Davis May Need Surgery

From the Globe:

Celtic president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said he "would not confirm or deny" circumstances surrounding the injury sustained by forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who will miss the first part of the regular season with a hand injury.

According to a league source, Davis has a broken thumb and will require surgery.

With Brian Scalabrine also out for tonight's game with a sprained ankle, let the Shelden Williams era begin!

It's Getting a Little Too Loud for Rivers' Liking

(Keith Allison)


By: Greg Payne

With the addition of Rasheed Wallace, it's obvious the Celtics will be one of the loudest teams in the league this season. That thought was compounded in a recent practice. From the Globe:

Yesterday, with the decibel levels getting out of control, Rivers decided to dial it down a bit, declaring a 30-minute window of silence.

“There was too much of it,’’ Rivers said. “I just told everybody today that they were too loud. So I said we’re going to have a non-talk practice for a half-hour."

I love the intensity, BUT, Wallace did acknowledge after that louder is not always better.

“Doc feels as though once we get to talking smack to each other here in practice that we lose our focus,’’ Wallace said. “The intensity’s there, but we lose the focus. Which on some plays he’s right, but I think that’s just the character of some of the guys here in the gym."

I can only hope the focus is there when the games are being played.

TODAY: CELTICS AT RAPTORS

By: Greg Payne

The Boston Celtics (4-1) visit the Toronto Raptors (2-4) at 3:00pm today, marking the second consecutive preseason meeting between the two teams. The Celtics bested the Raptors, 106-90 on Wednesday in Hartford, Connecticut. Tune into Comcast SportsNet or 850 AM WEEI for full coverage.

KEEP IT IN MIND: The Raptors have allowed at least 90 points in five of their first six preseason games. In three of those games, Toronto allowed over 100 points.

WHO'S HOT: For the Celtics, Kevin Garnett scored a preseason high 16 points on 8-13 shooting against Toronto on Wednesday.

WHO'S NOT: For the Celtics, Ray Allen scored just eight points on 1-7 shooting on Wednesday.

KEY MATCHUP: Kevin Garnett vs. Chris Bosh

SKINNY: After leading by five at halftime on Wednesday, the Celtics opened things up in the third period by scoring 32 points, while hitting eight straight baskets at one point. If such execution can be replicated in the first half today, the Celtics should have no trouble finishing off Toronto once again. Look for Boston to utilize its physical style of play to disrupt Toronto's finesse game.

The Efforts of Celtics Circuit are Transitioning to Celticsblog

(DGA Productions)


By: Greg Payne

I wanted to take this opportunity to let everyone know that I've accepted a writing position over at Celticsblog. With an extended role with that website, I will have to severely cut back on posts and content on Celtics Circuit. I'll explain everything in much more detail tomorrow morning. C's won tonight. That's what's important.

Update this morning:

So here's the situation. I've been writing for Celticsblog.com for about four or five weeks now. I've been producing about one article per week. Last weekend though, the guys at Celticsblog asked me if I would like an extended role with the site. While I LOVE managing and writing for Celtics Circuit, I felt like this was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up.

I'm a sophomore in college right now and as much as I hate to admit it, I have to start thinking about the future and the "real world". I need to garner as much "real world" experience as I possibly can. Despite my efforts, Celticsblog receives many, many, many more viewers than Celtics Circuit every day. They probably drive more traffic in a day than I would over the course of a year. This opportunity will hopefully help me establish myself as a writer on a much larger scale and will hopefully help me earn the respect of my various colleagues.

This opportunity presents a unique challenge, as there's much more pressure, the expectations are raised and I will be subjected to much more criticism, both of the constructive kind and the harsh, relentless kind. People are not always going to like what I write and I don't expect everyone to always agree with my opinions on whatever it is I am writing about. All I'm hoping to do is help Celticsblog continue to grow as a site and to hopefully add a new dimension to its coverage.

My time at Celtics Circuit has been remarkable and invaluable. I learned so much, developed and honed my skills as a writer and established some close ties with some very pleasant people (Celtics 2000, I'm talking to you. Thank you). I thoroughly enjoyed waking up each and every day and reporting on the various news surrounding the team. I enjoyed sharing my opinions with all of you and I appreciate all of the comments and feedback I received. It's truly been a privilege and my pleasure to have ran this site for the past 10 months. I've learned that hard work and dedication do pay off and I encourage anyone walking down any path to continue pursuing whatever it is they seek to obtain. I'm confident in saying that if you work hard and stay dedicated to what it is you're aiming to achieve, you will find success.

I'm not entirely sure what the future holds for Celtics Circuit. I don't see the site just abruptly ending completely and I'm going to check with the guys over at C'sblog to see if I can perhaps occasionally post the box score from a game or a stray thought or two along the way. Maybe even some breaking news like a (knock on wood) injury or a significant trade, etc. So I don't see the site dying completely. At least I hope it won't, anyway. I'll keep you posted on that.

So it is with excitement, a slight sense of nervousness and a hope for bigger and better things that I make the permanent transition over to Celticsblog. I'll post links to all of my Celticsblog articles on Celtics Circuit, but feel free to check out C'sblog on a daily basis. The coverage truly is incredible. The guys over there are extremely hard working and dedicated and produce some of the best content on the entire internet.

So with this I say thank you again and farewell for now. This isn't good bye. This is more..."I'll see you later." And as always...Let's go Celtics.

