Yardbarker: Gabe Pruitt

Celtics Stuff Live 10/5 : Scott Souza

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:44:55 -0500

Training Camp kicked off this week down in Newport, Rhode Island and there already are plenty of conversation about how this roster works for spots six through fifteen. Scott Souza of the Metro West Daily News and the Boston Globe's new sports themed magazine The OT joined the abbreviated Sunday night show to fill in the Celtics fans out there about how the competition is shaping up at Camp. With 16 players in camp, many eyes have been trained on Gabe Pruitt as a potential cut, but Scott noted that Pruitt looked good in the limited time the press was able to watch and that he thought Pruitt would make the team.Moving on to first round pick J.R. Giddens, Scott noted that Giddens appears to be quite frustrated on the court which is perhaps a nod toward his inability to grasp what the team is doing offensively and defensively. But now it is on to Wednesday and the first preseason game. It may not be the crispest and cleanest basketball you've ever seen, but lord knows we'll overreact to an absurd degree. At least we'll finally have something to overreact to.

Curiouser and Curiouser

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:17:22 -0500

When the Celtics signed Sam Cassell, it was obvious that someone on the roster was destined to be cut. With 4 point guards on the roster, it seemed that one of them might be the obvious cut. Eddie House just signed a 2 year contract. Rondo is secure as the starting point guard and with Sam being pretty much assured of a spot, it seemed that Gabe Pruitt might be the odd man out. But, this quote from the Herald suggests that all 4 point guards could make the final cut. Barring anything unforeseen, the Celtics [team stats] will be keeping four point guards on their final roster. One cut will need to be made from the 16 in camp (or a trade would have to be made where the C's got one fewer body in return), but the little guys seem safe. So, if the 4 point guards are safe, who is the 16th man? We can rule out the starting five so Perk, Rondo, Pierce, KG and Ray Allen are safe. And if the Herald is right, then Sam, Gabe and House are safe as well. Patrick O'Bryant is pretty safe as he has something the Celtics desperately need and that is size. Also, reports are that he has been playing well in camp. But, even if he is lagging behind a bit, his size pretty much guarantees him a spot. Tony Allen was signed for 2 years and Danny and Doc have both said that they are depending on Tony to be the defensive stopper now that Posey is gone. So, it would seem that Tony is also safe. Scal has 2 years left on his contract and even though he didn't play in the playoffs, both Danny and Doc talked about how much he brings to the team. Danny was talking about how the team was better with Scal in the starting lineup last season. Now, knowing Danny, he may be hyping him up for a trade. Next would be Big Baby and Leon Powe. At first it seems as though they are similar players and maybe one or the other would be the one to be cut, but they both bring their own skill set and depending on the matchup, each brings something different. Of the two, I would rather keep Leon. He brings so much toughness and although he is undersized, he has those long arms and plays much bigger than his size. Then we have the 2 rookies. Bill Walker has gotten rave reviews for his performance in camp and it seems as though he has already picked up the system and looks good. He also brings some toughness to the team as could be seen from his scuffle with KG in a scrimmage. JR Giddens is struggling so far, but Doc and Danny still seem high on him and I don't see the team cutting a first round pick on his rookie contract. So, then we have Darius Miles. All reports out of camp say that Miles is playing very and the knee doesn't seem to be an issue. When asked about Miles, Danny said that he could see Miles making a team and playing 10 games and then added that he hoped it would be the Celtics. Miles' contract is not guaranteed and so that could make him the most likely to be cut. But, if he plays well enough in camp, then it would be very hard to let him go. I am pulling for Darius to make the team. So, it seems as though everyone has a role on the team and it will be hard to make that last cut. Of course, Danny could have a 2 for 1 or 3 for 2 trade in mind. In that case, I could see Scal and either Big Baby or Gabe being involved in the trade. I still think that one of the points is going to have to be cut or traded and Gabe Pruitt would seem to be the odd man out, although he has potential and should be the back up point of the future. Another theory I have been thinking about is that Sam will be the one cut and immediately added as a coach. Then, if needed during the season, he can be picked back up. It will be interesting to see who stands out over the next 3 weeks and who doesn't. The team looked good on the Real Training camp session. It seems as though things are coming together. For anyone wanting to see the first pre-season game, it will be televised on NBA-TV on Wednesday, October 8 at 7:00 PM. I am getting very excited! How about you?

