Ray Allen

Earlier today, the Celtics awarded point guard Rajon Rondo with a 5-year contract extension believed to be in the neighborhood of $55 million. I like Rondo as a player but I’m a bit concerned about banking the future on a mercurial 23-year-old hot shot with a burgeoning prima donna complex and a history of instigating senseless scuffles.

Continue reading "C's Banking on Rondo"

The Celtics came out without their energy, all out of sync. Clearly, they missed KG. Ray Allen, who we needed to step up, finally did, but he was the only one who showed up to play. Meanwhile, Orlando 21-13 from three point land, was just too much to handle and every shot they took led to me biting my nails off and praying for a comeback that never came. This game was a tough one for Boston to handle; we were losing all game and never made the run that they usually can.

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

Last night's Celts versus Orlando Magic game was different from the other games in this series. The Celtics came out looking determined to win this one and end the series in 6. The Cs had the lead the whole entire game (biggest lead 12) until the last 3 minutes. This is the first time during this playoff that a Cs lead in the 4th did not lead to a close out. Rondo had a good night scoring 19 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals, and so did Perkins scoring 15 points, 10 rebounds, an assist and 3 blocks. But it wouldn't be enough with Ray Ray only scoring 5 points and Davis 6 points -- this is not what C-Nation is used to! The Cs bench did play great Defense though, especially Scalabrine, and if he can keep that up, it will be huge in game 7.  But no offense from the bench -- I was hoping to see House step up when Allen was off, but no such luck.    Their "Superman" D. Howard had the night that Magic fans were waiting for and scored a game high 23 points and game high 22 rebounds and with help from R. Lewis scoring 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, it was just enough to give the Magic the win 83-75.  I thought that when the Cs were up 8 with 9 minutes left in the game, we were leaving with a win, but Pierce and Allen were 3-15 in the second half and that's what cost us. Pierce played an overall good game, scoring 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists keeping the Cs in the lead the whole game. But right down the stretch when Pierce usually single-handedly closes out the other team, he just didn't have it  and no one else stepped up. The Cs handed this game to the Magic!!! Pierce missed two free throws in the last 3 minutes and then the Celts just couldn't score and Orlando took advantage. They got the lead with under 3 minutes and kept it, sending this series to a game 7. Another crazy series but as Dato, G, Jon, KC, Rach, Ro,JR, Bobafet, Even-Murray, and I said from the start, this was going to a Game 7!!!( Rach has believed from the beginning that this series iwould be just like last year's, and she's right.) This will be back in Boston Sunday night at 8:00 where the Cs franchise is 32-0 in game 7. MIT believes the Cs are a lock. The Professor and I believe it's going to be a battle and could come down to the last possession. We will see Sunday. So Go Celts, get your green on; you don't want to miss this one!!!

Continue reading "Boston Celtics: It Can Get Awfully Hot in Orlando"

In other thoughts: the Celtics will win Game 7 in OT (obviously), and this time Paul Pierce, not Ray Allen, will be the scoring machine. The Bulls are going to double-team Allen, leaving Pierce open time after time for crucial 18-footers down the stretch. I'll even go as far as to say Paul Pierce is the greater playoff threat for the Celtics, only because he matched up against LeBron last year, and is known to be more clutch. Ray-Ray can rain three's all day. At the end of the day, Pierce is the TOUGHEST Celtic. He's the true heart and soul of that team.

Continue reading "LeBron could beat me with Swine Flu"

You can see it in his body language and his knack for coming up with a big jumper.

Ray Allen was a victim of some highly questionable calls, most notably the double-foul call involving a moving screen with Brad Miller. If I'm not mistaken, Miller's move would be considered assault in 32 states. You know that the officials are a little off when

Continue reading "Another game, another epic battle"

"We'll come back to Chicago, the pizza's good." - Doc Rivers

Yesterday's game was absolutely insane, it wasn't the blow out or back breaker Celtics nation had been hoping and praying for!  With KG and Powe out its been a lot of overtime play for 3 three Big guys and the Celtics still had quite a few chances to pull off the win in this game.  To agree with my colleague; Mr. Denizen of Titletown (hell yeah! Title-town) Big Baby left a lot to be desired in Game 4.  Nearly all of us here in Bean-town had a heart attack watching this game.  

