Hello, Crooklyn!: New York Pulls Hall-Of-Fame Heist As Celtics Press Reset Button

And so, the die is cast...

The move that some have been clamoring for the past few years; the change that others have been fearing and railing against; the inevitable final wrap to the thrilling show that was "The New Big Three Era" has faded to black...Brooklyn black (and white).

I still haven't completely wrapped my mind around the idea that Paul Pierce...The Truth...is bringing his game (if you thought I was gonna say "taking his talents," you're in the wrong area code, buddy!) to Brooklyn along with honorary lifelong Celtic Kevin Garnett and unfortunate tattoo victim Jason Terry.

Calling all New Jersey area tatt artists...start practicing the conversion of a leprechaun to this:

Seriously, though...I'm not going to make this a long post (Yeah, right! You wish!) full of wistful memories about The Captain, 2008, or The Big Ticket or even the decommissioned old Jet. There have been more than enough of those pieces from other sports reporters, bloggers, family members and friends, news reporters trying their hand at sensitive sports esoterica, man-in-the-street reaction (sigh...Brooklyn "fans"), sad pets (no, seriously....)

...and much of it has been either exactly what I would have said or would have wanted to say.

So, briefly, here are a few random thoughts that I wanted to throw out into the wind and watch them drift and fade into the dirt of the new Celtics foundation:

* I Am Really Happy For Paul And Kevin (And Jet, Too): No, really...I am. And, just to prove it, I'm gonna recite a really sappy line that I believe rather appropriate to this situation -- "If you love something, set it free. If it returns to you, then it was meant to be." It's no secret for those five of you who have read this blog (okay, I was stretching...two...thanks again Mom and Dad!) that Paul Pierce is my religion and the Boston Garden is the house of worship. But, when the trade was announced, I kind of felt relief. Relief because, as much as I wanted The Truth to have only ever worn the green upon retirement, I saw how much he and KG struggled to pull the C's along against New York and I really didn't want to watch it get a little worse each year until they retired broken and dispirited.

No, like any healthy end to a relationship this serious and committed, I wanted Paul to be able to walk away in good shape, take on his new life unafraid of trusting another team again, and find that special thing that makes him happy (Woah!! I have GOT to stop watching the Hallmark Channel with my girlfriend IMMEDIATELY!!).

My point being, Pierce and KG want the opportunity to play for another championship. They deserve that chance. They were robbed at least twice from having it happen again here in Boston (2009 and 2010), and this is their best possible chance at it before they hang 'em up. It was different with Ray for some reason (even though he was completely within his rights to take his talents to South Beach [ahh, THERE it is!] after Danny tried to trade him a couple of times and then Doc sat him for Avery Bradley). I don't know why, but it just was. Good luck, P2 and KG...I'll really miss you guys, but I can't wait to see what you do down in the BRK. Which leads me to another personal revelation...

* I'm going Back to the Future with these new Celtics, and I don't mind the trip. Back in the Ramon Rivas, Ricky Davis, Sherman Douglas transitions I still watched my C's faithfully, sliding slowly from the sadness of the passing of the original Big Three era, the frustration of the M.L. Carr era (the M.L. stood for Mediocricy of Losers), to the empty-faced dejection of watching the other teams in the NBA become what my once-proud Celtics had always been.

But you know what? I started to really enjoy basketball again. I watched with wonder and basket ball bliss as the Bulls, Suns, Spurs and Pistons (okay, Bulls, Suns and Spurs, anyway...) played great basketball against other up-and-coming teams and I got to appreciate just how hard it actually was for teams to get to the Finals and win a Championship. As Danny continues on in full "pardon our appearance as we remodel" mode, I'm looking around the League with all the talented players on rising teams like the Clippers, Warriors, Cavaliers, Rockets, Timberwolves, Pacers, Nets (yes, even the Nets) and I'm really excited for the future of basketball. Which leads me to this observation...

