CelticsBlog

The Blame Game

2009-11-23T11:15:26Z

Like it or not, when a team is losing everyone likes to point the finger at the guy most responsible. In reality, it is a team effort and a team loss, but even I have to admit that some guys bring the team down while others are doing the best they can to pull together. So here's a quick poll to generate some discussion.

Poll

Who do you feel is most to blame for the Celtics recent struggles?

Sheridan: What's wrong with the Celtics?

2009-11-23T03:48:46Z

Sheridan: What's wrong with the Celtics?

Chris Sheridan of ESPN ponders the same question we've all been asking over the last few weeks.

Celtics Stuff Live: Scott Souza

2009-11-22T15:52:58Z

Celtics Stuff Live took to the "studio" Sunday night after an overtime victory against the Knicks earlier that afternoon. The Madison Square Matinee did not seem to improve Justin's confidence that the team was back on the winning track, while Jon was far more reassured despite being exasperated with Friday night's loss to the Magic. Scott Souza from the MetroWest Daily News joined us to discuss the ills of the team following an excellent article on the topic from today. Scott reminded us about our preseason prediction that Garnett would inevitably need some time to recover and that many would question whether he would ever be the same player again. That was rather comforting. He also felt that the Celtics recent issues were related more to execution than a lack of effort, to which Justin agreed and placed more emphasis on the mental rather than the physical failures of the team. We then discussed the play of Rajon Rondo who Jon, typically only effusive in his praise, felt was deserving of some criticism. Scott countered that the criticism of Rondo may be overblown and stated that, statistically speaking, this may be Rondo's best start to a season.

Later in the show we took calls from KWAPT and the Scotsman, as well as a tweet from Loscy(.com) and took a long look at the merits of Rasheed Wallace and Kendrick Perkins, trying to determine the best role for each player on this team. Justin was a staunch supporter of the recent inclusion of Perkins at the end of games and felt that his defense has been superior to Sheed's in every game to this point.

Tune in next Friday night after the game against the Raptors for our weekly Gold Rarities Postgame Show!

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KG For The Win ...Got It

2009-11-22T21:05:37Z

More photos » by Kathy Kmonicek - AP

Got it

Browse more photos »

Glass half full view: They won!

Glass half empty: It was the Knicks, ...and it took a buzzer beater in overtime.

It should have been a comfortable win but the Knicks stormed back in the 3rd quarter and forced overtime with some late buckets and free throws. They almost made it 2 overtimes but KG's buzzer beater sealed the deal.

Pierce led the way for the good guys with 33 points.
Rondo missed a triple double by one rebound and picked up 4 steals to boot.
Perkins got a double double of his own and also blocked 4 shots.
Al Harrington paced the bad guys with 30 points of his own.
For those scoring at home, Sheed took and missed 3 more threes.
Who knew that Eddie Curry still had a pulse?
No idea why Rondo was the one taking the shot at the end of regulation, but I'm glad they got it to Garnett in his sweet spot at the end of overtime.
A win is a win is a win. Next!

Celtics Head to New York for Sunday Afternoon Matinee

2009-11-22T15:59:30Z

by Charles Krupa - AP

Paul Pierce and Wilson Chandler will go head to head today in the Big Apple. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

View full size photo »

Boston Celtics (9-4) vs. New York Knicks (3-9)

Sunday, November 22, 2009

1:00pm

TV: Comcast SportsNet; Radio: 850 AM WEEI

Venue: Madison Square Garden

Game Thread [] Chat Room

The Boston Celtics look to right the ship when they visit Madison Square Garden for a matinee showdown with the New York Knicks at 1:00pm.

The Celtics are coming off of a messy loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday in which they shot just 34.5 percent from the field and 10.5 percent from three-point nation.

The Knicks, winners of two straight, are in the second day of a back-to-back as they vanquished the still winless New Jersey Nets by a score of 98-91 yesterday in New Jersey.

Madison Square Garden hasn't served as a hospitable venue to the Knicks, as they have so far compiled just a 1-6 record at home this season. The Celtics on the other hand, are fairing well away from the TD Garden, as they've amassed a 4-1 road record.

New York is currently 11th in the league in scoring at 100.5 points per game, but it's main issue resides on the defensive side of the ball as they allow 110.2 points per game - good news for a Celtics team that scored only 78 points on Friday night against Orlando.

Projected Starters:

Celtics: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins

Knicks: Chris Duhon, Larry Hughes, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, David Lee

Health Check: For the Celtics, Glen Davis (thumb) and Tony Allen (ankle) are out.

The Knicks are healthy.

Keep It In Mind: David Lee is 12th in the league in rebounding, hauling in 9.5 boards per game.

Who's Hot: For the Celtics, Ray Allen shot 5-10 for 15 points against the Magic.

For the Knicks, Danilo Gallinari went 6-12 for 17 points against the Nets yesterday.

Who's Not: For the Celtics, Rasheed Wallace shot just 4-16 against the Magic, including an 0-8 performance from three-point nation.

For the Knicks, Eddy Curry shot just 1-5 against the Nets and finished with three points in 12 minutes of action.

Key Matchup: Kendrick Perkins vs. David Lee

Honorable Mention: Paul Pierce vs. Wilson Chandler

Skinny: Given the Celtics' latest string of games, they would do well to take care of business against the Knicks, preferably with authority. While this certainly is not a 'must win' game for the Celtics, a loss today could cause something of an uproar.

The Knicks don't seem to believe in defense, so the Celtics should have no trouble scoring the ball, despite coming off of a rough shooting night on Friday. The C's need to assert themselves early in the first quarter and not give the Knicks any hope or belief that they can stay competitive in this ball game. With Gallinari apparently serving as the Knicks' power forward, the Celtics should have a clear advantage inside, especially if Kevin Garnett elects to bring Gallinari into the paint.

Opponents are grabbing a shade under eight more rebounds per game against the Knicks, which bodes well for a Boston squad that's currently pulling down only 38.09 boards per game as an entire unit. If the Celtics can exploit their matchups down low and swarm the Knicks on the defensive side of the ball early, they should have no trouble walking out of MSG with a win.

