Celtics News

Stoudemire stating his case
Comment
November 7
Boston Globe
 
"Still a pup in the game of life at age 26, Amar'e Stoudemire wears his NBA experience on his face. A bushy beard. A reflective tone. An understanding that these may be his final days in Phoenix. The Suns have tried to trade him in the past. He is toying with the idea of opting out of the final year of his contract (worth more than $17 million) and becoming an unrestricted free agent, joining what is turning into the legendary class of 2010."
Sunburned
Comment
November 7
Boston Globe
 
"The Phoenix Suns played their style of basketball last night. And, for much of the game, the Celtics did the same thing. The result was a 110-103 Suns' victory, ending the Celtics' six-game winning streak to start the season. Steve Nash (12 assists) directed the show and Jason Richardson (34 points, 10 rebounds) played a starring role as the Suns got into their comfort zone, transitioning and firing up 3-pointers (hitting 13 of 24). Phoenix (5-1), in the midst of a five-game road trip and nearly 3,000 miles from home, acted like they were performing before a friendly, sun-soaked, Maricopa County crowd."
Grant Hill too tough to move
Comment
November 7
Boston Herald
 
"Depending on who you ask, Grant Hill either nearly became a Celtic last summer or knew all along that he would remain a Sun. Even the Phoenix swingman, who has enjoyed a late-career renaissance as a Sun, seemed a little unsure of the machinations prior to his team's 110-103 win against the Celtics at the Garden last night. "Man, there was a lot going on at the time," he said. "I was trying to gather a lot of information, trying to sort out all of the teams I was looking at. I was certainly very interested, and it was very flattering to have their interest. "I can tell you that I have a lot of respect for (general manager) Danny Ainge, (coach) Doc Rivers and (owner) Steve Pagliuca, who's a ..."
Cracks in armor create imperfection
Comment
November 7
Boston Herald
 
"In the blink of a game, the undefeated season was lost. A stunned Garden crowd dispersed. Greg Dickerson wept openly. By Monday, kids in the poorer regions of the planet will have "Celtics 82-0" T-shirts to go with their Patriots Super Bowl XLII Champions hoodies. Steve Pagliuca's polling numbers will take a hit. The young and impressionable will turn away in horror when video of last night's 110-103 loss to Phoenix shows up on ESPN. Surely we jest, but evidence of Celtics fallibility was certainly coming. Doc Rivers was a voice in the wilderness as he pointed out shortcomings after each of the first six games/victories. Even when Minnesota shot 52 percent and forced the Celts to sweat out ..."
Jared Dudley an above-par sub
Comment
November 7
Boston Herald
 
"Even when he was the ACC Player of the Year at Boston College, Jared Dudley never had the type of game typically associated with star players. No one skill made Dudley stand out. Instead, it was the sum of all the little things he did on the court that made him successful. With that in mind, it's no surprise that Dudley has thrived as a role player in the NBA. The Phoenix Suns forward is averaging 8.5 points and 3.7 rebounds off the bench, and he scored 10 points in a 110-103 victory over the Celtics last night. "I come in, bring a lot of energy, get up, switch the tempo and bring a spark," Dudley said yesterday morning. "It's always going to take a couple months for me to show the coaches ..."
Celtics 'D' gets burned from too much Suns
Comment
November 7
Boston Herald
 
