Game 7: History in the Making

Following the trend of many closeout game 6 opportunities which the Celtics have encountered during the Big Three era, Thursday night’s game in Boston featured a similar outcome as the Celtics showed little heart and as a result were blown out by LeBron James and the Miami Heat.  LeBron lovers and haters alike must agree that LeBron played phenomenally throughout the entire night, and his 45 point, 15 rebound, and 5 assist performance can easily be heralded as the greatest playoff game of his career thus far.  LeBron was undeniably and scarily dominant, and the look on his face said it all: he was in the zone and no one would stop him.

On the other hand, the Celtics failed to respond, and the Boston crowd and players alike were lulled to sleep by James’s barrage of contested jumpers and powerful drives to the hoop.  The Celtics seemed like they gave up early, and apparently forgot that it is still entirely possible to win a game even if the other team’s star scores upwards of 40 points.  Nevertheless, you can be sure that this won’t happen again next game, and that both Boston and Miami will show up to battle with their backs against the wall in a Game 7 that will surely be a clash of the titans.

There is so much on the line for both teams.  Between the perpetual media scrutiny that LeBron, Spoelstra, and the Heat must constantly face, and the potential last game and last opportunity to win a championship for Boston’s Big Three era, Game 7 will be less like Paul Pierce’s analogy of a "good old, classic bar fight," and more like an all-out war.  The last game of this epic series, along with Games 2,4,5, and 6 will likely all be shown rather frequently on ESPN Classic someday for their respective implications and storylines.  The "Let's Go Celtics" chant that emerged from the Boston crowd despite a 20 point deficit in the final minutes of last night’s game was incredibly emotional, and will likely give the Celtics some extra fuel for their trip down to Miami.  The players and coaches know that America will be watching, and expecting 100% effort from everybody on the floor.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will also be watching, waiting, to see if the Conference Finals eerily similar to their own against San Antonio will feature a team that wins with athletic superiority and a freak of nature MVP small forward, or with experience from an older defensive-minded veteran squad led by topnotch coaching and a superstar point guard.  This year’s playoffs have featured countless epic games, and so many stellar performances from young and old squads alike.  

We have seen 23 year old Kevin Durant and his Thunder come of age, becoming the first team from the West in 14 years to make it to the NBA Finals not named the Spurs, Lakers, or Mavericks while defeating all three on the way there.  We have seen the #1 seeded Chicago Bulls ousted by #8 seeded Philadelphia.  We have seen the LA Clippers make an identity for themselves in the West, now known as “Lob City” and not just that “other team” from Los Angeles.  We have seen Rajon Rondo mature before our eyes and take the reigns of the Celtics’ franchise, still not a member of the Big Three, but rather the leader of them.  We have seen LeBron James silence his critics.  We should all feel privileged to watch this series and Game 7 tomorrow night, as we will be watching all-star players, hall of famers, and an MVP battle it out in a game that is so much more than just a game.  We will be watching history in the making.

Scared of a Little Thunder

Last night, the most athletic team in the NBA and my preseason pick to win the NBA finals knocked off the heavily favored San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, winning their fourth straight game to finish out the series 4-2 while storming back from an 18 point deficit.  The Oklahoma City Thunder combine a distinctive mix of incredible athleticism and basketball talent, led by superstar Kevin Durant, along with great coaching and sound strategy provided by coach Scott Brooks.  The Thunder look essentially unstoppable right now, and are poised to win their first championship since moving from Seattle.  While one can argue that they look very similar to the Miami Heat on paper, the Thunder are much more well-rounded, and I do not think that they can be stopped.

Durant has won three consecutive scoring titles, thus proving that he is in fact the best scorer in the NBA… however he is not the only reason that the Thunder are so dominant.  While they were largely dismissed because of their youth and inexperience, they have shown great maturity and growth while rapidly developing into a star-studded team with composure and maturity under Brooks.  While Durant’s scoring is off the charts (just under 28 PPG in the playoffs), OKC’s mentality focuses on team play and winning, and their chemistry is far better than that of Miami, who consistently show an inability to close out their close games and a lack of trust in their head coach.

Furthermore, OKC’s point guard tandem of Russell Westbrook, a young and explosive slashing scorer, and Derek Fisher, a veteran facilitator who knows just what it takes to win big games while essentially only scoring in dagger situations, takes much of the pressure off Durant.  Simultaneously, these other weapons enable Durant to frequently take over certain stretches of the game, since he is not the only guy who can put up points that opponents must worry about.  Lately, these stretches have been coming in the fourth quarter, and at age 23, Durant is showing that he has the ability to be one of the most clutch big time scorers that the NBA has seen.  You also cannot forget about James Harden, another big time scorer and the third member of their big three along with Durant and Westbrook, who took home the coveted Sixth Man of the year award, and has been chipping in over 17 points per game in the postseason coming off the bench.  

Lastly, OKC has a pair of monsters in the paint in Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka, arguably the best defensive front court which features an on-ball defender in Perkins who can body up with the best centers in the league, and an incredible help defender in Ibaka who led the league in blocks both in the regular season and in the playoffs.  They are not struggling to have a defensive paint presence, as opposed to Miami who has none at all.  Bad news for OKC’s opponents: Ibaka’s offense has been coming around as well, and as the Spurs found out in Game 4, he too has become a legitimate scoring threat.

