Yardbarker: Eddie House

fun call from the celtics ticket office.

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:38:58 -0500

today i got a delightful call from the celtics ticket office, saying i could totally get season tickets this year (which i can't afford). he offered up this little gem: "if posey's talking and his agent isn't, i'd be shocked if he actually left the team. i wouldn't be surprised to see eddie house get a decent deal if he's done with being a journeyman." he also said that i'm not the only fan getting more than a little ticked with bartlestein's "negotiating tactics." interesting.

Celtic Banners [[Freebies]]

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:12:55 -0500

I made these. You can take whatever you like and use them for your desktop or whatever..lol Just copy and paste the links below. http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/victoryblend.gif ^^[parade banner]] http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/Rondo-Camera-View.gif ^^[[Rajon Rondo Movie Icon]] http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/rayallenblend.gif ^^[[Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett banner]] http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/rajonrondomovieicon5.gif ^^[[Rondo Movie Icon]] http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/rajonrondomovieicon4.gif ^^[[Rondo Movie Icon]] i`ll make more...=]]

Mixed Messages Free Agent Update

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:22:55 -0500

The Celtics made an offer to Corey Maggette. No they didn't. Yes they did. So, did they or didn't they? First, the Globe said that the Celtics made an offer to both Posey and Maggette on the first day of free agency. The Celtics have made contract offers to two forwards: Their own free agent, James Posey, and Clippers free agent Corey Maggette, sources told the Boston Globe. The most the Celtics could offer is the mid-level exception (about $5.8 million), and it's doubtful that they could sign both players. The terms of the offers were not disclosed. So, Celtics fandom spent the day trying to figure out how they planned to sign both if both accepted the offers. Did they offer Posey the MLE and Maggette the LLE or veteran's minumim and a chance for a ring? Or, did they offer Posey a non-Bird rights contract and Maggette the MLE? Or, some were even speculating that they were offering Ray to the Clippers in a sign and trade for Maggette. Speculation was running rampant. Then, the next day, Danny threw some water on the fire as this article appeared in the Herald: A team source insisted no offer was made to the former Clippers swingman, though Danny Ainge reportedly has talked to a number of players, including Maggette, as he attempts to build a pool of candidates in the event his top priority - signing James Posey - falls through. OK, so Danny didn't make an offer to Maggette. But then, in today's Globe there is this: A day after talking with Celtics coach Doc Rivers, a longtime family friend, Clippers free agent forward Corey Maggette said he is seriously considering an offer to join the NBA champions. Maggette said he is still in awe about being contacted by the Celtics and has been mulling over their contract offer as well as interest from several other teams. An NBA source said the Celtics offered Magette the full midlevel exception, expected to be worth $5.8 million. It gets curiouser and curiouser. So, Danny did make an offer to Maggette. According to this, he offered the full MLE to Maggette, but the same article says they offered only 12 million/3 years to Posey. Now, to me, getting Posey back is more important than luring Maggette. If they are willing to offer Maggette the full MLE, why not Posey. If they would go the full MLE over 3 years maybe Posey would consider it. Posey is a defensive stopper. Maggette is not. Defense wins championships. Enough said. If it takes a 4 year full MLE contract to keep Posey, Danny needs to do it. He is a winner if he goes to one of our rivals, he immediately puts them into title contention. All this as the San Antonio Express News reports that the Spurs are at the head of the line for Maggette's services as he is leaning toward going to the Spurs. And also the Philly Inquirer reports that Maggette is expected there next week. The Sixers are also talking to Josh Smith and Josh Childress. The LA Times reports that the Warriors are also trying to lure Maggette as they await news from Elton Brand on their offer to him. Hoopsworld reports that Maggette has narrowed his choices to the Spurs and the Celtics. It has been reported that the Lakers have offered a 5 year full MLE deal to Posey and if Boston doesn't match it, he will likely leave. Unlike most free agents, Posey has already won 2 rings and for him it is about the money. Although, wherever Posey goes, he will likely make them a winner as well. More on this to come, I am sure. Along with the offer to Posey and maybe offer to Maggette, Danny has been working out some other free agents in addition to the mini camp that ends today. The same Globe article lists center David Harrison, swingman Kirk Snyder, center Patrick O'Bryant, forward Darius Miles and Chris Andersen. Of that group, my choice would be Andersen. Other free agent news includes Gilbert Arenas agreeing to a $111 million 6 year deal. This is $16 million less than the max deal that the Wizards offered him. Arenas had this to say about the deal: "I'm basically giving back $16 million,'' Arenas told the Washington Times. "This is in line with what I've been saying the whole time. You see players take max deals and they financially bind their teams. I don't wanna be one of those players and three years down the road your team is strapped and can't do anything about it.'' Newsday is reporting that Monta Ellis has received interest from 9 teams including the Knicks. Ellis reportedly is very interested in joining the Knicks. With new management and a real coach in Mike D'Antoni, New York is no longer the cesspool it was under Isiah Thomas and free agents are interested in going there. Last season the Lakers-Celtics rivalry was renewed. Could the Knicks-Celtics rivalry be renewed this season? ESPN Insider reports that the Mavs would like to re-sign Tyronn Lue but he is looking hard at Boston and Phoenix. No mention has been made in the Globe or Herald about any offer being made to Lue, but it wouldn't be surprising if they did since Lue is one of KG's best friends. I still think re-signing House and going with Pruitt is a better avenue for the Celtics to take since Eddie can play both guard spots very adequately and Pruitt seems to be poised to make a leap this season. Speaking about Phoenix, they are still searching for a back up point. Think they would like to take back that deal to send Rondo to Boston?

