By gambling away all his money at the World Series Of Poker. While Deron Williams, Kobe Bryant and others are looking over seas "The Truth" is killing it in the World Series Of Poker as he advanced to the 2nd round. I didn't even know this was around anymore.
To be honest, I appreciate this more than people looking overseas to play. I actually am against people looking over seas to play, I don't trust them not hurting themselves. But I also don't trust Paul Pierce staying in shape this offseason, but whatever, there is nothing else to report about in basketball.
It sucked not only because the Miami Heat and LeBron beat us, but it could be the end of an era. The Big 3 had their run and it may be time that the Lakers and Celtics hand the ball off to the young kids and let them run with it for a bit. But I don't think it's as gloom as people are making it out to be.
After the game we got some great news from Doc: "I'm leaning heavily toward coming back," said Rivers. "I haven't made that decision, but I can tell you, I probably will. I've kind of come to that over the last couple of weeks. You know I'm a Celtic and I love our guys. And I want to win again here. I'm competitive as hell and I have a competitive group."
I'm going to trust him on his word that he's going to be back so the dominoes are starting to fall.
The second thing is Rajon won't have a flamingo arm and be able to play with both hands. People will overlook his ineffectiveness due to the arm when they talk about this series, but mark my words, if we had a healthy Rondo we would have won game 4 and we certainly would have won last night. We didn't score in the last 4 and a half minutes. He is the catalyst for this offense puts all the players in the position they need to be in to have the shot or drive they need. Him not being 100% was completely evident on how important he is to this team.
The turnover, I don't expect to see Troy Murphy, Sasha Pavlovic, Jermaine O'Neal, Shaq, Carlos Arroyo, Von Wafer and Glen Davis back. I would do everything in my power to bring Delonte back on a short term contract and go from there. Jeff Green will be back next year for around 5 million so we have something to work with. I don' know what is going to happen with the CBA, but getting into that already is too much to think about so I'm not going to get into it.
Kendrick Perkins trade time. Anyone who believes Perkins would have made a damn difference in this series is a fool. I'm sick of hearing about toughness and what have you, we have Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo we have enough of that. Perkins was a fan favorite and a guy I was saddened to see go, I feel like I lost a family member, but it would have made no difference. Everyone is making him out to be Kendrick Abdul Jabar and forget that he wouldn't have played in the final quarter in any of the games, he couldn't score and was a decent rebounder at best. I'm not trying to bash Perkins but him main objective every game was to take up room and have a scowl on his face. People's response will be, "well if we had Perkins the outcome wouldn't have been any worse" True, but we still would have lost the series.
The last thing is the Danny factor. Danny needs to have a better off season because the most underrated move that happened last summer was Chris Wallace scooping up Tony Allen. If Tony Allen was still on this team we wouldn't have had to move for a forward and everything would be status quo. Bob said it true last night, we would have been better off with Rasheed Wallace and Tony Allen. I don't know who will be a free agent, what the CBA will bring and what trades can be made, I just know Danny will need to do something drastic.
"Paul Pierce will not face further disciplinary action for his altercation with James Jones in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a league source confirmed Monday to CBSSports.com."
Good. It was nonsense he was even thrown out of the game in the first place. The first technical I can understand, it was stupid for Pierce to get in a guys face like that, but the 2nd one was a joke. First off, Wade was the one that tried to run through a pick, and then they kick Peirce out for swearing at him? Pretty weak, because if they always did that KG would never be allowed to play basketball.
Celtics could've had a chance to come back if Pierce wasn't kicked out, but I agree with DP that it can't be used as an excuse. I actually think this might help the Celtics, because you know they are going to come out angry in Game 2 tonight.
If the Celtics want to give themselves a shot at recreating the magic of last spring, they’ll man up and knock the Knicks out tonight.
Beyond sending a message to the Knicks and the rest of the league, the Celtics need to come out and remind themselves how much better they are than New York and regain the swagger they’ve lost since “the deal.”
I have nothing to complain about and the Celtics shouldn’t be embarrassed over being up 2-0, despite some Knicks fans thinking that coming close in each game has put them up 2-0. After looking at film, I’m absolutely positive the Knicks won’t own the offensive boards again. Once the Celtics start actually boxing out and grabbing rebounds, the fast breaks will follow and the offense will be effective again.