"Every team has a bad matchup out there in the hinterlands. For the Celtics, that hellish opponent just might be the Phoenix Suns - an athletic, transition-driven unit that last night was immune to the deepest team in the NBA. The Suns, with their 110-103 win at the Garden, sullied the record of what had been the last undefeated team in the Eastern Conference and gave the Celts their first true pause for thought. For the second straight game, the C's went up against an opponent grooved enough to shoot better than 50 percent from the field. And this time that foe accomplished two firsts this season - a win and a 100-point game against the Celts. Kevin Garnett's best offensive night of the ..."
It's no harm, no foul for Paul, Rondo
Comment
November 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"The NBA will not take disciplinary action against New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul or Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo for their verbal confrontation after Sunday's game at the TD Garden, league spokesman Tim Frank confirmed Thursday. After the game, Paul sought out Celtics forward Paul Pierce to shake his hand and offer congratulations for his performance. However, before Paul could finish, Rondo came up and bumped him, and that led to the two exchanging words. They had to be separated, and as Rondo was ushered from the court area by a team official, Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau and Paul got into a shouting match in front of the Celtics' bench. Since Monday, the ..."
Suns' Barbosa could return vs. Celtics
Comment
November 6
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns missed Leandro Barbosa's speed in Wednesday night's loss to Orlando, but Barbosa's sore right wrist may be healed enough to allow him to play Friday. Other than testing it out briefly Tuesday and Wednesday, Barbosa has given the wrist four days of rest while sitting out two games. The swelling and pain have been reduced. "If I feel good, I'll go," Barbosa said. "Right now, when I dribble, it feels like something pops in my wrist. The pain is not as bad as it used to be. "I hope I get better. I just want to come back." Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson has Barbosa's wrist in a cushioned wrap during the day and in a protective sleeve while he sleeps. Griffin's debut Suns ..."
Garnett blocks out nostalgia
Comment
November 6
Boston Globe
 
"Celtics coach Doc Rivers usually does not call Kevin Garnett's number early on when the team plays in Minnesota. Garnett, Rivers realizes, will be so hyped to be playing in his old home that he will "probably shoot it over the glass.'' Two years after being traded to the Celtics, though, Garnett seems to have adjusted. The Timberwolves gave the Celtics one of their toughest tests of the early season Wednesday, the Celtics taking a 92-90 win, with a last-second stop by Garnett preserving the victory. "I never looked back,'' Garnett said after the game. "I have some family that still lives here. Other than that, when a new situation comes open, a new page in my book opens, I just try to ..."
Shelden Williams answers Celtics' role call
Comment
November 6
Boston Herald
 
"Ryan Gomes has become the old man of the Timberwolves, and the thought scares the former Celtic. He's on his fourth coach in three seasons and has seen five times as many players pass through the door during that time. Looking across the floor Wednesday night at Shelden Williams, one of those former teammates, Gomes already could see a change in the forward's game, and it didn't necessarily have to do with the Celtics' offseason acquisition. "When you're in a game and you see these guys cheering you on - guys like (Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce) - it raises your whole level," Gomes said. "I think Shelden has always had it, but people just haven't given him the chance to show what he can ..."
'Big Baby' wants to play in NFL
Comment
November 5
ESPN.com
 
"Glen "Big Baby" Davis has no regrets about choosing basketball over football. That's because he's achieved success and a championship with the Boston Celtics -- and also because he doesn't believe his days on the football field are over. Davis, the Celtics' 6-foot-9, 290-pound forward, said he eventually wants to play in the NFL. "I will try it," said Davis, who's on the injured list for six weeks with a broken right thumb sustained in a fight. "When I become an All-Star in the NBA, when I become a great player in the NBA, then I'll try football. One of my dreams has always been to play football." Davis was a terrific two-way football player at University Laboratory High School in Baton ..."
Celtics able to keep the Timberwolves away from the door
Comment
November 5
Boston Globe
 
"The Minnesota Timberwolves finally solved the Celtics' defensive puzzle. They shot 52 percent from the field last night - the first time an opponent bettered 42 percent this season - but it wasn't enough as Boston took a 92-90 victory at the Target Center."
Kevin Garnett passes on past
Comment
November 5
Boston Herald
 
"The Minnesota crowd - as friendly a group as exists in the NBA - will always love the Timberwolves' first true star, Kevin Garnett. The Target Center fans cheered his introduction as well as his first shot in the Celtics' 92-90 win last night over the home team. But the forward later made it clear that sentiment matters little in his makeup. "It's easy to come in here and focus, because they don't have any of my old teammates here now," he said. "My history from here has passed. I did take a moment tonight to look around, but there are so many changes here that I can't relate to, so I have no reason to." Garnett (12 points, 11 rebounds) expressed hope that Timberwolves fans will be vocal ..."
Celtics survive a scare
Comment
November 5
Boston Herald
 
