Celtics Show Heart – Lose to Knicks in Game 6 88-80

May 4th, 2013

Highlights – Celtics don’t show up for 3 quarters then make epic comeback attempt, Knicks don’t impress, Keep the Gang for one more try

Celtics don’t show up for 3 quarters then make epic comeback attempt:  If you ever wanted to watch a team get dominated in every facet of the game, the Celtics showed it to you on Friday night.  They couldn’t shoot, weren’t switching right on defense, and generally had no flow either defensively or offensively.  They shot 32% from the field and had a 20 point deficit heading into the 4th.  But then the script flipped and the Celtics showed the heart they have shown all season by going on a 20-0 run.  They cut the lead down to 4 points behind Bradley (who decided to show up for the series in the last quarter) and Green.  But in the end the Celtics ran out of gas and the Knicks were able to squeak out a win.  The Celtics went down with the type of heart we’ve seen them have for the past 6 seasons, and ended the season with a 4th quarter effort that was in no way embarrassing.

Knicks don’t impress:  With all the talk of how the Knicks were now making the leap to Championship contenders, this series should put a halt in that thinking.  They were impressive in the first 3 games of the series, but then came out of the last 3 looking like immature punks.  Wearing funeral garb to a home game that they eventually lost was both ridiculous and moronic as it only served to put the unearned spotlight on themselves.  They then proceeded to let a team that was down by 20 in Game 6, make a 4th quarter run that scared even the most confident Knick fans.  In the end they are celebrating a Round 1 victory.  Round 1 is not where Champions are made, only tested.  And in the departments of intelligence and heart the Knicks failed.

Keep the Gang for one more try:  A majority of pundits are saying that the Celtics and Danny should part ways with both KG and Pierce and officially start the rebuilding process around Rondo, Green, Bradley and Sullinger.  This seems to be a good thought process in that those are some young chips that a team could start to build a nucleus around.  Also the 27 million Pierce and KG will be earning next year would put a pause on any GM’s thought process when looking at a 36 and 37 year old.  The Celtics could buy out Pierce for $5 million which would spur KG to retire and open up some cap space for the C’s.  But this would only open up some cap space for what I consider a weak free agency class.  The Celtics are not going to get Dwight Howard, and Al Jefferson is restricted.  The list of  free agents under that has some other notables, but nothing compared to 2014′s free-agent class.  What the Celtics should do is bring the whole gang back for one more attempt.  A healthy Rondo and Sullinger will add some key pieces to what was a depleted team down the stretch.  Green has emerged to look like a border-line All-Star, and Bradly will be one more season removed from surgery.  KG and Pierce could play 25 minutes during the regular season and rest up for what would hopefully be a long playoffs.  The Celtics would then have the added experience and youth that most teams dream of.  KG and Pierce could also continue to instill in the young guys the Celtic Pride that has come to define this current team.  Lastly the contracts of Pierce and KG would come off the books for 2014, when there would actually be some decent free agents.  JET, Bass and Lee could all be used as trade bait to maybe bring in one more big, or kept if nothing shows up.  Overall the Celtics have some options, but I’m hoping they bring it back for one more run.

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Shipping up to Boston! Celts force a Game 6 after a masterful dismantling of the Knicks – Final score 92-86

May 1st, 2013

Highlights – Green and the vets come up huge!, Knicks embarrass themselves, Game 6 will be huge

Green and the vets come up huge:  Jeff Green was amazing in the 4th.  As the rest of the team started to falter in the final frame, he personally picked up the offense with 10 points, including 2 back-breaking 3 pointers in a row.  But the Celtics really relied on all their vets as they only played 7 players total in the game.  Bass ended up with 17 points on 6-7 shooting, while also playing great defense on Carmelo.  Pierce also had a great 2nd half after starting the game with 6 straight missed shots.  He ended up with 16 points and 4 three-pointers.  JET was soaring also, as he hit some clutch shots that shut the Knicks crowd up.  He had 5 three-pointers and ended up with 17 points.  But the player of the game was probably KG, as he put up a gargantuan 16 point 18 rebound performance that was capped off with the game clinching shot over Tyson Chandler with less than a minute left.  The Celtics relied on all their veterans and were amply rewarded by each one of them.

