It's A Trap

by Jeff Clark on Dec 11, 2008 12:11 PM EST in News/Links Comment 17 comments

Ackbarstanding_medium

The Wizards are 4-15, playing without their best player, and just fired their coach. No problem right? Hold on. Let's take Red's Army's advice: Don't overlook Washington.

Here are several reasons why this could be a trap game:

Long layoff (by this season's standards) between games for C's
Posey and the Hornets in town tomorrow (James gets his ring)
Wizards played us tough last year, winning 3 of 4 games. I don't think anyone else managed to win the season series with the C's last year. Most of those games were also without Gilbert.
Teams under an interim coach will often get a short term boost in energy leading to unexpected wins (they just beat Detroit on Tuesday)
Teams that make a trade sometimes rally for a win or two just because the other teams haven't been able to scout them with a new lineup. Granted, I don't know if the new guys will play or not, but still.

Another thing to keep in mind is that they haven't given up on the season yet. Per Ian Thompson of SI:

"Making the playoffs is always a goal,'' said team president Ernie Grunfeld, who isn't ready to sacrifice Washington's streak of four postseasons. "It's a long season, and we're trying to change some things.''

The differences include spending more practice time on defense than on offense. The Wizards are installing more screens in place of Jordan's Princeton-based offense, which relies on handoffs and perimeter play around the elbows.

There are a lot of variables that the Celtics may not be able to gameplan for. So before we move on to tomorrow's emotional game, let's not forget to focus on the one tonight.

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Its a road game against a medicore team, of course its a trap game
Why does it have to be on TNT? ugh

by TheAncientRivalry on Dec 11, 2008 12:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Actually

the game is also on CSN, which is kind of strange because I thought TNT had exclusive broadcasting rights for all the games they show…apparently not as this happens a couple more times (according to the schedule at celtics.com)

by Berkcelt on Dec 11, 2008 3:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Classic Post, Jeff.

Love how you dug out that old school image, great stuff.

by D Dub on Dec 11, 2008 1:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

ahh Fark.com, fun times with the Admiral.

When Perk was asked what he thought of Howard winning the gold medal this summer, he responded: "What’s his impression of me after I won a ring?"

by Green17 on Dec 11, 2008 1:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

just so people know...

… Orlando was the only other team to win the series over us last season, but we only played 3 times, ending on a 1-2 record, with both losses on games played @ Orlando.

I agree, this could be a trap game. Caron can turn it on, he is quite good and I think he likes playing against PP.

Go Cs

Teamwork...
Defense...
Ubuntu...

The Boston Celtics

by Dirk on Dec 11, 2008 2:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Possibly the most appropriate image ever.

…and a wise warning to the Cs. It would definitely be hard for me not to be looking forward to Friday, but that’s why they get paid the big bucks I guess…

You’ve got to think that our boys in Green are still smarting from last year’s losses to the Wiz, and that should be sufficient locker room fuel to get them tearing up the court tonight. Here’s hoping! Anyway, should be a good game.

Again, great pic Jeff! TP for the admiral.

by Hal Jordan on Dec 11, 2008 2:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

For a second, I thought Caron Butler would be out tonight.

When Jeff was counting off the reasons this could be a trap game, and saying the team was without their best player, I immediately thought of Butler, and assumed he had hurt himself the last game. Then I realized he was talking about Arenas. I guess you can debate it, but I’ll take the guy that plays like an all star on both sides of the floor any day, especially when the team has showed in the past that they can win without Arenas.

by CelticsWhat35 on Dec 11, 2008 2:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

fair point but

I think Gilbert is the highest profile player and I would argue he has more potential impact than Butler

"Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." Michael Scott

by Jeff Clark on Dec 11, 2008 3:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I live in DC

I’m glad this is being pointed out. I got sooooo much crap from everyone here. You can’t justify a loss in the heat of the game just ending. I tell them to look at the standings, I tell them to look at THEIR standings, bottom line is they beat the best team in the league. I am glad this game is on national TV. Celtics fans don’t have to hear the broadcasters talk about how they have REAL fans and that Boston uses “fake cheers” at the Garden (something I know is not true). REAL fans? I go to the Verizon Center EVERY YEAR for Celtics games and I can tell you the building is ALWAYS at least 30% Celtics, 50% Wizards, and 20% empty. Last season, it was about 40-45% Celtics fans. I am going to be there tonight, I really hope they win.

by afflatus on Dec 11, 2008 3:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

the Phone Booth

is not one of the better places to catch a game, but it did do wonders for that part of the City in terms of the neighborhood around it

"Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." Michael Scott

by Jeff Clark on Dec 11, 2008 3:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

re: fake cheering

the Celtics do actually have fake cheering. the jumbotron really does stink. It is so ridiculous when the crowd is murmuring goes to deafening when the “noise meter” comes up then drops sharply back to a murmur. I feel like Jason Bourne, “Do you even know why you’re cheering?”

by Berkcelt on Dec 11, 2008 4:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Luuuuuke....... I am your father

Always two there are, no more, no less: a master and an apprentice.
— Yoda

Tonight we will Master on TNT to 21

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on Dec 11, 2008 3:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

If they win this game they are off to the best start in Celtics history. Something tells me that Garnett and Pierce (just to name two) are quite aware of that fact. They are also on national TY. I don’t think that a letdown is a real possibility.

Meanwhile, they are playing a team that just fired its coach and traded its point guard. And oh yes, its best player

I suppose stranger things have happened, but if they lose this game I’ll be astounded.

by Brickowski on Dec 11, 2008 3:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I meant to say its best player was hurt (Arenas). No victory is ever assured, but this is no trap game.

by Brickowski on Dec 11, 2008 3:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

by the way

I still hate the team name, logo, and uniforms

the color scheme would be ok if it wasn’t related to Wizards

not that Bullets was anything all that special either, but still

"Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." Michael Scott

by Jeff Clark on Dec 11, 2008 3:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

the gold uniforms

I don’t mind the blue ones, but the goldies are nauseating. Personally I think they designed specifically to disgust and enrage fans of the other teams. There’s no other logical reason.

by Berkcelt on Dec 11, 2008 4:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Something BIG to remember

I don’t know if anyone shares this opinion but the way I remember it last season, Brendan Haywood gave the Celtics a huge amount of trouble last year. Perk couldn’t keep him boxed out and off the offensive glass and he really bothered Garnett at times. Haywood of course is not playing. So I’m a little less worried than I might usually be; I think his absence is a big boost for the Cs.

by Berkcelt on Dec 11, 2008 4:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs