James said he sent an e-mail to Howard following Saturday’s game.

"It’s hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said. "I’m a winner. It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them. That doesn’t make sense to me. I’m a competitor. That’s what I do. It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand."

And one thing I really despise is a front-runner, so I know for a fact that he's a master of panic, and when it gets time for his team to go in the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic. I've been there before, I've played for him.

It's no stretch to wonder if, in his third season, [Rajon Rondo] is on his way to becoming the best point guard in the game. Chris Paul and Deron Williams and Chauncey Billups never have shown this kind of versatility under playoff pressure.

[In Game 2] The Celtics finally realized that in spite of all of the talk of the Big Three, this is Rajon Rondo's team, and they go as he goes.

i wish i had a sound clip of this, but i don't. moments ago, while promoting his book Red and Me on the jim rome show, bill russell asked rome to sign him off not as "hall of famer" but as "the former captain of the boston celtics" because he considers that the most prestigious honor he has. wow.

i never post, but i thought that had to be shared.

"I just want some creativity, that's all I want,'' Redick said Saturday. "I haven't heard creative things since college. Like really, I don't know if it's the alcohol consumption at NBA games, but there's nothing remotely creative or funny ever said to me. It's boring. I'm so conditioned to it now.''

Brian Scalabrine missed practice because of the birth of his second child, a daughter, last night.

Don't count me out, I probably haven't proved myself in the league as far as a premier player but I can play this game. I thrive on situations like that being the underdog. No I'm not KG at all, I'm not at all. I'm "Big Baby" Glen Davis from LSU Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I'm not the Big Ticket im the Ticket Stub. Don't count the ticket stub out you may need the ticket to get in the game - but you leave with the ticket stub cause you'll never forget this game.

More horrible news: Ainge has heart attack

Via WEEI e-newsletter: WCVB-TV Channel 5 reports that Celtics GM Danny Ainge has suffered a heart attack. WCVB says that Ainge was resting comfortably after being taken to the hospital early Thursday morning. Ainge reportedly woke up Thursday morning with chest pains and was taken to the hospital. Doctors later inserted a stent to unclog an artery that was 100 percent clogged. Ainge will be in the hospital for a few days and will probably miss the Celtics' playoff opener against the Bulls on Saturday. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Why Cleveland lost: Its defensive game plan backfired, defeated by Pierce's unselfishness and the Celtics' patience. In other words, Mike Brown was totally outcoached by Doc Rivers.