Knicks Pull Out Tough Win Against Celtics in Game One of Playoffs

The New York Knicks Dominated in the Fourth Quarter to Come Away With the Win

By Alexandra Georgette

Despite trailing Boston for the majority of the game, New York pulled out of game one of the first round of the playoffs with a win.  The Knicks beat the Celtics 85-78 in New York on Saturday.

AP Photo/ Kathy Willens

Carmelo Anthony finished the game with 36 points, four steals, and six rebounds.  He started strong, scoring 13 in the first quarter.  For the Celtics, Jeff Green shone:  in 46 minutes, he scored 26 points, pulled down seven rebounds, and blocked three shots—although he also had six turnovers.  Green’s big quarter was the second, where he scored 12 points.

The Celtics led by at least three at the end of each quarter, going into the fourth quarter.  In that last quarter, their offense broke down, and as a team they only scored eight points—the same number of points Anthony scored on his own in that quarter. 

One problem might have been the fact that Green only attempted one field goal and missed—when the leading scorer of the team only gets up one shot in the last quarter, you know something is wrong.

Boston has had a history of difficulties when it comes to closing games out, and that was definitely the case here. A win away would have put the team in much better position than they are now. 

On another note, the Knicks did not play very well on their home court and Boston came very close to winning (even without their most important player, Rajon Rondo, who is still out with a knee injury).  The Celtics were very close to a win and this might remind people not to underestimate Boston.

Paul Pierce chipped in 21points and seven assists (and also turned the ball over six times), while J.R. Smith scored 15 points off the bench for New York.  Brandon Bass pulled down a game high 10 rebounds and Raymond Felton scored 13 points and dished out six assists.

New York led Boston in two important columns in this game: offensive rebounds and turnovers.  The Knicks grabbed ten offensive rebounds and only turned the ball over 13 times—they also stole the ball 15 times.  The Celtics grabbed just four offensive rebounds and turned the ball over 20 times. 

In total, both teams had 40 rebounds and the Celtics led the Knicks 18-13 with assists, but these were just not enough for Boston to keep the lead.

Game two of the series starts at 8pm on Tuesday in New York— right now, the Knicks is the dominant team; if Boston wants any chance of going on to the next round, the team has to be incredibly focused and consistent.

Kevin Garnett to Play in 15th All-Star Game

Could KG be playing in his last All-Star game of his illustrious career?

By Ali Koskoris

AP Photo/ David Zalubowski

The 36-year-old, 18-year veteran is going to be starting in his fifteenth All-Star game this coming weekend for the Eastern Conference.  Garnett, who has been playing consistently well since the Boston Celtics lost Rajon Rondo, said Wednesday that this year’s All-Star game would be his last.

With this comment, Garnett caused the media to swarm him with questions regarding retirement. “I’m just telling you that every year you make it (to the All-Star game)… is not something you take for granted,” Garnett said in response.

And Garnett is right.  Although he is still a fantastic player, he is getting older, and new, younger players are bringing their games to the league.  He has consistently been playing fewer minutes in his past few All-Star games.  “Next year no one knows,” KG said, wisely not assuming that he would be selected to the All-Star team next year.

Garnett played in his first All-Star game during the ’96-’97 season, playing just 18 minutes, scoring 6 points and pulling down 9 rebounds.  His All-Star game highlight was the one of the ’02-’03 season where he played 41 minutes, pulled down 9 rebounds, grabbed 5 steals, and scored 37 points. 

KG’s All-Star career his displayed his consistency and pure talent as a player.  This coming All-Star game is his 15^th All-Star selection, his 14^th time playing in the game, and his 11^th start. 

The only other players who have been selected as many times as Garnett are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who was selected 19 times, Kobe Bryant who was also selected 15 times, and Shaquille O’Neal who was selected 15 times.

Garnett will be playing as a center for the first time in an All-Star game.  Likely he will not play many minutes, but it is clear that he is still regarded as the best by fans, who did all that they could to make sure that KG would start on the floor Saturday night.

Celtics Win Four Straight, Despite Loss of Rondo

Boston Starts to Win After Losing Rajon Rondo to a Torn ACL

By Ali Koskoris

Last Sunday it was confirmed that Celtics’ star point guard Rajon Rondo had a torn ACL and would be out for the rest of the season.  The loss of Rondo is a big blow to Boston, a team that is not performing as well as they hoped they might this season.