With that in mind, it’s time for Rajon Rondo to start distributing the ball Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett while creating some continuity on offense. What’s happened to the great ball movement that used to be so common on this team? It’s inexcusable that the Celtics aren’t dropping 110+ points on this porous Knicks defense (one game with 9 blocks doesn’t change that). You can’t use the Kendrick Perkins excuse here. We all know the man had hands of granite.
Paul Pierce is right about the Celtic bench not playing well enough (I’m looking at you, Jeff Green). But shooting 6-16 for 18 points and 8-18 for 20 points over the opening two games is not enough for a volume scorer of Pierce’s stature. He should destroy Bill Walker and be going to the line 15 times. Also, I’m going to assume Doc has given Boston a simple message: Get the ball to Ray! Going 6-8 for 18 points and 9-15 for 24 points from the field won’t get it done either if you’re the greatest shooter of all time. It’s on every Celtic starter to ensure Ray takes 20+ shots tonight and Rondo doesn’t take end-of-clock three-pointers anymore.
I guess we have an excuse for Paul Pierce's 1 point 0-10 shooting game. With the Celtics already without Shaq, Semih, Delonte, Nate, Quisy, and Jermaine O'Neal the Celtics Captain will get an MRI on the left foot today, so we will all collectively hold our breath.
Luckily for us the All Star break is coming up so hopefully after the break is over we will be healthy. The Celtics certainly need it since they are overplaying their starters and are already playing with a MASH unit.
Either way if the MRI comes back bad, we will desperately need to make a move for a SF. As much as Von Wafer stepped up Sunday I don't want to see him getting more playing time.
The only thing worth watching during the NBA All Star game Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are competing against each other in the 3 point contest. Pierce surprisingly won it last year then proclaimed himself one of the best shooters in NBA history.
Rounding out the field will be Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Daniel Gibson of the Cleveland Cavaliers, James Jones of the Miami Heat and Dorell Wright of the Golden State Warriors.
I don't really want to see Daniel Gibson, James Jones, or Dorell Wright in it. They should've LeBron in it so he can be embarressed, Stephen Curry and anyone from any team but Cleveland.
Given the circumstances of the upcoming season, Paul Pierce (left) believes the Celtics need a change of pace in training camp. For years, they have worked out for a week at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island before embarking on the preseason schedule. It’s 90 minutes from Boston, a comfortable environment, and the Celtics are popular with the local community.
Pierce, however, believes that with Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, Von Wafer, and Nate Robinson experiencing their first training camps in green, it may be time to seek seclusion and build chemistry.
“I think it would be good for this group to get away,’’ said Pierce. “I’m really getting tired of Newport. Really, I want to go somewhere else.
“Newport is good, but I want to go somewhere else. It would be good to get away with this type of group, when you have Jermaine and Shaq.
“When you got new guys and these types of personalities, I think it’s good for all of us to get out, be at a dinner table — me, Shaq, Kevin [Garnett], Ray [Allen], Jermaine. I think it would be good for that relationship, building that chemistry. We get away and go somewhere, that’s something we’ll definitely do.’’Boston.com
If everyone remembers, when the Celtics got KG, Ray Allen, James Posey, and Eddie House they all went away that summer to Rome and left their cell phones at home. It forced them to build chemistry and that ultimately led to a championship. I don't know if this is wishful thinking or a last ditch effort by Pierce, but I don't see the harm in it. We have a lot of new guys who all have been stars in their day, and getting them to gel with the team off the court may help on the court a lot. The Celtics have a really good team on paper right now, but it won't work unless they leave their pride outside when they step on the court. I don't know if Danny and Wyc will take the bait, but I like Pierce's mentality.
Rasheed is retiring and has been very consistent with the thought, recently when asked by CSNNE.com about whether his NBA career was indeed wrapped up, Wallace responded, "Like Christmas." But then Paul Pierce also said this: "I told him, 'Go ahead, do all you need to do,' " Pierce said. " 'Take the kids everywhere. We'll see you in February.' "
I think it's pretty obvious Rasheed is coming back for the playoffs. He only likes to play in big time moments and I'm fine with that. If we have the option at the end of the year to bring Sheed back, why not?
Also Paul Pierce had this to say about coming back "Everybody knew I was coming back. I didn't need a special."
Paul Pierce in a recent interview had a lot to say about the Celtics current roster. Pierce says he has looked around the Eastern Conference and a lot of the teams have gotten better, while the Celtics may have gotten worse...
“Sometimes, I’m sitting here and I’m looking at all these players sign and I wish we’d get on the ball a little bit,’’ Pierce said. “But I trust in Danny. He’s done a good job putting a good team around us.’’