Knicks embarrass themselves:  Before the game JR Smith pretended not to know who Jason Terry was.   He also said that if he played in Game 4 (he was suspended for elbowing Terry) he would have been golfing instead of playing Game 5.  He wasn’t even the worst offender of bulletin board material, as Kenyon Martin, the player that no team but the Knicks wanted because he was an asshole, told the whole team to dress for the Celtics funeral.  The pre-game telecast showed each Knicks player following their asshat leader Kenyon, by dressing in black.  But the joke was on New York, as they were humiliated on national TV and in front of their home fans after a pathetic performance.  The fact that Charles Barkley is now openly rooting for the Celtics shows you how much of an asshat group the Knicks have become.

Game 6 will be huge:  The Celtics have the chance to make history on Friday.  Only 3 teams in the NBA have been able to force a Game 7 after going down by 0-3 in a playoff series.  If the Celtics can take this game, the screws will tighten on the Knicks, and the Celtics could be the first team to fully complete the comeback.  There is no doubt that Causeway Street will be loud for the Celtics.

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Celtics show Heart – Beat Knicks in must win Game 4 by a score of 90-97

April 28th, 2013

Highlights – Terry takes off, Bass plays like a beast then fouls out, 19 point lead disappears

Terry takes off – Terry had his long awaited Big Game, as he scored 18 points, including 9 straight in the final frame.  Jet might have finally been awoken by an elbow to the face from JR Smith on Friday, which caused JR to be suspended for Game 4.   Terry’s biggest shot was a transition pull up 3 that gave the Celtics the momentum in overtime after having their 19 point lead slowly disappear during the 2nd half.  He shot 7-10 and was a welcome presence off the bench for both the start of the game and overtime.

Bass plays like a beast then fouls out – Bass had another great but underrated game for the Celtics as he was tasked with guarding Anthony for long stretches.  Bass seems matchup well against Anthony as he has shown great footwork on iso’s against him, which causes Carmelo to sometimes take ill-timed shots.  The matchup eventually took its toll on Bass as he fouled out in the 4th on a questionable call.  His final numbers don’t seem impressive, 4 points and 4 rebounds, but his defensive presence was key for the win.

19 point lead disappears – A late 2nd quarter surge by the C’s helped build up a 19 point lead and some breathing room for the Celtics as they headed into the 2nd half.  But the Knicks made a now familiar run in the 3rd quarter, dropping the lead to just 3 heading into the 4th.  The main reason was a ridiculous shooting spree by the Knicks as they seemed to all of a sudden flip a switch and start hitting repeated 3′s.  The Knicks would eventually take a 2 point lead in the 4th, but the Celtics kept their composure and were able to tie the game and get it into overtime where Terry took over.

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Gotham takes game 1 as the Knicks outlast Celtics 78-85

April 20th, 2013

Highlights – 2nd half yields little for Celtics, Bench comes up empty, Pierce and Green came to play

2nd half yields little for Celtics – The Celtics had a great 1st half, scoring 53 points and leading by 4.  But the second half, and more specifically the 4th quarter, were horrible for the Celtics as they only scored 25 points in the half and 8 in the 4th.  The Knicks were also off offensively, but brought enough to the table to take the lead and the game in the 4th.

Bench comes up empty – The Celtics bench disappeared, literally, as they only had 4 points in 51 total minutes of play.  They had an atrocious 0 field goals in the game!  I repeat: 0 field goals.  This was probably one of the worst bench performances the Celtics have ever had in a post-season game, with Terry leading the way.  I have been a loyal defender of JET all season, especially since I thought he would show up for the playoffs, but today’s performance of 0 points on 0-5 shooting was hugely disappointing.  I still think JET will awaken in this series and help bring a win to the Celtics, but he needs to awaken soon.

Pierce and Green came to play – 2 players who did show up for the Celtics were Jeff Green and Paul Pierce.  They combined for more than half the Celtics total points with 47, and had a combined 15 free throws as they were aggressive all day long.  These 2 will continue to be huge in this series and will hopefully be the 1-2 punch that the Celtics need to get by Anthony and the Knicks.  Overall the starting 5 had a good game, but were led down by the bench.  Game 2 hopefully shows a renewed bench and starting 5.

