Led by a game but hurting Rajon Rondo, the injury depleted Celtics dropped their third straight road game, ending the year on a losing note. But to keep a balanced outlook heading into the new year… being 23-8 after dropping three games in a row ain’t that bad.
Amare Stoudamire and Channing Frye scored 26 points each to defeat the short-handed Celtics and sweep the season series 2-0. They are now 21-12 and a surprise team in the west.
Key off season acquisition Channing Frye (who would have thought I’d be saying that) took advantage of slow defensive reactions to drop in 6 three pointers along the way. His 26 points were his season high. He also led both teams with 10 rebounds, and added 2 blocks and 2 steals.
Picked up from the Portland scrap heap, Frye has become a deadly three point shooter (5.6 attempts per game with red hot 43% accuracy) and a cog in the run-and-gun Phoenix offense. After being buried on the plodding Trailblazers’ bench, may he give thanks for his good fortune. Credit the Suns for seeing the potential and to Frye for coming through when given the chance.
Talking about players in the right situation, Eddie House led the Celtics with 19 points in 21 plus minutes off the bench. He hit 5 of 7three point shots. SheldenWilliams added a season high 14 more in 19 minutes in a losing effort. Ray Allen added 15 points to lead the starters.
Other than the hot Eddie House, the Cs shot 1 for 16 from downtown. No three point contagion on this team on this evening.
If we want to take something positive from this, it would be the offense by the two bench players, House and Williams.
Tony Allen started for Paul Pierce again and filled up the stat sheet with 12 points, 6-6 from the free throw line, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals but 4 turnovers in 31 plus minutes. While not his best showing, Tony continues to be a productive player with the minutes he has been given. Along with Rondo, Tony is disruptive defensively when he is out there.
This now sustained effort by TA can either work toward redemption with the team or, at least, make a trade much more possible, as the February 18 deadline approaches. Either way, it is a good thing for the Celtics and a player who has had some major ups and downs in his career. Tony is balling again.
Early Celtic Cave In
After opening the game 12-8, the Celtics disappeared over the next 5 plus minutes. A 16-0 Sun run turned into a 20-2 avalanche to go up 28-14. The Celtics would try but would never get closer than 9 after the first quarter.
Facing a Celtic frontline without nemesis Kevin Garnett, Amare Stoudamire smelled blood and wreaked immediate havoc. He made his first 8 shots, 9 of 10, and scored 18 points in the first quarter. The only thing keeping Stoudamire from having a bigger game was himself. He got into foul trouble with 2 right away and then got a 3rd when he tried to return midway in the second quarter. He played only 22 minutes on the night.
Channing Frye-d the Celtics the rest of the way with 15 second half points when the Suns built a 23 point lead.
The Suns continue to play excellent basketball after beating the Lakers a couple of nights ago and the Celtics last night. They are now 21-12, ahead of all preseason predictions and are 12-2 at home for the 3rd best home record in the league.
Celtic Defense? Not tonight.
With Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett out, decommissioning two thirds of the Big Three, Rajon Rondo played hurt. Marquis Daniels and Glen Davis were also out. We knew it would take a strong effort by players who aren’t used to carrying the load to win this game against one of the toughest home teams in the league.
The chances of the Celtics pulling out a victory against the speedy Phoenix Suns were slim. After the first quarter they were none.
Seeing Rajon Rondo get beat regularly by Steve Nash, we now know why Baron Davis and Monte Ellis had big games against a point guard who prides himself on defense. Rondo has been bothered by a lingering hamstring injury and it showed, as Nash got by Rajon far too easily.
In ordinary circumstances, Rondo might not have played at all. All things considered, he actually played fairly well offensively and gamely the entire contest. Rondo finished with 13 points, 8 assists and 2 steals.
The problem was that Rondo’s defense had an excuse. Rasheed Wallace’s and Kendrick Perkins’ didn’t. Even the Sun’s announcers made light of it with the following observation…
“Channing must be the invisible man, because the Celtics don’t see him.”
Right from the start, Celtic rotations, particularly Wallace and even Perkins to some extent were late to non-existent. Wallace just didn’t get around quickly at all. Even when the Celtics opened the game 12-8, Stoudamire was able to score much too easily. He made his first 8 shots.
Wallace was more effective on the post last night and should have had a field day against Channing Frye. But he continues to like the long ball, though he is shooting just 28% and was 0-4 in this game.
Rasheed finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds, a block and a steal, but generally not the best overall effort for a guy with a high basketball IQ.
I also thought that Bill Walker might see some meaningful minutes. But he was the last to get any PT and only came in for the last 3:23 of garbage time. J.R. Giddens led the ‘end of game’ unit with 7 plus minutes and hit a jumper and another shot, while grabbing 3 boards.
Lester Hudson played about 5 minutes with 2 points, an assist, a rebound, and 2 turnovers.
Kendrick Perkins tried to help defensively a number of times but there was no ‘helping the helper’ and KP was slow to go and guard the three point line as well. Kendrick finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds, but was 1 of 5 on free throws. Perkins also got another technical foul for arguing with the refs.
The Boston Celtics lost their 3rd straight road game on their “That’s not supposed to happen” west world road trip.
After starting the season 13-1 on the road, thoughts of the Beantown Ballers threatening to make a new record were visualized in some conversations. Like winning 73 games, we can put that thought to bed now.
Not that a Celtic win wasn’t possible. It was. But it wasn’t going to happen with the lack of team defense the Celtics played. All Celtic scoring was met by equal Sun scoring and more, including Leandro Barbosa chalking up 17 points with 10 in the final quarter.