Recapping Celtics- Nets ... Again

By: Greg Payne

Celtics 91 - Nets 88

Same opponent, different players, same result. Devin Harris was back for New Jersey, while Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen sat for the C's.

• Rondo FINALLY was assertive tonight. Very assertive. He took control of the game in the fourth quarter and led a ferocious comeback. His final numbers: 18 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds and two steals. Rondo really showed poise, maturity and leadership tonight.
  

• Rasheed Wallace, starting in place of Garnett, poured in 20 points and grabbed nine boards before leaving the game with 3:03 left due to what looked like a mild right ankle sprain.
  

• After playing 15 unproductive minutes in the first half, Marquis Daniels sat out the second half with some sort of stomach bug.

• Glen Davis was extremely aggressive all night on defense and on offense. He interrupted passing lanes, banged inside and even showed some extended range late in the third period. He finished the night with 18 points and three steals. He helped seal the win with a rejection of a Courtney Lee floater attempt with 26 seconds to go. Then, with 13 seconds to go he grabbed his most important rebound off of a missed Rondo free throw.
  

• Eddie House was crisp tonight with 14 points on 6-11 shooting, including a go-ahead jumper with 32 seconds left.
  

• J.R. Giddens played 34 minutes and finished with seven points and a very impressive 13 rebounds. My only concern with Giddens is that he's unable to get his shot off quick enough. I feel like he has to bring the ball down and settle himself before he's able to release it.
  

TONIGHT: CELTICS AT NETS

(Keith Allison)


By: Greg Payne

The Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets square off for the second consecutive game tonight in Newark, New Jersey. Tune into Comcast SportsNet and 850 AM WEEI at 7:00pm for full coverage.

Keep it in mind: Devin Harris did not play in Sunday's game, but is expected to start in tonight's contest.

Who's Hot: For the Celtics, Paul Pierce scored 25 points on 8-12 shooting on Sunday.

Who's Not: Rajon Rondo has shot just 7-20 in the Celtics' first three preseason games, good for just 35 percent.

Key Matchup: Rajon Rondo vs. Devin Harris

Skinny: The Celtics' second unit played a critical role in vanquishing the Nets on Sunday. Using a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter, the reserves propelled the Celtics' lead to 87-74, enough of a gap to endure a late Nets run in the final minutes of the frame. With Harris in the fold tonight, look for more pressure to fall on Rondo, who has yet to show too much this preseason. Perhaps some steadier competition opposite him is what he needs right now.

Marquis Daniels Will Make a Difference

(Keith Allison)


By: Greg Payne

Too many people are liking Marquis Daniels and how he fits in with the Celtics for it not to work. Here's what former Mavericks teammate Devin Harris had to say (from the Herald:)

“He’s going to be great for them,” Harris said before Daniels had nine points in the Celts’ 100-93 exhibition win over New Jersey yesterday. “He’s an experienced player, very versatile, and a guy who’s got a high basketball IQ. He can play different positions, whether it be point guard or two or three or whatever they need him to play. He’s got a lot of skills.”

“I don’t think people are going to realize how important Marquis will be until they see him out on the floor (in the regular season),” he said. “I think he kind of got lost in the shuffle a little bit in Indiana and kind of flourished in Dallas for a couple of years and then got lost in the shuffle there. But people are going to be able to see more of what he can do now that he’s back on a winning franchise.”

It sounds like Doc Rivers plans on resting the starters during one of the back-to-back games coming up tomorrow and Wednesday.

“Yeah, I’m sure I will,” Rivers said. “When we play the back-to-back games, a lot of the guys are going to miss one of the two games. I may split the starters up and not play two of them in one game and not play three of them in the next game. We’re not sure what we’re doing there, but I know the older players, for the most part, won’t play in both games of the back to backs.”

I'm excited to see Daniels in an extended role in one of these two games or maybe even both, along with Glen Davis. I think Daniels and Davis are capable of much more than what they've both shown so far. That's not to say I'm disappointed with their performances. On the contrary, I'm thrilled with what the second unit has produced and I just believe individual performances will be pushed to the side in favor of the unit as a whole.

But maybe in the next two games some individuals will be able to shine by themselves. I'm looking for a healthy helping of "tweener" shots from Daniels these next few games. These next two games could also be crucial for guys like Mike Sweetney, J.R. Giddens, Shelden Williams and Lester Hudson to really show what they can do.

Recapping Celtics - Nets

(DGA Productions)


By: Greg Payne

Celtics 100 - Nets 93

The C's keep rolling through the preseason and appear to be getting better and better with each game.

Thoughts after today's game:

• I'm not allowed to say Kevin Garnett is "back", but he is looking very, very good. 12 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes today. He dealt with some interesting situations this afternoon, such as catching a Rajon Rondo pass on the very edge of the baseline, turning, leaping and tossing it back into Pierce. He didn't appear to have any side effects from a demanding play like that, which was great to see.
  

• Please save it for the regular season, Paul Pierce. The Captain poured in 25 points today on 8-12 shooting.
  

• Rondo's two bright spots today came on a dunk in the paint off of a Pierce feed and then on a skying block on Chris Douglas-Roberts on the other end. Despite those highlights, we still haven't seen much out of Rondo yet. Is it just preseason syndrome?
  