“We’ve got a lot [to do] right now,’’ Pierce said. “We don’t have a bench. We don’t have TA. We don’t have Rasheed. We’ve got to add a bench. We’ve got to add a bench. So we’ve got our work cut out for us this offseason.
“We’ve got to add perimeter defense, some shooting, maybe we need to add a point guard to help Rondo out. Definitely got to add another point guard if we don’t sign Nate [Robinson]. And we need another big. So we’ve still got a lot of work to do (Boston.com).’’
Pierce goes on to say that there is slim pickings now on the free agent wire, and the Celtics might have to look to make a trade to get better. Pierce also seemed very hurt that Tony Allen left the Celtics...
“That definitely surprised me,’’ Pierce said. “I was a little bit upset, because Tony is a guy I thought we needed. That’s a tough one to swallow, especially with the deal Tony got. I thought we offered him the same deal. Maybe he just wanted to get greener pastures. Maybe he thought it was a better opportunity. But that was a difficult one for me. I had a chance to call him and talk to him. That was a tough one for me to understand.’’
I am with Pierce on this one. The Celtics offered him the same contract, and yet Tony still left. I get that he doesn't want to be a backup his whole career, but I really don't see him being a starter on a playoff team. I guess his minutes mean more to him then his former team and/or winning. Losing Tony was a huge loss for the Celtics, and it's going to be really interesting to see how they are going to fill that void.
The last topic Pierce touched on was Rasheed Wallace. We heard earlier this week from Ainge that there was no shot Sheed would be coming back. Pierce didn't say that he wasn't coming back, but he seems to be holding out some hope...
“I texted him a couple times,’’ Pierce said. “He was congratulating me on the contract. I think he’s still up in the air as far as what he wants to do. I’m not sure if he’s all the way retired. We could definitely use him. I’ll probably put a couple more calls in to him just to see, though. I definitely think we could use him. But right now the situation’s on Rasheed.’’
I really hope somehow Sheed does come back, and for some reason I still kind of believe he will.
With Doc Rivers coming back and Paul Pierce signing a 4 year 61 million dollar deal with a no trade clause it looks as if the band is getting back together one more time. I bet Ray Allen comes back too, but I really see him making no more than 5 million on a two year deal. I know other teams will offer him more than that, but I do believe he will come back to Boston taking less money. If that's the case we still have the 5 guys who started the NBA finals going into next year. Now Danny needs to pull off some magic to fill in the role players. I have heard rumors of trading Rasheed's expiring contract to the Suns for Leandro Barbosa and making a run at Rudy Fernandez. I know we need bigs, but I believe these two guys would fit in nicely as the Celtics backcourt backups. If we trade Rasheed's contract we still have a full mid level exception. And in a perfect world we could use that on Branden Haywood and Brad Miller, and then resign Tony Allen and I would be pretty confident in that team. The Depth chart would be:
PG: Rajon Rondo: Leandro Barbosa, Avery Bradley SG: Ray Allen: Tony Allen, Rudy Fernandez SF: Paul Pierce: Tony Allen PF: Kevin Garnett: Brad Miller, Luke Hargodany(?) C: Kendrick Perkins: Brandon Haywood
I'd take that in a second. That team would be deep and ready to go for another run. Again, that's in a perfect world though.
It is not a done deal yet, but everyone is saying the deal will be signed within the next day or so. Paul Pierce, who opted out of the final year of his contract and walked away for $21.5 million, is close to agreeing to a new four-year, $61 million contract. So it works out to be about 15M/year. Pierce also nets a valuable no-trade clause that could further ensure he remains in Boston for the duration of his career.
I really don't know how to feel about all of this. One the one hand I am really happy that it seems like the Celtics are going to get almost everyone back. I love Pierce, Allen, and KG and I really hope that Doc can get them to the finals again.
Still, they are another year older. They are now stuck with Pierce for at least 3 more years (I hear the first 3 years are fully guaranteed). They already lost Wallace, Robinson is most likely out the door, and they really had trouble getting through the regular season last year. Still, they do have a little more money to play with now, so hopefully they can inject some youth, or at least some good bench players to give them a shot.
I am really interested to hear what everyone thinks about this...
Lots of news going on with the Celtics. Ainge came out and talked about the Paul Pierce, and Perkins shed some light on when he might be able to return.