The Suns finished shooting .506 to the Celtics’ .422. The Celtics actually had 20 fast break points to the Suns 11.
Inside scoring was about equal at 46-40 (Celtics)
Rebounding: 42-38 Suns
Points Off Turnovers: 13-13
Second Chance Points: 18-19 (Suns)
The Celtics next game is Sunday January 2, 2010 against the Toronto Raptors in Boston.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com has reported that Glen Davis is definitely out and both Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett are questionable for this evening’s game against the Phoenix Suns.
Rondo hurt his left hamstring against the Clippers and played through it the following night against the Warriors, setting his season high in points scored (30). The hamstring is still bothering Rondo. Rondo said he is playing tonight, but Doc is apparently withholding judgment until game time.
Kevin Garnett’s injury is not related to his off season surgery. Steve Bulpett reports that he was kicked in the same leg he received a thigh bruise in earlier in the month….
Kevin Garnett just went through a full shootaround with the Celts and a post-practice shooting session, but he could well be held out of the next two games — tonight against the Suns and Saturday against Toronto.
Garnett missed one game last week with a right thigh bruise, and he got kicked in the same leg in Monday’s loss to Golden State. Though these latest issues are in the same area, trainer Ed Lacerte said through the team this current situation is NOT related to the problems that caused Garnett to get surgery on the right knee this past offseason.
Doc Rivers doesn’t want things getting worse, and the schedule is set up to get KG a maximum break with minimal missed games.
“If I do decide to sit him, I’m not sitting him for one game, I can tell you that,” Rivers said. “And I told Kevin that. I don’t think he loves to hear that. If I decide, I’m sitting him for a while.
So the Celtics will be without Paul Pierce, Marquis Daniels, and Glen Davis. They may be without KG and Rondo.
That would open up playing time possibilities for Bill Walker, who was called back from the D-league last week. A number of internet fans have been calling for playing time for Walker right along.
Rasheed Wallace may get the start along side Perkins, although Doc could start Brain Scalabrine as well.
Brolin had just been unpredictably bitten by a robotic snake. The Celtic can be unpredictable and are a bit snake bitten themselves.
The Cs’ own journey out west was supposed to be fun and entertaining. Wins over the Clippers and Warriors were long booked in Celtic fans’ minds. Instead, they got eye brow raising, heart aching losses.
It was a romping good game for basketball fans. A number of athletic plays by NBA stars and role players alike were had on both teams. Yet, neither team seemed able to hit many three point shots. And turnovers. Oh, the turnovers. And don’t forget to mix in one unusual strategy move at the end.
In this contest, two of the NBAs most talented, up coming young guards, Rajon Rondo and Monte Ellis, put on a scoring show worthy of the price of admission alone.
Rajon Rondo scored 30 points and Monte Ellis dropped 37 from everywhere on the court, as both made cases for being all stars. While Rondo was again being left open often (by Ellis), and dared to hit open jumpers, Ellis was hitting difficult shots all night. Rajon responded this time by hitting 8 of 12 jump shots of his own.
As the 4th quarter was drawing down, in somewhat of a duel, Rondo scored 8 straight Celtic points. Ellis countered with three huge baskets of his own to protect a small Golden State lead.
A Kevin Garnett lay up with just over a minute left made the score 98-101. It would be the last basket made of the game.
Unusual Finish
After being fouled by C.J. Watson, Ray Allen made one of two foul shots with 4.4 seconds left. It left Boston down 99-101. In a surprise move, Ray then threw the ball hard at the basket to intentionally miss the next one, hitting the backboard but missing the rim. That resulted in a TO, giving the ball to Golden State.
In a move never before seen in an NBA basketball game (by me), Doc Rivers stationed his two tallest players, Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins, in front of Watson, the player throwing the ball in. Garnett and Perkins went crazy jumping and waving their hands. When Watson was unable to get the ball in, the Warriors called time out and substituted the taller Vladimir Radmanovic as the player to throw the ball in.
Perkins and KG again waved wildly, causing a huge distraction as Radmanovic was forced to throw a football pass leading Ellis to a spot in the back court. The scheme almost worked as Ellis started to fumble the ball a bit as he got to it. But he recovered and the Celtics were forced to foul him. Monte made both foul shots essentially ending the game.
Different Night Same Result
In this contest, Boston built an early 18 point lead, gave it up and led by one at the half. After exchanging a one point leads with the Warriors for most of the third quarter, the Cs tied the score at 84 all on a Rasheed Wallace three pointer with 9:38 left in the game.
Radical Environmentalists
For all the preseason talk about playing all out, all of the time, the Celtics are apparently pacing themselves after all. It has been quite a while, if at all this season, since we have seen 48 minutes of hard, hectic basketball from the Beantown Ballers a/k/a the Green Machine.
Winning 11 straight and 14 of 15 until this trip, every indication would suggest they are in fact, the Green Machine. But, in their greening of the NBA this season, you can call them the Radical Environmentalists. They are determined to conserve as much energy as possible in each game.
Turnovers= Recycling
As might expected, they were also into recycling. Acting as if it had a 10 cent deposit on it, they kept returning the ball back to the Warriors….like 25 times. Strangely, the Warriors got into the spirit and gave the ball up 18 times themselves. Both teams are eager thieves. Warriors are first in the NBA in steals, the Celtics are second and both were (say this with a droll English accent)… a bit sloppy passing.
The energy conservation has come back to bite them twice in a row now. No doubt, Paul Pierce is missed. No doubt, Kevin Garnett’s leg is still healing. And those are two big factors. They are a different team offensively without Pierce and a different team at both ends sporting a KG that’s a bit less mobile. But they have enough offensive weapons to win against most NBA teams on most nights and defense is largely effort and execution in the first place.
