It's Bad Enough To Lose To The Pistons Once This Season But Twice? Come on Celtics, Wake Up!

 

    May I ask a simple question: what the hell is wrong with the Celtics (13-12 overall, 6-4 home)? Coming off a promising win over the Raptors (12-14) last night, they fell flat on their face tonight at TD Garden as they lost 108-102 to the tanking Pistons (7-19 overall, 2-11 away). Detroit has already played Boston three times this season and they've won two of those games so they are 2-1 vs. the C's and 5-18 against the rest of the NBA. Wait what? As if this result needed any more of a kick to the nuts, they watched rookie swingman Saddiq Bey-who was taken five picks (19th overall) after Celts rookie Aaron Nesmith who rarely ever plays-dominate them to the tune of a team-high 30 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and a perfect 7-for-7 on 3-pointers in 27 ultra productive minutes off the bench. Ouch babe!

    Point guard Kemba Walker sat out for the second game of a back-to-back which is his custom for this season, guard Marcus Smart (left calf tear) remains sidelined for awhile longer and center Robert Williams (left hip soreness) has missed these past two games with a bizarre injury for such a young guy but none of this should matter in terms of winning or losing against Detroit. Anyone that they throw out there should be capable of beating a wretched team like the Pistons. Rookie guard Payton Pritchard got his first career start and after dropping 20 points against Toronto (for the 2nd time), he no-showed with just two points. Even more worrisome, swingman Semi Ojeleye (who scored a career-high 24 points in Thursday's win) was rewarded with a spot in the starting lineup as well but he left early and never returned with a right knee injury. Fingers crossed, we don't know the severity of that issue yet but geez. 

    Trailing by 13 in the fourth quarter, Boston cut it down to a two-point Pistons lead but then Bey hit some clutch 3-pointers to end any hopes of an improbable rally. Shooting guard Delon Wright (22 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds) also played well for Detroit while small forward Jeremi Grant (15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) and power forward Blake Griffin (12 points, 6 assists) also scored in double-figures and shooting guard Josh Jackson (5 rebounds, 2 blocks) added 14 points off the bench. For the Celtics, swingman Jayson Tatum (33 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (27 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) combined for 60 points but none of their teammates really did anything notable. In fact, center Daniel Theis (11 points, 9 rebounds) was the only other Celtic to reach double-digits in scoring which is crazy against such a terrible opponent. 

    I don't want to overreact to a single game but this is a bigger issue that's been building lately since the C's fell to 3-6 in their last nine games. The Pistons were up 27-23 after the first quarter and 54-52 at halftime. Whatever head coach Brad Stevens said at halftime didn't work as Detroit outscored Boston 28-20 in the third quarter. The C's took the fourth quarter (30-26) but not by enough so it didn't matter one bit. Thanks to Bey's sharp-shooting, the Pistons hit seven more 3-pointers (15-8) than the Celtics, they had 10 more assists (25-15), they blocked three times as many shots (6-2) and their bench obliterated Boston's (49-20). 

    All that the C's can do now is to dust themselves off and take out their collective anger on another doormat-the Wizards (6-17) who they visit on Sunday afternoon (1, NBC Sports Boston) at the Capital One Arena. They beat Washington 116-107 on January 8th, the night before Tatum tested positive for Covid-19 which started an outbreak on the team that caused their next three games to be postponed. Poor Bradley Beal is still stuck on that miserable team which has the worst record in the Eastern Conference and second worst in the NBA with only Minnesota (6-20) owning an even more pathetic record. Sunday is Valentine's Day so I'd recommend focusing on that (if you can), because Celtics-Wizards is going to be one gross game that really cannot bring us any joy, only further anger and frustration. Good times!

Despite A 122-120 Win, Squeaking Out A Split In Detroit Is No Reason For The Celtics To Celebrate

    This afternoon in Detroit while you were probably watching the NFL, the Celtics (4-3 overall, 2-2 road) picked up one of those rare wins in sports that felt more like a loss as they just sneaked by the lowly Pistons (1-5 overall, 1-3 home) 122-120 at Little Caesars Gross Pizza Arena. Don't misconstrue the overarching point here: any kind of win is always better than a loss, especially when the C's fell 96-93 to the Pistons on Friday night at the same empty place. Unlike in that setback, shooting guard Jaylen Brown (game-high 31 points) and forward Jayson Tatum (24 points, career-high 12 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks) each hit clutch shots late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. However, it should not have to come to that against what will undoubtedly be one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference and probably the entire league when the 2020-21 regular season concludes. 

    Washed up power forward Blake Griffin (13 points) returned from a concussion but he played like he was still in a fog, shooting 4-for-14 from the field including 3-for-10 on three-pointers. Forward Jerami Grant (team-high 22 points, 6 rebounds) once again was Detroit's best player vs. Boston so it was strange to see him give up the last shot to Griffin who shot-putted an air-ball on a desperation 3-pointer at the final buzzer. Center Mason Plumlee (13 points, 8 rebounds) scored a little more today than in the first matchup but at least this time, the Celts did a better job containing him on the glass while small forward Josh Jackson was off to a hot start with 13 points in 14 minutes before an ankle injury ended his day prematurely. Detroit's bench owned Boston's to the tune of 54-23, mercy. Former MVP Derrick Rose had 13 points and eight assists while shooting guard Svi Mykhailiuk added 15 points in 15 minutes. 

