C's Let Another Big Personality Leave As Grant Williams Goes To Dallas In A Sign-And-Trade

 

    If you watched the Celtics over these past few seasons, the amount of endless talking to the referees, opponents and coaches was frankly exhausting. After shipping Marcus Smart-who was the worst offender of that nonsense-to Memphis a few weeks back, Boston followed that up by having mouthy forward Grant Williams go to the Mavericks in a three-team sign-and-trade deal which will give the restricted free agent what he wanted: a four-year deal worth $53 million. San Antonio receives forward Reggie Bullock from Dallas as well as an unprotected first-round pick swap in 2030 with the Mavericks. Dallas and the Celts will both receive two second-round picks and Boston also gets a $6.2 million trade exception. 

    This deal took awhile to come together since from all that we heard-Boston wanting a first-round pick for Williams-never seemed to materialize. The former first-round pick (22nd overall) of the Celtics in 2019 is a solid role player who will likely never be more than that in the NBA. His scoring and rebounding averages went up all four years in Boston though, culminating with 8.1 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game in 2022-23. He is also a good three-point shooter (37.9% for his career with a high of 41.1% in the 2021-22 season). Head coach Joe Mazzulla began this past postseason by burying Grant which was a mistake since he had been a valuable part of head coach Ime Udoka's rotation the previous season when they reached the NBA Finals with Williams averaging 8.6 points per game in the playoffs. 

    I appreciated Williams' toughness, he was very dependable-appearing in 77 regular season games then 79 regular season games in the past two seasons-and he was not afraid to take on much bigger guys. He will always be remembered for talking trash to Heat star Jimmy Butler in the Eastern Conference Finals a few months ago which did not end so well but at least he showed a pulse which could not be said for most of his teammates. With that said, like Smart this seemed to be another Celtic who was completely delusional as to how important he truly was to the team. Couple that with the non-stop talking (and you can only imagine what he was like in the locker room, on the planes, buses, etc) and you can see how the Celts were probably ready to move on from him.

    This also shows (as if there was any remaining doubt), that Boston is putting all the onus on its two stars-Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown-to take over the main leadership roles on this team moving forward. Subtracting Smart and Williams from the equation means that there will be two less loud voices and big personalities to have to constantly deal with. Additionally, this frees up some money that can hopefully go towards that infamous supermax extension that Brown is eligible for but has not gotten yet from the C's. We wish Grant well in Dallas, Luka Doncic should be awesome to play with but good luck dealing with Kyrie Irving. 

The Celtics Pulled Off A Sneaky Good Deal By Flipping Moses Brown For Josh Richardson

 

    While we wait for the three team trade between Boston, Atlanta and Sacramento to hopefully go through sometime soon, the Celtics did make another notable move over the weekend by trading center Moses Brown (we hardly knew ya!) to the Mavericks for guard Josh Richardson. It beats me if Brown is any good since he was here for a little over a month (dealt from Oklahoma City in the Al Horford/Kemba Walker trade) and finished his glorious Celtics career with a grand total of zero games played. Richardson on the other hand is a much more known commodity since he's played in the NBA for six seasons: four with Miami, one with Philadelphia and one with Dallas. In five of those six years including the last five in a row, he's averaged at least 10.2 points per game which doesn't sound like much but it's nothing to sniff at. 

    In many ways, Richardson has already exceeded any outside expectations for what he would do in the NBA since he was a second-round pick (40th overall) by the Heat in 2015 out of the University of Tennessee. His career averages are pretty solid across the board: 12.3 points per game, 1.1 steals per game, 42.7% field goal percentage, 35.8% 3-pointer percentage and 83.2% free throw percentage. He's definitely used to being a starter in the league since he has started in 299 of 373 possible games and averaged 30.6 minutes per game so it'll be interesting to see what role he carves out for the C's. His best season in a pro was in 2018-19-his last in Miami-when he averaged a career-high 16.6 points per game, 4.1 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game and shot 86.1% on free throws as he started all 73 games that he appeared in.

    Brad Stevens and the Celts still have plenty of work to do with free agency officially opening in the NBA on Monday night at 6 pm. Free agent swingman Evan Fournier-who is currently tearing it up at the Olympics with France-is the main internal question facing Boston: do they bring him back after they traded for him last season or do they let him walk? The aforementioned three-way trade would reportedly culminate with them acquiring former legendary Providence College point guard Kris Dunn and center Bruno Fernando from the Hawks while center Tristan Thompson will get sent to basketball Siberia aka the Kings. I'll save my thoughts on that move until it actually occurs (or sadly doesn't). Until then, let's hope that by whatever means necessary, Stevens & Co. can pick up some more quality players because the Celtics still need plenty of them to improve on their lackluster seventh-place finish in the Eastern Conference last season.

Stop Me If You've Heard This Before In 2021: C's Got Down Big, Rallied To Cut It Close But Still Lost

 

    Apologies for not writing this earlier but you can understand that the Celtics (23-25 overall, 13-9 home) are not exactly an inspiring team at the moment. Last night at the TD Garden, they fell 113-108 to the Mavericks (25-21 overall, 14-11 away) as they trailed by as many as 23 points, trimmed that down to two points in the fourth quarter but of course they couldn't close the deal. It's the first time since the 2015-2016 campaign that Dallas has swept a two-game season series with Boston. These are two teams in similar places that are going in different directions as the C's tumbled to eighth-place in the Eastern Conference after going 3-7 in their last 10 games while the Mavs are up to seventh-place in the rugged Western Conference after winning their last two games and going 6-4 in their last 10. 

    It feels like Celtics head coach Brad Stevens never has a full lineup at his disposal lately which doesn't help their cause as they try to get this doomed season back on the rails. Shooting guard Jaylen Brown (24 points, 4 steals) was back after missing Monday's loss vs. New Orleans (21-25) with a left hip contusion. Center Robert Williams was unexpectedly out for the Mavericks game with an illness (supposedly not Covid-19, again) that was revealed by the team a few hours before tip-off. Hmm, interesting. Dallas superstar Luka Doncic (game-high 36 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) was the best player in February when his club beat Boston (110-107 on Feb. 23) and he outdid himself last night and showed once again why he's one of the best players in the world. 