Ray Allen
Ray Allen shot his way to 24 points on 10 of 21 attempts, getting to the line for 3 of 5 free throws (call that a Ray Allen foul shooting slump), but only managed 1 of 7 from the three point line. He added 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Even in poor shooting games where he wasn’t hitting anything last season, you could count on Ray Allen to pull a Truman Capote. He would step into a deep one at the very end and…in cold blood… flick the bottom of the net and pull out a few close ones. Even in the games he spoke softly, he carried a big shot. He is a conversation ender.
With 36 seconds left in this contest, Ray came completely around the court from underneath, as he has done so many times before, breaking off his defender just enough on a screen, Ray received the pass from Rondo and missed one as he was falling slightly away from the basket. No Clutch Cargo this night.
With Paul Pierce out, Rajon Rondo has become more offensive minded. He led the Celtic scoring and made 11 of 18 shots. For the first time this season, he took more jumpers than lay-ups.
For some Celtic fans, it was still a good game to watch, but not one where you like the ending. To others, it was another opportunity lost to a team they should have beaten handily.
Tony Allen played well again and showed that he is one of the best finishers on the team and in the league. He had an insane finish against Rony Turiaf’s 6’10” body and outstretched arm for two…and one. It was outstretched against outstretched, as TA extended his shooting arm to get it over Turiaf’s extended shot blocking appendage. He had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. He did add 5 turnovers in a reversion to earlier habits.
Monte Ellis Enters New Level This Year
I always knew Monte Ellis had game. He has huge game, and a huge contract to match. He has really come along over his young career. With Stephen Jackson gone, he is becoming the face of the franchise. He now makes off balance, well defended shots as confidently as say…Paul Pierce. He is a big time, confident scorer and plays some defense as well. He had 20 points at the half on 8 of 13 shooting.
Rajon Rondo’s game keeps smoothing out a little bit every game. Even after missing two free throws at the end of the last game, Rondo jumps back in the deep end of the pool in the first half by attacking the basket and getting to the line for 7 foul shots…making 5.
Ray Allen clicked with 18 first half points on 8 of 12 shooting. He went 2 of 9 in the second half.
The Warriors of ‘The Don’ don’t win much but they don’t give up easy either. And they will pick you clean if they can.
After the Celtics went up 18 points in the second quarter, the Warriors storm back to tie on the back of 10 steals, 6 by reserve point guard C.J. Watson, tying a Warrior franchise record. Watson added 8 first half points, and 3 assists.
Davis was active with 3 points and 5 boards, 4 offensive but also had 4 TOs in 10 plus minutes. He left with a sprained ankle in the second half and didn’t return. The sprain is said to be minor.
Kevin Garnett finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds, but he, Perkins, and Wallace weren’t effective keeping the Warriors out of the paint nor could the Celtics stop them from running.
After starting out by out running the Warriors with 10 fast break points to Golden State’s one, the Warriors ended up with 20 fast break points and 46 points in the paint. They also added 14 offensive rebounds, with Radman leading with 5 o-boards.
Kendrick Perkins was top board man with 14 rebounds and 5 offensive as well. He scored 8 points on 4 of 5 shooting in 28 plus minutes and received another unwarranted technical foul, in my opinion.
Rasheed Wallace was 2 of 5 shooting…all from the three point line and added 4 rebounds.
In Westworld, you paid a lot to played a role from the past. How much the Celtics will pay for losing these two games only time will tell.
Things don’t get any easier as the Celtics next play the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. The Suns gave the Cs there first loss of the season, just routed the Lakers, and are tough at home.
Welcome to west world where nothing can go wrong…go wrong…go wrong.
The ball just barely left a leaping, twisting, fading Baron Davis’ hands at the three point line as the backboard lit up signaling the end of the game. The ball dropped cleanly through the net, as the Clippers, like last season, once again surprised the Boston Celtics on their west coast trip, 92-90.
It was the first sell out of the season for the Clippers, but had a number of Celtic fans in attendance, according to Mike Gorman.
The Pierce-less Boston Celtics led the entire second half and built as much as an 11 point lead. They held on until 8 seconds left when Rasual Butler hit a corner three pointer off a drive and dish from Baron to tie the game at 90.
Rajon Rondo then drove the lane and was fouled by Baron Davis on a lay up attempt with just 1.1 second left. In Greek mythology, super warrior Achilles’ weakness was in his heel. Among the Celtic gods of basketball, super warrior Rajon Rondo’s ‘heel’ is his jump shot and free throw shooting.
Playing a tremendous offensive game while leading the Celtics with 20 points on 9 of 16 shooting, and a lay up clinic in the first quarter, Rajon was unable to finish the Clippers off. It looked like overtime. Baron Davis made sure it wasn’t.
A season 54% free throw shooter this season, Rondo has actually been improving lately (63% over his last 8 games) and was 2 of 3 in this game up to that point. He actually missed three attempts, as there was a lane violation on the second attempt, giving Rajon another shot at winning the game.
Rajon has been hitting a few jumpers lately as well and made of 2 of 6 in this contest. Not exactly Ray Allen territory, but better than earlier in the year, when he wasn’t even taking jump shots.
Just as it appears we must accept Rasheed Wallace’s technicals, so it goes with Rondo’s lessons in free throws. Normally a pretty clutch player, Celtic fans will hope that Rajon improves in this category as he continues to grow his game.
Bump in the Road
The Celtics’ road winning streak ends at 9, as they fall to 13-2 on the road, and are now 23-6. After beating Orlando, they stood a half game behind the Lakers for home court advantage throughout the playoffs. They are now 1-1 on this road trip, having nullified that win to a certain extent with this rather unexpected loss.
