Kevin Garnett

I had a feelings this was going to be a special game. The second phase of the Banner 18 Prophecy has been fulfilled. The Celtics have won in 6, just as the Cavs fell in 6. You can guess what I believe the Lakers series will go to.

Continue reading "EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS"

Kevin Garnett had 22 points, starting out the game with 5 of 5 shooting. Garnett made poor old Shaq look poor and old every time a shot arced over the Big Aristotle's head. Does anyone else love the fact that the Celtics were supposed to be the aging team? If Paul Pierce is old at 31, what does that make Shaq at 38?

Continue reading "Celtics in 6"

Ever since Easter Sunday, whenever the Celtics and Red Sox have played on the same day, the fate of one team follows the other. Really, if I were a betting man, and I could find a person to take bets for games already in progress, I would have put money on the fact that the Sox were going to end up losing as well this Sunday afternoon against the Orioles, of all teams.

Continue reading "Sooo, Has any one else noticed..."

The Miami Heat had a foul to give, and Paul Pierce still intimidated his defender enough to dribble within the arc and take a shot that was so clutch in this series it gave me the chance to shout, "Miami can't  handle The Truth!".

Continue reading "The Truth in Miami"

Back to the Celts, they had a good year but losing Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe pretty much ended the Cs season even though we still had a good run.  I believe we should have/could have

Continue reading "The Celtics Lose Game 7 and Boston ..."

ng the 4 overtimes in 6 games, an NBA record). 

There have been rumors floating around that Kevin Garnett may be able to dress and play in this game.  I am not sure that's going to happen, but if KG were to return, even if he played for 2 minutes, Boston might just explode!!!  Danny Ainge did make a comment saying this was not true, but you never know.  I wouldn't count on any returns saving us either way.  The Celts just need to play the Defense like they know how and, hopefully, our Offense will come in with energy and that domination that we saw in game 3.

Continue reading "Boston Celtics: It's All Come Down to This"

g when I got an email entitled "Breaking Sports News" that confirmed my worst fears about Kevin Garnett's injury. To the co-workers I startled when I began screaming obscenities - my bad. 

Continue reading "What's next for the Celtics"

Doc Rivers announced today that KG would need another four games off. Saying his knee isn't any worse, but that it is not any better, is the reason behind Doc's decision to sit him. Hopefully

Continue reading "Kevin Garnett on the Bench. Should ..."

Since their February 8th home-defeat against the Spurs, the Celtics have lost Tony Allen, Kevin Garnett, Brian Scalabrine, Rajon Rondo and Big Baby Davis to one ailment or another. Tonight in Miami, Boston will dress a group of ten players that includes a pair of newcomers who have been on the team less than two weeks, two rookies who never play, and a second-year guard who no one knows if Doc even likes and recently returned from a DUI suspension.

Continue reading "Injuries Slow Celtics - Accentuate ..."

ate, the injury I’m most concerned with is the one that hits closest to home and that’s Kevin Garnett’s strained right knee. It has already been announced Garnett will miss the final three games of the Celtics’ current road trip and at least the next two to three weeks. The absence of the Big Ticket could cost Boston the first seed in the East and may also potentially expedite Boston’s acquisition of a big man. Forever attempting to be the optimist, this injury could be a blessing in disguise as the always full throttle Garnett will have an opportunity to recuperate prior to the postseason while Leon Powe and Big Baby Davis are afforded additional playing time to further prove their mettle. The question remains, while KG begrudgingly enjoys some time off, will the supplementary pressure on Ray Allen and Paul Pierce wear that duo down for the same playoffs KG will now be rested for?

Continue reading "The Sports Don's Sunday Musings: Volume III"

over 90 percent confident that Kobe Bryant will again go to war against Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett in June.

I'll tell you why. On Boston's side, their team defense is as tenacious and relentless as ever, and offensively, their ball movement my even be superior to last year. Ray Allen looks to be in phenomenal physical condition, and shows no signs of slowing down. Paul Pierce and

Continue reading "We're headed for a Lakers/Celtics ..."

We're about 35 games into the NBA season right now -- nearly to the midway point -- and the New Jersey Nets and Milwaukee Bucks are holding on to the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. I doubt that's the way it will end, however, because the list of teams that are on the outside looking in is quite an interesting one: Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, and Indiana Pacers (to name the true contenders).

Continue reading "Eastern Conference Playoff Race Will Get Dicey"

With three older, veteran stars like Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, you simply can't play the never-stop, always-hustle, dive-on-loose-balls-if-you-have-to style for two consecutive regular seasons. 

Continue reading "The Boston Celtics: Spiraling Out of Control?"

He most likely wouldn't; the Nets would need a big man like Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett or Yao Ming -- all of whom are clearly unavailable.