    Point guard Jalen Brunson (21 points, 5 rebounds) is becoming a Celtics killer as well since he had another big performance off the bench against them. Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals while power forward Dorian Finney-Smith notched 11 points, nine rebounds and two steals. Celts swingman Jayson Tatum (25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals), point guard Kemba Walker (22 points, 6 assists) and guard Marcus Smart (17 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) were all good but they really missed Robert Williams since in his place, they were forced to start Mo Wagner (2 points, 4 rebounds in 16 minutes). Also, Brunson outscored Boston's bench by himself as the Mavs had 34 bench points compared to 18 for the C's. Not ideal! 

    Can we already put to bed the notion that the Celtics would be extra motivated by finally having their fans back at the Garden? They are 0-2 with people paying to see this pathetic underachieving club live and in person. I get that we want life to get back to normal as soon as we safely can but who is dumb enough to buy tickets right now to watch this mess? Dallas led 30-25 after the first quarter and 64-45 at halftime. Boston outscored them by a basket (28-26) in the third quarter and by 12 (35-23) in the fourth quarter but that didn't matter one bit. PS it's nice that they don't give up and keep having these comebacks but when they never result in wins, who cares? Maybe try not getting behind by a huge deficit so early and you'll have a better chance to come out on top.

    Dallas shot nearly 50% from the field (49.4%) which was almost eight percent better than Boston (41.5%). The Mavs hit eight more 3-pointers (19-11), grabbed seven more rebounds (43-36) including 11 more defensive rebounds (39-28) and blocked twice as many shots (4-2) as the Celts. So far this seven-game homestand is off to a terrible start (0-2) for the C's who get one of the worst teams in the NBA-the Rockets (13-34 overall, 7-17 road)-to pay them a visit tomorrow night (7:30, NBC Sports Boston). Houston is one of the few teams that could get swept by Boston this season after the Celtics crushed them 134-107 on March 14 in Houston. With how things are going for the C's right now though, one of their best players will probably test positive for Covid-19 in the next few days and they'll find a crazy way to lose to the Rockets. Sigh.

After Tatum & Brown Were Named To The All-Star Team, Doncic Proves That He's On Another Level

 

    The rapid freefall for the Celtics (15-16 overall, 7-11 road) continued in spectacular fashion tonight at American Airlines Center on the second stop of their doomed three-game road trip. The Mavericks (15-15 overall, 8-8 home) led by 11 points late in the fourth quarter before Boston rallied to go ahead 105-104 on shooting guard Jaylen Brown's (team-high 29 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) short jumper in the lane. Dallas' superstar Luka Doncic (game-high 31 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists) answered with a patented step back 3-pointer. After a layup by Brown tied it, Doncic iced it with another step back three with 0.1 seconds left in regulation. Dallas won 110-107 to climb back to .500 after going 7-3 in their last 10 games. Conversely, the Celtics are fading away (3-7 in their last 10) into oblivion and dropped under .500 for the first time since Dec. 27 when a loss at Indiana made them 1-2.

    Earlier this evening, swingman Jayson Tatum (28 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Brown were named as reserves for the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Game in Atlanta next weekend. It will be Tatum's second All-Star appearance after he made it last year and the first of Brown's career. Those are both significant accomplishments that deserved to be noticed but at the moment, it's hard to feel good about anything involving the Celtics. After Sunday's blown 24-point lead and overtime loss to the Pelicans (13-17), you hoped that the team would exhibit some sort of anger and bounce back, especially with Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (back tightness) missing this contest. Instead, they let a one-man team beat them. Point guard Jalen Brunson scored 22 points off the bench for Dallas, he was on fire in the fourth quarter before Luka predictably took over. Shooting guard Josh Richardson added 16 points while small forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (14 points) and goofy giant Boban Marjanovic (10 points, 8 rebounds) also scored in double-figures off the bench (which outscored Boston's 51-19!) for Rick Carlisle's club. 

    Celtics point guard Kemba Walker (21 points) was up and down but he hit a clutch 3-pointer that cut Dallas' lead to one point late in the fourth quarter. With how this turned out, sadly now nobody except him will ever remember that. Power forward Tristan Thompson (8 points, 10 rebounds) was alright and power forward Semi Ojeleye (8 points, 7 rebounds) was a bright spot off the bench but Brown, Tatum and Walker were their only players to score 10 points or more for the visitors. My favorite stat of the night came from C's rookie small forward Aaron Nesmith who played 22 minutes off the bench but didn't attempt a single shot (or free throw). This from a guy who was drafted 14th overall strictly because of his shooting ability, what else is he known for? 

    The C's and Mavs always seem to play close and entertaining games which made this one the latest installment. Other than that late run by Dallas, it was tight the whole way as the home team led 34-31 after the first quarter but trailed by one point (56-55) at halftime. The Mavericks outscored the Celtics 25-20 in a rock fight of a third quarter before that crazy fourth quarter unfolded. Besides the huge difference in bench points, the only other real different stat was in points off turnovers which Dallas doubled up on (18-9). 

    There is no time for Boston to feel sorry for themselves since they are back in action tomorrow night (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) at Atlanta (13-18 overall, 7-9 home). We know that Kemba will be out since it's the second game of a back-to-back and who knows what other ailments could be affecting them. You'll remember that they lost to the Hawks last Wednesday at the Garden (122-114) then beat them two nights later (121-109) so Atlanta is more than capable of knocking them off yet again and their young phenom Trae Young promises to be extra spicy after he was somehow left off the All-Star team (so far). In other words, it's hard to believe with how rough this has been lately for the C's but this could get even worse very soon.

Rondo is Long Gone (to Dallas), Time for the Celts to Move On & Accept This Shitty Reality

Here is all you need to know about the current depressing state of the Celtics: their only must-see games anymore involve when links to their successful past return with their new and better teams. As the last link that remained to the 2008 title team, Rajon Rondo played the role of conquering hero last night at TD Garden for his first game back as a Maverick. We all know how he plays in big games and make no mistake, this one meant plenty to Rondo who went off for 29 points (his most in nearly two years) on a career-high five 3-pointers as Dallas crushed Boston 119-101.

