Why Ainge Might Be Interested in Damien Wilkins

 Heading into this season Damien Wilkins was considered a defensive stopper with limited offensive skills. Brought into Seattle as a free agent in 2004, Wilkins was told by Nate McMillan, coach of Seattle at the time, he could earn playing time by developing into a defensive stopper.

 Wilkins said working closely with assistant coaches Mark Bryant, Ralph Lewis and Brian Keefe has helped to improve his offensive skill set this season. Wilkins has scored in double-digits his past six games, including a 20-point performance in Seattle's lone win in the past three weeks against Portland. 

Wilkins is averaging 14 points and five rebounds in about 30 minutes a contest over those six games. The News Tribune Tacoma, WA April 1, 2008 "Ultimately, it's up to the person," said Damien Wilkins, one the team's best defenders, about improving Seattle's defensive performance. "I think defense is a mind-set.  

You have to take pride in not letting your man score. And either you have that pride or you don't. At the end of the day, you can draw up all of the schemes and do all of the talking that you want to do, but if you don't have a conscience about guarding someone, then defensively you're just not going to be there. So it's just a mind-set that I think you have to develop. It starts as individuals. We can't be a good defensive team if you're terrible as individuals."  

The News Tribune Tacoma, WA March 16, 2008 Swingman Damien Wilkins will be matched up defensively against Kobe Bryant most of the game. "(Damien) Wilkins is a real fine defender," Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said. The News Tribune Tacoma, WA November 27, 2007 Also note that Dime Magazine and a fella known as Lex have questioned whether Lemon S'quisy has the physique to defend the power 3s of the league.

KG a Mix between Shawn Kemp and Moses Malone

June 26, 1995


Kevin Garnett's Rookie Season

The praise for a 19-year-old basketball player fresh out of high school is starting to border on evangelism. Kevin Garnett, who made Sports Illustrated's cover this week, is described this way by New Jersey Nets assistant coach Jerry Eaves: "This kid shoots it, passes it, and handles it better than Shawn Kemp does right now. He's Shawn Kemp with court skills and Moses Malone with explosiveness." 

There is no question that in the weeks leading up to the draft, Garnett has emerged as the most intriguing name of all. He could be revolutionary: a 6-11 player whose best position will be small forward, not because he is that soft but because he is that athletic.

How many times does a team get a chance to pick a future No. 1 guy with the fifth pick? It's obvious that the league already has fixed the lottery to ensure that the Wolves' lotto ball will never come up No. 1.

Scal or Baby: Who Gets the Spot Start for KG this Year?

Glen Davis took KG’s place on the first team once he left. The second team of Rasheed Wallace, Eddie House, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis and Brian Scalabrine, gave the first unit all they could handle, it was reported in a few places. Shelden Williams replaced Davis in the second unit on Davis’ promotion to the first unit.

LINK

This is indeed interesting. But one thing we've learned about Doc over the last two years is that he likes to keep his rotation in tact when injuries occur. In the past, this has meant Doc going outside of the rotation to find a replacement for an injured starter. At least this has been true during the regular season. Brian Scalabrine spot-starting for KG when the latter was on the shelf is probably the best example.

So I'm gonna say despite the above welcome tidbit of information, Doc will use Vanilla Thunder to replace KG, when and if necessary.

House the Havoc-Wreaker

Celtics coach Doc Rivers had an Eddie House conundrum during the past two years. On one hand, he needed him on the floor because of his infectious energy and shooting ability. On the other, there were times when Rivers couldn't play one of the best gunners in the NBA because of concerns about House's ability to handle pressure in the backcourt and defend bigger guards. Now the Celtics believe they have found the solution and that solution's name is Marquis Daniels. At 6-foot-6, with the ability to handle the ball like a point guard, Daniels allows House to focus on his shooting and general havoc-wreaking ability.

LINK

Eddie's overall ability to wreak-havoc is indeed underrated, as is his ability to hot-wire his team with a charge of electricity. Even his passing ability is better than you might think, especially when's he's passing from a half-court set. Regardless of what he's doing, it usually is a net plus for the team, so long as he's not bringing the ball up the court.

