Tatum (51 Pts) Sets NBA Gm. 7 Record As Celts Eviscerate 76ers 112-88 To Reach ECF Vs. Heat

 

    For the second year in a row and the fifth time in the last seven seasons, the Celtics are going to the Eastern Conference Finals. How they got there this time was the crazy part as Boston's superstar swingman Jayson Tatum erupted for a 51-point, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals masterpiece as the C's broke open a close Game 7 this afternoon at TD Garden with a 28-3 run in the third quarter which pushed them over the finish line 112-88 over the Sixers. Their reward is a rematch with the Miami Heat who they memorably beat in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. After trailing 3-2 in this series (just like last year when they were down 3-2 to Milwaukee in the second round), it was a very Happy Mother's Day for the Celtics led by Tatum who had the game of his young life while also setting an NBA record for the most points ever in a Game 7. 

    Philadelphia actually got off to a very solid start as they led 29-23 after the first quarter before Boston rallied for a 55-52 halftime advantage. The third quarter-where the Celtics outscored the Sixers 33-10-is the type of playoff frame that gets head coaches fired. Then again, if you were Philly's head coach Doc Rivers, would you want to continue to work with noted dogs and playoff chokers like MVP Joel Embiid (15 points, 8 rebounds) and former MVP James Harden (9 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) who both rolled over and let this blowout transpire without any sort of fight back? What would have been an extremely rough off-season for Tatum if the C's had lost will likewise be a deservedly unkind summer for Doc, Embiid and Harden since the Sixers blew a golden chance to reach the franchise's first Eastern Conference Finals since way back in 2001.

    This will forever be remembered as "The Tatum Game" but Boston also got a solid performance from its other star-shooting guard Jaylen Brown who had his face bloodied but did not slow down as he added 25 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Tatum did what true superstars and (future?) MVPs do in Game 7s by putting his team on his back. The only other Celtic who scored in double figures was backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon who notched 12 points off the bench. Did I mention that Sixers power forward Tobias Harris led them with 19 points and five rebounds? Haha what else needs to be said about a gutless team that also received 17 points from point guard Tyrese Maxey and 11 points from wily veteran forward P.J. Tucker? 

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals is on Wednesday (8:30, TNT) at the Garden and there will be no extra days off as each contest will be two days apart with the same exact start time. Heat superstar Jimmy Butler needs no introduction but this is yet another series where Boston rightfully enters it as a heavy betting favorite. Interestingly enough with Lakers-Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals tipping off on Tuesday (8:30, ESPN), this is the exact same final four that the NBA got in the 2020 bubble playoffs. Let's not get ahead of ourselves but it would be fantastic to see another Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals. More importantly, the Celtics have to quickly shift their focus to a team that while missing its sniper shooting guard Tyler Herro is still tougher and markedly better than the Hawks and Sixers. Boston is once again the superior team on paper but Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is maybe the best in the game so if the C's slip up, Miami could certainly upset them and reach the NBA Finals just like they did in 2020. 

Without Tatum, The Celts Fade In The 4th Quarter As Embiid Drops 42 Pts In The 117-109 76ers Win

 

    Tonight at the Wells Fargo Center, the Celtics (8-5 overall, 4-3 road) and Sixers (10-5 overall, 8-1 home) met for the first time this season and it turned out to be an entertaining game although Philly came away with a 117-109 victory. It was the first win for new Sixers head coach Doc Rivers against his former team. As a Celtics fan, the easiest thing to do after suffering a loss to one of their closest rivals, all you want to do is chalk it up to Boston missing its superstar Jayson Tatum who is still recovering from Covid-19. That is fair but you have a feeling that at almost any point in this campaign, you could say the same thing about most teams due to the pandemic and such a condensed schedule which is already causing tons of injuries. Sixers center Joel Embiid (42 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals) scored the most he's ever recorded against the Celtics but this was still a winnable contest for Boston since it was tied at 105 with 4:08 left in the fourth quarter. The problem is that without their elite closer (remember baseball?), the Celts fell apart in crunch time. 

    Besides Embiid's dominance and Tatum's absence, the other main issue was that Philadelphia lived at the free throw line all night. No really, as a team they attempted 25 more free throws (45-20) and made 23 more of them (36-13). For that reason, it's crazy that Boston was able to keep it that close. Complaining about fouls typically bores me to tears but you simply cannot overlook those absurd numbers. Besides the stats above, all that you need to know in that regard is that Embiid took 21 free throws by himself and made 17 of them. The uber-talented big guy will get most of the headlines for Philly but power forward Tobias Harris (22 points, 5 assists, 2 steals) did his mostly underrated thing, small forward Danny Green hit four 3-pointers and grabbed six rebounds while point guard Ben "I Still Can't Shoot To Save My Life" Simmons had 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Guard Shake Milton scored 16 points off the bench for the Sixers and center Dwight Howard posted 10 rebounds in only 15 minutes. PS what other star in his generation besides maybe Derrick Rose (but that was because of a million injuries) has had a more bizarre career path than Howard? 

    Four players did basically everything for the Celtics: shooting guard Jaylen Brown had a team-high 26 points and five rebounds, guard Marcus Smart added 25 points and point guard Kemba Walker made the most of his minutes restriction (in his 2nd game of 2020-21) by registering 19 points and six assists in only 22 minutes of action. With some generous home cooking, Embiid got all of Boston's bigs in foul trouble: center Tristan Thompson (9 rebounds), power forward Grant Williams and backup center Daniel Theis (23 points, 10 rebounds) all picked up five fouls apiece. It was a close game almost the entire time until Boston ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. 