Dallas (24-10 overall, 11-5 away) might not be the best team in the Western Conference but the addition of Rondo (6 rebounds, 5 assists) seems like a perfect fit. Barring injuries, there is no reason that team can't make a deep run in the postseason this spring. In addition to the big game performances, Rondo should excel with the wealth of scorers around him: Monta Ellis (22 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals), Dirk Nowitzki (17 points, 7 rebounds) and Chandler Parsons (13 points, 7 rebounds). Tyson Chandler (8 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals) is also still there to do all the dirty work around the hoop.

As always, the Celtics (11-19 overall, 8-10 home) showed the Red Sox how to put together a proper video tribute without going overboard on the awful music and nauseating schmaltz. That was shown after the first quarter where Rondo went off for a career-high 15 points as the Mavs jumped out to a 31-17 lead and frankly never looked back. Boston outscored Dallas 29-28 in the second quarter but the Mavs put it away with a dominant third (33-18). The C's pretended to make it interesting in the fourth (37-27) but come on, it was long over by then.

While Dallas can legitimately think about another title run, the best that Boston can hope for this season is sneaking into the JV Eastern Conference playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed. What a lofty goal, of course any C's fan that knows anything will tell you that ultimately shooting that low is counterproductive to the franchise's return from NBA purgatory (not the worst-hi Sixers and Knicks-but light years away from contenders) to national (not to mention local) relevancy.

Avery Bradley led the Celts with 22 points, while Jeff Green had 18 points and six rebounds, Tyler Zeller put up a double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Jared Sullinger added 12 points and six rebounds. All those players are solid NBA starters but none of them were ever nor will ever be All-Stars. Sadly, the only way to win consistently in the NBA is to accumulate as many stars as you can. As it stands, Boston's only hope to get those (since none want to come here in free agency) is to win the lottery (which they are allergic to). Ugh, Green 18 baby!

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Trading Rajon Rondo Had to Happen, Still The Next Few Years are Going to Suck for the Celtics

I can't ever remember another guy in recent Boston sports history that was squarely on the trading block for longer than point guard Rajon Rondo. That's what made today seem almost like a relief since we knew this was coming literally for years: Boston traded their mercurial star and rookie forward Dwight Powell to Dallas for a package of scrubs (Brendan Wright, Jae Crowder and Jameer Nelson) along with a conditional first-round pick in 2015, a second-round pick in 2016 and $12.9 million trade exception.

It's easy to tear apart the underwhelming return they got for a four-time All-Star but keep in mind a couple key factors: 1) Rondo is a free agent next summer so Boston risked losing him and getting nothing back. 2) The Celtics aren't going anywhere this season and probably the next few so it didn't make much sense to try to rebuild around him, especially when they drafted his replacement (Marcus Smart) last summer in the lottery. 3) He plays his best with many talented guys around him and in the biggest games, two things that are really lacking these days for the C's.

Rondo was by far the longest tenured Celtic, he was 21st overall draft pick in 2006 and traded here from Phoenix. He helped Boston win an NBA title in his second season and also get back to the NBA Finals in 2010. The last few years frankly have been a mess since he blew out his knee two seasons ago, causing him to play only 38 games in 2012-13 and 30 games in 2013-14. He is still a triple-double machine, more so than anyone else in the league but the obvious warts in his game (namely shooting of any kind and now even free throws) make him so unique but also supremely frustrating. He currently leads the NBA in assists per game (10.8) and 7.5 rebounds per game is far and away a career-high thus far but his 8.3 points per game is the lowest since his rookie year.

He will turn 29 in February so naturally Rondo is looking for a max deal that will set him up for the rest of his life. The problem is that he's not quite that type of player anymore, or at least he never would be in Boston's current state of nothingness. Going to Dallas is about as good a situation as he could ask for: a team a couple years removed from a championship that is filled with veterans, winners and most importantly shooters and scorers. He should put up big numbers in the loaded Western Conference and everyone across the country will fall in love with his game all over again.

So where does this leave the Celtics? Rondo has always been a diva and the furthest thing from a leader, not the type of guy you want all their young players to emulate so getting him out of here shouldn't make that much of a difference (after all they were 9-14 with him playing for a contract). All they can bank on is the eight first-round picks that Boston owns in the next four years. Their two main recruiting tools for free agents-head coach Doc Rivers and Rondo-are both gone now making it nearly impossible to attract any marquee names. This speaks to a larger issue in the NBA but basically, the Celts have to win the lottery or get a very high pick (something which they are allergic to) in order to get back to relevance. These last few years have not been fun at all, I know I can barely sit through a quarter let alone an entire game and honestly, Rondo was one of the only reasons I'd ever tune in.

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Celtics Beat Mavericks In The Worst Double Overtime Game In NBA History

Maybe it's because they blew a 14-point lead (68-54) from the third quarter or perhaps it doesn't feel so great since the Celtics squandered not one but two shots to win at the end of regulation and the first overtime. Still, I guess we should be thankful that Boston (12-9, 8-4 home) found a way to hold off Dallas (11-11, 4-8 away) 117-115 tonight at TD Garden in double overtime.

All you can say is that this was an exceedingly ugly game. How else do you describe 28 turnovers by the Mavericks or suffering through two overtimes officiated by Joey Crawford? Boston outscored Dallas 34-17 on points off turnovers.

Paul Pierce rescued the Celts with a game-high 34 points (1st Celtic with 30+ points this season), six rebounds and four steals. Rajon Rondo just missed another triple-double with 16 points, 15 assists, nine rebounds and three steals. Kevin Garnett had 16 points and five rebounds, Jason Terry scored 10 against his former team while Jeff Green (16 points, 5 rebounds) and Chris Wilcox (10 points, 6 rebounds) were great off the bench and honestly should have played more.