A Plan For the Celtics

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:54:14 -0500

he Celtics have 9 players under contract right now with a total payroll of 71,369,509. That alone is more than likely going to be over the salary cap and very close to luxury tax level. They also have 6 free agents: Tony Allen, James Posey, Sam Cassell, PJ Brown, Scot Pollard, and Eddie House. They have the MLE (5.8 million), the LLE(1.8 million) and veteran minimum salaries to work with in signing free agents. The first and more important priority has to be to do whatever it takes to sign James Posey. Posey is key to this team if they want to repeat. He is a player who will do whatever it takes to win. He is a lock down defender, capable of shutting down the opposing team's player. He rebounds, dives for loose balls, takes charges, hits the big shot in crunch time, and gives hugs to the starters before the game. Most importantly, he brings leadership and a championship mindset to the team. You just can't replace a guy like that. The Celtics biggest rivals: the Lakers, Pistons, and Cavaliers are all interested in luring Posey away from the Celtics. There is a very good reason for this. One of the problems that each team had with the Celtics was that none of them had anyone who could stop Paul Pierce. If they get James Posey, they have that player who is capable of stopping Pierce, along with every other star player in the league whether they are guards or forwards. They also had problems with players fading in crunch time. With Posey on their team, they have a player who consistently came up big in crunch time. Danny needs to do whatever it takes to keep James Posey in green. PJ Brown is planning to retire and Scot Pollard shouldn't be offered a contract. He isn't what this team needs. The Celtics need a center to back up Perk. Chris Andersen is in Boston talking to Danny and he would be a great back up center. He brings energy off the bench, is strong and a good defender. He wants to be a Celtic and Danny needs to sign him. I think he would take the veteran's minimum to play here since it would be a great situation for him. Sam Cassell should retire and join the Celtics coaching staff. He didn't work out as hoped last season and so if he wants to play another season, hopefully it will be elsewhere. The starting point guard spot is solidly filled with Rajon Rondo, but Danny needs to address the back up. Gabe Pruitt is looking strong in the Celtics' mini camp and I think he will be able to fill the back up point guard spot. For insurance, the Celtics also should re-sign Eddie House. House can back up both guard spots and if not needed at the point, he is a great shooter and could fill in for Ray at the 2. Also, he also is fully indoctrinated into ubuntu. He never complained when his minutes were severely cut in the playoffs and when he was called on, he came up big. Finally, with the 3 spots left, they can bring back Tony Allen for a veteran's minimum make good contract and keep Giddens and Walker with the team and give them a shot to prove themselves in practice and if they aren't getting enough playing time, they can go to the D-League to get some experience there. To me, keeping the same team together as much as possible would be key to winning again.

celtics make offers to posey, corey maggette

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:16:35 -0500

the google news feed tells me that the celtics have not only made an offer to james posey, but to corey maggette as well. that was unexpected. but AWESOME. but how long will maggette take a midlevel exception? the celts don't have much to work with money wise, but i would love to see maggette heading to boston. it wouldn't surprise me if he headed back to la if davis is obtained with brand and another excellent FA find. the pistons and the hornets seem to hold the most interest in posey outside of boston, and i find myself concerned with the moves the hornets may make since they gave up draft picks for the upcoming season. i also find myself wondering what's going to happen to jannero pargo. no word on the fates of eddie house or tony allen yet. tony's unrestricted now but doc wants to bring him back, so i think that something could work out. he's not a big blip on any free agency radars. i hope we get eddie back, too, but i think he stock rose a good bit with the run for the ring.

