Friday, April 18, 2014

Google Hangout!

Tonight I'll be hosting a google+ hangout. It'll be the 2nd Parquett Pod. I'll be hosting it at 10:00 eastern time. Please join if you can, as we try to expand this website.
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Thursday, April 17, 2014

Farewell to 2014

It was a year to remember for the Celtics. Thank you
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Tuesday, April 1, 2014

BREAKING NEWS: Rajon Rondo to Retire and Pursue Career in Broadcasting


In an abrupt decision, Rajon Rondo has announced his retirement from basketball at the prime age of 28. Rondo informed the team Tuesday morning and will officially announce the news in a press conference on Wednesday. "I'm tired of it", said Rondo according to team sources on Tuesday morning. "I don't like to lose. I can't handle being on a rebuilding team. I've dealt with it through out the season but I've had enough. I'm retiring from the NBA for good and that's that. Also, I had the most fun in my life yesterday when I called the game against the Bulls. I'm going to shoot for Tommy's job as color-commentator." Rondo was averaging 11.5 points, 9.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds since his return. He finishes his career having averaged 11.1 points, 8.4 assists, and 4.6 rebounds. Rondo also said that he has nothing against the organization or it's fans, but he just can't handle the situation, "I don't have anything against this wonderful organization. I loved being here and the fans are great. Boston was and will always be my home. I just don't want to be here right now. I didn't go to another team because I didn't want to spit on the faces of all these fans. I'd rather retire than do that". The Celtics currently hold a 23-51(.311) record and are out of playoff contention. This was just the second time Rondo has missed out on the playoffs in his career, the first being his rookie year. Rondo finishes his 8 year career having won the NBA championship once. He was also named to 4 all-star teams and 2 NBA All-Defensive Team honors. The Assist King has lead the league in assists 2 times. It's hard to tell where Rondo will head to from here. He is only 28 years old. In the past, he has expressed interest in becoming a commentator and coach. Wherever Rondo goes from here, I wish him the best, but we all must remember one thing...... APRIL FOOLS
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Monday, March 31, 2014

Where are they Now: 2008 Championship Team Edition


Photo Courtesy of sfgate.com


Without the help of several key bench players such as James Posey and Brian Scalabrine, the Celtics would have never been able to win it all back in 2008. Today we will revisit some of those players and found out where they are now.


James Posey

Age: 37
Status: Assistant Coach for Canton Charge of D-League.

Overview:
After opting out of his contract with Boston, Posey signed a 4 year deal with the New Orleans Hornets(now Pelicans). After nearly 2 seasons in New Orleans, he was dealt to Indiana along with Darren Collison. He was amnestied at the end of the following year. He was then hired as assistant coach by the Charge in September of 2013.


Eddie House

Age: 35
Status: Retired

Overview:
A crucial part of the 2008 Celtics championship run, House was re-signed to a 2 year deal after the season. He played most of the two years in Boston but wound up being traded to the New York Knicks in the trade that brought Nate Robinson to Boston. Following the 09 campaign, he returned to Miami. He was waived in December of 2011, which paved the road for his retirement.


Glen "Big Baby" Davis

Age: 28
Status: Signed with Los Angeles Clippers

Overview:
During his 4 years in Boston, "Big Baby" enjoyed success in Doc Rivers' coaching system. A fan favorite, Davis helped Boston reach the playoffs multiple times. He had his best season in  the pros during the 2010 season when he averaged 11.7 points, and 5.4 rebounds. He  was involved in the trade that brought Brandon Bass to Boston. He experienced more playing time there as he was the primary starter at PF during his tenure. After two seasons, He and the Magic agreed to a contract buyout earlier this season which led to him reuniting with Doc Rivers in LA.


Tony Allen

Ag:; 32
Status: Signed with Memphis

Overview:
After signing a three year deal in July of 2010 with Memphis, Allen went on to reflect on his final seasons in Boston. He said he felt 'overshawowed' by the veterans especially Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. In his first season, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team. The following season he was named "Best Perimeter Defender" by fellow GM's. He signed a multi-year deal with the Grizzlies in July of 2013.

