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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 [...]

16
6 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
7 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 [...]

92
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
11 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
11 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 51/66: Celtics (28-22) @ Timberwolves (25-27) Open Thread

(Written by Michael Pina)

Boston @ Minnesota
Target Center
8:00 PM
CSNNE

Offensive Efficiency
Boston: 100.5 points/100 possessions (26th)
Minnesota: 105.2 points/100 possessions (12th)

Defensive Efficiency
Boston:
99.4 points allowed/100 possessions (3rd)
Minnesota: 105.0 points allowed/100 possessions (17th)

Probable Minnesota starters: Luke Ridnour (PG), Martell Webster (SG), Wesley Johnson (SF), Derrick Williams (PF), Kevin Love (C)

View From The Opposing Bench: A Wolf Among Wolves

Thumbnail: Since July 31, 2007, the Boston Celtics have faced the Minnesota Timberwolves eight times. July 31st, of course, was the fateful day these two teams participated in one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history. Kevin Garnett was shipped to the Celtics for five players and two first-round draft picks. Of that package, Wayne Ellington (existing as one of the draft picks) is the only player linked to that deal currently playing in Minnesota. In those eight meetings, the Celtics have yet to lose.

But the Timberwolves team Garnett and Co. will face tonight is unlike any they’ve seen these past few years. This year’s squad has a different aura about them. They’re the organization’s most competitive group since Garnett was their star, and, despite a season-ending torn ACL suffered by Ricky Rubio, they continue to survive in the Western Conference’s ridiculously tight playoff race—currently 2.5 games back of 7th seeded Utah.

The difference lies in a single player. The league’s best pure rebounder, power forward, and, possibly, most valuable player if the Timberwolves make the playoffs. Of course I’m referring to Kevin Love, and as one of Boston’s greatest weaknesses this season has been rebounding (they currently boast a league worst -7.81 net offensive rebound rate), he could pose a major problem. If Love’s frontcourt teammates were healthy—most notably the revelation that is Nikola Pekovic—he would most likely be matched up against Brandon Bass. Instead, as he plays out of position at the five, tonight he gets Kevin Garnett. It’s surely the game’s most intriguing matchup; one that could hold the key in deciding which team comes out on top.

Prediction: Celtics 99, Timberwolves 96

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