"They couldn't stop Al Jefferson- or Oleksiy Pecherov. All that needs to be said about the offense is that Paul Pierce and Ray Allen shot a combined 9-for-25. But that's where experience comes in. The Celtics, still undefeated, pulled out last night's 92-90 win over Minnesota with very little of anything working. And that should be considered a good thing. On the nights when life is a desert and everything comes up dry, the Celtics still have enough of a second sense to win. "That definitely played a role tonight," said coach Doc Rivers. "It showed when we didn't get too excited. We just stayed kind of even. Nobody panicked. At times I wanted them to get excited, but this was definitely a ..."
Celtics keep the beat going
Comment
November 4
Boston Globe
 
"The Celtics starters continued to play less and enjoy life more last night. Another dominant defensive display led to another rout, this time the Celtics taking a 105-74 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. The starting unit produced a couple of impressive runs, then viewed the final quarter from the bench, getting much-needed rest for tonight's visit to Minnesota. The Sixers, who entered the game with a league-leading .526 shooting percentage, shot 36.3 percent, the fourth Celtic opponent out of five that has failed to hit 40 percent."
Rajon Rondo-Chris Paul talk lingers
Comment
November 4
Boston Herald
 
"As the result of an incident that now threatens to rival the length of Rajon Rondo's just-completed agreement on a contract extension, the Celtics point guard's verbal beef with New Orleans Hornets star Chris Paul has taken on an extended life. A league official confirmed yesterday that the NBA is investigating the incessant trash talking between the two guards during the C's win Sunday at the Garden, a development that Rondo chose to pass on without a comment. "They haven't called me yet," Rondo said after the C's 105-74 win over the Philadelphia 76ers last night. "They have to do what they have to do, and that's it." Though fines are possible, considering Rondo and Paul both drew ..."
Rasheed Wallace shows way in return to Philly
Comment
November 4
Boston Herald
 