The Thunder were largely overlooked going into the conference finals, and after ending the Spurs’ 20 game winning streak and winning four straight to finish out the series, they will enter the NBA Finals hungry for a championship.  They combine incredible athletic ability both in the paint and on the perimeter with great coaching under former and likely future coach of the year in Scott Brooks, and if the Celtics can close out their series against Miami, their own storied Big Three era will be in serious danger of falling one series short of their second championship. 

Chris Bosh Returns: The Man or the Myth

On Tuesday night, Chris Bosh returned from the abdominal injury that had sidelined him from the Miami Heat’s last nine playoff games.  Bosh came off the bench, and logged 9 points and 7 rebounds in just 14 minutes of limited playing time.  However, for the third game in a row, the Heat came up short against the resilient veteran Boston Celtics, dropping Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals 94-90.

While the general consensus from ESPN’s analysts seems to be that coach Erik Spoelstra did not play Bosh enough in his first game back, keeping him out of the game for the entire fourth quarter may have actually been one of the better coaching moves he has made over the past three games.  The truth is that Bosh’s impact on the game was a negative one for Miami, and while he still may be playing injured, his lack of defensive presence last night only added insult to injury.

As the head coach, Spoelstra’s job is to put a winning lineup on the floor.  He is not concerned with players’ individual stats, nor most analysts’ naïve obsession with those stats.  Nevertheless, there was one statistic which Spoelstra could not neglect when it came to choosing his lineup down the stretch, and that was the team-low plus/minus rating of -12 for Chris Bosh last night.

Bosh scored all 9 of his points, while pulling down 6 out of his 7 rebounds during the 10 minutes he played in the first half.  He later returned to the lineup with just under 4 minutes to go in the third, playing until the end of the quarter while grabbing just one rebound, and then was sidelined for the rest of the night.  Bosh says he felt healthy enough to keep contributing, but there is good reason for why Spoelstra apparently did not feel that those contributions were very beneficial.

Bosh exerted little to no effort on defense last night, and only appeared to have any energy at all while on offense.  Rondo was not able to effectively penetrate until Bosh’s early minutes, and while the Celtics could not really capitalize on Bosh’s pitiable defensive presence in the first half, Bosh’s return to the lineup in the third sparked an 11-0 run for Boston to finish out the quarter, while jumping out to a 5 point lead.  Kevin Garnett absolutely dominated Bosh in the paint during that time, and even rookie big man Greg Stiemsma was able to contribute down low while Bosh was playing.

Both of these teams pride themselves on tough lockdown defense, so it is no wonder that Spoelstra felt more comfortable finishing out the game without the big man whose defensive presence was virtually nonexistent.  As aforementioned, Bosh only exerted energy on the offensive end, which also explains why 6 out of his 7 rebounds came as offensive boards.  Every time the Celtics missed a shot, Bosh was nowhere to be found, and the Heat were forced to rely on non-big men to pull down the defensive rebounds.

 For Bosh to be effective in this series, he needs to contribute much more than just an ability to score.  The dynamic duo of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have shown that they can carry the team’s scoring load, and the more shots that Bosh takes, the less shots that they take.  On the offensive end, James dominated in the first half, while Wade was their go-to scorer down the stretch.  Coach Doc Rivers felt that the Celtics merely had to weather the storm until their defensive consistency paid off, and Bosh’s lack of a positive impact helped them to do so, while they simultaneously increased their scoring output in each quarter due to big defensive stops.  While many seem to agree that the Heat could have won if Bosh had played more than 14 minutes, it seems to me that the head coaches are the only ones who were really watching the game.

Big Al Returns to Boston

The Utah Jazz come to Boston tonight and will be looking to knock off the Eastern Conference leading Celtics. The two key matchups to keep an eye on are former Celtics' star Al Jefferson taking on Shaq in the paint, and point guard superstars Deron Williams and Rajon Rondo going at it. While I expect both of these matchups to lead to some great plays and quality basketball, neither Rondo nor Shaq need to dominate their man for the Celtics to win tonight, and since Williams and Big Al are both all star caliber players don't expect Rondo and Shaq to be able to take over this game they way they did in the fourth quarter against Detroit. While Rondo should be able to get his typical double digit assists and hopefully keep Williams to a reasonable number of points, it will be the original Big Three that make the difference in this one, so long as Rondo and Shaq reasonably contain Utah's two star players.

Before the season began, Utah was one of the five teams I mentioned as a team to watch out for, and they have played very well on their way to a 27-15 record. However, they have also proved to be inconsistent, and find ways to lose games they have no business losing such as when they lost to the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night. They are capable of playing good defense, but also collapse at times the way Charlotte's defense does and did against the C's, and Boston's Big Three should be able to take advantage, as well as Glen Davis and Boston's second unit who will be running all over Utah's bench. Starting wingmen Andrei Kirilenko, who was once considered a very good defender many seasons ago, and Raja Bell will not be able to respectively contain Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, and look for Ray to rebound from his poor shooting night against the Pistons while Bell continuously gets picked and loses his man. I would not be surprised to see Utah do a ton of switching on defense that results in Williams sticking with Ray since Bell will not be able to. KG will have his hands full with the energetic and hard-nosed Frenchman Paul Millsap, but should be able to expose Millsap's weaknesses and put up some points or get him into early foul trouble. It will be interesting watching Garnett and Jefferson battling in the paint, the two guys who were traded for each other a few seasons ago just before the Celtics went from worst to first. Jefferson will be looking to prove to Ainge and the Celtics that he can play big and still control the paint against the best of them, even guys like Shaq and KG. Though Big Al does have games where he almost disappears and lets Deron Williams do all the work for Utah, tonight will not be one of them.