Leon Powe:

Age: 30
Status:  N/A

Overview:
Powe was a huge aid down the stretch during the 2008 regular season and playoffs. He averaged 7.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in just 11.4 minutes per game. During the Playoffs, he averaged 5.0 points and 2.7 boards in 11.7 minutes. Powe stayed in Boston 1 more year before signing a 2 year deal with the Cavs. He was waived the following season while the Cavs were clearing roster capacity. He signed with the Grizzlies for the rest of the 2011 season. He went on to play overseas the following years but his current whereabouts are unknown. He played for Puerto Rico last season and will play for the Bulls in the summer league.

Kendrick "Perk" Perkins:

Age: 29
Status: Signed with OKC


A fan favorite throughout his time in Boston, Perk was known for his toughness and durability. Besides his first two seasons, Perk never averaged less than 5.0 rebounds. He had his best season in 2010 when he averaged 10.1 points and 8.1 rebounds(both career-highs). Perk was shipped to OKC during the 2011 season in the trade that brought Jeff Green to the Celtics. He signed a multi-year extension in March of 2011.

Brian Scalabrine

Age: 36
Status: Assistant Coach for Santa Cruz Warriors

Overview:
Perhaps the best player in Boston Celtics History. Brian Scalabrine. When thinking about the all-time greats, one has to put Scalabrine up against Michael Jordan as the G.O.A.T. Although he did not play in the 2008 playoffs, one has to question whether the Celtics would have won it all without him on their bench. He was unquestionably the MVP. After leaving Boston, The White Mamba signed with the Chicago Bulls. He was there for 2 seasons before departing to become a commentator. Scalabrine is now trying to become the best coach ever in history as he is currently an assistant coach in the Golden State Warriors organization. He was previously demoted to the D-League. Mark Jackson called it called a "difference in philosophies."
He later went on to say,
  
"I made the decision," Jackson said Tuesday after practice, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. "I'm fortunate enough to have an ownership group and a management group that allows me to pick my staff. We're just going in a different direction. That's that."
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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Where Are They Now?

  • espn.go.com
    Remember when the Celtics took the Heat to 7 games during the 2011-2012 season? Besides the Big 4, who helped Boston make it all the way to the ECF? Names like Avery Bradley and Kenyon Dooling come to mind, but today we will take a look at some of the small name-players who helped as much.
    E'twaun Moore:
    Drafted out of Purdue in the 2011 draft, Moore has become a role-player since leaving Boston. During his stint with Boston, he averaged 2.9 points on 38% shooting in 8.7 minutes. He was traded during the offseason in the 3-team trade involving Portland and Houston that brought Courtney Lee to Boston. The Rockets decided to waive him, shortly after, which led to him signing with the Magic. He has put up decent numbers this season, averaging 6.4 points in 19.3 minutes.
    JaJuan Johnson:
    Johnson played alongside his Purdue teammate, E'twaun Moore, during his short tenture in Boston. The Celtics valued his raw skills, but inconsistency led to limited playing time. He was traded along with Moore in the 3 team trade. He was waived 2 months later. He then spent some time in the D-League, before signing with Giorgio Tesi Pistoia of the Italian League.
    Greg Stiemsma:
    An undrafted big man out of Wisconsin, the Celtics signed the excellent rebounder to a contract for the rookie minimum. He showed signs of potential throughout the season. He finished with averages of 2.9 points and 3.2 rebounds for the 2011 season. Unfortunately, the Timberwolves offered him a contract during the 2012 season. He is now signed with the New Orleans Pelicans. Free Agency and the Celtics decided not to match. He was released.
    Mickaël Piétrus:
    Two days after the Suns waived him, Boston signed Piétrus. He was a big aid during the 2011 playoffs as he came of the bench and delivered some great performances. He averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds for the season. Many fans wanted him back for the 2012 season, but salary cap issuses would not let this happen. He ended up signing with Toronto. Since then, he has publically stated several times he would like to return to Boston. He is currently a Free Agent.

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Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Faverani out for Season

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports

Vitor Faverani underwent season-ending surgery on Friday to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.
The Brazilian center was enjoying a decent rookie season before going down. He was averaging 4.4 points per game and 3.5 rebounds in 37 apperances.
"On the other end of the floor, anybody with that size, you need him to protect the rim as well as he possibly can. And he really had some good moments doing that, and he had other moments when he didn't do it as well. I think it's just going to be a process of growth with him and getting better at that. And hopefully he gets healthy so he can work on some of the things that will help him do that better."
Faverani started the season off strong against the Raptors with a 13 point performance, but went downhill from there. He has two years left on his contract, that includes $2 million guranteed for the upcoming season. The final year is non-guranteed.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Celtics News and Notes 3-11-14

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Should the Celtics sign Kris Humphries long-term?