Celtics: Big Brothers, Grandfathers, and Little Brothers of a team.. (All together- family style)

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:58:35 -0500

I thank Doc Rivers for having the courage to bring out his new team to Rome in October to have them get to know each other.... this doesnt work out so perfectly with everyteam.. more than once, a coach has tried it with hopes of the team becopming great friends... The Celtics are a family of brothers.. some more like the fathers n grandfathers (veterans), .. while some are the little toddlers... (rookies). They started out not knowing each others names. But now with too many nick names to count, you can see they are a FAMILY. I see on tv how the big three treat Rondo, Pruitt, Big Baby Glen Davis like little brothers who care for each other... Before the start of every game, Posey gives the starting line up a HUGE tight gripping hug, supplied with encouraging words. The young players admitting that they wanted this win so much for the older players like Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Casell, PJ Brown, just showed that they cared so much for their teamates who havent won a championship in their whole career... I once read an article quoting Pruitt on how in Rome, the big three could have easily gotten their own limos seperate from the team, but decided to go with the others.. and how every day in Rome, they taught n showed the young ones how to do things... they weren't selfish, but decided to get to know EVERYONE on the team. Brotherly love. The team chemistry of brotherhood helped us win the champinoship. Though random arguments and fights and scuffles occurred, thats nothing to worry about. Brothers always argue. They still got along on the court and off. Scot Pollard and Brian Scalabrine not playing mcuh or at all this season, brought out the jokes and humor to keep the team happy and fun. Everyone added something unique into that bunch. When i read of the team dinners, i always wish i was apart of it. Being able to go to the restaurants with them and hearing what each has to say. Humbleness, Brotherhood.... and UBUNTU.. were the key Like Powe said to kg after he almost fainted and the win was final... " I got you, I got you kg, i got you". The Lakers didnt have any of that. Selfishness n pride ruined their road to the championship.. they weren't a team.. nope, not at all As Ray Allen had said, they wernt the big three... more like the Big 15. So thanks to Danny Ainge, and Doc Rivers, for making that crucial decision of a Rome trip. :)

Celtics Stuff Live 6/22: Scott Souza and Sean Grande

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:32:03 -0500

Ahhhhh... feels great to be back in our old Sunday night home, and it feels even better to have the 17th championship in team history in hand. Celtics Stuff Live returned to its familiar timeslot with champagne still stuck under the keyboards, but the drawn faces of many long playoff game filled nights finally in the past. While talk of the celebration and the accomplishment of finally reaching the mountaintop certainly filtered through the show, it was the idea of looking ahead at the future of a Posey-less Celtics team in 2009 that caused most of the discussion. And, let us not forget that the 2008 NBA Draft is only 4 days away, but the importance of this draft should be minimal... or should it? Scott Souza of the MetroWest Daily News followed up on his tremendous column from today's paper to sit down and chat with Celtics Stuff Live about prospects of the Celtics losing their Mike Lowell. Scott was also quite bullish on the prospects of Eddie House's return to Boston, though like the CSL gang, he sees Eddie as a much less important piece to James Posey. Sean Grande the radio voice of the Boston...