* The Celtics A) are not going to be THAT bad and B) the future looks pretty bright for the C's right about now. Kelly Olynyk looks like a steal at #13 (I know, I know summer league...but you can't fake some of the offensive skills this guy is showing), we still have the best point guard in the League, Jeff Green is going to continue to be exciting, we have a handful of promising young talent and  an even more promising six first-round picks in the next five years, Sullenger looks like a keeper and is taking on a little bit of a leadership role with his defiance of the Tanking Lobby...which takes me to my last thought...

* The Celtics would do well to not even think about pretending to wonder about the concept of tanking. I have only seven words to more than adequately illustrate why this is NEVER a good idea: Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. For all the lore about the Luck O' The Irish and Celtic Mystique, the Celtics have been REALLY unlucky when they decide to provoke the fates and play intentionally bad basketball. Sure, the C's turned a lemon into Limoncello with the Durant/Oden crap-out by trading a draft pick and three quarters of the team for the pieces that would bring us Banner # 17, but the point is, they didn't get what they were shooting for with the all-out tank job. Leave tanking to the real losers of the league. Cleveland and Orlando, though both are admittedly now on the way up (Cleveland is definitely going to be heard from sooner than later), have tanked in their respective pasts. Guess how many championships they've won between the two of them? Here's a hint: if the number were an ex-pro football player turned actor, his name would be Dick Bupkis. No, I think the Celtics are on the correct path compiling draft pick after draft pick, dumping salary and hiring for the future.

Which takes me to my last point...

I am, as I have repeatedly stated, a true CFL (Celtic For Life) and I will always follow my green like a good husband -- in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer.

But, I'm sure I can be forgiven this season when I sit down on some cold and lonely Winter's night -- bowl of chips and drink by my side with clicker in hand flipping through cable as I wait for my beloved Celtics -- but instead, I stumble across an old familiar friend or two...(something's different about them. Did they change their hair? No, they're dressing differently!) and spending a little time with the team from Brooklyn.

I mean, they're coming back to retire as a Celtic, right? It doesn't mean anything. I don't love the Nets, I just have some unresolved issues that I need to work out.

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Boston Magazine's Farewell To Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Sports Illustrated's "End Of An Era Feature On The Truth and Big Ticket, Boston Globe's Goodbye, Comcast Sports Net "Paul And KG End Of An Era" Coverage

Celtics Keep Rolling With Hippie-Ball, Clip L.A.: 106-104

Paul Pierce. The Captain. The Truth.

Can we just close our eyes and ruminate on what The Truth is still doing to teams after 14 clutch-filled seasons at 36 years of age?

 

Thanks. Let's carry on...

WHEW!!! Like a friend of mine used to say, that game was like finding a shark in your bathtub -- it's much closer than you ever wanted it to be.

The Celtics started this game much as they have the past three -- playing great defense and sharing the ball to equate a firm double-digit lead for much of the game. Unfortunately, the Clippers shoved a big spoonful of "ShuttyUppie" (thanks, King of Queens!) into the faces of all of the so-called fans who have been robotically regurgitating the idea that the Celtics are better off without Rajon Rondo. The Clippers cut the Celtics' lead to 2 in the 4th quarter by exposing the C's shortcomings in the half-court offense, a place where someone with Rondo's unparalleled passing, driving and court vision can make the difference.

Fortunately for the Celtics, they still have THIS guy:

 

Paul Pierce did what he has done in more games during his career than I could remember even if I HAD a good memory -- he calmly, ruthlessly and deliciously drained a three to slam the door on any LaLa Land dreams of a Clipper comeback.

Late-game lapses notwithstanding, the Celtics continued to move the ball and gang rebound to get themselves another win PR&S (Post Rondo and Sully), notching the 4th in a row and moving up a stair above the .500 mark.

Sure, the Clippers were without All-Star point guard Chris Paul, but let's not even think about playing the injury game, people.

