Celtics 99, Wizards 88 Highlights

Boston
Starters		Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
R. Allen	G	38:05	6-13	2-5	3-3	+16	1	5	2	3	0	0	1	4	17
R. Rondo	G	35:56	6-9	0-0	5-8	+16	0	4	12	6	2	0	0	4	17
K. Perkins	C	26:06	4-7	0-0	1-1	+3	0	3	1	1	0	2	0	2	9
K. Garnett	F	31:34	8-9	0-0	3-4	+13	0	6	3	1	1	0	0	3	19
P. Pierce	F	28:16	3-6	1-2	5-6	+8	1	8	0	2	1	0	0	0	12
Bench		Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
T. Allen		28:26	3-9	0-0	4-4	+1	2	6	3	1	1	1	1	2	10
R. Wallace		21:54	4-7	0-1	6-6	+8	0	5	0	1	1	2	0	4	14
E. House		12:19	0-1	0-0	0-0	-5	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	0
B. Scalabrine		9:54	0-0	0-0	0-0	-10	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	0
G. Davis		7:30	0-1	0-0	1-4	+5	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	1

Full Box Score

Celtics/Wizards Post Game Videos

C's Edge Wizards

After being the first team to 20 wins, the Celtics became the 7th team to win their 30th game tonight.  That statement alone shows you how much they've struggled recently.

• Celtics played the way that best suits their strengths: team balance.  7 guys had 9 points or more.
• Tony Allen played with energy again and Rajon Rondo continued his top-notch play.
• By the way Tony Allen's trade value has never been higher.  When Daniels returns there won't be consistent minutes for both of them and while having TA is nice insurance, he's not better than Marquis and won't be getting his minutes.  Dare I say now is the time to trade Allen in hope of actually getting someone of quality?
• Paul's injury was a bit of a concern.  I've experienced that turning of the ankle myself (as recently as last Wednesday) and it's extremely painful.  Hopefully he can bounce back.
• A close game throughout, I had a bad feeling in this one heading into the 4th with the Celtics down 4.  But their intensity picked up and they were able to stave off another collapse against a subpar team.
• If Jamison has an average game tonight, I think the Celtics lose again. 

I don't think this win proves much other than hopefully giving the Celtics a confidence boost.  They're 8 wins behind Cleveland now which is a lot, and I don't know if obtaining homecourt throughout the playoffs is still feasible.  But playing like they did in January will do that to you.  It's put this entire season into a new perspective for me.    

Celtics/Wizards Live Game Chat

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The thin line between winning and losing

What if he had missed?

I've always had a bad habit of playing the "What if" game in all aspects of my life. This game is especially tempting to play in regards to sports.  What if they had made that shot or that foul wasn't committed? What if we had that guy in the prime of his career instead of now? It's a game that can't be won because there is no going back in time and changing the past.  You have to just accept what's done is done and move on.

I was prompted to write about this after yesterday's crushing loss to the Lakers.  My first question to all of you is, would you think differently about this Celtics team if Kobe had missed that shot and we won the game? I think a lot of you would, but you shouldn't. Whether or nor they had won yesterday's game they are still the same team with the same issues. 

That is my biggest pet peeve with sports media and fans. Teams are judged solely on wins and losses which are often determined by one play or one call.  An entire article can be written differently because a free throw is missed. It's absolutely ludicrous.  Sure, at the end of the day it is all about the W. However, there is such a thin line between a win and a loss in sports.  You need to look at the bigger picture and not slant a story just because the team happened to pull out a win. 

Danny's shopping Ray

At least 2 sources are saying that the Celtics are shopping Ray Allen and his expiring contract. Supposedly Ray Allen really wants to stay in Boston, but the feeling might not be mutual. What's unfortunate is that Ray is a class act and if KG was playing like he used to and Rasheed Wallace wasn't playing so pathetically, the C's would probably have no desire to shake things up. Unfortunately for Ray that's not the case and his contract is the most desirable asset the Celtics have to trade (Well besides Rondo and Perk). Let's hope if Ray is traded Danny has more success than he did with the Wally Szczerbiak, Reaf LaFrentz, or Sebastian Telfair trades.
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The monster is still alive

The monster is still alive, it hides in the forest and fears the daylight. Chased and punished, it was banished from the kingdom of the glory it once achieved. From the deepest Hell on the sports world, the creature had managed its way out of the depths of the Earth to quickly ascend into the clouds of Heaven. Once discovered, the truth unfolded, the monster was exposed. The myths were proven true: the legends had long talked about a team that would virtually destroy all its enemies, with team oriented spirit and fiery defensive skills.

Finally everybody was able to analyze, study and dissect the rebirth of the legend.

And yes, everybody wanted to kill that myth, to return to the realities of a world reigned by the King James and his heralds. He had changed the rules of basketball, turned the kingdom into his playground and directed the laws of the game. There were other rivals, but all of them could be tamed in time due. But once the green monster had been reborn, there would be no one who could stop it. You could force double teams on Kobe Bryant and make him kneel, isolate Dwight Howard or make the Spurs run until they had no more breath. But the arsenal of skills that the Green creature could display was virtually unbeatable. The truths and values of sport had prevailed and have made the rest of the heroes look like mortal villains: the soft Lakers, the selfish king, the immature Howard, the senile Spurs...

