Why the Celtics Won’t Miss Posey

Posted by Jimmy Young July 16, 2008 at 6:36 pm

Its always tough to say goodbye to a key player on a championship team, but that’s what Celtics fans did today. James Posey signed a 4 year deal with the New Orleans Hornets, he wanted that 4th year, and he deserves it. Celtics nation knew that this day might come,  he was a one year rent a veteran, and it worked. The Celtics won their 17th NBA Championship. Can they win an 18th without James Posey? Yes, but it might be tougher, and they will have to find another veteran forward presence off the bench. Remember at this time last year, Kevin Garnett was still a member of the MInnesota Timberwolves. I just think, in time, the Celtics will be just fine, and Mr. Posey will join Dave Roberts, Dave Henderson, and Ted Washington as members of great teams who were one and done in Boston Sports.

Why The Celtics Won’t Miss Posey

Posted by Jimmy Young July 16, 2008 at 6:30 pm

Its always tough to say goodbye to a key player on a championship team, but that’s what Celtics fans did today. James Posey signed a 4 year deal with the New Orleans Hornets, he wanted that 4th year, and he deserves it. Celtics nation knew that this day might come,  he was a one year rent a veteran, and it worked. The Celtics won their 17th NBA Championship. Can they win an 18th without James Posey? Yes, but it might be tougher, and they will have to find another veteran forward presence off the bench. Remember at this time last year, Kevin Garnett was still a member of the MInnesota Timberwolves. I just think, in time, the Celtics will be just fine, and Mr. Posey will join Dave Roberts, Dave Henderson, and Ted Washington as members of great teams who were one and done in Boston Sports.

Corey Sees Gold

Posted by Mike Giardi July 8, 2008 at 10:21 pm

Its rare in this day and age for any athlete to rule out any scenario, but I gotta say, I’m not sure Corey Maggette was ever serious about coming to Boston to play for the Celtics. Now, we don’t have to worry about it. Maggette’s long gone and hard to find, unless you want to stay up and catch the late game on TNT or ESPN.

Now that makes you wonder if Danny Ainge has to up his offer to James Posey or just walk away, and zero in on the next target. There’s no one on his current roster who can do what Pose does. Then again, there aren’t many in the league who have a game like that.

But is there any way Posey deserves a 3 or 4-year deal? Actually, let me rephrase that: is there any way the C’s should pay him for that many years? He’s 31, and he’ll turn 32 in January. He doesn’t have Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen mileage on his legs, but 31’s not young by NBA standards. Bruce Bowen’s been able to scrap defensively into his mid-30’s, so I guess if Ainge sees Posey as having that kind of stamina, then go for it. Otherwise, lose the sentiment and move on the next guy.

 

And they said the Celtics had no chance

Posted by Randolph Charlotin June 18, 2008 at 9:44 am

The Lakers vs. The Celtics. The Rivalry renewed. Overwhelmingly experts picked the Lakers to win the championship. And who could blame them? Just compare all the elements and it’s easy to understand why LA won the popular vote.

Just look at what they did in the playoffs. The Lakers cruised through the tougher Western Conference, sweeping Denver, convincingly defeated Utah 4-2, then crushing the defending champions San Antonio 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. The Celtics needed seven games to dispatch the lowly Atlanta Hawks and seven more to eliminate a one-man team in Cleveland.

Style points mattered as well. LA had the best offense during the playoffs. They averaged well over 100 points because they were the best passing team in the playoffs. Boston’s offense was inconsistent at best. They had to rely on their defense to bail them out in every round. Somehow they advanced two rounds with a slumping Ray Allen. Known for his impeccable jumper as a Milwaukee Buck and Seattle Supersonic, Allen slumped through the playoffs. Two good games at the end of the Detroit series didn’t make up for three bad rounds.