The Lobster Roll: Issue 1

2009-11-22T19:00:13Z

So the preseason is about to get underway for D-League and we at Celtics Blog are taking this fantastic opportunity to roll out a (hopefully) weekly column on the newly established Maine Red Claws. Welcome to the inaugural edition of "The Lobster Roll".

You might be wondering: "Why are you writing about a D-League team?" Well I am glad you asked, champ. There are two reasons why we care about this now.

Number one, this is the Celtics’ D-League team, so once they get going it is highly probable some of our younger players could be seeing some time there. Right now Bill Walker is the only one officially assigned to the D-League, but JR Giddens, and Lester Hudson are also both eligible to be sent to play for the Red Claws. As the season progresses and the rotation completely shakes out, there is a good chance that all of out youngsters could see some floor time up in Portland.

The second reason the Red Claws matter is because they are in fact based in Maine now. Prior to this season the Celtics’ D-League team was located in Orem, Utah as a shared affiliate of both the C’s and the Utah Jazz. It wasn’t like there were many loyal CB readers going to home games.

via www.portlandexpositionbuilding.com

Now, the Red Claws are going to play home games right here in New England, playing out of the Portland Exposition Building (above) which is apparently called "The Expo". This presents a unique opportunity for those who cannot afford the substantial cost of going to see a Celtics game, but who still want to see professionals play a beautiful game, and maybe do some scouting of their own of those players Danny Ainge has anointed as the Great Green Hopes.

So what’s the deal with these Red Claws? Well son, lets start at the top.

OWNERSHIP

The Red Claws are, like the Celtics, owned not by a man, but by a group. Their "Wyc" is a man named William J Ryan Jr. (the Jr. is important, William J Ryan Sr. is also in the ownership group). "WJR-Junior", as his friends call him, is a pretty big guy around Portland. He owns and operates a local speed track (link to wiki on oxford speedway), and before that he was a lawyer in the Portland area. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Portland Museum of Art and the Pine Tree Council of the Boy Scouts of America. (link)

Their "Danny", or President and General Manager, is a guy named Jon Jennings (link to wiki). Jon has literally been everywhere. The guy was an assistant coach when the original "Big 3" were still players for the C’s. He got his start in basketball as a student assistant under Bob Knight at Indiana. He’s worked not only in the NBA for the Pacers and Celtics but also in the US Senate, Department of Justice, and in the White House. He also got his Masters from Harvard, so in a clichéd phrase, ‘My boy’s wicked smaht.’

COACHING

The head coach may not be a former Boston Celtic, but he’s pretty much family (nuh-yuk, nuh-yuk). Austin Ainge, age 27, was hired this summer to man the wheel of the ship called Red Claws. Prior to that, he was a scout and one of his biggest duties was to monitor the development of Celtics players assigned to the D-League, like Bill Walker and JR Giddens.

Before joining the Celtics he was an assistant coach for Southern Utah University under former NBA assistant coach and BYU coach Roger Reid.

The two assistant coaches of the Red Claws both have an awfully high pedigree. One, Randy Livingston, is a former NBA player but among basketball nerds (like yours truly) he’s known as the man most deserving of a call up to ever play in the NBA Developmental League. He was the NBA D-League MVP in 2006-2007 and has previously been an assistant coach for the Idaho Stampede, also in the D-League.

The second assistant coach Mike Procopio. While probably less well known than either Ainge or Livingston, he might have the most formidable resume of the three. Previously he was (I can’t verify if he still is) the Director of Basketball Operations for Attack Athletics in Chicago. The reason that sounds familiar is because that’s the training facility run by Tim Grover, former trainer of Michael Jordan.

Mike (Procopio) has personally worked to help improve the skills of the likes of Dwayne Wade, Paul Pierce, Devin Harris, Mike Finley, and some guy named Kobe Bryant. (link).

MASCOT!

Everyone, meet Crusher. Crusher, meet everyone. Pretty ripped for a lobster, huh? He must work out.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Even though they haven’t played a game, expectations are high, starting with management on down From Austin Ainge:

"This is the fun part," he said Friday. "Coaching the team is what you do this for. We're going to have a good team. We have good players, and right now on paper it looks like we can compete with everybody. It's exciting."

There is another reason why the D-League is great. D-League teams aren’t like NBA teams. Beyond the maximum 4 players allocated to the league, who obviously get playing time from the get go, all players are created equal. Among the normal rank and file there are no multimillion dollar contract, and every game is an opportunity to prove you deserve a 10 contract, and another chance to make it in the NBA. It’s a dogfight, and veterans aren’t much different than rookies, it’s skill that wins out, not zeros.

Ainge again:

"We'll have a very competitive training camp," said General Manager Jon Jennings. "With a brand-new team, we have no preconceived notions of any player. Guys have to earn their spot. The opportunity is there and up to them now."

Preseason starts (and ends, there’s just one game) 11/23. The sold out home opener is 12/4.

Tune in next week for the Full On Roster Preview EXTRAVAGANZA!

Note: Special thanks to CelticsBlog.com user 'FatKidsDad", as he provided us with the picture of the EPIC Lobster Roll for the banner. Tommy Points.

