Wednesday, April 11, 2012

C's upset the Heat in South Beach

10 days after the Celtics blow out the Miami Heat in Boston, they come to South Beach and once again pull out a decisive victory against the Heat. The c's won the game 115 to 107 in an excellent full team effort. The Celtics were simply on fire all game shooting 61 percent with Paul Pierce scoring a team high 27 points and KG dropping another 24. Not to mention the lock down defense KG played on Bosh limiting him to 13 points. Rajon Rondo also came up big with 18 points and 15 assists. Ray Allen, who is now coming off for Avery Bradley, contributed with 9 points and some big 3 point shots. The Celtics have been the hottest team in the NBA since the All-star break. I think I agree with the statement that Dallas Mavs owner Mark Cuban said earlier in the year, that the younger teams would excel early in the shortened season but the veteran teams with chemistry would come together at the end. I also think that the Celtics success has something to do with Avery Bradley starting over Ray Allen. Avery adds an element of athleticism to the starting lineup and with the C's bench missing Mickael Pietrus, Ray Allen gives the 2nd unit a scoring spark. With two wins against the Miami Heat in 10 days, I think the Celtics are ready to make a serious push for the NBA finals. Although the C's are not the favorites to win a title, they are going to be a tough matchup for any team in the east. Don't sleep on the Celtics this postseason they might surprise some people this year.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Celtics too hot for the Heat

Celtics defeat the heat today in dominating fashion. Coming into this game I was a little worried about the injuries the C's would be facing with Pietrus and Ray Allen but it was not a factor in this game. The Celtics beat the heat 91 to 72 and Rajon Rondo was able to record his 5th triple-double of the season with 16 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds. Rondo leads the NBA in triple-doubles and has come up big all season when the C's need him the most. Paul Pierce gave the Celtics a big lift as well by dropping 23 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. The Celtics have been on fire since the all-star break and this is the teams biggest win of the season against a quality opponet. The Celtics lost to Miami in the beginning of the season but the team played without Paul Pierce. Today the C's played without Ray Allen, but Avery Bradley was able to step into Allen's shoes and play with great confidence. Bradley scored 13 points in todays game but his speed and intensity on the court makes everyone else on the floor better. Bradley loves to run and is an excellent defender. He blocked one of Dwayne Wades shots today that sent Wade to floor and energized the rest of the team to keep playing hard.

Monday, March 26, 2012

C's win a "back to back" game series

The C's took on the Wizards last night at the garden. The Celtics were very short handed this game and were forced to play without Ray Allen ( sore ankle) and Pietrus ( concussion). But the Celtics were able to pull out a decisive win beating Washington for the fourth time this season. Avery Bradley recorded 23 points in the game which is a career high for him. I could see that Bradley was in the zone and it appears he is gaining more confidence every game he plays. Pierce scored 21 points as well and the Celtics won by a score of 88-76.
Tonight, the Celtics played the Charlotte Bobcats on the road. The Celtics played again without Allen or Pietrus, but it did not seem to matter. The Celtics won the game 102 to 95 with excellent play from the captain, The Truth, Paul Pierce. Pierce recorded a season high 36 points along with 10 rebounds. Kevin Garnett also put up good stats with 24 points and Rondo recorded 13 assists. These two games were big for the Celtics who have struggled on second games in back to back games all season. This is only the second time the C's were able to win a second game of a back to back when the second game is on the road. This win ties the Celtics with the Sixers for first place in the Atlantic division. The Celtics will be looking to carry this winning momentum into Boston when they play the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Celtics have an injury in Fridays loss to the Sixers

On friday the C's took on the Sixers in Philly. The Celtics would lose the game 99-86 but a hard foul on Mickael Pietrus  had many C's fans cringing. The six foot six guard received a hard foul in the 2nd quarter of the game that left him grabbing the back of his head in pain. From video footage of the collision it did not appear Mickael hit his head, but he landed very awkwardly on his back tweaking his head and he was spitting out blood soon after landing. Pietrus seemed very disoriented and had to be carried out of the arena on a stretcher. Pietrus was immediately taken to a local hospital to be evaluated by doctors. As a long time Celtics fan, this injury reminded me of when Marquis Daniels suffered a season ending injury last year, so i feared the worst for Mickael. However, the Celtics received good news on Pietrus and learned that he suffered from a concussion.  Pietrus told Comcast sports net reporters that he is still dealing with some dizziness and feeling weak but he knows the injury could have been much worse. Pietrus also said that he is not going to rush back and will wait until he feels better. The Celtics are very shorthanded in todays game against the Washington Wizards. They will be playing without Pietrus and Ray Allen who is resting an ankle injury. Avery Bradley will get the start and hopefully the bench can come up big in the game.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Celtics win five straight