The Mavericks are still without the talents of superstar Dirk Nowitzki but O.J. Mayo (24 points, 6 rebounds) is turning into the All-Star nobody thought he would be. Remember when the Celtics could have flipped Ray Allen for him? Yeah, that could have worked. Shawn Marion (16 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists) wasn't that far off of a triple-double of his own, Dahntay Jones and Chris Kaman (5 rebounds) scored 12 while Derek Fisher added 10 points.

I think the average age of Dallas is 53 when you factor in Vince Carter (10 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists). Darren Collison (20 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals) was spectacular off the bench so I have no clue why he doesn't start over that fossil Fisher, who still hits daggers left and right.

Boston could never shake Dallas, despite leading 27-25 after the first quarter, 48-43 at halftime and 76-70 heading into the fourth. The Celtics hit 12 more free throws (25-13) and made eight more steals (16-8). They needed all of that since the Mavericks shot way better (51.1%-43.0%), hit two more 3-pointers (8-6), grabbed eight more rebounds (50-42) and handed out three more assists (27-24) with two more blocks (7-5). Oh and Dallas had 20 more points in the paint (60-40).

At the end of regulation, Rondo isolated on Fisher but he got blocked, thinking he'd get fouled but he wasn't. Even worse, Pierce basically did the same thing at the end of the first overtime as Jones stuffed his feeble attempt.

The C's passed their first Texas test of the week but it will get harder this weekend as they travel to Houston (8 p.m., CSN) on Friday and San Antonio (8:30 p.m., CSN) on Saturday. The Rockets are 10-11 and fourth in the Southwest Division while the Spurs are 18-5 and first in the Southwest Division. Nobody expected much from Kevin McHale's Rockets but mostly thanks to James Harden and some emerging young guys, they are pretty competitive. As for San Antonio, they continue to defy age and play excellent team basketball while battling Oklahoma City for the top spot in the Western Conference.

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Celtics Aren't Playing Around This Summer: Agree To 3-Year Deal With Jason Terry

You can have your Jamal Crawfords and O.J. Mayos, I'll take Jason Terry thank you very much. After hearing non-stop chatter about the aforementioned shooting guards since free agency opened on Sunday, the Celtics surprised the NBA by reaching a three-year deal with Terry this afternoon.

The former Atlanta Hawk and Dallas Maverick will receive Boston's mid-level exception, making the total value of the deal $15.6 million. Terry is 34-years-old and he was a first-round pick (10th overall) by Atlanta in 1999 out of the University of Arizona.

The 2008-09 NBA Sixth Man of the Year still has plenty left in the tank as he averaged 15.1 points, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 43% shooting from the floor, 38% on 3-pointers and 88% on free throws last season for Dallas. Terry plays starter's minutes (33.5 minutes per game over his entire career) but he prefers to come off the bench and should immediately provide something the Celtics need: a consistent scorer that doesn't start.

Terry won a title with the Mavs in 2011 and also played in the NBA Finals in 2006. He's always been known as a big-time player that doesn't shy away from the moment or important shot. For his career, he's averaged 16.9 points in 87 playoff games. In the postseason, he's shot 45% from the floor including 39% on 3-pointers plus 83% on free throws.

His career averages: 16.1 points per game, 1.3 steals, 4.7 assists, 45% from the floor, 38% on 3-pointers and 85% on free throws. Terry spent five seasons in Atlanta before being traded to Dallas (haha for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk). He had eight very successful seasons with the Mavs. Terry's best individual years were 2000-01, his second year with the Hawks (19.7 points, 4.9 assists, 1.3 steals) and 2008-09 with the Mavericks (19.6 points, 46% from the floor, 1.3 steals).

I give him tons of credit for accepting less money to come to another team that expects to win. He's a classy veteran that is a better defender and more unselfish than most realize. Crawford and Mayo clearly care more about how much they make so it seems fitting that neither has ever really won anything in their respective careers. At this point, Terry knows that his NBA journey is starting to wind down so why not join a team with the best head coach, a great nucleus of veterans and one of the most dynamic young point guards in the NBA? The fact that Dallas couldn't land Deron Williams (who re-signed with Brooklyn tonight) probably also helped in Boston's favor. Terry aka Jet was upset that he didn't get an extension in Dallas after helping them to a championship so the Mavericks' loss is the Celtics' gain.

Where this leaves Ray Allen is anyone's guess. As noted by every major outlet, Boston has way more money to offer Allen in addition to comfort with head coach Doc Rivers, his teammates and the area that he's come to know well. With Kevin Garnett back with the Celts for three seasons, it would make sense for Allen to return since they're clearly still going for it. If he comes back, he would form quite the dynamic duo with Jason Terry. Pairing two of the NBA's top 3-point shooters along with Paul Pierce would really stretch the floor for the C's, making Rondo even more unstoppable. Allen is reportedly visiting the Heat on Thursday and the Clippers on Friday. Let's hope those business trips work against the possible suitors.

Welcome to Boston Jason Terry, we know you're going to love it.

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The Boston Celtics Take Their Talents To Europe In October; Orlando & Vegas This Summer

The Boston Celtics are still one of the most popular and marketable franchises in the NBA, as further proof of that (not that you needed it), they are scheduled to play two preseason games in Europe this October.

Along with the Dallas Mavericks, the C's are one of two NBA squads to travel to Europe for something the marketing geniuses have called NBA Europe Live 2012.

Oct. 5 - Celtics vs. Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul - Ulker Sports Arena, Istanbul
Oct. 7 - Celtics vs. EA7 Emporio Armani - Mediolanum Forum, Milan

From the Euroleague website
The Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and top Euroleague Basketball teams Alba Berlin from Germany, EA7 Emporio Armani from Italy and Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul from Turkey will play a series of preseason games this October as part of NBA Europe Live 2012 presented by BBVA", the NBA, Euroleague Basketball and BBVA announced today.

The four-game tour tips off on Oct. 5 when the 17-time NBA Champion Boston Celtics play five-time Turkish Champions Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul at the newly opened, state-of-the-art Ulker Sports Arena in Istanbul, Turkey.