• It's a good thing Eddie House stayed this season. He further cemented his reputation with 13 points today, knocking down three three-pointers in the process.

• The Nets hung around in this game. We only led by a point after the first quarter and two points at the end of the third. Did the bench finish them off? You bet they did. About halfway through the five man squad of Rasheed Wallace, House, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis and Lester Hudson went on a 9-0 run, capped off by 'Sheed finding a cutting Daniels for a reverse layup, to make it 87-74 Boston.

• Then, though, Mike Sweetney, Shelden Williams and J.R. Giddens entered the game and the Nets clawed back to within three points (96-93). But Sweetney buried two free throws to help cement the win.
  

TODAY: CELTICS VS. NETS

(Steve Neimand)



By: Greg Payne

Devis Harris leads a young New Jersey Nets (0-2) squad into the TD Garden today for an afternoon showdown with the Boston Celtics (1-1). Tune into Comcast SportsNet or 850 AM WEEI at 1:00pm for full coverage.

Keep It In Mind: Despite losing Vince Carter in a trade to Orlando, the Nets' offense hasn't taken much of a hit, as its averaged an eye opening 99.5 points per game so far this preseason.

Who's Hot: For the Celtics, Kendrick Perkins shot 5-7 from the floor and 4-5 from the free throw line en route to 14 points in Friday's win over the Knicks.

For the Nets, Chris Douglas-Roberts totaled 20 points and five boards in a one-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

Who's Not: For the Celtics, Marquis Daniels made only one of his five field goal attempts on Friday night, finishing with three points in just under 20 minutes of play.

For the Nets, Harris missed all five of his field goal attempts against the 76ers, finishing with just five points.

Key Matchup: Rajon Rondo vs. Devis Harris

Skinny: The Nets have the youth and the speed to be an uptempo team this season, similar to the Knicks in a way. However, the Celtics did a fantastic job on the defensive end against New York on Friday, subduing Mike D'Antoni's prolific offense to just 29-77 shooting (37.7 percent) and 82 points. If the Celtics can produce a similar defensive scheme today and slow the Nets' tempo, while limiting Harris's ability to initiate the offense in the half court, they should have no trouble taking care of New Jersey.

Marquis Daniels and the "Tweener" Shot

(CBTC)


By: Greg Payne

Marquis Daniels impressed me Wednesday night against Houston. He effectively handled and distributed the ball for the second unit and finished with seven points and five assists in 18 minutes of action.

When I finally switched the television off to head to bed Wednesday night, my thoughts weren't on Kevin Garnett's knee or Rasheed Wallace's technical (last night hopefully was evidence that the techs won't be a game by game trend), but rather, on Daniels' jump shot.

Daniels is not a shooter, per se. Shooting mid-range or three-point jump shots doesn't fuel his game the way it might drive Eddie House's or Ray Allen's. Daniels actually air-balled his first three-point attempt against Houston. It happens. It happened to House last night at one point. So, while I don't expect Daniels to be pulling up and draining three-pointers in transition, or to park himself in the corner and go bombs away like Brian Scalabrine, I am very, very confident that he can single handily disrupt a team's defense by continually slashing into the middle and taking a variety of short pull up jumpers, which I like to call "tweener" shots.

Sometimes he'll fade to the left and sometimes he'll fall to the right. Sometimes he'll lean in and sometimes he'll fall back as he shoots. He might be five feet out or ten feet out. However, at 6'6, he has a seemingly perfect balance of quickness and strength, which often will put the defense on the ropes. But no matter how they're taken, they'll almost always be taken somewhere in or just around the paint.

I made a point to keep track of Daniels' "tweener" shots last night (I think "tweener" is a good word to describe these attempts) and I counted him going 1-3. His impact wasn't felt as greatly in general last night, despite playing 19 minutes. He finished with a modest three points, three rebounds and no assists, while shooting 1-5 from the field overall.

But, perhaps credit those numbers to Wallace netting three threes on his way to 13 points, or Scalabrine lighting up the net from the corner, nailing a trifecta of shots from three-point nation as well, en route to nine points.

There will be plenty of nights when the offense is spread throughout the second unit, meaning Glen Davis will score a few points, House will knock down a three or two and 'Sheed, Scal and Daniels will all contribute as well. It will be a group effort.

Then there will be the nights when the heavy hitters take over. Wallace will get hot from deep and the bench will ride his three-point prowess into the night. The same can be said for House on occasion, as he's not one to shy up if he's feeling good coming off of a screen. Davis is also capable of posting up big points with a steady concoction of inside reverse layups and mid-range jump shots.

Then, on some nights it'll be Daniels' turn to take over. He'll cut through the defense like a butcher, freeing himself up to knock down the tweener shots. Or, when the defense finally decides to adjust, he'll be able to dump the ball down to Davis, or find House, Scal or Wallace spotting up alongside the perimeter. Plenty of nights this season we'll remark afterwards about how Daniels took control of the game, but not just by scoring. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if we routinely see Daniels put together 8-10 point and 8-10 assist lines, all while recording a block and a steal or two on the defensive end.

But I believe it starts with those tweener shots. Those shots will be the basis of his offensive game and we'll be remarking on a consistent stream of those as the season progresses. While I was hoping to see more last night, I'm not discouraged, partly because of Wallace and Scal taking over. Before the preseason ends, we'll see Daniels take over a game, which will only reinforce our appreciation of Danny Ainge bringing him to Boston.