Ainge on Pierce:
"We were negotiating an extension in good faith," Ainge told the Boston Herald. "He's worked hard to become a free agent, but I still think that in his heart of hearts he still wants to stay in Boston. It's all a negotiation. Risk is involved in all of these things, but I'm telling him that we would like him to come back and make another run at a title."
Ainge is confident the team will remain competitive if Pierce signs with another club.
"There's too many other things that factor in right now," he said. "Who else can we get? But it's not all dependent on getting Paul back. I don't think it all rests on his shoulders."
So what will it take to get Paul back? I think he will obviously take less money, but more years. My thinking is that it'll be a 3 year deal, and to get the deal done they might give him a full no trade clause. That would be a huge sign of faith, since Kobe Bryant is the only other player in the NBA that has that.
Perkins:
Kendrick Perkins will undergo major reconstructive surgery to repair tears to the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Perkins is aware he has a long road back.
"They told me to expect late December or early January," Perkins told the Boston Herald. "I don't know what is expected from something like this, but I'm just going to go with the plan and see what I have to do.
"But after I took the MRI and found out that it was an ACL I was surprised -- I have to admit that. So I just have to go with things."
Celtics are going to need a lot of help up front, since Perkins won't be back until some time in 2011. You add that to the fact that Sheed is retiring, you could see a much different looking Celtics team next year. Rumors have surfaced the Celtics will make a run at Miller, but I would be a lot happier with someone like Haywood, though he could prove too expensive.
Paul Pierce has opted out of his contract forgoing his 1 year, 21 million dollars left in hopes of getting an extension done.
This is all very interesting to me. Because it seems pretty obvious Pierce wants to end his career a Celtics, however, this team is only going to regress unless Doc comes back, we sign key free agents, and all that jazz. If we are to resign him we will most likely have to give Paul a 4 year deal between 60 and 70 million dollars.
But this does a couple of things for Paul. It will give him some security with the lockout coming up next year, and gives him a chance to sit back and watch what the Celtics are going to do this offseason and see if they are going in the right direction, and if not.... I don't want to talk about that possibility. This forces the Celtics to make some good moves this offseason. I like it.
Tonight's Game 7 between the Celtics and Lakers is the second-biggest Game 7 of my life and if you're in your 20s, I'm sure you feel the same way. Game 7 of the 2004 Red Sox-Yankees ALCS was a defining moment but beyond that, I don't remember this much drama revolving around the other Game 7's we've witnessed of late. Here were my thoughts going into each of these recent Game 7s.
-Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS between the Sox and Indians. That fraud Indians team was dead in the water at that point and no one really thought the Sox would lose Game 7 at Fenway.
-Game 7 of the Hawks-Celtics series in 2008. Same story but even worse for the Hawks as they quit after the opening tip.
-Game 7 of the Cavs-Celtics in 2008. This was graduation night at URI for me and instead of hanging out with my family at the party they threw for me, I watched what ended up being a great game. There was a lot on the line in this game but it was nothing close to tonight.
-Game 7 of the Sox-Rays in 2008. Coming off two titles in 4 years, the Sox' best pitcher (Beckett) and power hitter (Ortiz) hurting combined with a young core that will be back in 2009, I know my heart wasn't pumping at 9 a.m. that morning like it did today.
-Game 7 of the Bulls-Celtics in 2009. We knew the Celtics weren't in position to make a deep playoff run without Kevin Garnett but we also hated Joakim Noah so it wasn't meaningless, either.
-Game 7 of the Magic-Celtics . The Celtics had a 3-2 lead but a series win was gravy with Garnett hurt. Eff you, Hedo Turkoglu.
This isn't the first time we're preparing for a do-or-die game but the circumstances surrounding it and the effects of the outcome weigh heavier than anything since '04. The Celtics players are certainly aware of the fact that the Pistons of the 1980s are held in much higher regard than the Washington Bullets in 1978 or the 1983 76ers. Being able to win multiple titles with the same group is special and that's what Boston has on the line tonight: being compared to the Pistons from 2004 or the Celtics from the mid-1970s.
It's hard to believe this will be the last run for the Celtics team that Danny Ainge constructed during the summer of 2007 but that was the deal with the devil that he brokered. There was only a 3-year window. Times up. The Celtics will make one last stand and win this game. I can assure you of that.
Nostalgia aside, this game will come down to how well the Celtics pass the ball and improve their shooting. I don't feel as though the Lakers were play a great brand of defense that was limiting the Celtics. Game 6 was lost due to Celtics missed shots that created fast-break points for the Lakers. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett will all be immense tonight. Pierce drops 30 points and will be MVP.