Throughout a slow paced game, Boston looked in control for much of the game.
The first quarter was a back and forth affair with 2 ties and 7 lead changes, before the Celtics went up by as much as 8 points in the second quarter.
Rajon Rondo was aggressive attacking the hoop from the get-go. He was making highly difficult, well timed lay-ups and floaters over 7 foot shot blockers Chris Kaman and DeAndre Jordan. He ended the first quarter as the Celtic leading scorer with ten points, adding 3 of his 6 assists along the way.
The second quarter featured Rasheed Wallace early. Sheed made three straight post up jumpers over Brain Skinner and DeAndre Jordan as the Celtics went up 30-26.
Glen Davis Productive
Glen played in his second game of the season and had a productive burst with 4 points, 4 offensive rebounds, an assists and a steal in 7 second quarter minutes, giving the Celtics some needed energy, particularly on the boards.
Davis finished with 8 points on 3 of 4 shooting and 6 rebounds in 15 minutes with the team’s best plus/minus at +5.
A driving Ray Allen lay up extended the lead to 38-30. Ray finished second on the Celtics with 13 points on 6 of 12 shooting. Ray also made the only Celtic three point shot as the Cs went 1 for 12 from the arc.
The Celtics went up 60-50 in the third quarter on a Kendrick Perkins spin-around banking jumper and had their biggest lead at 65-54 on a Perkins lay up after Rondo passed to Ray in the middle who spun and dropped it in to Perkins for a lay up.
After going up 71-61 on a Ray Allen assisted Rajon Rondo lay up, the Clippers went on an 8-2 run to close out the third, finishing down just 73-69.
In the fourth quarter, Davis had a put back to make to 77-74, then Tony Allen got active. He was blocked, but put it right back up to make it 79-74. After that Glen Davis blocked Craig Smith, but Baron Davis hit a three pointer shortly after.
Eddie House was fouled as he hit a long two pointer and made the free throw to go up 84-79. Shortly after, Ray Allen made a floater in the lane to go up 86-81.
Rajon Rondo did his pass fake move and spun and hit a jumper for an 88-84 lead with 3:29 left.
The Celtics would only score once more. Kevin Garnett deflected a Baron Davis pass and Tony Allen made a fast break lay up to go up 90-87 with exactly 2 minutes left. The Celtics wouldn’t score again.
Kevin Garnett played 31 minutes and looked pretty good overall, but started slowly offensively.
After shooting 2 of 7 in the first half, he went 3 of 4 in the third quarter, as Rondo drove and kicked to an open Garnett for his easy jumpers. I am sure it was with KG’s leg in mind that Rajon Rondo chose not to throw an alley oop to a driving Garnett as he headed right for the basket at one point. Instead, he kicked it back out to Ray Allen for an outside shot. Garnet finished with 12 points on 5 of 13 shooting.
Tony Allen started again in Paul Pierce’s place and comported himself well with 4 steals, 4 assists, solid defense, while adding a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Kendrick Perkins had his hands full with Chris Kaman who scored a game high 27 points and added 12 rebounds. It was one of the best offensive games I’ve ever seen Chris play. He made jump shots, lay ups and put backs, keeping the Clippers in the game with Baron Davis.
Perkins scored 9 points with 6 rebounds, and one block, but had 4 turnovers. He was visibly upset with certain calls and non-calls throughout the game. But it Eddie House who got a technical.
According to Mike Gorman, Celtic announcer, the language that the ref said he gave House the T for, was something that is said regularly by many players throughout any given game. In other words, the T was uncalled for.
House attempted just one three pointer, missing it, but shot 4 of 7 for 10 points, as the fifth Celtic in double figures on the night. Of note, Ray Allen brought the ball up when he was in the game with House.
While Rajon Rondo was trying to make Baron Davis and the Clippers defend him, Baron was making life difficult for Rondo and the Celtics at the other end. Davis had 13 points and 7 assists by half time. Baron finished the game with 24 points on 3 of 4 lay-ups, 3 of 6 jumpers and 9 for 9 from the free throw line. He added 13 assists and 3 steals, while also having 6 turnovers.
Things That Make You Want to Go Hmmm.
In a game that is lost by a single basket, you can point to a lot things that might have contributed to the loss. But a Wallace missed easy dunk on a Rondo feed and Rasheed’s 0-6 from the three point line stand out, as ‘things that make you want go hmm’.
It was not a normal Celtic-like game. The Cs had only 21 assists on 39 made baskets. That is quite low and while the Celtics play a controlled pace, it seemed to play into the Clippers’ hands.
The Clippers are 20th in pace and 24th in offensive rating by Basketball-Reference.com.
Other stats of interest:
Second Chance points –
While Celtics enjoyed a rare and large advantage on the offensive boards to one of the league’s best offensive rebounding teams (12 to 4), and had more second chance points overall, the Clippers were more efficient with 11 second chance points to the Celtics 16.
Fastbreaks – Celtics 12, Clippers 9 Points in the Paint – Celtics 46, Clippers 48 Points off Turnovers – Celtics 17, Clippers 14
The Celtics head right over to Golden State for a 10:30 game on Monday night.
Paul Pierce was out. Jameer Nelson was back. They were playing the Magic in Orlando, a team that beat them without Jameer Nelson, their starting point guard in Boston. None of that mattered to Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics.
Rajon played with a red headband that made for a festive look combined with his green uniform on Christmas Day. He was simultaneously Ebenezer Scrooge and Santa Claus, depending on which side you root for. To the Magic, he was more like the evil Leprechaun from the movie of the same name.
