Thoughts on Game 1

The officiating may have been atrocious, but it is obvious that, zebras aside, there is much that the Celtics need to improve on to win Game 2. I thought of a couple of critical points that the Celtics need to tighten up on. They aren't groundbreaking ideas and they're all pretty obvious... But they're important nonetheless. The first thing is getting off to a good start. The Celtics have a history of coming out of the gate slow, digging themselves in to a hole and then spending the rest of the game clawing their way out. That is a bad pattern in general, a REALLY bad one in the playoffs, and a recipe for disaster against the Miami Heat in a playoff setting. The Celtics came out sluggish yesterday, appeared to be out of sync and struggled to establish pace and maintain a rhythm. This may have been due to the layoff between rounds, or it may have been because guys were over thinking what they were doing instead of playing instinctual, Celtics basketball, but whatever the case may be, setting the tone and coming out strong is important. I don't care what anyone says- the Heat do not play great team basketball. Their two biggest stars play more of a back and forth game with each other, as opposed to an intertwined, complimentary game to each other. The Celtics play their best basketball when they play as a team. If they can come out of the gate playing as a unit, I think that the flaws of the Heat will start to expose themselves.

As was aforementioned, the Celtics were never really able to get over their slow start and establish a flow. It prevented them from doing much of what they do well, and as a result they overcompensated in several areas. The most obvious one to me was over passing. They are an unselfish basketball team, but there were several instances where guys gave up good shots in an effort to get their teammates involved.

The second thing critical to winning is controlling Miami's role players. It has always been the Celtics mantra that the stars will perform, and what they need to do is minimize the impact of role players. That being said, it's inevitable that Dwyane Wade and Lebron James are going to score and get theirs. It is unacceptable for James Jones to come off the bench and be lights out, many times getting wide open looks at the basket. The Celtics were caught numerous times yesterday watching the dribble penetration as opposed to sticking to defensive schemes and staying with their own individual defensive assignments. Defense is the Celtics bread and butter, and it is even more crucial that they are stifling defensively against the tremendous athleticism and scoring duo the Heat boast.

My third key to the game is getting more from our stars. Rondo was bogged down early by foul trouble, Paul Pierce had a tough first half and was ejected in the second half, and Kevin Garnett was largely ineffective. Ray Allen was the lone bright spot for the Celtics offensively, but it felt like the Celtics were riding him and clinging on. These things could have all been flukes, but is important that the team do all that they can to keep it from happening again. Rondo didn't want Lebron to get an open layup so he fouled him, Paul couldn't hit the side of a barn in the first half but came out ready to play in the second, only to be ejected and KG just had a bad day.

Mediatakeout accuses Ray Allen of cheating

What a tasteless and silly website. I don't know why I even visit it, because it seems like they just make stuff up out of thin air and claim it's true. Wamp wamp to them. Anyway, they found this picture of Ray at a pizza place:

Well. They're right. That is in fact, not his wife. They claim that Ray was spotted with this woman Friday night after Celtics-Knicks and that they had dinner together, and this somehow means he's cheating on his wife. Seems silly to me. First of all, it's not clear that he's even with that lady. He could have just been standing next to her. Second of all, she could be anyone- a publicist, a family friend... Anyone. I don't buy it. Must be a slow gossip day. 

Doc Rivers: "It was a good win, a bloodbath. But I thought it was beautiful." Celtics beat Knicks 96-86.

I talked about it before and Bill Simmons talked about it with Steve Kerr in his BS report: did the Kendrick Perkins trade take the fight out of the Celtics? Have the Celtics lost their fight? Are they less physically intimidating post-trade? 

These questions have arisen because, frankly, the team has played like the wind had been taken out of its sails. That wasn't so last night, and it was such a relief to see. After getting their butts handed to them in Houston and playing the worst that they have in years, they traveled to New Orleans and squeezed out a win against a much inferior team. In the face of these less than impressive last two games, I was nervous about the match up with New York. The Knicks are a team dealing with identity issues of their own, but the prospect of facing Amare and Carmelo was daunting. The Celtics did nothing to quell these fears in the first half, scoring just 37 points while allowing the Knicks to put 51 up on the board. There were some signs of life in the third... But they really turned it up in the 4th. 