Diesel Fuels a Boston Comeback

The reason I stressed the importance of putting the Pistons down early is because they feed off of momentum, especially when they're motivated to beat a superior team like the Celtics. Since the C's played casually and without energy for the first three quarters of the game, Detroit kept the game close and actually had an 8 point lead in the fourth quarter. Luckily the Celtics are resilient, and finally showed signs of life in the fourth, sparked by Shaq's hustle on his way to Boston's only double-double in the game. Paul Pierce had a relatively quiet 22 points, but he and Rondo kept the Celtics in it while a 15-27 Pistons' team played hard and appeared to be the better team on the floor for much of the game. However, Shaq's offensive rebounding and dives for loose balls turned the game around in the fourth, as the Celtics had their best quarter with 28 points and Ray Allen made a very clutch long jump shot after a timeout to put the game away after shooting just 1-7 from the field prior to the shot. Had the Celtics just played harder from the start, they would not have had to rely on a fourth quarter comeback and 38 year old Shaq diving to the floor and putting his health on the line in order to beat this mediocre Pistons' team. Perhaps the only guy playing with any energy last night aside from Shaq was his backup, rookie Semih Erden.

Erden may have dropped a pass or two that would have led to easy buckets, but he did manage to pull in four big rebounds and score 6 points on 3-4 shooting in just 17 minutes played. Also, his one miss was a bounding hook shot in which two Pistons were hanging off of him, but the refs refused to call a foul on the play. There is no denying that even though there may be better athletes in the NBA, very few of them have the energy, basketball IQ, and ability to control the paint that Erden does. He loves to contest every shot he can get his hands near, which results in a lot of opposing misses, and Erden boxes out his man, gets rebounds, and throws quick outlet passes to his guards which lead to fast breaks against defenses that are caught off guard. In his 17 minutes, Erden not only managed to score some points and pull down some boards, but also got a block, an assist, and a team high plus/minus rating of +9. The Turkish rookie does all the little things right, and I still love seeing him get opportunities to get on the court.

Give some credit to the Pistons. Even though the Celtics were lacking the energy that typically gets them wins, Rodney Stuckey and Greg Monroe were making some big shots for them, and were truly the difference makers for their team. Tracy McGrady also had a consistent presence on the court with 7 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals, but shot just 2-9 from the field. His missed jumpers opened the door for the Celtics' comeback, and had he shot better like he did when they faced off in Detroit three weeks ago, the Pistons probably would have won this game. Detroit played some tight defense in order to hold Boston's high powered offense to just 86 points, and were doing a lot of switching on defense in order to keep Ray Allen from having any open jump shots. Luckily for the Celtics, the Pistons continued to keep their leader and sharp shooter Rip Hamilton benched for this game, even though the Carmelo Anthony trade has allegedly fallen through, which means that Hamilton has missed five consecutive games for no genuine reason. Pistons' coach John Kuester could sure use a lesson from Doc Rivers about the importance of team chemistry.

Out For Revenge

When the Celtics and Pistons faced off in Detroit three weeks ago, Kevin Garnett left the game with a calf injury and the Pistons went on to win against a deflated Celtics' team. The Pistons tend to play some of their best basketball against the Celtics, as last time around former NBA star Tracy McGrady was making clutch jumpers like the Tracy McGrady of old, and point guard Rodney Stuckey was running the offense for them very effectively. Also, big man Charlie Villanueva, who had that "cancer patient" dispute with KG earlier this season, loves to knock down long jumpers, so the Celtics need to make sure they get off to a fast start and put the Pistons down big early on in the game. This Detroit team is struggling right now, despite coming off a win against the slumping Dallas Mavericks on Monday, and has a miserable 4-17 record on the road while the Celtics have a 19-3 record at home and are looking for their fourth consecutive win. Garnett will be out to seek revenge for the injury that the Pistons gave him which caused him to miss nine games, and look for him to energize the Celtics, help Boston put up a lot of points in the first half, and lead a defense that needs to clamp down early on the inconsistent Detroit offense. They are capable of playing the playoff worthy basketball that Detroit used to always play, but lack consistency and leadership, and will implode if Boston can put them down big early on.

Boston should have no major issues in running their offense effectively tonight, as Rondo, Shaq, and the Big Three should all have ample opportunity to score against a Detroit defense that can be easily be penetrated and broken down to the point where they essentially stop contesting shots. Part of the reason for this is that longtime Detroit scorer Rip Hamilton has been getting benched every game recently while the Pistons prepare to trade him as part of the three team deal that would supposedly send Carmelo Anthony to the Nets. Hamilton and his teammates have expressed great frustration with their coach over this matter. Also, Detroit is not as athletic as they used to be, and typically don't get the huge blocks and clutch steals that were associated with Pistons' defense during their reign as the beasts of the Eastern Conference. Boston should be able to penetrate them with relative ease on offense, while clamping down and sucking the life out of them on defense. If you can get a lead on the Pistons early, then McGrady, Stuckey, and Villanueva won't make the big shots that keep Detroit in the game like they did three weeks ago when the Celtics lost Garnett, and then played sloppy basketball for the rest of the game. Boston should have a very well rounded attack on offense, and expect a ton of open threes from Ray Allen and a bunch of strong drives to the hoop from Paul Pierce. Also, the Celtics need to limit the impact that rookie center Greg Monroe makes on the game for the Pistons.