Way more interesting than those fake games to me is the Orlando Summer League and Las Vegas Summer League which both take place in a few weeks.

CELTICS AT ORLANDO SUMMER LEAGUE
Monday, July 9 - Celtics vs. Thunder, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, July 10 - Celtics vs. Nets, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, July 11 - Celtics vs. Pacers, 11 a.m.
Thursday, July 12 - Celtics vs. Pistons, 11 a.m.
Friday, July 13 - Celtics vs. Magic, 10 a.m.

CELTICS AT LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE
Monday July 16
• COX Pavilion
4 PM -- Atlanta vs. Boston
Tuesday July 17
• COX Pavilion
10 PM -- Chicago vs. Boston
Thursday July 19
• Thomas & Mack
6:30 PM -- Boston vs. Sacramento
Saturday July 21
• COX Pavilion
10:30 PM -- Milwaukee vs. Boston
Sunday July 22
• COX Pavilion
6 PM -- Boston vs. LA Clippers

The 2012 NBA Draft is Thursday night (7 p.m., ESPN) and Boston has the 21st and 22nd pick in the first round along with the 51st pick in the second round. Expect those players, some of the Celts younger guys (E'Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson) along with a smattering of undrafted rookies and veterans trying to get contracts to dot these rosters. All those games are shown on NBATV which is nice, it's fun to have some basketball to tide us over during the long summer months.

UPDATE 6/26: Boston gets Oklahoma City's 2013 second-round draft pick that it controls from Charlotte as compensation for the heart problems that Jeff Green suffered with the Celtics. That should be early in the second round since the Bobcats were historically bad last season and they probably won't do much better next season. As for Green, he's a free agent but he hopes to re-sign with the C's.

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Mavericks Roll In Summer League Style Pretend Game Vs. Celtics

With their dynamic point guard (Rajon Rondo) suspended, their best interior player and soul of the team (Kevin Garnett) out to deal with a personal matter and their best bench scorer (Brandon Bass) sitting with a knee injury, the Boston Celtics should have never bothered to show up in Dallas tonight.

There was no way in hell that the Mavericks (21-12) would lose to the shorthanded Celtics (15-16) and they didn't as Dallas rolled to an easy 89-73 win at the American Airlines Center.

Boston has lost six of its last seven games (since the Lakers loss) to fall back under the .500 mark. The All-Star break couldn't come at a better time for them since they look like the NBA's version of Old Yeller.

Conversely, after a slow start to their title defense, the Mavs have picked it up and won seven of eight mostly thanks to Dirk Nowitzki (26 points, 16 rebounds) getting back in shape. This win gave them the season series with the Celts as Dallas went 2-0.

Paul Pierce led the Celts with 20 points while Ray Allen had 15 and Avery Bradley scored 12. Did I mention that Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox left with injuries so essentially Greg Stiemsma and JaJuan Johnson were Boston's only big guys left? Is it too early to say I wish this NBA season (not just for the Celtics) was over?

Shawn Marion added 11 points for Dallas while Jason Terry notched 16 points off the bench.

The unofficial end of Boston's first half is Wednesday night in Oklahoma City where they'll get pummeled by the Thunder, with or without KG. This is miserable.

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Rondo Suspended For Two Games By The NBA

The NBA announced this evening that Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo is suspended two games for throwing the ball at an official last night in Detroit.

Rondo was ejected against the Pistons, so he wasn't on the floor or bench to see the loss, but he basically ensures that Boston will lose two more games without him. He has to serve the suspension immediately.

Tonight, the Celts are in Dallas to play the defending champion Mavericks, who have won six out of their last seven (and already beat the C's in Boston). After that, the Celtics play in Oklahoma City on Wednesday against the NBA's best team, the Thunder (who also won in Boston earlier this season).

The only break is that the All-Star Game and festivities are this weekend in Orlando so the Celts (who will most likely be under .500 and riding a 5-game losing streak) get some time off before ending this miserable road trip in fittingly one of the most worthless places in the United States-Cleveland, Ohio next Wednesday.

Rondo leads Boston with seven technicals this season which is also near the top of the league. Avery Bradley is expected to start in his place while it looks like Kevin Garnett (family matter) is out again tonight. In other words, the C's are screwed in Big D and Wednesday, thanks to Rondo's childish behavior.

UPDATE 2/20: KG is officially out tonight but the Boston Globe's Gary Washburn reports that he'll likely be back on Wednesday against the Thunder.

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Sorry Folks, It's Going To Be A Long Season For Our Beloved Boston Celtics

There is no better way to sum up the Celtics's game with the Mavericks tonight at the TD Garden than to list the last few plays in Dallas's 90-85 win.

With 25 seconds left, Paul Pierce shook off a brutal night (7 points) to hit a 3-pointer that tied it at 85. The problem was that there was way too much time left for the Mavs (6-5).

Everybody in the Garden except for apparently Celtics (4-5) head coach Doc Rivers and his team knew that Dirk Nowitzki (16 points, 7 rebounds) would get the last shot for Dallas. Kevin Garnett (16 points, 10 rebounds) was forced to guard him by himself and since this is 2012 and not say 2006, it didn't work. Dirk hit a crazy floater and got fouled with five seconds left. His free throw put Dallas up three points (88-85) with five seconds left.

No problem, the Celtics would get the last shot after all. Except not so much. Rajon Rondo (24 points, 7 assists) threw a crappy bounce pass at Ray Allen's (9 points) ankles and it bounced harmlessly out of bounds. It was over by then but just for good measure, Boston allowed a layup to Jason Terry (18 points) and Allen threw the inbounds pass away as time expired. Yuck.

In summation, this is who the Celtics are in 2011-12: frauds. They can beat up on the dredge of the NBA but when it comes time to play a decent opponent, they fold. This game was right there for them to snatch but all their minor mistakes added up to a particularly bitter loss. They have yet to beat a team that's over .500 this season or one that made the playoffs last season, something to chew on.

