Terrence Williams was on the verge of coming back to the Boston Celtics next season after being one of the few bright spots of the Celtics’ postseason. Now, that journey is just an afterthought. According to a report from the Kent Reporter, a newspaper in Williams’ home state of Washington, the point guard was arrested yesterday [...]
As we await Kevin Garnett’s decision about whether or not he will play a 7th season with the Boston Celtics, an important physical limitation has been avoided for the big man. After laboring through the last couple months of the season with a foot/ankle injury, which caused him to miss much of the regular season, [...]
Yesterday was a good day in Boston. We found out Doc Rivers would definitely be coming back as a head coach, the Bruins won in overtime, and the Sox had a big comeback as well. As the first big decision of the Celtics offseason came in though, a brighter light begins to shine down now [...]
Unless we’re discussing the eight or nine best players in the world, it’s impossible to separate a contract’s price from a player’s expectations, value, and overall performance. Jeff Green is the manifestation of this theory. In August he was guaranteed $36 million over four years, even though he didn’t play a single game during the [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Paul Pierce, SF37 MIN | 6-17 FG | 11-14 FT | 12 REB | 4 AST | 24 PTS | +13
Pierce proved that you can miss 11 of 17 shots and still have a great game. He set up base camp around the rim tonight: only five of his shots came from anywhere else. Instead of points, Pierce asked to be compensated in 1) rebounds and 2) free throws, and the Sixers agreed to the terms of that deal. Not certain why he had to be in the game airballing threes with a 27-point lead and six minutes to go, but Doc decided it was important.
Brandon Bass, PF27 MIN | 5-10 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 10 PTS | +21
Big game for Bass, who proved he can still achieve the minimum expected of him: five boards, ten points, and a shooting efficiency that reflects his almost constant openness. He got to that minimum in only 27 minutes. If he gets there or beyond for the rest of the playoffs, this team is deadlywinks.
Kevin Garnett, PF30 MIN | 12-17 FG | 3-5 FT | 13 REB | 4 AST | 27 PTS | +27
He was the only Celtic who had his shot going in the early minutes. He forced Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes to basically give up on basketball. HE OUTREBOUNDED BRAND, HAWES, AND ANDRE IGUODALA COMBINED. This all happened in 30 minutes. I’m terrified of my love for KG at this point. I’m 90% of the way to becoming Swimfan.
Rajon Rondo, PG 41 MIN | 9-16 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 14 AST | 23 PTS | +15
Rondo went Cold Stone over and over tonight with that scoop off the glass. I’d trade this game for any of his triple-doubles: efficient scoring on a high volume of shots has escaped Rondo this series, but tonight he had that going along with full offensive orchestration. He DID say they’d be fine, you guys.
Avery Bradley, SG20 MIN | 0-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 PTS | +10
Doc went easy on Avery’s shoulder tonight, at least until he pats him on the back at Friday’s shootaround and knocks it clean off his body. Avery had zero points, but he folded up Evan Turner and put him in his wallet.
Ray Allen, SG 25 MIN | 1-1 FG | 1-2 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 3 PTS | +11
Barely noticed him out there, which was a luxury Boston could afford. He had as big a role in the offense as E’Twaun Moore, but in 22 more minutes. Guess he’s a defensive specialist now. The free throw situation is becoming a puzzling concern.
Ryan Hollins, C16 MIN | 1-4 FG | 1-1 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 3 PTS | -15
Shaq called him “Donnell” Hollins in the postgame show. Keep your head up, pal.
Mickael Pietrus, SF 24 MIN | 4-8 FG | 2-2 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 13 PTS | +8
Imagine Pietrus instead of Zooey Deschanel in that iPhone commercial, reacting to his own shooting:
Pietrus: “Is that rain?”
Siri: “Yes, Mickael. It appears to be raining threes.”
Pietrus: “Let’s get bouillabaisse delivered.”
Five Things We Saw
The Sixers bit the proverbial curb in this one. Basically it’s that “hit in the mouth” analogy KG is always using, but much grosser and more violent. And just when Evan Turner probably felt like he’d blossomed into a star, the Celtics probably set his development back to Ohio State.
KG won’t bow. Doesn’t know how.
A newborn transition game. It starts with the defense: missed shots lead to fast breaks, and the Celtics forced a lot of missed shots. But on every one, Rondo started hurtling up the floor, and his frontcourt found him on the entry pass. Ryan’s been saying all year that the Celtics should run more often. Cool that Rondo’s finally listening to him.
Home court advantage regained. A lot of pundits expected this series to be tight, but after dropping one in the Garden, Boston needed to pick up a win at Wells Fargo to avoid a comeback scenario. They somehow got even more.
The Ticker
