Daily Links 3/9
by FLCeltsFan on Mar 9, 2010 12:37 PM EST
in News/Links
0 comments
Herald Relentless defense critical to Celtics
Scouting report: Celtics at Bucks
Cavs win as LeBron James gets rest
CelticsBlog KG's Kiss
Love & Marriage
Celtics Green On Any Given Sunday
CSN-NE C's pick up their play, trash talk
0 comments | 0 recs |
Love & Marriage
by Jeff Clark on Mar 9, 2010 6:17 AM EST
in Articles
29 comments
I was asked recently if I think that this team likes each other as much as they did two years ago and if I like them as much. I don't travel with the team and I'm no armchair psychologist, but I think they do (and I do), but in a very different way. The best analogy I could come up with was the process of falling in love and being married.
Two years ago, it was love at first sight. The Big 3 of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett found in each other what they've been searching their whole careers for. Soul mates who wanted the same thing and were willing to sacrifice to get it. It was an emotional high and nothing could bring them down. They rode that honeymoon period right on through the season and into the playoffs. Their, they found their first sobering moments and major obstacles. Instead of getting discouraged, they put their heads together and fought through the trials and came out on top. Now, not only did they have the exuberance of the early days of their marriage, they also made it through some tough times and achieved their wildest dreams because of their dedication to each other. In short, their "marriage" was made even stronger because of it and everyone benefited.
A similar feeling can be associated with the fans. We bought in early and we flat out fell head over heels in love with this team and were rewarded with an NBA title.
29 comments | 0 recs |
KG's Kiss
by Jeff Clark on Mar 8, 2010 9:18 PM EST
in News/Links
56 comments
Blatche was noticeably upset and appeared to hold back tears as he explained his encounter with Garnett, which nearly got heated when Garnett approached Blatche and tried to wrestle the ball away from him. Blatche appeared to throw an elbow as Garnett continued to taunt him. Blatche later flung Garnett into a cameraman and sent him to the foul line for two free throws. Garnett smiled as he was helped off the ground. Reserve forward James Singleton said Garnett used his "veteran senses" to needle Blatche and get under his skin. "I see myself as defending myself as a player. I'm a man, just like they a man. If a man is talking to me this close to my face," Blatche said, moving his hand toward his cheek. "I'm going to say something back. He has to respect me just like I respect him. I just, 'Get up out of my face.' He was this close in my face - I can feel his lips touching my cheek - I wasn't bragging saying 'Ah we winning.' It was 'Back up.' "
Time to grow up Andre. (You too Stephen Jackson)
More fun links:
- Antoine Walker is playing basketball again, ...for Puerto Rico
- Red's Army spends a day with the Red Claws
- Appreciating Matt Barnes - anyone who hates Kobe that much can't be all bad
- Was Flip too hard on Andre? (in my opinion, no)
- Finally, something Cleveland can be proud of
- Big Baby auditioned for Blind Sided
- Speaking of movies, can I suggest a nickname for Kendrick Perkins? How about "Hurt Locker?"
56 comments | 0 recs |
The Basketball Jones - new site
The best general NBA podcast around, the Basketball Jones, has moved to The Score. Check out their first episode here.
T-Mobile Player of the Week (You Decide)
by Jeff Clark on Mar 8, 2010 5:00 PM EST
in Articles
13 comments
This post is sponsored by T-Mobile.
Seems like every week someone disagrees somewhat with my pick for player of the week, so this week I'm tossing it back to you folks. I'll give you 4 candidates and you can chose who is most deserving.
Nobody had a perfect week but all of these guys stepped up and contributed to the 4 game winning streak.
Ray Allen: Scored 18, 3, 16, and 25 points last week. In fairness, he only took 2 shots against Charlotte in just 17 minutes due mostly to the blowout nature of that win (and Paul's hot hand). Without Ray, we don't win that Washington game. Period, end of story.
Paul Pierce: An up and down week for Paul. Scored 9, 27, 7, and 17 points (after missing the previous 3 games). He had perhaps his best game of the year against the Bobcats, entertaining us with a vintage Pierce performance. However, he had some much quieter performances as well - which we've become a little too familiar with lately.
Kevin Garnett: KG is rounding into shape, it would seem. He averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds last week, which is about what you'd expect from him at this point. But like his teammates his efforts were a little uneven. He followed up a 22 point effort with an 0-7 from the field stinker last night. That said, he still got praise from his coach for his defense and pulled down 10 boards.
Rajon Rondo: Our All Star point guard probably had the most consistent (statistical) stat line - with 15, 8, 16, and 15 points to go along with 11, 6, 11, and 7 assists. Once again, the worst game of that stretch came against the Bobcats where he wasn't called upon to do much. Of course, with Rondo it seems that for every 2 good quarters of play he disappears for 1. I think he's still trying to seek that balance between taking over and deferring to his teammates.
So cast your vote. Who deserves to be the T-Mobile Player of the Week this time?
13 comments | 0 recs |
Daily Links 3/8
by FLCeltsFan on Mar 8, 2010 10:34 AM EST
in News/Links
2 comments
Herald Celtics star in late drama
Newcomer Michael Finley follows in Doc Rivers’ footsteps
Mixed bag for Kevin Garnett
Orlando gets back at Lakers
How did Ray Allen get so open for his last 3-pointer against the Wizards?