Via: boston.cbslocal.com


 Last Summer, many NBA analysts and Celtics Fans alike felt that the Celtics were on the losing end of the blockbuster deal. Now with the playoffs looming overhead, the question on everyones mind is "Who won the trade?" While both teams have had decent production from their new players, there is one player that really stands out. Look no further than Kris Humphries. Humphries was seen as someone who would eventually be traded through the course of the season because of his $12M salary. With the season nearly over, there have been many outbursts of signing Humphries long-term. Tommy Heinsohn once even compared Humphries to the legendary Bill Russell. Although Humphries has been seeing most of his playing time from the bench, he has been effective in his limited starts. In 17 starts, Humphries has averaged 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, while shooting 94% from the charity stripe. Overall, he has averaged 8.1 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game. Additionally, he is enjoying his best month of the season as he is averaging 11.8 PPG and 7.8 RPG. Humphries is currently in the last year of his 2 yr/$24M deal. He is only 29 years of age so he still has plenty left in the tank. Humphries has even stated he would like to remain in Boston, " I want to be a part of this whole, building this team and doing all that stuff with the new coach and all that, I want to be here," he said. With Humphries not speculating much interest, a long-term deal with Boston is not far-fetched.
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Sunday, March 9, 2014

Beantown Ballin' (3/3 - 3/9)

via ESPN

The Celtics only had to play two games this week, and to start off their week they could not grab the win against the Golden State Warriors, however they did manage to come out victorious against the Brooklyn Nets.

Golden State Warriors

In Jordan Crawford's return to the Garden, he managed 15 points on 7-12 shooting off the bench. Solid numbers, but it was great to see Crawford during the pregame talking with some of his former teammates, as indicated by the picture above. Fortunately for Crawford, and unfortunately for the Celtics, the Warriors came away with a 108-88 victory. David Lee and Klay Thompson had 18 points apiece to lead the Warriors in scoring. Normally, the Warriors are synonymous with outside shooting, but in this game they pounded the ball in the paint. A major factor in this game was the Warriors' 58 points in the paint compared to the Celtics' 32. Golden State also ran out in transition and totaled 25 fast break points compared to Boston's 11. Kelly Olynyk led the Celtics in scoring with 19 points off of the pine, and Rondo tallied 14 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 turnovers. Brandon Bass led the team with 8 rebounds to go along with 11 points.

For game highlights, click here.

Brooklyn Nets

 This was a strange game. The Celtics committed a season high 28 turnovers, but also outrebounded Brooklyn 62-37. The fact the that the Nets shot 4-30 from behind the arc worked to the Celtics favor as well. In fact, Brooklyn compiled the worst three point field goal percentage in NBA history with more than 30 treys being dropped. Rondo was also a huge part of Boston's winning efforts dropping 20 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals. For the Nets, Joe Johnson (21) and Deron Williams (20) led the way in scoring. However, even with those two putting up 20+ the Celtics were still able to hold on for the victory.

For game highlights, click here.

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Saturday, March 8, 2014

Pierce on Finishing His Career with the Celtics:

"Yeah, why not?” Pierce said when asked if he would possibly play for the Celtics again. “Maybe as a player, maybe as a coach. Who knows what the future holds?”
The 36-year-old Pierce scored 10 points in 33 minutes in a game in which the Nets trailed by a large margin for most of the night. But with the possibility that an injured Kevin Garnett will retire, Pierce could see himself looking for a new home again when he becomes a free agent this summer. …
“I am going to still have relationships here. I’m always going to come to this city. Every year, when I’m done, I’m going to have a reason to come here.”
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Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Wallace Likely Done for the Season

Gerald Wallace is out for the season. What does it mean for the Celtics?
Photo via nydailynews.com

Following the Celtics 115-104 W over the Hawks last Wednesday, Wallace told staff that he felt discomfort in his left knee after a 12 point, 10 rebound performance.

 "[Wallace] had some knee soreness [so Thursday he] went to the doctor and had MRI. It shows he has a torn meniscus," Stevens said before the team's practice Friday at HealthPoint. "He's sitting there and he had no idea. I feel bad for him. I told you many times: Gerald's a warrior, he plays through anything and everything. Literally, anything and everything is what we're learning. The next step for him will be determined in the next couple of days, but obviously we want to prioritize his health."