Paul Pierce had THE LOOK on his face, and it was so good to see it back. He was a man possessed: The Celtics were going to win that game, no matter what. He scored 13 points in the final frame. And his teammates were right there with him. They displayed hustle and passion that has been missing in recent history. KG out hustled Amare, sprinting and wrestling with him for loose balls. Ray Allen got clocked and blood gushed out of his head, but he returned to action and spread the floor just by being there. And Rondo.... People were saying Rondo was "back" after that game in New Orleans. He wasn't. He was back last night. Shots falling for him around the basket (13 points), and he broke double digits in assists, with 12. But it wasn't about the numbers- it was about his hustle. He stifled Chauncey Billups. He fought for loose balls- most notably tracking down a long offensive rebound in the fourth, out-running Amare and hitting it off of him out of bounds to regain Celtics possession. Oh and he inadvertently elbowed Carmelo in the face ('Melo later got 6 stitches)... But he did that because he was fighting for control over a wild inbounds pass, and wrestled the ball away from Mr. Anthony. Yes! Carmelo started off on a roll, and it looked like he was going to score at least 40. He ended up with just 22 points, and only scored 5 points in the second half. 

It was the kind of win that the Celtics needed. They played together, they didn't waver and they out toughed a team boasting one of the most physically imposing guys in the league (Amare). And mostly, they showed that they're still a team that possess the will to win. And they imposed it in New York last night. Sorry Spike!

Ray Allen loves Ellen Degeneres. Also, Kobe Bryant says "Get jiggy with it..." because it's 1999, apparently.

Ellen posted this video of NBA All-Stars shouting her out on youtube. I'm completely unashamed to say that I LOVE Ellen. She's so kindhearted and hilarious, she doesn't take herself too seriously, and she's always dancing... So what's not to love? Apparently Ray Allen loves Ellen, too! He would be a fab guest for her to have on. And I won't lie... Dwight Howard would be funny as well.

According to Ray Allen, Paul Pierce is talking a whole lot of trash about how he's going to win the 3 point contest during All Star week.

I can only imagine what "top form" sounds like... Because Paul Pierce talks maaaaaaad trash. It's hilarious, and part of his charm and part of why we love him, but he undeniably holds nothing back when it comes to bigging himself up and talking the competition down. In honor of the upcoming 3 point competition, I have compiled two of my favorite instances of Paul Pierce speaking his mind: 

Definitely an instant classic: 

Zing! And,

Paul with his three point trophy.. And some lovely commentary:

"If I just sat outside and shot 3s... I would probably be more known as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history." And no, he did not mean the NBA today. He said in history, and he meant it.

Obviously, these are only 2  many instances where Paul let it fly... But these are two of my favorites. I think he says the over the top stuff just to piss people off... And because he honestly believes everything he says. There's no doubt in my mind that Paul believes he's one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. I love the man for that confidence. 

Clips from the Pre-Game meal with Shannon Allen

A lot of people have been curious about this show... So here's a clip of Shannon talking about what to expect when you tune in. In it, she says she's been making Ray a pre-game meal for 15 years! I had no idea they'd been together for so long. Cute! She revealed that her favorite episode is with Rajon Rondo. She says that despite his guarded persona in the public eye, he's actually vibrant and hilarious. She also shared that Rondo doesn't have one set pre-game meal that he eats before every game, which she found to be shocking, because we all know Ray Allen is Mr. Ritual.

If you're looking for the recipe from the episode which already aired, with Kevin Youkilis, you can view it here. I watched, and it looked really yummy.

Read on for more video, with Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Wes Welker and Tiffany Ortiz.

Reggie Miller never thought his record would be broken and now he can't wait to be witness to Ray Allen smashing it. Riiight.

Classy, Reggie... I just don't believe you. Maybe Reggie Miller is much more mature than I am in (which, admittedly is a real possibility), but in my mind there's no conceivable way that he could be happy about someone breaking his record. I guess if it has to be broken, Ray Allen is the best person to go down to. Plus... it's probably bad luck for everyone to think the record is going to be broken Thursday. He's still two away!