    As you'd figure, Boston had more balanced scoring from its starters which made up just enough for how badly their bench was outplayed. Center Tristan Thompson had another double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds), point guard Marcus Smart (17 points, 10 assists) had his best game of the season and his first double-double along the way while power forward Daniel Theis added 15 points. Head coach Brad Stevens gave forward Semi Ojeleye his most minutes of the season (22) and he responded by scoring 11 points including hitting a trio of three-pointers which is the equivalent of found money for the C's. Like Jackson, Celtics point guard Jeff Teague left with an ankle injury that is troubling with their second back-to-back of the season on the horizon.

    The miserable start in the first quarter that plagued Boston on Friday was nowhere to be seen as the two teams were close all game long. Detroit led 33-31 after the first quarter but the Celtics found themselves ahead 61-57 at halftime. The home team narrowed Boston's advantage by one point with a solid third quarter (31-30) and the C's barely survived (getting outscored 32-31) in the fourth quarter. Boston shot the ball great (56.3% to 47.7%) from the field which was much-needed since they barely got to the free throw line (25-13 in attempts and 22-9 in makes in favor of Detroit). The Celtics also controlled the glass with eight more rebounds (41-33) including four more offensive boards (12-8). Thanks to Tatum they had six more assists (35-29) which made up for twice as many steals by the Pistons (8-4) on Boston's eight more turnovers (17-9). 

    The C's were lucky they were playing the Pistons today and not a higher quality opponent since a better team would have punished them for being so sloppy. Following the end of this two-game set, Boston finally got out of Motown and headed directly to Covid-19 central, I mean Tampa Bay which is the temporary home of the Raptors (1-4). Tomorrow night (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) will be the first meeting between the two Atlantic Division rivals since they went seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals in the bubble. The Celtics won that battle and hopefully they take advantage of a struggling team that thus far is one of the most disappointing clubs in the league less than two weeks into the regular season. The C's seemed to never win in Toronto so maybe playing the Raptors on what is essentially a neutral court will help mitigate that hex.

All It Took Was A Horrendous 1st Quarter (27-12) To Doom The Celtics Against The Wretched Pistons

 

    Other than a major injury to one of their top players, it's tough to picture a much worse start to 2021 than the one experienced by the Celtics (3-3 overall, 1-2 away) tonight as they fell 96-93 to the previously winless Pistons (1-4 overall, 1-2 home) at Little Caesars Arena. Side topic: who knew a crappy pizza chain from the 90s had enough money to buy a professional sports arena? On the other hand, it's Detroit. The Pistons' best player power forward Blake Griffin was out with a concussion (and the fact that he's any NBA team's top star in 2021 is mind-blowing) so the Detroit starting five and bench were littered with a bunch of nobodies, has-beens, never-weres and never-will bes. Boston must have underestimated Detroit since they decided to skip the first quarter as they were outscored 27-12 in the opening 12 minutes. The C's fought their way back from a 21-point deficit (35-14) early in the second quarter but they predictably unraveled at the end, getting outscored 8-0 in the final 4:14 as they bricked shot after shot (0-for-11 from the field in that woeful span). 

    It's one thing to lose to the Nets (3-3) or the Pacers (4-1)-two quality teams in the Eastern Conference who will be in the playoffs this season-but the Pistons are clearly tanking to get the highest lottery pick imaginable in the 2021 NBA Draft. They must not have gotten that memo in time for tonight's game though since power forward Jerami Grant had a team-high 24 points (including a dunk on poor Daniel Theis) while rookie shooting guard Saddiq Bey added 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals, center Mason Plumlee had 17 rebounds which is absurd, small forward/noted bust Josh Jackson notched 11 points and even the ghost of Derrick Rose (17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) was at his 2021 best in 24 minutes off the bench. 

    The Celtics are nearly unbeatable when power forward Jayson Tatum (game-high 28 points, 6 rebounds) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks) each score 25+ points in the same contest but this bucked that trend since the rest of their teammates combined for only 40 points. Tatum and Brown aren't immune from criticism though since both missed what would have been tying three-pointers late in the fourth quarter. Point guard Marcus Smart (13 points, 9 assists, 3 steals) missed a pair of three-pointers of his own and a runner during that icy stretch for Boston. Six guys played off Boston's bench but only point guard Jeff Teague (12 points, 2 steals) and power forward Grant Williams (8 points, 5 rebounds) managed to score a single point from that group. Detroit's terrible bench outscored them 36-20 which makes me want to cry. 

    Last time I checked, this still only counts as one game but it's about more than that: every team has down nights in the NBA but the truly elite clubs almost never perform like this against an opponent that should be way below them. The C's came in 3-2 so I don't know how they could have been so full of themselves but it feels like the only explanation for that New Year's hangover in the first quarter. Without such a mess of a start, they would have rolled (as Vegas expected them to since they were favored by 8 points coming into the game which is a huge line for a road team) to an easy win. Both teams scored 28 points in the second quarter then Boston outscored Detroit 33-24 in the third quarter and 20-17 in the fourth quarter but it wasn't enough. The Pistons hit three more three-pointers (11-8), six more free throws (13-7) and they grabbed three more rebounds (48-45) including six more offensive boards (13-7) than the Celtics. 

    Just like last week when they lost their first game in Indiana, had a day to stew on it then recovered with a victory in the rematch, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens better hope that the same formula applies this time as well. Getting swept by the Pistons and falling back under .500 would be very depressing. Only five people might watch it live but just so you know, the Celts play again at Detroit on Sunday afternoon (3, NBC Sports Boston) right smack dab in the middle of the final day of the 2020 NFL regular season. Patriots (6-9) vs. Jets (2-13) is unwatchable so hopefully you have NFL Red Zone, that is no doubt your best sporting option on Sunday afternoon.