Globe Updates from Celtics-Wizards
Celtics 86, Wizards 83
Full circle for Finley and Daniels, Mavericks reunited on Celtics
Allen has been on the money
Celtics 86, Wizards 83 Photos
Celtics scuffle, but tough it out
2 comments | 0 recs |
Allen, Celtics provide 4th quarter heroics
by Jimmy Toscano on Mar 8, 2010 1:24 AM EST
in Articles
103 comments
With a little over six minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the Celtics down 66-79, the Celtics called timeout. This gave fans a chance to find the closest exit, and there were some who did. You couldn't really blame them at the time. Based on the way the first three and half quarters were going, and the Celtics track history this season at home against much poorer teams (Nets anyone?), they had every right to leave. Those fans are probably kicking themselves right about now.
The Celtics went on to close out the last 5:56 of the game on a 20-4 run and defeated the Washington Wizards 86-83. Amazing what a little defense can do!
"We should have played with that intensity all game," admitted Paul Pierce. "Once our defensive intensity picked up it changed the whole ball game from us getting up on guys, making them do things that they didn't want to do. Tonight we saw something that I like to see at this point in the season, coming down the stretch. We saw the Celtics that we are used to seeing."
Maybe in the past two seasons, yes, but fans were treated to a comeback that hasn't been all too common this season, and it was certainly a breath of fresh air.
"You know, it was good to win a game like this, as far as I was concerned," said Coach Doc Rivers. "We've lost so many of these, where we've played poorly and lost. It's nice every once in a while to play poorly and win."
Down 13 points, Rivers spent the timeout getting on his team about stepping up the defense and not putting up poor shots. They responded with the type of basketball that fans have expected to see out of them for 48 minutes, and not six.
"I said ‘we have to be perfect from this point on defensively, we have plenty of time'. We really didn't but you have to get them not to start thinking hero shots. That was my whole purpose offensively is let's get stops, look for twos, not threes, and just play solid basketball."
While the Celtics did in fact attack the rim and not look for the "hero" shot, Ray Allen played the hero role very well in the closing minutes of the game. Rondo went to the line to try to complete the three point play that would put the Celtics one point away from tying it. Rondo missed the free throw, but Perkins ended up with the ball and found Allen open for the three pointer with 1:33 left in the game. It gave the Celtics their first lead since midway through the first quarter.
103 comments | 0 recs |
Deja-Vu Averted
by Jeff Clark on Mar 7, 2010 10:47 PM EST
in Games
187 comments
For 3 and a half quarters, this had the look and feel of the Nets game. Then the Celtics somehow turned a 13 point deficit (with just 6 minutes left) into a win.
- The Celtics played with no heart for the first three quarters. They looked pathetic.
- The Wizards were the ones that came out with the heart and energy that the Celtics had no answer for, ...until, you know, the last few minutes.
- Who is Andre Blatche and how did he get the best of KG, ...until, you know, the last few minutes.
- 8 blocked shots for the Wizards. Eight!
- We let them dominate the pace of the game for most of the game. We can't do that. Our transition D isn't good enough to keep up with a younger team. We have to slow teams down and methodically pick them apart. Run when there's an opportunity, but not because the other team is dictating the pace.
- I think I've figured out how I feel about Davis - and it isn't anything really new. He does pretty well ...for a guy his size. That qualifier will never leave him. He'll always be too short (and not athletic enough to overcome it). So he'll always be fundamentally flawed. Too bad, because he does have heart.
- The Wizards showed a lot of heart, until they faced a charging rhino of a Celtics team. Then they wilted. That's just inexperience. That won't happen against better teams. But I'll still take it.
- I was very emotional in this game. Just really upset for most of the game, ...until, you know, the last few minutes.
- Thank you Rondo. Thank you Ray. Thank you Celtics for finally waking up and doing what you should have done to begin with.
187 comments | 0 recs |
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
Next Game
Boston Celtics
@
Milwaukee Bucks
Tuesday, Mar 9, 2010, 8:00 PM EST
The Bradley Center
Celtics Schedule
Next 5 Games
|
@
Milwaukee
|
Tue 03/09 | 8:00 PM EST |
|
Memphis
|
Wed 03/10 | 7:30 PM EST |
|
Indiana
|
Fri 03/12 | 7:30 PM EST |
|
@
Cleveland
|
Sun 03/14 | 3:30 PM EDT |
|
Detroit
|
Mon 03/15 | 8:00 PM EDT |
Last 5 Games
|
Washington
|
Sun 03/07 | W 86 - 83 |
|
@
Philadelphia
|
Fri 03/05 | W 96 - 86 |
|
Charlotte
|
Wed 03/03 | W 104 - 80 |
|
@
Detroit
|
Tue 03/02 | W 105 - 100 |
|
New Jersey
|
Sat 02/27 | L 96 - 104 |
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
Most Commented
Deja-Vu Averted
by Jeff Clark 1 day ago
187 comments | 0 recs
Celtics Reach Agreement With Michael Finley
by Greg Payne 4 days ago
164 comments | 0 recs
Optimistic Realism
by Jeff Clark 4 days ago
145 comments | 1 recs
Celtics Claw Past Bobcats
by Greg Payne 5 days ago
132 comments | 0 recs
Allen, Celtics provide 4th quarter heroics
by Jimmy Toscano 1 day ago
103 comments | 0 recs