Interestingly, Eddie House has averaged approximately the same number of minutes over the last two seasons, 19 MPGs two years ago and 18.3 last year. Could the addition of Marquis Daniels enable Eddie to increase his minute above the 20 MPG threshold? Perhaps. At the same time, I think you max out Eddie's productivity right around that 20-minute marker, after which we often see the law of diminishing returns kick in.

Lakers Already Favored to Beat C's

Of the four remaining teams, the Lakers and the Boston Celtics have proven to be the most consistent and the ones to beat come June. Thus, the Boston Celtics [+200 ML] have been listed and given the second best sports betting odds to win the 2009-10 NBA Championship Odds.

Here’s how the rest of the field compares in the category of 2009-10 NBA Championship Odds Favorites:

Los Angeles Lakers [-200 ML]

Boston Celtics [+200 ML]

LINK

Let's be honest, gang.

The way the Celtics are playing, the green should be favored against the 2008 Celtics, the 1971-72 Lakers, and a host of other all-time great teams. But are they favored against the injured and barely-able-to-form-a-team-to-run-practice-sessions LA Lakers?

Of course not.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

You feed these Celtics grapes, you break out the lounge chairs and fan them, you stroke their egos, and we all know the result. You kick them in the ass, tell them that their gonna get smoked, and then rub their noses in it, well, then the real Celtics step up to the plate.

KG may have had the best line of the post-season.

After beating the Cavs in the semis, he sat himself down at the post-game presser, looked around, and wondered where everybody came from? Why was the media suddenly interested in the left-for-dead Boston Celtics?

F' em.

That was KG's message.

Here were the odds heading into the playoffs:

NBA
2009-2010 NBA Championship Updated May 3, 2010
Cleveland	8/5	EVEN
L.A. Lakers	19/10	2/1
Orlando	9/2	7/2
Phoenix	15/1	15/1
San Antonio	22/1	20/1
Utah	25/1	22/1
Atlanta	18/1	28/1
Boston	18/1	35/1

Beat LA

This is what it's all about, baby.

Speaking of Baby, what did he have to say about the Beat LA chants?

Magic Johnson Earning Some Love from Celtic Nation

Stuart Scott:

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic had the two best regular season records in the NBA and looked like two dominant teams on a collision course for a duel in the Eastern Conference Finals. Now those teams look more like lint the Boston Celtics have brushed off their shoulders. What happened?

Magic Johnson:

Rondo, Rondo, and more Rondo. Rajon Rondo is the best all-around point guard in the NBA, bar none. And it's not even close.

Any Questions?

Come on, Celtic Nation. If you watched the Larry v. Magic HBO special, then you know Magic Johnson yearns for love . . . from everyone. I think he's earned a little love from us. I trust his analysis now more than just about anybody else. When we stink, he tells us why. We we're dominant, he knows why.

Let's give it up for Mr. Purple.

A Few Cautionary Stats

We got killed on the glass: 46-34
We gave up 16 offensive rebounds
Detroit shot 47% from the floor
Detroit posted 24 assists
We gave up more points in the paint than we scored
Paul Pierce was 2-6

Psst. Hey Doc, There's a Lot More to Worry about than our Home Record

"We're a defensive team first, we've got to be better defensively. And how we play on defense affects how we play on offense. When it's not going on defense it's not on offense and vice-versa. Second and third efforts really hurt. First effort is there every time. But second and third effort, that's where you get loose balls and rebounds

"We've played better on the road than at home for some reason. It's 48 minutes of concentration, you have to play through the game. You've got to finish the race. Hopefully things will get back on track." The Celtics began appearing vulnerable at home in the playoffs last year, eliminated by Orlando in the second round despite having home-court advantage. This season, the

Celtics (36-21) have a 16-11 home record "The most troubling of all things to me is how we've performed at home," coach Doc Rivers said. "I don't care if you have injuries, or whatever, you should win at home." But Rivers has seen plenty of other bothersome behavior by the Celtics, who are 13-16 since Dec. 25

"We had a good practice [yesterday] and we needed it," Rivers said. "And we need a couple more of them. We know the issues and we've got to keep working on them - nothing wrong, we've just got to do it right.