    If we're being honest, Philadelphia was also missing its best shooter-Seth "The Other" Curry (who is also out due to the coronavirus)-but they still managed to speed out to a 32-25 lead after the first quarter. Boston recovered with its best frame of the night (36-26) for a slight 61-58 halftime advantage for the road team. The C's actually extended it a little more with a strong third quarter (31-28) for a six-point lead going into the fourth. With no Tatum to let cook in the final 12 minutes, not to mention the foul trouble and Smart being the second best offensive option, it all added up to a disastrous ending for the Celts who dropped their second game in a row.    

    The free throw discrepancy will get the majority of the focus from this game but let's not overlook the fact that Boston had seven more turnovers (16-9) and the 76ers made four times as many steals (12-3) as them. Between that and Embiid's monster performance, the C's will never beat any quality opponent by being so careless with the ball. These same clubs meet again on Friday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) and with any help from Boston's team doctor Lucky the Leprechaun, Tatum will be back in the lineup for the first time in two weeks. Philly's win put them two full games in front of the Celtics-who have two games in hand-for first-place in the Atlantic Division. Assuming that he's healthy and motivated (both huge ifs), Embiid is way too good to ever be completely neutralized but here's an idea, hold him to under 35+ points and let's see what happens.

Not That There Was Any Doubt but Doc Rivers Picked the Right Time To Leave Boston

I'll never understand how anyone could blame Doc Rivers for leaving the Celtics for the Clippers. With Boston rebuilding and LA a legitimate contender in the Western Conference, who wouldn't take off on a new adventure in a warm climate with more money and power? Doc's first game back to TD Garden with his new team was tonight and the Clippers (15-8 overall, 7-6 away) held off the Celtics (10-14 overall, 5-6 home) 96-88.

The C's did a nice job honoring Rivers between the first and second quarter with a highlight video although their taste in music wasn't the best. As most expected, he was widely cheered when he got introduced before the game (as he should have been). Now we can all move on with our lives, PS thanks for the memories Doc. Oh that's right, they'll meet one more time-January 8 in Los Angeles. I'll assume that won't be nearly as emotional.

Chris Paul is what makes the Clippers a contender, for my money he's still the best point guard in the NBA (sorry Russell Westbrook). He flirted with a triple-double (22 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals). Blake Griffin was the only other LA starter in double-figures with 18 points (which I'm assuming all came via dunks) and seven rebounds. Ageless Jamal Crawford scored 21 points off the bench and Darren Collison had 10 points.

Boston was playing the second half of a back-to-back and it showed as they led 23-20 after one quarter and 45-39 at halftime before they faded in the last two quarters. Los Angeles took over in the third (27-19) and put it away in the fourth (30-24).

Jeff Green scored a game-high 29 points but in typical fashion didn't do anything else. Jordan Crawford nearly had a double-double with 20 points, nine assists and five rebounds. Brandon Bass put up a great line if you had him in Fantasy Basketball: 17 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Jared Sullinger added 10 points and nine assists.

LA hit six more free throws (22-16), made four more steals (9-5), scored six more fast break points (15-9) and 18 more points in the paint (42-24). Oh and the Clippers bench outscored the Celtics 34-4 so there's that.

It was a taxing couple nights so I'm sure Boston will be happy to rest tomorrow (assuming they don't have more than a light practice at most) before they host the Knicks (6-15, 4th in Atlantic Division) on Friday (7:30, CSN). You might remember that Boston whipped New York 114-73 on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. I'd say the Knicks can't possibly play any worse but then I look at their record and am not quite sure.

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Who's Ready To Lose A Bunch of Games? Celtics Unveil Their 2013-14 Schedule

It's a strange feeling when you look at the Celtics' 2013-14 schedule which just came out today. Naturally you want to get excited about certain games and matchups but then you remember that in order for the C's to return to relevance (only 6 national TV games this season), they need to pile up losses like the Bobcats. Sorry Brad Stevens, you know that I love you.

Perhaps nothing says more about where Boston is viewed to be now in the NBA spectrum than their opening two games: October 30 at Toronto and November 1 vs. Milwaukee. Could you get two more bland contests than that? Everyone wants to know when the C's will play the Nets (with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce) and Clippers (with Doc Rivers coaching) and the NBA made the curious decision to have the first meetings on back-to-back nights: December 10 in Brooklyn and the next night in Boston (vs. LA) which kicks off a five-game homestand.

Other games of note include what is sure to be a serious beating handed to them by the two-time defending champs-the Heat-on November 9 in Miami and the first game against the Knicks is December 8 in NYC. Boston doesn't get to play on Christmas this season (which probably isn't a bad thing) but they do host the Hawks on New Year's Eve afternoon!

The Celtics open 2014 in Chicago on January 2 as six of their first seven games are on the road. In that stretch, they go to Oklahoma City (January 5) to face Jeff Green's old team (reaching for straws here)-the start of a five-game trip-then visit Doc in LA on January 8. Celtics-Lakers Volume 1 is January 17 at TD Garden, I wonder if Kobe Bryant will be playing?

One of the only must-see games of the season comes on January 26 as the Nets make their first trip to the Garden. Expect an epic amount of ballwashing for KG and Pierce, not that they don't deserve it. Celtics-Spurs happens on November 20 in San Antonio and February 12 in Boston. March ends with home-and-homes against the Raptors and Bulls.

The regular season ends on April 16 as the Celts will host the Wizards in a game that I feel confident in saying should mean very little for either squad besides maybe posturing for the 2014 NBA Draft lottery.

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Your Next Head Coach of the Boston Celtics: Brad Stevens?!