 

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Return of the Ticket – KG helps lift Celtics over Wizards 96-107

April 8th, 2013

Highlights – KG and Pierce return, Bass has continued success, Shav becoming legit

KG and Pierce return – The Celtics got a pre-game boost when they learned that both KG and Pierce would be returning to the Celtics lineup.  KG had missed 8 games but didn’t look like it as he threw in 12 points and 6 rebounds in only 24 minutes.  But his biggest contribution was on the defensive end as he became the defensive anchor that was sorely missed for the Celtics in those 8 games.  Pierce also contributed with 15 points in an efficient 30 minutes, with a key 3-pointer down the stretch to finally put this game away after the Celtics let the Wizards get within 10.  Both starters were able to get the Celtics back on track after that embarrassing loss to Cleveland on Friday.

Bass has continued success – Bass was the player of the night as he put up 20 points on a super efficient 9-12 shooting.  He seems to be hitting his stride at the perfect time for the Celtics, as his offensive play could pay huge dividends for the C’s in the playoffs.  Most fans will gratefully forget the first 4 months of the season that Bass had, if he continues to throw up these numbers.

Shav becoming legit – Shavlik Randolph also seems to be finding his place with the Celtics as he put in another gem.  His +/- was +10 and he had 8 points and 7 rebounds in only 15 minutes.  He continues to make a great argument for being the first big off the bench for the C’s, ahead of both Wilcox and White.  But he did have his troubles in this game as John Wall took a retaliatory swipe at Shav as he went for a layup in the 3rd quarter.  This was after a no-call on Shav that obviously angered Wall and the woeful Wizards.  But a bloodied Shav was able to stay in the game after the flagrant and help the C’s past the Wizards in what proved to be a great pick-me up game for the whole team.

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Green leads the Green to victory over Detroit – Final score 93-98

April 3rd, 2013

Highlights – Jeff Green leads the Celts, Celts need rebounding help, Celtics clinch a playoff seed

Jeff Green leads the Celts – Jeff Green went into beast mode early and ended up with 34 key points for the Celtics.  He had at least 6 points in each quarter and seemed to be in the flow from the get-go.  His game continues to improve and he showed off his jumper tonight shooting 13-19.  He also chipped in with 4 blocks as he played some good D tonight to go along with his offense.

Celts need rebounding help – The Celts again let a team have their way on the glass against them.  This game would have been put away early but Detroit was able to grab 52 rebounds, 25 on the offensive glass.  The Celtics countered with only 34 rebounds and were over-matched at times against the mediocre-at-best Pistons.

Celtics clinch a playoff seed – The Celtics are officially in the playoffs for the 6th year in a row after their win and the 76er’s loss.  The only thing to worry about now is positioning and rest.  With a relatively healthy lead over the Bucks the Celtics have some breathing room for the 7th seed but will need to start winning some games on the road to maintain that.

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SHAAAAAAVLIK – Shavlik helps Celts beat Hawks at home 107-118

March 29th, 2013

Highlights – Shavlik goes into beast mode, Ho-hum Pierce gets another triple double, Jet and Green shoot the lights out

Shavlik goes into beast mode - Shavlik grabs an improbable 13 rebounds in only 22 minutes.  But more improbable were that the majority of those rebounds, 7 to be exact, came on the offensive end.  He also added 9 points and played all around big man savior for the Celtics.  He is slowly crawling out of the mandatory role of bench the new guy that Doc likes to implement.  He looks to definitely be an end of rotation playoff guy, or at least a 6 foul body to be abused in the playoffs.  Hopefully Doc continues to play him, as this time without KG should be used to see who else can help the Celtics in the front-court.

Ho-hum Pierce gets another triple double – One of the underrated things about Pierce’s career is his ability to adapt to whatever the Celtics need him too.  When he first came to the Celtics he was tasked with being the sidekick to Walker, which he did to the tune of helping the Celtics to the Eastern Conference playoffs.  Once Walker left Pierce was asked to be the leader and all around star for the Celtics during their lean years. He was teamed first with Ricky Davis, then Wally Szcerbiak and finally the young Al Jefferson, always trying to lift the Celtics however he could, but mainly by scoring.  Once the Big 3 came together Pierce was asked to sacrifice his scoring in order to win the Championship.  And finally this year he was tasked with giving away his leadership role to Rondo.  That was before Rondo went down.  Now Pierce is back to being the Captain and leader of the Celtics.  He has racked up 3 triple doubles since the Rondo injury, and is back to being the all around leader of the Celtics.  Tonight was another great game, even after a brief scare when he fell hard to the court.  He finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Jet and Green shoot the lights out – Jason Terry had what we can only hope is a bounce back game, as he scored 24 and played one of his best games as a Celtic.  Down the stretch he hit some very clutch shots to keep the game out of reach of the Hawks.  Green also had another great game, which has become commonplace nowadays.  He had a team high 27 points on 11-20 shooting, and continues to thrive in the starter role. Doc will now have to decide how to play Green once KG returns.  Should he put him back on the bench behind Bass, or move Bass to the bench?  Big decisions are ahead for Doc and the Celtics.