"Rasheed Wallace, born and raised in Philadelphia, has returned home in a number of different colors over the years. But last night the former Blazer and Piston sported a hue that is particularly repulsive in these parts - that of Celtic green. The former Simon Gratz High star drew some hearty boos upon getting T'd up by referee Haywoode Workman in the third quarter. But Wallace was also a thorn, the leader on a Celtics bench unit that once again improved on the starting team's work in last night's 105-74 win over the Sixers. Wallace put some fist-pumping punctuation on his sixth trey of the night - a corner bomb with 6:05 left that gave the Celtics an unapproachable 90-59 lead. He had just ..."
Sixers buried by Boston three party
Comment
November 4
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"Should the Yankees go deep tonight as much as the Boston Celtics did against the 76ers last night, there will be a parade in the very near future going down Broadway, not Broad Street.The Celtics drained 14 of 20 three-pointers, outscoring the Sixers by 42-3 from distance, en route to a lopsided, 105-74 win at a quiet Wachovia Center that held 11,251 fans.The Sixers entered the game with the second-highest scoring average in the league at just over 115 a game and the Celtics were the stingiest defensively at 81.3. Guess who won that battle, if you could call it that."I would say in that outside of the first 6 minutes, when I thought we played really, really well, it was certainly a ..."
Rivers says Wallace a good fit with Celtics
Comment
November 4
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"He arrived in the Boston Celtics' locker room last night wearing a black Phillies jacket with a white logo, because he will never give up the homeboy part of him. He was, he said emphatically, in Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies and Yankees in the World Series, because he "had to be.""Had to see my Phils," Rasheed Wallace said last night after the unbeaten Celtics (5-0) tore through the 76ers, 105-74.But he made no predictions as the Phils go into Game 6 tonight."Take it a game at a time," 'Sheed said. "They've got the bats for it. They've got the pitching for it."Wallace, the pride of Simon Gratz High, is just getting started with his newest team. He is being projected as the ..."
Celtics bear down on defensive end
Comment
November 4
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Entering last night's 105-74 rout of the 76ers, the Boston Celtics were allowing 81.3 points per game.The Sixers, including one overtime contest, were scoring 115.3 a game and giving up 111.0.That low number from Boston is likely the main reason the Celtics entered the game at the Wachovia Center with a 4-0 record.Before the game, Boston coach Doc Rivers said his team wanted to become the NBA's best defensive club, referencing the 1985 Chicago Bears of the NFL."We have not stated that or gone around talking about it, really," Rivers said. "We've talked about, at least in our minds, the '85 Bears - or at least in my mind because I'm from Chicago - and when you hear that name what do you ..."
Celtics bury the Sixers with treys
Comment
November 4
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Tonight at the Wachovia Center, the Boston Celtics shot three-pointers as efficiently as free throws, the 76ers as inefficiently as halfcourt heaves. Other on-court differences - Boston had far superior bench play, rebounding, and defense - contributed to a 105-74 Celtics rout, but none seemed as obvious as the Sixers' shooting from beyond the arc. They made 1 of 16 shots. Boston made 14 of 20 three-pointers. No one was more effective for the Celtics from long range than big man Rasheed Wallace, who capped most of his six three-pointers with a raised fist, then a quick pump of the elbow. Wallace finished with 20 points, second on the team to Paul Pierce's 21. Swingman Andre Iguodala led ..."
Glory days revisited
Comment
November 3
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"They went from being bitter -- though usually respectful -- rivals who went head to head in some of the most memorable college and pro basketball games of all time to being very good friends off the court in retirement. And now, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are co-authors. The basketball legends put out "When the Game Was Ours" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26) with the Boston Globe's Jackie MacMullan. The book is available now, though the official release date is Wednesday. Johnson and Bird participated in a conference call Monday to promote the book and to discuss the path they have created since squaring off in an epic 1979 NCAA title game -- Bird with Indiana State, Magic with Michigan ..."
Len Bias tragedy gets ESPN replay
Comment
November 3
Boston Globe
 
"Sports fans live in a "what if'' world. What if Bledsoe hadn't gotten injured? What if Grady had pulled Pedro? But only one "what if'' isn't so much a barstool debate in Boston as a moment of reflection, and it's a moment ESPN captures provocatively, if with a slightly preaching tone, in "Without Bias.'' The moment comes toward the end of the documentary, which premieres tonight and will air six more times this week on various ESPN channels. Boston Celtics patriarch Arnold "Red'' Auerbach, who drafted Len Bias to take the torch from Larry Bird, only to see him die two days later of a cocaine overdose, trudges over to Bias's mother during a memorial service and hands her a No. 30 Celtics ..."
Celtics, Rondo agree
Comment
November 3
Boston Globe
 
"During a Sunday afternoon phone conversation between Bill Duffy, the agent for Rajon Rondo, and Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, the two hashed out a five-year, $55 million contract extension for Rondo, ensuring he will stay in Boston well into the next decade and exempting him from the uncertainty of free agency. As a restricted free agent next summer, Rondo would have been the most talented point guard on the market, luring teams with salary cap space to make possibly pricier bids and forcing the Celtics to match. But Rondo didn't want to leave a situation he is comfortable in, and a team that has embraced him, to take that chance."
Rondo inscrutable - and indispensable
Comment
November 3
Boston Globe
 
