motion. When it drops through the net, Ray slams it back on the floor in front of Jefferson and delivers the same instruction.
"Again!"
Within minutes, Jefferson's sleeveless t-shirt is soaking with sweat, practically begging to be rung out over a tub. Big Al's got a lather going, and he's trying to catch his breath. It's late May, the Celtics' season is over, but Jefferson is working out with Ray on his footwork and post-up moves. As Jefferson puts it, he wants to be a "beast in the paint".
"That's the message," Ray said. "If you want to be nice guy, get off the floor." I love Clifford Ray and the attitude he brings to our bigs. I wish both Perk and Al would have had the whole summer to work with him. As it is, he has done a lot with them in limited time between injuries.
The article is a good read. Nice to see Al getting some press. He has to be a candidate for Most Improves Player this season. I don't know how he could not be.
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source:Celtics.com/Parquet Magazine
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Wednesday Odds and Ends
by FLCeltsFan 9:29 AM
January 3, 2007
I am still basking in the afterglow of our win in Portland but am coming back to earth thinking about tonight's game in Cleveland. In spite of Cleveland playing in San Antonio last night, 2 things spell trouble for us tonight. The Cavs play very good defense and used it to beat the Spurs. We don't do well against teams who play defense. Any display of defense from the other team usually sends us into disarray. Second, Lebron had a sub-par game last night (19 points) and may be looking to bounce back with a big one tonight. On the other hand, maybe we can use their fatigue from playing back to back against them by running and using our young legs (If Doc would only let them run). You can check out previews of the game here, here, here, and here. In the meantime, let's check out what is going on in the Celtics Nation Today.
Steve Bulpett starts his Herald Article like this:
Average total experience in full years of the most common Celtics [team stats] starting lineup lately: eight.
Combined full years of experience of the two Celts unable to play at all on the trip: 19.
Going 1-4 on the journey and leading for a grand total of 7 minutes, 11 seconds: Pierce-less. He goes on to discuss the growing pains the Celtics are feeling playing in the absence of Paul Pierce. I see some improvement in several players. But Green should be getting more minutes with Pierce out. I still wonder constantly why Powe isn't playing. Are they hiding him for some reason? The kid has proved he can play and we desperately need what he brings and yet he sits on the bench. I don't get it.
In the Globe, Shira asks Perk and Wally to rate their recent road trip. Perk gives the trip a 6 because of the effort that the players put forth on it. Wally gives it a 4 because we only won 1 game. I guess having 5 more years of experience makes Wally a bit more cynical. Both players were sitting with their feet in buckets of ice which is the story of the Celtics this season that has been filled with injuries.
Hoopsworld has a good article on Big Al Jefferson and his recent emergence. A combination of being healthy and increased playing time have combined to bring out the Big Al that we all have been waiting for since Danny took him with the 15th pick. Let's hope he only continues to get better because it gives us the low post scorer we haven't had since Kevin McHale walked through those doors. In fact, some of Jefferson's moves are reminiscent to those employed by McHale.
Celtics Pride 24/7 goes through players who have been rumored to be available this year and how they may fit with the Celtics. I really don't want to give up on several of our young players and hope that if we do make a trade that it will be for a sure thing and that we don't give up any of our core players who will come back to haunt us. (please see Chauncey Billups-We got Kenny Anderson for him - 'nuff said)
Full Court Press has an article that lists the surprises and disappointments so far this season. This would be my list of surprises and disappointments as well, probably yours too. Surprises so far include Big Al, Gerald Green, Tony Allen and Leon Powe. Good to see I am not the only one wondering why Powe, in spite of some very strong play in very limited minutes isn't getting more playing time. The disappointments include Delonte, Wally, Telfair, and Doc. Delonte is a player and has tried to play through a variety of injuries. The back is worrisome because it bothered him in training camp and is now a problem again. Backs can be tricky. Wally has a history of being injury prone in his career and we haven't seen anything different since he came here. I think Telfair is a round peg once again being stuffed into a square hole. He is at his best in a running game and in spite of promises to run for 3 years in a row, Doc has slowed the team into a half court game once again. I came into the season wanting to give Doc the benefit of the doubt but I am now firmly convinced that this team will not get to the next level with him as a coach.