Daily Links 11/22

2009-11-22T17:14:11Z

Herald Settin’ up House (finally)
Jersey barrier still up
Celtics stars pull out all the steps
Celtic spirit
Doc Rivers urges discipline
Globe Live by the three, die by the ...
After taking supplement, Lewis took his medicine in the form of suspension
Celtics aren’t losing faith despite recent struggles

CelticsBlog    20-Point First Quarters Are Key For Celtics
Celtics Stuff Live: Scott Souza
Boston @ New York GameThread
Loy's Place    Celtics Hope to Get Back on Track vs the Knicks
Celtics.com Game Preview: Celtics at Knicks
Celtics 17   Turn the Page: Celtics Holed Up in Cave of Despair
Red's Army   The Polarizing Rajon Rondo
Bird, Walton, the '86 Championship and some Wild Turkey
Your KG Face of the Day
Sheed: 4.7% from 3 in losses
The Morning Dump... Where We're Thankful We're Not Knicks Fans
CSNE    Waiting for Garnett
Celtics Hub    What They’re Saying The Day After: "We’re Awful"
A Thing That Works
Game#14/82: Celtics (9-4) @ Knicks (3-9)
NESN    Celtics Look to Get Back on Track Against Knicks
OTR   Gilbert Arenas’ ego slams teammates
North Station Sports    History Says that Today's Celtics Can Overcome Recent Adversity
More Thoughts From Egypt: Should Shaq Come off the Bench?
NBA.com    Celtics Assign Walker to Red Claws
Celtics Town    Celtics-Knicks preview: Celtics look for better start against Knicks
Hardwood Houdini     Rajon Rondo or Eddie House?
Rajon Rondo or Eddie House?
Time for Doc Rivers to Move Pete Rose to Third Base
Lex Nihil Novi     Ivaroni More than an Afterthought 83-84
Time for Doc Rivers to Move Pete Rose to Third Base
Sixers Hand Celtics (9-4) Third Straight Loss 83-84
CelticsLife    KG, 'Sheed & the Beast Technicals Tracker
Today's Video: Rondo Forever Mix
Gino's Jungle    Celtics Recipe for Success
Gino's Starting Five
Celtics vs. Knicks
Hoopsdata    NBA in Polychromatic Form: Shot Location
Cleveland.com   Cavs staying above water & the new Delonte West problem
Hardwood Paroxysm    Discussing "The Art of a Beautiful Game"
NY Daily News     Eddy Curry makes long awaited return to New York Knicks lineup
Sports of Boston    What Has Happened to the Celtics?
Telegram     Rasheed has been bust so far for C’s
MetroWest Daily    Courtside View: No quick fix for Celtics
Dimemag    Tony Award
Celtics Stuff Live     Sheed’s Need for Threes
FanHouse     'Sheed's Threes a Problem for the Celtics
Orlando Magic Daily     Orlando Magic, in a cheerier mood, finish off Boston Celtics
Fan Huddle    Celtic-Phobia and the NBA
Enterprise    CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Wallace unable to connect from 3-point range
Bleacher Report   Boston Celtics: In Need Of Athleticsism, Ray Allen Needs Help
Green Street    Celtics assign Walker to NBDL
Rondo helping Hudson improve defense
Blue Ridge Now    Celtics-Knicks Preview

20-Point First Quarters Are Key For Celtics

2009-11-22T07:00:12Z

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

The Celtics' poor starts have caused Paul to make this face too often.

Browse more photos »

I'm a big fan of the 20-point first quarter. In my opinion, one of the Celtics' goals this season should be to hold every opponent to 20 points or less in the opening frame. They maintain that they are in fact a defensive team and despite the many offensively efficient teams in the NBA, I believe this group is capable of such a feat. But in order to accomplish this, the starting unit of Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins will have to find a way to get off to better starts.

The statistics support my claim: The Celtics are 5-0 this season when holding opponents to 20 points or less in the first quarter, but are just 4-4 when the opposition scores more than 20 points in the first 12 minutes. Consistency is the key in this case, but the Celtics have only managed to be consistent when it comes to being inconsistent defensively in the opening stanza of games lately.

The Magic scored 29 points in the first quarter on Friday. The Warriors put up 23 in the first 12 minutes on Wednesday. The Pacers managed 26 points in the first quarter last Saturday, but what was worse was that they reached the 20-point mark with 5:57 still to play in the frame. I distinctly remember shuddering when this happened. The Hawks jumped on this scoring bandwagon and put up 24 points on the Celtics in the opening period last Friday.

By continually allowing teams to score at will as soon as the ball is tossed up at halfcourt, the Celtics are digging themselves unnecessary holes, which in turn is forcing them to make up unnecessary ground later in the game. The specifics of this ordeal are actually quite simple: Instead of asserting themselves and being the aggressors/intimidators/initiators, the Celtics have been defined by first quarter complacency. Their opponents are now routinely walking all over them in the opening frame of games. Maybe they feel the sheer thought of them being the Boston Celtics is enough to scoot by a team like the Pacers or the Timberwolves or the Warriors.

Well, the Celtics are in dire need of a wake up call, because guess what? None of the teams the Celtics have played this season have appeared intimidated. And the longer this first quarter nonsense continues, the more likely the sub par opponents will continue to give us fits. The C's need to flex the defensive muscle in the first five minutes, knock their opponent on the chin and pin them down from there. And that's just against the 'okay' teams.

Sure, opponents can take the floor with the Celtics thinking they can compete, but by the time the game hits the seven or six minute mark of the first quarter, the opposing players need to be thinking, 'Boy, were we wrong.' The self-doubt needs to be seeping through opposing players' heads and into their games. The Celtics are perfectly capable of this, but until it happens, they will continue to struggle. The first quarter can no longer serve as the Celtics' personal warm up before they realize they have a game to play.

The Run Starts Now

2009-11-21T21:52:34Z

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

I am, if nothing else, an optimist.

Browse more photos »

It is easy to predict good things when things are going well and to complain when things are going poorly. Or said another way, it is easy to yell "buy" when the market is going up and "sell" when it is going down. But it takes a special kind of talent (read: luck) to guess when the market has bottomed out or topped off.

I'm making a few bold and contrarian predictions right now. The Celtics will win at least 5 games in a row starting Sunday night against the Knicks. They will also lose at most 3 of the 14 games before meeting the Magic again on Christmas (so that's at least an 11-3 run).

Despite the team's recent woes, I feel pretty confident in these predictions for a few reasons. For one thing, the competition isn't all that great over the next few weeks. The Knicks, 76ers, and Raps don't exactly strike fear into anyone. Sure, on any given night any team can beat anyone and the C's have already lost to the Pacers, but the Celtics should at least be favored in the majority of these games. The Spurs are the best team on paper in that stretch and they are struggling worse than we are right now.