LINK

I've been using variations of the word "sickened" lately, as in the Celtics make me sick to my stomach. Pierce calls this team a defensive team first, and, indeed, I believe we are ranked in the top five in terms of fewest points allowed per game.

But come on, people. Let's get real.

Is this team a defensive juggernaut? We know what defensive juggernauts look like. We watched one play more than 100 games two years ago. They won just about every defensive battle there was to win (except we usually turned the ball over more than the opponent), garnering flabbergasted praise from just about every team in the league. We outrebounded, outblocked, out-stole, out-rotated, out-helped, and out-hustled the opposition better than 90% of the time. Our defense made the opponent feel bad about themselves, made them feel hopeless. That's why LA gave up on 12/31/07 at Staples and again on June 17, 2008. We made them cry uncle because we were suffocating the life out of them.

So I disagree with Doc. F our home record. F our road record. The problem is that we don't play defense, or at least not championship-level defense. Even back when our record was 23-5, we weren't playing 2007-08 defense. The other night 92-year-old James Posey pulled down 9 rebounds in 25 minutes. Garnett can occasionally come close to posting numbers like that, but he's also 5 inches taller than Posey. Nobody on this team rebounds. We are second-to-last in the league. Pathetic, and uequivocally so.

On Thursday I'm going to post an article written by Bob Ryan in March of 1988. It's entitled "The 61-Game Exhibition Schedule." Bill Walton's return was thought to be imminent at the time, and, Ryan felt, his return rendered the first 61 games of the regular season meaningless. Never happened. Even if it had, Walton's return was no guarantee that the team would turn around it's fortunes.

And that's where I am today. The Celtics don't play defense and they don't rebound. Nobody's gonna wave a magic wand and make KG and Sheed 25 again. Nobody's gonna change Kendrick Perkins into Dennis Rodman. I'm not saying our goose is cooked. But the team needs to start showing some signs of improvement, some signs of life in the next five games or I say the season is kaput.

Think about how well we played during the regular season in 2007-08. That consistent, high-level of play made the jump to playoff-level basketball much easier. Right now the chasm separating the current state of Celtics basketball from playoff basketball is the size of the Grand Canyon. That's not a gap you close over night via a flip of the switch.

The Celtics Have Too Much Heart

“It’s all about fight and pride,’’ center Kendrick Perkins said after the Celtics fell to the Nets, 104-96. “We’ve got to play hard on both ends, not when we get down and the crowd’s got to get us into it. Sometimes you’ve got to provide your own energy.’’

LINK

I realize the man said and "not" rely on the crowd to get us into it. But the mere suggestion that this is in fact what the team is doing is enough to make me gag. Funnier still is Rasheed Wallace's suggestion that he's shooting threes only because that's the way the plays are called, that the current Celtics have "too much heart and drive," and that he, Rasheed Wallace, is about to become a different player, meaning a prime-time, go-to guy.

The only thing funnier would be if "one of the greatest shooters of all time" got outgunned by an equipment manager:

Paul Pierce arrived early to practice Wednesday at UCLA, well ahead of the main bus transporting the rest of the Boston Celtics from their team hotel in advance of tonight's matchup with the Lakers at Staples Center.To pass some time, Pierce challenged Celtics equipment manager John Connor to a 3-point shooting contest. Connor, middle-aged with thinning gray hair, accepted the invite with no hesitation.

He then proceeded to easily take the first two games from Pierce, who had to rally just to get a tie in the third game. That's not good. "Yo, Paul," Connor howled after the resounding victory. "I'm gonna go unpack the bags now."