A win tonight would be huge for this team but I have my doubts that they can pull it out. With Doc insisting on starting 2 players who are obviously injured and playing 30+ minutes, it really handicaps us. Wally and West can't hit jumpers because they just don't have the legs to do so and because both are struggling to move on the court, their defense has been lax as well. Join us tonight on Celtics Green for the play by play . Q is back from his vacation and I am looking forward to his sage color commentary once again.
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Celtics Close Out Road Trip with a Win
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 12:34 AM
January 1, 2007
Celtics finish the road trip 1 and 4 closing out the trip with an 89-81 win over the Portland Trailblazers. There were a lot of positive performances tonight and even though the Blazers aren't the best of teams, the Celtics fought hard and played well together.
Tony Allen is one of the brightest spots. He was aggressive from the first basket to the last and finished with 22 points on 9-13 shooting to go with 8 rebounds and 3 steals and some solid defense. Gomes was another bright spot as he broke out of his slump with 18 points on 7-9 shooting and 10 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 assist. The best part of his game was the defense he played on Zach Randolph. He never did get going and that was a big factor in the game.
Wally once again struggled with his shot, shooting only 4-14 from the field and 7-10 from the line. But he made some big plays in the 4th to help assure the win. He also had 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in last minute that ended in a dunk and helped to secure the win. Delonte was playing injured but played over 30 minutes and finished with 8 points on 2-8 shooting to go with 3 rebounds, 4 assists and only 1 turnover.
Al had another solid game providing good defense in the paint and finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block. Perk played only 11 minutes and finished with 2 points and 1 rebound but played some good defense. He went down in the 4th holding his ankle and limped to the locker room. At first they said it was a right ankle sprain and it was doubtful that he would return. But not long after he was back on the bench and available to play although he didn't get back in the game. Hopefully he had his ankles taped and it was a mild sprain and won't cause him to miss any time.
Green played 15 minutes and played solid defense when he was in. He shot 3-7 and finished with 6 points and 4 rebounds. Rondo only got in for 12 minutes and finished with 2 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist but as always he gives the team a boost with his energy and his defense. Telfair finished with 2 points, 3 assists, and 1 rebound to go with 3 turnovers. He still has trouble finishing at the basket but played hard when he was in.
All in all it was a good win for us. We needed a win and they pulled together and played team ball and pulled it out. I still don't understand why Powe isn't getting more minutes. Our first game with the old/new ball was a success. They asked Wally, Green and West about playing with the leather ball and the change at this time. Wally said that they had just adjusted to the new ball and now they have to re-adjust to the leather ball again and he didn't feel it was a good time to change. Green said it didn't matter. As long as it was round and bounced it was ok with him. Delonte said he is a player and he will play with whatever they give him. If they give him a sock he will play with a sock. And he had trouble keeping a straight face. We are 1-0 in 2007. A good way to start the new year.
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New Year's Odds and Ends
Monday, January 1, 2007
by FLCeltsFan 12:19 PM
January 1, 2006
I'd like to wish all my fellow Greeniacs a very Happy New Year. Watching my beloved Celtics lose wasn't the way I wanted to ring in the New Year, but here's hoping that going out like a lamb will have them coming into 2007 like a lion. Here's what is going on around the Celtic's nation today:
Both the Herald and the Globe have recaps of last night's game. See my article below for my thoughts and recap of the game.
Bulpett's Notebook discusses Doc's reaction to the new/old ball and the fact that the Celtics are the only team playing back to back games with two different basketballs. He also mentioned that Wally is set to start until the team gets back to full strength.
Bulpett also has an article on Telfair's return to Portland tonight. Telfair says it isn't a big thing and that he just wants to play well for himself and his team, not to show Portland they made a mistake.