Rajon Rondo continues to establish himself as a big game player. Ragin’ Rajon scored 17 points, pulling a Scrooge imitation by grabbing 13 rebounds, while handing out gift baskets on 8 assists in a close encounter with a triple double, leading the Celtics to victory. The more he gave, the more the Celtics received. He was the Salvation Army all by himself.
It was another defensive battle between two great defensive teams locked in year long combat for dominance of the Eastern Conference. The Celtics shot 43% and held the Magic to 33% overall, but only 25% in the first half as the Celtics overtook an early 10-4 Orlando lead to open up an 11 point half time lead, 38-27. The Magic’s 27 points tied a franchise low and Orlando’s 8 point second quarter set a new franchise low.
That Rondo was able to impact the game the way he did was a giant step forward for the diminutive guard. Rondo was criticized by his coach and others for delivering a somewhat disappointing performance against Rafer Alston and Anthony Johnson in the playoffs last season. He followed that up with another mortal performance (3-11 shooting, no foul shots, 6 points, 6 assists) in the two teams first meeting this season against off season addition and newly ‘unretired’ 34 year old Jason Williams. With Jameer Nelson back this time, Rondo delivered big time.
Teams with strong defensive front lines have been a problem at times for Rondo. Though he is without much help, Dwight Howard is a strong front line all by himself. Rondo was able to penetrate, score, dish, and generally control the game.
Ray Allen led the Celtics with 18 points on 5 of 12 shooting, but grabbed 6 rebounds and distributed 4 assists to the cause.
The starting guards were rebounding hard, perhaps with extra intent. Kevin Garnett returned to play after sitting one out with a bruised thigh and Kendrick Perkins would be busy shutting down Dwight Howard.
Perkins Working Holiday Overtime
As we have come to expect, Perkins plays Lex Luther to Howard’s Superman. Dwight was Kryptonited by Kendrick Perkins once gain with a 1 for 7 shooting performance. Howard has already admitted that Perkins gives him trouble, while that was made nationally known in the May series last season.
It’s apparently easier to hold Dwight in check on the offensive end. Howard grabbed 20 rebounds, blocked 4 shots and altered numerous others. But he scored only 5 points, his lowest total this season and the lowest in over a year, when he scored 4 points on November 16, 2008.
A combined effort by Perkins, Garnett, and Rasheed Wallace kept Dwight off his favorite spots deep in the paint all night.
KG played 32 minutes, adding 10 points and 7 boards while showing why he is the anchor to a strong defensive Celtic team. Their defense on Orlando in the first half was superb. They held the Magic to 10 made shots on 40 attempts, including 2 of 13 from the three point line.
Rasheed Wallace logged 32 minutes, adding 11 points, 8 rebounds, a block and two steals in a solid performance.
Both teams had way too many turnovers with Rondo leading the way with 8. But at least 3 of those were offensive fouls of the charging kind. Dwight Howard added 7 turnovers. The Celtics had 20 total while the Magic had 18.
Orlando was still up 25-20 early in the second quarter when Boston went on a 18-2 run to close out the quarter and first half. Orlando scored 2 points in the final 7:23 of the first half. Rondo scored 13 of his 17 points in the opening half, but had zero assists at the half and 6 of his turnovers.
Orlando was held to 8 second quarter points and tied a franchise low 27 for the half.
Boston held serve as Orlando played catch up the rest of the game.
Tony Allen played yet another strong game as he started for Paul Pierce and contributed 16 points and 4 rebounds in 21 plus minutes.
Perkins numbers were as modest as his defense was strong on Howard. Kendrick added 4 rebounds, 6 points and 3 blocked shots in just 20 minutes.
The Magic exited the floor to the tune of Blue Christmas, as the Celtics, dressed in green as Grinches, stole their Christmas defensively. The Celtics sent a strong message that they would be ready for all challenges to their quest for a second title in the Garnett Era.
Speaking of Garnett, all was well until he had a hard fall right near the end of the game. It looked like he landed on his tail bone, and he appeared to be in some pain. He did not return to the game. Doc Rivers later reported that it was a bump on the head. Apparently it was not serious, as reported in the Globe…
Doc Rivers….
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Garnett mostly had a bruise on his head. Garnett said he was fine.
“If he grew some hair, it wouldn’t hurt so much,” Rivers joked.
The Celtics are now 23-5. They are 14-1 over the last 15 games. They are a league leading 13-1 on the road. The win establishes a 2 game lead for home court advantage over Orlando. The Cavaliers beat the Lakers and are 1.5 games behind the Celtics.
The Celtics head west for three games starting with the L.A. Clippers on Sunday.
It was an ugly game to start. It got much better in the second half but…
If you are looking for a good example of a ‘gutting it out’ game, bookmark this one.
It took some strong second half defense and Paul Pierce’s 14 fourth quarter points to pull this one out. Pierce scored 19 second half points after going 0-7 for 2 points in the first half. But it wasn’t that easy. It looked like it was going to be another single digit scoring game for the Celtics’ captain.
Ray Allen led the Cs with 23 points, and with Garnett out with a lingering muscle bruise on his right thigh, Perkins stepped up with 19 important points. But it was Pierce’s 4th quarter burst that decided the game. He finished with 21 points.
On a night nothing seemed in sync offensively for the Cs, Pierce missed his first ten shots, including some open jumpers and a few lay ups. While you have to give Dahntay Jones’ defense some credit, Paul’s timing was just off. That is until he willed his focus back, as he done so many times before…late in the 4th quarter.