The point being, Rod Thorn can try to

Continue reading "How the Nets can win a championship"

As New England suffers the inevitable chill of winter, most notably the ice storm that recently passed through, there is a flame that is burning white-hot. Of course that fire comes from the Boston Celtics’ and their 14-game winning streak. The Celtics boast an NBA 2nd best 90.5 score against them per game while averaging over 100 points themselves. This year’s team shows shades of the 95-95 Chicago Bulls team that posted an impressive 72-10 record by season’s end. During the Bulls’ amazing run they to held a 22-2 record by this point in the season as well. These teams are similar in many ways; defensively they hold their opponent well under 100ppg and offensively they each have their big three. Unlike the Bulls this is a Celtics team who is without a Michael Jordan, and sorry Pierce you are certainly a leader but you just aren’t Mike.

Continue reading "Fire in Ice"

ther bigs, seeing as how pick & roll defense is something that Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis and Kevin Garnett especially excel at as much as anyone else in the league.  Garnett's length and physical play will bother both Aldridge and Roy if they run a lot of these sets, so it's probably better to run more isolation plays for Roy (he's especially good at these) and force the Celtics to defend him one on one. 

Continue reading "Celtics v. Blazers Preview Extravaganza"

Don’t let the 9-2 record or the constant late game heroics of Paul Pierce fool you, something is very wrong with the 2008-2009 Boston Celtics.  Actually, “something” isn’t even the right word, because there are multiple things wrong with this year’s Celtics team that if uncorrected, will spell disaster for the defending champs come springtime.  If you don’t already believe me, then I would respectfully refer you to the tape of last Friday’s pathetisad home loss to the Denver Nuggets as evidence supporting my forthcoming claims. 

Continue reading "Alarm Bells are Ringing"

e, and that laid-back approach filtered through the lineup and into the seats in the stadium.

But Kevin Garnett won't let that happen. When rookie Bill Walker threw down a monster dunk in Theo Ratliff's face - a welcome to the NBA moment if ever there was one - Garnett was shoving random people around on the bench with the kind of natural excitement that simply can't be mimicked. Through the first three games, he's taken the floor with the same stay-the-heck-out-of-my-way glare that is his trademark. Like nobody else I can think of, he brings the same attitude to the court no matter the day, time or season.

Continue reading "Back for more"

o come out of the East this year, providing that Mike Brown doesn't send Sasha Pavlovic to take out Kevin Garnett's knee (still bitter about that Chiefs game, eh?).  Even without Posey, the Celtics will still defend, make the extra pass, and have three first rate scoring options to get a big bucket down the stretch.  All of those things, combined with another year of playing together to get even more comfortable with each other's styles, should make the Celtics the favorites to win the East, despite some of the earth shaking moves made by other teams in the Conference.  

Continue reading "Little Wing?"

e to ulcers in my near future.

On a positive note, the core of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins should be much more comfortable playing with each other next year, which could mean that the Celtics will dominate even more next year than they did last season.  It’s a stretch, but imagine how much more smoothly the offense could run with everybody on the same page and having spent even more time developing rapports with one another.

Continue reading "Return of the Rivalry"

, where do players like LeBron James, Martell Webster, Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O'Neal, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Rashard Lewis, Amare Stoudemire, Monta Ellis or Al Jefferson fit in?  What about those guys with NBA ready bodies and/or minds?  Is it fair to keep them from something that they're obviously ready for just because some of their peers are not?  How can we really justify robbing those players (and many others) of several years (or potentially a lifetime, if a player gets hurt in college) of NBA salary?

Continue reading "Bull-Plop!"

’s basketball ability is otherworldly, and he is a phenomenal player, but he got outplayed by Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in this series, particularly in game six, but even I kinda felt that coming. 

Continue reading "Defense Dominates"

I'm somewhat at a loss for words today (surprising, no?).  All I can say is that the Lakers got lucky last night in more ways than just the favorable officiating (Kobe just about hacked Paul Pierce's arm off on the decisive steal, but the game was not lost there).  The Lakers are lucky that KG missed two crucial free-throws (which, should the Celtics lose will become the mother of all albatrosses hanging around the Big TIcket's neck), and especially lucky that 3 of 5 Celtic starters are hurt during the biggest games of the entire season.  Knowing that, the Lakers should be ahead, they should be cruising to a championship, but they aren't.  The Celtics botched game five and spoiled a brilliant performance by Paul Pierce that could have, and should have clinched the series. The bad news for LA is that the Celtics know that, and they won't let it happen again.