The Globe reports that Danny has joined the team for the rest of the road trip. In spite of the losing, he is finding positives in the play of Tony, Al, and Gerald. Doc is saying he is disappointed with Green and Danny says he is playing great. Maybe they should get on the same page. Also, Pierce will have an MRI on his foot when he returns to Boston to determine how quickly his foot is healing.
The Green Room has a fun look at Calendars that the Celtics should get for New Years. I like the Rondo and Powe Calendars best. Only the Others know why Powe isn't getting playing time.
Join us tonight on Celtics Green for the play by play of the Blazers game. Hopefully we can start the New Year with a win. But only if Doc realizes who to start and who to play.
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A New Year's Rant
by FLCeltsFan 11:43 AM
January 1, 2007
After watching the last 3 games, I just had to get this out. I mentioned in a previous article that Doc's coaching leads us to one of 4 conclusions. (1)Doc is tanking on his own (2)Danny is telling Doc to tank (3)Doc is throwing games to affect the outcome or (4)Doc is just a bad coach.
Standing behind Doc is the one thing that puzzles me about Ainge as GM. Danny was a good coach and knows how to run a team. Why is he standing behind Doc while he ruins the confidence of the talented young players that Danny has brought in. I know that Wyc hasn't been happy with the job Doc is doing judging from a couple of comments he has made. I believe that the only reason Doc is still here is because Danny stepped up and said that if Doc goes he goes. Why would he stand behind him so strongly when the evidence is so strong in the other direction.
Doc has been ruining the confidence our players have in themselves. Rondo does so many good things when he comes into the game. He may not shoot from the outside, but he has the ability to drive and definitely finds the open man and runs an uptempo game. Every commentator I hear all say how talented he is and how he changes the game when he comes in. Bob Ryan had this to say about him in yesterday's Globe:
I like Rajon Rondo, who, crummy shot or not, so often has a direct effect on the game with his speed and aggressiveness on defense. Rondo is a very good defensive player and right now we need defense. But in one of Doc's post game interviews he made a comment about Rondo getting credit for defense he doesn't play. Is Doc watching the same player we are? I can see Doc possibly discussing Rondo's reluctance to take a shot, but to pick on his defense is way off. Doc is destroying Rondo's confidence by speaking out in the press about his lack of shooting and his lack of defense and by benching him in favor of Telfair and West.
That brings me to Telfair who could be a good PG if allowed to run an uptempo team. In spite of promising over and over to run this year ( and last year and the year before), the team has ground to a halt and are stuck in a half court game most of the time. Doc doesn't know how to run a fast break team. Look at what Nellie has done with Golden State. The player nearest the ball inbounds and they push the ball up the floor every time- after made baskets and after turnovers and after misses. Because they do this, they got easy basket after easy basket before the defenses could set up. Just as with the Celtics teams of the 80s, they advanced the ball with passes and played a passing game instead of over-dribbling the ball. Then watch the Celtics. A big has to come back to inbound the ball and then the PG walks the ball up the court allowing the Celtics (and the defenses) to get into Doc's set. Then we pass the ball around the arc until someone takes a shot or decides to pass inside to Al (which usually they don't do often enough), or someone, usually Tony (or Rondo) drives, which also is not often enough. We have the players to be a fast break team, but Doc doesn't know what to do with them. The players all dribble too much, we don't pass the ball efficiently, and when Pierce is in the game, almost every play goes through him. I love Delonte, but as a PG, he dribbles way too much. That is what I love about Rondo, he passes and does so very well.
And then there is Powe who does great things whenever he gets in the game. In 2 minutes against the Warriors, he had 5 points and 4 rebounds. In the two games he played over 15 minutes, he averaged a double double. Yet Doc insists on leaving this kid on the bench when he gives us just what this team needs so badly: toughness inside, defense and rebounding. I just can't see this kid not playing hard in practice and don't understand why he isn't getting more minutes. It isn't like he screws up when he is in, because when he plays, good things happen.