Keeping 4 Point Guards

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:39:43 -0500

Bulpett reports (http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1123352 srvc=rss) on the roster competition: Just one year removed from shouldering a Dumpster of doubt, Rajon Rondo [stats] is the unquestioned leader at the position. Eddie House was re-signed for his outside shooting. Sam Cassell was brought back for a veteran hand and to make sure things don’t ever get too quiet. That leaves second-year man Gabe Pruitt, who is still trying to grow into his talent. He will have time. Asked about keeping all four, Rivers replied, “I would say likely, because Sam can play more than just the 1. He can play the 1 and the 2. Gabe can, too, at times. I’m not that concerned by that position.” There may be a little light concern about Pruitt, however. While Rondo was confidently guiding the Celts to a championship in his second season, Pruitt is being prodded to do more. “He’s just getting better,” said Rivers. “I’ve got to remind him on days that this is actually a competition, and he’s got to compete every night. He can’t just want to fit in. You know, fitting in is not good enough. In other roster-watch news, Miles was able to practice (http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/10/04/miles_pushes_himself___with_positive_results/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Boston+Celtics+news) even though he was thinking about shutting it down for a day, which people are taking as a positive sign...

Exciting Things Coming Out of Camp

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:09:40 -0500

Going into camp the questions on most people's minds were if Tony Allen could step up his game, if Patrick O'Bryant was really a bust or could he be a sound back up for Perk, what Miles could give the team, and if the team would have the motivation this season since they won the championship. So far, the answers coming out of camp are very positive. Last season, Tony had trouble coming back from his most recent knee injury and wore a bulky brace the entire year and never did get his explosiveness or his confidence back. In camp this season, Tony Allen is playing without the knee brace and reports are that he has his explosiveness, mobility and most of all, his confidence back. Doc announced yesterday that Tony was the MVP of practice and that he had let the offense come to him. Praise like this from Doc this early in training camp is sure to motivate Tony to do even better. This is exciting stuff because if Tony can get back to where he was before the last knee injury, it will be huge in replacing what the Celtics lost with James Posey. Tony has the capability to be a lock down defender and the team will need him in that role now that Posey is gone. As for the 3 point shooting, James Posey is a career 35% shooter from beyond the arc while Tony has a 32% average for his career. That isn't a huge difference, but before the knee injuries slowed him, he was shooting almost 39% and if he has his legs and confidence back he may even be able to fill that role as well. Even bigger than the questions surrounding Tony, are the ones that are surrounding the Celtics' back up center. Patrick O'Bryant was a lottery pick but was termed a bust by his former coach and never found his niche in Golden State. He never fit into their system and Don Nelson had these very critical words to say about him. "I told him if he goes down to the D-League and isn't a dominant player, there should be red flags all over the place, and he should be the first to notice. He's not only not dominating, he's not playing very well. He's a long-term project. I really liked him the first week of training camp, but I assumed there would be great progress. He hasn't gotten better one bit." No one could blame Celtics fans for being a bit skeptical about the big guy's ability to produce. But, he spent the summer working with Clifford Ray who is the best big man coach in the league. After yesterday's practice, Doc singled out O'Bryant for praise. Rivers said he was impressed with Patrick O'Bryant's effort today, and for the second straight day while Kendrick Perkins is unavailable for contact, O'Bryant got the nod with the first unit. "Patrick had a hell of a practice. He was great today," Rivers said, noting that if he figures out how to play alongside Garnett, "things could be pretty good for him." It would be huge if he were to have a break out season. Clifford Ray has been known to work wonders with other bigs and it seems that his work with O'Bryant is paying off. It also was evident that O'Bryant never fit in Nellie's system and seems to be taking to Doc's system quite well. As for Miles, praise has come from Pierce, Garnett, Allen and Doc for his performance so far. Doc praised his instincts and feel for the game, things you can't teach a player but they come naturally to Miles. His attitude is great and Doc has said he thinks that Miles is 100%. He beat out the other big men in wind sprints and although his basketball conditioning is a bit off after not playing for 2 years, he is working hard to get it back. At this point, it seems that he will be a lock to make the team and give the Celtics a big lift off the bench. When the Celtics signed him, I saw some reports questioning his defense, but reports from camp said that he was guarding KG much of the first day of camp and did a very good job. I don't think he will face many assignments much tougher than that. Like the team, he is committing to playing defense and so far is doing a good job of it. From the clips I have seen from practice, he is looking good. Finally, the team's motivation has been questioned. The Celtics' stars were very motivated last year to finally get that elusive ring that they had been chasing their entire careers. Now that they have a ring, would they be as motivated as they were last season? The answer coming out of camp appears to be a resounding yes. The practices have been intense and Doc has said that this is the best start to camp that he has ever had. Dickerson said that the practice that he watched was every bit as intense as any practice last season. It appears that all of the Celtics from the stars down to the rookies are very serious about repeating as champions. One thing that is puzzling is that Doc has had Tony and Eddie running the point on the second team and that Sam has not yet taken the floor in scrimmages. Reports are that Rondo has added 7 pounds of muscle and is even quicker than last season so the starting point guard spot is solid. The Celtics have 4 other players who can play the point in camp including Sam, Tony Allen, Eddie House and Gabe Pruitt. I haven't heard anything about Pruitt and he may be the odd man out in the race for that 15th spot, although Danny really seems to like him. With Sam not scrimmaging, it makes me wonder if possibly Sam will be the one cut and slip into the assistant coach spot and be kept around for insurance in case they need him. Barring any trades, this would be my choice for getting the roster to 15. It will be interesting to see what Danny does from this point until the season. With Trader Danny, we can never count out a 2 for 1 or 3 for 2 or 1 trade, either.