How can anyone not like LA in this series? They have the league MVP leading the team. Kobe Bryant is the best closer in the league. Check that, best player in the world! The guy is so good he gave himself a nickname of Black Mamba, one of the deadliest snakes on the planet. He can take over games and win practically all by himself. There’s only one ball between Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Allen. Sure they shared during the regular season. But they’ve been the man before. Will they compete for the chance to be the hero?

Not that Kobeis alone. The Lakers pulled off the crime of the season when they acquired Pau Gasol from Memphis. Without him, LA probably doesn’t reach the Finals. There’s also the young and energetic bench. The self-titled Bench Mob has been instrumental in the Lakers’ success during the playoffs. All Boston has to offer is a collection of unwanted veterans, a second-year point guard and a offensively challenged foul-prone center.

And the ringmaster of this team is the owner of nine championship rings. He is the one and only Zen Master, Big Chief Triangle, head coach Phil Jackson. He matches his mind against Doc Rivers who never won a playoff series until this year. I repeat: Nine Championships to zero series wins pre-2007.

Well opinions don’t win games. Past accomplishments don’t ensure future success. Three stars are greater than one supernova. Looks aren’t everything as no one can see the toughness learned through experience.

The Lakers were the trendy pick. But trends come and go. The Celtics were based on a less than glamorous foundation of defense and team play, tried and true practices that often lead to success.

A lot of opinions changed when the Celtics came back from a 24-point deficit to win game four and took a commanding 3-1 lead. The players knew that meant nothing. Four wins made all the opinions worthless and made the Boston Celtics champions.

And that’s a fact.

Sweet Seventeen

Posted by David Green June 18, 2008 at 5:00 am

Where do you start? How do you even begin to talk about the Celtics’ domination on the parquet Tuesday night?

It was total. Unrelenting. Humiliating. And for Celtic fans, it was the most impressive and enjoyable 48 minutes in a long, long time.

A magical second quarter broke the Lakers’ spirit, meaning Game 6 would not feature yet another huge Finals comeback. How good was the 2nd? Try 11 assists on 11 baskets. An 11-0 run courtesy of supersubs James Posey and Eddie House. A 9-0 run going into halftime that turned a 14-point lead into 23… a run that “buried the [Lakers] emotionally,” according to Phil Jackson. You know what? The Zen Master was right.

The second half was a glorified victory lap for this team that brought glory back to Causeway Street after a 22-year hiatus that seemed decades longer. While L.A. couldn’t get anything going, the C’s got everything going. The Celtics had a Finals record 18 steals, including 6 from Rajon Rondo, whose pestering, aggressive defense set the tone early. The rebounding edge was 48-29 — including a 14-2 edge on the offensive glass, as L.A. couldn’t grab a single offensive rebound until the 4th quarter.

You could marvel at the stats of this one for ages. The 39-point margin of victory was the largest for a clincher in Finals history, and just a couple of points shy of the worst beating in any Finals contest. Ray Allen’s 7 threes tied another Finals record. (By the way, can anyone remember all the concern about Ray Ray’s struggles early in the playoffs? Yeah, didn’t think so.)

By the way, do you want to talk about home-court advantage? The Jungle earned its nickname in this series, especially compared to the disinterested crowd that sauntered into the Staples Center. I was there for Game 3, and I was embarassed by the atmosphere. The crowd made more noise when Hugh Hefner was shown on the Jumbotron than when some guy named Earvin Johnson made an appearance. On Tuesday, the place was rockin’ from the opening introductions, and it never let up until the last piece of confetti finally touched down on the parquet. The official attendance was 18,624 but it felt like thousands more.

The scene in the locker room afterwards was one of total jubilation. I’ll admit it; my job has many perks, but nothing I’ve experienced to this point compares with being in the middle of the madness Tuesday night. Even now, as I’m watching the trophy presentation on the ESPN replay at 4:49 a.m., I’m still at a loss for words. While it felt amazing to watch the Sox and Patriots spray champagne after their championships, the sting of having champagne and beer sprayed in your eyes as it’s happening is a much better experience.