That brings me to Gerald Green. Green has what it takes to be a star. Doc comes out and says that Gerald isn't playing well and that he isn't happy with him and he pulls the kid and sits him after a couple of mistakes. In the meantime he lets Wally, who is obviously not 100% and was hurting the team way more than Green was, play 30+ minutes. What does that do to Gerald's confidence? The kid is just starting to come on and will have his ups and downs but NEEDS to be able to play through them. Green will be 10 times the player Wally is and yet Doc plays a gimpy Wally and sits Green who should be getting the minutes with Pierce out. It has been noted that Green is playing a little tentatively lately. This is the result of Doc playing with his confidence and putting him down in the press.
And Perk is playing tentatively partly because his timing is off after the injury but also partly because Doc has been systematically destroying his confidence over the past 3 years. Perk has admitted to having to look over his shoulder when he picks up a foul or makes a mistake. Instead of letting him play through his mistakes, Doc pulls him right away and sits him for the rest of the game in many cases. He definitely hasn't gotten the minutes he should have over the past 3 years. No wonder the kid plays tentatively. If you look at the young players who excel and get to the next level, they are the ones who have been given playing time and the ones that the coach shows some degree of confidence in. Doc has not done this with any of our young players. In fact, he has done the opposite with all of them most of the time. It is only when we have so many injuries that he has no choice that players get to play and break out.
Doc likes his bigs to shoot the outside shot and "stretch the floor" which takes them away from the basket and thus from rebounding. Players like Powe and Perk who stress defense and rebounding over offense seem to be in Doc's doghouse. Doc loved Raef and Blount and played them big minutes over Perk and Al until Danny traded both and Doc had no choice but to play Perk and Al. Doc plays Scal over Powe consistently, because Scal spends time out on the arc and not under the basket. Teams where Clifford Ray has coached have consistently turned around their rebounding numbers from last to first. While we have made improvement since last season, we haven't made near as big a leap as his other teams have done and this is because of Doc's coaching. Doc doesn't play his bigs under the basket but wants them to start away from the basket which hurts our rebounding. He wants the bigs to draw the defenders out (mainly so that Pierce can go to the basket). And the bigs who do play under the basket (Powe and Perk) don't get the playing time. Al has been getting playing time but he has also been playing away from the basket and has developed a little 15 foot jumper to go with his post moves.
Going back to Nellie in Golden State. Nellie has taken a team in Golden state that a very good coach, Mike Montgomery, couldn't do much with and has them playing good ball and poised to make a playoff run. The Warriors are succeeding because Nellie has them understanding their roles. Biedrins is a legitimate chance to win the Most Improved Player award this year but if Doc was coaching him, I can see him sitting on the bench because he doesn't have a legitimate outside shot. Or look at Gerald Green and Monta Ellis. Both are swingmen who came into the league in the same draft straight out of high school. Nelly has given Ellis the playing time he needs to develop and lets him play through his mistakes and his numbers show that he has responded. His impact on the team is obvious. On the other hand, Doc has given Green very little playing time and when he does play, pulls him when he makes a mistake and recently has been putting him down in the press. Would Ellis be the player he is if he was playing for Doc? I highly doubt it.
Finally, in recent games, Doc will get a unit on the floor that plays very well, and usually brings us back from a big deficit, and then he will pull those players and put another unit on the floor who either lose the lead or dig another hole. Perk, Powe and Rondo are players who have the ability to change the tempo of a game and yet Doc plays them sparingly and when they do start a run, he takes them out and sits them for the rest of the game. It is almost like he is coaching to lose. We have the players to run all game long. Danny has brought in athletic players who are very well suited to a fast break team. But Doc has taken all of these thoroughbreds and put harnesses on them and none of them are allowed to play to their strengths.
