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Giddens to get the start tomorrow night

In the mother of all surprises it looks like JR Giddens of all people will get the start tomorrow night vs the Raptors.  Kevin, Paul and Rajon are going to sit this one out although Glen Davis will be returning, which is very nice to hear.  It also looks like Tony Allen will be playing the point. 

God how much is Marquis missed right now!

NBA Considering Severe Punishment for Wizards Pair

CelticsLife has learned that David Stern is leaning towards forcing Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittendon to star in the next Wayans Brothers movie as punishment for their near Christmas Eve locker room shootout. Suspending the knucklehead point guards for the season has been considered, but Stern wants to send an even bigger message, that while Arenas may commit grand larceny with his Wizards contract, there is a zero tolerance policy for guns and bullets in Washington and in the NBA.

Bullets Almost Started Flying on Christmas Eve

                                                                                                                                     (Photo, NY Post)

Well I guess Arenas's story that he only had an unloaded gun in his locker because he felt he didn't need it anymore now that he had a daughter was complete BS. Peter Vecsey is reporting that Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittendon drew guns on each other on Christmas Eve over Arenas's hesitance to pay a gambling debt.

Guess they're still the Bullets at heart. 

NBA all-star Gilbert Arenas and his Washing ton Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton drew guns on each other in the team's locker room during a Christmas Eve dispute over a gambling debt, The Post has learned. 

League sources say the pistol-packing point guards had heat ers at the ready inside the Verizon Center, the Washington, DC, home of the Wizards -- whose name was changed from the Bullets over gun- violence concerns.
It was the three- time all-star Arenas, 27, who went for his gun first, sources said, drawing on the 22-year-old Crittenton, who quickly brandished a firearm as well.

It was not clear whether other teammates saw the shocking standoff, which happened on a practice day.

The duel in DC -- unprecedented in sports history -- was sparked when Critten ton became enraged at the veteran guard for refusing to make good on a gambling debt, a source said.

"I'm not your punk!" Crittenton shouted at Arenas, according to a league source close to the Wizards.

That prompted Arenas to draw on Crittenton, who then also grabbed for a gun, league security sources said.

A playground pal of Crittenton's from Atlanta, Kendrick "Bookie Ball" Long, confirmed the locker-room standoff and said he learned of it directly from the third-year player out of Georgia Tech.

"He [Arenas] was f- - -ing with him; he [Crittenton] was just defending himself!" declared Long, who said the dispute was over money but would not elaborate.

That team just needs to trade their whole roster and change their name back to the Bullets. In regards to the NBA, I think gambling refs altering the outcomes of games and players drawing guns on each other does more to hurt it's image than players wearing jeans and throwback jerseys, but at least the league has a dress code!

One goal in 2010: Banner 18

Happy New Year everyone! It seems strange that we are now in the year 2010. It's like we're living in some 80's Sci-Fi movie.  Anyway, the year didn't end too well for the Celtics, but there is much hope for 2010.  First off, let's not get all up in arms about this 3 game losing streak.  It's better that we lose now and get everyone healthy come May and June. I'm confident the C's will get it together and start the year with a bang tomorrow night.   Here are a few of the things I hope to see out of the Celtics in 2010:

• A healthy KG and Pierce. If either one is hurt come playoff time we're done.
• Improved free throw shooting from Rondo
• Rasheed going down low more and cutting down on the three ball
• Less minutes for Ray to keep him fresh
• More consistency from the bench(Doc needs to trust them more)
• No more losses at home on Friday Nights
• More shots for Perk and Big Baby, less for Rasheed
• Perk on the All Star team
• Scalabrine dunking on Lebron to win the Eastern Conference Finals

And ofcourse Banner#18. Let's be honest here, that is the only goal the Celtics should have.  We have this year and next year to win another title before the team is simply too old.  Boston needs to seize this opportunity. One championship is not enough if this team wants to be considered with the all time greats.  If the Celtics play their game no one can stop them.

What are you hoping for out of the Celtics in 2010?

The Time is Now...or Never

It doesn't take an expert to realize the older players get the more their skills decline.  Before the high school influx, most people used to say the age of 30 was someone's prime in the NBA.  I think I tend to think of it more today around 28.  You'll find your exceptions, guys who age like a fine wine (John Stockton and Steve Nash come to mind) but for the most part after 30, you're on the decline.

So let me go out on the limb on something: I don't think the Celtics as currently constructed will win a championship past this season.  I still do believe they will win it all this year.  In some ways I think this will parallel the 1970s where they won two titles (74 & 76).  They were the best team in the league in 1973 as well but Hondo got injured and that was that.

To win in this league you have to be good and you have to be lucky; there's no two other ways around it.  And the same will hold true for this year.  The Celtics when healthy are good enough to win it.  Then the luck factor comes into play.  Will they be able to stay injury free?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Here's hoping right now the injuries affecting the team are playing their part on the season and this will be over with soon.  If it's an ongoing issue (which can certainly be the case with an older team) then the luck part may really hinder the C's chances.

I hope you don't think of me as a "glass half empty typical New England sports fan;"  quite the contrary.  A  three year window of opportunity is how I foresaw this playing out when they acquired KG back in the summer of 2007.  The fact that one championship has been won already is outstanding.  One more and I'll be ecstatic.  But that's gotta happen this year.  And don't tell me later that I told you so.