Now it’s time for yet another parade in Titletown. I’m guessing a few people might call out sick on Thursday to watch the Celtics roll through the city on the Duck Boats that Doc took the new Big 3 on way back at the start of the year. Doc told them that’s how Boston celebrates champions… now they’ll get to see exactly what it’s like.

Get Me Back to Boston

Posted by Mike Giardi June 16, 2008 at 10:20 pm

A travel nightmare today may prove costly to the Celtics tomorrow. If you’ve been watching us at all this evening, you know that the C’s charter had mechanical issues out in Los Angeles. So instead of being in the comforts of their own homes early this afternoon, the Green Team was still stuck on the West Coast. Word is they weren’t leaving until after 5:30…and that was on a 757 that had to be flown to them! That’s a shot somewhere south of the equator.

Now I know what you’re thinking. These guys don’t travel the same way we do. They don’t have to go through long security lines and sit in uncomfortable seats in some over-packed terminal. I agree. What they do and what we do are not even comparable. But a long day of waiting, especially a long day of waiting when you know what lies ahead - and what you have left to accomplishment - makes this a potentially harmful day for the C’s.

Making matters even worse, everything I can garner from this Kendrick Perkins injury situation is that even if he does play in Game 6, he won’t be able to play like Perk can; which is to say, physical. The job he had done defensively really came to light last night in his absence. The big fella may not look like he’s a force, but on that end of the floor, he really is. Just ask Kevin Garnett how much he missed Perk.

Collins: It’s all about bouncing back

Posted by Chris Collins June 12, 2008 at 5:52 pm

NECN’s Chris Collins says tonight is all about bouncing back for the Celtics. They will have to do that with an injured Rajon Rondo, who says he is ready to go, but will obviously not be 100 percent. Collins previews game 4.

Morning Coffee

Posted by Mike Giardi June 12, 2008 at 9:43 am

Early morning thoughts while being thankful that I never said anything bad about Texas outfielder Milton Bradley (at least, as far as he knows or I’ll admit)…

- You know how athletes like to blame the media for taking quotes out of context, or being overtly negative? Apparently Curt Schilling doesn’t need our help. He can do it all on his own. Never mind the fact that he was right about Kobe. Schill objects to having clubhouse business spilled out on the back pages of newspapers, but obviously has no problem laying the hammer on a guy he doesn’t even know, playing for a team he doesn’t know. Hypocrisy anyone?

- I don’t spend too much time worrying about the Pats and their habit of not disclosing injuries. I mean, why should I, and more importantly, why should they? Ellis Hobbs was right earlier this week when he said the opposition will go after you if they know you’re hurt. I don’t see how the NFL can make them tell the truth. If Hobbs ends up getting scratched, they could say he slipped on banana peel the morning of the game. How can the league prove that wrong? So that said, I think Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo blogging about his ankle injury is the height of stupidity. Unless he’s setting the Lakers up for something, there is absolutely no reason for it. I guess its youth…or something.

- Did you see Bill Simmons claim that Kevin Garnett didn’t sleep for like 4 days straight in the Detroit series? Am I suppose to be impressed? As a professional insomniac, I can triple that with no effort. But seriously…KG needs to dial it down a bit. Part of being great is getting a handle on your emotions and managing your intensity. 1st Quarters mean as much as 4th Quarters on the scoreboard, but its those final 12 minutes that determine a player’s legacy. I suspect Garnett knows that, even bleary eyed…

- If Rondo doesn’t play tonight, or is ineffective, how does Doc handle it? Pray that Eddie House’s dribbling skills have taken a quantum leap in the 48 hours since the C’s and Lakers last played? Hope that someone got the smelling salts for Sam Cassell? Mercifully, LA doesn’t have a Lindsey Hunter type to hound the ball, although Jordan Farmar did a pretty good job Tuesday. I suppose you could have Pierce and/or Allen bring the ball up, but I have to believe that would impact the offense in a negative manner. The more I think about it, the more Rondo just has to pull a Pierce, put on a Cape and play Superman…or at least the Green Lantern or Flash Gordon (I loved the Green Lantern as a kid, but you gotta admit, his gimmick was pretty lame. Not as lame as the Wonder Twins, but I digress…)

- If you don’t like “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret” by Queens of the Stone Age, I’m not sure we can be friends.