 

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Celtics snap losing skid with last second Jeff Green shot – Beat Cleveland 93-92

March 28th, 2013

Highlights – Jeff Green makes last second shot, Brandon Bass is looking good, Crawford continues great play

Jeff Green makes last second shot – In a hugely important game for the Celtics, Jeff Green became the team captain and hero.  Doc said that Green basically demanded the ball in the team huddle with 2.1 seconds left.  ”Jeff wanted the ball,” Doc Rivers said. “He asked for it by the way he was looking at me in the huddle. He clearly wanted the basketball. I sensed that and everybody sensed that.”  And when he got the ball he didn’t disappoint, as he put up an acrobatic scoop layup through multiple defenders.  He ended the game with an impressive 21 points, with those last 2 being the most important.

Brandon Bass is looking good – Largely written off by the fans and media, Brandon Bass has lately been putting up some good games.  Tonight he had a team high of 22 points and was huge down the stretch.  His increased playing time with KG out might be the reason for his sudden good play, as he is now able to get into a rhythm.

Crawford continues great play – Jordan Crawford is looking like the biggest pickup at the trade deadline for any team.  He is consistently scoring in double digits, and tonight was no different as he put up 12 points on 5-8 shooting.  His unorthodox style might make him a wildcard, but so far that wildcard seems to be paying dividends for the Celtics.

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Celtics drop 5th in a row to Knicks – 100-85

March 26th, 2013

Lowlights – Celtics drop 5th in a row, Celtics desperately need KG’s defensive rebounds, Jeff Green plays well before foul trouble

Celtics drop 5th in a row – The Celtics were helpless as their road woes continued at home.  They never really were in the game in the 2nd half as the Knicks blew this one away early.  They at least have the excuse of not having 2 key starters in Lee and KG, but the effort definitely was lacking with their replacements.  Hopefully Doc figures out a way to right this ship.

Celtics desperately need KG’s defensive rebounds – The Celtics did not help themselves on the defensive glass as they let the Knicks grab 15 offensive rebounds.  KG would have helped in this regard as they were looking toward Bass and Wilcox to pick up his stats, but since KG is going to miss the next few games, this is an excuse that will wear thin for fans and especially Doc.

Jeff Green plays well before foul trouble – Green was picking up the slack as the leading rebounder and scorer for the Celtics before he picked up his 4th foul.  He ended the game with 19 points and 10 rebounds.  These next few games should be a huge opportunity for Green as he gets to show Doc how he can perform as a starter and leader on the offensive end.  Most impressive about his game is his now frequent use of iso-mismatches where he seems to be able to drive the lane and use his length to get easy scoop layups.  The one thing that could enhance his game even more is a more consistent mid-range jumper.

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Celtics fall to Mavs 94-104 – Continue Road Trouble

March 22nd, 2013

Highlights – Celtics lose 3rd in a row, Jet returns to Dallas, Courtney Lee sprains ankle

Celtics lose 3rd in a row – The Celtics continue to slide as their longest road trip of the year has yet to see a win or consistent play.  The immortal Brandan Wright was unstoppable as he torched the Celtics for 23 points and 8 rebounds.  The Celtics made a late run, dropping the Dallas lead to 5, but it was a little too late as they saw a killer 3 bring the lead and the game to Dallas.

Jet returns to Dallas – Jason Terry made his long awaited return to the city that made him a champion.  But his return was not triumphant as he shot 3-9 and was largely forgotten after his entry.  Jet might have to play more the next game if Lee’s ankle keeps him out.

Courtney Lee sprains ankle – Lee sprained his ankle late in the game and could miss a few games.  The play it happened on was rather important as the Celtics were making a late run and needed a big defensive stop, but instead saw the Mavs score after Lee hit the ground.  Hopefully the sprain isn’t severe, and Lee can return soon.

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