Celtics Trade for Isaiah Thomas, The Shorter Non-Evil One That is Nate Robinson 2.0

The 2015 NBA Trade Deadline came and went today with Boston making a sneaky big move and also a minor salary dump. The Celtics traded shooting guard Marcus Thornton (8.9 points per game) and Cleveland's 2016 first-round pick (sure to be at the end) to the Suns for point guard Isaiah Thomas (15.2 points, 3.7 assists per game). Small forward Tayshaun Prince (7.6 points per game) was sent back to Detroit (lucky him) for Swedish power forward Jonas Jerebko and Italian small forward Luigi Datome (he is sure to be a cult favorite in the North End).

The fact that Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge could flip the aging Thornton (who will be a free agent this summer) for Thomas is pretty remarkable. He's very undersized (5-foot-9, 185 pounds) but the former University of Washington star has made a name for himself after only three years in the NBA. Take it with a mountain of salt since it happened in Sacramento but last season in 34.7 minutes per game Thomas averaged 20.3 points, 6.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game in 72 contests (54 starts). Phoenix made the curious decision to try and play three point guards together this season (Thomas, Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic) with mixed results-9th place in the loaded Western Conference. With all the moves they made today, the Suns are left with Bledsoe and now Brandon Knight after Dragic was shipped to Miami.

I'm not going to worry too much about Jerebko and Datome since who knows if either guy will ever put on a Celtics uniform. For what it's worth, (my name is) Jonas averaged 5.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while Luigi averaged 3.7 points per game in very limited action. It got to the point recently where Detroit (21-33) had basically phased them both out of the rotation (well not like Datome was ever in that anyway) entirely so what else has to be said?

Boston's (20-31) first game after the All-Star break ironically enough is in Sacramento (18-34) tomorrow night (10, CSN). Through the magic of the god-awful Eastern Conference, the Celts are only 1.5 games behind Miami (22-30) for eighth-place. If you are like me and you see absolutely no point for them to make the playoffs this season, we got some good news late tonight as the team announced that Jared Sullinger is out indefinitely with a foot injury. It is not surprising that a fat guy like him seems to break down every year but he is one of their best players that they have to build around so yikes.

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The Dream Is Over: Celtics' Unbeaten Summer League Run Goes Down In Flames

After three very solid games in a row to start the 2012 Orlando Summer League, the Celtics laid an egg this afternoon against the Pistons.

Detroit (3-1) led the whole way and coasted to an easy 93-79 victory over Boston (3-1) to hand them their first loss of the week or summer if you will. All you need to know about how one-sided it was: the Pistons shot 12.5% better (48.6-36.1) and dished out 14 more assists (23-9).

Here come the excuses: the Celtics gave their main starters a bit of a break so the bench guys started. Not that it mattered since the Pistons were on fire all game long; credit to Boston for cutting it to seven in the fourth but they were never really in it.

Former Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight looked like Rajon Rondo with a game-high 19 points and 14 assists. Austin Daye had 15 points and eight rebounds, Khris Middleton scored 12 points and UConn product Andre Drummoned added 10 points and eight rebounds.

The two real bright spots for the C's were JaJuan Johnson (17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks), who had his best performance of the week and Kris Joseph (17 points, 11 rebounds), who continues to open eyes. Jamar Smith had 13 points, Jared Sullinger struggled from the field (2-for-9) but still managed 11 points and seven rebounds while Dionte Christmas scored his customary 10 points.

Boston closes out its week in Orlando with a matchup against the host Magic (2-2) tomorrow morning (10 a.m., NBA TV). After that, the C's will fly to Las Vegas as they are also participating in NBA Summer League in Sin City. Their first game there is on Monday night vs. Atlanta (6 p.m., NBA TV).

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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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Rajon Rondo Needs To Grow Up

I don't ask for much from the Boston Celtics this season but if they're crumbling into irrelevance, can they at least do it with some class?

Apparently that's more than Rajon Rondo can handle since he got ejected tonight in Detroit for throwing the ball at a referee as Detroit (11-22) beat Boston (15-15) 96-81 for the second time in a week, in this case at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Celtics have lost three straight and their season is starting to become a joke. Kevin Garnett missed the game (family matter) and Brandon Bass is still out so clearly the C's needed Rondo (5 points, 10 assists) to be a leader for once and play well. Nope, that's too much to ask. Upset over not getting a foul call, he let his emotions get the best of him. They wouldn't have come back anyway but this one stings since he'll probably get suspended too, you simply can't pull a ridiculous move like that and hope to get away with it.

Four of five Pistons starter scored in double-figures led by Greg Monroe (17 points, 10 rebounds). Rodney Stuckey had 16 points, Tayshaun Prince added 13 points and Brandon Knight scored 12. Jason Maxiell grabbed 10 rebounds while Jonas Jerebko posted 13 points off the bench.

Paul Pierce had 18 points, Chris Wilcox added 14 points and Ray Allen scored 13. Jermaine O'Neal (8 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks) actually had one of his best games in a Celtic uniform but who will remember it? I always poke fun at Zombie Jermaine but I will give him credit: he can still play defense. It's a shame that he wasn't on the Celtics before all his assorted injuries.

It was tied at 26 after the first quarter but Detroit started to pull away after that. They led 55-42 and 75-61 heading into the fourth. The Celts could never make it interesting or whittle it down to anything manageable.