Reportedly, Rondo injured himself in a loss to the Hawks, but finished out the double-overtime game, thinking he had only tweaked his hamstring.  He was in Doc Rivers’ starting lineup for last Sunday’s game against Miami until about 25 minutes before the start.  Instead, Rondo headed to the hospital to get an MRI.

AP Photo/ Tony Dejak

Boston players played against the Heat in an epic double-overtime win without knowing that the situation with Rondo would be dire, and were not told until after the game was over.

The win against Miami broke a six-game losing streak, and started a four-game winning streak.  The Celtics have gone on to defeat the Kings, the Magic, and the Clippers. 

The wins against the Heat and Los Angeles are especially important because Miami leads the Eastern Conference and the Clippers lead the Pacific division of the Western Conference. 

The Kings and the Magic both have losing records, so, although the wins are important in the standings, they are less important to the mental state of the team.  It is important for Boston, now exactly .500, with 23 wins and 23 losses, to defeat teams with .500 records and higher—and the fact that the Celtics have done that without Rondo is significant.

When Rivers found out the news of Rondo, his main concern was ball-handling, not assists. “We have a lot of guards,” he said, “we just don’t have a lot of point guards.”  Rivers said the situation is going to be addressed on a game-to-game basis.

His plan is to have two guards and a forward who can handle the ball well enough. That way, if one is pressured, one of the others can bring the ball up.  Courtney Lee has taken Rondo’s place in the lineup, but Leandro Barbosa, Paul Pierce, Jeff Green and maybe even Avery Bradley will have to take the responsibility as well.

In the past four games, Pierce has stepped up his game, scoring, rebounding, and assisting.  The Celtics will need him, as well as many others on the team, to continue to play well (even above average) if they want to continue to win and make it to the playoffs.

Pietrus Signs With Toronto Raptors

After Many Offers, Free-Agent Mickael Pietrus Chooses Toronto

By Ali Koskoris

Veteran Mickael Pietrus has played on many a team, including a decent season with the Celtics last year. On Friday, he committed himself to the Toronto Raptors.  The thirty-year-old small forward averaged seven points and three rebounds last season, spreading the floor and finishing behind the arc on offense, and providing defensive surges.

AP Photo/ Charles Krupa

Multiple teams approached Pietrus when his contract ended with Boston, including the Spurs, Timberwolves, Bucks, Pacers, Hawks, 76ers, Rockets, Bulls, and Celtics.  Pietrus dragged the process out because he wanted either a multi-year deal or more than the veteran minimum.

The Raptors got rid of their own veteran, Dominic McGuire (who has averaged just 2.1 points and 3.2 rebounds so far this year), in order to acquire Pietrus.  Reportedly, Toronto only offered Pietrus the veteran’s minimum.  Thus comes the question as to why Pietrus chose the Raptors (a team with a horrifying 3-13 record when he signed). 

One possibility is that, because he is French, he might feel a little more at home in Canada.  “It’s great that they speak French here, too,” Pietrus said in an NBA TV interview.  “I’m excited to be a Raptor…Today is a new beginning.”  Pietrus also says that he thoroughly respects Raptors’ head coach Dwane Casey.

Toronto has been suffering from many injuries, including that of small forward Landry Fields.  Hopefully Pietrus will be able to fill the void until Fields returns and they can play on the floor together. 

With Pietrus, the team will most likely start to win more, but they will not be playoff contenders.  They still lack a star (or group of stars) and it would be difficult for them to come back from such a difficult start to the season.

The Nets Extend Their Winning Streak to Four, Defeating the Celtics

Deron Williams and Brook Lopez Lead Brooklyn to a Hard Fought Victory

By Ali Koskoris

Brooklyn hosted Boston in a battle until the last minute, eventually coming out with the win.  Deron Williams and Brook Lopez led their team, each scoring 24 points.  Williams also dished out eight assists and Lopez blocked four shots.  The two stars kept the Nets’ offense and defense aggressive.

AP Photo/ Phelan M. Ebenhack

The Celtics missed superstar point guard Rajon Rondo, who sat out with a sprained ankle.  They saw strong performances from captain Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and first-time Celtic starter (in Rondo’s place) Leandro Barbosa.  But the combined efforts of Boston could not defeat the play of New York.