Continue reading "Doc Must Really Like the Pizza in Chicago"

Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen each played great basketball and Kendrick Perkins was solid down low, but despite his 29 points, Paul Pierce looked sluggish and made some critical errors that were very uncharacteristic of him. His Twitter update yesterday extolled the virtues of Portello's italian sausages in Chicago. He looked like he had eaten a few before the game today. 

Continue reading "The agony of defeat"

eason, but I'm 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.

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?"

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"

First, check out this, it's super hilarious and well written.  Now, on to the good stuff... 

We're less than four hours away from the Blazers and Celtics tipping off in Boston (catch it on ESPN if you don't want to listen to Mike Rice gush over Channing Frye and you love Van Gundy/Jackson as much as I do), so I figured I'd provide a few nuggets of wisdom about what might be the keys to the game for both sides.  Now before you all collectively groan in disgust, let me reassure you that what follows may actually prove insightful, unlike most other "key to tonight's match-up" pieces that simply say score, defend and rebound better than your opponent.  There are a few things that I'm looking for as indicators of successful play by both sides which go much deeper than the usual mundane crap, so bear with me.

Continue reading "Celtics v. Blazers Preview Extravaganza"

irst quarter where the Celtics turned the ball over seven times, spoiling an 18 point eruption from Ray Allen that could have very well demoralized the Nuggets for the entire night.

And while the Nuggets were active on defense and did their part to force some mistakes by Boston, the Celtics repeatedly shot themselves in the foot at crucial moments throughout the game.  Most of the turnovers on Friday were simply mental mistakes by the Celtics, killing runs and momentum whenever it seemed that the Celtics were poised to regain control of the game.  Championship quality teams do not make these kinds of mistakes, plain and simple.  This season, the Celtics are dead last in the NBA in turnovers per game, averaging a whopping 17.5 per game.  In case you were wondering, the 2006-2007 Celtics (owners of the franchise record 19 straight losses) were only 27th in the NBA at an average of 16.5 turnovers per game.  It is extremely difficult to win games without taking care of the ball, and the only reason that the 2007-2008 NBA champion Celtics weren’t repeatedly killed by their turnovers (they averaged a shade over 15 per game) was because they were forcing more turnovers than they were giving up (not so this year). 

Continue reading "Alarm Bells are Ringing"

Did you miss me?  Sorry for the extended hiatus once again, but I was busy being cooped up in a metal box for days on end, plus I had to go ahead and lose all of my money to various undeserving casinos and their patrons, so I've had no time to reflect on the world of sports.  Many of you are probably expecting to read (or at least skim) some bitter, semi incoherent rambling post about Tom Brady's left knee and the dirty Chiefs and the especially classless fans of the NFL who actually had the gall to celebrate and commemorate a horrific injury to the league's best player, but I've gotta leave something for Simmons to do, so that will not be a part of my post today.  Instead, I'm going to hide from my problems inside the twisted world of the NBA, where my beloved Boston Celtics are still champions, and my mistresses, the Portland Trailblazers are looking better than ever and are brimming with talent and potential.

Continue reading "Little Wing?"

y not directly contribute 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"

ers will, in time, be capable of having that same defensive identity.  Think about it, neither Ray Allen or Paul Pierce are gifted defenders, yet they are both intelligent enough (as is Augustin) to use their teammates to help them play the best defense they possibly can.  Opponents still got into the lane against the Celtics this year, but they were constantly met by big bodies and forced into uncomfortable situations.  At the very least, I expect Augustin (who is plenty quick, by the way) to be able to learn to play effective team defense and use his natural gifts as a solid base from which he can grow to be a more complete player.

Continue reading "First Draft"

ball 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"

lub in the foot, he'll make it happen.

I'd also like to extend major kudos to Jesus Shuttlesworth Ray Allen for not only closing the game offensively (sick layup to put the final nail in the Lakers' coffin), but for also grabbing nine huge rebounds and playing the entire game (who says his ankles are gone?).  Nine rebounds?!?  I must be tripping again!  Seriously though, Allen's work on the glass really helped to limit the Lakers' scoring opportunities, which was another huge key in the comeback and victory.  Ray played great, and he has really been carrying more than his fair share during this Finals series.

Continue reading "Hallucinating in Tandem, or Real?"

First, the good:  Overall, I thought that the Celtics' defensive effort was pretty good.  Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and James Posey all deserve credit for plating great defense on Kobe Bryant and forcing him into so many difficult looks.  Kobe seemed to start gunning and just chucking up shots for a good deal of the game which took the Lakers out of rhythm and stagnated their offense.  Although the Celtics' defense worked this time against Kobe, I think that it's crucial for the Celtics to change up and throw some different defensive schemes against the Lakers.  Phil Jackson will adjust, as will Kobe and the other Lakers, so it's important for the Celtics to adjust as well.

