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6 days ago

Painful Reminders (Part I): The Celtics Drafted JaJuan Johnson Instead of Jimmy Butler

On June 23rd, 2011, Brian Robb and I stood around a high top bar table in Tommy Doyle’s in Kendall Square.  Before us lay one of the biggest mounds of buffalo chicken wings I had ever endeavor to make disappear.  These 25 cent flappers- one of the few indulgences afforded to the participants of our [...]

19
7 days ago

Chris Wilcox: 2012-13 Final Grade

There are a number of contextually-appropriate ways to craft this post. One would be to forgo words entirely, and represent Chris Wilcox’s entire season with a series of videos. That would involve one part of this: For every eight parts of this: Note the headline on that second clip. Someone was so amused/enraged by Wilcox’s [...]

12
8 days ago

Rajon Rondo’s 2012-13 Final Grade

Here’s a sweeping general statement involving super specific statistics that may or may not mean anything: In the 1423 minutes Rajon Rondo played this season, the Boston Celtics were outscored by 1.3 points per 100 possessions. When he sat (including all contests after he tore his ACL), Boston was better than their opponents by 1.8 [...]

93
8 days ago

Avery Bradley Elected to NBA All-Defense Second Team

Avery Bradley has been a standout defender for the past couple seasons…in the regular season anyway. Now he has a trophy to prove it. The NBA announced this afternoon that the third-year guard has been elected by coaches around the league to the second-team all-NBA defensive team for the first time in his career. Bradley [...]

13
12 days ago

Paul Pierce’s Contract: Dispelling The Myths and Stating The Facts

The first domino to fall this offseason is Paul Pierce’s contract. Until Danny Ainge figures out what he’s doing there, little else matters. As we wait for this decision, we also must face the rest of the offseason, which means it is also rumor season. With that time of year, comes plenty of information floating [...]

42
12 days ago

Final Grade: Avery Bradley (C+)

In his third year in the league, in which promising players often make brash leaps from benchwarmer to starter, from starter to star, Avery Bradley took a big step back. But his regression might be deceptive. When he returned to the Celtics’ lineup on January the 2nd after two in-season months recovering from offseason shoulder [...]

9
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Game 19/66: Cavaliers (7-11) @ Celtics (9-9) Open Thread

Cleveland at Boston
6:00 P.M. ET
TD Garden
CSNNE

Offensive Efficiency:
Boston: 98.8 points/100 possessions (18th)
Cleveland: 97.6 points/100 possessions (T-21st)

Defensive Efficiency:
Boston: 95.3 points allowed/100 possessions (3rd)
Cleveland: 101.5 points allowed/100 possessions (22nd)

Key Injuries:
Boston: Rajon Rondo is out.  Ray Allen and Keyon Dooling are both questionable.  And it looks like Jermaine O’Neal is going to give it a go.
Cleveland: Injury free.

UPDATE: Boobie Gibson for Cleveland  is out with a stiff neck.  Ray is going to play.  Rondo and Dooling are out.  Jermaine O’Neal is a true game time decision.  Doc still doesn’t know.

Probable Cleveland Starters: Kyrie Irving (PG), Anthony Parker (SG), Omri Casspi (SF), Antawn Jamison (PF), Anderson Varejao (C)

View From The Opposing Bench: Cavs The Blog

THUMBNAIL

The Celtics get their first look at the number one overall pick Kyrie Irving tonight and I doubt the outing will disappoint.  While I have serious doubts about Irving’s ability to become an elite player, it was cool to see him put up an efficient 32 points against the Nets.  I don’t expect the same kind of production against the C’s.  If Avery Bradley can slow down Jameer Nelson and John Wall it’s only natural to assume he’ll pester to rook’ all evening.

On the injury front, the Celtics look like they’ll be without Rajon Rondo, Keyon Dooling, and Ray Allen.  This is all subject to change but honestly, I hope it doesn’t.  The C’s are rolling right now and the none of those players are going to allow Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett to play less minutes.  It’s true that with Rondo and Allen back, Pierce won’t be required to be as versatile but he’s still going to be running up and down as much.

As for the Cavaliers, the league’s worst team last season have played much better this season.  They are still going to need some time before the young guys really put it all together but there are definitely reasons to be encouraged (if you’re a Cavs’ fan, of course).  The Cavs have played pretty well in their wins, sporting double-digit point differentials in 6 out of their 7 victories.  They can score and they also give themselves extra opportunities by how well they rebound the ball offensively.  Brian said as much today in ESPN Boston’s 3-on-3:

Varejao is an absolute menace.  He never stops moving and works hard for every board, point, and scrap he can get on the court.  To Cavs fans, he’s the quintessential energy player.  To everyone else, he’s annoying.  The Celtics will need to do everything necessary to contain him.  And I mean everything:

PREDICTION

There’s really no point in betting against the C’s right now with the way they’re rolling.  Couple that with the fact that the Cavs only have one quality win on the season (1/6 against Minnesota) and the C’s should prevail.

Celtics 101, Cavaliers 93

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