Reality is that the monster itself knew that this time, it could not stay in Heaven for too long. The hunger and thirst of glory had been intense enough to make it forget about the limits of its own existence. It wasn't supposed to be there, it hadn't been invited, everybody thought it was dead.

Just as now, everybody thinks the monster will return to where it had stayed until the last days of a certain Larry Bird.

The Boston Celtics, for this is the name of this legendary and singular creature, have been attacked and punished for this heresy. First the Bulls hunted them for 7 long days, to the limits of each corner of Heaven. Then they were attacked by air, where the cruel Hawks have bitten the flesh every now and then. The lake has again called the monster and met the purple and gold beast laying under its surface and the Suns have melted over the green spirits more than once.

This monster is tired, hurt and old. But its thirst hasn't been quenched. It is a furious heart and a deep passion that moves the blood that makes the dreams on. It is not ready to leave yet.

As you all know, this team is right now at the border of failure, in the limits of the big fall. But if you once believed in the heart of this champion, you will also expect the beast to regain composure, to lick its own wounds and become ready to reclaim what it was always a part of it: the NBA championship.

The NBA welcomed back the team that have given the most glory to this game and neither of us fans or the Celtics players are ready to give up now. We are ready and hungry for more. We can still win it all again. Lakers, see you in Boston next June. And yes, get ready to cry again.

2010: the year of our 18th trophy

I actually feel a little better about this team

Everyone dislikes a loss, especially one to the Lakers. I understand the disappointment in Celtics nation, but for me I actually feel better about this team than I did prior to the game. The Lakers are the favorite right now to win the title and we went toe to toe with them for 48 minutes, without a healthy KG or Pierce and without Marquis Daniels. If just one of these three things happens, we're all talking about how the C's are back: Kobe misses that shot, Pierce is not called for the Byron Russell push, or Ray's shot at the buzzer goes in. I mean regular season wins over the Lakers are a nice temporary bragging right, but don't we really brag about our 17 titles to their 10 (Los Angeles, you can't claim the other 5 my superficial friends)?

Bright spots about this game were Rondo's continued excellence, Tony Allen's MJ impersonation in the first half (shout out to Three Toe) and the fact that KG continues to play (Very recently we were all worried he wouldn't return). Our team looks anemic when Rondo is on the bench, but Marquis's return is near, so that will help that cause. Eddie House hit some big shots which is a good sign and Doc actually managed the vets minutes well, which is a great sign. I love how everyone complains that he keeps playing the Big 3 too many minutes, but where's the credit for Doc when he goes the conservative route in a January game? I'm sure he could of played the Big 3 more and maybe we win this midseason game, but its a marathon not a sprint to quote Terry Francona and any other coach that sees the big picture.

There were some troubling signs too. Rasheed Wallace while showing some more effort, statistically was putrid again with 3 points, 1 rebound and 1 technical. After he hit his one three, raise your hand if you didn't see the brick that would come immediately afterwards. His season offensive rebounds to technicals ratio now stands at 15:7 a record that will probably never be broken. Did I mention he's 7 ft tall yet in this article? Another tough game for Ray Allen who finished with 7 points on 2-10 shooting and 0 assists. Add in the fact that Whistling Phil can put Fisher on Ray and throw Kobe on Rondo and you can see why I was so excited about the possibility of adding a young explosive star like Monta Ellis. I mean I like Ray, but as Marc Spears said you do that trade in a heartbeat. It would be like the Celtics offering Rondo for Raja Bell's expiring. You think the Warriors pause on that?

The thing is even with Ray and 'Sheed looking old and struggling, KG and Pierce playing their way back from injuries, and Doc being the current best option for backup point guard minutes until Marquis returns (or Danny trades for a real backup), even with all of that, we went the distance with a completely healthy Lakers team. Reminds me of the original Rocky movie. Now you remind me who wins in the sequel (and by sequel I mean the 2010 NBA Finals, not another regular season game against them in February)?

(Note: CelticsLife's budget could not afford a higher resolution Rocky pic. Sorry.)

Celtics/Lakers Post Game Videos

Text Me Never

I wrote an article early last week about how the 3 games coming up vs Orlando, Atlanta and Los Angeles had the potential to right the ship.  I said it'd be a real regular season statement and no one would question how good the Celtics are if they won all 3 in a row.  I asked in a poll what's the least number of wins Celtics fans could tolerate.  No one picked "zero" wins so I'm assuming everyone should be just about as pissed off as me.

But the real question is, are you as pissed off as me?  As today's disaster vs Los Angeles was coming to an end I knew Boston would find a way to lose it.  You see instead of having the championship poise that you'd expect from, well a team with a championship, most of this season has seen the Celtics play scared in games like this.  Like it's inevitable they won't be able to pull it out.  The game Thursday vs Orlando in blowing a 14 point early 4th quarter lead and today blowing an 11 point lead with about 9 minutes to go exemplify that.

So as my frustrations began to build and I watched this game unfold like I knew it would, something kicked in.  Sort of like it kicks in for Peter Gibbons in Office Space after he sees the hypnotist.  That is, I just don't fucking care anymore.