Everything that Boston does right now seems more difficult than it should be. Rondo is playing very well and Allen had been great before tonight but Pierce is lost and KG is a shell of his former self.

It's telling that the Celtics only got back into it this evening thanks to a second unit of Avery Bradley (4 points), Brandon Bass (8 points), Keyon Dooling (9 points) and Mickael Pietrus (5 points in his Celtic debut). Their younger legs allowed Rivers to put more ball pressure on the Mavs.

Shawn Marion had 15 points and seven rebounds for Dallas which has now won five of its last six games after starting 1-4. Without Tyson Chandler or J.J. Barea, I don't think they have a prayer of repeating but they'll be a factor in the Western Conference. Starting in place of Jason Kidd, old friend Delonte West had 12 points while Brendan Haywood had eight points and 11 rebounds.

After getting smoked by the Pacers on Friday and having four days off (probably as long as you can have this season in the NBA), the Celtics truly had no excuse for starting off so poorly once again. They got plenty of open looks but none of them were falling.

Dallas led 23-15 after the first quarter but Boston rallied to cut it to 42-41 at halftime. The Mavs pushed it further and were up 68-59 heading into the fourth before withstanding Boston's last spurt (26-22).

The Celts hit nine more free throws (23-14) but the Mavs grabbed eight more rebounds (43-35) including an embarrassing 12-2 edge in offensive boards. Dallas also played more big boy basketball with a 44-30 margin in points in the paint.

Things don't figure to get much better for the C's since this was the start of a three games in four days stretch. They face the Bulls (10-2) on Friday at the Garden before a rematch with the Pacers in Indiana on Saturday night. Chicago won three games in the past three nights showing that they are both legit and not prone to making excuses even though Derrick Rose (last season's MVP) sat out tonight. At this point, I'll be happy if Boston wins either of those games.

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Pietrus Says He'll Debut For Celtics On Wednesday Against The Dallas Mavericks

It's only eight games into the 66-game 2011-12 NBA season for the Boston Celtics but they were due for some good news.

Already as a fan of the team, I can feel my excitement level for them declining with each poor effort and signs of aging. Getting Mickael Pietrus on the court isn't going to transform the C's from an Eastern Conference wannabe to a contender but at least it's a positive development.

Speaking to the local media for the first time today after practice, Pietrus declared himself ready to make his debut on Wednesday when the Celtics (4-4) host the defending champion Dallas Mavericks (4-5 with a game tomorrow in Detroit) at TD Garden.

Assuming he's healthy and at least a fair representation of himself, Pietrus should give an immediate lift to Boston's up and down second unit. Right now, Keyon Dooling is their only guy that can hit 3-pointers off the bench. Likewise, Marquis Daniels is the only decent defender with some size. Pietrus has the ability to do both of those things along with providing energy and athleticism.

Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to how he'll perform on his new team but at least it is something to look forward to regarding the Celtics. Otherwise, I can't see many other reasons to get our hopes up about this squad that currently appears destined for another early-round playoff exit.

The Mavs game is the start of four straight against four of the better teams in the NBA (Dallas, Chicago, Indiana and Oklahoma City). How the Celtics fare in those four contests should tell us plenty in terms of whether they will be a threat in the Eastern Conference or just battling for the fourth or fifth spot.

In other Celtics news today, Jeff Green had his heart surgery this morning and all reports say it went well.

"Surgery went well, he had surgery today -- they're saying it went great," Rivers said. "Obviously our thoughts, our prayers and every part of our being is with Jeff right now.

"The second news we want to hear is that he'll be able to play again. That would be terrific. I don't care if it's with us -- I want it to be with us -- [but] I just want him to. Really, at the end of the day, that's what we want."

Best wishes to Jeff, I hope to see him back on a basketball court soon, especially for the Celtics.

UPDATE 1/10: Doc said at practice today that Pietrus will play tomorrow while Daniels is expected to miss the game with flu-like symptoms.

UPDATE 1/11: Pietrus and Daniels will play while E'Twaun Moore will backup Rondo. On the other side, former Celtic Delonte West will start for the injured Jason Kidd.

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Jason Kidd's dagger helps Mavericks to a season sweep of the Celtics

Catching up with the Boston Celtics' disappointing 101-97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at the TD Garden.

It was a good, tight game but Dallas (34-15) seemed to make all the plays down the stretch, including a clutch 3-pointer by ageless Jason Kidd (10 points, 9 assists).

For once, the Celtics (37-12) completely crumbled down the stretch, something we're unaccustomed to seeing from them. I will always hate on the Mavericks for being regular season heroes but it is impressive that they won both games vs. the Celtics this season. I'd love to see them in the NBA Finals but frankly, I don't think Dallas will get through either San Antonio, Oklahoma City or the Lakers.

As always with the Mavs, Dirk Nowitzki was the star with a game-high 29 points. Tyson Chandler has been a great pickup for Dallas, he added 14 points and 15 rebounds while Northeastern product (Huskies!) JJ Barea notched 11 points.

Jason Terry (17 points) and Shawn Marion (13 points, 9 rebounds) were great off the bench in the win.

Speaking of ageless, Ray Allen paced the Celts with 24 points. Kevin Garnett added 16 points, Kendrick Perkins (in his first start this season) put up 13 points and 12 rebounds while Paul Pierce (12 points) and Rajon Rondo (8 points, 12 assists, 3 steals) were more contained.

The one bright spot off the Boston bench was Marquis Daniels (10 points).

Dallas was up 34-27 after the first quarter and 54-51 at halftime. Boston tied it at 77 going into the fourth quarter but the Mavs got it done in the fourth quarter (24-20).

The Celts are back at it tonight against another serious contender: the Orlando Magic come to the Garden for a pre-Super Bowl game. Should be another tight one.

Back to backs are going to be an issue all season, huh?

A win slipped thru the Boston Celtics' hands last night as they suffered a couple defensive breakdowns in crunch time and as a result, lost 89-87 to the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Arena.

Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks (4-2) with a game-high 25 points and Jason Terry added 17 points off the bench. Not surprisingly, they both made the biggest shots in the win. Terry hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 87 and then Nowitzki hit a mid-range jumper over Glen Davis (8 points).