The Pistons only recently moved Monroe into their starting lineup, and the athletic rookie big man has proved he can be a huge difference maker with his size, athleticism, defense, and rebounding. Having KG back will be huge for the Celtics on the boards, but Monroe is great at hunting down offensive rebounds and finishing the play with an easy bucket. The Pistons are still relatively easy to stop, especially when they're on the road, and clamping down on them early should get Boston the win tonight. Also, no matter how effective Monroe proves to be on offense, Shaq and Garnett should have no problem getting underneath him for easy buckets and trips to the foul line when he's on defense, as this athletic rookie will not be able to stop the very big and very strong all star pair of big men in Boston's starting lineup.

Still Think We Need Rasheed?

With a huge win fueled by the return of Kevin Garnett last night against the Orlando Magic, the Celtics asserted their position as the top team in the Eastern Conference, and reminded the panicking Celtics’ fans all over New England that when everyone on this team is healthy, they are in no need of any trades or acquisitions of washed up players like Rasheed Wallace in order for them to make a successful playoff run. In a game that was practically knotted from start to finish, the Celtics came out on top with 52 big points in the paint against Dwight Howard, another 13 assist night and double-double from Rajon Rondo, and 31 minutes of inspired play from a healthy Garnett as he dropped 19 points, led the defense to battle against a very versatile and dangerous Orlando offense, and got the game winning steal in the final seconds that sealed the victory for Boston. This game was proof that Garnett is the biggest difference maker for the Celtics, as they have not looked this organized or played this tough ever since they lost him to his calf injury. Now that Garnett has returned, the Celtics are back, and should continue asserting their dominance in the conference while they prepare for the return of the other starting big man, Kendrick Perkins.

The Celtics never let up last night, which is why they were able to overcome Orlando’s eleven three pointers and Howard’s 33 point 13 rebound night. All of Boston’s starters scored in double digits, and Big Baby Davis scored 15 points on 6-10 shooting off the bench. Davis is so much better for the C’s when he’s filling in for Shaq or Garnett instead of starting, and I was happy to see him balance the amount of jumpers he was taking with strong post-up moves and drives to the hoops. When he was starting in the nine games that Garnett sat out, his jump shot became the primary scoring option for the Celtics, which led to three losses that could have easily been avoided, as well as several sloppy wins. However, he is a different player when coming off the bench with Nate Robinson, and his energy and offensive ability can spark big runs against opposing second units instead of disrupting the flow of Boston’s offense when he is logging nearly 40 minutes per game as a starter. The Celtics played great last night with the return of KG, and will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time as there is currently not a team in the NBA that Boston can’t beat in a seven game series. With Perk also coming back in early February, the Celtics have a ton of solid big men, and barring any major injuries, Sheed is definitely going to have to sit this one out.

Guess Who's Back?

The Celtics are set to take on the Orlando Magic at 8:00 pm tonight in Boston, and are looking for revenge after suffering an embarrassing offensive showing and 86-78 defeat to the Magic on Christmas day. However, the major headline in this game is the expected return of starting power forward and defensive leader Kevin Garnett, who will be greatly needed on the floor tonight if Boston wants to hold Orlando's versatile and aggressive offense to a reasonable amount of points. Even though it may take him a quarter or two to get back into the swing of things, I expect KG to be a big difference maker in this one, especially on the defensive side of the ball. As for Boston's offense, don't expect them to get held under 80 points again like they did in December, because this time around the Celtics have Rajon Rondo. Last time these two teams faced, Rondo was injured and Nate Robinson filled in for him by scoring just 7 points and only 4 assists. Not to mention, he was shooting erratically and made just 1-7 attempts from three point range. While I do trust Nate's jump shot, which brings versatility to Boston's point guard position, I trust him much more as Rondo's backup and the point guard for Boston's second unit rather than the starting lineup. Nate's three pointers can do some serious damage to point guards who get too used to slacking off Rondo since he doesn't typically put up three's, but Robinson's shot selection can also do some serious damage to the Celtics when he is playing over 40 minutes a game like he did on Christmas.

With Rondo at the helm of the offense, and KG almost certainly returning tonight, the Celtics will be sporting a starting lineup of five all star players. Rondo won't be able to take over this game with his points since Orlando has one of the best shot blockers in the league down low in Dwight Howard, however he will be able to make a huge impact with his assists since everyone else in Boston's starting lineup has the potential to score 20-30 points on any given night. Orlando has a very solid defense, but no defense can truly stop Boston's offense since they can attack you from so many different angles. Look for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to knock down some big threes, and for the Celtics to attack the paint if Dwight Howard rests or gets into foul trouble. Also look for Boston's second unit to put up some big points, since the leaders of the bench Glen Davis and Nate Robinson, will be reunited in the second unit, which makes their jump shots big weapons off the bench rather than Boston's main source of offense for majority of the game. I am excited to see how Boston's high powered offense looks against a tough defense like Orlando's, however no matter how well Boston's offense plays, their defense is going to need to come up big against the Magic's offense, which is almost as versatile and dangerous as Boston's.

Luckily KG is supposed to play tonight, which means that the defense should return to form, play very physical, and clamp down on opposing offenses the way they did before Garnett got hurt. Look for Garnett's presence to also result in better overall rebounding for the C's, more hustling, and more Tommy Points. These are all important so that the Celtics truly play their game against a tough Orlando team that is 8-2 in their last 10 games. Shaq is going to have to play very well against his younger nemesis, Dwight Howard, because even though I love Semih Erden and the energy he brings to the court, he is just not experienced enough to handle a guy as athletic, explosive, and dangerous as Howard. On Christmas the C's held Howard to just 6 points on 1-4 shooting from the field, but they cannot expect the same outcome tonight because the big guy has improved his offense dramatically from last season, and has a variety of nifty post moves to get to the hoop instead of only being able to dunk with authority like last year. Orlando's other starting big man Brandon Bass is underrated, but is just no match for Kevin Garnett. The guy rebounds well and is a great shooter for his size, but KG rebounds better and is a better shooter for his size. Hedo Turkoglu also typically comes up very clutch for the Magic when they play against the Celtics, and is a guy that can score from any angle whether he's shooting or driving to the hoop. Paul Pierce needs to shut Turkoglu down if the game gets close, or Hedo will make them pay.