LINK

Finally

	1	2	3	4	T
BOS	30	23	23	11	87
LAL	27	21	21	17	86

BOSTON CELTICS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
Kevin Garnett, PF	26	6-16	0-0	1-1	0	8	8	2	0	2	2	4	+16	13
Paul Pierce, SF	41	4-9	1-4	2-4	0	6	6	4	0	0	1	2	+15	11
Kendrick Perkins, C	33	5-7	0-1	3-4	3	11	14	0	0	2	0	4	+8	13
Ray Allen, SG	36	10-15	4-6	0-1	0	2	2	2	0	0	1	3	+5	24
Rajon Rondo, PG	44	6-17	0-1	2-2	1	4	5	11	5	1	1	1	+10	14
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
Rasheed Wallace, C	20	2-11	0-3	0-1	0	3	3	0	0	2	1	1	-10	4
Brian Scalabrine, PF	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-5	0
Marquis Daniels, SG	13	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	1	-19	0
Tony Allen, SG	7	2-5	0-0	0-0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	-3	4
Glen Davis, PF	16	2-4	0-0	0-0	2	1	3	2	0	0	0	2	-12	4
Shelden Williams, PF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF		PTS
		37-84	5-15	8-13	8	35	43	21	5	7	10	18		87
		44.0%	33.3%	61.5%
Fast break points: 11 Points in the paint: 40 Team TO ( points off ): 11 (16) +/- denotes team's net points while the player is on the court.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
Ron Artest, SF	38	6-14	1-3	2-2	3	5	8	3	1	1	1	4	-13	15
Pau Gasol, PF	37	7-12	0-0	8-8	3	4	7	1	0	3	3	2	+2	22
Andrew Bynum, C	28	7-15	0-0	0-2	3	6	9	0	0	0	1	4	-14	14
Derek Fisher, PG	25	1-9	0-3	1-3	0	2	2	1	1	0	0	2	-12	3
Shannon Brown, PG	39	2-9	1-1	3-5	0	4	4	4	1	1	2	2	+2	8
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
Lamar Odom, PF	34	5-9	1-2	2-3	2	12	14	3	2	2	1	4	+14	13
Josh Powell, C	3	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	+1	0
Sasha Vujacic, SG	14	3-6	0-2	0-0	1	3	4	2	0	1	1	2	+4	6
Jordan Farmar, PG	23	2-7	1-5	0-2	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	+11	5
Kobe Bryant, SG	DNP SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE
Adam Morrison, SF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
D.J. Mbenga, C	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF		PTS
		33-82	4-16	16-25	12	38	50	14	6	8	10	20		86
		40.2%	25.0%	64.0%
Fast break points: 14 Points in the paint: 42 Team TO ( points off ): 12 (15) +/- denotes team's net points while the player is on the court.

The Fog & The Predicament

We're gonna trade Glen Davis, a better than serviceable big with young legs and someone who isn't afraid to bang inside for a back-up point guard. We're gonna trade Ray Allen, an all-time great and still one of the seven, eight, or nine best two guards in the league for Kevin Martin and Andres Nociono, neither one of which qualifies as being better than good. Ray Allen, I might add, is probably our second best player right now. I'd entertain arguments about Paul Pierce, but any player, no matter how good, who tells me he has a foot sprain and "it ain't gonna get any better" heavily discounts his value to me.

Which is where the fog sets in.

This team is on the cusp.

The cusp of contending and the cusp of descending. It seems clear the Celtics could go one of two ways: struggle their way to banner 18 this year, or begin a precipitous decline into oblivion. Trading Big Baby wouldn't trigger the decline per se. Shelden Williams could probably cover. Trading Ray Allen, on the other hand, most definitely could return the club to the dark days of of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Other than Rondo Gordon Orr, Ray Allen is the only Celtic who brings it every night, not surprising since Jesus is a consummate professional. Assuming you got adequate talent in return (and that does NOT mean Kevin Martin and Andres Nocioni), there's still no way to plug the void of professionalism left by a departing Ray Allen. The guy is basically begging to finish his career here, and there's almost no way you get value in return. I say unless the Heat off D.Wade, you keep Ray Allen.

Which brings us to the Predicament. When you are a player, as was Danny Ainge in the late 1980s, it's easy to tell management, "Christ, you idiots, you need to trade Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish while you still can, as Danny Ainge told Red Auerbach at the infamous 1988 Christmas party. But once you've assumed the reins of power in the front office, and a fleeting last chance at another NBA championship is fluttering before your eyes, it's a little hard to push the button and blow the team up.

Rasheed Wallace provides the best example.

At this point in time, I'd say that less than half of Celtics Nation would be sorry to see him go, were Danny to send him packing before the trade deadline. But if Danny traded Sheed, are we better off? Sure, our energy level picks up. Our defense improves. But all of a sudden we're a bunch of short MoFos again, and I just can't watch this team get towered over by the rest of the league. Trust me, I'm not the only Celtics fan who feels this way.