Boston (6-2) had two chances to tie or win it but an uncontested 3-pointer by Rajon Rondo (11 points, 15 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals) and a fadeaway three by Kevin Garnett (18 points, 15 rebounds) are not exactly the first, second or third options in a late-game situation.

Despite having their five-game win streak snapped, this one had some meaning for the Celts since KG had probably his most impressive game yet (3 alley-oops from Rondo). Let's close the book on last season, time has caught up to him somewhat but he's not washed up yet and that's a big development for this team.

Paul Pierce also had a very nice game with 24 points and seven rebounds. Ray Allen had 11 points. Jermaine O'Neal left the contest in the second quarter and didn't return with knee soreness. Can we merge him and Shaq together? There's just no way either of them is healthy for more than half a season apart.

Tyson Chandler had 12 points and 13 rebounds for Dallas, Caron Butler and JJ Barea (Northeastern in the house!) added 11 points apiece and the ageless Jason Kidd had a classic JKidd line: 0 points, 10 assists.

In the second night of a back to back, against two playoff teams, the Celts started off slowly as usual. The Mavs led 23-19 after the first quarter and 50-40 at the half (the first time this season that Boston has trailed by double digits).

Dallas is a team that lives on jumpers (which is why they choke every year in the playoffs) so when those didn't fall in the third quarter, the Cs climbed back in (29-20).

Boston was up by five late in the fourth quarter (19-18 Dallas) but couldn't get enough stops and/or timely buckets to get a nice road victory.

Dallas shot 50.0% to Boston's 41.8%. The Mavs also took 13 more free throws (20-7) and made 10 more (17-7). Boston had four more rebounds (42-38), four more assists (24-20) and five more steals (11-6). Dallas had six more blocks (8-2), showing how little lift there was in Boston's legs (third game in four nights).

The Cs get a couple days off then travel to Miami on Thursday to face LeBron, Wade, Bosh and the Heat for the second time this season. I guess the NBA is taking a page out of MLB's playbook to have overkill early in the regular season of the money matchups (ala Red Sox-Yankees). Thank you Donald Sterns.

PJ Brown is rolling over in his grave

It doesn't take a haughty degree from Harvard or M.I.T to figure out the formula for success for the Celtics. Without KG, they're pretenders; with KG, they're one of the NBA's best teams and a championship contender.

As Kevin Garnett sat out his eighth straight game, the Dallas Mavericks came into the TD Garden last night and beat the Celtics 99-90 behind 37 points from Dirk Nowitzki.

It was Boston's (27-12) third consecutive loss at home as they continue to play better on the road than at home (better road beef?).

Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 24 points, Ray Allen scored 21, Kendrick Perkins had 14 points and 12 rebounds and Rajon Rondo notched 12 assists. Rasheed Wallace added 11 points but when he got in foul trouble, the game shifted in Dallas' (27-14) favor.

The ageless and hairless Jason Kidd had 13 points and 17 assists, Shawn Marion added 16 points and eight rebounds, Erick Dampier scored 11 and Drew Gooden had 10 points off the bench.

The C's were up 25-20 after one quarter and 50-41 at the half but once Wallace went out in the third quarter, Glen Davis and Brian Scalabrine were forced to cover Nowitzki, advantage Mavericks.

Dallas outscored Boston 34-18 in the third and they pushed the lead to as much as 18 points in the fourth while Boston didn't have any type of comeback in them.

Dallas shot 57.4% for the game to Boston's 50.6%. The Celts continue to struggle at the line (8 for 16) while the Mavs (17 for 24) did enough to win.

With KG's possible return looming on Friday vs. the Blazers, the Celts have a very winnable game tomorrow night in Detroit against a garbage Pistons team. A blowout would be just what the Doc (Rivers) ordered.

You almost feel bad for the Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are a reality TV show. You can't quite look away from whatever they're doing but you know that no matter what, they're frauds that won't ever amount to anything.

A little harsh? Yes but what else can you say after Dallas (31-21) built a 15-point lead last night against the Celtics (31-21) then predictably let it all slip away, 99-92.

It was the last game for both teams before the All-Star break, so what a way for the C's to go into it and conversely, the Mavs and their fans have to be cringing at what's looking like another first-round exit from the playoffs in the spring.

There is no disputing that Dirk Nowitzki is a great NBA player. What is debatable is if he can ever win a championship. For all of his crafty German offensive skills, he's a liability defensively and basically useless if his shot isn't falling.

Nowitzki had a game-high 37 points and eight rebounds but he couldn't do anything down the stretch as Paul Pierce and the Celts showed off their championship mettle.

Pierce scored 18 of his team-high 31 points in the fourth as he consistently isolated on Dallas defenders, who knew it was coming but still couldn't stop him.

Hurt thumb or not, Ray Allen added 20 points, Rajon Rondo posted a juicy triple-double (19 points, 15 rebounds, 14 assists) and Kevin Garnett dropped 16 points.

Boston head coach Doc Rivers received two technicals and got tossed from the game in the third quarter while Garnett also took a technical to fire his team up.

Without Jason Terry, the Mavs lack a consistent second scorer for Dirk. Josh Howard tossed in a quiet 17 points, Antoine Wright scored 10 and the ghost of Jason Kidd handed out 10 assists.

Dallas led 21-17 after one quarter and 51-40 at the half but who could be worried? The Mavs are about as opposite of clutch as you'll find for a team in the NBA.

Boston woke up with a 29-24 third and took it going away with a 30-17 dismantling in the fourth.

Mavs owner Mark Cuban sitting courtside could only weep in his limo on the way home as he wiped his ass with hundred dollar bills.

For the game, the C's shot 48.6% to the Mavs' 39.5%. Boston owned the glass (50-31) and had eight more assists (24-16) which made up for the ton of turnovers (19-8).

The big three will head to Phoenix for All-Star weekend while the rest of the team gets a few days off. With the win, Boston wrestled back the best record in the league. What more could you ask for at this point?