I'm Excited! Notes from Media Day

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:06:22 -0500

Some random thoughts from Media day. Get ready for the new and improved Rajon Rondo. He has put on 7 lbs of muscle and is confident and ready to go. As you can see from the photo, he has gained muscle and is going to be exciting to watch this season. There is no question about Rondo's motivation. "I want to be the best point guard in the league one day," said Rondo. "My coaching staff believes in me. The Big Three believes in me, and the rest of the team believes in me. I'm going to keep working hard regardless of how much I've accomplished so far." He's definitely been working. Veteran Celtics players had to tell Rondo to stop coming in for two-a-days. So he shortened his daily workout to one, 5-hour session. The much talked about signing of Sam Cassell has been finalized as he signed a one year contract with the Celtics today. This means that someone definitely has to be cut or traded. If Sam doesn't play better than last season, I'm all for cutting him now and making him a coach. But, it will probably be one of the young guys that goes. With Sam in place to play back up point, the obvious choice would be Pruitt, but Danny seemed rather excited about Pruitt earlier this summer, so who knows. If it's a trade, we can only hope Scal is included. They may have to give up Pruitt or Big Baby to get someone to take him. Under no circumstances should we trade Leon! The news about Darius Miles is all positive. Doc says that he is 100% and KG and Pierce are very positive in their comments about him. He is excited about the opportunity and seems to have a great attitude. If he is 100% and as he says, he is better than he was, he should make for some exciting basketball this season. The 10 game suspension isn't a problem because he and Danny discussed it before he was signed and Danny didn't seem worried about it. Pierce sounded like he was doing a Johnny Most impression as he was pretty hoarse. He said that he has been icing his right knee during the offseason and that the injury he sustained during the 2008 NBA Finals isn't anything lingering. That is good news. He KG and Ray all sound like they are motivated to repeat as champions. The young guys sound very motivated. I can't wait for the season to start. Perk said he is targeting the third preseason game which would be the Oct. 11 game in Manchester, N.H. for his return to playing. Perk, as always is working hard and focused and will get back on the floor as soon as he can, but the doctors are being more cautious and taking it slow so that when he comes back he will be 100%. Rushing it could cause another injury to the shoulder, and that would be disastrous for the team. Scott Souza has some words from the big guy: "I don't want to rush it," Perkins said, "and make it worse. I want to take my time and make it 100 percent when I come back on the court. … I am doing all the drill work in training camp. It's probably the week after training camp when I will start doing the contact stuff. I'm expected to play in the third preseason game, so I am pretty excited about that. "I was expecting the worst (with recovery time). I am just following doctor's orders with the recovery time. But as long as Doc (Rivers), the coaches, everybody's OK with it, I shouldn't have a problem with it either." JB had this to say about Bill Walker: Bill Walker impressed me with his intelligence, reminding me what a scout had told me, that he expected him to pick up the system earlier than most rookies and thus have a "leg up" to challenge T. Allen, Giddens and Miles for Posey's minutes. Walker reported that he is playing without pain in the knee that he had surgery on just after the draft and so is ready to earn a spot on the roster. I have been excited about Bill Walker since we got him in the draft. I really think he is going to be a surprise and will be hard to keep off the court this season. Tony Allen is healthy and confident and has ditched the knee brace. That is good news because the Celtics are depending on Tony to be the defensive stopper that they lost when James Posey left the team. If he has turned the corner and is ready to play, he is very capable of it. Pierce, Allen and Garnett have already started to pitch the idea to PJ Brown of coming back for the stretch run once again. Pierce maintains that the fact that he says he is retired doesn't mean anything because he was retired last year too. I imagine PJ will have to get used to the occasional call from the Boston 3 Party asking him to keep his options open about coming back. Doc said he wouldn't mind having PJ even if he just was there for the locker room because he had such a positive influence on the Celtics' young big guys. (assistant coach anyone?). But aside from his influence, Doc said that what he gave them was length and although Leon and Big Baby give toughness and can hold their own, they don't have the length. But, Patrick O'Bryant does and if he can blossom under Doc's system and Clifford Ray's tutelege, The Celtics will have that length. But again, that is a big if. Steve Pagliuca has come up with the catch phrase for this year's team: "Two-buntu". Last season ubuntu was the motto and hopefully the meaning of that word will once again be the guiding principle for the team but this season, it will be two-buntu or maybe ubuntu².