With the score tied at 86 with just over 4 minutes left in the game, Pierce scored 7 straight and 11 of the next 13 Celtic points to pull away 99-90 with just under a minute left.
But the precursor to that was a third quarter rally that brought the Celtics back to a 77 tie heading into the fourth. Rajon Rondo’s 5 assists, Kendrick Perkins’ 13 points and 3 blocks and Ray Allen’s 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists led that rally. The Celtics outscored Indiana 35-20 coming out of the break.
The Green Team shot a season low 30% in the first and trailed the Danny Granger-less Pacers by 15 at 57-42 at the break. They out scored the Pacers in the second half 61-37.
Whether it was Garnett’s absence or thoughts of getting home for the holiday, or both, the Celtics were playing ugly in the first half.
With 10 second half steals and 15 overall, you could say they stole this one from the Pacers. Rajon Rondo led with 6 while Paul Pierce added 5 more.
Rondo was active all game in the passing lanes but paid little defensive attention to his counterpart, journeyman Earl Watson. Watson has surprisingly won the starting job from T.J. Ford. Watson was often left unattended and made the Celtics pay by scored 18 first half points, including 3 of 5 from the arc. Once the Celtics decided to win this game with defense, he went scoreless in the second half.
That gut check, willful fourth quarter rally by a previously misfiring Paul Pierce mustered the Celtics to finally turn back the stubborn Pacers. The Celtics had gone ahead 86-81, when Troy Murphy hit a three pointer and another jump shot to tie it up again. That was when Pierce took off his Clark Kent glasses and put on his Superman costume to save the day. Paul added 6 rebounds to his points and steals line stats.
After trying to be the facilitator in recent games, Paul Pierce was actively searching out his shot. He went 4 of 15 shooting and was a season high 12 of 13 from the free throw line. He was trying to draw contact and get to the line, as the shots weren’t dropping.
Rajon Rondo played an aggressive game, taking and making more jump shots and finished with 13 points and 9 assists to go with his 6 steals.
Ray Allen added 7 rebounds and was 9-9 from the free throw line. Those are the second most attempts of the season for Ray.
The Celtics shot 36 of 39 from the free throw line, which, I think, is a season high for both makes and attempts. With such poor shooting accuracy all night (they finished at .38%), that is the reason they reached 102 points on the evening.
Rasheed Wallace hurt his shoulder (they called it a stinger) but played through the pain and cornered 13 rebounds and 3 steals and deflected a number of other passes. By seeing him play on a nightly basis, I am seeing just how good he is at steals and deflections from behind.
As noted, Kevin Garnett did not play. Danny Granger did not play. Even with everything Garnett does for the Celtics, you would have to say the bigger loss and adjustment would have been for the Pacers. With Granger they are not a good team. Without him they are simply worse.
Yet they led the lethargic Boston Celtics by 15 points at half time 57-42.
It took some strong Celtic defense and Rondo, Perkins and Ray Allen to turn this back into a game. Then Paul Pierce closed it out.
In a cautionary move, and to allow a lingering muscle bruise in one leg to heal better, Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge decided to keep a protesting Kevin Garnett out of this game for his first DNP of the season.
With their emotional leader sidelined, the Celtics took a while to get some energy, intensity…and defense going. In fact, it was the second unit, in the first half, with Tony Allen (4 pts.) and Brian Scalabrine (3 rebounds, 2 assists and energy that was lacking from the first unit) that woke up the Celtics play. Then Eddie House became the first Celtic to find the range with 10 first half points on 4 of 4 shooting.
As Donny Marshall noted on air, there have been statistically backed theories that House scores most and best when the lead is already in hand. While that could be true, House contributed a number of key baskets to important rallies last season in particular. Last night, he was the only one hitting in the otherwise dismal first half.
Troy Murphy had a big game with 24 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Pacers.
Garnett is expected to play in the Christmas Day game against Orlando.
Stats of interest:
After starting with 4 turnovers in the first quarter, the Celtics finished with just 10 on the night.
Ray Hibbert blocked 6 shots.
The Celtics won despite shooting .380% to .446% on the night.
The biggest stat:
Points off Turnovers: Celtics 32, Pacers 13
The Celtics next play in Orlando against the Magic on Christmas Day. It should be a good one.
Merry Christmas to all Christians and happy holiday to everyone!
Everything went according to plan for pretty much 48 minutes. That’s not saying they played hard for 48 minutes.
But, for a blow out, it was surprisingly entertaining game. It had some tremendous plays, and it even had the expected and now patented “We’re a bit bored” Celtic let down in the second half.
Paul Pierce was a perfect 6 for 6 from the three point line, took game honors with 29 points and led 7 Celtics in double figures. Ray Allen supported with 20 points and 3 of 6 three pointers himself. Tony Allen has another solid overall game, finishing 3rd with 15 points and capable defense off the bench. The returning TA has been making an impact every game so far.
If you’re not getting what I’m saying, let me be clear. The Celtics blew out the Wolves in the first half with ridiculous ‘you are nothing’ numbers like…
a 66-41 score.
Like .625 shooting to .312 shooting.
Like 16 Paul Pierce points.
Like 6 blocked shots and 4 steals.
Like old school Celtic fast breaking to the tune of 22 points.
Seriously. For a while, I thought I might see John Havlicek come off the bench. It was that fast and that good.
For those having a hard time figuring it out, that means that Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, as good as you think they are, are… among the rest of the Wolves… slow to get back.
You saw Kendrick Perkins blocking 3 shots, getting 6 rebounds, yet out there leading the break and finishing them off a few times. Rajon Rondo was pushing the ball and making those synchronized sliver passes that only he can. Looking like the Celtic version of the boss, Rajon Rondo was born to run. He had 9 assists by half time, including a few advanced basketball physics… ‘how’d he do thats?’
