Daily Links 2/25

Great Bob Ryan article in the Globe on DJ, if you’re not tired by these already :)

“no articles in the Herald”. Most telling words on this blog.

But look at the bright side: the Celtics won’t lose again until tomorrow!

Message to Celtics owners: You must be wondering what we’re wondering – even a bad team wins one once in a while. Why can’t we win one out of four. I’m for leaving all elements in place through this dreadful season. But if this team does not show any sense of “getting it”, like a small win streak then you can’t bring back the same GM, coach or both. I like Danny and Doc but defense is about hustle, hustle does not require experience, it requires desire and we have plenty of youth and they should have desire. Why don’t we ever see defense? How long have we been talking about reducing turnovers? When is someone either accountable for the talent that turns it over, or accountable for same old, same old on the floor. Of course we want a good draft pick but this product is worse than anything the Gastons put out and I swore they were the worst.

Hindsight is 20-20 but trading Walker was a huge mistake (for cap, not basketball reasons) and rebuilding around Pierce looks like a huge mistake. Bill Simmons is right: they should have traded Pierce last Summer. Everyone said, “But if they trade Pierce they’ll be lucky to win 20 games!” Well….?

I was dead set against trading Pierce 6 months ago. I was wrong, very wrong. They should have moved him at the deadline, and failing that they should move him on draft night.

Pierce is sucking the energy out of the kids. When he plays at half speed, they play at half speed.

The Celtics midway through the season were playing everybody tight but losing in the end. They were only losing by 5 points or less even to the very good teams. If this is possible the Celtics are way worse with PP. HOW CAN THIS BE? They look like they have no desire. That they are QUITTING!!! NO effort…

I second the motion about Ryan’s column. He wrote a very heartfelt tribute to DJ, a very good column from someone who was there.

I third it. Ryan had a nice tribute on the Sports Reporters as well.
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Hard to put into words the performance last night. They looked like a very old team playing a back-to-back. Problem: They’re not old.

It appears that the refs are targeting Al as the posterboy for the new bogus traveling rule. Al and Powe seemed to be the only ones interested in playing defense. Glad to see Powe get some playing time but he appeared to be overmatched defensively against Boozer, one of the few 4s the same size as him. Doesn’t bode well.

haven’t seen a game since the all star break until last night at utah. pitiful. costly turnovers at the point by delonte. no rebounding from center scal.jefferson holding the ball too long in the pivot, letting the defense swallow him up. pp with no lift and movement because he still looks hurt. the team looking programmed to pass it to pp and not adjusting to the situation. doc sitting on making quick in game decisions. all in contrast to utah,who was expertly coached in a system utilizing all of their players coherently even with 2 of their starters out and one coming back sprightly from his injury.regression is at hand.