There is no bigger proponent or fan of Twitter than me but I will say that this fantastic tool (that I spend way too much time on every day) has taken one thing away from my obsession with sports: surprises. Whether it be player moves, coaching hires or anything else involving my favorite teams, it has been almost impossible to pull a fast one on me since I first logged on to Twitter a few years ago. I have to say that today's huge news shocked me: Brad Stevens has been named the new head coach (17th all-time) of the Boston Celtics. Through all the rumors since Doc Rivers left, I had never heard Stevens' name mentioned even once. For instance, the Boston Globe had a story today listing 13 possible candidates and he wasn't one of them.

Yes the same guy that led Butler to the NCAA Tournament championship game in back-to-back years (2010 and 2011) where they lost to Duke and UConn respectively. As a college hoops fanatic, I love it way more than the flawed NBA, I am bummed out because in his six years with the Bulldogs I came to love Stevens and his style of coaching. Who couldn't root for this young guy (36, youngest head coach in NBA) with marginally talented players at a small school in Indiana that kept making insane runs in the NCAA Tournament?

Butler has always been into basketball but Stevens put them on the map by going 166-49 and 12-5 in the NCAA Tournament with the Bulldogs. Nothing better illustrates that then looking at how they've upgraded conferences three years in a row: from the Horizon League to the Atlantic-10 and two days ago they began life in the new look Big East. They were always one of those teams that nobody wanted to play in March/April. How that translates to the NBA is impossible to say. We all know how badly Rick Pitino (with the Celts) and John Calipari (Nets) fell on their faces when they came to the NBA. Then they went back to the college game and reached the top of their professions. In college you are a teacher more than a coach whereas in the NBA you are just trying to reach the stars on your team and hoping that they're on your side.

On the surface Stevens seems like the perfect guy for the Celts since they are already underway on a serious rebuilding/tanking effort at least for the next season. I'm really pleased that Danny Ainge didn't go with a nameless assistant coach or one of the veteran NBA coaches that had been fired recently (Lionel Hollins or George Karl). This is a fresh start and a big name (for basketball fans, not NBA people) that the team can build around. Yes I realize that the NBA is all about the players but having Stevens who is so energetic, smart, well-spoken and normal (thank you Midwest) will help them stay sane between all the losses that are sure to pile up.

All I know is that the next few seasons (he's reportedly getting a six-year deal worth $22 million dollars at Friday's introductory press conference) for the Celtics are about to be way more interesting than any of us could have reasonably expected. By thinking outside of the box and doing some FBI level work behind close doors and away from the media/cameras, Ainge has hit a home run in my humble opinion. This is a great moment for the Celtics as they now employ one of the best minds in basketball (any level) from around the globe.

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Let The Tanking Begin! Pierce & Garnett Shipped To Nets For 5 Players & 3 Future First-Round Picks

The end of the Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett era with the Celtics officially came to a bizarre end tonight as both were shipped to Brooklyn in a blockbuster deal along with Jason Terry that totally overshadowed the mostly dull 2013 NBA Draft (in terms of possible star players in the future). The Nets will send in return Gerald Wallace, Kris Joseph (drafted by Boston last year), the expiring deal of Kris Humphries, Reggie Evans and Keith Bogans along with three first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

Once Doc Rivers went to the Clippers earlier this week, you knew that this day was coming soon especially since Pierce was owed an option for next season by Sunday. Rivers, KG and Pierce would have preferred to stay together but the players wouldn't have been able to join the Clippers this season because of an obscure NBA rule so the Celts had to find a new suitor: enter the Nets who have money to burn and seats to fill at the Barclays Center. This makes Brooklyn-a playoff team last season-much more of a contender. They should win the Atlantic Division and home court at least in the first round of the playoffs when their new additions mesh with Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez.

It will be strange to see both of these guys in Brooklyn, who just hired Jason Kidd to be their head coach. Pierce spent his entire career with the Celtics (since 1998!) and KG was here since 2007 but it felt like even longer. Both are locks to make the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. Boston has now fully committed to tanking next season (for Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker?) and they are basically guaranteed to be awful for a few seasons. Who can blame them though? Getting lottery picks (to use or trade) is the only way for the C's to rebuild since truth be told Boston is not a coveted destination for most quality free agents. Losing Doc meant they had less of a drawing card and now without KG and Pierce, expect plenty of empty seats at TD Garden in 2013-14.

You have to wonder if Boston's final step is to trade Rajon Rondo-the only player they have left with any real value. In some ways it's tough to see them centering the new look team around a guy that's such a pain in the ass and anything but a leader. Oh and they still don't have a head coach. Yeesh. We wish KG and Pierce well, their jerseys will be retired in the rafters someday soon and we'll always have the 2008 NBA title plus six playoff bids in all six seasons that they were teammates.

What do the next few years have in store for the Celtics (other than many losses)? Your guess is as good as mine at this puzzling moment.

UPDATE 6/28: Instead of Evans, former PC star MarShon Brooks (who was also originally drafted by Boston) was included in the package to the Celtics.

UPDATE 6/30: To create another roster spot and free up a little salary, the Celtics waived guard Terrence Williams.

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Doc Rivers Says Goodbye To Boston, Starts New NBA Journey With Clippers

We can't let this bizarre ending that dragged on far too long overshadow the important point: Doc Rivers was wildly successful in his nine years as head coach of the Celtics and was a big part of them being relevant again in the NBA. Now that it appears his time is over in Boston with reports of him going to the Clippers and signing a three-year deal worth $21 million (in return for a first-round draft pick in 2015), we can look back and fully appreciate the excellent run that he had with the Celts.

