Posts tagged ‘KG’

All the talk that had crept in about Kevin Garnett not being able to play in the playoffs…not being clutch. This game tonight was ugly but game one down the stretch was played in the hands mainly of two players. One made a shot to go ahead - one could not match. Kevin Garnett was strong, LeBron James was…well. 2-18 with 10 turnovers! King James had nine rebounds, nine assists and a bunch of free throws but in the end he could not tie the game after Garnett had put the Celtics ahead.

It’s game one and every game counts just as much but at least to start this series KG came up big. I’d love to see him do it in Cleveland over the weekend or again in game two but for now I’m taking it.

By the way, at least it was game one because the start of this game was so bad it would be far too far frustrating for a game five, six or seven.

Cheers!

In today’s episode of Celticscast…

The Starting 5: Games 1-2 v. the “NBA playoff team” known as the Hawks

• Game two domination
• Mike Bibby’s poor word choices
• James Posey’s flagrant foul
• Game one domination
• Series over?

Plus..

• We’ll check in on the other seven series which mostly have been more closely contested
• Our resident statistician from Wellesley chimes in with his picks - our email is hosts@celticscast.com to join the show
• KG is defensive player of the year

And…

• Chris and Andrew are pumped they get to do a show from in the same regional area of New England.

All this and more just a click away on Celticscast! Remember to E-mail hosts@celticscast.com or give us a call at 617-934-0268 and be a part of the show.

Chris and Andrew again split the show to talk Celtics and what’s going on around the NBA (specifically the Western Conference).

 Starting 5

* C’s Keep Winning

* Best record? Not quite…

* Balanced Playing Time

* But not that much for PJ and Sam

* some wacky KG Data

Around the NBA

* Dallas is in the playoffs, but it wasn’t easy. Can they succeed in the postseason?

* Denver takes a big step towards the second season at Golden State

Our emailbox is still open over at hosts@celticscast.com. We’d love to hear your comments/suggestions.

In today’s episode of Celticscast…

The Starting 5

• *Celtics take down Shaq and co.
• *Long road trip leads to let-down vs. Sixers
• *Chris Paul and Hornets down C’s in 4th qtr.
• *KG is certainly back to form
• *C’s have locked up almost everything - do these wins matter?

Plus…

• *KG got some MVP chants last night - do you agree? Send as an email at hosts@celticscast.com for your input and you can hear ours on the show in our middle segment.
• *Celtics are one win away from beating every team in the league
• *Isiah Thomas is somehow still hired, but Knicks are one game away from putting Knickscaster Jack Cognetta in a chicken suit in front of Madison Square Garden.

And…

• *Kobe Bryant may force himself to sit out a game - or have the league force him to sit out…or something - we look at him briefly in our third segment.

All this and more just a click away on Celticscast! Remember to give us a call at 617-934-0268 and be a part of the show.

Hey Guys - well I’ve got nothing to do on a Wednesday evening besides watching the C’s so I guess I’ll do some live thinking and see what you think. Feel free to post a comment at the base of this post or send an email to hosts@celticscast.com and I’ll make a shot to respond in a timely manner.

Our starting lineups no surprises: Celtics: PG Rondo, SG R. Allen, SF Pierce, PF Garnett, C Perkins

       Suns: PG Nash, SG Raja Bell, SF Grant Hill, PF Amare Stoudamire, C Shaq. It’s the same deal as the team’s first meeting which obviously didn’t go well. Leon only played 4+ minutes in that game - I’d expect more tonight despite the tough matchups inside.

7:03: I’ll be sticking with the ESPN broadcast today after Mike & Tommy vs. the Sixers didn’t really work out. We’re reminded that the C’s have lost two straight and two straight at home…I guess it’s a good time to turn that around. Also Steve Nash is shooting 67% from three over the last six games…yes change go change… The studio crew says Chris Webber will be remembered as one of the “best forwards of his time”. Personally, Duncan, Pippen, Kobe, even Pierce are ahead of CWebb - no way Webber’s a hall of famer.

7:10 Apparently Stephon Marbury is to blame for KG being so physical with Stoudamire (which has gone on for more than just that game in PHX)…Ric Bucher strong start from the sidelines.

7:15 6-4 C’s 2 minutes in; C’s first three possessions were all quick shots, pushing the ball ahead to leave Shaq behind - it’s worked. Meanwhile, Stoudamire has “blown by” (Hubie Davis’ words, not mine) Garnett twice for 4 points, 2 from the line after a Perk foul.