Continue reading "Redraw"

as they played in some areas of the game, they were equally horrible in others.  For example, Kevin Garnett's fourth quarter and the shooting of James Posey.  KG had a monster first half, but I felt that he lost his aggression down the stretch and settled for too many long jumpshots.  Actually, most of those shots were good looks, but that's not the point.  The Big Ticket was very successful in the paint and in the post during the first half of Thursday's win, so why abandon that aspect of the game and let up on a reeling Laker defense?  Full disclosure: If half of his jumpers had fallen, I'd be singing the praises of Garnett's sweet jumper and his soft touch (I may be a hypocrite, but at least I self-actualize!).  As for Posey, he seemed to be rushing a little, but I'm going to delude myself (and you) by recognizing his defensive effort and the taxing effect that can have on a player's offensive game. 

Continue reading "Joyful Panic"

gainst LA in his career.  Following Pierce to the lane (and then the charity stripe) should be Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen at the very least.  Rondo is so much quicker than Derek Fisher that he should be in the paint every time he drives the ball, ditto for Ray Allen as long as Kobe isn't guarding him.  As for KG, he should focus on being as aggressive as possible and going right at Gasol, Turiaf, Odom and whomever else the Lakers throw at him, using his length, quickness and arsenal of post moves to get some easy shot opportunities.  

Continue reading "Middle Men"

The bar was set at an incredibly high level this season when the Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, and I feel confident in saying here and now that these Celtics are better than advertised and will be remembered as a success even if they fail to bring home the championship.  Don't get me wrong, a loss in the Finals would be a huge disappointment for this team, but I think this team has been more successful than anyone could have anticipated and will eventually be remembered as a success even if they don't accomplish their ultimate goal.

Continue reading "Throwback"

ly, the Celtics looked pretty good last night, shooting 48.6% from the field.  Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett both had efficient and productive games last night, as did emerging point guard Rajon Rondo, who missed a triple-double by only one rebound and two assists.  Pierce scored 26 points on 9-16 shooting and added four rebounds and six assists as well.  Garnett played even better, scoring 24 points on 11 of 19 shooting, gobbled up 13 rebounds, and added two blocks just for good measure (one of them, by the way, was an incredible feat of athleticism where Garnett chased down Rip Hamilton by himself on the break and met him at the rim for the crushing rejection that saved an easy basket).  Garnett's play was once again stellar, proving once and for all that serial panic like Simmons (and everybody else in the Boston sports media) are full of it and no better at predicting the fortunes of the Bean town clubs than anybody else, not even a lowly college grad with a laptop stuck in rainy Portland, Oregon.

Continue reading "Silver Lining?"

Today's tangent is inspired by Raymond (shockingly, with me on this one) and Matt Stauffer, who has posed a challenge to me by asserting that the Celtics will lose to either Detroit or the winner of the Western Conference for a few key reasons.  Following the game one victory for Boston, I thought I'd address a few of his concerns (convenient that I waited until a resounding Celtics victory to start talking smack, isn't it?).  Hey, hey, easy now, I'm not fixin' to start a war or anything, in fact I respect the feedback and the fact that somebody is actually reading my posts (anyone else? ...Beuller?).  I'm only out to address the argument and provide as complete a rebuttal as I can, so without further delay, let's get started.

Continue reading "Hungry Like the (Former) Wolf"

o grab every loose rebound and control the ball.  Especially noteworthy was Ray Allen's tap to Kevin Garnett in the closing minute of the game that gave the Celtics an extra possession and helped to secure the victory.  Although Allen's jumper has been woefully inaccurate thus far, he made a huge contribution in that one play alone that was vital to the success of the Celtics.

Continue reading "B E Aggressive!!!"

t of having to guard Pierce.

On the interior, Cleveland lacks a quick big man capable of guarding Kevin Garnett.  you might think that Ben Wallae is such a player, however i can tell you that he has deteriorated to a shell of his former self (I should know, I loved to watch Big Ben play defense on those great Piston teams of 2003-2005) and is incapable of sticking with KG.  Cleveland certainly does not have anyone close to Josh Smith, who has the rare combination (that KG also possesses) of quickness, intensity, length, strength and physicality necessary to contain Garnett.  The Big Ticket should find himself with enough space to execute his game and be successful.

Continue reading "Cross Your Fingers"

.  But this team has all of the pieces necessary to raise the seventeenth banner.  Led by Kevin Garnett's contagious intensity, Ray Allen's poise and smooth moves, and Paul Pierce's desire to finally win a championship for Boston, the Big Three will make its way through Cleveland and ultimately win an NBA championship.

Continue reading "Watch Out Cavaliers"

one of the best players in the game today, he's not the top candidate this year.