Wallace will likely undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair his torn meniscus. This will end his 2013-2014 campain.

To add depth, Boston signed Chris Babb of the D-League Maine Red Claws.

Wallace was averaging 5.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 2.1 APG in 58 apperances, including 16 starts.
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Monday, March 3, 2014

Where Are They Now?

Shavlik Randolph grabs a rebound in his short stint with the Celtics
Photo Courtesy of ESPN

 Many players have had the honor of donning the green and white jersey over the years. They have come and go. It seems as if every year, the Celtics roster has been altered in a way. Have you ever wondered where some of those players have gone?

Fab Melo-

Drafted as a big man out of Syracuse, Melo was expected to crash boards and block shots. He did anything but that in the NBA. But he did break the D-League record for most blocks with 14. He went back and forth between the NBA and D-League. Melo was then traded to Memphis for Dontè Green. Fab Melo was waived by Memphis 6 days later. He then signed with the Dallas Mavericks only to be released the following month. The Maine Red Claws (Celtics D-League Team) proceeded to trade his rights to the Texas Legends. Maybe 2 more years at Syracuse could have helped him.

Terrence Williams- 

Signed to a 10 day contract, Williams made his debut against the Lakers. Not only were his shoes amazing, but his style of play as well. This led to Boston signing Williams to a mutli-year deal, only to be waived on June 30 due to legal troubles. Williams then signed with the Turkish, Türk Telekom, only to leave after 2 games. He then signed with the Los Angeles D-Fenders, where he broke the single-game scoring record with 50.

D.J. White-

After being signed to a pair of 10-day contracts, White was signed to a multi-year deal. Although he saw most of his time on the bench, It seemed as if Boston thought he could help them down the road. He wound up being traded to Brooklyn in the block-buster trade. He was waived 6 days later. He joines the Chicago Bulls for training camp, but was waived. He then signed with the Sichuan Blue Whales for the 13-14 CBA Season. He is currently with the San Miguel Beerman. 

Shavlik Randolph-


Signed to a multi-year deal, after two 10-day contracts, Randolph was a fan favorite who crashed the boards. He put up averages of 4.4 PPG, and 4.2 RPG. He was eventually released when the Celtics had to trim down their roster. After, he signed with the Foshan Long Lions of China. He then signed with the Phoneix Suns on March 1 for the rest of the season.
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Sunday, March 2, 2014

Beantown Ballin' (2/23 - 3/2)

via ESPN

In a three game week, the Boston Celtics could only come away with one win.

Utah Jazz

When a team loses to the Jazz, it is never good. In a 12 point defeat, the Celtics couldn't break the 100 point barrier and lost to the Jazz 110-98. Rajon Rondo and Kelly Olynyk both had monster games. Olynyk came off the bench to score 21 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out four assists. Rondo dropped 18 points and 10 dimes. Jeff Green also managed to score 21 points and also had four rebounds. However, Derrick Favors and Marvin Williams did not want to lose and had big point totals of 20 and 19 respectively. An ugly loss by Boston.

For game highlights, click here

Atlanta Hawks

The Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks by a score of 115-104 in the TD Garden in a game that proved to be relatively one sided. It was a rare win for the Celtics who seem to be in full on tank mode entering the final stretch of the NBA season. Rajon Rondo and Jerryd Bayless were the standout performers for the Celtics as they eased to a victory. Bayless, the Celtics latest acquisition, put up a team high 29 points to go along with 2 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal in 35 minutes of play. Rondo posted a double double of 22 points and 11 assists in 35 minutes of play. Rondo also posted three steals over the course of the game.

For game highlights, click here


Indiana Pacers

The Celtics should be proud of how they played this game. Coming into this game, no one thought they would win. The Pacers are the top team in the East while the Celtics are cellar dwellers. However, the Celtics made the game competitive and only lost 102-97. Jeff Greens went off in this game scoring 27 points to go along with 5 rebounds. Rondo had 12 points and 11 assists and Kris Humphries had 18 points and 10 boards. However, the Pacers had five players in double figures and proved to much for the lowly Celtics.

For game highlights, click here


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Top 3 Shooting Guards in Boston Celtics History

puertatras.wordpress.com

Honorable Mentions:

Frank Ramsey

Reggie Lewis
.............................................................................