The rest of Orlando's roster loves to put up three pointers, and I'm not exaggerating when I say the rest. The Celtics defense cannot just clog the paint and stop Dwight Howard if they want to win, because Orlando can kill you with the three ball, so Boston's defenders need to stick with their men no matter where they go. Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, Jameer Nelson, Gilbert Arenas, J.J. Reddick, and the list goes on for Orlando players who can drill three point shots, so the Celtics need to contest these shots and box out because the Magic will be putting up around 30 three pointers tonight, which means there will be the potential for 30 long rebounds. That means that everybody on the court needs to be alert if the ball comes their way, and everybody needs to play hard if they want to win. These are arguably the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, and this could very well be a preview of the Eastern Conference finals. Welcome back Kevin Garnett!

The Roles of Rookies Semih and Luke

We are almost halfway through the Celtics’ regular season, and despite their 30-9 record which tops the Eastern Conference, it seems like a lot of Celtics fans out there are not happy with the current roster, which currently features a significant amount of minutes played from rookie big men Semih Erden and Luke Harangody. Boston’s first round pick Avery Bradley also still holds a spot on the 15 man active roster, despite being sent down to the D-League this week to play for the Maine Red Claws, not because he’s another hopeless case of first round pick gone bad, but because Doc Rivers wants the kid to get some reps and solid minutes doing what he does best… playing basketball. The Celtics have plenty of veteran guards right now, as well as a sharp-shooting Delonte West returning from his wrist injury in a couple of weeks, so Doc thinks Bradley will benefit more from solid minutes on the Red Claws than riding the bench all season for Boston. Also, Bradley and Harangody, the two “true” rookies, both seemed timid and uncomfortable on the court at first when playing against and alongside NBA stars. However, while Harangody has embraced his amplified role and now looks much more comfortable on the court than he did at the season’s start, Bradley still looked uncomfortable and intimidated on the court for the rare minutes he was given. Don’t completely forget about Avery during his D-League stint. He will be back, as the kid is an incredible athlete, can knock down threes, and throw down dunks like you wouldn’t believe. He may be the quickest guy on the C’s other than Rajon Rondo, and I am still looking forward to seeing the two explosive guards run all over opposing defenses together in the Celtics’ future.

As for Semih Erden, he has looked relatively comfortable from the start, and this can be attributed to his professional play in Turkey and the Euroleague before coming over to play for Boston. After these first 39 games of the season, I have to say that I am not only incredibly happy with the solid play and excellent record of the Celtics, but with their overall roster and development of their rookie players. If this team has managed to stay atop the Eastern Conference even without starting big men Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins, how good are they going to be once all the starters are healthy? Right now it appears that this team is already very good with Shaq starting and the two energetic rooks logging big minutes off the bench for the C’s, and when healthy, this team is only going to get better.

The Celtics do not need to add Rasheed Wallace or alter their roster in any significant way because other than Kevin Garnett, nobody brings more energy to the floor than Erden and Harangody. The two of them are always hustling, and Erden controls the paint, makes smart cuts, and contests every shot, while Harangody sets good picks, plays tight defense, boxes out, and can make his open jumpers. While both guys have a lot of room to improve, they show a lot of heart, hustle, and do all the little things that a coach really wants to see from his rookie players. An important thing to realize about these guys is that they are only getting all these minutes right now because of injuries to Boston’s starters, and they’re going to keep getting better and better with all this experience. And while I realize there are better ways to make a playoff run than with a team stocked with rookies (even though Bill Belichick could convince you otherwise) it is important not to forget that Erden and Harangody are only third-string big men for the C’s. Perkins and KG will return soon enough to the starting lineup, which will send Shaq and Big Baby Davis to the second unit, and then the Celtics will have not only a nearly unstoppable starting lineup, but a bench that can contend with opposing starters all around the league. As long as those guys recover successfully from injury and do not get reinjured, Erden and Harangody’s critics can relax because the rookies’ minutes will practically disappear down the stretch. The worst case scenario is foul trouble or injuries resulting in Erden or Harangody getting back on the court, and if given this opportunity, both of them would absolutely play hard and bring valuable energy to the floor that other guys on the team feed off of, such as Nate Robinson and Glen Davis. Right now this team may be scrappy, but with KG possibly coming back Monday night against Orlando, and Perkins still on the mend, the Eastern Conference leading Celtics will only keep getting better. These rookies play harder than just about everybody, and with each of them having the potential for a double-double every night, and the starting big men soon returning, I still am not feeling the need for Sheed, or any significant change to Boston’s solid roster.