Doc started out in Boston in 2004-05. The dysfunctional team that he inherited went 45-37 but lost to the Pacers in a seven-game first round series complete with Paul Pierce's meltdown at the postgame press conference with a ridiculous bandage on his head. To get good again, the Celts truly had to bottom out which they successfully did in the next two seasons. Tanking put them in prime position to get the No. 1 or 2 pick (Greg Oden or Kevin Durant) in 2007's draft but as it turned out the ping pong balls didn't bounce their way and they were stuck with the No. 5 pick.

That's when things changed though as Danny Ainge traded for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen which totally transformed the franchise and returned it to the glory days with a title in their first season, a return to the Finals two years later (2010) and one last memorable run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 vs. Miami.

Let's not get it twisted, coaching in the NBA is largely akin to a babysitting position and less of a teaching role than in MLB, NHL or NFL. More so than any of those other three professional sports, it's a player's league. That's no disrespect to Rivers, he's a very good coach but most importantly, he could handle the huge egos in the Celtics' locker room. It also didn't hurt that he was great with the media (he used to be a fine NBA broadcaster) and a standup guy to boot with the All-American family of athletes. These are admirable qualities and not something you find in your average NBA lifer who has no personality or coaching acumen.

Doc Rivers came to the Celtics at the perfect time and as a result, he was transformed into one of the most well respected coaches in the NBA. His regular season record in Boston was 416-305 (.577%) and playoff record was 59-47 (.557%). He coached in the NBA All-Star Game twice (2008 and 2011) and his teams made the playoffs in seven of nine seasons.

Who can blame him for wanting out? Everybody knows that the C's are about to embark on another rebuilding project that will center around the mercurial Rajon Rondo. Doc has plenty of other interests and he doesn't want to be a coach for life which means after paying his dues once, he wants to coach a contender. The Clippers certainly fit the bill-assuming they re-sign Chris Paul. Rivers leaves impossibly big shoes to fill and I have no clue who the Celtics will choose to replace him. They can go with a young, energetic no-name guy (think Tom Thibodeau) or perhaps an NBA retread like George Karl or Lionel Hollins who have surprisingly found themselves out of a job this spring after leading their respective squads to the playoffs.

It'll be a busy couple weeks for the Celtics as they look for a new head coach, draft a player on Thursday (No. 16) and decide whether to buy out Pierce by June 30 or have him return next season.

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Celtics Fall 88-80 To Knicks In Game 6, Let The Breakup Begin

Listen, we all knew this day would eventually come. There is a reason no team has ever rallied from a 3-0 hole in the NBA playoffs. Likewise, as much as we want them to be, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett won't be Celtics forever. It seems only right that in possibly their last game together, the Celts fell 88-80 to the Knicks in one of the most bizarre contests tonight at TD Garden in Game 6 of the first round.

The Knicks move on to face the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals beginning on Sunday afternoon. Go Indiana! New York won its first playoff series since 2000 while Boston lost in the first round for the first time since KG (15 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals) came aboard in 2007-08 (when they won the NBA title). The Knicks should have won this game by about 40 points since the Celts managed 10 points in the first quarter and 27 in the first half. Ugh, seriously. That will be one of the lasting memories of this series, the wretched offensive performances by the C's in almost every game.

The Knicks led by as much as 26 (75-49) early in the fourth quarter before the Celtics hit them with a 20-0 run. Yes, that really happened. Suddenly, Boston cut it to a four-point game (79-75) after Avery Bradley's (10 points, 3 steals) dunk with 3:31 left in regulation. To quote KG from five years ago, "Anything's possible!" Unfortunately, that wasn't the case this evening though as Iman Shumpert (17 points, 6 rebounds) and J.R. Smith (13 points, 7 rebounds) made plays down the stretch while Carmelo Anthony (21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) continued to be the most unclutch superstar in the NBA. Hell Pablo Prigioni (14 points, 5 rebounds) played better than him, Raymond Felton had 11 points, seven assists and two steals while Tyson Chandler added 9 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks.

Jeff Green (21 points, 5 rebounds) showed plenty of heart (no pun intended), going to the line a whopping 14 times (two less than New York as a team). Whenever Garnett and Pierce leave, this will quickly become Rajon Rondo and Green's team. That is a scary proposition but at least this season, Green proved that when he puts his mind to it, he has the potential to be a star. I'd love to see Pierce return, if for no other reason than to erase the memory of one of his worst games as a Celtic: 14 points on 4-of-18 shooting, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Crap like guys retiring with a certain team usually doesn't mean much to me but in this case, I think he's earned that right. However, Celtics GM Danny Ainge has to do a much better job of surrounding Pierce (1 year left on his deal) and KG (two years left) with more talent.

Jason Terry had 14 points and he sounded like he's not ready to retire quite yet. He was a bust for most of the season but maybe with another season in Green and White, he would become more comfortable. Of course, one could argue that the biggest domino in this whole scenario is head coach Doc Rivers. In the emotional aftermath of this loss, he sounded very unsure of his future in Boston. Obviously, they'll have him here as long as he wants to stay. Still, like Garnett and Pierce, he is too good to have to go through another rebuilding mode. Who could blame him if he wants to leave (assuming KG and Pierce also walk out)?

I feel like I wrote the exact same thing last June after Boston lost to Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals, and I'm too tired to look it up, but I can say with certainty that this will truly be a fascinating summer. Does Ainge go for it one more time with this nucleus plus a healthy Rondo, Jared Sullinger and a better supporting cast and bench? Or does he blow it up completely and start to move on? Tough decisions, that's presumably why he gets paid the big bucks and I'm just a lowly blogger.

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Doc Rivers' Late Christmas Gift To His Son Austin: A Win At TD Garden For The Hornets

I thought the Celtics had gotten past the point of losing to shitbum teams with some regularity this season. Apparently not, their six-game win streak was ruined tonight as Boston (20-18, 13-7 home) laid down 90-78 to New Orleans (13-26, 7-13 away) at TD Garden.