Rondo: "I think I'm just an average defender"

From the Herald:

“I think so. I think I have a lot of upside,” Rondo said. “I still think I can get better on defense. A lot of people think I’m a great defender, but I think I’m just an average defender right now. I can get a lot better. And defending is not about steals; it’s about locking your man up and being there for your teammates. I think I can improve, as far as keeping my man out of the paint. Just being solid, trying to be more solid this year, not gambling.”

Recapping Celtics-Knicks

(Keith Allison)


By: Greg Payne

96-82 Celtics.

First half thoughts:

• Well the offensive is rather stagnant for both teams...27.9 percent shooting for New York...35.7 percent shooting for Boston.

• Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins are all looking good. Paul Pierce is struggling a little bit right now along with Rajon Rondo. KG's sporting six points and five rebounds at the half.

• Technically the defense is lights out, based on New York's shooting percentage. However, I'm beginning to think it's more the Knicks just missing shots than it is us forcing them to miss shots.
  

• I'm disappointed with the overall execution on both ends of the floor right now. With the team we have and the veterans we have, I'm expecting some pretty consistent execution throughout the season. Granted, it's only the second preseason game, but if the coaches and players are going to state how they're focused on getting better as a team, they can start by following through all on their sets.

• I was hoping to see a few more "tweener" jump shots out of Marquis Daniels, but so far he's missed both of his attempts. I think those shots will be his most effective this season, but so far, nothing's dropping for him tonight.

• No signs of Lester Hudson, J.R. Giddens, Mike Sweetney, Shelden Williams or Brian Scalabrine yet. We'll probably see these guys in the fourth quarter.

• Tony Allen's back. I think I've shaken my head five times already, most prominently with 9:41 left in the second quarter. TA went up and under the rim and seemed undecided between shooting a reverse layup and dishing the ball to Daniels. He decided to shoot and the ball bounced off the underside of the backboard. He's making me regret writing my "I believe in Tony Allen" piece.
  

• 9 turnovers so far? We should probably try and cut those down...

Second half thoughts:

• The second unit looked very, very good late in the third quarter and into the fourth. Rasheed got hot from deep and finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Awesome night from 'Sheed. The second unit definitely seems to have a lot of pride and can't be taken lightly by any opponent.
  

• KG finished strong with 10 points and eight rebounds. He played 22 minutes tonight...about 10 more than Wednesday night. He looked fluid and strong, especially on the boards. All good signs.
  

• Paul Pierce ignited the crowd with a reverse slam off a Wallace outlet pass with 3:02 left in the third. Pierce rarely dunks, so that was exciting to see. He finished with nine points tonight.
  

• You can't stop Brian Scalabrine, you can only hope to contain him!
  

• Kendrick Perkins looked great tonight with 14 points and seven rebounds. Realistically, we could see a double-double out of Perk every night this season.

• I'm still not seeing all I want to out of Rondo. Granted, it's the second game of preseason, but after the reports came out that he had the best camp out of anyone, I expected him to really show me something from the get go.

• Lester Hudson looked solid again in the few minutes he played.
  

• Unfortunately J.R. Giddens didn't do much again. His minutes were cut and his only bright spot was an assist to Scal with 3:44 left.
  

TONIGHT: CELTICS VS. KNICKS

(Steve Neimand)


By: Greg Payne

The Boston Celtics (0-1) take on the New York Knicks (1-0) tonight in their preseason home debut. Tune into Comcast SportsNet at 7:30 for full coverage.

Keep it in Mind: The Knicks won their preseason opener on Sunday: a 115-107 decision over the New Jersey Nets. Based on that score it looks as if Mike D'Antoni's run and gun system is in full effect.

Who's Hot: For the Celtics, Mike Sweetney scored 10 points in just nine minutes against the Rockets on Wednesday.

Who's Not: J.R. Giddens scored a mere point in 14 minutes of action against the Rockets.

Key Matchup: Rajon Rondo vs. Chris Duhon

Skinny: All eyes will once again be on Kevin Garnett as he continues his rehabilitation from right knee surgery. Doc Rivers acknowledged after Wednesday's loss that the team hasn't implemented any plays for Paul Pierce yet, so don't expect a huge night offensively from him. Expect Doc to employ system regarding minutes similar to Wednesday's. Garnett, Pierce and Allen most likely won't play over 18 minutes apiece.

Mikki Moore Just Can't Catch a Break Can He?

By: Greg Payne

Oh, Mikki Moore...

Scroll to the 3o second mark of this video:



Better them than us I suppose.

Recapping Celtics-Rockets From Last Night

(Steve Neimand)


By: Greg Payne

I'm back up and running. I apologize again for the long delay. This one was out of my hands.

Anyway, as you are all well aware by now, the Celtics lost their first preseason game of the year last night to the Houston Rockets, 96-90.

My thoughts:

• If I was born yesterday and already had the ability to comprehend things, I never would have guessed Kevin Garnett had surgery over the summer. He looked fluid in his 14 minutes of action, scoring six points, grabbing five rebounds and recording two steals. My only question now: Do we still want KG swatting shots away after the whistle has been blown? I love him doing it as much as the next guy, but is that extra unnecessary jump risking too much, or am I just reading too much into it?
  

• Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were steady as always. Doc Rivers acknowledged after the game that they haven't implemented any plays for Pierce yet.
  

• Marquis Daniels made a great first impression last night. Sure his outside shot leaves something to be desired, but here's a 6'6 guy who moves like a 6'2 point guard. His ability to get in the paint was impressive, as was his ability to finish when he got there. Add five assists to his seven points and there's hope that him bringing the ball up could actually work out this season.

• Rasheed Wallace didn't waste any time, as he picked up a technical foul with 6:14 left in the third quarter. He was tenacious on the defensive end last night though, with three blocks. Can't argue with that. It'll be interesting watching him play as we haven't had a seven-footer capable of knocking down three-pointers for quite a while.
  

• Mike Sweetney is a very big dude. He really fills out those shorts. Seriously, we can leave Glen Davis alone now. Apparently bigger is better, however, as Sweetney led the C's with 10 points last night.
  

• Was it bad I was more impressed with Shelden Williams than Glen Davis? And that's not because Davis tried heading back to the locker room after the first quarter, under the impression that it was halftime. In his defense, last night's game just went on and on and on. 75 personal fouls were called, resulting in 102 total free throws. Jeeze.
  

• Speaking of free throws, we missed 20 of our 55 attempts. That needs to change.
  

• Lester Hudson was impressive in his Celtics debut. Nine points, three rebounds and an assist? Not bad at all. It's still way too early to have a legitimate opinion on this, but when he ran the point for the second unit last night, I was okay with it. Like I said, it's still way too early, but he got his career off to a solid start.

• I wish I had similar praise for J.R. Giddens, but unfortunately, I wasn't enthralled with what I saw from him. He looked very rushed last night. He looked like he was getting too far ahead of himself, even when he was just sprinting up the court on the offensive end. He looked out of control last night and I was hoping for some steady signs of maturity from him.

• I miss Bill Walker.
  

We have a little bit to clean up before we take on the Knicks tomorrow night. Let's see what adjustments Doc and co. make between now and tipoff tomorrow night.

I Don't Have Internet!

So here's my dilemma:

My entire campus was without internet last night from roughly 9:00pm until basically now. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, I can now only access Endicott College-related web pages, and I'm only able to post this because I wrote it through my school e-mail.

Now I have class 9:30 to 10:45, but I'm going to try to sneak in some posts through my e-mail if I can. If I cannot, I'll be sure to post a recap and my thoughts on last night's 96-90 preseason loss to the Houston Rockets as soon as I'm out of class.

Sorry again for any inconvenience, but stay tuned. Hopefully everything will be back up and running by the time I'm out of class.

TONIGHT: CELTICS AT ROCKETS

(DGA Productions)


By: Greg Payne

The Boston Celtics find themselves in Hidalgo, Texas tonight, as they kick off their preseason schedule against the Houston Rockets. Tune into Comcast SportsNet at 8:30pm for full coverage.

Uhhh...I haven't really previewed a game in quite a while now. It's tough to believe that the time is upon me once again. Seeing as it's the first preseason game of the year and I have zero stats to go along with this preview, how about we just discuss some simple thoughts regarding tonight's contest:

• First and foremost, how does Kevin Garnett look? How much will he play? KG will be under the microscope more than any other player tonight and tomorrow we'll all over-analyze everything we saw. You know, we'll all be saying things like, "I swear, with four minutes left in the first quarter I saw him limp!", or "He could have blocked that shot. He just didn't have enough lift." So, personally, I'm not going to have expectations for Garnett tonight. We don't need him right now and he has the entire regular season to get ready for the playoffs. I'll have the same reaction if he drops 20 points and grabs 15 boards or if he scores two points and grabs four rebounds.

• How much time will Marquis Daniels spend playing point guard? I don't know much about his game, so I'm interested to see how he moves around the court. I'm expecting some nice work from him on the defensive end.
  

• How does Rajon Rondo's jump shot look? Does it appear as if he put enough work into it this summer?
  

• I'm just excited to see Rasheed Wallace in green and white. I'm not really sure what to expect from him in preseason. I see all of the veterans taking a serious, yet slightly reserved approach to preseason. I'm not expecting monster numbers out of anyone tonight. It will be exciting to see Wallace roll to the corner and knock down his first three-point bucket though.

• Are the players showing any animosity towards the officials? Are they saving it for the regular season?

• I assume we'll be seeing much of Lester Hudson and J.R. Giddens, along with Shelden Williams. Let's see what they've got.

• I'm looking forward to the first camera close up of Glen Davis.
  

• Mike and Tommy are back. Can't beat that.
  

Do I have a prediction for tonight's game? Not really. Wins and losses in preseason don't mean much of anything, so I'm simply looking for the guys to execute the offensive and defensive sets. If they do so the way they're capable of, then we should be flying out of Texas with a win.

Doc Rivers: "Everybody Will Play"

(Keith Allison)


By: Greg Payne

We've been speculating on and off as to whether or not Kevin Garnett would play in the opening games of the preseason, as he continues his rehab from right knee surgery. However, according to Doc Rivers in the Boston Herald today, Garnett will go and so will everybody else:

“Everybody will play. We don’t know how many minutes yet. We haven’t even gotten into that as a staff. The first quarter we’ll play almost traditional minutes. The tough thing about preseason games is you don’t know who the other team is going to play, so you have to be careful with who they have on the floor, as well.”

