The Return...

 

Okay, people…we all know what today is. No need to beat the long-dead horserug…we know what it is, and it’s huge.

It’s huge, not because two of the greatest Celtics ever to walk the parquet are coming back home wearing enemy colors for the first time. It’s huge, not because this will be the "first time" for fans who have been secretly (and some not so secretly) in a state of mourning since the announcement of the “blockbuster” that sent our beloved Truth and Big Ticket down to Yankeeland, erasing all but the final traces of the glory days and opening the window to the long, cold winter that lay ahead for professional basketball in these parts.

No, it’s huge because, as they walk through that door, the glow of the past trails closely behind them and in theirs and our shared history of greatness, we see the future hope that we will one day rise again, just as we rose from the departures of Bill Russell and Red Auerbach and Larry Bird before them.

With ten first-round draft picks (TEN!!) over the next five years and several talented young players to place around Rajon Rondo (the last remaining vestige of championship sparkle, not counting members of the front office), the future is closer than some may imagine and The Return will be even more glorious than the return of two legends seeking to recreate that Championship magic with another team.

Welcome back, Paul…Kevin. But, don’t get too comfortable. We’ve got some plans of our own.

And, now…here are some stories from around the interwebs to get you even more amped for today’s big game:

Pierce, KG brace for Boston return
By ESPN's Chris Forsberg

Pierce, Garnett discuss their return to Boston
By the Boston Globe's Baxter Holmes

Also, check out: www.celticslife.com, www.celticsblog.com, www.celticshub.com, www.celticstown.com, and www.redsarmy.com to get your fill.

Oh, and one more thing...

 

All Hail The New Celtics King

 

 

Congratulations to the 15th captain in Celtics history. Long may he reign!

Celtics Back To Winning Ways With Losing Days

Now that’s more like it.

The Celtics are finally back on track after a spell of disagreeable basketball.

I say “back on track” because they’ve now lost five in a row, and I say “disagreeable basketball” because I don’t agree with that four-game win streak. I mean, what the Hell are they trying to prove, anyway? This train’s bound for glory and by glory, I mean the NBA Draft Lottery.

Look, I love wins as much as the next guy, but we’re playing for much more than a handful of W’s. We’re playing for the big picture, and that doesn’t include making a first-round exit in the Playoffs. Been there, done that.

Now, I’m being a little facetious (emphasis on the “little”). Of course I want our Celtics to be competitive, which I think they can be on most nights. And, I’d have to be crazy (or a New York fan) to not want these guys to start developing a winning attitude so that, when the time comes and the right team is in place, they know how to win the right way. Tanking is not an option. It has never worked for the Celtics, and history makes the strong argument that it hasn’t really helped many other teams, either.

That said, the Celtics best chance at near-future contention is not to please the fairweather fanbase but to draft smartly, trade wisely and play the style of basketball to match the talents of those wearing the green and white jerseys.

For those of you who believe that draft picks won’t get the C’s back into championship contention, that’s just crazy talk. With a draft that is believed to be as deep as any in recent memory and the Celtics in possession of six first round picks in the next five years, there is a significant opportunity to draft a once in a blue moon superstar to pair with Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger, Jeff Green, Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk. Hell, they may even be able to draft two. And, if Danny Ainge and co. believe that the player they need is already toiling for the NBA, then he can trade off a combination of multiple picks and a superfluous player (Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries and/or Keith Bogans, anyone?) or two (see: “Like 2008 Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen”).

My point is, as I have said before, true GreenHeadz should just sit back, relax and embrace the stress-free simplicity of the 2013-14 Boston Celtics. You’ll be glad you did in about three years.

Bring it, Indiana! And, remember...

C's Kick Heat In Nuts With Buzzer Beater, Extend Win Streak To 3

 

Are you freakin' serious!?!? Did the "rebuilding" Boston Celtics just stick it to the defending champion Miami Heat? With a game winning 3?! In their own building?!?!?!

 

Yes!! Yes, sportsfans...this really happened! After continuous (and mostly negative) comparisons to Paul Pierce as in "Jesus, Jeff...you're the new Paul Pierce, for Christ's sake!! You have to start being our go-to guy!!", Mean Jeff Green threw up the middle finger to haters everywhere and sank the game winner right in LeBron's face!

With the Celtics down two following a classic tank job at the free-throw line by Dwyane Wade who missed two freebies that would have iced the game for the Heat, Jeff Green raised up, up, up over LeBron's outstretched arms and calmly made like M.C. Hammer, not only saying "You Can't Touch This" to South Beach's Number 6, but proving that he was "2 Legit To Quit." Okay, even I know how bad that last sentence was, but what can I say? I'm still delirious from passing out after "The Shot" happened.

