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Sunday, April 4, 2010
Despite what this picture might suggest, this is not a blog JUST about Rasheed Wallace, although he will have a role to play in it.
The Boston Celtics avoided another embarrassing fourth quarter collapse by holding off Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to win 117-113. This was a game the Celtics really needed and one that the Cavs probably could have cared less about and for three quarters it showed.
The Celtics put up 98 points through three quarters of play and with about 5 minutes to go in the fourth had only added 5 more points to the total. It looked like what has become an all too familiar scene for the Celtics this year was about to play out. They were about to blow a 22 point lead and drop another winnable game to a team they will NEED to beat come playoff time.
Lebron James did his King James thing and turned it on in the fourth battling to bring the Cavs back and put them up one, but the Celtics held him off and were able to pull out a much needed win.
This game though, had an under current that I, for one, did not like. It's no surprise that Kevin Garnett is a talker, but today he was jawing with Lebron James to a whole new level. The two went back and forth and clearly got under each others skin (KG got at Lebron more then the other way around.) Lebron was distracted at the free throw line and missed a handful of key free throws that could've broken the Celtics' back. He missed them and the Celtics won.
It was more then the talking between players that gets to me, it's also the constant complaining to the officials. This game saw Cleveland pick up four technicals and Mike Brown get chucked. On the Celtics' side of the ball, they received two technicals, one from Rajon Rondo and one from Rasheed Wallace who is dangerously close to getting a one game suspension.
There was even more talking then that. Rasheed Wallace started mouthing off to Doc Rivers during one stage of the game, which caught him some pine, rightfully so.
Rasheed Wallace, Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Lebron James, Doc Rivers, Paul Pierce...I implore you, take a cue from Ray Allen who had 33 points for the Celtics this afternoon. Ray Ray goes out and gets the job done. He keeps his mouth shut, for the most part and doesn't blame anybody else on the court for his struggles. Everyone in the league should take a cue from this guy.
The more NBA games I watch, the more I am disgusted by the attitudes of the players and how nothing seems to be their fault. They all do it and leading the charge are the superstars, Lebron, Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce, they all do it and it is a detriment to the game.
I am not saying to never complain about a call or talk a little trash, but the extent to which the players in today's NBA talk distracts from the game and quite frankly it is entirely less effective then if you have a legitimate gripe with a call or a "real" beef with a competitor. When you're constantly complaining it loses a little luster.
Labels: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tonight is the start of the NBA Finals and I for one am excited about them. So, I am not as excited as I would be if the Celtics were making an appearance, but I think this is going to be one hell of a series and I hope Scotty Dukes is right when he picked Orlando way back at the beginning of the season.So, here are the top seven reasons why Boston fans should be excited about the finals.
1.) Kobe Bryant: I, for one, am not his biggest fan, I don't think anyone that cheers on the Celtics could be his biggest fan, but, you have to give him his due. The man can be simply amazing and while he has proven time and time again that he is worthy of being mentioned among the greatest players to have ever played the game, a victory in the finals this year will set him above many. For that reason, I believe we will see a spectacular performance out of Kobe Bryant this series.
2.) Dwight Howard: The man is, simply put, a beast and the Lakers have NO ONE that can stop him. Pau Gasol is going to stop him? Andrew Bynum? PLEASE. Kendrick Perkins is one of the only people in the league that can make Dwight Howard work and even still Howard had some pretty impressive games against the Celtics. As dominating as I believe Kobe will be on the Lakers side of the ball, I think Superman will be for the Magic, making the impact of the two players even out.
3.) The Magic Remind Me of the 2001 New England Patriots: This is a young team, with a young leader. They have had a serious injury to one of their star players (Jameer Nelson) and now are playing with an acquired back-up in Rafer Alston. They have been, throughout the playoffs a severe underdog. Did anyone give them a chance against Cleveland? They have the ability to put up big numbers on the offensive side of the ball. AND they win close games, something the '01 Pats knew a little bit about.
4.) From Downtown: The firepower on both sides of the floor is undeniable. We have seen the Lakers light it up from downtown with the likes of Derek Fisher (who admittedly has had a rough playoffs) and of course the three point shooting barrage that is the Orlando Magic backcourt will be on display throughout this series.
5.) Kobe can't handle the pressure: The world is watching, waiting and in some cases rooting for Kobe to get his first ring without the Shaq Attack. In some respect, his career as one of the greatest will not be solidified until he has won without the big man. This I think, is an unfair assessment, but none the less, in order to be truly considered great in the mind of the basketball world and in his own mind, he needs to win on his "own." He cannot do that. Even the greats had a championship caliber team around them. Larry Bird had McHale and Parish. Magic Johnson had Worthy and Kareem. Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen. It's the old Batman and Robin scenario, the greats can't do it without help and Kobe just doesn't have the necessary help.
6.) Everyone Loves and Underdog: The Magic are the underdog of all underdogs in this series. Virtually every "analyst" is picking the Lakers to win. It's a foregone conclusion that Kobe will get his 4th ring and something seems eerily familiar with those predictions. Memory is short in this day and age. It was literally two weeks ago when the Cavs were undefeated going into the Orlando series. No one gave the Magic a chance to win, NO ONE!! It seemed like the series would be a walk in the park for King James, but little did he know royalty is no match for a super hero. The story is the same this time, the villain is just different.