The Nets defeated the Celtics in the all-important rebound column.  The team collectively pulled down 18 offensive rebounds (15 in the first half), resulting in 19 second-chance points just in the first half. 

About halfway through the third quarter, the Nets had established a comfortable thirteen-point lead.  Then, the Celtics made a 12-0 run and suddenly the game was tied.  Pierce took control for Boston, and Joe Johnson heated up for Brooklyn in the fourth quarter.

Johnson scored nine points just in the fourth quarter, leaving the game with a total of 19 points, eight rebounds, and two steals.  Johnson attacked the basket, pulled up for shots, and made his difference at the free throw line.  Lopez and Williams also contributed to the fourth quarter energy, but Johnson definitely led the team.

The game came down to the last seconds, based on who could make free throws, who could steal rather than foul, and who could get stops.  Pierce missed two integral foul shots for Boston late in the quarter, but then proceeded to hit a rushed three-point shot.  His efforts were not enough. 

In the end, the Celtics could not pull away from the Nets.  They had already worked so hard to come back from a significant deficit that continuing to make runs and stops and score without Brooklyn scoring was just too much.

Brooklyn comes away with a hard-earned victory, their fourth straight.  Boston falls to 5-4 and the Nets improve to 5-2.

The Celtics Drop Season Opener Against Miami Heat

Miami defeats Boston with the help of former Celtic Ray Allen

By Ali Koskoris

In a rematch of last season’s Eastern Division Finals, the Boston Celtics fell to the Miami Heat 120-107.  The season opener was especially dramatic because Ray Allen, part of the 2008 Celtics Championship team, left the Celtics as a free agent after last season, to play for the Heat.

AP Photo/ J Pat Carter

Miami proved to be just as strong as last year, if not stronger.  LeBron James and Dwyane Wade started the game in attack mode, driving to the basket and passing out, hitting open jumpers and taking it to the hoop.  The Celtics countered with effective play from Paul Pierce (16 points in the half), Rajon Rondo (8 points and 8 assists in the half), and Brandon Bass (8 points and 7 rebounds in the half).

Ray Allen entered the first quarter with a Heat lead of one, and his dangerous shooting allowed Miami to pull ahead, ending the first half with the score of 62-54 in the Heat’s favor.  He scored 13 points in those first two quarters.  James left the half with 16 points and Wade with 13.

The second half did not go much better for the Celtics, as they never gained a lead.  With two minutes and nine seconds left in the fourth quarter, Boston was able to cut the Miami lead to four, but was unable to pull ahead. 

The Heat continued to play tough, and James finished the game with 26 points and ten rebounds, Wade finished with 29 points, Chris Bosh finished with 19 points and ten rebounds, and Allen finished with 19 points in his 30 minutes of play (he played longer than starters James and Shane Battier).

For the Celtics, Pierce finished with 23 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals; Bass finished with fifteen points, six offensive rebounds, and five defensive rebounds; Kevin Garnett pulled down 12 rebounds—though only scored four points; sixth man Leandro Barbosa scored 16 points in 16 minutes of play; and Rondo finished with 20 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds.

Boston’s lack of execution and 15 turnovers cost them in this one and Miami came away with the win.

The Heat will prove to be very dangerous, with two superstars in starters James and Wade, dominating starter Bosh, and future Hall-of Famer Allen off the bench.  The Celtics need to continue to play their own game of defensive emphasis, which will allow them to control the pace of the game.  Rondo is key to Boston’s potential success in controlling the speed, and therefore the outcome of a game.

And So It Begins...

With the NBA season just beginning, it’s time to take a look at the NBA Southeast

By Kyle Basedow

Tuesday night’s NBA season opener kicked off with two teams in the Southeast playing. In the season opener, the Washington Wizards visited the Cleveland Cavaliers. The second was a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, with the Boston Celtics paying a visit to the Miami Heat.

The remaining teams kickoff on Friday, all at home. The Atlanta Hawks host the Houston Rockets, the Charlotte Bobcats host the Indiana Pacers and the Orlando Magic host the Denver Nuggets.

Last night, the games went pretty much as expected. The Heat dominated the Celtics and the Wizards put on a sad performance against the Cavaliers. Here are a few things to take note of…

Miami Heat: 120, Boston Celtics: 107

AP Photo/ J Pat Carter

1. Super Mario 2K13: Mario Chalmers decided to show up and put on his big boy pants last night. He posted a team high of 11 assists and added three steals along with 8 points. If he continues to post these numbers (though 11 assists a night is highly unlikely), he could be worthy of an All-NBA Second Team mention.