This contest had some wacky numbers, mainly because the Celtics had 24 turnovers which led to 40 points for the Pistons. Boston shot better (44.4%-37.8%), they had eight more assists (22-14) and blocked seven more shots (11-4). Here's where it gets really depressing. Detroit took 31 more free throws (46-15), only made 18 more (29-11), they had seven more steals (13-6) and scored 22 more points in the paint (42-20).

I wish I had something positive to say about the Celts but the fact that they play at Dallas tomorrow night and in Oklahoma City on Wednesday basically guarantees they'll lose five straight games regardless if Garnett returns and Rondo does or doesn't get suspended. Good times! Now is about the point when Celtics GM Danny Ainge does something insane that none of us saw coming. Am I right Danny?

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Paul Pierce Makes His 2011-12 Debut & Magically The Celtics Are A Different Team

I can't sit here and pretend that beating the Detroit Pistons means anything since they're one of the worst teams in the NBA.

Still, tonight's home opener for the Celtics couldn't have gone much better as Boston (1-3) rolled 96-85 at TD Garden over the Pistons (0-3), for their first win after a miserable three-game road trip to start the season.

Celts captain Paul Pierce made his inaugural appearance of the 2011-12 season and it was an effective one as he put up 12 points, five assists and four rebounds in just 23 minutes of action.

Facing Detroit for its home opener wasn't a sexy matchup by any means; I don't think the NBA could have conjured a much worse one in that regard but in terms of teams that the Celts could beat on most nights, it's hard to top the Pistons who are going nowhere fast.

To illustrate how much of a pushover Lawrence Frank's (it was nice to see that pipsqueak again) squad is, Jermaine O'Neal had a team-high 19 points and seven rebounds for the C's. Ray Allen added 17 points and Brandon Bass had 17 points off the bench.

As a team, Boston shot a perfect 19 of 19 from the free throw line which offset quiet performances from Rajon Rondo (9 points, 5 assists) and Kevin Garnett (8 points).

Greg Monroe led Detroit with a game-high 22 points and nine rebounds. Tayshaun Prince and Jonas Jerebko were the other Pistons starters to score in double figures, both had 10 points. Austin Daye scored 11 points off the bench and rookie Brandon Knight put up 10 points.

Boston was in control from the start although they didn't really open it up until the second half. The Celts outscored the Pistons 24-22 in the first quarter and led 50-43 at halftime. A big third quarter (36-21) allowed Doc Rivers to not play the starters more than 29 minutes (which is big for such an old group). Detroit took the fourth (21-10) but who cares?

Boston shot much better than Detroit (52.2% to 43.0), made four more 3-pointers (7-3), had seven more assists (25-18), six more blocks (6-0) and six more points in the paint (11-5).

Up next for the C's, a home-and-home with the Washington Wizards on Sunday in DC and Monday in Boston. The Wizards (0-3) are still awful but they're young and athletic so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they give the Celtics trouble in at least one of those games.

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Shaq is going to be such a monster in the wheelchair basketball league

If you had a ticket to last night's miserable matchup of the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons, you might have seen some history at the TD Garden.

Shaquille O'Neal returned to action after missing more than two months, scored six points in five minutes then promptly pulled up lame with another injury-strained calf.

The Celtics (53-23) won 101-90 over the Pistons (26-50) but I wouldn't be surprised if that was the Diesel's final NBA game. How much does he have left in the tank? And what does his worn out body have left to prove?

It's too bad that his injury overshadowed the team's win. If you've been paying attention at all this season, you had to know something like that would happen to Shaq. He simply can't stay healthy anymore.

Kevin Garnett led Boston with 23 points and eight rebounds while Paul Pierce had 22 points. Rajon Rondo handed out 14 assists and Ray Allen added 13 points. Delonte West (10 points, 5 assists) and Glen Davis (11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) were solid off the bench.

Will Bynum paced the Pistons with 20 points. Tayshaun Prince had 16 points, Richard Hamilton scored 14 and Greg Monroe had 11 points. Charlie Villanueva put up 15 points off the bench.

Troy Murphy and Nenad Krstic (who's much more important than Shaq) could both return tomorrow night as Boston hosts Philadelphia in a possible first-round playoff matchup. Krstic got the good news over the weekend that he didn't tear anything in his knee.

Your mom and grandma's favorite Celtic helps the team wake up and beat the Pistons

As they sleepwalked through a meaningless game vs. the Detroit Pistons last night at the TD Garden, it was obvious that the Boston Celtics needed a spark.

38-year-old Shaquille O'Neal was the unlikely force behind a strong fourth quarter (28-21) to help the Celts overcome an eight-point deficit and win 86-82.

Kevin Garnett (11 points, 6 rebounds) looked like the rusty player who just came back from an injury, the expected letdown after his performance on Monday vs. the Orlando Magic-a much bigger game against a fellow contender.

Paul Pierce (game-high 22 points) was the only Celtic (32-9) that really seemed to be focused that is until Shaq carried the team on his broad shoulders in the fourth quarter.

I'll admit that when Boston picked up Shaq in the off-season, I figured it was nothing more than a heady PR move but I've been pleasantly surprised. When he plays (a big if), he has been unselfish and brought some inside presence that they've desperately needed with Kendrick Perkins, Jermaine O'Neal and KG out at various times.

Last night was Shaq's best game for the Celts. He was diving on the court for loose balls, blocking shots (2), stealing the ball (3) and posting a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Ray Allen was held to seven points although as he usually does, he made a dagger long 2-pointer that was the biggest shot of the game. Rajon Rondo was also limited to six points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Glen Davis had 11 points and six rebounds for the bench which was short-handed after Marquis Daniels left in the second quarter with a sprained ankle.