Rookie Austin Rivers (No. 10 pick of 2012 Draft) won the first ever meeting with his dad-Celtics head coach Doc Rivers-as he tossed in eight points off the bench (4th father-son meeting in NBA history). The Hornets are truly awful and losing to a bad team always leaves a particularly bad taste in a fan's mouth. Granted, this was New Orleans sixth win in their last seven games.

The immortal Al-Farouq Aminu had a game-high 18 points, nine rebounds and two steals for New Orleans, Robin Lopez had 17 points and six rebounds, Greivis Vasquez added 15 points and 11 rebounds while No. 1 pick Anthony Davis notched 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Ryan Anderson had 10 points and six rebounds off the bench for the Hornets in their disgusting teal road jerseys (maybe the worst look in the NBA).

For whatever reason (playing down to competition?), the Celts never seemed to be into it mentally or emotionally. Kevin Garnett led Boston with 15 points, Paul Pierce had 12 points and 10 rebounds, Rajon Rondo dished out 11 assists with three steals and Jason Terry (12 points) was the only bench guy to show up.

The C's led 25-20 after the first quarter but the Hornets outscored them in the final three frames. New Orleans was up 44-43 at halftime and they extended it to 68-63 after three quarters.

New Orleans was by far the more aggressive team, all you need to look at in that regard is three statistics: they made 20 more free throws (26-6) than Boston, grabbed 15 more rebounds (48-33) and pounded it inside for 16 more points in the paint (48-32). In their only other meeting of the season, Boston visits New Orleans on March 20. You have to believe the Celts will play much better then since tonight was basically a disaster.

The Celtics wrap up their five-game homestand on Friday (7 p.m., CSN) against the Bulls (22-15, 2nd in Central Division). The teams have split the first two matchups with Chicago most recently winning 100-89 at the United Center on December 18. These games are almost always close and entertaining.

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It Is No Surprise At All That Jeff Green Will Get Another Shot With The Celtics

I never thought there was a chance that free agent forward Jeff Green would end up anywhere else but the Celtics after head coach Doc Rivers and president of basketball operations Danny Ainge monitored him so closely while he missed all of last season with a heart ailment.

Now, Green is healthy and ready to get back on the court so I'm happy to say that it is with Boston. His agent broke the news this afternoon although he wouldn't reveal the length or value of the deal so I guess we will have to wait for the details. Contracts can officially be signed beginning on Wednesday. I feel like he'll be extra motivated by sitting out last season to prove that he's fine while also showing the Celtics that he's much better than what he showed in his abbreviated 2010-11 season with them.

After getting traded from the Thunder to the Celtics before the 2011 NBA trade deadline (in the Kendrick Perkins deal), the former Georgetown Hoya could never really get comfortable. As someone that watched him all throughout college and in Oklahoma City and loved his game, trust me when I tell you that he will play much better this time around. Most importantly, he seems like a smart, nice guy that is willing to learn.

Green is 6-foot-9 and only 25-years-old so he should provide the size and youthful energy that they can always use on a team full of old and mostly undersized players. He can play inside but also has the quickness to play outside, get to the hoop and create his own shot. In 26 games (2 starts) with the Celtics, he averaged 9.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 23.5 minutes. After being a starter and playing big minutes in Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (their original Big 3 before James Harden emerged), I'm sure it was tough for Green to adjust to a new team, conference, environment and system. He had been drafted by the Sonics and been with that franchise for his entire career (3+ years), no doubt he saw the great things they were building.

For his career, he's averaged 13.9 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 44% from the floor, 34% on 3-pointers and 77% on free throws. Rivers has known him for a long time since his older son Jeremiah played with Jeff at Georgetown. That's part of the reason why they're so close. If we're being positive you have to think that he'll put it together this time around with a full training camp, preseason and regular season with the Celts. If nothing else, it gives Rajon Rondo someone else to run with while also making sure that Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass don't have to play too many minutes during the regular season thus not wearing them down for the playoffs.

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Brandon Bass Joins This Summer's New 3-Year Deal Club With The Boston Celtics

I always thought he was an honest guy but I guess Celtics head coach Doc Rivers wasn't lying or even stretching the truth at all when he said he wanted "the band back together," referring to the squad that lost to the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in June.

On the heels of Kevin Garnett re-signing for three years last week and free-agent guard Jason Terry agreeing to a three-year deal earlier this week, comes today's news that starting power forward Brandon Bass will also get a three-year contract worth $20 million to stay in Celtics green.

Last season was Bass' first in Boston and it was a memorable one as he averaged a career-high 12.5 points and 6.2 rebounds in 59 games (39 starts). He shot 48% from the floor and 81% on free throws. As can be expected when a bench player's minutes get bumped up, the warts on his game started to show later in the season and particularly in the playoffs (11.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 46% from the floor, 92% free throws)when the microscope was really on him.

Bass struggles when his shot isn't falling (who doesn't?) and he has trouble around the rim against bigger guys since he's undersized for a power forward or center (which he had to play sometimes in a small Celtics lineup). With that said, he's a hard-worker, a true professional and quiet guy. After playing for four teams in his first seven years in the NBA, he earned the right to hopefully stay in the same spot for more than two seasons in a row, something that he's never done. He played two years in New Orleans, two years in Dallas and two years in Orlando before getting traded last year for Glen Davis.