JB at Media Day...today at Healthpoint.

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:06:45 -0500

My first media day was very enjoyable, meeting lots of friends not seen since the season ended, if not overly informative. The event began with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, lined up at a table for a protected question and answer session which was a lot of blah...blah...blah, ... how are you going to stay focused and win two titles in a row and how will you compensate for Posey's departure? Except for news that Ray's son, stricken with diabetes during the playoffs is doing well, there wasn't much of interest there. For the rest of the afternoon, the rest of the team, hung around for picture taking sessions, television interviews and were open to talking to all the press. The scene on the gymnasium floor was lots of little circles of 5-15 members of the media surrounding each player who was then available. At various times I saw and listened to; Brian Scallabrine, Leon Powe, Glen Davis, Gabe Pruitt, Patrick O'Bryant, J.R. Giddens, Sam Cassell, Eddie House,Tony Allen, Darius Miles, Bill Walker and Kendrick Perkins. Perk talked about his shoulder and could only offer when queried if it was going to be a chronic...

It's Media Day!

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:58:22 -0500

I know it was a short off season but it seems like I have been waiting forever for the season to start. Maybe it's because we didn't have summer league to break up the summer. But, the season is finally here bringing lots of questions with it. We can expect the players to all voice their readiness to repeat when they speak to the media today. We will hear how they have been preparing for their title defense by working out on their own and in Boston, at least for the last few weeks. Hopefully we will hear that they are ready to commit to team and defense again this season and that they feel that they are just as good this year as they were last and just as hungry. But, the questions surrounding this team won't be answered on media day. They won't be answered until the season is in full swing. Here are some things we will be keeping an eye on as training camp and then the season progresses: Will Sam Cassell be signed? All indications are that Sam will be signed to a non guaranteed contract. If he doesn't play better than he did at the end of last season, he shouldn't be kept on the roster. If they do indeed sign Sam, who will be cut? Or will Danny make a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 or 2 deal to make roster space? If Danny does make a trade, who is likely to go? It seems as though Scal, and either Big Baby or Leon, along with Pruitt if Sam sticks might be possibilities. From early reports, Darius Miles looks good but if he can't cut it, he would be the most likely because of his non-guaranteed contract. Or, maybe Sam will come in for training camp as a player and then move to the coaching staff for the season. Lots of questions that we should find the answers to by the start of the season. Another question is can Patrick O'Bryant cut it as the back up center. He had plenty of potential when he came into the league as the 9th pick in the draft, but was stifled by Nellie's system with the Warriors. Can Clifford Ray work his wonders with the young center or will be he a bust in Boston as well. I do know that the last center who was considered a bust with Golden State and who had been mentored by Clifford Ray worked out just fine for the Celtics. But that was many years and another championship ago. There are lots of questions about knees coming into this season as well. Bill Walker has impressed the coaching staff and has the potential to make an impact but his knees are a question mark after 2 major surgeries and another minor one before this season. Darius Miles is trying to become the first player ever to come back from what has been determined to be a career ending injury. I have seen estimates of his readiness anywhere from 75-95%. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett both mentioned that they were impressed with him so far. If his knee can hold out and he is able to get to even 95% of his previous shape, he should make the team and go a long way toward filling the Posey void. Leon Powe also had 3 major surgeries after ACL tears and seems to have come back very strong from them. His knees haven't been a concern and we saw him take a jump in his play in the Finals. I expect him to have a bigger role this season and to improve even more. The biggest question mark will be Tony Allen's knee. Last season he played with a bulky knee brace on and never seemed to get his confidence back 100%. Reports are that the brace is gone and that Tony is ready to take a bigger role. He is capable of replacing the defense that the Celtics lost when Posey left. When Pierce was out, Tony stepped up and we saw what he is capable of on both offense and defense but then he re-injured his knee and last season he couldn't seem to get his confidence back. Tony will be crucial to this team and we will be watching his play and development very closely. If their knees can hold up, between Tony, Darius Miles and Bill Walker, the Celtics might not miss James Posey quite as much. But, that is a big "if" considering their histories. Another question coming into camp is whether Gabe Pruitt can contribute this season. He has shown flashes of being a very good point guard and he played well in the D-League last season. But, is he ready to step in and back up Rondo in his second year in the league? If he is, why are they bringing back Sam? And where will Eddie House fit in? Finally, since the announcement that Perk wouldn't be ready for the start of camp, the biggest question on everyone's mind is will Perk's shoulder hold up? As last year's finals proved, Perk is crucial to this team's success. Today's Herald reports that Perk should be ready to play by the third week of camp. Kendrick Perkins [stats], recovering from the third shoulder surgery of his young career, is not ready for full contact, though Danny Ainge indicated yesterday the Celtics center should be ready once the exhibition games start. "Perk will do everything in camp except live contact for the first week," the team's director of basketball operations said. "Then we will progressively add things on as the second week goes on, to the point where we're hopeful that by the third week we're hopeful he'll do everything, including playing in exhibition games." He has had 3 surgeries on the troublesome shoulder so far in his 5 years in the league. Reports are that this time they put a screw in it. They have tried everything else so maybe this will hold it. I sure hope so. It may be a good thing that Patrick O'Bryant will be forced to show what he can do early. After today's media day, the Celtics will go full force into training camp tomorrow and the first game will be on October 8 against the revamped Philadelphia 76ers who have some questions of their own to answer. The Celtics had questions entering last season and they answered them all emphatically. I am looking forward to seeing them do the same this season as they seek to become the first Celtics team since 1968-69 to repeat.