Detroit (15-27) came in on a three-game winning streak but let's be honest: they're a complete mess. Richard Hamilton is due to be traded but right now he's rotting on the bench and getting DNPs.

Rodney Stuckey led the Pistons with 15 points, Greg Monroe (9 rebounds) and Tayshaun Prince added 13 points apiece, Charlie Villanueva had 11 points and Ben Gordon notched 10 points.

Try not to fall asleep as I describe this borefest. The teams were tied at 22 after one quarter and Detroit was up 45-42 at halftime. Both only managed 16 points in an ugly third quarter before the Cs finally decided to play for a few minutes in the fourth.

Boston shot 44.7% to Detroit's 41.9%. They each hit four 3-pointers and the Pistons made two more free throws (16-14). The Celts pulled down 13 more rebounds (47-34) while the Pistons had four more steals (9-5), one more block (6-5) and four less turnovers (17-13). Detroit had three more fast break points (12-9) but thanks to Shaq, the Celts had eight more points in the paint (50-42).

Things figure to get much more interesting and exciting tomorrow night as the Utah Jazz visit the Garden. Former Celtics young gun Al Jefferson has finally found a good team to play on and point guard Deron Williams is arguably the best in the NBA. Should be a good one, wish I was going!

Oh God no!

If you want to blame Kevin Garnett's injury on me, I'll accept it.

It has not been a banner week for myself since my cable went out on Tuesday night which means no DVR and it won't be fixed until Friday. FML! I knew the karma from that was bad since I had seen almost every Celtics and Bruins game this season up until the other night.

So obviously I was covering a high school basketball last night when I scanned Twitter for a few minutes and noticed it was blowing up. What was the cause? Oh just another possible serious injury to KG. No matter where I was when I found that out, I wouldn't have been happy but sitting in a rotten mood at a boring high school game was about the most helpless feeling I can remember in a while.

Watching the endless replays when I got back to the office, it happened in the first quarter when he went up for a dunk. He wasn't touched by anyone but as he elevated, something clearly got tweaked in his right leg. It was eerily similar to the injury in Utah two seasons ago that ended that campaign. He was also kicked in the leg by Monte Ellis last season which made him miss some time.

More than anything, I feel bad for KG since he's worked so diligently to return to form at a time when most had all but written him off. The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn wrote a column today about how Jermaine O'Neal and Shaq have to take control inside now with KG out. What planet am I on? That was one of the dumbest things I've ever read, doesn't Washburn watch this team every night? This isn't 2001, no matter how much time Garnett misses, his production falls to Glen Davis, not the two fossils we have at center.

After the game last night, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and the journalists that cover the team tried to calm everyone's fears by saying it was a calf injury, not a knee injury. Garnett is scheduled to have an MRI today, fingers crossed.

There was a game last night in the Palace of Auburn Hills and the Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics 104-92.

The Pistons (11-21) received a team-high 21 points and eight assists from Tracy McGrady (I can hardly believe it), Tayshaun Prince had 18 points, Charlie Villanueva scored 14 points while Ben Gordon (12 points), Austin Daye (12 points) and Chris Wilcox (10 points) all reached double figures.

The Celts (24-6) were led by Paul Pierce (33 points, 8 assists, 4 steals) but Ray Allen (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Glen Davis (12 points) seemed to be the only Cs to do anything outside of the Truth.

I don't feel the need to rehash this forgettable game and poor performance.

Boston comes home to host the New Orleans Hornets tomorrow afternoon in a New Year's Eve special start time (3 p.m.). Rumors are swirling that Rajon Rondo - who's been out six straight games - might return to take on Chris Paul but we shall see.

Rajon Rondo is from another planet

Admittedly, it's hard to get pumped out about any NBA regular season game unless you're going or some other special situation.

Still, there's a reason I set the DVR for the Celtics' game at the Detroit Pistons last night and I plan to the do the same for the rest of the season - Rajon Rondo.

Boston's young point guard is the heart and soul of the team and he is playing on another level right now.

In last night's easy 106-89 win for the Celts (3-1) at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Rondo had 17 assists and no turnovers. Think about that. This comes after a triple-double on Friday vs. the Knicks with 24 assists (four short of the franchise record by Bob Cousy).

I've never seen a guy that's able to control the game like he can, especially when he's not much of a scoring threat at all himself.

Kevin Garnett looks more like the 2008 KG than last year's shadow of himself. He had 22 points, Paul Pierce had 21 points and Ray Allen added 16 points.

In his first start for the Green, zombie Jermaine O'Neal even had 12 points and two blocks. He was getting plenty of open looks so if he can knock a few shots down a game, Boston will be in great shape. Him and Shaq are sure to be hurt a ton this season and Kendrick Perkins won't come back until at least January.

The C's bench continues to play well without its leader - Delonte West. Glen Davis had 10 points, Marquis Daniels scored nine while rookies Luke Harangody (4 points) and Semih Erden (2 points, 2 blocks) scored their first NBA buckets in limited action.

Detroit (0-4) is a mess as they're off to their first 0-4 start in 11 seasons. They can't seem to decide if they want to completely rebuild around Rodney Stuckey (15 points) and Austin Daye (16 points) or live off past glory with Ben Wallace (6 points, 8 rebounds) and Tayshaun Prince (10 points), not to mention Richard Hamilton, who didn't play since he's injured.