"Rajon Rondo already had his ring and now he has his money. Would it be asking too much for him to just settle down now and play some basketball? He should forget about Chris Paul. He should forget about Deron Williams. He should forget about Tony Parker. He should forget about Derrick Rose. He's never going to be them and they're never going to be him. One-upmanship is not the issue. Winning games is all that matters. Barring some wild, unforeseen turn of events on Causeway Street, Rajon Rondo will be here for at least the next five years, which will encompass much of his athletic prime. He'll be 28 when the contract expires. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rasheed Wallace all will be gone. ..."
Celtics stick with point
Comment
November 3
Boston Herald
 columnist Ron Borhes
"Doc Rivers doesn't need Post-it notes on his desk as a reminder any more, but he hasn't forgotten why he had them nine years ago in Orlando, which probably is a good thing for both his mental health and Rajon Rondo's. The message was the same then, when it applied to 21-year-olds Tracy McGrady and Mike Miller, as it is today when the subject is Rondo. Still kids, those notes reminded him in his first days as an NBA head coach. Still kids. Yesterday Rondo was waiting to sign a piece of paper that would make him much more than a kid. It would make him set for life, which at 23 can be a dangerous thing. The five-year contract extension worth $55 million in guaranteed money would wed him to ..."
Still room to improve
Comment
November 3
Boston Herald
 
"Doc Rivers was 4-0 and a little unhappy yesterday, which was better than being 0-4 or even 2-2. And, as he headed into a road back-to-back with Philadelphia and Minnesota, he had a little message for the Celtics in the wake of their 97-87 victory against New Orleans. "Winning is good, but winning isn't good enough for us," Rivers said. "We've got to keep improving, and that's what we're here for." The Celts had a relatively short session yesterday, but the staff took enough time to point out some bad signs. "It's funny," Rivers said. "We shot 54 percent and offensively we were not very good. We didn't make extra passes. We didn't do a lot of things. And then defensively, it was the same ..."
Rajon Rondo deal sign of no distractions
Comment
November 3
Boston Herald
 
"The Celtics had insisted that Rajon Rondo's contract situation wasn't a distraction. While that might have been true, it's clear that all parties were relieved that Rondo signed a five-year, $55 million extension just hours before the league deadline to do so. If the sides had not reached an agreement by last night, Rondo would have become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. "It wasn't (a distraction)," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said after practice yesterday. "Rondo's been playing terrific. Our record indicates it. But I'm a big believer if you can take care of everybody's stuff, then you eliminate the chance of something happening. So I'm glad it's done." Now when the swarm ..."
Former rivals Bird, Magic now co-authors
Comment
November 3
NBA.com
 
"Larry Bird doesn't understand what all the fuss was about. So what if LeBron James didn't shake hands with the Orlando Magic after his Cleveland Cavaliers lost in the Eastern Conference finals? "When basketball is over you live the rest of your life, and you'll have plenty of time for that," Bird said of players being friends with their opponents. His greatest rival -- and now one of his greatest friends -- agreed. "We never shook each others' hands," Magic Johnson said. The two Hall of Famers -- their names forever linked -- have now written a book together. When the Game Was Ours, written with Jackie MacMullan, is due out Wednesday. They said they were tired of other players, coaches and ..."
Rondo takes issue with Paul
Comment
November 3
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"After the Hornets lost a tough road game to the Boston Celtics on Sunday night, Chris Paul sought out Paul Pierce, who scored a game-high 27 points, to shake his hand and offer congratulations. However, before Paul could finish his conversation, Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo confronted him, and an angry exchange ensued between the two young point guards. They had to be separated, and as Rondo was ushered from the court by a team official, Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau and Paul got into a shouting match in front of the Celtics' bench. An NBA spokesman says the league is reviewing the postgame incident which took place during in Boston involving New Orleans guard Chris Paul and the ..."
Rajon Rondo, Celtics reach big extension
Comment
November 3
Boston Herald
 
"If the situation regarding Rajon Rondo [stats]'s contract extension was a waiting game, then the fourth-year point guard won. And he hopes the Celtics [team stats] did, too. His willingness to wait on the Celts to hit his number - or wait until he hit the free agent market next summer if they did not - paved the way for the sides to agree to a five-year, $55 million extension that will kick in next season. That Rondo did not try to hit the lottery that could have been there when he became a restricted free agent made his demands not so demanding for the Celtics. "You could say that," Rondo said when asked about leaving money on the table, "but I don't want to be greedy. I'm thankful for ..."
Rajon Rondo, Celtics agree on extension
Comment
November 2
Boston Herald
 