CTC: House or Cassell?

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:57:50 -0500

Countdown To Camp: 5 Days To Media Day All this week I'll be counting down the days till camp with questions that need to be answered sometime during camp. (Also See: 9 Days (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=3943 Itemid=189) | 8 Days (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=3947 Itemid=189) | 7 Days (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=3949 Itemid=189) | 6 Days (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=3957 Itemid=189)) Rondo is the undisputed starter who took a huge step last year and seems poised to take the leap this year. But he can't play the whole game and we do need a backup point guard to run the offense when he's not in the game. Currently the team doesn't have another prototypical pass-first point under contract. Some would say that if the team signs Sam Cassell they still won't. However, if and when Sam is signed, the decision will still be up to Doc on who to use first off the bench at the point. There's an outside chance Gabe Pruitt could come in and win the job over everyone else. However, I don't think anyone expects that to happen, least of all the team. Otherwise why would they resign both House and Cassell? So...

Celtics Win #17: The World Bleeds Green Once Again

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:43:36 -0500

For the unprecedented 17th time.

The Boston Celtics are the NBA (National Basketball Association) Champions.

And they made it look easy this past week with a resounding 131-92 drubbing of their rivals—The Los Angeles Lakers—in game six of the 2007-2008 NBA Finals.

But that wasn't always the case.

Longtime Boston Celtics beat writer Peter May shared that at the start of the 2007-2008 NBA season, Celtics' Head Coach Glenn "Doc" Rivers urged his stalwarts—specifically team captain Paul Pierce and newly acquired NBA All-Stars Walter Ray Allen, Jr. and Kevin "KG" Garnett—of the importance of "seizing the moment" as "the can't afford to wait" (since they are getting up their in age and opportunities to win a championship are few and far between). Rivers added that the talented trio need to play with a sense of urgency and liken their situation to being their "one and only chance to win."

Rivers, 46, sold them on the concept of defense and Garnett was the first one to follow his lead—eventually ending the season as the league's top defensive player—the first of his decorated career.

And that wasn't all.

An exodus of more than half their players from the 2006-2007 NBA season in order to acquire Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Allen from the Seattle Supersonics posed to be yet another challenged to the 24-win club.