#3: Bill Sharman
Bill Sharman was an excellent shooting guard for the Boston Celtics, posting career numbers of 17.8 points 3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. It's unknown how many steals or blocks Sharman recorded because they didn't keep track of those stats back then, but he was a good defender and is estimated to have around 1.5 steals per game. Sharman was one of the best free throw shooters ever, leading the league in that category 7 times and being 11th all time in free throw percentage.

#2: Sam Jones

Jones, one of the best shooters in Celtics history, is known for his clutch shooting and unstoppable bank shot. He led the team in scoring three times and played all 12 of his seasons in Boston. He's the seventh best scorer in Boston Celtics history, with 15, 411 career points. Sam Jones played with Bill Russell and won 10 NBA titles. 

#1: John Havlicek

This choice is controversial because Havlicek is more of a small forward than a shooting guard. Nonetheless, Hondo is the best SG in Celtics history because if he played today, he would be a shooting guard. The 6'5 sharpshooter has played the most minutes in Boston Celtics history, has made the most field goals, and is second in assists. His career numbers are astounding: 20.8 points, 4.8 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game. Havlicek won 8 NBA Championships, including 4 in his first 4 seasons. Hondo spent all 16 of his NBA seasons with the greatest NBA Franchise in the history. 

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Top 5 Point Guards in Celtics History

Does Rondo make the cut?
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports

Honorable Mention:

Nate "Tiny" Archibald

Archibald was an amazing basketball player and one of the league's best point guards in his prime. He averaged 34 points and 11 rebounds in his third year in the league with the Kansas City Kings. He joined the Celtics towards the end of his career, and only played in green for 5 seasons. He was an all-star for three of those seasons, but never averaged more than 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. Tiny is not on the top ten of the Celtics all-time assist leaders. Archibald was ranked fifth in Bleacher Report's "6 Greatest Point Guards in Boston Celtics History".  

Number 5:

Rajon Rondo

Rondo, the current Boston point guard, has already played more seasons with the C's than Archibald (8). Rondo may still be traded from Boston before he retires, but for 8 seasons, Rajon Rondo has been great. He won the championship with the Big Three in 2008 and has led the league in assists twice. The Captain is sixth on the all time Boston Celtics assists leaderboard with 4,045 as of today, February 25, 2014. When it's all said and done, if Rondo stays in Boston for the rest of his career, he may have a legitimate shot at taking over Bob Cousy's #1 spot on the assists leaders. Rondo barely made this list because he still can't really score and he hasn't been the greatest friend to the Celtics' front office.

Number 4: 

Dennis Johnson

DJ was a huge part of the Bird-Havlicek-Parish original big three teams because he was great at handling the ball and making big shots. He was a clutch, timely shooter who took care of the ball and played excellent defense. There's really nothing bad to say about Johnson, there's just nothing too outstanding that would make him higher on this list. DJ won three NBA Championships and one Finals MVP. Larry Bird, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, played with Parish, Havlicek, Jordan, Magic, Hakeem, Barkley, and more whether they were on the C's or the Dream Team, but he had some interesting words to say about Dennis Johnson. 
"The best player I ever played with was Dennis Johnson"
-Larry Bird

 Number 3: 

 JoJo White
White is probably the second best player on this list, but I couldn't put him ahead of K.C. Jones because of the winning factor. It's not like JoJo White wasn't a winner, it's just that K.C. Jones was an ultimate winner on a similar level to Bill Russell. White's stats are much better than Jones, for White was a consistent 18 and 5 guy who played a ton of minutes. White is 9th all time on the minutes leaderboard for the Celtics, but he only won 2 championships. Another reason I put Jones ahead of White is because White played just 7 of his 10 seasons in Celtic green. 

 Number 2: 

 K.C. Jones
Many people believe that White was a better point guard than Jones, but I disagree because Jones won more championships as a player and coach. K.C's offensive statistics don't really make sense because of how different the game was back then, but he was obviously a great defender and passer. Jones won 8 championships as a player and two as a coach. He also won 2 NCAA Championships in college; he's a true winner.