Update: Scratch that. Tony Allen will not play tonight.

KG appears to be battling shin splints and minor calf issues, but all reports indicate that the knee itself is fine. Rivers addressed that issue as well:

“I just think it’s from not playing. You take the time off that he took off and then you get on the floor and then you go through a camp that’s live and hard, I think your injury is OK, but the stuff around the injury probably starts to affect you. And that’s what’s happened.”

It's Already Preseason?!

(DGA Productions)



By: Greg Payne

Finally, at long last, preseason kicks off tonight on Comcast SportsNet when the Celtics take on the Houston Rockets at 8:30pm.

I realize it's been an entire offseason since we last saw the Celtics in action, but for whatever reason, I feel like last season just ended yesterday. Suddenly, I feel as if the offseason wasn't actually that long after all. I actually came to this conclusion this morning when I flipped on SportsCenter in the gym and saw the highlights from the Cavaliers' preseason game last night. It seemed to me like we were just hearing about LeBron James not shaking hands or speaking to the media after the Magic eliminated the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals.

I was thinking back to last year as well and as a freshman everything seemed to take its time in arriving. I remember almost worrying that the Celtics would take up too much of my time and I wouldn't be able to focus as well on school and running and everything else I do on campus. Then, the season actually began and it soon dawned on me that I would easily be able to balance all of it. In fact, the Celtics actually gave me more discipline, as I knew I had to complete my work in a timely manner before tipoff every night.

This year, however, I feel as if the year itself is in a rush to meet its own end. Labor Day came earlier, Columbus Day is right around the corner, Halloween is hot on its heels and professors are already beginning to drop the 'M' word (midterm). Last week I was in near shock when I realized that the Celtics would tipoff their preseason tonight. So soon? I checked back to last year's schedule and preseason last year merely began a day later than this year. So in reality, there's not that much of a difference - it just feels like there is one.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm so excited to get this season going. I think this season has the potential to be the greatest one I've ever witnessed, both in terms of the Celtics specifically and the league as a whole. I just want to make sure I'll actually be able to stop and enjoy it. I don't want this season to rush by me as fast as the year has. I want to savor and appreciate each game.

And that process begins tonight.

Doc Rivers Says Marquis Daniels is Team's Best Defender

(Steve Neimand)


By: Greg Payne

Both Mark Murphy and Doc Rivers have high praise for Marquis Daniels. From the Herald:

Rivers’ wish didn’t bear fruit until this summer, and after a week of training camp, the C’s coach hasn’t been disappointed. Defensively, the Celts haven’t had a player like Daniels since James Posey.

Offensively, not even Posey was this versatile.

“Of all the guys who guarded Paul, I thought he did one of the best jobs,” said Rivers.

But there’s more.

“High basketball IQ, multidimensional,” Rivers said. “I mean, he can do so many different things. He can play the 2 and 3 for us. And he may be our best defender at the 1, 2 and 3. Rondo is the best (guarding point guards), but he’s right behind him.

“I didn’t like coaching against him. And when you don’t like coaching against a guy, you try to get him.”

Follow Gary Tanguay on Twitter for Your Chance to Win Celtics Tickets

By: Greg Payne

Gary Tanguay is locked in a Twitter War with radio co-host Rich Toucher, with both aiming to be the first to reach 3,000 followers. Head over to www.twitter.com/Gary_Tanguay for your chance to win.

Doc Not Cutting Minutes; Likes Williams' Role

(Steve Neimand)


By: Greg Payne

I'm in a mad rush this morning and can't elaborate too much on either of the following stories right now, but hopefully I'll get a chance to sit down later and go a little more in depth on both:

On the prospect of Doc Rivers limiting the starters' minutes this season:

While Rivers said it sounds good in theory to limit his starters to less than 30 minutes a night to prevent injury and excess fatigue before the postseason, he believes that holding them back would do more harm than good.

“You have to play your starters for a certain amount of minutes,” Rivers said. “People think that if you can play them 28 minutes a night that’s good, but that’s awful. If you look historically, Michael Jordan never played under 37 minutes a night. There is a reason for that — rhythm. You have to keep your rhythm during the season. [Playing fewer minutes] sounds like a great idea, but if you play them 28 minutes to conserve them, then you throw them out of their rhythm.”

And on Shelden Williams:

“I think this is a good situation for Shelden,’’ Rivers said. “Everywhere he’s gone, he’s been like the high draft pick people were expecting to carry the team and he doesn’t have to do that here - he can just play, and I think that will be good for him. When you go in the top 15 everyone projects you to do that and, usually, of the top 15, one of those guys has the actual ability to do that. The problem is, everyone expects you to do that and it’s a lot of pressure and I’m sure he felt that, as well.’’

Let's Just Stay Healthy During Preseason

(DGA Productions)


By: Greg Payne

The past two seasons I've looked at preseason with the attitude of a man who sees a fire truck or ambulance whiz by his house in a suburban neighborhood. At first, curiosity and a sense of excitement mount, followed by a return to reality and a sense of foreboding.

Preseason kicks off Wednesday night against Houston down in Texas. Am I excited? Of course. It goes without saying. But this year, more than any other, I just want to get through preseason. This year, with the team we have, I'm anxious to see how everyone fits together, but more importantly, I want everyone to be able to fit together. And that means we can't have any injuries this preseason to anyone who will play a more than significant role in this year's championship run.