The Celtics are in the same position that they were in 2 years ago with a 3-2 series lead. The difference is that it took those 5 games for the starters to play in unison. With Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett leading the way, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen stepped up to finally get the Celtics a win away from Banner 18.
When the Celtics have Pierce shooting elbow jumpers and KG active in the post, they are tough to beat. Look for Rondo to turn the ball over less and to create more in the paint.
I'm extremely interested to see Kobe Bryant's demeanor tonight. He's almost in a no-win position in that if he shoots too much, the Lakers aren't doing enough around him and if he defers too often, it's 2006 Phoenix Game 7 all over again. He can't shoot the ball much better than the other night and the Celtics have made it clear that they will not allow him into the paint. That combined with the thought that it's hard to imagine Ron Artest or Lamar "I'm Sick!" Odom suddenly producing against the Boston defense makes this Laker offense easy to figure out for the Celtics.
The key tonight will be Kendrick Perkins continuing to play straight-up defense on Pau Gasol. Without Gasol's inside scoring (drawing fouls) and rebounding, Los Angeles is one-dimensional.
I also expect the bench to provide more support tonight for the Celtics than Game 5. Glen Davis will have a big impact on tonight's game.
The Celtics will win their 18th championship tonight because the Lakers have given us no reason to side with them over the past 2 games. Celtics 95-Lakers 90.
There are a few reasons for Celtics fans to be weary of tonight's game. For starters, Kobe Bryant has yet to have a deadly shooting night (although much of that has to do with the Celtic defense). Next, the Lakers aren't getting any shorter and shot-blocking will continue to be an issue. The black hole that is Kedrick Perkins' offensive game, which was pointed out by the great Peter May today, is something that the Celtics will have to deal with as well.
With those factors in mind, I can't see this team losing tonight. This isn't even me being a homer because I think the remainder of the series is still in serious jeopardy. However, losing tonight would give the Lakers a 3-1 advantage and pave the road for a quick exit from the 2010 Finals for Boston. After watching the past month of basketball from this team, I hardly see them going out with a whimper.
My reasoning? Right here:
-Paul Pierce hasn't lost the art of the jump shot overnight. His shooting will be back tonight.
-Despite falling into a 17-point hole and never fully recovering from it, I really thought the Celtics played great defense in Game 3. It was a matter of offensive ineptitude rather than lack of defense. I assure you that more shots will fall tonight.
-Kevin Garnett's resurgence will carry over to Game 4.Cedric Maxwell was right about the fact that KG's recent problems have revolved around his head, not any sort of injury. Now that he know he has the ability to take Pau Gasol to the hole at will, it opens a lot up for this Celtic offense.
-Rajon Rondo is pissed about Derek Fisher did in the fourth quarter in Game 3, even if he wasn't directly involved in all of Fisher's scoring. Rondo should and will take issue with a 35-year-old point guard dominating his team in the most crucial moments of a Finals game. There won't be a second half disappearing act from Rondo this time.
-The Celtic bench was good (Glen Davis with 12 points) but can be so much better if Rasheed Wallace can integrate himself into the game without picking up quick fouls.
I have no clue how the rest of this series will play out but I know this team will not lay down tonight. Celtics 100 -- Lakers 92.
People are all up in arms because Paul Pierce said we ain't going back to LA. A couple things, 1. It was directed to the fans not the Lakers (so who cares) 2. He was bold during the Magic and was wrong but we won (so who cares), 3. He's the captain and I like his confidence in himself and the team (so who cares), 4. Who cares?
Pierce is confident in this team and why shouldn't he be. Look it what they had to get through to get here. The series is 1-1 and now they play 3 games back in Boston. I hope he's right. It would be pretty awesome if we did win it in 5. I'm not saying that we aren't but it would be difficult to do.
So for all of you making a big deal of this, only media who is reaching for stories are making a big deal of this, and no one really cares.
You've probably read, or at least heard of Ted Green's "Guide To Hating the Celtics." It was pulled by the LA Times for this now infamous line:
"By the way, [Paul] Pierce's idea of a fun night is going clubbing and getting stabbed."
But what you don't know is that Green's Guide was horribly written, tritely unoriginal, and flat-out unfunny without that offensive line. In fact, that sentence is perhaps the best part of the piece. Although I think the purpose of including that line was to get the column pulled, or at least draw some negative attention. Did you know who Ted Green was before he scribbled this article? Nope. Neither did I. So kudos to him for figuring out how to get ahead in the Mainstream Sports Media: be a dolt.
