The Shelden 15-Footer

Patrick O'Bryant Lives! Clearly, that was the BIG story from last night's win. Ok, maybe not.

Then what?

Perhaps it was the fact that Kevin Garnett played above the rim throughout the game, including two alley-oop dunks. As KG continues to get healthy, memories of him standing on the ground, declining opportunities to catch and dunk alley-oop passes earlier in the pre-season are fading. This development can't be overstated. A grounded Kevin Garnett proved to be valuable shooting 15-footers, grabbing rebounds, and deflecting and swiping passes. But Garnett needs the hops to become the $21m man.

Next up we have Glen Davis. It takes him virtually no time to start making things happen once he enters a game. His game underneath is really impressing me this year. Every now and then, he appears undersized as in the days of old. But more and more he's figuring out ways to use his body, get space, and get the hoop or some harm. He may give Sheed a run for his money in the Sixth Man race.

Shelden Williams hit two jumpers from 15 feet, and missed one. He keeps making these shots, and one blog is going to have to reconsider their harsh criticism of his jumper. In one piece, the blog was actually imploring Shelden never to shoot his jumper. The blog made the argument based on statistics. But sometimes you have to put the abacus down, and take a look at the real thing. And other than maybe and extended pinkie, the Shelden jumper looks sound.

Rajon Rondo is now talking about how great the Celtics' defense will be this year. Talk is cheap. Because if the first quarter is any indication, the Celtics' defense looks porous to me. The Raptors' scored 18 points in the paint IN THE FIRST QUARTER, and once an individual Raptor player got past his man, there was minimal to no second line of help. Pre-season, I know. But KG isn't looking quite as quick or mobile laterally as I remember. Whatever, it's something to keep an eye on.

Speaking of Rajon, I was watching a bit of the Houston-Boston match-up in game 1 of the exhibition season. Rajon's jumper looks WAAAAAAAAY different. Ball is well above his ahead, well in front of his face. Last two games, he's back to his old jumper. He's even hitting it with semi-regularity. Again, I'm sure someone can go grab a statistic and tell me his jumper stinks. Someone else will tell me his jumper isn't pretty. But you know what? I've seen Rondo make big shots when the chips are down. And he's starting to make it again . . . without thinking about it. So put me down as supporting his decision to go back to his old jumper.