Odom Still Stinks…

Posted by Mike Giardi June 12, 2008 at 9:42 pm

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. Anyway…

Remember how I said Lamar Odom is one of the biggest teases in pro sports? Tonight we’re seeing the reason why people still talk about him in positive terms. He is absolutely feelin’ it, to the Celtics detriment. 6-for-6 in the opening quarter. All coming from the same guy who didn’t record his first field goal in Game 3 until late in the third.

This is why the fans/media who were quick to write off the Lakers, claiming that Kobe is a one-man team, were crazy. Even if you’re trying not to focus that much attention on Kobe, you do, simply because he’s too good to guard 1-v-1. That leads to open looks for the supporting cast, and they picked it up in Tuesday’s game and just aren’t missing tonight.

One quarter in the books…LA by 21.

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.

Odom is Odious

Posted by Mike Giardi June 10, 2008 at 9:40 pm

Good to see Laker forward Lamar Odom respond positively to the criticism from his Head Coach, Phil Jackson, in this opening quarter. Oh wait…that didn’t happen, did it? A couple of fouls and no points just 6 minutes in.

I think its pretty telling that Jackson, a man who knows something about star players and championships, would say Odom looked confused in Boston. I mean, that’s pretty damning, isn’t it? Other than calling a guy a dog, or a word I can’t use in this family environment, I can’t think of a bigger insult for a veteran player. Any player with any pride would do his best to answer that with a big night, but Odom shrinks from the moment.

Quite frankly, this guy is one of the biggest teases in the NBA. Maybe in all of pro sports. He has all kinds of talent, but - seemingly - a lack intensity that prevents the good from being great, the great from being Hall of Famers. Red Sox fans would tell you J.D. Drew’s his baseball equivalent (until his most recent uprising). I would say you’re insulting J.D. Badly. So don’t do it again!

Help Me Rondo

Posted by Mike Giardi June 9, 2008 at 5:19 pm

16 assists. 2 turnovers. If that wasn’t the very definition of what you want from a point guard, than I don’t know what is. Rajon Rondo didn’t shoot very often - reluctantly hoisting up just 4 shots - but he was, arguably, the reason the Celtics built up a 24-point 4th Quarter lead. It was a Jason Kidd type performance, except from a man much smaller than the aberation that is the Mavs floor general.

But I’m not here to toast Rondo. I treat point guards exactly the way Doc Rivers does. And if the second-year playmaker from Kentucky deserves praise for getting the C’s way out in front, he also deserves criticism for not seizing the leadership mantle and preventing the Lakers from making a nearly miraculous comeback. I mean, run the offense! Almost that entire final quarter was spent pounding the ball on the perimeter and watching the shot clock and the game clock. That took the C’s out of an incredible offensive flow.

It also sucked some of the energy out of the Green Team at the other end, and the next thing you know, Vladimir Radmanovic is the next coming of Larry Bird, dropping in 3’s like they were uncontested layups. To say it got uncomfortable in the Garden would be an understatement. There was a nervous buzz, a “this can’t really be happening” feel. Point the finger at the player with the rock in his hands.

I’ll tell you what, I would not want to be Rondo today and in tomorrow’s walk-through. That film session probably caused some bruises…physical and mental. One example of “here’s how you did it right,” followed by two of, “and this is what you did wrong.” Rondo has proven confident enough to handle it, and handle the responsibility of running a team that features three All-Stars. All he needs to do now is do it well two more times - simply by running the offense -and he’ll likely be feeling pretty good as that parade trickles down Boylston Street…