By the time the season started, the green and white has nine new faces on board—the aforementioned Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, free agents James Posey, Eddie House, Scot Pollard, rookies Glenn "Big Baby" Davis, Gabe Pruitt, and returnees Tony Allen, Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, Brian Scalabrine (whom some sources have said, has the same basketball IQ as the legendary Michael Jordan), Rajon Rondo, and the Captain Paul Pierce. Before the close of the regular season, The "C's" added two more faces, 15-year veteran P.J. Brown and guard Sam Cassell.

Cohesion and lack of bench strength were points brought up by critics all season long and despite a 66-16 season—successfully securing home court advantage throughout the playoffs and the NBA Finals. It was the largest single season turnaround in NBA history, yet the critics still kept on talking.

It didn't help that their journey to the NBA Finals was a rocky one.

The young 8th seed Atlanta Hawks (37-45) brought the Celtics to 7 games in the first round. LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers (45-37) also pushed the Celtics to the distance in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals (and if it were not for Paul Pierce's 41 points—who knows how that may have turned out). As for the Eastern Conference Finals, well, that series went six grueling games against the cohesive Detroit Pistons (59-23).

The Celtics went 10-1 at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts and 2-8 on the road for the duration of the playoffs. Doc Rivers put it best when he said, "that's why the regular season is so important. We fought for it all year" (Pertaining to home court advantage).

Onward to the NBA Finals.

After winning the first two games at home and stealing one of the next three at the Staples Center—The Boston Celtics were on the cusp of greatness—an unprecedented 17th World Championship.

By halftime of Game 6, the outcome had already been decided as the Lakers seemingly lost the fight in them.

58-35 at the end of two—A twenty three-point deficit.

The Celtics were running on all cylinders, led by their injured point guard Rajon Rondo, who finished with a stat line that Jason Kidd would be envious off (21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, six steals, and only a single turnover in just under 32 minutes of action).

Ray Allen also recovered from a first-half eye injury to finish with 26 points (7-9 from downtown). Associated Press Sports Writer Howard Ulman added that Allen also set a record "for most 3-pointers made in a finals series with 22. The previous mark of 17 was set by Dan Majerle with Phoenix in 1993 and matched by Derek Harper with New York in 1994. Allen's seven 3-pointers also tied the finals record shared by Houston's Kenny Smith and Chicago's Scottie Pippen."

The Celtics juggernaut didn't end there as Kevin Garnett tied Allen for game high honors with 26 points and 14 rebounds. James Posey (whom Pierce considers "invaluable") finished with 11 points (perfect from the field, including 3-3 from downtown) three steals, and a block. And who can forget the performance of Paul Pierce (17 points and 10 assists) thought the series.

In the end, it was only fitting that the Celtics Captain be named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Finals as he had certainly endured a lot of heartaches over the last 10 years in a Celtics uniform.

With a title now safely under his belt, those days are certainly over.

17 banners. Jersey Numbers #1, #2, #3, #6, #10, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #31, #32, #33, #35 and #00 also hang from the rafters.

Could #34 be that far behind?

Addendum:

- The Celtics played an NBA record 26th post-season game when they stepped on the Red Auerbach Parquet Floor for Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Associated Press Sports Writer Howard Ulman wrote:

- The Celtics' 39-point margin in Tuesday night's championship clinching win is the largest in a decisive NBA finals game.

- In fact, Boston now has four of the six biggest margins in games that clinched titles. The Lakers have the other two in championships won while they were in Minneapolis. The previous biggest winning margin in such games was 33 points by Boston on April 25, 1965, when it beat the Los Angeles Lakers 129-96.

- Boston's 52 baskets from 3-point range erased the finals mark of 51 set by San Antonio in 2005.

- The Celtics also put on a record-setting defensive performance Tuesday with 18 steals, eclipsing the single-game finals mark set by Golden State against Washington in 1975.

- The Lakers put their own stamp on the record book, despite being crushed in the decisive game. League MVP Kobe Bryant's 16 steals in the series tied the mark held by some pretty special players—Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Dwyane Wade.

- And Boston broke its own NBA record for most championships with 17. The Lakers are second with 14.

Associated Press Sports Writer Jimmy Golen added:

- The Celtics joined the 1975 Golden State Warriors and the '77 Trail Blazers as the only teams to win it all a year after missing the playoffs.

The Champs on Letterman

The next night on The David Letterman Show, guests Walter Ray Allen, Jr. and Kevin Garnett shared:

"How you feeling, champ?" Ray Allen asked KG.