2. The Big Four?: Ray Allen, a former member of the Boston Celtics’ Big Three,  played his first game for the Miami Heat last night and made quite the lasting impression on his former team. He logged a solid 31 minutes and had an impressive19 points with 2 rebounds and 2 assists. He could be of great help to the Heat this season, who are already the top team in the NBA.

3. Celtics versus Father Time: The Celtics have very few players that can log consistent minutes, proven by the fact that Rajon Rondo and Paul Piece both logged 40 plus minutes.  Kevin Garnett was the only other player to log more than 30 minutes, and he can’t be expected to do that every game. Doc Rivers needs to find a way to speed up the development of their younger players or they could be in big trouble in the Eastern Conference.

Washington Wizards: 84, Cleveland Cavaliers: 94

AP Photo/ Tony Dejak

1. NBA D-League: This matchup wasn’t highly anticipated; watching the game could most certainly have put a few people to sleep. With both John Wall and Nene missing in action for sometime, the Wizards could be in for a rough ride these first few weeks. The Cavs, on the other hand looked better than last year and could be progressing towards the mid tier of NBA teams.

2. Anderson VareWOW: Who would have thought that one game into the NBA season you could compare Anderson Varejao to Wilt Chamberlain? Varejao had 9 points, 9 assists, and 23 rebounds in an absolutely monster game. It seems that Varejao doesn’t intend to go quietly in the NBA center discussion.

3. A New King?: Kyrie Irving dropped 29 points in last night’s season opener, with 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Irving’s 29 was 9 points less than the entire Wizards starting five. I know it’s too soon to crown him, but Kyrie Irving is certainly helping the Cleveland fans forget about LeBron James.

Overall, the performances yesterday were average, only because the Heat played so well and the Wizards played so badly. This Friday will be the true test to see how strong the NBA Southeast will be this year.

On another note, I bet the Magic are happy that they gave away Dwight Howard now, after that dismal performance yesterday. The owner and GM may have jumped for joy while they watched Howard shoot 3-14 from the free throw line.

Melo and Joseph to Play for the Boston Celtics

By Ali Koskoris

Syracuse University has added two more players to the Atlantic Division of the NBA.  Earlier this summer, the Boston Celtics drafted four-year Orangeman Kris Joseph and two-year Orangeman Fab Melo.

AP Photo/ Elise Amendola

Joseph, a 6-7 forward, dominated in scoring his senior year at SU.  Playing in every game last season, he averaged 32.2 minutes, 13.4 points, and 4.7 rebounds. 

Melo, a 7-foot center, was awarded the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2011-12 NCAA season.  The Brazilian star lost thirty pounds after his freshman year and came out for his sophomore year with defensive prowess, blocking 88 shots and averaging 5.8 rebounds on the season.

Heading into the 2012 season, the Celtics were in dire need of a center and a couple more strong big men, and hopefully Joseph and Melo can fill those holes.  In their first preseason game, Joseph played five minutes and pulled down an offensive board. Melo played nine minutes, grabbing three rebounds, blocking one shot, and dishing out an assist. In their second game, Joseph played six and a half minutes, scoring two and grabbing a rebound. Melo played five minutes and snatched one rebound.

The hype seems to be more about Melo, who was drafted in the first round.  His 7-2 wingspan and stellar timing allows him to be a dangerous blocker and guarder of the rim.  Melo has already demonstrated his potential to be a defensive energizer with his monster block and strong defense in the first preseason game, but he also turned the ball over three times and missed rotations in those first two games.  The twenty-one year old needs to work on pretty much everything-especially offense and man-to-man defense, but, luckily, he has some impressive teachers. 

Melo gets to work with an excellent coach in Doc Rivers and future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett.  As a defensive leader, Melo will find a comfortable home with the defensively focused Celtics; and with mentors like those on the Celtics, he can only improve. 

Joseph, on the other hand, is less talked about, but he may surprise people with his ball-handling skills and four years of college experience.  Joseph, with his raw athleticism, will likely be dangerous in transition play and defense.  He does need to work on his jump shot and man-to-man defense, but this will also come with time. 

Both Melo and Joseph have a lot to work on if they want to play significant minutes with the Boston Celtics, but expect to see them both make an impact this year.