Heady time for the Celtics

Posted by Ted McEnroe June 9, 2008 at 12:45 pm

Pretty heady time for the Boston Celtics. They lead their series in the NBA finals with the LA Lakers 2 games to none, but there was a big complaint after the game from Laker coach Phil Jackson, who was disgusted with the disparity in foul calls. Celtics shoot 38, Lakers get  a 10. Leon Pow or Poe as Jackson corrected himself after messing up Leon’s name with more free throws. One player than the in the entire Laker group had as a team. Paul was very aggressive. He deserved those foul calls. On the hand, the Lakers weren’t aggressive at all, and that goes right on down to Kobe Bryant who surprisingly has not yet attacked a basket. You have to give the Celtics deense credit. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, James Cosy and even the bigs for sliding over and life difficult for Kobe. They continue this in those 2 wins, they might come in L.A, and then they wrap this thing up before having it come back to Boston for. listen

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Concerns Going Into Game 2

Posted by Mike Giardi June 8, 2008 at 4:01 pm

I am mere minutes away from departing Team NECN headquarters to make my way to the Garden for tonight’s Game 2 of the NBA’s Finals between your Boston Celtics and the L.A. Lakers. As I’ve mentioned in each of the past couple days, the first concern here is Paul Pierce’s right knee strain. I guess we should all feel better about his health considering PP and Sam Cassell had what was described as a spirited game of 1-on-1 at the C’s shootaround this morning/afternoon. I’ll be real interested to see his lateral movement/quickness on cuts and defensively. I also will be watching very carefully to see how Pierce explodes to the basket.

My 2nd area of concern..the health of one Kendrick Perkins. He wasn’t allowed to do jack squat this morning, and high ankle sprains are never good. Perk didn’t put up any kind of numbers Thursday night, but he did a good job defensively before getting hurt. Pau Gasol didn’t get an offensive board until midway through the 4th quarter. Is it any coincidence that Perk was out of the game at that point? I think not. If he can’t go, or can’t play for very long, that puts an extra burden on P.J. Brown and company. I’m not sure they can handle those kind of minutes.

Lastly, and simply, I wonder about Kobe. The C’s defense may not have gotten enough credit for how they played in Game 1, but Kobe is an assasin. I don’t think there’s any way he doesn’t bounce back in this game, big time. Now does he do it at the expense of his teammates, or can he still manage to go off and get everyone else involved?

Enjoy the game.

Can C’s Win with a Subpar Pierce?

Posted by Mike Giardi June 7, 2008 at 9:06 pm

Okay, so Paul Pierce says he’ll play in tomorrow’s Game 2. Surprised? As Pierce said in the aftermath of Thursday night’s win, and I’m paraphrasing, “there are only two weeks left. We’ll deal with the knee when the season is over.” That’s exactly what you would expect from a star player playing in his first NBA Finals. Its also what you’d expect from a player just three wins away from his first NBA title, and the first for this storied franchise in 21 years. But what can Pierce provide?

The C’s captain says the swelling in his right knee subsiding, but - as of this afternoon - he couldn’t bend it completely. Give Pierce 24 hours or more for treatment and the hope is that he’ll be a reasonable facsimile of himself Sunday. Let’s face it, the C’s need that. They need Pierce to be a force at both ends. And yes, he may be just as important defensively as he is offensively. The work he did on Kobe, especially in the 4th Quarter (after the injury), was impressive. Goes to show you just how much PP has bought into this defense wins championship thing (where have I heard that before?).

If Pierce’s mobility is severely compromised, that’s one less body to run at the Lakers star. That will make a difference, without question. Kobe’s too good for it not to. Plus, you just don’t expect another 9-for-26 from Michael Jordan’s possible heir, do you? I know I sure as heck don’t.

At the other end, you saw what Pierce did to Vladimir Radmonovic. I mean, that guy may be long, as the ESPN hoop heads love to say, but he was also out of his league Thursday. 5 fouls in 17 minutes. We spent all this time wondering how the C’s would cover Kobe, but how do the Lakers deal with Pierce? Again, the task becomes easier if a vital part of the “Big 3″ isn’t quite right. But I’m done wondering. You and I and the rest of the basketball watching world will see tomorrow and then, and only then, will we know just what kind of impact the injury has on Pierce and on this series.