The Bobcats Got Shaq-Attacked

When I said the Celtics were going to have to dig deep to pull out a win tonight, I was expecting a lot of hustling, tough play, and clutch performances from guys like Semih Erden, Luke Harangody, and Marquis Daniels. However, with Semih's nagging groin injury and early foul trouble due to some ambiguous fouls called by the referees, Shaquille O'Neal wound up logging a season high 35 minutes on the court and promptly punished the Bobcats' weak interior defense with 23 points. Shaq also grabbed 5 rebounds in the game, as well as a season high 5 blocks. Kwame Brown and the Bobcats had no answer for O'Neal's size, as Rondo penetrated all game long and was always looking to find Shaq down low for an easy bucket or alley-oop. Rondo played extremely well on offense, as he not only worked his usual dribble, drive, and dish moves, but made some key jump shots as well. Rajon finished the game with 18 points and 13 assists.

The Celtics played tough defense and pulled out a 99-94 point victory despite getting outrebounded 42-29. Boston's field goal percentage and eight three point shots made up for the lost rebounds, while Rondo and Shaq led them to an offensive attack that also featured 19 points each from Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Luckily the banged up Celtics have a couple days off before they square off on Monday against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. We'll all be holding our breath for the good news that KG will return for the game, but if not, Shaq is going to have to come up big again and stay out of foul trouble against his Howard, his younger nemesis. Hopefully Semih's groin will be feeling a little better by then so he can get back on the court with the energy he usually brings to the floor, and help the Celtics to continue playing tight constricting defense with frequent offensive onslaughts led by Pierce, Allen, and Rondo. Also, despite their off game tonight, I still believe the Celtics' bench is one of the most dangerous in the NBA, and luckily there is almost always somebody there to pick up the slack for the Celtics spark them to a win. Tonight, Shaq came up big for them, and was playing more like a 28 year old than a 38 year old. With KG, Perk, and Delonte West all on the way back from injury, this Celtics team is only going to keep getting better.

Scrapping for Wins

The Celtics take on the Bobcats tonight in Boston, and are going to need a big contribution from their second unit if they want to overcome their injuries and pull out a win. The Celtics typically play very well against the Bobcats who are just 15-21, but with Perk, KG, and Jermaine O'Neal all sitting out due to injury, the remaining big men need to step up and play hard like they did Wednesday night against the Kings if they want to win. I expect rookie Semih Erden to play very well and to continue bringing tons of energy to the floor as his minutes increase, as long as he's not also sitting out tonight after aggravating a groin injury and missing practice yesterday. He does a great job controlling the paint, and played exceptionally well the last time they faced the Bobcats logging a plus/minus rating of +34. The other three remaining big men are Shaq, Big Baby Davis, and rookie Luke Harangody, and all of them need to dig deep and play hard tonight to help the Celtics contend in the paint and on the scoreboard.

The Bobcats may not currently be the playoff caliber team that they were last season, however they are on a four game winning streak, and are coming off a big win against the Bulls on Wednesday night. Their players are by no means more talented than Boston's, however like the Celtics, they have an uncanny ability to score from all angles when their players are hot. Their starting wingmen Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson love to drive to the hoop, as does their scoring big man off the bench, Tyrus Thomas. However, they are not only capable of scoring from inside the paint, as everyone in their starting lineup can consistently knock down three's except for Kwame Brown. They are solid on the boards, and can exploit any weakness your defense gives them, which in Boston's case could very well be on those boards. Their starting big man, Boris Diaw, is an incredibly good shooter for his size, and could be a huge threat to the Celtics who have a group of big men right now who can get easily worn down, and will not want to contest Diaw's jumpers. For the Celtics to win this game, they need to play solid defense and get rebounds to eliminate Charlotte's second chance points, and then expose the Bobcats' inconsistent defense which can get very complacent at times.

Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo led the C's to victory against the Kings, driving in and exposing Sacramento's weak interior defense. They need to play the same way tonight, as when Charlotte's defense lets up, they become incredibly vulnerable inside the paint. Rondo should have no problem penetrating the middle and finding open teammates, while Pierce, Marquis Daniels, and all of Boston's big men need to use their size to get some easy buckets and make plenty of trips to the free throw line. Inside scoring should not be a problem for the Celtics tonight, and that should open the door for Pierce, Ray Allen, Von Wafer, and Nate Robinson to show off their range when the Bobcats start collapsing on Boston's guys penetrating the middle. These two teams are actually quite similar other than Boston's slight edge in talent and effort, and huge edge in leadership, coaching, and basketball smarts. However, this game could end up being very close, and the Celtics need to make sure they don't let up or get down on themselves since Rondo, Pierce, and Ray Allen have the ability to pick Charlotte's defense apart.

With the driving ability of guys like Wallace, Jackson, and Thomas, as well as the sharp shooting and improved play of point guard D.J. Augustin and Stephen Jackson, the Bobcats can score in bunches and are often not easy to stop. Boston's defense needs to play tough, and make sure that when Charlotte misses their shots, the Celtics wind up with the ball instead of Kwame Brown or Tyrus Thomas coming down with loads of offensive rebounds. Typically Boston does a very good job of stopping the Bobcats' versatile offense, but with so many key big men out due to injury, the rookies really need to step up tonight as big guys Glen Davis and Shaquille O'Neal are undeniably going to need to take some breathers. Until starting big men Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett return from injury, the Celtics will truly be scrapping for wins.

The Big Men in Boston

Jermaine O'Neal is having serious trouble with his knee, and his season and career could potentially be coming to an anticlimactic ending if he needs to get surgery. While I hate to see yet another veteran on the Celtics having injury issues, I have got to say that this seems somewhat convenient with KG and Perkins both close to returning. If all of Boston's big men are healthy other than Jermaine, they have a very solid core with Garnett, Big Baby, and Harangody at the four spot, and Perkins, Shaq, and Semih Erden at the five. And after last night's game, I continue to rave about Erden because he brings a ton of energy to the paint which is exactly what the C's have needed ever since Garnett got hurt, and he makes the Celtics' second unit play better since guys like Davis, Nate Robinson, and Harangody feed off the energy. Erden's 10 points and 9 rebounds last night were big for Boston, and fans may now start to realize that the rookie from Turkey is a very capable backup to Shaq.