Lastly, there is Kevin Garnett.  Though Garnett's statistics are not as eye popping as any of the other candidates, he has lead the Boston Celtics to the greatest single season turnaround in NBA history.  In the words of Paul Pierce, KG "changed the whole culture" of the Boston Celtics with his intesity, mentality and dedication to teamwork and selfless basketball.  Garnett has also been one of the most efficient players in the league and is the crucial link in the Celtics system that  makes them work the way they do.  He's incredibly valuable to the team, and without him, who knows where the Celtics would be this year (nowhere close to 60 wins, that's for sure).  Ultimately, I think Garnett's chances suffer because he has two other All Stars and a strong supporting cast to work with, which cheapens some of his achievements and detracts from any assertion that he is the most valuable player in the league.  IT's unfortunate, but something tells me that there's more hardware awaiting Garnett (and hopefully the rest of the Celtics) to validate his incredible season. 

Continue reading "Award Tour"

You can't spell "Los Andgeles" without a 'd.'  Oh wait, yes you can!  "Los Angeles," see?  No 'd,' there you have it (Look what my college degree gets me!).  Maybe that's why the Los Angeles Lakers (no "d" there either!) don't play it very well.  I don't even need to back that statement up, either (but fear not, I'm going to!).  The proof is in the pudding, and by pudding I mean last night's loss to the Trail Blazers in Portland.

Continue reading "There's No 'D' in Los Angeles"

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett

Why they are the MVP:  They turned around one of the worst teams in the league from a year ago.  They have given up the stats of superstars and meshed with Ray Allen and the role players to make the Celtics not just relevant again, but a powerhouse.

Continue reading "Tight NBA MVP Race? Not In My Eyes"

Yesterday, I wrote about the Celtics easy schedule heading into their likely first round match up with the Atlanta Hawks.  Today, after watching Cleveland lose to Larry Hughes and Ben Gordon and the Chicago Bulls (the only reason they even get a nod is because of Noah's last second defense on King James, otherwise I'd feel fine about disavowing their existence), I'm just itching to unnecessarily criticize the Cavs and explain to my massive audience (there's at least four of you by now, right?) why I'm salivating at the mere thought of a second round playoff match-up with Cleveland.

Continue reading "I Swear I'm Not Crazy..."

The only problem with having 60 wins, is having 60 wins.  The better the record, the more a team becomes a favorite, the more they're expected to win.  And ultimately, constant pressure starts pushing down on them like a fat guy in a kids top bunk bed.  It can be difficult for a team (or a frightened kid below), especially a great one.   I didn't even mention the Patriots. 

Continue reading "Celts Reach Sixty With Help of Bill Bixby"

This way, you could rest Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and maybe Kevin Garnett (though I sincerely doubt he wants to) for a few games and let the Celtics bench handle the business and establish a better rhythm.  I think it would be great for somebody like Sam Cassell to get a lot of minutes in the coming week so that he can continue to adapt to the Celtics system and hopefully get comfortable with his teammates.

Continue reading "God Bless the "Leastern" Conference"

The Celtics handled their business tonight.  They beat the Indianna Pacers in convincing fashion tonight, becoming the first NBA team this season to reach the 60 win plateau.  The Celtics played an excellent team game on both ends, stifling the Pacers, the NBA's 3rd highest scoring team, and holding them to a mere 77 points.  Garnett led the way for the Celtics with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Leon Powe sparkled off of the bench, contributing 14 points and 9 rebounds on an energetic 5 of 8 shooting performance.

Continue reading "Ball Movement and Returning to Form"

ude of easier shot opportunities that he is getting this season from the additions of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.  Pierce is also shooting 12% better than his career average from the land of three (37.9%), and is shooting a career high from the charity stripe (84.3%), though he is getting to the line less often than in years past.  Pierce is also averaging more than half an assist per game (4.7) better than his career average (4.1), while his turnovers per game are down under 3 for the first time in three seasons.  This shows that Pierce is not only focused on offense (the high free throw percentage and the better assist/turnover ratio), but that he's able to impact the offensive end of the floor without taking a lot of shots. 

Continue reading "The Complete Truth"

    When Kevin Garnett missed his first game this year due to injury, I thought it would just be a few games that he would miss. After the first week without KG, I started to become a little nervous on when he would return. Alot of people thought the Celtics would hit a serious road bump without the main star.

Continue reading "The Celtics Run Without KG"

cy as a player, than to think of yourself before your colleagues. 

Think about players like Kevin Garnett; the only time he ever discusses his own performance and puts a spotlight on himself, is after a loss and he is voluntarily taking the brunt of criticism. Justified or not, he leads by absorbing blame and deflecting praise. Who wouldn’t want to play for a guy like that? 

Continue reading "In Rod We Trust; In Terrell We Can't"