For another thing there aren't many back to backs in that stretch. Of course the bad news is that there are two road trips in that stretch but I don't think that will be too much of a problem.

This team has been humbled. They know what they need to do. They just have to go out and do it. They have a chance to get back on track against some of the lesser teams in the league and once they start rolling, they'll pick up momentum and start rounding into form.

At least that's what I think is going to happen. So feel free to bookmark this and come back in a few weeks and remind me of it. I'll either be a genius or exposed as a pathetically blind homer. Which is cool with me either way.

So how about you? Are you on board with this prediction?

Celtics Schedule

Next 5 Games

@ New York	Sun 11/22	1:00 PM EST
Philadelphia	Wed 11/25	7:30 PM EST
Toronto	Fri 11/27	7:30 PM EST
@ Miami	Sun 11/29	6:00 PM EST
@ Charlotte	Tue 12/01	7:00 PM EST

Last 5 Games

Orlando	Fri 11/20	L 78 - 83
Golden State	Wed 11/18	W 109 - 95
@ Indiana	Sat 11/14	L 104 - 113
Atlanta	Fri 11/13	L 86 - 97
Utah	Wed 11/11	W 105 - 86

The next 5 games should go a lot better than the last 5. I guaranSheed it.

Poll

Will my predictions come true?

Bill Walker Assigned To Red Claws

2009-11-21T19:51:06Z

Per a Celtics press release:

The Boston Celtics announced today that forward Bill Walker has been assigned to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League. Walker is the team’s first assignment to the NBA Development League this season.

Rasheed's Slump Reaches New Heights

2009-11-21T19:24:38Z

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

Rasheed wasn't smiling after Friday's loss to the Magic. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

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I recently chronicled the atrocious three-point shooting slump of Rasheed Wallace. I wondered if he simply needed to shoot his way out to break this colder-than-ice stretch. After last night's 83-78 loss to the Orlando Magic, that method probably shouldn't be Wallace's first option. He shot eight three-pointers against the Magic last night and made...zero of them, good for a new season-low.

This slump is completely and utterly perplexing at this point because the majority of the threes 'Sheed took last night were good shots. They came within the flow of the offense and the majority of them were not hurried or forced, but for whatever reason they simply are not falling right now. It got to the point where he received the ball at the top of the key late in the game when the Celtics were making their comeback and he set up to shoot a three and I blurted out, "No!" I took that as a bad sign, personally.

I think we are all in the same weird place with Rasheed right now. On the one hand, I honestly have confidence in him every time he shoots from three-point nation. His career resume speaks for itself. He's been a solid and reliable three-point shooter for the majority of his career. It's arguably his claim to fame.

But on the other hand, while that strange sense of confidence is still there for me with Rasheed, at the same time, I honestly do not want him to take three-pointers right now. The stats back up this argument, as he's simply not making them. Period. This is such a strange slump. How can I still be so confident in him, but also cringe when he decides to take a three-pointer? I can't ever remember feeling this way about a player before. I'm officially lost on this one.

I suppose the sense of confidence still exists because deep down I know he's going to break out of this horrid stretch at some point. He just has to, right? I'll never find a stat to back this up, but to me it seems statistically impossible for Wallace to continue such pathetic three-point shooting for the duration of the season. Shouldn't the law of averages come into play sometime soon?

While 'Sheed's nightmare from distance last night was visibly noticeable, everything else he did was actually very impressive and his overall performance was one of the main reasons why the Celtics actually had a chance to win last night's game despite shooting a measly 34.5 percent from the field as a team.

Wallace gave Dwight Howard fits on the offensive side of the ball and really made him a non-factor in the fourth quarter. Despite the physicality Howard plays with, 'Sheed refused to back down and the two were locked in some sort of verbal dispute at the tail end of a timeout midway through the fourth. But the message was clear: Rasheed Wallace, age 35, wasn't going anywhere.

He played Howard straight up, he overplayed him at times and on back-to-back Orlando possessions at the 5:23 and 4:57 mark, Wallace tipped away passes intended for Howard on the block, which turned into extra possessions for Boston. The tip with 5:23 to go led to a Paul Pierce layup, which at the time cut Orlando's lead to 75-74. The second tip led to a missed three-pointer...from Rasheed Wallace. But the point is, Wallace's defense throughout the fourth quarter kept the Celtics within fighting distance of the Magic, which, given the overall performance of the team, was really all they could ask for.

On top of his stellar defense, Wallace had his finest rebounding performance of the season, as he hauled in a new season-high of 13 boards (his previous season-high was six), with five of those being of an offensive brand. 'Sheed really controlled the fourth quarter with his rebounds as well as any player could control a quarter with a stat other than points in a losing effort. Unfortunately, the boards didn't always directly translate to positive possessions for the Celtics. But again, Rasheed helped to initiate opportunities for the team's offense. The rest of the guys just could not cash in.

He did finish the night with nine points (4-16 shooting, though. Yikes.) and was most effective when he went to work in the paint. Clearly 'Sheed's preference is the perimeter, but when he manages to park himself in the paint, good things seem to happen for this team. Such was the case tonight as he scored critical baskets in the fourth with 9:28 remaining, 8:43 to go and finally a short baseline jumper off of a Pierce feed with 2:55 left. His final bucket made it 78-78 and it was the last time the Celtics would score on the evening.

So what do we do with 'Sheed? If the Celtics as an entire unit had just shot a little bit better in this one, Wallace probably would have been the hero - due to his work down low. Are we in need of some sort of compromise here? The threes might still be classified as 'good shots', but his tendency to miss them is just far too great right now. Perhaps 'Sheed needs to balance those threes with a few more attempts down low - at least for the time being. Can it really hurt that much?