"The Celtics and Rajon Rondo have agreed on a contract extension that will pay the 23-year-old point guard some $55 million over five years, beginning with the 2010-11 season, a source confirmed to the Herald early this morning. The same source cautioned, however, that the pact is not yet completed. There are still details to be worked out, and although they are not expected to get in the way of securing Rondo's future in Boston, "it's not a done deal yet," said a person close to the negotiation. Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge and Rondo's agent, Bill Duffy, reached the agreement on the numbers some time after last night's 97-87 victory over the New Orleans Hornets."
Report: Rondo agrees to deal
Comment
November 2
Boston Globe
 
"Point guard Rajon Rondo has reached an agreement in principle to extend his contract with the Boston Celtics, according to a Yahoo Sports report citing Rondo's agent Bill Duffy and league sources, who say the five-year deal is worth at least $55 million. Had a deal not been reached before the end of today, Rondo would have become a restricted free agent at the end of this season."
Pierce stings his foe
Comment
November 2
Boston Globe
 
"It was just basketball. Not a superhuman effort. Not a singular display of greatness. Just an observation of a weakness, and player taking advantage of a mismatch. Paul Pierce's 20 first-half points in Boston's 97-87 win over New Orleans came quick and quiet - annoying taps on the shoulder to the Hornets' defense. An innocent caught-you sleeping layup to set the tone. A couple of Pierce-was-here drives, as the game see-sawed early on. A pair of get-back-and-stay-back threes in the second quarter, when the Celtics had taken a lead yet the Hornets threatened to cut into it."
Glen Davis is leaning to left
Comment
November 2
Boston Herald
 
"In the interest of trying to make the best of a bad situation, Glen Davis is looking for a silver lining within the cast that runs from his right hand up his forearm. Since rejoining the Celtics Friday after his suspension was canceled, Big Baby has been at practice and was working out before last night's game against New Orleans. He offered his mea culpa three days ago for breaking his thumb in an offcourt altercation, and now he's getting back to basketball business. In this case, that means working with what he has. "Most definitely," Davis said. "I'm on the sideline, so I have to keep myself focused and positive and try to make the best out of the situation. And I've got a left hand, ..."
Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce go one-on-one
Comment
November 2
Boston Herald
 
"Doc Rivers could accept the game mainly because of its outcome. The Celtics beat New Orleans last night, 97-87, but the way they did it will give him room to coach his guys at practice today. However, it was pretty clear from Rivers' statements and tone that he could have done without the Rajon Rondo-Chris Paul sideshow. The point guards were called for a double technical at 6:10 of the second quarter, and the conversation continued after the game. Paul was talking to Paul Pierce when he was interrupted by Rondo, and Celtics assistant coaches had to step in. "I was talking to them guys," the Hornets All-Star said. "Somebody came up to me. I don't know. "The game was a good game, though. We ..."
Rajon Rondo not on guard
Comment
November 2
Boston Herald
 
"Tonight's deadline on a contract extension for Rajon Rondo [stats] has the point guard about as concerned as going against a high school press. "It's not the end of the world and it's not my last year," Rondo said before the Celtics [team stats]' 97-87 win last night against New Orleans. "I wouldn't get too stressed out about it. I'll have a job next year. I'll be playing somewhere." Such talk won't warm many hearts in Celtics Nation, but for now, Team Rondo isn't sweating. He even has a new ally. Hornets coach Byron Scott - probably not knowing Rondo is trying to get paid like a top-five playmaker - offered some promotional material. "Now people have to consider him a top-five or (top-) ..."
Rajon Rondo shows way to fourth straight win
Comment
November 2
Boston Herald
 