His most valuable asset is that he's only 27-years-old which on this squad makes him a child. Celtics president of basketball operations aka GM Danny Ainge had both the present and future in mind with locking him up for the next three seasons. With KG, Pierce and Rondo back, the C's will be a factor in the Eastern Conference for the next few seasons. Once KG and Pierce retire, it will be Rondo's team which means he needs dependable guys around him. Enter Bass who can run the floor but also excels in the half-court game since he's such a good shooter from mid-range and he can also get to the basket.

Bass was the last starter from last season's team to be signed by Boston. He opted out of his previous contract after the postseason ended but he made it clear all along that he wanted to return. He will have more competition next season from rookie Jared Sullinger but that should bring out the best in both of those guys.

Now, the only major players left for the Celtics to sign or let walk is guard Ray Allen and forward Jeff Green. With the Clippers out of the running (they re-signed Chauncey Billups and signed Jamal Crawford this afternoon), it appears that the Jesus Shuttlesworth sweepstakes are down to Miami and Boston. I'm not very sentimental but I think it would be cool if the C's bring back Allen, provided he understands his role which would likely entail coming off the bench provided that Avery Bradley is healthy. If he can agree with that, by all means bring him back. As for Green, like Bass his camp has said the whole time that he wants to return so I expect that to happen.

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We'll Get Our Dose Of Doc Rivers During The London Olympics, Don't You Worry

It's one adventure to the next for Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers who never seems to take any time off. Tonight, he's in Newark, NJ to see his younger son Austin Rivers get drafted by the NBA. In a few weeks, he'll be a basketball analyst on NBC for the London Olympics.

From ESPNBoston.com
The network announced an announcer lineup for the London Games full of familiar faces Thursday. Bob Costas will serve as prime-time host for the ninth time. Al Michaels and Dan Patrick will handle that role for NBC's live weekday and weekend daytime coverage.

Eight-time Winter Olympic medalist Apolo Ohno will work as a reporter.

Collins and Rivers have worked as TV commentators during stints between coaching jobs. Collins will call games alongside play-by-play announcer Bob Fitzgerald, the voice of the Golden State Warriors for CSN Bay Area. One of his players with the Philadelphia 76ers, Andre Iguodala, could make the U.S. team. Rivers, the Boston Celtics' coach, will be a studio analyst.

You'll remember that Doc was a very popular commentator on TNT between coaching gigs in Orlando and Boston. Clearly, he loves the game of basketball since I doubt that he really needs the money and neither does his family. That is assuming he doesn't pull a Mark Jackson and have a stripper on the side looking for cash.

Seriously though, it's a pleasure to hear Rivers speak with the media before, during and after games; with his experience both as a player in the NBA and coach, it's no wonder that he's one of the best analysts (that has taken a break from that very different life). You know that whenever he decides to retire from coaching that a great TV gig will be waiting for him.

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As Everybody Knows, It's Good To Be Bill Belichick & Doc Rivers

There's nothing better than lists about what players and coaches in American professional sports make the most money per year, they're fascinating.

Forbes.com listed its Top 10 highest paid coaches for 2012 today and no surprise, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was No. 1 at $7.5 million per year. Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers was tied at No. 2 (with Mike Shanahan, Jeff Fisher and Pete Carroll) at $7.0 million per year. Eight out of the 10 spots are filled with NFL coaches (Gregg Popovich is the other NBA coach on the list).

It's easy to poke holes at some guys on there, like Carroll, Lovie Smith (tied No. 6, $6.0 million) or Ken Whisenhunt (tied No. 8, $5.75 million) but I couldn't care less as a Boston sports fan since everybody knows that Belichick and Rivers are two of the best not only in their respective sports but in all American sports.

Belichick needs this money to maintain his summer mansion in Nantucket, not to mention keeping his cougar Linda Holliday looking good for the near future. Likewise, Doc has his penthouse suite in Boston plus a big family scattered across the country.

Play on players.

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"Anything Is Possible!"

For all intents and purposes, my life as a Boston sports fan will never get better than this.

The Red Sox (twice), Patriots (three times) and now Celtics have all won titles in the last six years, coincidentally the perfect time for me as I've appreciated each title more as I get older and realize this time is fleeting, no matter how sweet.

Moving back home from college and being single with a job at night has allowed me to soak this up probably more than I will ever in the future when hopefully marriage, kids and a more time-consuming job take over my life.

In its 26th postseason game of the year (an NBA record), the Celtics completely embarrassed the Lakers, 131-92, in game 6 of the NBA Finals at the TD Banknorth Garden.

The Celts won their first championship since the glory days of 1986. It's the franchise's 17th title.

The Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen fittingly played their best game of the season while their teammates weren't too shabby either, putting up a season-high for points.

After such a disappointing game 5 performance, KG had a legendary showing that should silence his critics forever. He scored 26 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out four assists and had three steals. He came out on fire with 17 in the first half as Boston left little doubt that the soft Lakers would not win one (let alone two in a row) back in Boston.

Despite playing on little rest (since he'd spent time with his son in an LA hospital), Ray Allen scored 26 points with four rebounds and three steals. Ray was 7 of 9 on 3-pointers (tying a Finals record), a great ending for a guy that really found himself at the end of the Detroit series and in the Finals.

No surprise with the win that Pierce was named Finals MVP. The 10-year veteran with the C's scored 17 points and dished out 10 assists. He outplayed Kobe Bryant (22 points on 7 of 22 shooting with 1 assist and 4 turnovers)-who many think is the best player in the world-by so much in this series, it's almost surreal.

With the series over, it's clear that the three biggest things that seperate the Celtics from the Lakers (and which countless experts failed to see before the series) was 1) defense, 2) teamwork and 3) toughness.

The C's set another Finals record with 18 steals for the game while also outrebounding LA, 48-29.