Daily Links 11/21

2009-11-21T16:38:09Z

Herald Newest trick for Celtics is a disappearing act
This Green group still a mystery
Kevin Garnett’s burst takes night off
Red-hot Hawks edge Rockets
Globe FINAL: Magic 83, Celtics 78
Rivers defends House/Rondo decision
Dwight Howard on KG
Postgame chatter
Video: Pierce, Garnett on loss to Magic
Video: Rivers: 'We don't deserve to win games'
Clips' broadcasters suspended for Haddadi remarks
Ellis leads Warriors over Blazers
Video: Ryan: Celtics must improve quickly
Finding combinations hasn’t been a lock
Wallace is unable to zero in
Disorganized from start, they need to regroup
Out of synch

CelticsBlog    Celtics drop another home game to a contender
What's Wrong With The Celtics?
Loy's Place     Comments from the Other Side - Magic 11/20
Celtics.com    Ford Keys to the Game: Magic at Celtics
Celtics 17   The Trident Strikes: Vince Carter and the Magic Give Boston Their Fourth Loss
Red's Army    Celtics/Magic Live Blog
Playoff Basketball in November
Your Morning Dump... Where we're a long way from where we want to be
Comcast Sportsnet    Carter fit to fill Hedo's shoes
Magic act too tricky for Celtics
Our take: The Comcast SportsNet view of the game
Celtics Hub    That was ugly….Magic 83, Celtics 78
North Station Sports    Celtics Players Talk Magic
NSS Live Game Chat: Magic vs Celtics
More Questions then Answers-- Magic Drop the Celtics at the Garden
Celtics Town   Running Diary: Vince Carter shoots just enough for Magic to down Celtics
Hardwood Houdini   Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics
Where O’ Where Did My Celtics Go?
Celtics Fans – Heres Your Chill Pill
Lex Nihil Novi    9-4: Magic 83, Celtics 78 9-4: Magic 83, Celtics 78
Fernsten Happy with Knicks (83-84)
World Champion Sixers Not in Synch (83-84)
CelticsLife     Celts Lose to Orlando, Just About Time to Worry
Celtics/Magic Post Game Videos
Putting the Pieces Together; Have the Celtics Simply Become too Old?
Happy Birthday Reggie Lewis
Live by the Three....
Gino's Jungle     Magic vs. Celtics
Too Much Vincanity In The Jungle
Gino's Starting Five
CT News    Are the Celtics Tough Enough for the Magic?
Magic Hold Off Celtics: 83-78
ProJo   Magic pull rug out from sloppy Celtics, 83-78
Celtics-Magic final: Magic survive Celtics, 83-78
Orlando's Dwight Howard respects Boston's Kendrick Perkins
Celtics-Magic pregame: Wallace is a role model to Orlando's Howard
Celtics-Magic pregame: quick notes
Patriot Ledger    CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Kevin Garnett finally gets chance to face Magic
Celtics lose for the third time in four games, falling to the Magic
Magic’s Van Gundy trying to be positive
CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Orlando center Howard has praise for Perkins
NBA.com   MAGIC: Denton: Magic-Celtics Postgame Analysis
MAGIC: Denton: Magic-Celtics Notes
Magic Prepared for Celtics' Best Effort
Orlando Sentinel    Happy Orlando Magic beat the Celtics in playoff rematch
Fox Sports    Celtics need vintage KG to win East
Slam Dunk Central    Boston’s Friday Blues Continue; Vinsanity And Magic Shut Down Celtics 83-78
Dimemag    Smoove Criminal
NY Times    The Pick-and-Roll Is the N.B.A.’s Old Reliable
Green Street    Magic: Can’t Afford to Foul Rondo
A kinder, gentler Van Gundy?
Fast Break: Celtics - Magic
Magic know formula to beat Celtics
Ray Allen’s Ray of Hope Fundraiser
Sheed trying to keep Superman from lifting off
Yahoo    Van Gundy's light touch lifts Magic
Game to pay attention to: Magic vs. Celtics - Ball Don't Lie
Garnett still feels pain of lost season
Telegram    Celtics center has his perks
Magic act buries C's
MetroWest Daily News     Celtics Notebook: Magic's Van Gundy altering sour tune
Magic 83, Celtics 78: Celtics run out of tricks
ESPN    Boston Celtics will have revenge on their minds against Orlando Magic
Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, players reach for answers
Wallace on shooting: What me, worry?
Vote: NBA highlights of the decade
NESN    Live Blog: Magic at Celtics
Ray Allen to Provide 275 Boston Families With Thanksgiving Meals Ray Allen to Provide 275 Boston Families With Thanksgiving Meals
Celtics Struggle, Fall Flat at Home Against Assertive Magic
Cold Streak From 3-Point Range Kills Celtics' Comeback Chances
Boston's Mount Sportsmore Celebrates the Best of the Best
Celtics' Tony Allen to Help Middle School Students Celebrate Thanksgiving
The Big Lead    Kevin Garnett Pretty Sure of Boston’s Ability to Bully The Magic
Inside Hoops     ESPN Suspends Bill Simmons from Twitter :InsideHoops
Hoopsworld    Rashard Lewis Making His Presence Felt
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Paul Pierce believes healthy Celtics would've beaten Orlando Magic last year
RealGM    The Rondo Era Begins Here And Now

Poll

Is it too early to panic?

What's Wrong With The Celtics?

2009-11-21T09:00:23Z

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

Ugh

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While it is still too early to panic, there is also plenty of time to worry. There are plenty of reasons to worry as well. I'm not even talking about the normal age and tired legs issues either. This is beyond that. These are issues that can and should be worked on soon. Lets right to the list, shall we?

Defense:

This is a really odd item to put in a list of Celtics weaknesses, (especially when we are near the top of the league in points allowed and point differential) but hear me out. This team still locks down teams for stretches of games, but there have been far too many stretches where the defense disappears or looks disinterested. I know that teams make runs but the Celtics of the larger part of the last two years never let those runs last that long. The lack of consistency is what is killing this team right now.

Consistency is absolutely mandatory for a defensive team. Guys have to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that help defense is going to be in the right spot. If they don't know that, they may gamble or hedge or make bad decisions trying to compensate for the fact that the other guys won't be there to stop their man. Which sometimes works but usually gives up easy baskets.

Frankly I care little about the offense. If the defense is consistent, we would win these types of games.