"Gino's Disco Garbagetime was cancelled last night due to an opponent with a little game. Yes, the Celtics had to exude some fourth quarter sweat before winning their fourth straight game with last night's 97-87 decision over the Hornets. The duel between Rajon Rondo [stats] and New Orleans counterpart Chris Paul lived up to the anticipation. Both players even had to be separated during a second quarter beef that led to a long string of trash talk. Rondo went into double figures in assists for the second straight game, this time with 10, and now has 26 dimes over the last two games. Paul had 22 points, eight assists and what appeared to be a lot of relish when it came to attacking Rondo."
Big bullies
Comment
November 1
Boston Globe
 
"The 2007-08 Celtics were specialists in administering the coup de grace to opponents. If they had a team down at the half, that team died a slow death in the second half. Of the 57 games in which those Celtics held a halftime lead, they won 49 of them. When they were ahead going into the fourth quarter they were 57-7. The Celtics decimated the Bulls, 118-90, last night, digging a 15-point hole for Chicago by halftime. And the message Paul Pierce wanted to get across in the locker room during the break was simple: Throw dirt on them."
Rondo has repositioned himself mentally
Comment
November 1
Boston Globe
 
"There was a stretch of games on the road last February that almost seemed to be booked with the sole purpose of challenging Rajon Rondo. The Celtics point guard was up against Chris Paul in New Orleans one night, Jason Kidd in Dallas the next. Then Deron Williams in Utah, Steve Nash in Phoenix, Chauncey Billups in Denver, and Baron Davis in Los Angeles. It was the kind of make-a-name-for-yourself competition that made Rondo's eyes light up."
Rasheed Wallace's call on book: 'I ain't a liar'
Comment
November 1
Boston Herald
 
"Rasheed Wallace offered a healthy chuckle when asked about excerpts from an unpublished book by convicted gambler and former NBA referee Tim Donaghy that made it onto the Internet last week. Donaghy alleged a number of transgressions by officials, including targeting certain players for technical fouls and having bets on who could hit said player first. "Hey," said Wallace, "it lets people know that I ain't a liar. I mean, that's pretty much all I got to say about that. Everybody thought I was crazy and militant, but, hey, it came to light." Wallace had some serious history with Donaghy, getting suspended for seven games for allegedly threatening the ref on the loading dock after a game in ..."
Rajon Rondo: Point taken
Comment
November 1
Boston Herald
 
"The Celtics meet New Orleans and Chris Paul tonight, but as regards Rajon Rondo, these were never the games that concerned them. Rondo always has reached for the stars. It's the other games - the ones against the mundane but still talented point guards - that had the Celts wondering what they would get from their guy. And if you're looking for a key reason why general manager Danny Ainge spent last summer telling people Rondo wasn't a max-contract player yet, this was one of them. Sure, the C's wanted him to improve his outside shot and gamble a little less on defense, but they were certain all that was coming. It was the professionalism to treat each opponent with respect that had them ..."
Game film vs. Celts gets thumbs down
Comment
November 1
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Instead of traveling to Miami immediately after the game Friday night -- as they often do -- the Bulls' itinerary called for them to stay over and practice before departing for Florida. After the 118-90 drubbing they suffered at the hands of the Boston Celtics, it's a good bet the players would have preferred to get out of town quickly. It's also a good bet that the last thing the players wanted to do was relive the experience by watching a replay of the game, but that's precisely how coach Vinny Del Negro began practice Saturday -- with a film session. Needless to say, no one's opinion of the performance was changed by watching it again. ''We were on our heels, we weren't physical enough ..."
Celtics fine Baby
Comment
November 1
Boston Herald
 
"The Celtics decided to fine Glen Davis - not suspend him - because they want him to stay around the team. But as that was being made official last night, the disconnect was evident. Big Baby was in a room talking about making better decisions when out in the hallway, his teammates could be heard in their pregame ritual. The three shouts of "hoo-rah" followed by one, "ubuntu" could be heard as Davis waxed contrite. Davis' fight with a former high-school teammate resulted in a broken right thumb and surgery that will cost him some six weeks of the season. The fine was not disclosed, but according to sources it should wind up being in the low six figures. Had the Celts stayed with the ..."
Celts, Rondo still talking
Comment
November 1
ESPN.com
 