RAJ0N MAKiNG HiS P0iNT

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:05:25 -0500

[ATTENTi0N: THiS ARTiCLE WAS N0T WRiTTEN BY ME.....iT WAS F0UND 0N A CELTiC'S BL0G AND i TH0UGHT iT WAS VERY iNTERESTiNG & WELL-WRiTTEN S0 i DECiDED T0 SHARE.....ENJ0Y!!!!!] Surrounded by All-Stars, Rajon Rondo Is the Quiet, Confident Quarterback of the NBA's Best Team Rajon Rondo is growing into his role as a playmaker for the league's best team. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty By Peter F. Stringer Parquet Magazine Exclusive to Celtics.com Pretending to read his e-mail, Rajon Rondo cradles his iPhone in his enormous right palm as he looks off into the distance, surveying a conference room. He's wearing the same serious look that's presumably etched across his face 24 hours a day, only now his eyes are wide open with his eyebrows raised as if he just saw Paul Pierce slip behind his man on a backdoor cut. He's wearing a borrowed gray suit for a DIME magazine photo shoot, and he appears remarkably comfortable in front of a camera for a guy who otherwise doesn't seem to enjoy media attention. Describing the shoot to his fans on his blog the next day, Rondo jokingly wrote, "the camera loves me." The camera may love him, but Rondo just loves clothes. He has a large sneaker collection, countless pairs of jeans and spends a lot of his downtime at shopping malls across the country adding to his wardrobe. In fact, Rondo likes shopping so much that this summer, after meeting a group of Jamaica Plain students through the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, he took them back-to-school shopping for new outfits and shoes on a whim. During breaks in the photoshoot, Rondo talked casually to the crew about some of his own clothes, his snowstorm driving tactics and a recent blowout win over the New York Knicks, quipping to the photographer, "they didn't even show up that night. It was crazy." He went on to talk about which guys in the locker room dress well, throwing a few teammates under the fashion bus as well. "Some guys think they know fashion, but having style is more than just matching a printed T-shirt with some jeans," the point guard says as he poses for another shot, this time straightening his necktie in an imaginary mirror. Right now, he looks more GQ than starting PG. He poses for a few more pictures in street clothes and even does a few outdoor shots in the snow. DIME sent a few preview shots to the Celtics offices, and the pictures from that day are certainly dramatic thanks to dark lighting and his straight-faced approach to modeling. Most striking, however, is the air of confidence Rondo portrays to the camera. Just because he's an amateur model doesn't mean he can't look like he knows exactly what he's doing. Likewise, when it comes to quarterbacking a traveling circus of NBA All-Stars, Rondo has that same confidence, even if he is still learning on the job. Quiet Confidence Surrounded by microphones and notebooks, Rondo's hardly candid. Reporters in Boston and Lexington (Rondo played two years of college basketball at the University of Kentucky) often describe Rondo as quiet. If your only interactions with him are basketball interviews, you'd probably say the same thing. Put on the spot about his struggles with the perimeter jump shot or fighting over a the top of a pick and roll, Rondo responds quickly; he's economical with his words, and you may not even notice a slight Kentucky twang in his voice. If you're a sportswriter who needs a quote, Rondo's probably not your guy. He's into brevity and rarely elaborates. But the teammates who know him and rely on him to ignite the Celtics' offense can tell you a different side of the story. "If you didn't know him, you'd think he's just this quiet kid," teammate Kendrick Perkins says. "But he can be the loudest guy in the locker room." "If you didn't know him, you'd think he's just this quiet kid," teammate Kendrick Perkins says. "But he can be the loudest guy in the locker room." Quiet or not behind the scenes, he's certainly overshadowed in the media by the presence of a troika of All-Stars on the court. On paper, his job looks simple: get the ball over half court and get it to one of the stars. Sure, just dump it off to Kevin Garnett on the elbow, thread the needle to Paul Pierce slashing through the lane or find Ray Allen hiding out in the left corner waiting to bury a three. Simple, right? "It's a tough job. He's got three guys who could tell him what to do, and at times he has to tell them, and that's not easy," says Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers, who regularly reminds reporters that Rondo is still a second-year player who is improving on a daily basis. "He's vocal. Rajon talks. I don't know if he says the right thing all of the time just yet, but that will come. He just has to understand that guys are going to be on him more than anybody else, and his teammates are going to be on him more than anybody else. It's not personal, it's called being the quarterback." Making an Impression Rajon Rondo sees the play developing before his eyes, much like his teammates and fans are watching the second-year guard mature on the job. Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty The only true point guard on the roster, Rondo shoulders a massive amount of responsibility. But he's gained the respect of the team's three veteran leaders, which goes a long way toward empowering the guy who decides which All-Star is getting the ball and when they're getting it. "He does a great job with it, Rondo's not afraid to tell us where we need to be. He's a confident guy and that's important when you're the point guard," says Celtics captain Paul Pierce, who's watched Rondo go from a third-string bench warmer at the beginning of last season to a guy who's been all but anointed as the point guard of the present and the future. It didn't take long for Rondo to make an impression on his new All-Star teammates, either. Kevin Garnett gushes when he talks about Rondo, regularly dousing him in praise and predicting big things for the smallest guy on the team. "If Rondo is not the best point guard in three or four years, I'd be very, very surprised. He has all the tools to lead a team. His defense is unlike any other guard I've seen," Garnett said just days before the season began. "He has the quickness of a Tony Parker. He has the eyes and the passing skills of a Jason Kidd. He has to establish that 15-foot jumper, make it stick and be consistent. But I'm very, very, very, very impressed with Rondo." "If Rondo is not the best point guard in three or four years, I'd be very, very surprised. He has all the tools to lead a team. His defense is unlike any other guard I've seen," Garnett said