17-10, 5:33 left 1st qtr; Well KG’s already out because of two fouls. The Suns are going to Amare and Shaq almost every possession and it’s working somewhat. Shaq’s had killer position twice for easy buckets. Meanwhile, KG was dominant on the offensive end with 8 points in 6 minutes. Alas, he won’t be in for awhile. Leon Powe replaced him…Rondo’s holding his own agains Nash a good sign…Side note: if you had a “sven” as your alarm clock, wouldn’t you end up throwing something at him at least once a week? Also, don’t they already have “svens?” They’re called butlers - have they been replaced?

25-16 C’s, under 3 mins left 1st qtr; Celts are killing on the glass (10-4) as Amare isn’t trying as hard to rebound as Perk, KG and Powe…Amare’s got 10 points - they’re legit…”the first home game after a road trip is another road game” - Hubie Davis said it, Tommy disagreed the other day (not directly, just happened to broach same topic). I’ll weigh in and agree with Davis. When you arrive at 3 or 4 AM home and have a game the next day (or in the NBA even the following day), it’s the road routine. Your sleep schedule is on the road schedule, your practice schedule likely is too and in that respect it is, the people cheering for you is not as big of a deal…Doc had some great sound talking with a ref about a Perk foul “let me hit you in the stomach and we’ll see if your hands go down” - in a smiling joking manner but that argument could sway the refs the rest of the way.

30-16, under 2 mins left 1st qtr; C’s have 12 buckets in the paint! (of 13 FG)…clearly not afraid to go at Shaq (who’s been out of the game) or Amare (who plays little D)

33-20 after 1: LEON! After a Rondo off. rebound, miss, Phx rebound, Leon went to the floor to steal the ball then while still on his knees underhanded the ball toward the bucket and got slapped on the forearm for 2 free throws. Hubie’s got 35 years in basketball and never seen that, especially the foul. Rebounding edge is 15-6 and basically everyone in white is going to the basket on offense - scoring, rebounding and it’s working. Now the intensity needs to stay…all four quarters…

33-26, 9:14 to go in 2nd; That means 6-0 Suns in 2nd qtr. Sam Cassell is not doing well - missed two 10 foot jumpers and has a turnover on a forced pass. Phoenix is playing in zone (they have been most of the game). Usually against the zone, a team shoots over it to beat it. The Celtics have the zone extended (with the longer NBA 3-point line) several feet and have been tearing apart the middle of the zone but Cassell is not doing so. Meanwhile, Phoenix hit a couple of shots but that’ll happen. C’s need to get offense working again…By the way another gem from Ric Bucher: Big Baby once body-slammed Shaq - all 300+ pounds of him. Body-slammed him! I’m never getting Davis mad…

41-38 C’s, under 6 mins 2nd qtr; Amare is killing the Celtics - so much so double teaming him every time he gets the ball seems like the thing to do. Only what’re you gonna do? Leave Nash? Shaq? Grant Hill or Raja Bell are the only options and they’ll kill you from 3…so instead Amare is to the tune of 18 points already. This is a real tough matchup defensively for the Celtics with two big guys that can do so many things.

53-50 Suns, 1:04 to go 1st half; Phoenix just isn’t missing…Giricek, Nash, Raja Bell everybody. 33 points already in the secon quarter. The ball movement has been good so they have open shots most of the time (a rarity for a Celtics defense this year). 18 assists for PHX in the first half…Nash picked up a T just before the break for taking a charge but getting called for a block. The comical part is one ref came to block Nash from going at the ref that called the block and but the original ref T’d him up anyway.

57-57 at the half: Rondo goes right at Nash and wins to tie it before buzzer. One good quarter, one bad - no harm done I guess, Doc’s got to find a solution for Stoudamire or else this one isn’t going for Boston. Some halftime stats: Amare 22 pts, 3 reb., Nash 8 dimes, Phoenix 62% FG, 18 assts on 23 FG…Pierce 15 pts (7-7FT), KG 14 pts, Celts 11 offensive rebounds, shooting 47% FG. I’ll be back for the 2nd half all you hinging on my words…

71-67, 5:45 left in 3rd; Phoenix has gone away from Amare but he had a nice hand off to Nash for an easy bucket…Grant Hill’s got a couple buckets for his first points of the game (3 fouls, 9 mins in first half)…Perk with back to back beautiful defensive trips against Shaq after the big guy had two easy buckets prior…Shaq came right back the next trip and stationed himself at the basket for a layup…the defense is where this game will be decided and likely it’s on Perk/KG/Powe or Davis to separate themselves. By the way, where’s PJ Brown? not in the game…I’m surprised he hasn’t been a bigger part of this team (and disappointed).