I don't know where Ben Gordon (14 points) fits into that equation but either way, the Pistons are going nowhere fast despite having a decent collection of talent. Charlie Villanueva should start, even though he doesn't play defense, since he put up a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Boston shot 51.9% to Detroit's 44.9%. The Celtics made five more 3-pointers (7-2) and shot 100% from the free throw line (18 for 18). Oh and they had a whopping 20 more assists (33-13), eight more steals (10-2) and five more blocks (7-2). The Pistons had 17 turnovers while the C's only had eight, which was a great sign since that's been a major issue in their first few games this season.

The other big issue will come tonight as they face the Milwaukee Bucks at the TD Garden. Can the Celts beat a good team in the second night of back to back games? The Bucks have gotten off to a slow start but the Celtics lost in Cleveland last week under similar circumstances to a bad team.

Michael Finley and your grandpa had some crazy times back in the day

The Boston Celtics have become the definition of front-runners. They beat up on the scrubs in the NBA (most of whom reside in the Eastern Conference) and then they choke time and again against good teams and playoff contenders.

They rolled over the woeful Detroit Pistons last night 119-93 at the TD Garden and I think it's safe to say that Bill Laimbeer is rolling over in his grave.

This game was never close as Boston (42-24) was up 31-15 after the first quarter and 64-35 at halftime.

It was a nice reminder of why once March Madness comes around, any sane basketball fan forgets about the NBA for a few weeks.

Seven Celtics scored in double figures and two others had eight points. The newest Celtics Michael Finley had 15 points off the bench while Paul Pierce and Ray Allen also scored 15 in limited time. Kevin Garnett added 14 points and eight rebounds, Glen Davis had 13 points off the bench while Kendrick Perkins and Marquis Daniels notched 11. Rasheed Wallace and Glen Robinson both scored eight points.

Poor Richard Hamilton (14 points) and Tayshaun Prince. Detroit (23-44) is a complete mess and those two great veterans are stuck on a rebuilding team going nowhere fast. Prince left the game early after teammate Jason Maxiell (11 points, 10 rebounds) kneed him in the back.

Will Bynum had 16 points and 7 assists for the Pistons, Jonas Jerebko added 10 points while DaJuan Summers (12 points) and Ben Gordon (11 points) showed pulses off the bench.

The C's shot 62.2% as a team with nine more rebounds (36-27) and double the amount of assists as Detroit (34-17).

Tomorrow night will probably be another laugher as the Knicks come to the Garden for a St. Patrick's Day beatdown Southie style.

The Nate Robinson trade pays off

These are desperate times for the Boston Celtics since no win as guaranteed (see: losing to New Jersey over the weekend at home).

Therefore last night's 105-100 win in Detroit isn't exactly parade worthy but still, the hopeless Pistons did beat the Celtics a few weeks ago on the same court.

Nate Robinson had his best game so far for the Celts as he scored 14 points (including 4 3-pointers) in 15 minutes. That's exactly the type of instant offense off the bench Boston needs. And if you think Eddie House, Bill Walker or J.R. Giddens would have provided it this season as consistently, well I feel bad for you son.

It was a grimy game and Boston (37-21) did everything they could to keep Detroit (21-39) in it but thankfully the C's made a couple plays in crunch time to seal it.

Ray Allen led the Celts with 18 points, Rajon Rondo had 15 points and 11 assists, Kevin Garnett scored 14 and grabbed nine rebounds while Rasheed Wallace (starting for a sick Kendrick Perkins) had 10 points. Glen Davis added 12 points off the bench.

The Pistons were a dominant team in the last decade but now they're in the tricky process of rebuilding while still giving some fading stars big minutes.

Jonas Jerebko led the Pistons with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Richard Hamilton (7 assists) and Tayshaun Prince both had 15 points and Rodney Stuckey, the franchise building block, was held to 13 points.

It was tied at 25 after the first quarter and Boston held a slim 55-52 halftime lead. Detroit went ahead 75-72 going into the fourth but the C's impressively closed it 33-25.

They'll try to build on that momentum as the Charlotte Bobcats come to the TD Garden this evening for what should be another closer than it should be contest.

It's a good thing these games don't really matter

Yuck. The Celtics choked away a twelve-point lead last night at the Palace and lost to the woeful Pistons 92-86.

It was Boston's (27-13) third consecutive loss and the fifth in their last seven games. This was maybe the worst loss of the season so far since Detroit (15-26)-who recently lost 13 games in a row-is just an awful team, there's no way around it.

The centerpiece of the rebuilding Pistons is Rodney Stuckey and the 50 Cent look-alike has some game: he scored a game-high 27 points, with 11 rebounds and six assists.

Charlie Villanueva scored 19 points off the bench for Detroit while Jason Maxiell and Richard Hamilton scored 12 points apiece.

Paul Pierce got off to a hot start with 17 points in the first quarter but he was held to four points the rest of the way. Rajon Rondo added 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

In his big return to Detroit Rock City, Rasheed Wallace tallied 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals but he didn't make any plays down the stretch when the Pistons started to run away with it.

The most interesting part of the game was Big Baby swearing at a clown Detroit fan that was courtside. It's good to see that Davis has really grown up since his injury at the start of the season.

(Fingers crossed) Kevin Garnett is supposed to return tomorrow night for the C's as they host the underrated Trailblazers. Portland star Brandon Roy is banged up with a hamstring injury so his status is probably up in the air too.

Sorry A.I., Rajon Rondo is the future

A few months back, when I purchased tickets to see the Detroit Pistons vs. the Boston Celtics at the Garden, I expected a tight early season meeting of the Eastern Conference's two best teams.

With that said, the result was surprising as the C's (11-2) absolutely dominated the Pistons (8-4) in a 98-80 romp last night.