Number 1:

Bob Cousy

This wasn't a hard decision, Cousy is obviously the best point guard in Boston Celtics history. He was a 6 time NBA Champion, 13 time All Star, won the league MVP, and led the league in assists 8 times. He averaged a career 18.4 points and 7.5 assists. He played for the Celtics for all 13 seasons of his career, and is a true Celtic for that. He leads the team today in assists, is sixth in minutes played, games and points, and third in free throws made. 


image from espn.go.com

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Sunday, February 23, 2014

Beantown Ballin' 2/19 - 2/22

via ESPN

Another week, and three more losses. The Celtics are continuing their spiral down into the dungeons of the Eastern Conference.

Phoenix Suns

Ladies and gentlemen, Rajon Rondo is officially back. In a Rondoesque game, the star point guard dropped 18 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds. Rondo has finally been playing like himself again. Unfortunately, this was not enough for the Celtics to grab a rare win and they lost 100-94. There were some positives to draw from this game though, as Brandon Bass (18) and Jeff Green (17) had nice scoring games. However, Phoenix had six players in double figures including Markieff Morris (18), Gerald Green (17) and Goran Dragic (17).  Even though it was a losing effort, this game formally re-introduced Rajon Rondo back into the NBA.

For game highlights, click here.

Los Angeles Lakers

This game was disappointing. Who remembers the fierce battles between the Lakers and Celtics in the last decade. Or Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird? That is how Celtics vs Lakers should be. However, this battle was Chris Kaman vs Brandon Bass. Speaking of them, Kaman had 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, and Bass had 20 points and 8 rebounds. MarShon Brooks faced his former team in this game as he made his debut as a Laker. Brooks showed the Celtics why they should have played him more dropping 14 points, 2 rebounds and 3 steals. Kent Bazemore also made his debut as a Laker and tallied 15 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. For the Celtics Jeff Green led the team with 21 points. Jared Sullinger pulled down 12 boards to go with his 12 points, and Rajon Rondo had 6 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds. However this was not enough as the Lakers won 101-92, but it was a fun one to watch. 

For game highlights, click here.

Sacramento Kings

In a game where Rajon Rondo (Rest) and Jared Sullinger (Concussion) were both out, the Celtics lost to the Kings 105-98. Jeff Green led all scorers with a whopping 29 points. Kris Humphries wasn't far behind with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Off the bench, Kelly Olynyk had 16 points. However, the Kings had seven scorers in double digits and the Celtics could not hold on to the victory and the game ended in a lopsided loss for the Celtics. For a more in-depth recap including video footage, statistics, opinions, and more, click here.

For game highlights, click here.  

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Celtics @ Kings Recap


Photo Courtesy of cowbellkingdom.com
Sacramento avenged their loss to  Boston earlier in the season with a 105-98 W on Saturday night.

Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, and Jared Sullinger were not avaliable to the Celtics disposal. Avery Bradley was out with an ankle injury, Rajon Rondo was resting, and Jared Sullinger had a mild concussion. Jeff Green put the team on his back with a 29 point performance. Kris Humphries did a good job filling in for Jared Sullinger. He finished with 19 points and 8 boards. Jerryd Bayless had 16 points of the bench. It's worth noting that Boston only had 9 players to their disposal. They had 26 bench points in total. Brad Stevens and Gerald Wallace were ejected with 35.7s left in the fourth quarter for getting four technical fouls in a short period of time. 

That was Brad Steven’s first ejection as an NBA coach, and he did it with class. While being thrown out of the game, Stevens was persistent on saying, “good game” to Sacramento’s coach.



Stevens told reporters after the game what he thought on the call,

“I don’t know what Gerald said,” Stevens told reporters. “I’ll just avoid talking about it, that’s probably the best thing.” 

The Kings were led by Isiah Thomas and Rudy Gay. Thomas has 21 points and 12 assists (career high). He is averaging a career best 20.3 PPG. Rudy Gay had 22 points and 7 rebounds. He is averaging 19.7 PPG.The Kings shot 52.1% as a team, which was a season high. The game was tied at 85 a piece with 6:23 left in the fourth. That is until SAC pulled away with a pair of J's and Cousins FT's.

Before the game, the Kings announced that Jason Terry would be out the rest of the season due to his knee. He was acquired 2 days earlier along with Reggie Evans for Marcus Thortnon. 

 Demarcus Cousins fouled out with 31.4s left in the 4th. He fouled Jerryd Bayless who was running down the baseline. He finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. 

SAC improves to 19-36, while BOS worsens to 19-38. 