Rajon Rondo picked a fine time to have one last amazing performance as he had 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and six steals. Kendrick Perkins only had two points and four rebounds in 13 minutes but the grit he showed by playing through pain was inspirational to his teammates and the appreciative home crowd.

James Posey had another sick game with 11 points, three rebounds and three steals. Eddie House had nine points and five assists. P.J. Brown posted six points, three boards and two assists while Leon Powe notched eight points and four rebounds. All 11 Celtics that played scored, Big Baby saw his first action of the series and gave the C's three points and four rebounds. Even Tony Allen got a highlight as he threw down a ridiculous reverse alley-oop in the fourth quarter.

In the first quarter, it seemed like the refs (a source of constant chatter during the playoffs) were doing their best to get the Lakers to a game 7. Boston couldn't hit a shot in the first quarter but their hustle for loose balls and knack for making the extra pass paid off as the Celts led 24-20 after one.

The Lakers began to pack for their flight home in the second quarter as Boston blitzed them with a 34-15 frame.

Another difference between the teams is that the Celts could make big comebacks in LA, the same wasn't true for the Lakers last night (and yes I remember they almost came back in game 2).

LA and Phil Jackson were exposed for the frauds that they were. And the highly-touted Western Conference was a deeper league this season but can we agree that Boston and Detroit were the best teams? Is there any doubt the Pistons would have similarly disposed of the Lakers in six or seven games?

The third and fourth quarters were something for the soon-to-be-released Celtics championship DVD's. They couldn't miss. Boston took the third 31-25 and put up a ridiculous 42-32 final quarter of the season.

Boston made 49.4% from the floor and 13 of 26 on 3-pointers. They made 32 of 27 free throws and handed out 33 assists. They had just seven turnovers in as flawless a performance as you could ever dream about on such a big stage.

The Lakers shot 42.2% from the field and 10 of 27 on threes. They had a pathetic two offensive rebounds (Boston notched 14) and 16 assists. Los Angeles turned it over 19 times.

I feel immensely lucky to have seen such a great team all season long. Three All-Stars put their egos aside and reached their ultimate goal (in the first year) that they'd all missed by themselves. Doc Rivers showed that he's a good NBA coach. P.J. Brown came back late in the season and won his first ring in 15 NBA seasons. Eddie House and James Posey brought energy and hustle night in and night out while Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins showed how much game they have. Leon Powe, Big Baby and Tony Allen each had their moments too. You can't say Sam Cassell really did much positive after coming to Boston but it's nice to see a guy who'll probably retire get another ring.

With Andrew Bynum healthy next season, the Lakers could very well find themselves back in the Finals. I really believe that the C's have a window of two or three more seasons where they'll be in the mix as well. They have to re-sign Posey and Powe but I wouldn't count out Pierce, Garnett and Allen in the next few seasons. What better way to cement their legacies in the game than with another championship or two?

The Celtics' parade will be tomorrow in Boston, complete with Duck Boats and a ceremony at Copley Plaza. Winning championships will never get old; these are the golden days of Boston sports that we'll talk about for the rest of our lives. The Bruins might as well move since they're never going to join the fun (without dumping Uncle Scrooge, I mean owner Jeremy Jacobs).

Where were you when the Lakers submitted one of the great choke jobs in sports history?

Down 24 points on the road in the first quarter and 18 at the half, the Boston Celtics looked dead in the water in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at the Staples Center last night.

The horrific start by the Green only sweetened the win as the Celtics outscored the Lakers, 57-33 in the second half to take the game, 97-91.

Boston now leads the series 3-1 with Game 5 on Father's Day (Sunday) back at the Staples Center.

It was a hallmark win that will be talked about forever (assuming Boston can win one of the next three games).

Both teams had five players score in double figures but the Celtics were the ones stepping up in the third and fourth quarter. Front-running LA resembled the team that dominated the Western Conference playoffs in the first half as their passing was crisp and everyone was hitting their shots. But when things started to fall apart in the second half, not even Kobe Bryant (17 points on 6 of 19 shooting, 10 assists and 4 steals) could save them.

Paul Pierce shook off another slow start to finish with a game-high 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Ray Allen (who has been Boston's most consistent player through the first four games) had 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals. James Posey had 18 points and Kevin Garnett totalled 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Lamar Odom came out on fire (making his first five shots) and finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Pau Gasol had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Derek Fisher had 13 points and Vladimir Radmanovic added 10 points.

Everything went the Lakers' way in the first half, including a traveling, buzzer-beating 3-pointer by guard Jordan Farmar to end the second quarter.
Boston couldn't possibly play worse as they were down 35-14 after one (the NBA record for biggest deficit in a Finals game after one quarter) and 58-40 at the break.

The story of the game so paralleled the setting, it was uncanny. The flashy Lakers came out and played their best basketball of the series for two quarters. Their botox-injected, clueless millionaire fans cheered (most likely cause the scoreboard told them to) and all was right in Tinseltown. However, like a bad movie (which Hollywood has been known to turn out from time to time), Los Angeles completely unraveled in the second half.

Phil Jackson-the slobbered over coach-was outclassed by Doc Rivers (HA!). Rivers chose to space the floor with a small, shooting lineup and LA never really adjusted. Eddie House (11 points, 4 rebounds in 25 minutes) played most of the second half as Rajon Rondo (5 points, 2 assists in 17 minutes) was clearly not himself with his ankle injury. Kendrick Perkins popped his shoulder out of its socket in the third quarter and didn't return.

A 21-3 Celtics run cut it to 73-71 going into the fourth. By then, Los Angeles had fell apart as all their finesse, offensive-minded clowns shied away from the moment. Sure Kobe had no hesitation to take the tough shot but on this night, it wasn't falling for the Black Mamba.