J'Adore, Flo Allen.

(photo source)

Ray Allen is now eight 3 pointers away from breaking Reggie Miller's record. He's gunnin' for ya!

Also, I love this lady. 

A) She loves her son... SO much!!!

B) Where can I get one of those shirts? 

C) When is desert?

For the first time since 1975... There are 4 Celtics on the All Star team.

Back then it was John Havlicek, Jo Jo White, Dave Cowens and Paul Silas.

Today, obviously, it's Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo.

I've been a fan of Paul Pierce since he was a rookie on the Celtics, when I was in 7th grade... And it's moments like this that kind of make me pause and put things in perspective. That these guys we're watching now can measure up at all to the legends that are Havlicek, White, Cowens and Silas is a mind boggling thing. It makes me realize how lucky I am to have such an amazing team to root for. I'm watching history happen, and I try to always keep that in mind when I watch them, because it's not going to last forever.

(picture source)

More on "The Pre-Game Meal" w/Shannon Allen

*This post has been updated with **VIDEO** and you can view it by clicking HERE!*

Rajon Rondo will play co-host with Shannon Allen on her cooking show, "The Pre-Game meal." Shannon dished on what the episode will feature: 

“He helped me prepare the unfried, crispy, baked chicken,” Shannon said in an e-mail. “I also made cornbread, 'go green beans,' and a less-sweet than usual version of a traditional southern specialty, sweet tea. Rondo is from Louisville, Kentucky, and grew up on some serious homespun Southern cuisine. I tried to incorporate a healthy twist on some of his favorites.”

In each episode, Shannon and her guest sit and talk over the meal they’ve made.

“Rajon and I chat… about food, what’s important to him on and off the basketball court and learn about his personal 'pregame meal,' as well as his thoughts about diet and exercise.”

More on the show after the jump

Should Ray Allen be an All Star reserve?

It seems to be between him and Joe Johnson. I love Johnson, but it doesn't seem like it should even be up for debate. Chris Forsberg broke it down quite nicely here:

* In games in which each player scored 20 or more points, Allen and the Celtics are 14-0; Johnson and the Hawks are 14-6.

* The 29-year-old Johnson is shooting 31 percent from 3-point land, which would be his lowest output since his rookie season; The 35-year-old Allen is shooting 45.8 percent, which would be a career high.
* Johnson is averaging 20.6 points per game while taking 17.4 shots per contest; Allen is averaging 17.3 points per game, but hoisting only 12.5 shots per contest.

* Allen is averaging 50.8 percent from the field this season, which would be a career high; Johnson is shooting 45 percent, nothing to sneeze at, but he's had four other seasons better (including 45.8 percent last year).

Two things stick out to me here: First, that Ray Allen averages 17 points and only needs 12 shots to get there, and second, that Ray Allen, one of the best shooters in NBA history, is shooting a career high from the field. No debate here. The only thing that would be good about him not getting the nod is that he'd get the week off and could go lie on a beach somewhere.

Recap: C's head home having won 3 of 4 on the road.

Here's what we learned: Sacramento has plenty of promise for their future, but they're not there yet. They have budding star power, in Tyreke Evans and Demarcus Cousins (he's admittedly really good... but he's also leaning towards pompous. He's one of those guys you hate to play against, but love to have on your team), who will become quite the formidable duo in time. They boast additional young talent, in Donte Green and Omar Casspi, and also have solid talent in Samuel Dalembert and Carl Landry. They're just not there yet. The Celtics came in and played at a higher level of basketball, executed the second half in a machine-like fashion, and out savvied the Kings. 

Ray Allen had a strong game, connecting on four of seven three point attempts. He scored 22 points, and is now three pointers away from breaking Reggie Miller's record. KG seemed to be even more intense then usual, if that's possible. Maybe it's the after affect of that knock to the head he took in LA, and he found additional inspiration in the large band-aid he sported. In any case, he put up a nice line of 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks... And sent Dalembert and Cousins home extremely annoyed. 