just days before the season began. "He has the quickness of a Tony Parker. He has the eyes and the passing skills of a Jason Kidd. He has to establish that 15-foot jumper, make it stick and be consistent. But I'm very, very, very, very impressed with Rondo." Garnett said he constantly gets asked if the Celtics can truly be a championship team when they rely on a second-year point guard, and he makes it clear that Rondo can handle the pressure. "He was thrown in that position for a reason, and if Doc didn't believe in him or he thought he was too young to have it he wouldn't have put him in that position. It wasn't like he got it [because] it was on the table and he took it off. He earned it, busted his ass and earned it," Garnett said, noting that Rondo watches tons of film. "He's like a student. He has this little video pocket thing that has all the film on it and he carries it around. You laugh at it but at the same time you're impressed," Garnett says. "When you see a guy like that working toward his goals, its good to see." Watching film is just part of the renovation. Since his college days, Rondo's been hearing that he can't shoot. He heard it again at the NBA Draft and he heard it last season, and the critics had a point. While he was effective scoring around the basket, when left open for midrange jumpers, Rondo was a liability because he didn't want to shoot them, and when he did, he wasn't connecting. According to NBA.com's shot charting tool, last season Rondo hit just 38 of his 123 (31%) mid-range jumpers. In contrast, through the first 40 games this season, Rondo had already knocked down 53 of his 117 mid-range shots (45%), a drastic improvement that has not gone unnoticed. Along with his ability to finish at the rim, this enhancement contributes to his ranking among the top 15 guards in the league in shooting percentage this season. Still, opposing teams continue to challenge Rondo to beat them by leaving him wide open to double-team Garnett, Pierce or Allen. "I'm not the All-Star, those three guys are the All-Stars. So they're going to try to take away our main threats. I'd probably do the same thing, make the other guys beat us," Rondo says. "Now I'm getting a lot more open shots with those guys. When it's uncontested, it's just like practice." Rondo insists that he hasn't changed his shooting technique at all, but he has taken notes from teammate Ray Allen with regard to how he practices his shot. He concentrates on replicating game-situations in his shooting drills, focusing on details like trying to ensure he's getting the same type of elevation on his jumpshot in the gym as he would during a game in the arena. Room for Improvement Shooting is just part of the equation. While Rondo has proven to be one of the best ball-stealers in the league (he lead the NBA in steals per 48 minutes last year), too often his gambling has led to defensive breakdowns for the team, something his coaches won't tolerate. "Rajon is like a really good roller coaster. He has some really good highs, but he goes up and down," Rivers says. "The fans see the steals, but we talk about solid defense." Early in the season, Rivers challenged Rondo to improve his defense because opposing point guards were torching the Celtics. Himself a former point guard, Rivers has traditionally been tough on his young point guards. He's been no different with Rondo. When a TV reporter asked Rivers about Rondo's play in December, likely expecting to hear praise for his improved shooting, he instead got a pointed answer about the second year guard's deficiencies on the other end of the floor. It's certainly nothing that Rondo hasn't already heard from his coach, but Rivers seemed to make a point about letting it be known in no uncertain terms: Rondo must improve on the defensive end. "He's got to be a better defensive player. He's got to improve defensively," Rivers says. "If he improves defensively we're going to be fine. I love who he is, I love the potential, but for us to be a better team, Rajon Rondo has to keep working and improving on his defense. When he does that, then I'm going to be really excited about his game. He's going to work on it, and he's going to do it." "He's got to be a better defensive player. He's got to improve defensively," Rivers says. "If he improves defensively we're going to be fine. I love who he is, I love the potential, but for us to be a better team, Rajon Rondo has to keep working and improving on his defense. When he does that, then I'm going to be really excited about his game. He's going to work on it, and he's going to do it." Consider the gauntlet thrown down. The pro game moves decidedly quicker and is incredibly physical in comparison to college basketball. Rondo and his 6'1", 171 lbs. frame is still finding this out. "Every night, it's a beating you take," Rondo said of defending the pick-and-roll, the NBA's staple play. For a point guard, defending the play includes recognizing the personnel running the play (is the guard a shooter or a threat to penetrate? Will the big pop out or head for the hoop? Are we trapping the play?), trying to avoid the pick all together, and if that doesn't work, fighting over players who are typically twice his size. Depending on the game plan, the defensive strategy can change from night-to-night, and in some cases, minute-to-minute when the game's on the line. But pick-and-roll defense is just a part of the equation, and for Rondo, improvement on the defensive end boils down to the basics: keeping his man in front of him and picking his spots when it comes to going for the steal. Rondo acknowledged as much, admitting that he probably gambles too much because of his natural abilities. "I think I stand up more often than I should on defense. I've got to be solid and continue to get better," Rondo said. "Stay between my man and the basket." Above-average quickness, surprisingly good leaping ability, long arms and freakishly huge hands (reportedly the largest hands the Celtics current training staff has ever measured) are great attributes for an open court defender, but Rondo is still undersized against guys like Chauncey Billups, Deron Williams and some of the larger point guards of the league. If they're not trying to rub him off on a pick on the top of the key, they'll take him on the box and try to post him up. "Each guy you play, not just the elite guys, because it's the NBA, every night you've got to make an adjustment. The more you play against a guy, the better a feel you have for him," Rondo says. With just a year of pro experience, Rondo is still learning the league's personnel and how to defend his opponents. Perhaps more importantly, he's learning about being a leader, running a team and managing a trio of superstars.