7.) The Magic will Win: Kobe, Pau and all the rest of the Lakers will have to wait until next year. I am going with Scotty Dukes on this prediction and giving the finals to Orlando. Kobe doesn't have the kryptonite that will stop the big fella down low and they can double down on him all they want, but his hired guns behind the arc will make the Lakers pay all series long. Orlando in six.
adam@wickedpissadude.com
Labels: Boston Celtics, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
(merry christmas in gaelic - i took 1 semester [yawn])The NBA regular season schedule is coming out today. Early word is the Celtics open at home with King James and the Cavs on October 28th. Christmas Day will be celebrated at the Dunder Mifflin Center with Kobe and his band of merry Euro-weenies. Maybe Sasha and Pao can meet under the hoop and share a kiss below Kendrick and his kissing balls!
Here it is! - Celtics 2008-2009 Schedule
Labels: Cavs, christmas, christmas day, Dunder Mifflin Center, euro-weenies, gaelic, King James, Kobe, Kobe Bryant, merry christmas, NBA, semester
Friday, June 13, 2008
I am sitting here this morning in a hangover of happiness watching the Celtics v. Lakers highlights on ESPN and I can't help but think about where I'll be standing when the duck boats pass me by during the parade. I know, I know, it's bad karma to start thinking about the parade, but I just can't help it. Boy, the people in NY must really hate us at this point, hahahaha!!What a comeback from the Green. Is Larry Bird happy yet? I don't know he couldn't be at this point, this team is now more battle tested then most teams in the history of the NBA.
Did you catch Kobe's press conference after the game? He actully gave the Celtics some credit and took some of the blame. I was honestly waiting for him to criticize the refs and say, "I knew these games were rigged." What kind of fine would that have carried with it? I say a one year ban from the NBA. Too bad he didn't say it.
The one thing I will say is that the guys on ESPN aren't giving enough credit to the Celtics for me. They are saying how badly the Lakers played and not talking about how amazing the Celtics played. The Celtics defense was monumental, literally it was monumental. It was historic to watch this Celtics team shut down one of the "best players of all time," although that title may have been tainted last night.
The Celtics move on to game #5 and will hopefully close this thing out at the Dunder Mifflin Center and can come home to the City of Champions where they belong.
One more thing, I will leave you with thoughts of the '04 Yankees. Why the '04 Yankees you ask? Well they were the victims of the greatest choke in the history of professional sports and they were riding high just before it, getting ready to smash the Boston Red Sox. As you no doubt remember, the Red Sox pulled off the greatest comeback in MLB history and went on to sweep the Series. I know, I know, you remember, but I think it is worth saying, let's not go down in the history book with the '04 Yankees and close this thing out on Sunday night.
GO CELTICS!!!
- Adam
BOOKMARK THIS:
Labels: Biggest Comeback in NBA History, Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, comeback, Eddie House, Kobe Bryant, New York Yankees, PJ Brown
That's a shame. Kobe and company can be added to the list of teams demoralized by Boston. The 2002 New Jersey Nets, the 2004 New York Yankees and now....(drumroll) wait for it...The 2008 Los Angeles Lakers. A 24 point lead disappears and is replaced by a 6 point loss. Now that is some old school Laker magic! Goodnight all, I have to go watch the post mortem, um the ah post game interviews. Then I have to giggle myself to sleep.
-timmy
Labels: Boston Celtics, choking, Kobe, Kobe Bryant, nets, yankees
Thursday, June 5, 2008
As if this game needed more ties to history, when Paul Pierce returned to the floor late in the 3rd quarter, after being carried out by his teamates and wheeled to the locker room in a wheel chair, he jogged out of the tunnel and the crowd erupted, my mind immediately turned to the one and only Larry the Legend. Do you remember? Late in his career, the Celtics were playing the Indiana Pacers when Larry slammed his head on the parquet floor and was forced out of the game. In the 2nd half, Larry emerged from the locker room, down the tunnel and onto the floor to a roar from the crowd. The Celtics never looked back and that moment was etched in the storied history of this franchise.
Tonight, Paul Pierce returned from the locker room after being injured so severely that he could not walk. The roar from the crowd when he returned to the game was equal to that of the one Bird recieved against the Pacers that turned the game around for the C's and that is just what the return of Paul Pierce did tonight.
Before The Truth returned, the game was back and forth for the majority of the 2nd half, but Pierce proceeded to knock down back to back threes and the Celts would never look back. With Kobe on the bench midway through the 4th quarter, the C's padded their lead and went up 1-0 in this best of seven series.
It wasn't just Paul Pierce that got it done tonight though, it was truly a team effort and what other way would you have it. KG has certainly proven that he has big game skills as he posted a double double with 24 pts and 13 boards. Then there was the Celtics bench who combined to score 17 pts. and play some truly nasty defense led by the veteran PJ Brown. He didn't have scary numbers, but he got the intangibles done, the things that don't show up in the box score, it was PJ Brown who demonstrated that you can get it done and fly under the radar, which he did tonight.
Paul Pierce was nasty on the defensive end and showed up in a big way on the offensive end with 22 pts.
The road ahead is long, but the Celtics have proven tonight that they are the force to be reckoned with. They are THE team to beat. The Lakers have Kobe, but the C's have the Big 3 and that may prove to be the difference down the stretch in these NBA finals.
On to game #2, Sunday night at 9p on ABC. Make sure to check out the Wicked Pissa Dude Radio recap of Game #1 and preview of Game #2 coming up tomorrow night on WickedPissaDude.com
Final Score: Celtics 98 Lakers 88
Click here for the full boxscore.
Labels: indiana pacers, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, Paul Pierce, PJ Brown, Wicked Pissa Dude Radio
Labels: Boston Celtics, Boston Fans, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Vanessa Curry
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