Like the 76ers game, the Green Team started strong, then played entirely different for much of the second half.
After smothering the entire pack early, the Wolves scored 63 second half points, while they shot 54% on 23 of 42 attempts. They outscored the Celtics by 7 in the second half and with four of the Celtic starters back on the floor with 5 minutes to go in the game, the Wolves trimmed the lead to 12 points.
The Celtics had just 3 fast break points in the second half and didn’t look that all that interested in playing defense, either.
Let’s understand. The Timberwolves with Kevin Love back are a better team than they were. They were 2-16 before he came back. They are 3-7 since his return. That’s not that impressive, but there is a difference. But the Celtics could have destroyed them, even worse than it turned out. But that is this years Celtics.
The Celtics ran out, literally, to that big lead in the first half, then coasted home after a slight scare in the 4th quarter caused Doc Rivers to put the starters back in. Memories were fresh of the second half swoon to Philly resulting in a home loss. A similar second half let down saw a 26 point lead shrink to within striking distance with a little over 5 minutes left. That was enough to give fans, and Doc Rivers a ‘cause to pause’.
Unlike the 76ers’game, that is where it ended. They kicked it back into gear enough in order to win going away against one of the worst teams in the league. But… did you get your money’s worth? You bet.
Unlike the last game against the 76ers, the Celtics ended up playing with enough urgency to keep the Wolves at bay the entire game.
Final push
After the gap closed to 12, Tony Allen made a lay-up off a Rasheed pass for his 15th points of the game. Ray came in for Tony. Sheed hit two foul shots. Kevin Garnett still has that jump shot on automatic and hit his 4th shot on only his 5th attempt of the game for his tenth and final points. Rondo drove and kicked to Ray for a missed three, then came down and did it again, this time with Pierce, who hit his 6th straight three point bomb of the game. Later Ray Allen drained a three for a 118-98 lead with 2:40 left. Game over. Send in the subs.
Play of the game Eddie House touch passed a steal to himself as he started to head down court. It was going out of bounds, but House got to it and threw it behind his back perfectly to a running Tony Allen. Allen headed for the paint and was met at the rim by 6’ 9” Cory Brewer, where TA posterized Brewer with a vicious slam.
The Celtics also had a beautiful fast break where Rondo zeroed in on Tony Allen, who was at the rim. Tony dropped to Kendrick coming from the other side for the slam.
The Celtics were generous with their passing all evening, finishing with 34 assists on 42 made baskets. Rajon Rondo led with 15 assists, but Eddie House and Paul Pierce added 4 more dimes each.
Pierce had a solid all around game with 7 rebounds to go with his 29 points and 4 assists.
Kendrick Perkins finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Rajon Rondo had 15 assists, 3 steals and 13 points, including a few jump shots. He also got another technical foul.
Numbers
The Celtics had a season high 25 fast beak points, but gave up 19 to the Timberwolves.
The Celtics had 17 points off turnovers to the Wolves 21.
The Timberwolves are a different team rebounding with Love back and had 12 offensive boards to the Celtics 4. Love had 5 of those.
The Celtics scored just 17 second chance points to Minny’s 21.
The Wolves outscored the Celtics in the paint 50-42.
Considering how easy the Celtics gained control, the let down was understandable. For a player that has a reputation as a defensive player, how Damien Wilkins (and Cory Brewer) left Paul Pierce open so much at the three point line is hard to imagine. Pierce is deadly from the arc this season and should never be left alone there. Yet, he had a lot of time to shoot those daggers.
Just one of the many problems the Wolves are dealing with. The Celtics move to 20-5 and meet the Pacers on Tuesday night at home.
I’d like to introduce Jay King of the Celtics Town blog to all the Celtics Central readers. Jay has been writing up a storm for his Celtics Town blog and has his own unique insights into all things Celtic. Check out his site when you get a chance.In order to bring you a different voice and some varied opinion here, Jay has graciously agreed to write for Celtics Central on occasion.
Today, Jay breaks down the Celtics’ loss to the 76ers. Don’t shoot him. He is only the messenger. It’s all Jay from here on….
Elton Brand was supposed to be washed up, wasn’t he? He was supposed to be over the hill, past his prime, a shell of what he used to be, right? At least for one night, though, we were all witnesses to his renaissance. Brand tipped in a Marreese Speights miss with 7.7 seconds to go, thereby completing a 23 points, 8 rebound night that had basketball fans scratching their heads, confounded that he still has something left in the tank.
I knew the Celtics weren’t going to end the season 78-4. I knew their winning streak was going to end sometime. But why, oh why, did it have to end like that?
After a first half that saw the Celtics pound the ball down low, take advantage of their size, and execute to find easy shots, Boston played listless basketball for the final two quarters, failing to match Philly’s improved intensity. When Paul Pierce isolated at the top of the key for his patented stepback jumper as time wound down, I thought Boston was going to pull out a victory, but I found myself thinking, “They don’t deserve it.”
Because, really, they were outworked and even out-executed by Philadelphia during a second-half surge that erased what at one point was a 15-point Celtics lead.
For the Sixers, Elton Brand and Speights led the way with 40 points and 18 rebounds off the bench , but even those gaudy statistics can’t describe how big an impact they had on the game. During the first quarter, Philly played a small lineup featuring Thaddeus Young at power forward, and as Boston dominated down low and earned a 20-9 advantage on the glass, I wondered what Eddie Jordan was doing; he left Young in to guard KG, even when KG and Perk were scoring at will, even when he had the physical tandem of Brand and Speights on the bench watching Boston massacre Philly down low. As soon as Speights and Brand came into the game, though, things changed. No longer were buckets so easy down low, no longer were rebounds so easy to come by. By the end of the game, the Sixers were dead even with Boston in rebounds, and one ahead in the point column.