But, as much as I would love to continue talking about that incredible and unexpected win, I wanted to do something a little bit different. Sure, other blogs and sports sites will show you photos like the ones above that display in full glory the afterglow of the win, but I'd like to bring fans the stories behind the story.

 

And, what I am about to reveal could change the way we look at the National Basketball Association forever.

 

Without further ado...the win in pictures.

  

While others looked at the series of photos above and reveled at the sight of Jeff Green floating as his shot found its way across the arena and through the basket, I took a closer look at the photos to reveal the truth (No, not THAT Truth...though Jay Gee certainly seemed to be channeling his inner Captain).

 

God favors the Boston Celtics. I know, I know...but read on...if you dare.

 

As the shot went up, this Miami-based Celtics fan put in a special request with the man upstairs...

 

And, as we all know very well, the Miami Heat represent the Devil...I mean, come on...as if the red uniforms, flame at the tip of the "T" in "Heat" (which, by the way, resembles a pitchfork with missing prongs), and the reference to the more-than-balmy temperatures down under the down under didn't already give it away, you have LeBron, Wade, Bosh AND Battier on the same team? And, Chalmers...don't EVEN get me started with Chalmers!

Anyway, in this battle of good vs. evil, clearly, God won this round. Just look at how the Devil's minions reacted to the sight of pure goodness as it flooded the arena...

Many of them appeared to feel the light of righteousness entering through their heads.

 

It was apparently too much for this guy, as he began to head for the exit even as the ball soared to its glorious destiny...

 

 

Say what you will about Miami fans, though (and there IS plenty to say!) they sure do know their famous paintings. Several of them chose to deal with their pain by emulating a well-known Edvard Munch work of art...

 

Scream 1

Scream 2

Clearly, though...this one really put a hurt on Heat fans right where it counts...

 

...and, ultimately, good didst triumph over evil.

The End.

Box Score

Tale of THE SHOT

It's Zero Hour In The NBA: Do You Know Where Your Celtics Are?

 

 “…No Matter Where You Go, There You Are.”

-- Buckaroo Banzai

 

So, where exactly is it that our beloved Boston Celtics find themselves as General Manager Danny Ainge ushers in season #1 of “The Causeway Construction Project?”

Short recap: Coach Doc Rivers? Gone. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry? Gone, gone, gone.  Era of Ubuntu and Championship aspirations? Gone.  Anything better than a weak puncher’s chance of even making the Playoffs? Gone.

The sole surviving member of the five who famously “never lost a playoff series together?” Gone – at least until December, but I’m hedging on Rajon Rondo returning at or after the All-Star break, if you must know.

After witnessing the tail end of the “New Big Three” era during last year’s Playoff series against the Knicks as the Celtics were dispatched in the first round, prompting their Championship window to slam shut so hard that the glass shattered, Ainge made the unpopular but inevitable and intelligent decision to take a keg to the team and blow things to kingdom come.
 

With the trade that sent 15-year veteran, All-Star and Celtic original Pierce – along with the iconic Garnett and Terry – down to the Brooklyn Nets, Ainge signaled the beginning of a reconstruction project that will take, at minimum, three years to begin bearing fruit.    

Returning as the only holdovers from last year are Rondo, Avery Bradley, Jeff Green, Brandon Bass, Jared Sullinger, Courtney Lee, and Jordan Crawford who join draft pick Kelly Olynyk, rookie Phil Pressey, free agent signee center from Brazil Vitor Faverani, and the members of other end of the Brooklyn Nets trade Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, Marshon Brooks and Keith Bogans. Not necessarily what you would call a “Championship Driven” lot, right?  

The team is now comprised of more
youth than age (only two players – Wallace and Bogans – have ten or more years in the League) and new coach Brad Stevens has approximately zero experience in the pro ranks, so any hopes by Greenheadz for a winning season or even an 8th Playoff seed should be of the faintest variety. This is not a team built to win, nor should it be. In possession of six first-round draft picks over the next five years, the goal of Danny and Co. should be to assess current talent for cultivating in either a new Championship core or trade value, develop a winning culture (even though actual winning may prove to be elusive at first), and make savvy moves that improve the team and add to that “Championship core.”

So, to answer the opening question, “where do the Celtics find themselves?” Talent-wise, this team will actually be able to compete with anyone on a strictly night-to-night basis. What it won’t be able to do is sustain any kind of consistency to speak of from night-to-night and certainly not enough make, let alone win, the Playoffs. Record–wise? I always shy away from this kind of prediction, mainly because there is no way to project things like the return of Rondo and other injuries to key players. But, if I were a gambling man, I’d place their wins in the high 20’s. Kind of an upper-middle of the bottom tier of the NBA.  I hesitate to use the label “mediocre” because for me, it implies a sustained level of lackluster play over more than one season. No, the Celtics will be a scrappy, never-say-die running basketball team that can take the New York's, Houston's, Golden State's and even (on occasion) the Oklahoma Cities and Miami's by surprise for a game.