Am I worried about Kevin Garnett's knee? No, I'm not. He put my anxiety to rest the other day in an interview with the Globe. But the fact remains that on the very first play of preseason, KG could sprint up the court and sustain an injury completely unrelated to the knee he had surgery on a few months back. Do I think this will happen? No, probably not. Based on my history of watching the game, such injuries don't happen at a frequent enough clip for me to think twice about it. Besides, we can't watch sports with a sense of apprehension. It would ruin everything.

Anyway, back to the point. I know what KG, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels, Eddie House and Glen Davis are capable of. I know what to expect from these guys. So, while I'm anxious to see them back on the court, to see KG block a shot, to see a slimmed down Big Baby and a buffed up Rondo, I'll gladly wait until October 27 to see it all in full form. But, more importantly, I want them to be in full form come October 27.

There's a reason why Doc Rivers only hosted one-a-day practices throughout the team's time in Newport. He understands. First of all, such a veteran laden group doesn't need as much time being taught the offensive and defensive sets. But second, and arguably more importantly, an aging team doesn't need to pound itself into the ground and risk injury. Which is why I'm confident Doc will conserve these guys in the earlier stages of preseason.

More than anything, I'm ready for the regular season to kick off. I just don't want preseason to ruin anything in the meantime. I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm perfectly comfortable with the young guys taking practically all of the minutes this preseason. Obviously the last game or two are the exceptions to this rule, but otherwise, let's see what the young guys are made of. Sort of like a "kill two birds with one stone" scenario.

Free Larry Bird Autographed Plaque from North Station Sports

By: Greg Payne

Nick Gelso and the guys at North Station Sports are running a contest with the grand prize being a free Larry Bird autographed plaque with career statistics.

Check out North Station Sports for your chance to win.

Players Can't Stand in Late Game Situations

(DGA Productions)


By: Greg Payne

I couldn't believe this when I saw it in the Globe this morning:

The league also warned teams about players standing up in the bench area during games. Many times in tight, late-game situations, players at the end of the bench stand to watch the action. They tend to block the view of fans, many of whom are season ticket-holders paying premium prices for seats. In some NBA locales, fans have yelled at players on opposing teams to sit down.

To appease these fans and reduce banter between players and premium seat-holders, the league has warned players about standing. Fines will be levied if they stand too long.

Surely, the NBA can't be serious about this one, right? Players aren't allowed to stand up late in games anymore? Half of the excitement late in games is watching the reaction of the bench guys to every made or missed bucket or every call the officials make. The league can't seriously be expecting the players to just sit by the wayside when the game gets tight.

The NBA wouldn't even suggest such a scenario if it wasn't serious about upholding it. All I can say, the league should be ready to fine a lot of players.

I Think We Can Stop Worrying About Kevin Garnett

(Keith Allison)


By: Greg Payne

I think we should cease to babble about Kevin Garnett's injury. In his latest interview with the Globe, he appears almost agitated at times when questioned about the state of his health:

"I don't have any knee problems. I don't have any knee problems. I'm not trying to get in depth with my injury and all that but the things are bothering me are secondary and not even primary. So I'm excited about that because it's nothing be strengthening the knee and playing again. You gotta remember, I have been out since what, March? I haven't done anything since then. I have just been rehabbing, strengthing. Nothing simulates basketball play."

"I feel really good, I wouldn't (BS) you guys if I was hurting I would tell you. I'm pretty straight up with everything that's going on with me. I feel good. I'm excited about how we are and I'm just trying to get my part together to make sure I'm ready for when we need to be like we need to be."

"I'm a little injured or coming off injury, I'm not dead. I'm not brain dead. I can still make plays. I can still play defense and still know how to play. So I'm still me now, you know what I mean? I ain't in my grave yet dog. They ain't shot Old Yeller yet dog. They ain't took him in the back yet. I can still make a couple of plays here and there. I know you haven't seen me in a while but I ain't go that much dust on me."

I think we need to lay this subject to rest. At least until he gives us reason to unearth it.

Training Camp Streamed Tonight

Head over to Celtics.com tonight at 7pm for a live look-in at training camp. From what I understand, we should get an all access view of practice with a scrimmage to follow.

Ubuntu Broke Down Last Season

(DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for the Celtics last season, particularly once Kevin Garnett went down. According to the Herald, Doc Rivers feels as if hidden agendas were affecting the overall state of the team.

“But I thought last year there were so many other things going on - you know, contracts, fanfare, all that. I tell you, I think especially with the young guys, admiration is a difficult beast to deal with. How you handle that on a day-to-day basis is very challenging. I think that was a distraction that as a group we didn’t handle nearly as well as I’d like and as well as we could have.

“I thought we had a lot of different agendas. Guys were looking out for their own situations more than the team situation. That came through all year. It was never anything really big, but it was there all year. You could see it in little things, and I think when you take it as a whole it really had an effect on our season.”

I find this news disappointing, only because I think the majority of us were under the impression that for the past two years, hidden agendas had been checked at the door. We (as fans) talked so much about the injuries and the fatigue seemingly ending our season, and I think we would have come down pretty hard on each other had we mentioned hidden agendas as a reason for why we lost.

Oh well, it's a new season and we have new players. Maybe we need to go back to Rome. Rome was great for us. Maybe the Bahamas? Yeah...training camp in the Bahamas...I can only imagine what would unfold...