79-69 C’s, under 3 mins 3rd qtr; Rondo just left Nash in the dust with a sick crossover (did i just write ’sick’? I don’t think I’ve ever actually said that) and that Nash charged over Posey which of course was a block…Doc made a daring move - he replaced Perk with Posey and it’s working. Posey bodied up Stoudamire, stuck with him and then KG came over with help at the last second…Amare in the 3rd qtr: 0-2, 2 reb wow…meanwhile a Nets fan walked into the room (they had a 42 pt. first quarter today and Josh Boone has 21 points in the first half…Josh Boone! how?)

84-73 C’s after 3: Turnovers are coming fast and furious for the Suns (they had more TO’s than assists in the third) and the Celts are taking advantage of the extra chances. My chinese is here and this that’s it for this update…

93-79 C’s under 9 to go: Phoenix is getting “manhandled” in all aspects of the game (Hubie Davis one word quote) - C’s have 18 more field goal attempts than PHX - that’s where offensive rebounds and turnovers play in. So despite the Suns at 56% from the field and Celts at 49% the somewhat big lead for Boston. Mike D’antoni tried to go small (no Shaq or Amare) and it didn’t close the gap at all.

110-88 under 5 to go: C’s are in control so I have three points to finish with.

First - ESPN switched to the Cavs/Hornets game so I got to see the end live and it was a great one. LeBron drives to the hoop to go ahead by one with 7 seconds left. After a TO, LeBron defends Chris Paul. Paul drives to the hoop and the much taller LeBron was nearby so smartly Paul found David West wideopen and the Xavier alum hits the free throw line jumper for the win. Great play, great finish - Hornets great team.

Second, Paul Pierce was so quiet in the first three quarters (even with 15 first half points) I was all set to diatribe about how he’ll disappear sometimes. Then he scores 10 points and drops a few dimes in the first 6 minutes of the fourth quarter. But the point remains: Pierce has become a role player of sorts - maybe the best role player in the league but still Garnett is becoming the face and the go-to guy throughout games.

Third, Celts fans were chanting MVP for Garnett in the fourth quarter. Chris and I are in agreement that KG should not be the MVP of the entire league and I think it’s foolish to have fans chanting this compared to Kobe, LeBron and even Chris Paul. KG is 4th at best unless something radical happens…It’s still a 20 point game and we’re under 3 minutes to go so we’re safely in hand. Most likely you’re reading this after the game is over so I’ll talk to you later.

Cheers!

In today’s episode of Celticscast…

The Starting 5

• *C’s end the Rockets 22 game win streak
• *Who was the hero: Pierce, Powe or KG?
• *Monday Night C’s Sneak Past Spurs
• *It Happened to be St. Patrick’s Day
• *Ray Allen and Tony Allen hurt

Plus…

• *We take a look at the bracket because…how can you not?.
• *We give you our top 10 upsets to look for from our brackets
• *The Heat look worse and worse every day

And…

• *We weigh in briefly on the KG/Glen Taylor episode as well as looking forward to the Mavs and Hornets games coming up.

All this and more just a click away on Celticscast! Remember to send us an email at hosts@celticscast.com to be a part of the show.

The C’s had a bone to pick yesterday with the Rockets - maybe not a personal one, but a national one. The idea that the Rockets were the best team in the NBA because of their status on top of the Western Conference and historic 22-game win streak wasn’t good enough. The Celtics needed to prove it wrong. In my eyes here were the keys:

1. The last 2 minutes of the first half: the Celtics turned Houston over several times and flew into the locker room tied instead of down 5 like they were just 100 seconds prior.

2. Kevin Garnett getting the ball on the post: KG’s been playing well from the outside recently with a 20-foot J that just won’t miss. The Spurs went after him and proved it’s tough for anybody to make a jump shot from anywhere with a hand in your face. So Doc and the Gang put Garnett on the block (mostly on the left side) against Luis Scola and he dominated in the third quarter to break the game open.

3. Leon Powe: The Celtics Agent Zero played mostly when Dikembe Mutombo was out which surely helped his numbers (21 pts. in 20 minutes) compared to Perk’s (6 pts. in 20 minutes) but because of Houston’s thin bench in the middle, Leon took over and led the Celtics out of a grinding first half of play with momentum.

4. The defense: It was tremendous, giving up very few open jump shots which plagued the C’s in the first quarter at San Antonio. It also held McGrady to just 8 points (!).

Chris and I will be back Thursday to break it down and look forward to Dallas and New Orleans. Until then, Go C’s!