DEATH 0F THE DR0UGHT......BiRTH 0F A CHAMP

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:37:15 -0500

[ATTENTi0N: THiS ARTiCLE WAS N0T WRiTTEN BY ME.....iT WAS F0UND 0N A CELTiC'S BL0G AND i TH0UGHT iT WAS VERY iNTERESTiNG & WELL-WRiTTEN S0 i DECiDED T0 SHARE! ENJ0Y!!!!!!] What a night for the Celtics. You could not have imagined a victory more dominant or more emotional than the Celtics' 131-92 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday to win the NBA Championship. The Celtics dominated every facet of the game, out-rebounding the Lakers 48 to 29 and forcing 19 turnovers. The Big 3 had their greatest performance of the year. Kevin Garnett returned to regular season form with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Paul Pierce may not have had one of his greatest shooting performance (4 of 13 from the field), but he still ended with 18 points and 10 assists. Ray Allen completed his dominating Finals with 7 three pointers and 26 points, setting an NBA record of 22 three pointers made in an NBA Finals' series. Rajon Rondo played the best game of his career, taking the ball to the hoop and forcing the Lakers to guard him. He had 21 points (8 of 20 from the field), 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 steals. The Celtics best bench player, James Posey, had 11 points, making all four of his shots including three 3 pointers, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals. That is just on the offensive end. As the final seconds ticked off the clock in the 2008 NBA season, everyone on the court, in the Garden, and in the NBA had learned a valuable lesson from these NBA Finals: Defense wins championships. The Celtics just overpowered the Lakers defensively and Kobe looked lost the entire series. The Lakers did score 92 points in the game, but that was only with a 32 point fourth quarter when the Celtics were no longer focusing on defense, but rather the seconds remaining in the game. Boston's defense shined through in the first half where they held the Lakers to 35 points (15 in the second quarter), 30% shooting, and had a halftime lead of 23 points. The rest of the game was just one big party for Boston fans. A Celtics fan, I'm more than a little biased, but I could not have been much happier for Paul Pierce. He has spent all 10 of his years in Boston, struggling for many horrendous seasons, but never giving up on the team. Even as reporters criticized him and refused to admit that he is one of the top ten players in the NBA, Pierce stayed complacent and fought through many losing seasons. Then the Celtics threw away last season in hopes of getting a toppick in the draft, but the lottery did not go in the Celtics favor as they received the worst pick the possibly could have gotten. It was a catastrophe, but Celtic General Manager Danny Ainge made to great trades to acquire Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Thus, the Big 3 were formed. Now, the Big 3 are NBA Champions. The joyous celebration began in the fourth quarter, once the game was safe, and will continue for many months to come. Pierce danced along with the crowd and doused coach Doc Rivers with Gatorade. Players, family members, and Celtic officials swarmed the court in jubilation and fans jumped up and down with glee in the stands. Gino danced on the Garden's jumbo-tron and Paul Pierce raised his NBA Finals MVP Trophy into the air. Garnett broke down into tears and Ray Allen danced in champagne. For 22 years, the Boston Celtics had been without an NBA Championship, but on June 17th, 2008, the Celtics ended the drought with one of the most dominating victories in NBA Finals' history and captured the Celtics' 17th Championship.

From Tragedy to Triumph

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:16:47 -0500

The Celtics is the most storied franchise in all of basketball. Times were great in the 60's when I first started following the Celtics. Every year was a championship year. There were a few years in the 70's when the Celtics faltered, like the 1969-70 season where they finished out of the playoffs for the first time in 20 years. But 2 years later they were back in the playoffs and 2 years after that, they were champions again. After winning the championship again in 1976, the Celtics once again hit a dry spell that lasted until the 1979-80 season when Larry Bird joined the team. The 80's were a fun time to be a Celtics fan as they were contenders every season and won 3 more championships. In 1986, the Celtics and their fans were on top of the world. They had just dominated the league during the season and then bulldozed their way through the playoffs. They had a 67-15 regular season record and went an unprecedented 41-1 at home that season. They lost only 3 games in the playoffs on their way to the Celtics 16th championship. Even though they had finished at the top, they also had the 2nd pick in the draft from the Gerald Henderson trade. They would use the pick to select Len Bias who had the potential to be as good as Michael Jordan. Then, tragedy hit. Len Bias died from a cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after being selected by the Celtics. Over the next 21 years, things went from bad to worse for the franchise. In the late 80's and early 90's, there was always hope because they had Larry Bird. When Larry was on the court, anything could happen. But, injuries had slowed even Larry Bird to the point where he couldn't work the magic that he once did. Then in 1992, Larry Bird retired, but Reggie Lewis had developed into a great player and there was some hope that the team could build around him. But then, tragedy once again. Reggie Lewis died of a heart condition in 1993. The Celtics petitioned David Stern for some salary cap relief but were turned down. Many Celtics fans have never forgiven Stern for tying the Celtics hands like that. They would not recover from this for many years to come. The 1993-94 Celtics finished 32-50 and out of the playoffs once again. The most painful season for most Celtics fans was in 1996-1997 when the Celtics went 15-67. It was hard being a Celtics fan that season, there was hope that things would get better as the Celtics had the best chance to get the first pick, which would be Tim Duncan who had the potential to turn a franchise around. The Celtics instead got Rick Pitino, but not the #1 pick and Pitino made an even worse mess of the team than it was previously. But, one thing he did right was pick Paul Pierce in the 1998 draft. With one player after another, the Celtics have tried to build around Paul Pierce and every year, it was the same old story. The Celtics would improve to be a mediocre team but they would never come close to contending. Then on May 9, 2003, the day Danny Ainge was named Celtics Executive Director of Basketball Operations, the Celtics fortunes began to turn around. Red Auerbach had this to say of Danny when he appointed him to be Celtics GM: "I know that it will be a great relationship because he is a worker. He has a great personality, he's smart and bleeds green!" Danny came into the job with a 5 year plan. His plan was to gather as many good young players and trading chips as he could get. The plan was working as Danny had amassed a team of good young players, several draft picks and some expiring contracts. Last season started off with promise but then once again, hardship hit as Pierce went down with a serious injury for the first time in his career. The rest of the team was also hit with injuries as they lead the league in player games missed due to injury. They would go on a heartbreaking 18 game losing streak and finish with the second worst record in the league. Just as they had 10 years before, the Celtics had their hopes pinned on the lottery. They had the second best chance of getting the top pick and there were two franchise players at the top of the draft. Once again, lottery luck (or David Stern's fixing the lottery again) went against the Celtics as they dropped to the 5th pick. The hopes of Celtics nation dropped along with those ping pong balls. Rumors swirled about players like Kevin Garnett and Shawn Marion, but both players had said that they would not come to Boston and since both were in the last year of their contract, it would not be feasible to trade for them only to have them leave after one year. The Celtics could get another good young player, but a championship seemed so far away and we had already waited 21 years for a contender in Boston. Then on draft night, Danny made a trade that at the time seemed like too little too late as he sent Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak to Seattle for Ray Allen and the 35th pick, which became Big Baby Davis. What could a 32 year old sharp shooter with two bad ankles do for this still very young team. But on July 31st, the fortunes of a once proud franchise turned around as Danny made the trade of Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes and Theo Ratliff along with 2 draft picks for Kevin Garnett. In that one move, the spirits of a downtrodden Celtics nation went through the roof. Having given up half the team for Ray and KG, the bench was a concern, but with the signings of Eddie House, Scot Pollard and James Posey, and the emergence of Leon Powe, things were looking good. This season was a wild ride with the Celtics winning 66 games, sweeping the Texas triangle, and basically dominating every opponent. And it culminated in the team's 17th banner. And the 17th championship is the sweetest one of all because of all the tragedy and hard times we had to go through to get it.