What should we look for in this team? Commitment, measurable improvement and the building of bonds that are forged in the leaner times between players with character. For me, watching the development of Kelly “The K.O. Kid” Olynyk, Brooks, Pressey, Faverani and even Sullinger and Green, as well as the steady return to form of a healthy Rondo should provide me with enough entertainment to deal with the losses.  Wallace and Humphries have proven to be proud competitors as well as veteran leaders alongside Bogans, so any reports about tanking should be met with a portion of skepticism. Unless, of course, any two or all of these players happen to be shipped out of town by the trade deadline in February.

A suggestion that I would like to make to Greenheadz everywhere, if I might be so bold and yet humble: Just sit back and watch this young team without any expectations or frustration. Enjoy every learning moment for the players as much as you will their inevitable moments of success – however fleeting. You are now on the ground floor of a project that will ultimately lead to our #18th and maybe even #19th and #20th banner.
 
While the road may be bumpy and fraught with wrong turns and steep curves, when they finally arrive at their planned destination, you’ll be thrilled that you decided to come along for the ride.

Game #1…Hoo Rahhh!

Preseason Games 5 & 6: Keeping Enemies Close, Wins...A Little More Distant

See? That wasn't so bad! Going down to Brooklyn to face the Nets and our old teammates (well, teammate, anyway...Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry had the night off.) played out like any other game. Sure, there was good old #34, the Truth himself, giving the game what it needs for the opposition, but it was like he'd been wearing his New York whites all along. Even seeing him greet his old teammates Avery Bradley, Jeff Green, Brandon Bass and the others didn't make a...didn't make a...hold on....eyes tearing up...

Damn allergies!!!

Seriously, it was VERY strange watching the Captain come back and throw up one of his preseason special "getting the team involved" games against the MIG's (Men In Green), but nothing, I'm certain, compared to what it's going to be like when the other ex-patriots...er, ex-Celticots Garnett and Terry make their appearance at the Garden on January 26th.

As for the actual game, the C's were able to keep the game close and even had the chance to tie at the buzzer, though Courtney Lee missed a difficult acrobatic shot to let Brooklyn off the hook. Lee had a good game and showed flashes of regaining his offense as the C's high scorer. Kris Humphries showed up against his former team as well, and Jeff Green continued to right the ship from a slow start to the preseason.

What more can be said about this game that won't result in more tears allergies?

Actually, I'll let the truth be spoken by The Truth...

Brooklyn Nets

Box Score

Tale of the Tape

The Toronto game was another close one with the chance to win it at the end that didn't quite take. MarShon Brooks played well for the C's and looked more like the potential keeper many believed he could be with more experience and coaching. Green stayed on track and Kelly Olynyk, Vitor Faverani continue to make me excited about watching this team play together this season.

Toronto Raptors

Box Score

Tale of the Tape


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who Got Next?

Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Sunday, October 20, 2013

6:00 PM

Post Position: Celtics' Newest "Pole Cats" Key To Any Success In 2013-14

It's no mistake that the two most recent additions to the picture posts in the lobby of North Station at the Garden are also two of the longer tenured players on the roster. It's also no accident that they happen to play the same positions as the two Hall-of-Famers whose shoes they’re about to step into now that they’ve gone cookin’ for Brooklyn.

But, as exciting as it might be for friends, fans and family members of Jeff Green and Brandon Bass to see these guys sharing facetime with the team's one true All-Star, point guard Rajon Rondo along with Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger (another more recent "pole player" and another key ingredient in the C's kitchen this year), their actual significance to the team and any hopes it may have of an even moderately successful year can't be overstated.

For many, the natural inclination is to say that Green is the new Pierce, and as far as filling the open small forward position, this would be accurate. And he will, indeed, be asked to shoulder some of the load that Pierce once carried. But, fans shouldn't be expecting “The Truth 2.0” or even “Truth-Lite,” or anything resembling the Swiss Army Knife that was Pierce for so many years "giving the game what it needs" whether it was scoring 41 against LeBron in a mano-a-mano Playoff duel or posting multiple triple-doubles in point-forward mode in Rondo's absence.

Well, okay...he's got the "scoring 41 against LeBron" thing handled just fine and then some, but he’s never carried a team for an extended period in any season of his short career and expectations that he fill the sizable chasm of leadership that now exists behind Rondo are not only wrongheaded but just plain unfair. There is only one Paul Pierce (as it will undoubtedly take until his induction into the Hall of Fame for casual fans to fully appreciate) and Green is clearly not cut from the same cloth – but, then, few people are.