KG Needs to Settle the Score

Posted by Mike Giardi June 10, 2008 at 10:29 pm

I’m not one of those media guys or basketball analysts who will demand that Kevin Garnett live down on the block. That would be stupid. As we’ve learned KG’s game this season, its pretty evident that he’s not your classic back to the basket post scorer. I mean, he can score from down there, and his quickness in the paint makes him a hard guard. But Garnett’s big ticket is that 18-to-20 foot jumper. He is usually deadly from that range. In fact, one of those great stats that we are privy to has KG’s percentage on jumpers from outside the key but inside the 3-point line 9th in the NBA. 9th!! For a 7-footer (minus an inch or two)!

That said, Garnett’s shot selection in the first half of Game 3 in LA has been brutal. One fadeaway jumper after another. And then when he did get inside, he was too strong on a couple of layups. I don’t get it. I mean, do we give LA’s defense credit? I’m not sure I can do that. I think KG is just settling, and I suspect he’s going to hear about that at the break. The good news is, I feel pretty good he’ll rebound in half number two. With the C’s down just 6…this just might be doable…despite the lopsided free throw total. Of course, you just knew was going to happen the moment Phil Jackson got all critical in the postseason press conference Sunday night. Tonight, it’s 22-7 in LA’s favor after one half.

Adjust the Bass and let the Alpine Blast…

Posted by Mike Giardi May 25, 2008 at 11:37 am

23 points from the Celtics bench. Another 12 and 10 from Kendrick. My call to the bench boys was answered last night and, not surprisingly, the Celts are now at the wheel of that shiny Cadillac Escalade with the $50,000 rims. Or if you prefer, a big ole Benz. Me, I’ll take the family truckster, but that’s how I roll.

Anyway, hard to believe that was the same team we saw get abused by the Pistons on the previously pristine Garden floor, but I checked the tape, and the faces were the same. It was just the performances that changed.  The C’s supporting cast has been a question  mark in the second season, alternately shying away from, then embracing key moments. Last night, Posey, Cassell, P.J. and Big Baby hugged it out, and now the Green team has recaptured home court advantage.

You knew it was going to be different in the opening quarter. Both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen got hit with two quick fouls, and Doc had no choice but to rely on these guys. But unlike in Game 2, the bench responded quickly and productively. They helped answer a 13-0 run by Detroit with a 10-0 whitewashing themselves. Posey dropped in a  big 3 from the corner, then Cassell got an open look at the top of the key and softly coaxed it in. That didn’t happen Thursday, especially for Cassell, who was rooted to the floor with that awkward looking wrap engulfing his back and logged yet another DNP-CD.

Perkins deserves credit as well. “Molasses” may not be the most fluid athlete we’ve ever laid eyes on, but he’s a decent shooter, and we know he can rebound and supply a defensive presence in the paint. At least, we’ve seen him do those things for stretches during the regular season and even in the playoffs.

Last night was arguably his best performance in May. Perk went 6-of-7 from the floor, had 10 boards and made life difficult for anyone who dared venture into the paint. I’d like to see him do it again Monday, but I have to remind myself that the big fella is still young in experience, despite having several seasons of NBA life under his belt.

So now what lies ahead? A chance to stagger Detroit by taking another one at the Palace. As Paul Pierce and Garnett said following last night’s victory  - and I’m paraphrasing - why come here for just one win? That’s the right sentiment, now let’s see if the Green team and its bench boys deliver the same kind of 1-2 punch.

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