Image C/O Chris Forsberg's twitter page.

Paul had a solid effort, and hit some big shots in the 4th frame, on his way to 15 points. Rondo continued on from his strong second half effort in LA. I thought he was really great last night- 17 points, 10 assists, 4 steals. He was aggressive from the opening tip, and attacked the basket more than he has in recent outings. He's almost impossible to stop when he's going to the rim, because his defender is scared he's going to magically find the open person, and because he has the ball handling ability to break anyones ankles. I've almost gotten used to watching him take it to the rim and then try to force it to someone down low, but last night he did a really great job of taking it all the way himself. 

HUGE shout out to Nate Robinson. Early on in the game, he came in and jacked up some ill advised shots, after which, he promptly returned to the bench. When he made his return to the floor, he did so with a huge focus on defense. He closed the game for the Celtics, and it wasn't because they were ahead by a comfortable margin. It was because he was playing well enough that it was okay for Doc Rivers to keep Rondo on the bench. Nate was in the middle of everything defensively, diving for loose balls and coming up with 5 steals. 

Paul Pierce throws down the ultimate gauntlet.

Paul is shooting a career high from three point land this season (42.3%), and he is the reigning champ of the point contest... But Ray Allen is also shooting the three at a career high rate (45.4%). I might have to put my money on Ray and his lightning quick release in this match up- they showed a slowed down version of his release during Celtics-Lakers, and it took him something like .777 seconds to catch and shoot the ball. Crazy. Anyway, I wish the NBA would make this happen- All Star weekend is slightly unbearable to watch and this would make it worth sitting through the hours of commercials and dragged on events.

A video juxtaposition of what it looks like when someone on the Celtics hits someone on the opposing team in the balls on purpose, as opposed to unintentionally.

On purpose:

Unintentional: 

 

Okay, Mr. Frye? The distinction is clear. Nobody believes you! If he really got hit in the balls so hard he needed to fall on to the ground in pain, he wouldn't have hopped back up 1 second later. You can't fool me! One more video, just for Channing:

U maaaaad.

Recap: Blowout successful. C's head out to the West Coast with a win, Cavs lose 18 in a row.

Picture jacked from ESPN Boston.

Even if the Celtics didn't keep their foot on the pedal (or stay in "attack mode" as is Tommy's favorite thing to say these days) for the complete 48 minutes, they still managed to win by 17... And the game was never really a close one.

I'm not going to do any in-depth analysis of the game right now, because it was a blowout and I want to watch the State of the Union. Here are some important snippets: Paul Pierce scored 17 points in the 1st quarter, setting the tone. Kendrick Perkins didn't start, but he made his return in the 1st frame, and was welcomed by the crowd with a really nice standing ovation. He looked strong and confident. The scowl was back in full force! Heck yeah! He made the first shot he took, and ended up playing 17 minutes, with 7 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Go Perk! 7 Celtics scored in the double figures. Rondo played 43 minutes. Boooo, too much! Ray Allen and Nate Robinson split their time accompanying Rondo in the back court. Nate looked to be in a much better flow playing at the 2 guard (he will probably be one of the main beneficiaries of Delonte's return. Delonte can run the 1 and he can slide over to the 2. And Rondo can catch his breath). Ray hit 2 three pointers, bringing him closer to beating Reggie Miller's record. Paul Pierce headed to the locker room early, but that was apprently just to beat traffic, and not because of any injury.

More loveliness from Perk C/O the Celtics twitter page:

That's it for now! It's State of the Union time. Good night, love bugs!

Two Celtics things to keep an eye on: One good, one maybe good but probably bad.

Let's start with the good news: Ray Allen is 28 three's away from breaking Reggie Miller's record for most career 3 pointers made. Miller's record is 2,560. Ray will probably chip away a little bit at that differential tonight. Here's what Mr. Miller had to say about Ray creeping up on him:


“Shooting is boring. It takes time and you have to spend hours working on your craft. Players don’t want to put up the sacrifice to do it. That’s why I applaud Ray Allen, at 35 years old, getting ready to break my (NBA record for 3-point field goals) in the next month and a half. He’s the best shooter in this league and that’s sad, because there should be some young gunslinger coming up saying, I’m going to shatter Ray Allen’s record. There’s no one alive that’s going to break his record.”