"I feel good," Garnett replied. "How you feeling, champ?"

Said Allen, "Oh, I'm doing good."

And with that, the world is right again…

Celtics PGs: Rondo's Shooting, Cassell's Talking

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 07:36:21 -0500

Even before Cassell leaked that he'd be signing this coming week, the Boston Celtics point guard picture was looking better even with just Rajon Rondo and Eddie House on board. Gabe Pruitt was a cherry on top. Rondo was a revelation last year and is a jumpshot away from being an all-star.

Pre-Camp Workout Updates

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:55:35 -0500

From Celtics.com (http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/notes/notes091108-offseason-workouts.html?rss=true) After a few hours of workouts that included running with car tires strapped to his back, Pierce organized a pickup game between his teammates. Pierce played alongside Gabe Pruitt, Glen Davis, Patrick O'Bryant and J.R. Giddens, and they matched up against Ray Allen, Tony Allen, Rajon Rondo, Darius Miles and Leon Powe. Highlights of the game included a nasty swat by Miles, and a power slam in traffic from Leon Powe reminiscent of his Game 2 dunkfest against the Lakers. Kendrick Perkins, who re-injured his left shoulder during the NBA Finals, was in the house for cardio work but did not participate in the pick-up game. Walker, meanwhile, has just returned to basketball activities in the last few days but also did not play in the game. He's been working hard on rehabilitating his knee and says he'll be ready to go for training camp. I'm just trying to get ready to contribute, Walker said of his offseason workouts. Walker's been talking to Tony Allen quite a bit about rehabbing knees, since both guys have sustained multiple knee injuries. But he's mostly just been impressed by the intensity of the workouts he's gone through with the Celtics. He's especially impressed by what he's seen from the veterans coming off a championship season.

rosen

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:15:37 -0500

Charley Rosen, Fox's resident Celtics-hater and… as our favorite photo of him clearly shows… avid nudist, doesn't like what the Celtics have done this offseason. Given all of the possible pitfalls, Danny Ainge's offseason moves have been seriously inept. Even when Darius Miles was at the top of his game, his defense was pitiful, his jumper was [...]

Rosen Is Not Impressed

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 11:14:41 -0500

Charlie Rosen is not a fan of our offseason. (Fox (http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8524472/If-Celtics-can%27t-repeat,-it%27s-their-own-fault)) Given all of the possible pitfalls, Danny Ainge's offseason moves have been seriously inept. Even when Darius Miles was at the top of his game, his defense was pitiful, his jumper was shaky, his game was marshmallow-soft and he was a total jerk. The signing of Patrick O'Bryant to back up Kendrick Perkins provides little more than a sizeable warm body. Unless Gabe Pruitt's game undergoes a stupendous improvement, or rookie J.R. Giddens turns out to be a prodigious talent — and considering that both Tony Allen and Eddie House are really 2-guards — the Celtics have no serviceable backup at the point. None of the above is meant to predict an empty season for the Celtics. Rather, the intent is to roll out the reasons why a repeat is fraught with peril. After all, they're still the champs until somebody beats them. Or, as is more likely, they beat themselves. Charlie comes across as his usual Mr. Sunshine persona, but he makes some solid points. Danny didn't exactly upgrade this offseason. He gave us the potential to upgrade down the road. There's a big difference, especially when you consider the ages of our stars.

redsarmy

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:42:35 -0500

The Boston Celtics championship trophy tour (note: there's a tour?) is kicking off in Burlington, Vermont today. The trophy will be on display on the upper block of Church Street from noon to 2 p.m. on Sept. 15, according to Heather Walker, the Celtics public relations director. Following a short rally with speakers, fans will have a chance [...]