Ball Movement/Shot Selection:

With that said, the offense isn't totally off the hook. First of all, lets get this out of the way right now. Maybe Sheed is taking too many 3's, but we all should have known that coming into this and the Celtics certainly did when they signed him to a 3 year deal. Screaming at the TV for Sheed to get in the paint is only going to get you a prescription for tea and honey. He's not changing his spots. I'm also not going to kill him for the 3's that he took against the Magic. They were good, open shots for the most part. Over the course of the season, he's going to make his fair share and there will be a time when he'll win a game or two with those types of shots.

With all that said, I'd like to see those shots set up by penetration a little bit more. Rondo is the master at this and when he's off his game it really throws a wrench in the works. It doesn't have to be him though. When Pierce is attacking the basket, he forces the defense to collapse on him, opening up kickouts to Ray, Eddie, and yes Sheed. When we've got Eddie or Paul holding the ball at the top of the key and waiting, waiting, watching Ray run through screens, holding off the defender with a forearm, feet planted, with a confused look, ...well, that's not good ball movement.

Perk is the closest thing we have to a traditional low post threat, so other than feeding KG and Sheed on the block for fallaway jumpers, we have to drive to collapse the defense. Once that happens, then you can bomb away and make them pay.

Rebounding:

The Celtics are dead last in rebounds so far this year. This puzzles me. Theres no reason why Perkins shouldn't be pulling down his fair share of rebounds. KG has been otherworldly dominant in the past on the boards. Both are at just over 7 boards a game. You don't really think of your point guard much when talking about rebounds, but Rondo has been huge on the glass in recent years and his numbers are down this year. Shelden has been the one bright spot but his contributions have been limited and might be limited even more when Big Baby returns (and Baby has never been a great rebounder despite his girth).

The Good News:

I'm sure there are some more reasons to worry, but there are also a few silver linings here. This is still the same group of guys that beat the Cavs and rolled out to a 6-0 start. They can put it together and there's a better than good chance that in time they will. Also, the majority of issues listed above can be fixed with a little bit of coaching and extra effort. You can't turn back the clock on the age of the vets, but you can help them see the game a little better and motivate the whole team to give a consistent effort night in and night out. I'd rather go through these struggles now and fix them as the season progresses than to fall apart at the end, but the key is to fix them before they become habit.

So there's time enough to get better, but I'd like to see it start happening sooner rather than later.

Celtics drop another home game to a contender

2009-11-21T05:55:33Z

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

That pretty much sums it up.

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It was the third disappointing Friday night in a row at the TD Garden, as the Boston Celtics fell to the Orlando Magic, 83-79.

Again, the Celtics failed to show up in the first quarter, allowing the Magic to score 29 points, while they could only muster up 13. For that reason, they spent the rest of the game playing catch-up, and could never gain the lead for the rest of the game.

The Celtics shot only 34.5% from the field, including 2-19 from 3-point range. Rasheed Wallace contributed to that by going 0-8 from behind the arc, missing several open looks in the process.

"We played for three quarters, that's what it came down to," Paul Pierce said. "You're talking about a team that shot 60-70% from the floor in the first quarter, and for the game 41%."

While Pierce points to a poor first quarter performance as the main reason for the loss tonight, coach Doc Rivers feels that it isn't just the first quarter that the Celtics perform poorly in, it's throughout the game.

"I just think our team's playing awful overall," Rivers stated. "I don't think it's the beginning of the games. I've been saying it for a week now. We're making up stuff on the floor on offense and defense. We're not executing. We're not trusting each other. And we're going to win games still, but we're not going to win against good teams."

"We have to go out there and put minutes of good defense together," said Rasheed Wallace. "It comes in spurts with us. We get down a couple points then we decide alright we're going to play now then once we play, get back into it, then we might let up a little bit or we might not. So we just have to get our consistency together and put good minutes of defense together."

Rivers make a good point there. Three of the four Celtics losses have come against the best teams in the league right now. The Hawks, Suns, and Magic have come into the Garden the past three Fridays and taken it to the Celtics. For a team trying to win a championship, that is unacceptable. When the playoffs come around, it will be teams like the Magic and Hawks that the Celtics will have to worry about, not the Bobcats and Jazz.

Questions may also arise over certain lineups that were used during the game. Mikael Pietrus scored 11 points in the first quarter, including 3-3 from behind the arc with Pierce defending him. Ray Allen was defending Vince Carter to start the game, but only lasted six minutes after picking up his second foul.

Rajon Rondo sat for all but 41-seconds in the fourth quarter while Eddie House was in the game. Also sitting in the fourth quarter was Kendrick Perkins, who picked up his fifth foul with 7:25 to play in the third quarter and sat for the remainder of the game. Rasheed Wallace played the remaining 19:25 of the game. Pierce and Garnett didn't touch the floor in the fourth quarter until the 6:25 mark. With so many lineup options, the "mad scientist" is left with the difficult task of deciding what the best lineup is in a given situation, and dealing with the results.

"If you're in Doc's situation then, damned if you do, damned if you don't," Rasheed Wallace explained. "If you don't have (Rajon) Rondo in there then you're going to have people, mainly the media, ‘Aw, Doc, why didn't you have Rondo in there sooner?' Then if you do have Rondo in there, ‘Oh, why do you have Rondo in there so long? Why do you have Kevin (Garnett) in there so long?' So it is sort of a gift and a curse."

While Rondo was clearly not on his game tonight, Doc is not pointing a finger directly at him, but at the team as a whole.

"It's not on Rondo... As a group we have to play better," Rivers said. "But listen, Rondo didn't play well today. He's been pretty good for the most part; he won the game for us the other night."

"We are functioning well with two or three guys at one time, and four guys at one time," Rivers continued. "And every once and a while when we get the right mix of guys on there- and right now God knows who that's going to be before the game."

After the Celtics tied the game in the fourth, Vince Carter's turnaround fade away jump shot would put the Magic back ahead for good. Carter killed the Celtics all night, ending with 26 points, six rebounds, and six assists, including 10 points in the fourth quarter. With Hedu Turkoglu out, and Vince Carter in, the Magic are more dangerous on the offensive end.