Continue reading "Joyful Panic"

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

Continue reading "Middle Men"

Returns to Lineup

Prior to game 5 of the Celtics-Pistons Conference Champioship series, Ray Allen was freed from the basement of Pat “Sully” Sullivan of Quincy Massachusetts and finally, after several weeks in captivity, returned to the Celtics line up.

Continue reading "Celtics Notes!"

e 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.

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em using to recapture the edge in this series.

First off, there was the reemergence of Ray Allen on the offensive end of the floor, snapping perhaps the worst and most untimely slump of his career.  Last night, Ray scored 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting (2-4 from behind the arc) and looked confident and aggressive on the floor.  Gone was the hesitation in his game that had plagued him throughout the Cleveland series as Allen found the range from deep and took the ball aggressively to the basket throughout the game.  Allen wasn't afraid to take, and make, big shots down the stretch, and at least twice he had me jumping out of my seat and banging on the table down at the Tortoise (my apologies, by the way, to anybody that was in my immediate vicinity that I disturbed).  It was great to see Ray playing like we know he should, although the loss makes this performance particularly hard to swallow.

Continue reading "Silver Lining?"

the extra effort to 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!!!"

 Additionally, a ton of pressure will be taken off of Ray Allen on defense, who won't see much, if any, time guarding LeBron, whereas he had to guard Joe Johnson in the first round.  This should benefit Allen, and the Celtics as a whole, tremendously.  Against a team that isn't stronger, faster or better conditioned than the Celtics themselves, the Cavs will have to beat Boston in areas where the Celtics excel or are outright dominant.  

Continue reading "Cross Your Fingers"

ieces 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"

plan.  And they had two chances. 

Down by two with 20 seconds left and with possession, Ray Allen jacked up a semi open 3 pointer that clanked off the rim and forced the Celtics to foul.  While the look was halfway decent, the Celtics could have used more clock and come up with a better shot to tie or take the lead.  Compounding the problem was the fact that the Celtics got beat on the glass and had to foul with ten seconds left on the clock.

Continue reading "You Can't be Serious"

e on the ball in crunch time!

One last thing that's worthy of noting about game 5 was the play of Ray Allen.  Though he wasn't Boston's highest scorer, he was integral in the victory and hit several big shots to put the final nails in Atlanta's coffin.  For the series, he's shot 45% from the floor, including 50% from behind the arc (good for a 17 PPG average), hasn't missed a freethrow and has come up big down the stretch for Boston.  You know what they say, he got game.

Continue reading "Return to Form"

hnson had room to drive and shoot all night, thanks to some uncharacteristically loose defense from Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.  That's not to say that the burden or blame falls solely on Rondo and Allen, however the defense on Bibby and Johnson was suffocating in games 1 and 2, and very lackluster during the two games in Atlanta.  If the Celtics are going to put Atlanta away, they need to really clamp down on Johnson, Bibby and Smith and force Atlanta's other players to beat them. 

Continue reading "Should I be Worried Yet?"

that fueled their offensive production.

Rondo’s 15 was only three points behind Ray Allen’s team high 18, and he looked impressive scoring in a variety of ways.  One thing that stood out in particular was his touch from mid-range and the perimeter.  Finding himself open and with space against the Hawks defense, Rondo efficiently knocked down several mid-range jumpers and looked confident and fluid with his release. 

Continue reading "Rondo On a Roll, Plus Superstars Shining Bright"

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"

and the multitude 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"

no fools gold at Golden State.  I wanted a Ray of hope.

Since the All Star game(and during) Ray Allen (32 pts 6-8 3pt fgs) has been burying threes like foul shots. I was hoping for the Pierce Plow decoy kick out for three play.  It doesn't exist, but I can draw it up. Pierce holds the ball for a few seconds, pretends he can dribble by going  through his legs a couple of times,  attacks the hoop with his usual reckless abandon, then kicks it out to Ray for a last second money trip. Bang! Celtics win!

Continue reading "Celtics Western Trip Heading South"

With the bench being as productive as they have been all year, and with a worn out Ray Allen still playing solid enough ball, they turned to the team captain Paul Pierce to lead this team just like he has been for what seems like forever.

Continue reading "The Celtics Run Without KG"