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Mixed Messages Edition

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:42:31 -0500

There are mixed messages being reported about Andre Iguodala having signed a big new contract. ESPN has reported that Andre Iguodala will return to the Sixers with a six-year, $80 million contract. Reports are that after weeks of negotiations, Iguodala was ready to take the qualifying offer and become a free agent next season and the Sixers quickly upped their offer so as to keep their young and talented forward. However, the Philly Daily News is reporting that they're still negotiating and there's no deal yet. So, it is up in the air whether Iguodala has a nice big new contract or not. More details to come, I am sure. Whether Iguodala gets the big contract that has been reported or signs the qualifying offer and becomes a free agent next summer, don't sleep on the Sixers as they are going to be tough this season with the addition of Elton Brand along with Iguodala, Andre Miller, Samuel Dalembert, Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams and should be right there at the top of the Eastern conference this season. There are more mixed messages coming from the valley of the Suns. The Suns' back up point guard position is still very much in the air. Draft pick Goran Dragic has said that he definitely is staying in Europe to finish out his contract but Steve Kerr is saying that he still expects Dragic to be the Suns back up point guard this season. Talk about dueling articles. One says he is definitely staying in Italy and the next says Kerr feels that he will be with the Suns. Their second choice, should Dragic not be convinced to leave Tau, seems to be Jannero Pargo. Pargo reportedly has an offer from the Spurs of their $1.9 million bi-annual exception that he is considering and the Suns could offer all or part of their MLE to try to land him but it may mean edging over the Luxury Tax threshold. Shaun Livingston is still coming back from his injury and the Clippers aren't going to bring him back and would probably sign for the minimum for a chance to prove himself. Damon Stoudamire is still out there and, if all else fails, there is always Sam Cassell, who at this point would probably play for peanuts and a bag of potato chips if he could. Yet another NBA player is making the jump to Europe as Italy's Avellino announced on Tuesday that they have signed former Celtic Dan Dickau. Dickau's stay in Boston was not very successful as early in the season he tore his Achilles tendon and spent the rest of the season rehabbing. He was signed by the Clippers last season where he averaged 5.3 points and 2.6 assists in 67 games. For the second season in a row, James Posey will get to play in Europe in the preseason as the New Orleans Hornets will be playing 2 of their preseason games in Europe. They will take on the Washington Wizards on October 14 at the O2 World in Berlin, Germany and they will close out NBA Europe Live on October 17 at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain. The D-League has released its schedule for the 2008-09 season. The Celtics will once again be affiliated with the Utah Flash which will be one of 6 teams playing in the D-League's Western division. Gabe Pruitt spent considerable time with the Flash last season and this year is expected to be a part of the rotation. If both Giddens and Walker are signed, I expect one or possibly both to spend some time with the Flash this season depending on how they do in training camp. The Cavs are still in discussions with the Bucks and Oklahoma City on a 3 way trade that would bring Mo Williams to Cleveland, Joe Smith to OKC and Luke Ridnour to the Bucks. Delonte West may also be involved in a sign and trade. It is rather puzzling that the Cavs are balking at giving Delonte West $5 or $6 million but they are considering taking on Williams' contract that will run them almost 9 million a year. But, reports are that it is Williams' contract that is stalling the talks right now with both OKC and Milwaukee ready to go ahead with the deal. Rockets point guard Rafer Alston is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday after he was arrested and charged with a DUI last week. A year ago, he was charged with misdemeanor assault and public intoxication. A few weeks later, he was arrested on felony assault charges in New York after a nightclub altercation. There are all the signs that Alston is not headed in a good direction. I think of Vin Baker and wonder if things would have been different later in his career if someone had stopped him earlier and gotten him help. Maybe Alston isn't at that point, but the signs are there. This year's Rookie of the Year might not be one of this year's draft picks. In spite of promising players in this year's draft class such as Michael Beasley, Derek Rose, and Kevin Love, the leader for Rookie of the Year honors has to be last year's number one pick, Greg Oden. He has spent a year rehabbing from knee surgery and reports are that he looks very good after a public practice with some of his Blazer teammates. Chris Kaman is the only US born basketball player who is playing for a team other than USA and he has taken a lot of flack for doing so. He and his parents were born in the USA but his grandparents were German and so he is playing for the German National Team. The Clippers didn't want him to play and tried to talk him out of it, but the worst opposition came from his dad who told him that he is an American and not German and that he hoped that the US would beat Germany. His mother, however is cheering for him and Germany. Makes for some tense moments in the Kaman home, I would think. I do like his short haircut. That long stringy hair wasn't a good look at all. The OC Register is coming around to Paul Pierce's view of things. With a headline of "Maybe Paul Pierce is the Best Player in the World," they have this to say about Kobe Bryant: Today, mighty Angola couldn't match Team USA, but they handled Kobe Bryant like he was an NBA bench-warmer. Bryant made four of 13 shots from the floor and clanked all eight of his three-point attempts. He finished with eight points, four rebounds and two assists. Even more significant, Bryant did not shoot a free throw. Over two Olympic games, Kobe is 1-for-15 from three. Against China, Bryant made six of 14 shots from the floor, and he's now shooting a whopping 37 percent from the floor in the Olympics.