And because we'd lack that extra seven footer, our chances of winning banner 18 are reduced to near -0-. Throw in the questionable health of KG's knee, and all of a sudden we're not talking about late 1980s Celtics basketball but late 1990s Celtics basketball. It seems like we get ourselves in this mess a lot. I hope Danny is smart enough to see us through the current state of affairs. But I'm beginning to have my doubts.

The Difference between this Year and Two Years Ago

stop (stp)

v. stopped, stop·ping, stops

1. To close by covering, filling in, or plugging up.

2. To constrict.

3. To obstruct or block passage on.

4. To prevent the flow or passage of: stop supplies from getting through.

5.

a. To halt the motion or progress of: stopped me and asked directions.

b. To block or deflect; parry or ward off.

c. To be or get in the way of (a bullet or other missile); be killed or wounded by.

6.

a. To cause to desist or to change a course of action: stopped us from continuing the argument.

b. To prevent or restrain: stopped him from going.

Other than Ubuntu, what was the word we most associated with the Boston Celtics during the 2007-08 NBA season? Answer: defense. We got stops when we needed them. The most memorable scene occurred during game 4 of the NBA Finals. During a time out, down 20, Doc told the troops that they weren't playing all that bad, but they had to start making plays. They needed to get stops.

That's what they proceeded to do. They put down the hammer. This squad doesn't do that. It isn't capable of doing it, at least not now. The key to the defense is former Defensive Player of the Year, Kevin Garnett. It's nice when he shoots 6-7 from the field. But that isn't what we need from him. What we need is the dominating presence on the glass and in the lane. We need the quarterback directing traffic, helping from the week side, and volunteering himself for the toughest assignments. He doesn't do much of this anymore, and, in fact, he's not up to the toughest assignments. He's a shadow of his former self on defense. Sheed, supposedly a mirror image of KG's good self, instead is just a mirror of KG's old and injured self.

It's too bad the Celtics still don't have James Posey on this roster. Not because he'd help. But because he'd fit in. He's old and beat up now, too.

Marquis Daniels and The Dubious Value of Historical Precedent

I was a history major in college. I have a law degree, and in the law, precedent usually carries the day. This blog is heavily into Celtics history. But if history has a place in various aspects of society, it's value can be overstated, too. Let me explain.

The Celtics drafted Michael Smith in 1989. I was fired up. Red Auerbach compared him to Larry Bird. Smith came to camp out of shape and proceeded to get hurt immediately. He fell behind, and it took him forever to get caught up. Thereafter, any time a Celtics rookie got hurt early in his first season, I was done with him. I was done with Glen Davis before he ever suited up because he got hurt in the pre-draft tryouts.

Continuing the injury theme, I've always been an admirer of Tony Allen's undeniable skills. I've compared his defensive abilities to Deion Sanders. I'm not TA Crazy, like some fans who remember his stellar play before blowing out his knee earlier in his career. But I've always been solid in his corner. Because he gets injured so often, however, I've basically written him off as a possible contributor. I then applied the Tony Allen precedent to Marquis Daniels. Pacers fans warned us. They said Daniels gets hurt a lot. Don't expect him to stay healthy. I kept an open mind, but, sure enough, he got hurt and missed a boatload of games. My response was to dismiss him as a contributor the rest of the season.

You see where I'm going. Watching MD play just a few minutes today demonstrated to even the basetball-challenged that he is a multi-skilled player who, if healthy, could drastically increase this team's chances of winning a championship. Remember earlier in the season when the Celtics bench was outscoring the starters? Do you think it was a coincidence that this happened when MD was healthy?

I realize that the Celtics will need a lot of luck for everyone to get healthy, stay healthy, and get on the same page. But history really will have nothing to do with how far they get.

Will the Excuses, Justifications, and Rationalizations ever be Replaced by Wins?