Last night in Seattle, Doc started West, Wally, Gomes, Tony and Al. While Tony and Al played very well, West, Wally and Gomes were clearly struggling and by the time Doc subbed for them, they had dug a hole with their sluggish play. Then, Doc comes in with the subs and they bring us back and we are in the game again. So, who does Doc start in the second half? Does he play the players who were playing well and bringing us back from the deficit? No, he starts the second half with the group that played so poorly to start the game. West was obviously hurting as he couldn't move well. Delonte is a game and wants to play but when it was obvious that he wasn't affective Doc should never have put him back in. Wally was a step slow all night and still can't hit his jumper. Green was more efficient, warts and all, than Wally was. Rondo's energy and defense got us back into the game. This is from the Herald, quoting Doc's post game press conference: “We start out of the first and third quarters so poorly - the first six minutes of each half I thought was the difference in the game,” Celts coach Doc Rivers said. “From that point on, we were scrapping and trying to get back in it.” What is the difference between the first 6 minutes of each half and from that point on? It should be obvious that West, Wally and Gomes were playing the first 6 minutes and Rondo (or Telfair), Green, and Perk were in the rest. If Doc is playing to win, he will come out with a starting lineup of Rondo, Allen, Al, Perk, and Green. If he wants to win, he will play Powe. If he wants to win, he will pull Wally for shooting 1 of a gazillion instead of pulling Green for missing a defensive assignment. Wally missed plenty of them as well since he is having trouble moving laterally, even more than usual.
Maybe Danny's standing behind Doc is his way of tanking without actually having to do so. That is the only thing I can think of because Danny was a good coach and surely must see what Doc is doing to this young team. Even Doc admits that his rotations just aren't getting it done. A good coach would have seen the starting unit struggle and come out with the players who were playing well in the second half. But Doc didn't do that, even though he admits that he knew it was that unit that lost the game. I can only hope that Doc doesn't do irreparable harm before Danny comes to his senses and replaces him.
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Doc Cries Foul over Ball Change
by FLCeltsFan 2:40 AM
January 1, 2007
Doc feels that the Blazers will have an advantage over the Celtics tomorrow night. No, not a better coach. He feels that because the league is switching from the microfiber ball back to the leather ball tomorrow, the Celtics are at a disadvantage.
The Celtics are the only team with back to back games Sunday and Monday. Since they play Sunday and then have to travel, they won't have a chance for a shoot around with the new/old ball. Portland, on the other hand will have a practice with the leather ball before the game.
Celtics officials called the league offices to complain but got no satisfaction. Doc requested that they delay the switch one day for at least the Celtics and Blazers but the switch is still set to go forward tomorrow.
It will be interesting to see what difference, if any the ball will make. With the way the Celtics have been playing, it will be hard to tell.
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source: Yahoo Sports
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Celtics Lose to Sonics - Drop 6th in a Row
by FLCeltsFan 1:44 AM
January 1, 2007
The Celtics dropped their 6th in a row, falling to the Seattle Supersonics 101-95. Once again, we had trouble defending especially in the paint. We didn't pass the ball very well and had only 13 assists compared to 22 for the Sonics.
Once again, I question Doc's rotations. He started Wally who obviously still doesn't have his legs under him for his jumper, which doesn't stop him from shooting away from the outside. West came out after a short time and was replaced by Telfair. The word was that West was out for the rest of the game due to back spasms. But West did come back in the second quarter but wasn't very effective because it was obvious that he couldn't move very well. Along with West and Wally who weren't playing well, Gomes also was struggling. This starting unit dug a hole and the subs worked hard to claw their way back.
Now, I ask you, when you see that three players in your starting lineup aren't playing well, wouldn't you come out with a different line up to start the third? I would, but not Doc. He started the same lineup in the third period. After the game in his post game press conference, Doc said that we lost the game in the first 6 minutes of each half. If he felt that way after the first 6 minutes of the first half, why start the second half with the same group. It just doesn't make sense.
Big Al had another double double, his 7th in the last 8 games. He finishes with 21 points on 8-15 shooint to go with 10 rebounds and 1 block. He played very well in the 4th quarter and was the main reason we were able to get back into the game after the slow start to start the 3rd. We finally got to see Perk and Al play together and they seemed to complement each other very well. Perk played just 15 minutes but looked good in those minutes finishing with 4 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal and playing good defense in the paint. I would like to see Perk and Al play together a lot more.