Tonight the Boston Celtics took on the Houston Rockets at the Garden. The Celtics struggled to keep the lead all game but in the final minutes the c's managed to tie the game leading to another overtime. The C's pulled out the win in overtime with great play from the truth Paul Pierce who has had back to back 30 point games. Ray Allen also stepped up with 21 points. I think this five game winning streak is a sign that the Celtics have a complete team with good chemistry. This game was a real character builder for the Celtics and they were able to pull together as a unit and come out on top. Rajon Rondo missed a big shot in the closing minutes that would have won the game in regulation. But, the team was very supportive of Rondo after the miss and made him keep playing strong. I also saw good play from Greg Stiemsma who contributed to win with 8 points off the bench. With Jermaine still out, the Celtics need all the help they can get from big men off the bench and Greg could be a big spark for the Celtics. He showed that he is not afraid of taking jump shots and that he is a very good shooter for a 7 footer. The Celtics will Play the Sixers tomorrow night who are currently a game ahead of the Celtics in the Atlantic division. If the Celtics can pull out another win tomorrow night, they will continue to move themselves in better position for the playoffs.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Celtics stay hot

Today the Boston Celtics took on the New York Knicks at the TD Garden. The Celtics were down by 3 points in the 4th quarter with only five seconds to go and Paul Pierce aka the truth was able to hit a 3 to tie the game. The Celtics won the game in overtime making the current Celtics winning streak increase to four games. Paul Pierce came up huge in the game with 34 points and 7 rebounds. Also, Rajon Rondo was able to get his fourth triple double of the season with 18 points 20 assists and 17 rebounds. This win put the Celtics into 7th place in the east over the Knicks. I think with all the trade rumors going around about the Celtics trying to trade Rondo, the team was really able to come together. Sometimes when players hear they are going to be traded it affects them on the court and they lose focus. But, Rondo did the complete opposite recording two triple doubles in the last week and showing the Celtics why he is the future on the franchise. I think that when Boston is able to get their center Jermaine O'neal healthy they will be a domanite force in the eastern conference.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Celtics catch fire in the second half of the season

The Celtics start off the second half of the season with back to back wins. The C's have struggled with back to back games in the past but the team is now 5-0 when the second game of the back to back is played at home. Tonight, the Celtics pulled out an impressive win at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. In this game Rajon Rondo recorded his third triple double of the season with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Rondo is now the only player in the NBA with more than one triple double. This says a lot for a point guard to achieve this milestone and I feel Rondo is one of the most complete players in the league, besides weakness in his jump shot. Kevin Garnett had a good game as well shooting 50 percent and scoring 25 points with 10 boards. The Boston Celtics are now 17-17 on the season and looking to lock in the 7th seed over the Knicks. I think the Celtics have the fire power to get a high seed for the playoffs but the team needs to stay healthy. Their have been rumors that Danny Ainge is agressively trying to shop Rajon Rondo and this could mean the end of the Celtics hopes for a playoff run. Rondo is the engine that makes the Celtics go and is a player the C's can rebuild around. This is not going to help the Chemistry in Boston and will only be worth while if the C's can grab a Dwight Howard Caliber player.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Two Celtics all-stars in Orlando

Tonight was the NBA's all star game and two members of the Boston Celtics were present in Orlando for the east team. Both Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce were on the team as reserves. Paul Pierce scored 3 points with 2 assists and Rondo had 2 points with 8 assists. The Celtics players did not get much playing time but Rondo helped the east team with his passing ability and he was able to find Pierce for a wide open 3 point shot. The west ended up winning the game with great play from Kevin Durant who scored 36 points and had 7 rebounds. The Celtics will return to action on tuesday when they will take on the Cleveland Cavilers on the road. The Celtics have lost their last five games and this will be a must win game for the team. Many players on the C's have suffered injuries throughout their losing streak including Jermaine O'Neal, Brandon Bass, and Chris Wilcox. The Celtics also have played without Rondo the last two games after he was ejected in a game against Detroit after throwing the basketball at the Ref. Rondo is clearly feeling the frusturation from the Celtics latest losing streak and hopefully the team can start to turn it around with a win on tuesday.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Decisions for Danny