The season started auspiciously enough, with a win on the road against Cleveland. We followed that up with a big win over Orlando on Christmas. Somewhere along the way we beat San Antonio in San Antonio. Beyond that, the pickings have been slim. A slew of home losses, most of them on Friday nights, combined with being swept by Atlanta over four games has colored our skies gray. On February 18th, Team Green will give the Los Angeles Lakers the opportunity to sweep us for the second consecutive season.

Celtics Nation has resorted to a number of explanations for the season's disappointments. We've been injured. The regular season doesn't count. We're not motivated. Blah blah blah. I'm as guilty of these indulgences as anyone, perhaps more so. To a certain extent, I even believe them. The playoffs are what really matter.

But if you are making plans to go to a dance contest with firm intentions of winning it, don't you at least need some evidence that you are vaguely familiar with the cha-cha, Charleston, flamenco, foxtrot, jig, jitterbug, mambo, minuet, or polka? Maybe the regular season doesn't mean as much as the playoffs. But that doesn't mean that the regular season means nothing. Sooner or later, the boys in green need to start posting some wins against some of the NBA's timber, if for no other reason than it can't do much for our confidence to keep being taken to the woodshed.

Grampa Celtic with Some Historical Insight

On Sunday, Feb. 4, 1973, the 42-10 Celtics played the 4-53 76ers. A little background is necessary. This was the seventh and final game of the season series. The Celtics and Sixers first met in Boston on Oct. 23. The 6-0 Celtics beat the 0-5 Sixers, 105-85, prompting Rubin to say, “I’m trying to spot young players with veterans, and it’s going to take some time for us to do something.’’

It never happened.

By the time the teams met again on Dec. 1, the Celtics were 18-3 and the Sixers were 2-22. The Celtics loafed their way through a 105-99 win, making coach Tom Heinsohn very unhappy. It was an attitude that would continually resurface as the Celtics defeated the 76ers three more times, leading to a meeting in Philadelphia on the night of Feb. 3 (back-to-backs were very much in vogue in those days). The cocky, arrogant Celtics again tried to win the game by taking shortcuts, and at the end of the third period they trailed by 6. They managed to pull it out, 104-100, but Heinsohn was fuming, and never mind that John Havlicek didn’t play because of a knee injury. A 41-10 team should have its way with a 4-52 team, or so you would think.

By this time, the Celtics really did think that showing up guaranteed a victory. But on Feb. 4, an inspired 76er team shot 68 percent in the first half and continued to play well in the third, and when the buzzer sounded to end the period, they had a 97-85 lead. Paul Silas was the conscience of the Celtics then, as Kevin Garnett is now. They still had a jump ball at the beginning of each quarter then, and Silas would later relate exactly what he was thinking as the players took the court to start the period.

“I could just see the headlines in the morning paper,’’ he said. “ ‘76ERS BEAT CELTICS.’ Coast to coast. And that was not going to happen.’’ You could tell by the look in Dave Cowens’s eyes that he wasn’t going to allow that headline to be seen in Albuquerque, Ashtabula, or Aliquippa, either. Cowens had looked into that proverbial mirror after the third quarter, and he did not like what he had seen.

The Celtics played that fourth quarter as if their entire year’s salary depended on it. Cowens was maniacal at both ends, as only Cowens could be. Silas grabbed whatever rebounds Cowens didn’t. Jo Jo White fired in jumpers (he would wind up with 38). And Hambone Williams ran around and ran around and ran around, firing passes hither and yon to accumulate 10 assists - how do you like that, Rajon? - in that dazzling fourth quarter. When it was over, the Celtics had scored 38, the 76ers had scored 18.

Final score: Boston 123, Philadelphia 115. Boston Globe headline: “SPIRITED CELTICS OVERHAUL 76ERS.’’ Cowens explained exactly what had motivated him. “Sometimes you fool yourself into thinking you’re doing your best, but you’re really not,’’ he said. “Your heart is in it, but your body is saying, ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that.’ Maybe this is what I needed to bring me out of it - being humiliated out there.’’

LINK

42-10. Yup, that 1972-73 team was something else. Funny thing, though, they didn't win the championship.It's understandable that Tommy Heinsohn was upset with the team's lackadaisical approach. It's equally understandable that Cowens and Silas decided to crank up the intensity and take over the game . But keep in mind these were the young and healthy Cowens and Silas. We're not talking about young and healthy players today when we talk about KG, Sheed, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen.