What he IS is a hyper-athletic 6" 9' forward that is as comfortable in the low post as he is slashing in from the wing and banging one off some hapless defender's dome or popping threes from the corner. He is an underrated defender and has increasingly shown a willingness to pick up his aggression on offense and, as Garnett once implored him, "be an @$hole." With an even larger role to play and a quicker team to play it with, Green can now thrive in the open court and take more shots in an offense in which he is no longer third and sometimes even fourth fiddle while not having to carry the total scoring burden in the way that Pierce was often forced to with Garnett resting on the bench – especially after Ray Allen took his talents to South Beach.

Brandon Bass is the other key that will determine whether the Celtics sink to the level that experts have been projecting or whether they rise above expectations, particularly with Rondo on the sidelines for a portion of the season and Garnett and his Big D down the road and out of town.

While no one will ever be confusing Bass with The Big Ticket, he has an uncannily similar midrange game (though not quite as consistent), is also unafraid to put his head down and plow to the hoop for a power-flush, and is an above-average defender. In fact, his “D” is vastly underappreciated by most average NBA fans and announcers alike. Just look at the variety of stories written by a heap of knowledgeable voices about both his prowess according to Synergistics (not that I buy into that sort of thing) and about how he is now using his massive 6-foot-9, 250-pound body to try and plug the defensive leadership breach for the team.

One need look no further than his defense against Carmelo Anthony – one of the League’s premier scorers, in case your head has been cryogenically frozen for the past ten years – during the Celtics v. Knicks series in last year’s Playoffs to see what he is capable of.

I know that Bass fell out of favor with a lot of fairweather fans last year as he struggled to regain his footing after Doc Rivers employed a revolving door for his power forwards, alternately starting Bass, then Sullinger, then Bass again when Sullinger went down for the season. While the argument has been made that NBA players are professionals and should be able to handle being shuffled in and out of the lineup with their ego and confidence intact, I challenge readers to honestly consider how well they’d adjust to being “benched” by their boss in favor of that young go-getter from [insert department here] and then being asked to take over for him only after he goes out on sick leave for the year.

Yes, Bass should technically have been able to adjust to the adversity and come to play when his name was called (jeez…I just completed the trifecta of modern sports clichés!), but it seemed clear that his brain was a little scrambled by the process and it took him a while to straighten himself out – not coincidentally around the same time that his main competition for the position was cleared out of the way for the season.

Ultimately, it’s about the team and the sum of its parts, whether Coach Brad Stevens can adjust quickly to the pro game and whether Rondo comes back before the All-Star break – both physically AND mentally. But, for the team to defy the haters and prognosticators, it will be the actions of Uncle Jeff and B Bass that determine whether the Celtics will be stuck under water or if they’re able to stick their heads up and catch a breath or two.

J.R. Smith Gets Taken To The Hole By Karma

 

Recently, J.R. Smith followed in the tiny footsteps of fellow New York WhinyBaby Ray Felton by wildly overreacting to a statement made this past summer by new Brooklyn Nets arrival Paul Pierce, who stated that it was "time for the Nets to start running New York."  

 

 Calling Paul Pierce "bitter", Smith went on to issue a thinly veiled threat that Pierce's words would have "consequences" and that he would have to pay for them.

 

It now appears that Smith was doing a bit of projecting with his statements as it turns out that he'll be serving a five-game suspension for violation of the NBA's drug policy, which he'll begin upon eligibility to play following rehabilitation after knee surgery. The suspension will also cost him a cool $252,000.

 

How's THAT for consequenses and paying?

 

Maybe now the Knicks can eat a nice STFU sandwich and let their actions speak instead of their mouths. 

 

But, if history holds true...

 

 

They won't.

 

The Boston Celtics/Brooklyn Nets games should be great if for no other reason than nostalgia, but the Nets and Knicks will play four times this season...as Chris Webber loves to say...

CAAAAAN'T WAIT!!!

Paul Pierce: "It's Time For Us To Start Running This City."

Yeah, this is a really nice article about the adjustment of the two "artists formerly known as Celtics," Paul Pierce (mostly) and Kevin Garnett adjusting to their new home and accepting their status as Brooklyn's Finest. It's also another opportunity to stalk these guys like an obsessed ex-boyfriend/girlfriend ("what did she do NOW? Did she say anything about me??") until I've fully moved on when the season starts (yeah...sure...).

But, what really excited me about this article was Paul Pierce in full "I'm the best shooter in the NBA" Truthmode and talking smack about the team that he really loves to stick it to.

You hear that, New York? There's a new group of Sheriffs in town and they're comin' to bring you to justice!

------<sigh...why can't we get players like that?>------

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.

_____________________________________________________

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