The Celtics played extremely well in their rout of the Kings, as Pierce dropped 25 points, Ray Allen was 4/5 from deep, Rondo had a double-double, and Boston's bench manhandled Sacramento's weak defense as Erden, Wafer, Robinson, and Daniels all scored in double digits. With Semih filling in for J.O., the Celtics finally managed to get through a game without Garnett without getting outrebounded. I understand that Erden can absolutely improve on his handles and scoring ability, but his energy and ability to control the paint comes up huge for the Celtics and is unmatched by anyone on the team other than KG. It just seems like good things happen when he's on the floor, like when they last faced the Charolotte Bobcats in December, and Erden was in the starting lineup and led the Celtics with a +34 plus/minus rating. With the trio of centers mentioned before, I think it is clear that the Celtics have a very solid roster, and do not need to make any desperate changes to it that would result in trading away valuable players, or signing an assumedly washed up Rasheed Wallace. The Kings are young and are not a very good overall team, but the Celtics played very well last night nonetheless, and things can only get better for them with starters Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins still on the mend. Look for the Celtics to keep playing with energy tomorrow night when they take on the Bobcats in Boston, especially if KG finally does make his return. If he doesn't, then look for guys like Erden and Nate to energize the team as Semih tries to keep proving that until Perk is back in the starting lineup, he is ready to be the backup center in Boston.

Can They Quiet the Critics?

After consecutive losses to the Bulls and Rockets, the Celtics are taking a lot of heat about not being the championship caliber team everyone thought they'd be at the beginning of the season. Doc Rivers tore into the starters for their uninspired play and apathetic defense after Monday's loss to Houston, and hopefully this inspires them to come out tonight with more energy, and put a beating on the lowly Sacramento Kings in the process. KG is doubtful for the game, but if he does make his comeback tonight, then Doc's harsh words will not be the only thing inspiring the Celtics to show more energy than they have been showing in recent games. Whether or not he returns, Boston needs to play some tight defense, and run their usual offense which revolves around much more than just Big Baby's jump shot. Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Shaquille O'Neal should have a field day against Sacramento's inept defenders, as should Boston's second unit against Sacramento's inconsistent bench players. With the Kings losing a 136-133 shootout last night against the Washington Wizards in a game where neither team showed any interest in playing defense, Rondo and the Celtics should be able to pick the Kings apart.

Tyreke Evans is also doubtful for this game, though if he does return from his ankle injury tonight, this will be a big boost for Sacramento's offense as players like Francisco Garcia, Beno Udrih, and DeMarcus Cousins have had to step it up in the absence of Evans, their leading scorer. If Evans doesn't play, Rondo should be able to exploit his explosive tendencies of dribbling, driving, and dishing out assists to tear into the Sacramento's lazy defense. Both Ray Allen and Paul Pierce should have no problem getting good looks both from downtown and inside the paint against defenders who simply cannot guard Boston's all-star wing men. Wizards' shooting guard Nick Young scored 43 points and dropped seven three pointers on Sacramento last night, and unless they try something new on defense, Ray Allen should be able to have a similar night tonight. Also, the young players such as Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins that the Kings use as their starting big men will get outplayed and outmuscled by larger and stronger veterans like Shaq, Jermaine O'Neal, and even Big Baby Davis as long as he uses his size instead of his jump shot as his primary means of scoring. The Celtics will have a mismatch at just about every position, and whether or not Kevin Garnett or Tyreke Evans are on the court tonight, the Celtics have a great opportunity against an inferior team to show Boston's critics that they are still playoff bound, and do not need any dramatic changes to their roster.

What the Celtics need to watch out for is their own attitude on the court, because if they continue to play lethargically on defense and fail to run plays and set picks on offense, Sacramento could surprise them with a scoring surge like the 43 point one they had in the 4th quarter against Washington last night, which sent the game into overtime. They have some young and very athletic play makers, and if the Celtics don't show up on defense, guys like Garcia, Udrih, Eugene Jeter, and Carl Landry could make them pay. Assuming Garnett sits out again tonight, Harangody will need to box out and contain Landry, Sacramento's backup power forward, who scored 23 points last night and should probably be starting for this 8-27 team. Other than Luke's matchup, the Celtics have the edge just about everywhere else, and the only way that they lose tonight is if they beat themselves like they did on Monday against the Rockets. Look for Rondo and Daniels to be the play makers and difference makers in this one, with big contributions from Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. The C's need a big win tonight to show they are still a playoff contender, as well as to silence the critics who think Boston needs some sort of a trade or to reacquire Rasheed Wallace if the Celtics want a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

January Poll

There's a new poll out today for the month of January, so vote for which of the newest members of the Celtics has played the best thus far this season. Another way to look at it is which of the newer Celtics has been the most pleasant surprise so far as just about every one of them has had their moments of brilliance, except for maybe Delonte who's been out with a wrist injury. Nevertheless, we've seen big games and offensive production from Shaq and tough defense and big blocks from Jermaine O'Neal. Rookies Luke Harangody and Semih Erden play very tough when given an opportunity, and Harangody recorded his first career double-double the other night against the Raptors while Erden loves to lock down the paint and contest every shot when he's on the court. We've seen Von Wafer show that he is much more than just a potential attitude problem with his occasional explosive scoring nights, and has apparent chemistry with fellow backup guard Marquis Daniels, and thankfully the troublemaking duo now causes much more trouble for opposing teams than their own. There's no denying that Boston had a very big offseason... but who do you think has stepped up the most?