Mark Cuban must be loving life

The Dallas Mavericks are frauds. Since losing in the NBA finals in 2006, they've continually gotten worse. Good regular seasons have been followed by quick playoff exits. Avery Johnson was fired and Rick Carlisle is now the head coach but things don't appear to be changing in Big D.

Yesterday, the Boston Celtics took the Mavs behind the woodshed-in this case the Garden-for a 124-100 win that wasn't that close.

The Celts' (37-9) eighth straight win gave them the exact same record that they had last season thru 46 games.

Boston was led by its threesome of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen (7 assists) and Eddie House, who all scored 23 points. Rajon Rondo added 13 points, 14 assists, seven rebounds and four steals.

For Dallas (25-19), Jason Terry had 27 points off the bench while Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki each had 18 quiet, useless points.

The early afternoon (1 p.m.) start for ABC was no problem for the C's as they jumped on Dallas early: 38-23 after the first quarter. Not to be outdone, Boston scored a season-high 74 points in the first half, while the Mavs had 47. Game over.

The starters didn't have to play in the fourth as the bench held its own for the Green.

Boston shot 53.8% in the game, to Dallas' 42.1%. Led by House (7) and Allen (4), the Celts made 16 3-pointers. Dallas had a 30-8 free throws made advantage and they still got smoked.

The assist margin was 34-12 for the C's, who also only committed six turnovers. There were silly numbers all over the place in this laugher.

Expect more of the same as the Sacramento Kings come to the Garden tomorrow night. The Kings haven't beaten an Eastern Conference team this whole season. Really.

Suck It Cuban

Regardless of what happens tomorrow night in New Orleans against the Hornets, the Celtics road trip has to be considered wildly successful.

With last night's 94-90 win over the Mavericks (44-25), the Celtics (55-13) completed the extremely rare sweep of the dreaded Texas Triangle. In doing so, they became the first team since the Kings in Nov. 2001 to complete the task.

After missing the last three games, Ray Allen came back with a vengeance last night, hitting the biggest shot of the game (a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left that put the C's up two). Allen sat for a good portion of the fourth but he still managed 21 points. Paul Pierce (22 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks) and Kevin Garnett (20 points, 13 rebounds, 3 steals) also did some fine work all game.

The key to the win for Boston was its defense. Josh Howard led the Mavs with 24 points and six rebounds while Dirk Nowitzki had 22 points, 19 boards and six turnovers. Jerry Stackhouse added 17 points while Erick Dampier and Brandon Bass both notched 10. Oh and since the Mavericks picked up Jason Kidd (2 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals), they're 0-7 against teams over .500

For the game, Boston held Dallas to 39.3% from the floor. The C's are now 24-2 when they hold opponents under 40%. Even though Boston couldn't shoot (34.5%), they got to the line more (30-35 vs. 18-24) and took advantage.

Nowitzki was having a great game until the fourth quarter-a common theme to him this season. He was 0-6 in the fourth and only scored on two free throws while the C's continually harassed him into forced, tough shots.

Boston also made the most of its steals advantage (10-2) and only turned the ball over eight times which is amazing on the road.

All of this offset some terrible shooting by almost every Celtic. Rajon Rondo (0-7) and Sam Cassell (1-9) combined to go 1-16, Pierce was 6-14, Allen was 7-17 and KG was 7-22. James Posey was another standout, with 12 points (including a clutch 3-pointer) and four rebounds.

The road trip comes to a close tomorrow night as Boston travels to New Orleans to take on the only team they haven't played yet in the NBA this season. Everyone keeps waiting for the Hornets to fade but they're back in the top spot in the West so they seem pretty legit. It'll be fun to see Chris Paul (currently the best point guard on the planet) up close. I feel like he should be getting much more MVP consideration for the job he's done so far.

Celts beat Mavs without KG

Last night marked the first time that Boston faced one of the top teams in the West (Pheonix, San Antonio, Dallas) as the Mavericks came to the Garden for a TNT nationally-televised contest. Playing once again without Kevin Garnett, the Celts (36-8) got just enough from Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Co. to hold off the Mavs, 96-90 in a game that had the feel of a playoff game in May, especially in the second half.

The All Star reserves were named yesterday and while Pierce deservedly made it, Ray Allen did not (just like I said he shouldn't). Who knows if that was a big motivating factor but Allen came out on fire, scoring 15 in the first quarter and 22 in the first half, on the way to a team-high 26 points. Pierce also had 26 points and six rebounds.

Dirk Nowitzki (game-high 31 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks) made the stacked West all star team but teammate Josh Howard (19 points, 6 rebounds) failed to do so. Dallas (31-14) was starting a tough three game stretch in the East against Boston, Detroit and Orlando, without point guard Devin Harris, who is out for the next few weeks with an ankle injury. The always overrated Jason Terry (13 points, 6 assists) didn't impress.

Boston was up 27-20 after the first quarter but Dallas won the second quarter, 24-17 to send it to halftime tied at 44.

Rajon Rondo (14 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists) had a great all-around game, showing off his crazy athletic ability. James Posey (13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals) and Leon Powe (10 points, 4 rebounds) were big sparks off the bench.

The Celts were up one going into the fourth and it stayed tight the rest of the way. The outcome came down to a couple huge plays by some unlikely Boston heroes. First, when it was tied at 90, Rondo ripped away a offensive rebound under the basket from the 7-foot Dirk and put it off the glass for two. Then Posey had steals on back-to-back Mavericks possessions and hit all four of his free throws to ice it.

The Mavs were terrible from 3 (4 of 22) while the Celts were 5 of 11. Both teams were automatic from the line, Boston was 25 of 29, Dallas was 24 of 28. Dallas had more assists (20-13) but they also had more turnovers (13-8). It was a very well-played game between two solid NBA teams.

It was easily one of the best wins of the season for the C's as they proved that they can beat an elite team without KG. It's something that they surely don't want to make a habit of but at least they know they're pretty good by themselves. They have the next few days off and don't play again until Tuesday night in Cleveland against LeBron and the Cavs.