As I said, Gomes didn't play well tonight. I am not sure if it is mental or physical but he missed all his jumpers and finished with 2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists on 1-6 shooting in 15 minutes. Tony Allen had another excellent game. He gets to the basket, draws fouls, and more importantly played some very good defense. He finished with 23 points on 8-15 shootin, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. He also had 5 turnovers, but he was playing aggressively and was one of the reasons we weren't blown out. His play kept us in the game while 3/5 of the starters were struggling.
With West having back spasms and not playing well when he was in the game, Rondo finally got some decent minutes and he made the most of them. He finished with 12 points on 6-9 shooting, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block in 28 minutes playing time. He did everything and his energy picked up the team when he was in. This should earn him a start but with Doc, he probably will go back to 2 minutes the next game. I love this kid. He has the ability to change the game when he is in. He plays excellent defense and he hustles. He needs to be playing. Bassy came in for the struggling West and struggled himself. He shot 1-7 and finished with 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block. Many of the shots he missed were layups. He needs to work on finishing at the basket. West was obviously hurting. I know the kid wants to play really bad but a decent coach wouldn't have let him. He obviously wasn't himself and had 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal and was 0-3 in 19 minutes. He never should have started the second half.
Wally was struggling with his shot again tonight and shot only 5-12 from the field. He finished with 13 points, 2 rebounds,and 1 steal. Wally also struggled on defense and couldn't keep up with either Allen or Wilkins. Green struggles a bit from the arc, and although he got lost on defense a couple of times, he still did better than Wally. He had made a couple nice moves to the basket as well as knocking down some big shots down the stretch. He finished with 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block in 22 minutes. He shot 6-13 from the field and 3-9 from beyond the arc.
It will be interesting to see Doc's starting lineup for the Portland game. If he is playing to win, he will start the players who were getting it done in Seattle. I would like to see Rondo, Allen, Perk, Al, and Green starting. But this is Doc we are talking about so we will probably see West, Wally, Gomes, Allen and Al again, even though he all but admitted that this lineup lost the game in Seattle.
Happy New Years to All the Greeniacs!!
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Wally to Start Instead of Green
Sunday, December 31, 2006
by FLCeltsFan 4:55 PM
December 31, 2006
 
The Herald is reporting that Doc is planning to start Wally tonight in spite of just a few days ago saying that he likes Wally coming off the bench. Ok, explain to me again why Wally starts over Green? According to everyone else, Green has been progressing and has been playing well. In the past two games Wally has been 5-25 from the field, 1-6 from 3, with 5 assists and 13 rebounds. Green has been 8 -17 from the field, 7-11 from 3, with 4 assists and 8 rebounds. Can you show me where Wally is out playing Green enough to get the start in his place? Please don't tell me it is his defense either because Green's defense has been much better than Wally's, even before the ankle sprains.
It takes a lot to disgust a koolaid drinker like me, but Doc is really pushing it. Even Bulpett sounds incredulous that Doc is making this move. It really makes no sense. Now is the time to give Green minutes. Instead, Doc chooses to run a gimpy Wally into the ground.
Also reported is that Telfair has a cold and missed the morning's shoot around but should play tonight.
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source: Herald Insider
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Celtics Face Sonics in New Year's Eve Matchup
by FLCeltsFan 2:21 PM
December 31, 2006
Celtics face Seattle tonight in a match up of injury plagued teams. The Celtics are healthier than they have been in a long time with Wally, Perk, West and Kandi all returning from injury. Wally obviously came back too early because he shot 3 of 17 and had trouble putting his socks over swollen ankles after the game. Perk is still struggling to get his timing back and we have only seen Kandi for a brief stint against the Warriors where he was booed. West however played well in his last game and seems to have shaken off the injury. Pierce and Ratliff are the only two still on the can't play list. On the Sonics side, Rashard Lewis, Robert Swift and Danny Fortson are all out.
This is the final game with the short lived microfiber ball. Tomorrow we go back to the old leather ball. The Celtics are the only team playing back to back games and will be playing with the new ball tonight and the old ball tomorrow. Should be interesting to see the difference in play, if any. Hopefully it will help Perk with his free throws.