"Carter is a much more established scorer than (Hedu) Turkoglu," Pierce said. "Turkoglu brings what he brings, he's definitely fit their system over the last couple of years. Carter I think brings a different element because he does a lot of things Turkoglu can do and you also can isolate him along the post. He's more of an established scorer. He's one of the best scorers in the history of the game. They're going to get better as time goes along, but you know we're going to get better."

Ugly Ugly Ugly

2009-11-21T03:40:50Z

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

It was a really weird night.

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I have no idea how this team was even in the game tonight. They played horribly for most of the game with brief spurts of brilliance. The Magic just played a little less bad and earned a key early season win.

Some bullet points:

Doc tells Sheed to take fewer 3's and the very next game he goes 0-8. With that said, most of them were good, open shots.
Sheed seemed to do all the other little things right. It was that kind of night.
Perkins picking up two quick fouls in the 3rd were big but Howard never really took advantage.
Rondo sat for most of the 4th quarter. Was Doc sending a message or did he just want Eddie's shooting on the floor?
I really like the little things that Marquis Daniels does on the floor. He won't fill up a stat sheet, but he helps you win games. That is when you aren't doing everything else to lose them.
KG seemed to tweak his knee early in the 4th but he looked alright after that.
Kept waiting for someone like Pierce or Ray or Rondo to take over the game and nobody did.
I really don't like Vince Carter. Almost goes without saying, but I'm going to keep saying it.
We really need a more consistent effort on defense. The offense will come and go, no big deal, but if we make stops more often, we win going away.

Umm, What Was That?

2009-11-21T02:32:37Z

First quarter couldn't have looked worse. The second quarter was great. What's with the bi-polar basketball? Where's the Brain Doctor when you need him?

The Magic couldn't miss in the first quarter and the Celtics looked slow, disorganized, and disinterested. Then they started playing defense, got a few transition opportunities, and shifted the momentum right back in their favor.

If the 2nd half is anything like the first I'm going to need to open a thesaurus to find some new ways to describe this team, because I'm out of words.

Rondo At Work Early

2009-11-20T22:53:54Z

This is good to hear. His free throw shooting has been worse than terrible.

Rondo, an early arrival, hard at work - Celtics Blog - Boston.com

With Orlando in town again tonight for the first time since that playoff series, Rondo sat on the bench watching film of his free throws with Celtics assistant coach Armond Hill more than 3 1/2 hours before gametime. The pair then took to the court to practice Rondo's form. "That's too much," Rondo said of his grip on the ball, his right hand cocked out awkwardly to his right side. "Just square it up," said Hill, a patient teacher. "I'm straight!" Rondo shouted back, taking another free throw. "My elbow is straight." "You think its straight," said Hill. "I can show you right on film, right now." How concerning is Rondo's current free-throw percentage (currently at 25 percent)? Celtics GM Danny Ainge came out to check on the lesson, giving Hill and Rondo a putting analogy from golf. Hill, who played eight seasons in the NBA, took the time to put his hands on Rondo's elbow to shift it into the right position.

Celtics Battle Streaking Magic

2009-11-20T20:26:40Z

by Brian Babineau - NBAE/Getty Images

Dwight Howard will look to help shut down Paul Pierce tonight. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

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Boston Celtics (9-3) vs. Orlando Magic (9-3)

Friday, November 20, 2009

8:00pm

TV: Comcast SportsNet; ESPN; Radio: 850 AM WEEI

Venue: TD Garden

Game Thread [] Chat Room

The Boston Celtics battle the Orlando Magic in a meeting of Eastern Conference heavyweights tonight at 8:00pm at the TD Garden.

The Celtics snapped a modest two-game losing streak on Wednesday when they outlasted the Golden State Warriors 109-95 behind 18 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds from Rajon Rondo.

The Magic storm into Boston winners of three straight games. However, those three wins came against teams with a combined 9-26 record (New Jersey, Charlotte, Oklahoma City).

Orlando will be without All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday to repair torn cartilage in his right knee - an injury he suffered against the Bobcats on Monday. While the Magic will be without Nelson for the next four to six weeks, they welcomed back Rashard Lewis on Monday night who finished up a 10-game suspension after testing positive for an elevated testosterone level over the summer.

This game marks the first time the Celtics will see the new-look Magic, which bade farewell to free agent Hedo Turkoglu over the summer and traded for seven-time All-Star Vince Carter. In addition to Carter, the Magic also re-signed backup center Marcin Gortat and inked forwards Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes as well, which certainly bolstered it's bench behind what is a very potent starting lineup when healthy.

Projected Starters:

Celtics: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins

Magic: Jason Williams, Mickael Pietrus, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard

Health Check: For the Celtics, Glen Davis (thumb) and Tony Allen (ankle) are out.

For the Magic, Jameer Nelson (knee) and Adonal Foyle (knee) are out, while J.J. Redick (ankle) and Marcin Gortat (illness) are listed as day-to-day.

Keep It In Mind: In all three of the Magic's losses this season, they've been outrebounded by their opponent.

Who's Hot: For the Celtics, Paul Pierce scored 19 points on 7-12 shooting against the Warriors on Wednesday.

For the Magic, Rashard Lewis scored 17 points in his second game back from suspension in a win over the Thunder on Wednesday.

Who's Not: For Boston, Rasheed Wallace shot just 3-8 from the field for eight points against the Warriors on Wednesday in 16 minutes.

For Orlando, Ryan Anderson was just 4-11 from the field against the Thunder on Wednesday.

Key Matchup: Kendrick Perkins vs. Dwight Howard

Honorable Mention: Rajon Rondo vs. Jason Williams and Kevin Garnett vs. Rashard Lewis

Skinny: This game serves as something of a check point for two teams who aim to compete for this season's championship, as both squads have suffered losses this year that have raised eyebrows.