Celtics Championship Parade!!

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:44:54 -0500

We've all seen these parades on SportsCenter, the highlights of fans lining the streets, going crazy, but until you're in one I'm tellin u... U HAVE NO IDEA!! The madness was crazy. Not sure how many people were out there but it seemed like millions. It was just a sea of green, people everywhere. All ages. And they were going crazy. Some of u were probably there makin all that noise, and trust me we heard ya. And if u weren't there u will see on the highlights and you will wish u were there. It was a day filled with confetti, music, screaming and Green, Celtic Green. The celebration was off the hook, one that none of us will ever forget. Everything started this morning. We met at the facility at 8:45 and took the team bus to the Garden. We had police escorts down. When we got to the Garden, we saw all the people in the streets... it was crazy! We were all assigned Duck Boats to ride through the city. I was on #16. I was inside the Duck Boat at first, but when we pulled out of the parking lot, I went and stood on the back. MAN...IT WAS AMAZING. It felt soo good to see all the people that came out. I'm telling you that there's nothing in the world that tops that feeling. The signs that people had were great...there were some real funny ones. E. House was on the Duck Boat with me, and we pointed out the best signs to each other. I'm telling u it was some crazy ones! I think E. House coined how we all felt on the Duck Boat when he said, "We went from basketball stars to rock stars in one day." That's how I felt...like a rock star.

wait. what? postseason? NOOOOOOOOOO!