As one of the few people who will spend their New Year's Eve watching the game, I invite you to check out the play by play on Celtics Green. I am hoping that the Celtics will make New Year's resolutions to play better defense, go to inside more instead of settling for outside jumpers, pass the ball more instead of always dribbling, and most importantly, that Doc will resolve to give Powe, Rondo, Perk, and Green more minutes.
Game Time: 10:00 PM Eastern Time
TV: League Pass Team 8 (DTV 758), FSN
Radio: WRKO, Audio League Pass
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Sunday Odds and Ends
by FLCeltsFan 10:43 AM
December 31, 2006
Here it is New Year's Eve and I am probably one of the few who plans on celebrating by watching the Celtics game tonight. Sad, I know. A win would really make my night, though. Until then, here is what is going on around the Celtics Nation today:
The Herald has two articles that look back on 2006. The first by Steve Bulpett discusses the many losses the Celtics had in 2006, including the loss of their patriarch, Red Auerbach. In it, Pierce expresses his desire to keep a core group together to grow together. Sounds like he still has patience with the kids. The second, also by Bulpett, gives the highs and lows of the past year. Highs include Pierce's play, our 5 game win streak, coming back from down 20 to beat the Nets, Pierce's extension, and Jefferson's emergence. The lows are topped by the loss of Red and include Al's injury woes, fire Doc chants, six game losing streak after the trade for Wally, and last but not least, the first Celtics dance team.
Scott Souza gives some resolutions for a happy 2007 for the Celtics. He offers that if the Celtics stay healty, keep feeding Al in the post, give Green minutes, give the PG's a chance to play their game, and remain in the Atlantic division, they should have a happy 2007. Peter May also gives some resolutions for the Celtics. Then he goes on to discuss pretty much everything under the sun. Guess he had a lot on his mind to end the year.
The Herald also has an article about Tommy Heinsohn and the fact that he keeps the Celtics tradition and pride alive. Tommy represents everything that his good in this franchise. I wish Doc would bring him into practice and let him give some of his insights and experience to the team.
The Hartford Courant reports that there have been a lot of injuries this season that have changed the fortunes of many team, especially the Celtics. But we aren't the only ones, many other teams have been without their stars for a period of time as well.
The Waterbury Republican reports that Gomes is glad that a trade didn't go down for Iverson. He echoes the thoughts of Pierce that the young core of players wants to grow together and he feels that they will continue to grow as a team and get better. I tend to agree with them. Chemistry is very important on teams and if this core group of young players are allowed to grow together, it will pay off in the long run.
Bob Ryan has plenty to talk about even though there aren't any championships in Boston this year.
I still like Al Jefferson. I still like Delonte West. I still like Ryan Gomes (who could be dropped into the Spurs’ lineup tonight and flourish, even without a single practice). I am very impressed with Tony Allen. I am surprised that I like Rajon Rondo, who, crummy shot or not, so often has a direct effect on the game with his speed and aggressiveness on defense. I agree on Rondo. He always seems to have an impact on the game when he comes in. Ryan believes that it is our youth that is keeping us from winning and it will take time for them to get it together.
Celtics Pride 24/7 has a piece that asserts that the Celtics are becoming a laughingstock and that it is time to fire Doc. I agree that Doc is at the heart of a lot of our problems. Just look at Golden State for the difference a coach can make. Nellie has turned a bad team into one with playoff hopes. Memphis looked like a different team after just one game with a new coach. I think it is time to see what a different coach can do with these young kids before Doc kills their confidence completely.
Finally, the Herald asserts that Gomes and Green are slumping at the wrong time for the Celtics. I don't really see Green slumping. It is more like he is still learning. Even his off game on Friday wasn't as bad as Wally's off game. The only difference is that Green was benched and Wally got to play over 30 minutes. If Green was allowed to play through his struggles he would emerge a much better player. Gomes is slumping a little but it may be because he is now playing off of Jefferson instead of Pierce and he has to learn how to work his game to best complement Jefferson's game.
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