This game features a slew of interesting matchups, starting in the middle, as Kendrick Perkins will certainly have his hands full with All-NBA center Dwight Howard. Perkins of course made headlines in last year's postseason, by playing terrific defense on Howard throughout the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The rebounding battle will be pivotal between these two, as the Celtics have experienced plenty of woes of their own on the glass this season and the Magic have yet to win a game in which they've been outrebounded by their opponent.

With Jameer Nelson out, it will be interesting to see if Rajon Rondo can exploit his matchup with Jason Williams. An aggressive start from Rondo would be beneficial to the Celtics, as his slicing through the lane could open up space for Perkins to put in easy baskets, or cause the Magic's defense to cave, opening up room on the perimeter for shooters like Ray Allen or Paul Pierce.

Kevin Garnett will have his hands full with the versatile Rashard Lewis who will more than likely pull Garnett out of the paint as far as the three-point line. This matchup could also hurt the Celtics' rebounding numbers, if Garnett is unable to consistently stay in the paint to help pull down Orlando's missed shots.

The second units going head to head tonight could be just as interesting as the starters duking it out, with legitimate players and matchups at almost every position. How will Marquis Daniels fair against Matt Barnes? Who will win the rebounding battle between Shelden Williams and Brandon Bass? Who will cover Ryan Anderson, who's actually turned into a legitimate NBA shooter?

We'll find out at 8:00pm tonight.

Poll

Who Will Win Tonight's Game?

Celtics

321 votes

Magic

94 votes

415 votes | Poll has closed

Daily Links 11/20

2009-11-20T15:36:19Z

Herald Thursday practice notes
Celtics have new trick for Magic
Scouting report: Magic at Celtics
Former NBA player Sam Bowie applies to be first black member at club
Gasol scores 24 in debut, Lakers top Bulls 108-93
Knicks in no rush to bring Allen Iverson into the fold
Globe Celtics believe in Magic
Magic thumbnails
Tough for Celtics not to believe in Magic
A few more observations from Bird’s nest

CelticsBlog    Are We Ready For The Magic?
Loy's Place    Rottweilers Host the Poodles in Playoff Rematch
Dimemag     Top 5 power forwards of all-time
WESH    Van Gundy Vows To Make Attitude Adjustment
Inside Hoops    NBA Rumors: Friday, Nov. 20
Dwight Howard asks Stan Van Gundy to stop the negativity
NY Times Analysis - Can Allen Iverson Restore the Knicks’ Hope?
Hoopsworld     Notebook: Kobe Catches Kareem - Lakers Defeat Bulls
Celtics 17   We’re just wasting time now.
Rajon Rondo’s Inclination to Think Isn’t Going to Get Him to the Top: Playing Basketball Is
Red's Army    Your KG Face of the Day
The Ugliest Thing You'll See All Day
Your Morning Dump... Where TGIF means nothing to KG
Perkisabeast     Perk and Rondo step up as C’s take down Warriors 109-95
Comcast SportsNet    Professor Wallace
Celtics Hub    KG talks in detail about his knee injury
The Magic are Getting Hyped and Stan Van Gundy is Whining
Harsh Truths
North Station Sports   NSS Flix: KG Pays Respect to the Captian
Kendrick Perkins: Taking Tonight's Match-up with Dwight Howard Personally
Hardwood Houdini     Ray Allen is a New Man
Kendrick Perkins "The Beast" Battles Superman Tomorrow Night
Friday of Horrors
Lex Nihil Novi    Larry v. Magic: Game 5 Preview
Knicks Visit Boston for First Time Since Red Ruined their Summer (83-84)
Knicks Trap Celtics (9-3) (83-84)
CelticsLife   Where is that Celtic Pride?
Eddie House Interview
Who Can You Tolerate the Most?
NBA Plays of the Week
Today's Video: The New Kid on the NBA Block
Gino's Jungle    The Experience of a Lifetime
Gino's Starting Five
Wyc Tentatively Optimistic With 9-3 Record
Orlando Sentinel    Orlando Magic: Rashard Lewis declares showdown with Boston Celtics a second-chance 'statement game'
Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics preview
Orange County Register Five years later, Artest hasn’t forgotten the Palace brawl
Patriot Ledger    Celtics, Magic renew acquaintances six months after playoff series
Howard the Dunk Preview: Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics
Both Teams Played Hard    Talking About Practice: Episode 2
Dimemag    Burned Out
NY Post    Iverson's a walking contradiction
MetroWest Daily    Celtics: C's look to pay back Magic
Green Street    Celtics savor shot at Magical redemption
Doc Rivers on D&C, 11/19
Raising Ray
NBA POWER RANKINGS - 11/19
Kevin Garnett on D&H, 11/19
ESPN     Magic will be in the air Friday night
Pierce climbs all-time scoring list
Adjusting field goal percentages
NESN    New Challenges Facing Celtics as Magic Come to Town
Marquis Daniels Proving to Be Better Than Celtics Expected
M Live    Hate Mail: Our Allen Iverson apologizing, personal hygiene and sensitivity stir up readers this week
Rasheed Wallace is like the guy that lets himself go after getting married
Honolulu Advertiser     NBA: With Jameer Nelson out, Magic should take a chance on Allen Iverson
Boston Sports Pulse    Celtics Bounce Back, Still Not Playing Their Best
Hardwood Paroxysm    Do Not Think That Word Means What You Think It Means
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Mike Woodson’s Getting It Gleefully
Dueling Couches      Dueling Couches Writers Compared To Boston Celtics
CBS Sports     Known for futility, Hawks growing accustomed to success
Magic-Celtics Preview
Hoopsvibe    Doc Rivers: Hand Check Rules Have Brought Back Little Guards
ProJo    With motivation from Pierce, Rondo turned up his game against Warriors
Celtics journal: Rivers says Orlando demands defense
WEEI     Kevin Garnett, Celtics Forward on WEEI
Slam Online    What’s Next for Allen Iverson?

Forums Error - Now Fixed

2009-11-20T12:44:19Z

Forums Error - Now Fixed

Seems to be some error with the forums (redirecting to the main page). The Support team has been notified. Hope to have updates ASAP.

UPDATE: The issue has been fixed. Thanks tech team!