Next Games:

2/24: BOS @ Utah 

2/25: HOU @ SAC
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Friday, February 21, 2014

Celtics @ Lakers Preview

Bill Simmons, founder of Grantland.com, will be calling this game. He's a hardcore Celtics fan.
Photo Courtesy of sportsillustrated.com
Lebron James has said that there are "no rivalries in the NBA, but the 2 biggest rivals in the NBA are set to go to war tonight. The last time these two teams played, the Lakers prevailed 107-104 to spoil Rajon Rondo's return. Now the Celtics will look for some vengenance as they will take on the Lakers on Friday Night at Staples Center. Both teams will come into this one looking for a win. Boston is 19-36 overall, while Los Angeles is 18-36. It's good to note that both of these franchises were at the very top just a few years ago. Both teams have combined to win 33 NBA championships(Boston 17, Los Angeles 16). Los Angeles has lost 4 in a row, while Boston has lost 3 of it's last 5. Projected starting line-ups: Boston PG- Rondo SG- Wallace SF- Green PF- Bass C- Sullinger Los Angeles PG- Marshall SG- Meeks SF- Johnson PF- Kelly C- Kaman Jared Sullinger is questionable for the game as he limped off the floor last game against the Suns. He is averaging 8.2 RPG and 13.2 PPG. 

 The notable injuries for LA include Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, and Nick "Swaggy P" Young. With the Lakers starting 5 consisting of rookies and second-year pros, experience will not be on their side. Expect Boston to take advantage. Line: LAL -1.0 Over/Under: 207.5 PREDICTED FINAL SCORE: BOS- 102 LAL- 93
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Being a Celtics Fan in London

via ESPN

First off, just a little background of myself. I grew up in Minnesota where I became a huge fan of Kevin Garnett. I then moved to Sacramento, California in third grade and lived there until 6th grade. I now live in London. As you can see, I have never lived in an area where the Celtics are widely supported. My fandom of the Celtics was inspired by Garnett. After being traded to the Celtics in 2007, all I wanted Garnett to do was win a championship. He was such a class act for Minnesota and I just wanted him to succeed. That is when I started following the Celtics.

Now residing in London, it is tough to be a fan of any NBA team. With a five hour time difference, I was forced to invest in NBA League Pass so I could watch games at suitable times. Games can start as late as 2:30 AM. This makes it incredibly tough to watch games.

One other negative besides not being able to watch games is no one is interested in the NBA anyway. Soccer is huge in England along with rugby and cricket. The British Basketball League (BBL) is so unpopular that courtside seats are sold for $7. The BBL is pretty pathetic and is well below Division I college basketball competition--garbage. No one is interested in the game over here and it is extremely rare to even find basketball hoops at the local parks.

In summary, being an NBA fan in London sucks. It is difficult to watch games, no one is interested and it is hard to even play yourself. My advice to you, if you love basketball stay in America.
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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Letter to Management: Written by Rajon Rondo

Photo Courtesy of ngngsports.com
Reminder: This letter was not actually written by Rajon Rondo, it was written by Danny Emerman. 100% of this dialogue is fiction. 

To Whom it may Concern,

Thank you so much for not trading me this trade deadline. It should be another three and a half months before my name comes up in rumors again, but I'm glad to be a Celtic for now. 

For years you have put my name out there every February for GMs around the league to fantasize about me joining their team, but it's always just a big tease. 

This time around, teams like the Rockets, Kings, Raptors, and Knicks have called you guys about me. You turned them all turned around. I'm flattered that you value me so highly, but if you think I'm such a great player, why don't you just keep me? Why does my name always on the table? 

While I'm flattered by what you think I'm worth, I'm unhappy that you keep listening to trades with me involved. I love the city of Boston and I love all the Celtics fans. I'm a Boston Celtic and I'm here to stay. 

Even though this has been a rebuilding year, I really do see myself with the Celtics organization in the future. I'm all about winning and I trust this team to turn it around to become a championship contender soon.

The only thing I don't like about Boston is hearing my name on 98.5 and 93.7 when they're talking about trade rumors on the radio. There's a simple solution to eliminating that one flaw in this city; stop shopping me around and just sign me to a max deal already! 

I'm one of the best point guards in the NBA and I feel like I'm just entering my prime now. I don't understand how trading me would make this franchise better, so don't. Open your eyes and smell the roses, management. 

Like I said, I want to be a Celtic for the rest of my career, so please don't trade me. 

Sincerely, 

Rajon Rondo


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