Enough can not be said about the Celtics bench in this one. As a collective, the bench outscored the Clipper reserves -- 52-29. As individuals, there was a LOT to be excited about: Jeff Green continued to back up his new "I got heart" signature celebration move by gliding and jump-shooting his way to 14 points on 4-6 shooting (3-3 on 3's), 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Jason Terry lit his turbos and took off into Jet-mode with 13 points and a team-high 6 assists while Leandro Barbosa blurred into action for 14 points. Hell, even Jason Collins got into the books with more points than fouls, scoring 7 in the game.

The starters? Well, as mentioned above, Pierce dropped the game winner on Matt Barns' "Uncle Creepy" dome, and he ended the game with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. How's that for washed-up trade bait, Haters?

Kevin Garnett contributed 12 points, 5 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 head game against Blake Griffin (20 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists), frustrating him at key junctures. New starter (same as the old starter) Brandon Bass mustered 9 points, 8 rebounds and a career-tying 4 assists.

And, while Courtney Lee and Avery Bradley didn't put much in the scoring column (11 points between them), their defense on guard Eric Bledsoe (23 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds), the hot-first-half-having Caron Butler (18 points) and the always deadly Jamal Crawford (23 points, 6 assists) was also timely.

While it's clear that the Celtics are indeed a formidable bunch for any team to take on, they'll need some work on half-court sets when the speed game bogs down. But, if Doc and the C's can figure out how to keep it crisp and run on teams for the rest of the season, there are going to be a LOT of coaches sighing with relief when they draw a first-round matchup against the Miami's, Brooklyn's, Indiana's and Chicago's of the world.

One more note about The Captain: today, with that game-winning 3, Paul Pierce moved ahead of sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic and into 6th place in all-time 3-pointers made with 1,761 and counting. Now THAT's the Truth!

Box Score

Tale Of The Tape

C's Buck Recent Trend, Finish Strong Against Milwaukee: 96-92

In a game featuring many of the same exciting and frustrating characteristics that they've displayed through the first five, the Boston Celtics proved that when they focus on the kind of defensive effort that they delivered in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks, more often than not they'll leave the other team staring back at them like a deer caught in the headlights.

 

I won't go into too much of a rehash of the past few posts -- blah blah blah "The Captain, The Truth" Paul Pierce did it AGAIN, scoring 25 with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a blocked shot and solid "D"...yadda yadda Rondo, double-double with 10 points, 10 assists, streak still alive...Kevin Garnett, defensive powerhouse, 18 points, 6 boards, 3 assists -- but I will say that they were great again and really anchored the defense down the stretch when they made their run against a Bucks team that led by 4 heading into the fourth quarter behind a massive you-knew-it-was-coming breakout game from guard Monta Ellis, who scored 32 and dished 8 assists in a losing cause to counter his relatively quiet showing in the previous tilt against the C's.

Ellis was joined by center Sam Dalembert who scored 14 points and pulled in 8 rebounds; old-pal and former Celtic Marquis Daniels, who scored 12; up-and-comer and former fictional talk show host (not!) Larry Sanders, who hung a double-double on the C's with 10 points and 14 rebounds; and Ersan Ilyasova who put up 10 for Milwaukee.

The Celtics continued to make incremental improvements, both on offense and defense, with Jason Terry netting 15 in a starting role and Jeff Green supplying the kind of defense that will undoubtedly earn him more court time. Green, along with Pierce and Garnett, helped turn back the running of the Bucks with timely scoring and tenacious defense to help put the game away in the final minutes and seconds. Chris Wilcox continued to show signs of a return to his pre-open-heart form in fifteen active minutes.

Box Score

THE BUZZ:

Next up for the C's are the flower-less (No Rose...get it? No? Okay!) Chicago Bulls and then the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors. Should be an interesting week with more answers about how the chemistry experiment is coming along for the Doc(tor).