On Sunday April 1st Al Jefferson played 39 minutes, scored 24 points, and grabbed 7 rebounds to lead the Pierceless Celtics over the LeBronless Cavaliers. Jefferson then conveniently missed the following 6 games. The Celtics reeled off 6 consecutive losses, including the Bucks defeat on Friday that A) clinched the second worst record in the NBA and B) made me sick to my stomach as Frank Ramsey, Bob Cousy, Togo, Bill Russell and other Celtics greats watched. Never mind the fact that I dropped Jefferson in my fantasy league because I thought he was finished. While that makes me a bit bitter, it is my own fault. Also disregard the circumstances of Big Al's injury - it happened in the sheltered environment of practice rather than a game for the whole world to see. I am letting this slide because it is always hard to question if a guy is actually hurt. In fact I believe a lot of guys play through pain without saying a word to the press. But don't be fooled by the relatively close margins of defeat while Jefferson sat - 9, 3, 7, 8, 8, and 2 points. The C's seemingly found ways to lose a number of those games. And yes the end result was similar tonight - a loss. However, the Magic were rocking their retro jerseys and capable of earning a playoff spot with a win. So the fact that the C's made them work for it says something. More importantly am I the only one that thought it was at least a little weird that Big Al started, played 37 minutes, and scored 28 points tonight while shooting 70% from the floor? Really? The game after they clinched the second worst record in the league he shows up again? The whole thing left me feeling a little queasy. I'm like Colangelo in A Bronx Tale when Sonny ruined the youngster's view of the Yankees by simply asking if C thought Mickey Mantle gave a crap if his family could not pay his bills. I have been positive all season but now I feel a little pathetic for caring this much about a team that used to mean something (see 1957 championship team) and now does not. I am not jumping off the bandwagon but I am not buying Celtics merchandise for a little while either. So there. Take that Wyc. And I will remind everyone of something embarrassing that Wyc's wife did earlier in the season. Yeah.
Plan for next week:
Monday - Everything Heat
Tuesday - Bitter post tentatively scheduled "The Winter of our Discontent"
Wednesday - Pistons stuff
Thursday - ABC's of the Celtics season: A - M
Friday - Rest
Saturday - ABC's of the Celtics season: N - Z