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:58:37 -0500

and so it begins. the postseason. also known as - the basketball free time, in which i am rather sad and much more focused on other things in life, like leaving the house when a game would normally be on, or spending hard earned dollars on tasty beers and trips to the beach instead of a random ticket. another alias? the time that i pine for ncaa and nba action like it's my job. good grief, what am i going to do with myself until the fall? try to have a solidly awesome fantasy football team? begin mass production of what would randy moss do bracelets? try to pay attention to an entire game of baseball? i love the sox, but come on, that's a lot to ask for! replay the tournament over again to keep myself entertained? develop a sudden obsession with the mechanics of table tennis? learn to blog about interesting subjects like how many vertebrae the average tyrannosaurus rex has? quietly mutter about how we were a tyree catch away from a trifecta? (as long as i live, i will never forgive that guy. ever.) with a grad school stint looming, this was my season of celtics - being able to go to games and cap it off with a trip to the clincher. i apologize if i sound like an ass, but i'm still in shock and very happy disbelief. and as popular as it is to say on yardbarker these days, i do actually owe my renewed interest in the celtics to a certain kentucky player who got sent to boston. i had a soft spot for the celtics because of antoine walker, but in 2006, it became a vested interest, thanks to my dad, who had (hell, still has) a habit of calling me after UK wins and asking, "did you see rondo? he was awesome!" my pops, he loves his uk basketball. and that got instilled into everyone in our family. once a player is a great wildcat, you want to see them do well in the future. getting back to the celtics point, this season suddenly became a really crazy journey for the city of boston. people embraced the celtics again. i went from being laughed at at the preseason finale in october for cheering like a nerd for my favorite celtic to joining throngs of fans and friends in raucous yells for the bench. last year? drunk in the cheap seats. this year? taking in every moment with an eagle eye and relishing it. last summer? "why do you want that guy's shirt - he's a non performer!" to seeing 10 of the same shirt on my walk home from work this evening. it's amazing how much winning changes this city. even yesterday on the way to TD, people rolled down their windows and said "we will win it tonight!" that NEVER happens! and i, no, we, owe it all to every person on that team. it's like doc said, money and trade moves cannot buy you a championship. trusting your teammates, stepping up for them when they need you, and bringing your best game to the parquet will lead you there. it's about teamwork, sacrifice and dedication, and i've never been so fortunate to see a roster like this work together (i still remember the hornets when i was a kid, but it never felt like this). leon powe became a star and a success story over the season, big baby became the rookie fan favorite. rondo became a household name (and internet wonder). eddie house reminded me of the tasmanian devil. tony mastered his reverse, and emphatic dunk against the lakers. posey became as indispensable as garnett, pierce and allen. perk IS A BEAST. pj and sam were embraced so readily it was like they started the season in the garden. and the not-big-three were pivotal to making this city care about basketball again. i even have coworkers who love basketball! unreal! and pierce is finally, FINALLY, getting the respect and recognition he earned from his tenure here, and sticking with boston like it did with him. garnett and allen finally have their well-deserved championships. and i can only wonder if i will be satisfied watching from afar next year. after a season like this, it'll be tough, but i bet i'll find a way to make the best of it. after all, i have the internet to complain to if i can't, right?

The Big 3's Title

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:00:39 -0500

So after I shoved my foot in my mouth this morning perhaps it's time for just some semblance of analysis. Simple analysis, but analysis.

The Celtics were simply a better basketball team. Paul Pierce is not leaps and bounds worse than Kobe Bryant. In given games Pierce could easily match Kobe's production thus nullifying the Lakers sole advantage. The rest of the Celtics roster was simply far superior.

The bench play was completely overlooked by the media coming into the game. Namely James Posey who was a force for much of the series. He knocked down huge shots and played stellar defense. Eddie House when Doc finally got it through his skull that he should played also knocked down huge shots and balanced off the court when the Cs made their huge run in game 4. Additionally House provided scoring when Allen and Pierce were not on the floor. Finally Powe dominated game 2 and was the biggest reason they won that game.

The biggest reason the Celtics won this series? They aren't soft. The Lakers however are. Pau Gasol is a talented player, but if you body him up enough and play physical enough with him he starts to make poor decision and his game starts to fade. Lamar Odom gets hit and turns into a whining 3 year old. Vujacic and Radmanovic are typical European shooters. They don't board they don't play defense and they certainly aren't physical. The Lakers did not have enough presence down on the blocks to consistently score, defend or rebound. And without they they became subject to prolonged slumps and prolonged Celtics runs. Celtics runs that ended their season in embarrassing fashion.

Celtics Dominate, Win 17th Championship

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:19:08 -0500

Somewhere Red Auerbach is smiling and lighting up a victory cigar. The Celtics delivered a beatdown of epic proportions Tuesday night to win their record seventeenth NBA championship, and first in 22 years. This year's final match-up was billed as a rebirth of the classic East Coast-West Coast rivalry that captivated the country in the 1980s, but turned into a lopsided affair dominated by the Boston defense.

17 Thank You's

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:10:33 -0500

I can't even begin to describe how good this feels. One emotion is simply thankful. So here's 17 thank you's (not nearly enough) for some of the people that made it happen. Thank you Danny Ainge (and Kevin McHale) for pulling off the Trade. Thank you Wyc and the rest of the owners for cutting the check. Thank you Doc Rivers for standing strong through all the criticism and proving everyone wrong. Thank you Rajon Rondo for stepping up into the starting role and making the leap. Thank you Big Game James for having a flair for the dramatic and a nose for the ball. Thank you Kendrick Perkins for being a beast. Thank you Leon Powe for being an inspiration on and off the court. Thank you Eddie House for instant offense. Thank you Big Baby Davis for making us laugh and cheer you on. Thank you Tony Allen for fighting through multiple season ending injuries to play your role. Thank you Sam Cassell for providing veteran leadership and encouragement. Thank you Brian Scalabrine, Scot Pollard, and Gabe Pruitt for waving towels and being good teammates. Thank you Ray Allen for the sweetest jump shot ever. Thank you Kevin Garnett for dominating on defense and setting the tone all year. Thank you Paul Pierce for all the years of being...