Recently Danny Ainge The vice President of Basketball operations for the Celtics told the Boston Globe he would consider breaking up the Big 3 this year. The fact of the matter is that the Boston Celtics are one of the oldest teams in the NBA with Pierce at the age of 34, Allen at age 36, and Garnett at age 35. However, since Ainge made this announcement the Celtics have been playing much better. It may have been a calculated statement by Ainge to fire up the wiley old veterans. Either way, the big 3 era is coming to an end and the Celtics have maybe one or two more years to win a championship with the three hall of famers. The C's have to play with everything they have night in and out to keep Ainge from making a major trade. Their has been rumors of trading Paul Pierce who is still an all-star caliber player and even rumors about trading Rajon Rondo for Lakers forward Pau Gasol. The trade for Gasol would be great for the Lakers but would not make sense for the Boston Celtics. Rondo is the engine that makes the team go and he is a player you can build a great team around. I personally like the make up of the current Celtics team but I do think that the team is in need for more productive center. Current Celtics center Jermaine O'neal is very inconsistent and lacks some of the energy and lift he once had. Also, all year the Celtics have struggled with giving other teams 2nd chance baskets and offensive rebounds. If Ainge decides to make a move to get a new big man he should keep their four star players and make a trade using bench players. The Celtics still have the pieces to make a run at the finals but they may need some more help rebounding.

Playoff possibilites for the Celtics

The Boston Celtics have a very strong team with a lot of seasoned veterans who know what it takes to win a Championship. The big 3 of Allen, Pierce, and Garnett are getting older but Rajon Rondo is emerging as one of the most dominate point guards in the league and has shown he can put the C's on his back and carry the team to victory. In addition to this, this years Celtics team has one of the deepest benches I can remember. New addition Mickael Pietrus is a knock down 3 point shooter and an excellent defender who can come off the bench and instantly make an impact in the game. Also coming off the bench is Brandon Bass. Bass was traded for Glen Davis this off season and his play on the court has greatly benefitted the C's. He adds another big body for the Celtics who has the ability to rebound and block shots in addition to being able to make mid range jump shots. The Celtics have also seen great progress from back up point Avery Bradley. He is becoming known by other point guards as a lock down defender and is improving on his offense constantly. With great depth from the bench, the Celtics could easily pull an upset in the playoffs over a team like the Heat or Bulls. As long as the Celtics can stay healthy and continue to let Rondo run the offense, they will be a very tough out in the post season. The Celtics bench may be the edge the team needs to add another championship banner to the TD Garden.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Celtics continue to grow

The Boston Celtics are finally starting to come together and play with the chemistry they have showed over the last few years. The Celtics have now won 10 out of their last 13 games. The C's showed great poise against the Orlando Magic recently when they were down by over twenty points at half time and managed to come back and win decisively. It appears that the team is starting to round itself into shape and the Celtics are looking like much more of a championship title contender. Today, the Celtics played the Chicago Bulls who currently have the best record in the NBA and have won five straight games. The Celtics managed to pull out a close win by the score of 95 to 91. The C's had a 14 point lead with five minutes to go but the Bulls managed to cut the deficient to three. However, through the strong play of Rajon Rondo who was able to make four consecutive free throws down the stretch, the C's pulled out the W. Rondo had an incredible game with 32 points 15 assists and 10 rebounds recording his 2nd triple double of the season. Kevin Garnett also contributed with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Although the Bulls were without their point guard and last year's mvp Derrick Rose, the Celtics showed a will to win and that was lacking from this team earlier in the season. I also saw substantial production off the Bench from Rookie JaJuan Johnson who scored 12 points in place of Brandon Bass currently is out with a sore knee.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Paul Pierces' Legacy Signified

Last night the Boston Celtics took on the Charlotte Bob Cats at the Boston Garden. While the game was a relatively easy win for the C's, the game had a moment of great historic significance for the captain Paul Pierce. With 10: 23 remaining in the 3rd quarter Paul Pierce hit a 3-point shot that put him past Larry Bird as the 2nd all time scorer in Celtics franchise history. Paul Pierce finished the night with 15 points but this moved his career point total to an astounding 21,797. This accomplishment with seal Paul Pierces fate as one of the greatest Celtics of all time. He has already brought the 17th championship banner to the Boston Garden where he was the Finals MVP and been a dominate force in the city of Boston for the last fourteen years. In addition to this, Paul is already the franchise leader in free-throws and three-point shots made. When asked if Pierce could pass John Havlicek’s franchise record of 26,395 points Pierce responded by saying, “I think the fans would really appreciate another championship more than me passing Hondo,”. This is why Paul Pierce is one of the most loved players in the city of Boston and my favorite player of all time. Although he has just won a scoring title, his main concern is bringing a 18th championship to the city of Boston. Its still all about 18.