The Herald got it right from Rondo’s agent. According to his agent, Bill Duffy, the Celtics point guard has been named to the Eastern Conference All-star roster, presumably to replace Joe Johnson, the injured Atlanta Hawks guard. This would be Rondo’s third all-star appearance. Nice birthday present for RR, who probably should have been selected [...]
We apologize if your comments are being deleted (provided that they are not offensive). We are looking into why this is happening. We also want to apologize for the lack of a game thread for last night’s game. We had a premonition that the Celtics would play that poorly and thought if we pretended the [...]
I talked with Detroit star forward Greg Monroe prior to the Celtics-Pistons game on Wednesday night. Here is what the 2nd year big man out of Georgetown, who is averaging 16.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game had to say. 1. Just your 2nd year in the league, but playing so well, were you disappointed [...]
Readers! Last week’s responses to the 5-on-5 questions were really, really great. We had way more qualified answers than we were able to use. So we’re going to keep doing it! FOREVER. Here are this week’s questions: 1. Are you concerned about Rondo’s media boycott this week? 2. The trade deadline is less than a [...]
I talked with Chicago starting guard Ronnie Brewer prior to the Celtics-Bulls game on Sunday. Here is what the 6th year man out of Arkansas who is averaging 7.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists had to say. 1. You guys have a lot of the same players back from last year’s team which was [...]
I talked to Los Angeles back up big man Josh McRoberts prior to the Celtics-Lakers game Thursday night at the Garden. Here is what the former Duke Blue Devil, who is averaging 2.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in his first year in LA, had to say. 1. How have you guys been able to deal [...]
I hope everyone is having a very happy Friday. I, for one, am having a very nostalgic one. I have had a few musings kicking around my brainskull for a few weeks and I just had to let ‘em out.
In no particular order:
Remember when Wilson Chandlerpresumably could have been had for a first round pick? At least there was some speculation this offseason about the Knicks being desperate for a first round pick to either trade for Rudy Fernandez (dodged a bullet on that one Knickerbockers) or somehow be involved in the would-be midseason Carmelo Anthony Sweepstakes.During the offseason, NO ONE wanted Chandler and Portland refused to give Fernandez up for just a pick. Right now Fernandez is averaging a career low 34% from deep (per 36 minutes) meanwhile Chandler is tearing it up offensively. Chandler is averaging 38% from deep, 18.5 points, and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes (all career highs). How many teams would give up a first round pick for that kind of production? To put it another way, how many teams would give up Avery Bradley for that kind of production? Avery Bradley and a first round pick? For any team that wants to win now, they might be shaking their heads at the thought of what could have been.Chandler is clearly benefiting from Mike D’Antoni’s loosey-goosey approach to offense but despite having his reins slackened, Chandler has still had to put the ball in the hole. And he has.
Remember when everyone was afraid of a Celtics-themed starting center controversy? When the Celtics spent last offseason’s full midlevel exception on Jermaine O’Neal the speculation was such that he would start until Perkins returned to form and Shaquille O’Neal would be an ancillary piece. Boy, do we all have egg on our faces. Obviously, no one could have predicted that Jermaine O’Neal would get injured (oh, you say you had that one?). Equally true, no one could have predicted how productive Shaq would be.I find it interesting that it was just a year ago where the Cavaliers traded for Shaq to “win a ring for the King” and people actually thought it would work. Now everyone knows better. Shaq is not a number two option at this stage in his career. He hasn’t been for quite some time. The beauty of Shaq being on the Celtics is that he doesn’t have to be any option. He can literally run back-and-forth from free throw line to free throw line and be exactly what the Celtics need him to be (don’t believe me? Watch the last three minutes of the San Antonio game post Jermaine O’Neal foul out).There are a lot of personalities in the Celtic locker room, but who could have predicted that poor health would ameliorate any tension as to whom should start? Apparently, Jermaine O’Neal is coping well with this reality:Julian Benbow, Boston Globe: “Since his return to the lineup on Christmas Day in Orlando, Fla., though, he’s embraced all the mop-and-bucket assignments.“It comes through time,’’ O’Neal said. “I’m learning on the go, and I think you guys know it, and they’re trying to put me in a position to be successful.’’…Buying in mostly means not deluding himself into believing that he’ll be putting up superstar numbers. “That’s the job handed to me,’’ O’Neal said. “I come in, rebound, block shots, help on the pick-and-roll, clog up the lane. We know who our key guys are.’’’
Who would have thought the Celtics’ inability to stay healthy would quash any starting lineup controversy. Each player now has the obvious fall back responses if and when they are asked about not starting and are irked by it. “My knee was acting up so Doc wanted to limit my minutes” or “I’ve just been banged up and playing a lot of minutes so Doc decided to go easy on me“. Perfect.
Remember when Glen Davis was concerned about his role and about the newbies usurping his playing time? Big Baby’s role is still to be determined but that’s just as much his fault as Doc Rivers’. Davis does not do any one thing particularly better than the other which is why he is going to be stuck in a revolving door of assignments for his whole career. As for his playing time concerns, how inconsequential do those look now? He’s far more important to the Celtics’ success than Shaq or JO. I understand the trepidation, especially being in a contract year, but it’s funny to now see that Davis had nothing to worry about from the start.
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