Before the game, when I turned on the T.V., the starting lineups flashed on the screen, and I saw Thad Young was starting at power forward, I started licking my chops. Young trying to guard Kevin Garnett down low is kind of like Tiger Woods and marriage; even if it worked at the beginning, it wasn’t going to work forever. If the Sixers kept that lineup, and the Celtics were aggressive attacking down low, I knew it was going to be a long, long night for Philly.
After the first quarter, I knew – just knew – my assumptions were correct… only it was going to be an even longer night for Philly than I expected. Kendrick Perkins was gobbling up rebounds, Garnett was sealing Young directly underneath the basket for easy scores, and the Celtics as a team were focused and intent on pounding the Sixers into submission. In that first quarter, the Celtics seemed to start every possession with an entry pass to one of their big men, and it paid huge benefits; a 20-9 advantage on the board and a seven-point lead (24-17) that would have been even bigger had the Celtics not coughed up six turnovers. Garnett himself had 8 points and 5 rebounds in the first quarter, and Perk had 6 points and 8 rebounds. They were utterly dominant.
(Side note on Perkins: Perk doesn’t exactly look like an altar boy. He’s a hulking 6′10″ figure who only stops scowling when… well, he never exactly stops scowling. He’s a chiseled 278 pounds, and looks strong enough to tear apart a car with his two, beefy mitts – or at least strong enough to single-cover Dwight Howard. But if you listened to the Comcast Sports New England telecast tonight, you know that he did, in fact, serve as an altar boy through his senior year in high school. In fact, he was the head of the altar boys, the biggest, strongest, scowling’est head altar boy around.)
Back to the Celtics: After the first quarter was over, they stopped utilizing their size advantage and stopped executing to get easy scores. Scratch that: for a little while, they kept right on doing what they were doing. Rasheed Wallace was in at center, and he was abusing Mareese Speights. He got fouled on a dunk attempt, went right around Speights, missed his shot but cleaned up his own mess, then hit a step-back jumper that kissed off the glass. ‘Sheed was hot, and he was scoring at will, but unfortunately, he also has a bit of a temper.
After Rasheed was whistled for his third foul on an odd (I wouldn’t want to get fined by the NBA for calling it anything else) moving-screen foul, the telecast cut to a commercial. When it came back, ‘Sheed was being escorted into the locker room, after a heated conversation with the referee had resulted in two technical fouls and an automatic trip to the showers.
Even after Rasheed was ejected and the Celtics stopped going down low, they still played good basketball for the remainder of the half. During the rest of the second quarter, the star was… wait for it… keep waiting… keep waiting, this one’s good… Tony Allen. Yeah, THAT Tony Allen. The much-maligned Tony Allen. The oft-criticized Tony Allen. The down-to-his-last-chance Tony Allen. I would go on, but I think you get the point.
TA was simply great tonight, especially in the second quarter. He pressured the ball and forced turnovers. He got into the passing lane and came away with steals. He even played with calm, care and patience, attacking the basket when he could and taking whatever the defense gave him. When Allen jetted in front of Andre Iguodala for a steal, then went all the way to the other end for a resounding tomahawk dunk, I was never more stunned.
I was stunned not because Allen stole the basketball and not because he finished with a very nice dunk, but because his celebration (which kind of looked like some type of rain dance) was so over-the-top it even made Kendrick Perkins smile. I’ll repeat that one more time, for those of you who are just skimming this article. Kendrick. Perkins. Smiled. I don’t think that’s ever happened before, not once. Not even back when he was an altar boy. (Side note: At halftime, some guy hit a halfcourt shot that netted him $50,000 dollars. Even after unexpectedly winning all that money, his celebration paled in comparison to Tony Allen’s… which came after a mostly meaningless dunk. The NBA: where excessive celebration happens.)
I would go on and give an in-depth explanation of the second half, but I don’t want to depress you… or myself. It was simply a lot of turnovers, a lot of botched possessions, and a lot of Marreese Speights and Elton Brand. A few times in the fourth quarter, it still looked like the Celtics would pull it out, but every big play they made in the fourth was only a tease. For whatever reason, after the second quarter, the C’s couldn’t maintain the required effort to sustain and build a lead.
If that last Pierce shot had been a couple inches shorter, this game would have been nothing but an all-too-exciting win. Instead, it’s nothing but a bad loss to a mediocre (to be kind) team.
Maybe the Celtics will go merely 77-5?
******
Anything else I’m forgetting? As always, yes…
Tonight was the first game in a long time in which Rajon Rondo did not look like he was in complete control. He forced a lot of things, and had a lot of turnovers.
Shelden Williams played some very good minutes, highlighted by a nice catch and finish to end the third quarter ahead, 76-72.
Ray, after a touching pre-game ceremony where he was honored for raching the 20,000 point milestone, made a couple of huge drives in the fourth, and a big three on a kick-out from Garnett.
KG was aggressive and played well, but didn’t shoot nearly as well as he has been shooting from the floor (only 5-14 shooting).
Until that last play, Pierce wasn’t looking for his shot. Not even a little bit. But his missed dunk over Iguodala could have given the C’s the momentum they needed to win the game.
For the Sixers, Willie Green was good, Iguodala can do a lot of things on a basketball court, and Jrue Holiday, despite being very raw, has a lot of talent.