"Although the past few days have been mostly quiet on the contract front for Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, both sides are expected to connect Sunday for one last attempt to come together on a new deal before Monday's deadline for contract extensions for members of the 2006 draft class, according to sources close to the process. The annual deadline for such extensions is Oct. 31 every season but was moved to Monday at 11:59 p.m. by the NBA because Halloween fell on a Saturday. League rules stipulate that the deadline moves to the next possible business day if it coincides with a Saturday, Sunday or national holiday. Rondo's camp appeared prepared to scrap the idea of further talks and ..."
Can't buy his latest call
Comment
October 31
Boston Globe
 columnist Dan Shaughnessy
"Tim Donaghy is back in the news. Serving time in federal prison, the former NBA official is once again trying to take down the NBA and its corps of referees. The dirty zebra has written a book - which may or may not be published - and he's again claiming that the games are not on the level. He's naming names, and some of the stuff found its way to the Internet. The NBA has delivered Donaghy's latest allegations to a former federal prosecutor who reviewed league officiating when Donaghy's crimes first came to light. There is probably some truth in Donaghy's new charges. The ref rat claims stars get special treatment - not exactly a "stop the presses'' bulletin. It's not hard to imagine refs ..."
No suspension for Davis
Comment
October 31
Boston Globe
 
"Celtics president Danny Ainge announced yesterday that rather than suspend Glen Davis for an early-morning fight with a childhood friend Monday that left Davis with a broken right thumb, he would rather levy a fine and allow Davis to remain with the team while he recuperates. Davis, who had apologized in a statement earlier in the week, yesterday sounded as if he was disappointed in his decision-making, holding himself accountable for his immaturity. "This summer was a crucial summer for me just becoming a professional,'' said Davis, who was fined an undisclosed amount. "When this happened it was tough thinking about all the hard work this summer. And it just made me realize how I'm not ..."
Big bullies
Comment
October 31
Boston Globe
 
"The 2007-08 Celtics were specialists in administering the coup de grace to opponents. If they had a team down at the half, that team died a slow death in the second half. Of the 57 games in which those Celtics held a halftime lead, they won 49 of them. When they were ahead going into the fourth quarter they were 57-7. The Celtics decimated the Bulls, 118-90, last night, digging a 15-point hole for Chicago by halftime. And the message Paul Pierce wanted to get across in the locker room during the break was simple: Throw dirt on them. "That's what we're stressing right now,'' Pierce said. "When you've got a team on its back, when we're up 15 points in the half, we didn't want to give them ..."
From rousing to routed
Comment
October 31
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It would have been unrealistic to expect Friday night's matchup between the Bulls and Boston Celtics to duplicate the excitement of last season's epic first-round playoff series. But no one -- especially the Bulls coming off a rousing win the previous night -- expected an epic blowout instead. Unlike the playoff series that produced seven overtime periods, this one was decided early as the Bulls never got untracked and the Celtics cruised to a 118-90 victory in the TD Garden. ''It's early in the season, and hopefully we can learn from this,'' point guard Derrick Rose said. ''When things aren't going that well, we can't put our heads down,'' center Joakim Noah said. ''We have to keep ..."
Chicago Bulls lose in blowout
Comment
October 31
Chicago Tribune
 
"A mere four-quarter game felt so pedestrian Friday night at TD Garden. But the only overtime needed is the extra work the Bulls must put in to hang with the Eastern Conference powerhouse Celtics, at full strength now that Kevin Garnett has returned from injury. Garnett missed last spring's epic first-round playoff series that included four overtime games and seven overtime sessions, but he's back and his 3-0 Celtics ran away and hid from the Bulls in a 118-90 blowout. Paul Pierce scored 20 of his 22 points in the third quarter -- making all seven shots -- and Ray Allen added 20 points in 24 minutes for the Celtics, who shot a blistering 58.1 percent. Rajon Rondo added 16 assists, and Eddie ..."