Beating Themselves

Going into the game against Houston tonight, I knew that the Rockets were a better basketball team than their record indicated, and that they would not go down without a fight. Sure enough, the Celtics failed to put up a fight, and appeared to be fatigued and did not have their heads in the game. As a result, they suffered another ugly loss to a less talented basketball team as team leader and energizer Kevin Garnett sat out another game with his calf injury. Other than a couple of stretches during the second half where it appeared that the Rockets could not miss a shot, the Celtics truly beat themselves in this game, failing to capitalize on turnover opportunities, and committing their own unforced turnovers in the worst possible situations. It was clear that the Rockets could not defend in the paint, yet the Celtics played without energy and desire for most of this game, and settled on too many jump shots. The Celtics had multiple opportunities to pull away, but failed to do so as they were outrebounded once again, and outscored 102-108.

To make matters worse, the Rockets were not only without their gargantuan center Yao Ming, but also their leading scorer Kevin Martin. Aaron Brooks did return from his injury however, and punished the Celtics with five big three pointers and 24 points. All of Houston's starters scored in double digits, and simply outhustled the Celtics for all four quarters. The Celtics looked exhausted and disinterested in the second half, and expectedly so, as this was their sixth game in the last nine days. However, I just find it hard to believe that they would ever be strolling up and down the court and playing so halfheartedly if Garnett was on the court commanding the defense and pumping up teammates. Each game that goes by makes it clearer and clearer that the Celtics need KG, and cannot function as a dominant playoff-bound team without him. He should be back Wednesday night when the C's take on the Sacramento Kings in Boston, and when he does look for the Celtics to return to form. Rondo, Pierce, Davis, and the rest of the Celtics simply just don't look the same without him.

The Return of KG?

When the Celtics were trumped by the Bulls 79-90 on Saturday night, nothing was more evident than the fact that the Celtics need Kevin Garnett back A.S.A.P. Not only did the Bulls outrebound the C's an embarrassing 48-27, but Big Baby could not handle Carlos Boozer who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while no one could stop Derrick Rose from driving without sending him to the free throw line. Every time Rondo was picked, Rose either finished in the paint, with a short jump shot, or was sent to the free throw line where he scored 15 of his 36 points. The Celtics looked completely worn down playing their fifth game in seven days, and Glen Davis once again led them in shot attempts, most of which were just inside the three point line. For the Celtics to win games against playoff teams like the Bulls, they need to play Celtics' basketball the way they did the other night against San Antonio, and an offensive collapse like the one they suffered against Chicago was difficult to watch. I banked on Ray Allen having a big game because Keith Bogans would not be able to keep up with him through effective Celtics' picks, and this was clearly true in the first quarter as Ray dropped 10 of his 19 points including two three pointers. However, they later stopped running these plays, stopped setting picks, and ended up relying primarily on Big Baby's jump shot, which resulted in a measly 79 points and an ugly loss. Rondo, Ray, and the Celtics look to bounce back tonight when they take on the Houston Rockets in Boston.

Don't let their 16-21 record fool you. The Rockets have played surprisingly well this season despite losing Yao Ming early on to another injury, and can definitely beat quality teams if you let them hang around. Kevin Martin is an incredibly talented shooter, and is averaging over 23 points per game this season, while Luis Scola continues to be a very solid big man who can come through in clutch situations with his ability to score in the low post, his consistent rebounding, and his hardnosed defense. Big Baby will definitely have his hands full once again tonight against Scola, which is why I sincerely hope that Kevin Garnett makes his return tonight. KG plans on returning sometime this week, and hopefully it is tonight so that he can lead the Celtics to a bounce back win and help ensure that they do not suffer another loss to a team that is just not as talented as they are. Paul Pierce will likely have a difficult time against defensive specialist Shane Battier, but Rondo should be able to take over this game against opposing point guard Kyle Lowry who has just six points and a -25 plus/minus rating in his last two games. Rondo should be back in stride with his typical 15-or-so assists, especially if Garnett is back to energize the team on the boards and down the stretch.

What I fail to understand about the Houston Rockets is why Jordan Hill is starting at center for them instead of Brad Miller. Yao Ming is obviously a huge part of their team, but he goes down every year to various foot and leg injuries. With the 7'6 monster sidelined once again this season, the Rockets' offseason acquisition of 7'0 veteran center Brad Miller seemed to be a match made in basketball heaven. However, even with Yao injured, they continue to use Miller off the bench, and are instead starting an undersized Jordan Hill at center. Assuming they continue this strategy tonight against the Celtics, Rondo will exploit this matchup of big men such as Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal who can easily post-up and outmuscle Hill. Also, Houston has a decent bench with guys who can score in bunches such as Chase Buddinger and Courtney Lee, but their bench's defense is less than stellar, and that will be exposed tonight by Boston's explosive backups. If Garnett returns tonight, the Celtics will absolutely come away with a win. If he does not, the Celtics need Rondo to quarterback their offense so that jumpers from Big Baby Davis are not their primary means of scoring, and they need to play with more energy so they don't get run all over the court by Martin, Scola, and a younger Rockets' team. After many close games against quality teams in the Western Conference, Houston may be better than their record indicates, but they are by no means better than the Boston Celtics.