Detroit started the game on a 13-2 run but as quick as you noticed that, the Celts were tying it up as the teams each had 21 in the first quarter.

Boston's bench was the key to the game as Tony Allen (13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks), Eddie House (11 points) and Leon Powe (7 points, 7 rebounds) gave the C's energy and production in extended playing time.

As a result, Boston took a 49-40 lead into the break and never looked back as they led 77-57 going into the fourth.

The Big Three had collectively as bad a game as you'll ever see from them: Kevin Garnett (15 points), Ray Allen (12 points) and Paul Pierce (9 points) got to sit out the entire fourth quarter though which is vital since they play tonight and Sunday on the road.

In a game full of so many stars, one player that you might not expect, totally stood out above the rest: Rajon Rondo. I can't decide who is more appropriate named Mr. Jekell and Hyde, between Rondo or Tony Allen but it's clear that when Rondo is on, he's one of the great young stars in the NBA.

Rondo had a game-high 18 points, eight assists and three steals. Kendrick Perkins added 10 rebounds.

The Pistons never seemed into the game. Allen Iverson paced Detroit with the quietest 16 points I've ever seen. Rasheed Wallace (13 points) and Richard Hamilton (12 points) didn't leave any imprint on the game before retreating to the bench for good.

Jason Maxiell had 10 points for the Pistons.

It's way too early to say whether the Chauncey Billups for A.I. swap was a success for Detroit or not but as of now, the early returns are not looking good. Sure, the Pistons beat the Lakers last week but A.I. is not at the point in his career where he can lead a team (while Ba Ba Ba Billups still can as he's showing in Denver). Iverson's game has been reduced to driving the lane, jumping in the air then passing back out. He's not a total bum by any means but it barely resembles the sure bet Hall-of-Famer in his Sixers days.

The Celts shot 49.3% to Detroit's 42.6%. Boston had five more rebounds (42-37), five more assists (22-17), four more steals (12-8) and four less turnovers (16-12).

Tonight is KG's first official visit back to Minnesota. Last year, he was out with the abdominal injury so he couldn't play. He still garnered an awkward pre-game ceremony but this game should be much more enjoyable for Garnett and the Timberwolves' fans.

One Win Away from the NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics are now just one win away from the NBA Finals, thanks to a 106-102 win over the Pistons last night in game 5 at the Garden. Boston now leads the Eastern Conference Finals 3-1.

Two of the three most outstanding players on the Celtics last night were pretty unexpected: Kendrick Perkins and Ray Allen.

Allen had 29 points (9 of 15 from the floor, 5 of 6 on threes, 6-6 from the line) and scored a clutch hoop with a minute left to put Boston back up three after Detroit had cut it to one.

He had a few games which were statistically higher this season but last night was so far, the performance of Kendrick Perkins' NBA life. He posted a double-double in the first half and finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Part of the reason he was able to do so much was that he stayed out of foul trouble, a constant issue with Perk.

Not to be outdone, Kevin Garnett had a game-high 33 points and seven boards. KG made two free throws at the end to give Boston the four-point cushion.

Rajon Rondo put up some crazy numbers, even for him: seven points (3 of 14 from the floor), 13 assists, six rebounds, four steals and a block. Oh and he only had one turnover.

For the Pistons, Chauncey Billups put up a team-high 26 points with six assists and five rebounds. Richard Hamilton posted 25 points, six assists and four rebounds. Rasheed Wallace was on fire from three-point land, making six of eight for 18 points and three blocks while Rodney Stuckey had 13 points off the bench.

The third quarter was the difference as the teams were tied 23-23 after the first quarter and Detroit actually led 52-46 at the half.

Spearheaded by Allen's shooting (really), the Celts stormed back in the third and at one point led by 17 points. The Pistons though are resilient, we're talking like Keith Richards can't die invincible.

Detroit kept making tough shots and plays in the fourth quarter, taking the frame 31-22. Boston held on by the skin of their teeth and they clearly have some work to do when nursing fourth quarter leads.

Both teams scoring over 100 points was a surprising occurrence in what has lived up to the defensive, hard-nosed battle it was expected to be. Boston shot 50.7% from the floor to Detroit's 46.3%. The Pistons stayed in the game by going 11 of 21 on 3-pointers while the Celts made eight of 15. Thanks to Perk's beastly night on the glass, the C's had a 42-25 edge in rebounding, including 11 offensive boards.

Last night was a huge win but it followed the script of the Celtics playoff run thus far: they've never trailed in a series and they've won every game 5. Hopefully they can revise the script and end this series in six (what a concept). After blowing out the Hawks in game 7 and having a career-defining game from Pierce to defeat the Cavs, I don't want to know what it would take to put the Pistons away. Richard Hamilton strained his elbow at the end of game 5 so he'll at least be banged up. The C's have finally notched one road win, why not make it two?

DE-TROIT BAS-KET-BALL!

If nothing else this playoff season, we've learned that the NBA is currently largely based on trends and home-court. It seems rarely do unexpected results happen.

Specifically, while the Celtics were able to finally pull out a road win on Saturday, things went back to normal in game 4 last night at the Palace as Detroit took a 94-75 win to even the Eastern Conference Finals at two games apiece.

The Pistons are now 5-0 this playoff season in games following losses. Game 4 was a strange one, nothing more telling of that fact than Antonio McDyess having a 1998 style game of 21 points and 16 rebounds.