Rondo Sits Down With Peter Stringer

Celtics.com keeps pumping out the interviews:

Walker Surgery Successful

From Celtics.com Twitter:

Bill Walker had successful right knee arthroscopy today at NEBH. Walker sustained meniscus tear on the first day of camp.

Daniels Accepting of New Role

“We’re challenging each other, we’re pushing each other,’’ Daniels said yesterday. “The first team, they’re pushing us, and we’re pushing them. It’s just going to make us all better in the end."

-Globe

Bill Walker Deserves to Stay

By: Greg Payne

When news broke of Bill Walker's torn meniscus in his right knee, here's what Gary Washburn of the Globe wrote:

An MRI on Bill Walker's right knee revealed a torn meniscus and he will miss six to eight weeks, meaning the Celtics would have to carry an injured Walker on their roster into the regular season.

Clearly that line is suggesting that Walker has officially become dead weight for the time being, meaning the Celtics could potentially release him to open up a roster spot. He's set to make less than a million dollars for the season, so it's not as if the team would be costing itself a ton of money (probably the only reason Tony Allen and his 2.5 million dollar salary are still around) by letting him go.

However, I'm here to say that Bill Walker deserves to stay. My main reason for this? Allen, who has suffered more injuries than Kenny in an entire season of 'South Park', has somehow managed to stick with this team. Whether it's because the Celtics vastly overpaid him and can't simply release him, or because no other team is interested in his services, we're essentially stuck with the guy. Danny Ainge and the team elected to pick up the guy's option, proving that even the most brilliant of basketball minds make mistakes once in a while.

But, my argument is this: If Danny Ainge is willing to stick with Tony Allen through five years of injuries, surely he can give the now injured Walker at least one more season. At the very minimum. In my opinion, Ainge already made a mistake in not waiting half a season for Leon Powe and should not make a similar mistake here. Powe obviously would have been a key cog of any Post-Big Three Celtics squad, and right now we're hopeful that Walker will walk down a similar path.

Now we'll be forced to watch Leon thrive in Cleveland, which will make us shudder even on our best days. We do not want to endure a similar feeling if we're forced to see Walker skying to the rim for another team.

Walker sure did put in the work this summer - both on and off the court. His dedication to community service speaks volumes of him as a person, while his commitment to workouts in Waltham show just how much he wants to improve and make an impact on this team. How can you just ship out a guy like that? Sure, basketball is a business. But have a heart, Danny. Keep Walker's dream alive and keep our hopes for his future in green alive as well. It's not fair to say we're expecting big things from the kid, but it is fair to say we're hopeful for big things from the kid. Don't sweep out our legs before we're able to stand properly.

I will say that preseason is effectively ruined for me now. Was it realistic to believe Walker would significantly contribute and crack the rotation this year? Eh...maybe not so much. However, preseason was going to be Walker's time. Eight games of anticipation at the thought of him launching from 10+ feet out, soaring through the air and jamming the ball with tenacious force through the hoop. Or better yet, eight games of slashing to the hoop, drawing fouls, finishing, or finding open mates. Or EVEN better yet, eight games of (hopefully) silky smooth jump shots.

Sure, I can still look forward to Lester Hudson, J.R. Giddens and Shelden Williams. But come on. Walker was my guy. He was our guy. He was the preseason's main event. We all know the starters will only play limited minutes along with Rasheed Wallace and possibly even Marquis Daniels and Eddie House. This isn't their first rodeo. And no offense to Brian Scalabrine, but he just can't capture my excitement the way a guy like Walker can. Headband and all, it just doesn't do it for me.

Look, Danny, let's get real here. If you absolutely NEED to open up a roster spot, send out a mass text message to Celtics Nation, which approximately a third of us will answer while we're driving a car, asking for donations, with the goal being 2.5 million dollars so you can buy out Tony Allen. We will answer your call. We will respond. I mean, we have nothing against Tony Allen as a person, but he's simply unreliable. We need stability in this modern age (insert pardon for Bill Walker).

Keep Walker around. He deserves to be here.

Peter Stringer Interview with Kevin Garnett

By: Greg Payne

Here's a link to the Celtics' official YouTube page, featuring a 10 minute interview with Kevin Garnett. Awesome interview. Make note of KG discussing his emotions before a game around the 5:30 mark.

Walker Out 6-8 Weeks

By: Greg Payne

Horrible news from the Globe:

An MRI on Bill Walker's right knee revealed a torn meniscus and he will miss six to eight weeks, meaning the Celtics would have to carry an injured Walker on their roster into the regular season. Walker left Wednesday's practice with a sore knee and returned to Boston for further examination.

Walker has had major surgery on both knees and has yet to reach his vast potential. He spent most of his rookie season in the NBDL. He played in 29 games last season.

Update from Celtics.com Twitter:

Walker will have right knee arthroscopic surgery tomorrow morning at New England Baptist.

Holy Interviews!

By: Greg Payne

The video brigade has officially arrived. Comcast SportsNet New England has posted interviews with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Take a look:

Kevin Garnett:



Paul Pierce:



Ray Allen:

Video from Day 2

By: Greg Payne

Celtics.com has the latest video from yesterday's practice, including some footage of Kevin Garnett going through some shooting drills. Man, what I would give to be that kid rebounding for him...