House's jumper gave Boston its first lead of the night with four minutes left and the Celtics never looked back. Pierce made key free throws, Posey hit a 3-pointer, Ray collected an offensive rebound (along with two clutch hoops) and Garnett had a great assist to House.

The Celtics are a better TEAM, one who thrives on the defensive end and that's why they find themselves one win away from a championship.

There are two days off between games as Game 5 won't happen until Sunday night but you can't underestimate the psychological damage of the loss on LA. They are a team that had seemingly come into its own during the second half of the year and one that wasn't tested much throughout the playoffs. The Celtics stumbled big time coming out of the gates in the playoffs but seemed to have found their rhythm in the Detroit series and carried it over to the Finals.

The close-out game is always the toughest but I like the Celtics' chances of winning one more game out of a possible three (with two if necessary at home).

Don't Try to Explain It, Just Be Happy They're Moving On

In what will go down as one of the most lopsided game seven's of all-time, the Boston Celtics took out three losses worth of frustration on the Atlanta Hawks yesterday at the Garden, winning 99-65 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cavs.

Doc Rivers (who had never made it out of the first round as a coach), Paul Pierce (who had another meltdown in game 6) and KG (who has only made it out of the first round once) were all spared what would have been a brutal off-season of questions if a 66-win team choked in the first round to a bad team.

The game was never really in doubt as Boston led 44-26 at halftime and by as much as 38 points in the third quarter. Atlanta never showed up (yesterday or in any of the games in Boston). And that ends one of the strangest playoff series' you'll ever see. No road wins for either team and the C's dominated every home game, winning by 19+ each time.

Five Celts scored in double figures, led by Paul Pierce (22 points). Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 11 boards. Kendrick Perkins was a force defensively with 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. Rajon Rondo had 10 points and six assists while Leon Powe had 12 points off the bench.

Ray Allen struggled all game, shooting 3 of 12 for seven points but nobody noticed.

Joe Johnson was the only Hawk over ten points with 16. Salim Stoudamire had 10 in extended garbage time and Al Horford ended his fine rookie season with eight points and ten rebounds. Mike Bibby (who couldn't play worse in Boston if he tried) had two points, four rebounds and two assists.

Marvin Williams almost killed Rondo with a hard foul in the third quarter. Rondo went in for a layup and Williams grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed. The two are supposedly friends and luckily Rondo was fine but it could have been a disaster. Williams got a Type-2 flagrant foul and with that, his first playoff season was over.

KG also exacted some revenge on Hawks goofy big man Zaza Pachulia. Garnett absolutely laid him out (on a clean screen) in the back court. Rivers pulled KG and the rest of the starters by the beginning of the fourth since the game was long decided and Boston will play again on Tuesday.

For now, I'm not going to look back on this series with the Hawks much. It exposed plenty of problems with Boston but the most important thing is that they got by. They are still the top seed and I feel like they should get by Cleveland as well. There's no other team that depends so heavily on one player like LeBron and the Cavs. If the Celts can slow him down for four games and make the assorted spare parts beat them, they'll be fine. It's a favorable matchup for Boston but Cleveland has been resting since Friday night so they could steal either game 1 or 2.

One loss away from the biggest upset in NBA playoff history

If someone had told you two weeks ago that the Atlanta Hawks would push the Boston Celtics to the limit, forcing seven games, you would have laughed at that ridiculous notion. Yet here we are.

The Hawks once again won at Philips Arena last night, 103-100, to force game 7 on Sunday in Boston.

This one had the look and feel of games 3 and 4, where the Celtics held double-digit leads at some point but consistently shit the bed down the stretch when it mattered. All thoughts of taking it to the hoop or getting the ball down low to KG went out to the window as everyone wanted to be the hero.

Six Hawks scored double digits, led by Marvin Williams (!) who had 18 points. Mike Bibby had 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Joe Johnson and Josh Childress each scored 15 and Josh Smith notched 11.

Kevin Garnett had a game-high 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three blocks and two steals but those numbers seem hollow since KG disappeared in the fourth quarter. I love the guy but he has to get more selfish in crunch time, when his team is falling apart. And for God's sake, you're 7 feet tall: take it to the hoop, don't settle for long contested jumpers.

Ray Allen had 20 points and six rebounds but he was 1 for 8 on three-pointers. For some odd reason, down two points with 10 seconds left, the C's drew up a play for Allen to take a tough three instead of going inside. It missed and with that the Celts chances went out the window. Sure, they had one final look to tie it up but Rajon Rondo air-balled a three when nobody else could get open. Yikes.

Paul Pierce had 17 points and six assists but he was probably the main goat. He fouled out in the fourth on a bad call but he got a T for throwing his headband. As a veteran, he can't make stupid mistakes like that. Kendrick Perkins had 14 points, Leon Powe had nine off the bench and James Posey added six points and seven rebounds.

Boston jumped out early, leading 32-20 after the first quarter. It shrunk to a one-point lead at the half, as Boston was up 50-49. The C's outscored Atlanta, 32-30 in the third but the Hawks took the fourth, 24-18.

A day later, I still can't believe there's a game seven. This is a joke. Every other series is over, with some new ones starting today while the Celtics still haven't gotten rid of the Hawks.

Doc Rivers and KG have been criticized plenty for not getting out of the first round, save for the one time KG went to the Western Conference Finals with Minnesota. It's hard to imagine the fall-out if they choke this one away. I don't even want to think about it.

Boston was a bricktastic 4 of 19 on threes while Atlanta was 1 for 7. The C's fell in love with the three and it cost them. They just refuse to drive to the basket in Atlanta, pretty strange.