But the rest of the "column" is really bad. I don't mean tasteless or classless kind of bad. I mean written by a 7th grader that was held back twice bad. Some examples to illustrate how much of an insult Green's Guide is to writing and to sports:
"The Celtics cry. They cry more than Best Actress winners at the Oscars. They cry like every game is a wedding."
Wow, great metaphors. Really funny. I mean, those Best Actress winners, they really do cry. HAHAHA. And so do the Celtics? WOW! High-larious!!!
"The Celtics also foul... They foul as a strategy."
What basketball team doesn't? This is like criticizing a hockey team for checking as a strategy, or a football team that tackles as a strategy.
"They probably foul their own bus driver on the way to the arena."
Oh Ted Green, you slay me! They foul their own bus driver?!? That's INSANE! Insanely funny, that is.
Kevin Garnett is #5. He wore 21 with the T-Wolves. Ted Green lists him as #21 in his "Guide." Bill Sharman would be pissed. Either it's an incomprehensibly subtle joke from Green, or it's sheer stupidity.
"If you'll be seeing [Paul Pierce] for the first time, you'll hate him before the first quarter of Game 1 is even close to over..."
So right here Green admits that Lakers fans are frontrunners and band-wagoners. First time seeing Paul Pierce? Didn't these teams play in 2008? Maybe LA fans forget because they didn't win? But if you haven't seen Paul Pierce yet, even in LA, you're a bit late to the party.
"Kendrick Perkins: This guy looks meaner than Cerberus..."
I know who Cerberus is, but that's because I'm a nerd. It's also because I'm a Simpsons fan (Season 8, "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show, a producer describes Poochie as "The original dog from hell." A writer then asks "You mean Cerberus?"). All that aside, knowing that Cerberus is a three headed dog that guards the gates of Hades is far from common knowledge. This is supposed to be a guide for frontrunning, stupid LA fans. If they don't know who Paul Pierce is, what are the odds they'll know who Cerberus is?
Californians are familiar with Greek and Roman mythology, everybody knows that, but maybe this one reference was a bit of a reach. And the whole point of allusion is to simplify something for the reader, give them something they can relate to. A better choice: Kendrick Perkins looks meaner than Chong-Li from Bloodsport.
"[Perkins] is prone to getting technical fouls, usually immediately after waking up in the morning."
Stick to stab jokes, Ted. Seriously, that Paul Pierce getting stabbed line gets funnier and funnier compared to the rest of this guy's routine. These are like the bad jokes that the immigrant dude on Family Guy laughs at.
"If [Rajon Rondo] were any more conceited, he'd dribble with his left hand and carry a hand-mirror with his right"
What's the matter, Ted? No reference to Hallgerda, the Viking goddess of vanity? Calling Rondo conceited seems to be pulled out of mid-air. Rajon is quiet, calm, and confident. I can't see anything conceited or cocky. Maybe I'm missing it. But even so, calling an NBA player conceited is like calling a porn star promiscuous, it sort of goes with the territory.
And the worst sentence Green wrote (which is saying something)...
"Just remember this kid is, like, 8 years old and already as arrogant as the rest of them."
Apparently, in Southern California, you actually write "like" in the middle of a sentence. And the punctuation rules are similar to direct address. Use a comma before and after. This is, like, a really good way to, like, you know, sound like a complete moron, or like, hella stupid, or like something like that. Y'know?
So while everyone gets up in arms about the Paul Pierce stab line, it was actually the best part of what is a horribly written piece, filled with unfunny jokes, distractingly confusing references, and an undercurrent of California stupidity.
Last night was the first time in a long time that Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett dominated a game. Pierce scored 29 points, Garnett had 22 and Boston cruised to its third straight lopsided victory at home. Now if they could only do this against good teams.
Rajon only had 5 point, but he didn't need to score. His 12 assists were enough to keep the Celtics offense flowing (Rondo had 12 assists in just 27 minutes and tied Bob Cousy for 5th place among Celtics players for assists in one season with 642). This is actually the statline you want to see from Rajon. If he doesn't have to score, but puts up a bunch of assists, it usually means the Celtics offense is doing well.
The Celtics moved into a 3rd place tie in the East with Atlanta, which lost to Toronto last night. That is all well and good, but this upcoming road trip should give us an answer to whether or not the Celtics are playing better or just beating up terrible teams. On the road trip the Celtics play Houston, Dallas and Utah, all of which are playoff teams.