Hence, expect more and more of trying to win games at the end of games. As Kevin McHale said the other day, when you're young, you show off. You start the season 40-10. When you're older, all you care about is how you finish the season.

Amen to that, brutha.

Ray Allen's Field-Goal Percentage is Actually Higher than his Career Average

Ray Allen #20 SG

2009-10 Statistics			FG		3PT		FT		Rebounds			Misc
	G	MIN	FGM-A	FG%	3PM-A	3P%	FTM-A	FT%	OFF	DEF	TOT	STL	BLK	TO	PF	AST	PTS
Season	48	36.6	274-605	.453	80-235	.340	143-160	.894	0.7	2.8	3.5	.88	.31	1.83	2.15	2.8	16.1
Career	990	37.2	7139-15922	.448	2379-6012	.396	3775-4228	.893	1.1	3.3	4.4	1.19	.19	2.32	2.33	3.7	20.6

The Middle Relievers Do Their Job

Ladies and gentlemen, the Boston Celtics scrubs. Not bad, huh? Easily Eddie House's best game in recent memory. Though only 4-10 from the field, House made all four of those baskets in the fourth quarter when the outcome was still up in the air. He was the difference between a nine point win and a nail-biter to the bitter end. Glen Davis continued to round into form, with some key rebounds at both ends down the stretch to go along with a 5-7 shooting night.

Speaking of House and Davis, y'all understand what's going on, right? The Celtics have reduced each basketball game to a cliche. The days when they put an opponent away in the first half are over. They are too old and too injured for that. That simply requires too much energy. Instead, the Celtics entire focus is to put themselves in a position to win the game in the last five minutes (hence, the cliche about only needing to watch the last five minutes of an NBA game to get the picture).

This makes the last few minutes of quarter three and the first seven minutes of quarter four time for our Middle Relief, or that part of the bench that can keep the game close until the closer comes in. Last night, Doc didn't reinsert the starters (KG and Perk) until the clock read 2:40. The substitution immediately paid dividends, when Perk grabbed a pass from Rondo for an easy deuce.

Only a win against NJ, you caution. I agree. But you have to start somewhere. Let's see what this team can muster (in the fourth quarter) against the Magic on Sunday.

You Say You're Worried about How We're Playing Now?

January 17, 1985

The Celtics have won seven in a row, are 17-1 at home, 11-0 against the Western Conference, and 28-0 in games in which they have led after three quarters. If they win at Indiana tomorrow night and Sunday against Philly, they will be on a 70-12 pace at the midway point. No NBA team has ever won 70 regular-season games . . . The Lakers, meanwhile, have lost three in a row for the first time since February 1983, and four of their last six. They are 6-6 against Eastern teams, and 10-10 on the road. LA has already lost more road games to Eastern clubs than they did all of last year. The Lakers were 8-3 on the road against the East last year, but are 3-5 now.

By reading this, you'd be tempted to think that it was the Celtics who won the championship in June of 1985. Didn't work out that way, now did it? Long way to go, campers, long way to go. This helps us understand what Kevin McHale was telling us yesterday.

Kevin McHale: The Celtics are Fine

"Are they getting longer in the tooth? Yeah, but that's what happens," said former Celtic Kevin McHale who is now a TV analyst for TNT. "Believe me, if you stayed 25 (years old), none of us would ever play because Jerry West and Bill Russell and everybody would never let us play. You get older, so it's natural, you just get older and it happens. What happens is, they start looking at the season differently. It's going to be after the All-Star game and letting Doc get Marquis Daniels back, which makes Eddie House more effective, getting Big Baby in, who had the hand injury. I think they are fine. They are where they need to be."

LINK

I see where the Army is projecting a second round exit for the locals. Possible. So is a first-round exit for that matter. I mean, come on, let's be honest. No matter who they play in the first round, we know there is a pretty good chance of it going 6 or 7 games.

Then again, if the Cs can get healthy, stay healthy, and develop some kind of rhythm, the playoffs will be the playoffs, which is to say an opportunity to slug it out on a round-by-round basis and see who's standing at the end.

Is there something else I'm missing?