All of the Big Three played badly, some worse than others. Kevin Garnett had a quiet 16 points and 10 rebounds, Paul Pierce had 16 points (on 3 of 14 shooting, he made 10 of 11 from the line) and eight rebounds while Ray Allen further proved that game 2 was a fluke, scoring 11 points on 2 of 8 shooting. James Posey had 11 points off the bench and Kendrick Perkins had 10 before fouling out.

Rajon Rondo continued his trick or treat play, managing only four points and four assists in 30 minutes. Sam Cassell bested that with a goose egg in 17 minutes.

As is usually the case when Detroit plays well, a variety of guys contributed to the win. Richard Hamilton had 20 points and seven assists, Rasheed Wallace had 14 points, five rebounds and five blocks, Jason Maxiell had 14 points off the bench and Chauncey Billups put up 10 points and dished out seven assists.

After starting off slowly in game 3-a key to the loss-the Pistons hit Boston with a 10-0 run at the start of the first quarter. The C's recovered to make it a five-point deficit (22-17) at the end of one but Detroit seemed to have control throughout the game.

Detroit was only up 43-39 at the half and the C's cut it to two points twice in the third quarter but the Pistons were not going to lose again on their home floor. They outscored Boston 22-19 in the third and blew the game open late with a 29-17 fourth.

Maxiell had the play of the game when he blocked Garnett from behind on a dunk/layup. It was the type of energy play that the Pistons thrive on and the Celts have lacked away from home.

After shooting 51.4% to Boston's 31.8%, it's easy to see that the only reason the Celtics had a chance was that they got to the line. Boston made a playoff-high 32 out of 39 while Detroit was 20 of 26. Despite their success on driving, the C's did not pass well at all, they only had 12 assists while the Pistons notched 27. Detroit also had 10 blocks and seven turnovers.

Game 5 is back at the Garden tomorrow and clearly it is supremely important. Boston has to hold serve at home or else they will probably go down in flames. Either way, this is going seven games which we knew the second this matchup was finalized.

Long Overdue

Sound the doomsday alarm, ring the church bell, call a friend, the Boston Celtics (the best road team in the regular season) finally won a game on the road in the playoffs. The C's are now 9-1 at home and 1-6 on the road.

The Celts took game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Palace, 94-80. It couldn't have come at a more opportune time as the Pistons had stolen the C's home-court advantage by winning game 2 at the Garden.

All five starters and six Celtics overall scored in double figures. It took a collective team effort to finally get that gorilla off their back.

Kevin Garnett was the best player on the court with 22 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals. Ray Allen had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists while Kendrick Perkins totalled 12 points and 10 boards. Rajon Rondo scored 12, Paul Pierce had 11 and James Posey added 12 points off the bench.

The Pistons were led by Richard Hamilton's 26 points. The other Detroit player who stood out was Rodney Stuckey, who scored 17 points with four assists and four steals off the bench. Rasheed Wallace was the other notable Piston as he had 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

Big runs were the staple of the first quarter as Boston opened the game on an 11-0 clip. Detroit answered with a 14-0 run but the C's closed the first frame with a 10-0 run, giving them a 25-17 lead.

The lead increased in the second quarter, so much so that Boston took a surprising 50-32 advantage into halftime.

The Celts came out slow in the second half but eventually worked the lead up to 24 points. Detroit made a frantic comeback (helped immensely by the refs that let Detroit beat up Boston with no whistles) but would only get as close as nine points.

Chauncey Billups continued his strange series with six points, four assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes. Stuckey actually played 28 minutes and was on the floor for much of the second half when Detroit tried to cut the Boston lead.

Boston shot 46.4% from the floor to Detroit's 38.4%. The C's had five three-pointers while the Pistons only managed one. The C's owned the glass (44-28), which was a pretty impressive margin on the road.

Game 4 is tomorrow night back at the Palace and if the C's can get another road win, this series is as good as over. Don't count the Pistons out however. This team has been in countless big games in the last six seasons so they'll no doubt play much better than their stinker last night.

Well There Goes That Plan

It was inevitable. The Boston Celtics finally lost a home game in the playoffs. Detroit won game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 103-97. This means that the C's will have to win a game on the road if they want to advance to the NBA Finals.

The Pistons played a great game from start to finish, making tough baskets and all the little plays that add up to a win in the playoffs.

Six Detroit players scored in double figures: Richard Hamilton (25 points), Chauncey Billups (19 points, 7 assists), Antonio McDyess (15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals), Tayshaun Prince (14 points, 8 assists) and Rodney Stuckey (13 points).

Boston had won 15 games in a row at the Garden, March 24 vs. the Sixers was the last loss by the Green and White on the parquet.

Surprisingly, for the first time in the playoffs, the Big Three all played well. Paul Pierce (26 points, 5 assists), Ray Allen (25 points) and Kevin Garnett (24 points, 13 rebounds) were all outstanding. Rajon Rondo (10 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals) had his moments but the difference between the teams was Stuckey. The Boston bench combined for only eight points.

The C's led 20-18 after the first quarter but Detroit held a 50-43 halftime lead.

Boston came out on fire to start the second half and would you believe that Ray Allen was the catylyst? Allen made a couple hoops and a steal to push the Celts ahead 55-54.

It was tight the rest of the way but the Pistons made just a few more shots down the stretch.

For the game, the Pistons were 28 of 32 (Boston was 22 of 25) from the line and only had nine turnovers to the Celtics' 12. Everything else was pretty much even.

Game 3 is tomorrow night in the Palace at Auburn Hills. I know I'm looking forward to hearing that idiot yell Detroit basketball every three minutes. He must have some kinda life. Chauncey BaBaBaBa BILLUPS!