Classy of Reggie to say... But haha, you know he's mad.

Now for the slightly more crappy news: Jermaine O'Neal traveled to New York Monday to get a second opinion on his knee. He is considering surgery on his bothersome left knee. If surgery would keep him on the shelf through the playoff's, he will bite the bullet and play through pain this year. He has missed 24 of the 40 games played so far this year. He was apparently supposed to come back yesterday to make a decision, but was unable to travel due to the inclement weather. Obviously this decision could not be discussed over the phone...

Celtics-Magic: KG returns. A recap.

The Celtics went ahead by 10 early on, but the lead evaporated and much of the game was tight. The Celtics really came alive in the last 3 minutes of the 4th quarter. Ray Allen connected on two threes but the Magic fought back. With the score tied and a minute left on the clock, Paul Pierce chose the perfect time to pull out some vintage material. He got Jason Richardson off the floor, drew contact, and buried an elbow jumper. After making the free throw and completing the three point play, the Celtics lead 107-104, with 38 seconds left on the clock.

The real story of the game was KG's return to action, and with 38 seconds left in regulation, he stuck the dagger in to the chest of the Magic:

With Orlando seeking a tying basket, down three with less than 30 seconds to play, Ryan Anderson came down with an offensive rebound of a Hedo Turkoglu miss. Jameer Nelson ended up with the ball and, after catching Boston in a switch off the pick-and-roll, was looking to feed it back to the top of the key where Jason Richardson, one of Orlando's top 3-point threats, would have had a wide-open look.


If not for Garnett.


Despite basically being pinned behind Orlando's point guard, Garnett managed to reach out his long arms and bat down the pass as it left Nelson's hands. He then tracked down the loose ball and fed it ahead to the Celtics' Ray Allen, who drew the foul and made the free throws that sealed the game (Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston).

His return was even more glorious than I dared hope for. One would think that after leaving the court in excruciating pain and missing 9 consecutive games, that he would come back rusty and hesitant. Oh but it just wasn't so (in my bliss, I'm skating over some MINIMAL rusty-ness, and filing it away under causalities of the game. There was a couple of turnovers, and all but 2 of his rebounds came in the first quarter). The bottom line is that he played 31 minutes and he looked completely fabulous. His performance was for more meaningful than his numbers (he shot 7 for 13 and scored 19 points, plus pulled down 8 rebounds and had 2 steals). He is the king of the intangible and he was omnipresent on the court last night. I wouldn't be surprised if Dwight Howard had a nightmare about KG last night, the way that KG was in his head all game long. He's always talking- but it's not always trash. Much of his talk is him communicating with his teammates, calling out sets and making sure people are where they need to be. Through communicating, he anchored the Celtics defense and revamped their intensity on both ends of the floor, in ways that were lacking these past nine games. He made the big plays when they needed to be made.

He just makes everyone else better... And he makes it look so easy. Shout out to Ray Allen for scoring 13 of his 26 points in the 4th quarter, and to Paul Pierce for scoring his first points of the 4th quarter with 38.7 seconds remaining... And lastly, to Jason Richardson, for his lackluster defense on Paul.

Recap: 12 points, 22 assists, 10 rebounds, 6 steals. Rondo. Game 34.

The bottom line: This game was advertised as being a clash of the titans, and it lived up to the hype. The Celtics shot 61 percent from the field for the game, but still only won by 2. It was a struggle the whole way through. When the Celtics went up by 9, 105-96, LATE in the 4th, and I literally said out loud, "That should do it...." Only to be kicking myself for saying it seconds later, as the refs helped the Spurs out with a couple of consecutive (to be politically correct) questionable no-calls, and the Spurs rattled off 7 straight points, to make it a 2 point game. Have you heard about all the strange stuff going on? 1000 blackbirds falling dead from the sky on New Years Eve? And more recently, millions of tiny fish turning up dead at the same time in the Chesapeake bay? Well, conspiracy theorists were given even more fuel for the fire last night- Ray Allen missed 2 free throws with 8 seconds left in the 4th quarter. They would have sealed the game! But they rimmed out. Apocalypse, anyone? Luckily Paul Pierce came up big on the final defensive stand of the game, blocking a Manu Ginobili three, and the Celtics won. The bottom of the bottom line: A really great win for the KG-less (and Kendrick Perkins-less + Delonte West-less) Celtics. 


Hero material: I love words. It rarely happens that I can't find the right word to properly befit a situation, but in the wake of the clinic Rondo put on last last night... I find myself in that position. Here are a few, but they don't do him justice: prodigious, phenomenal, wondrous, magnificent... and I'll end simply, with "GOOD." His performance last night wasn't so good just because he dished out 22 assists. It was so good because he did whatever he wanted all night long. In crunch time, when the Spurs dared him to be the one to score, he knocked down shots when they mattered most. He made sure no passing lane was safe for the Spurs, with 6 steals. Ooohh, and that block. The picture isn't the best... But the block was timed absolutely perfectly, and I don't know if I've ever seen a swat come with so little body to body contact. Again. Perfect timing. You know what the best part is about Rondo playing so well? It enevitably means that other people are playing well, too. Ray Allen was hot all night and he scored 31 points on 13-16 shooting. I wish he would have taken 30 shots. Paul Pierce was his regular heroic self, even though the refs had some kind of personal agenda against him the whole night, and Glen Davis scored 23 points (one away from his season high) and generated an offensive foul against Richard Jefferson late in the 4th frame. Yeah buddy. Oh, and another person I think deserves recognition: Jermaine O'Neal. I'm hearing lots of people around town talking about they want to dump Jermaine O'Neal for Rasheed Wallace. I, too, have been frustrated by Jermaine's lack of play due to his steady stream of injuries... But in no way do I believe the Celtics would be better off with 'Sheed. Maybe 'Sheed was funnier (I will say BALL DON'T LIE for the rest of my life), but really... even though Jermaine is still rusty- he had a good game last night and he gave the Celtics 22 good minutes. He played good defense against Tim Duncan and he made his presence known in the paint, with a couple of nice blocks. I believe that the little 5-10 foot jumpers will start to fall for him, and that as he becomes more comfortable in the Celtics system, he'll develop a rhythm out there and perform better. If he can stay on the court consistently for another month, look for him to show considerable improvement. That is something we could never say about 'Sheed last year, since my man never even bothered to get in to shape. Also, Doc Rivers deserves a shout out. He's always good, but last night he dared to go small (Rondo, Robinson, Daniels, Pierce, Davis) and it worked out really well.

It would also be good to check in on my keys to winning the game, from yesterdays post.
-The Celtics were able to effectively control Richard Jefferson. It was not a Reggie Miller like night for him.
-The battle of the boards was won by the Spurs. Sure, the Celtics had 36 rebounds, but only 5 of them were offensive. The Spurs on the other hand, had 37 rebounds, and 15 of them were offensive. Wamp!
-They ran! Nobody runs routes in the NBA like Ray Allen. I can only imagine how many miles he runs over the course of 48 minutes, but it's enough to make me tired just thinking about it. It made Manu Ginobili tired, and he probably went to sleep last night and dreamt about fighting over, through, and under Celtics green picks. Not only did they keep the pace up, but they kept the ball moving, as is apparent in Rondo's 22 rebounds. Swooning!
-The Celtics also got a pretty good night out of their bench. Nate Robinson didn't play much, but he did a good job in his 16 minutes on the floor. Marquis played a solid 17 minutes, and contributed on both ends of the floor. He guarded a variety of people and did a good job at it. He also scored a couple of key baskets. And, as was aforementioned, I thought Jermaine played a pretty decent game. Look for the bench to become even stronger as the team (hopefully) gets healthier.

Looking for more? Check out this piece by Dan Shaughnessy, over at the Globe. A very nice read.