Mercy: The 2012 All-Star Break Is Finally Here For The Boston Celtics

I sincerely hope that Rajon Rondo enjoyed his 26th birthday today. Without having to play basketball, he was free to do whatever he wanted. The NBA even obliged by naming him to the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a replacement for the injured Joe Johnson.

Rondo's teammates on the Boston Celtics could have used him in Oklahoma City though as they lost 119-104 to the Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in a game that wasn't that close or competitive.

May I just say that I'm psyched I don't have to watch the Celts (15-17) for the next five days. Boston lost its fifth straight game while Oklahoma City (26-7) swept the season series 2-0.

The Thunder improved to 11-1 at home this season and they set an NBA season high for points in a half as they led 72-49 after two quarters thanks to an absurd 30-3 run. Really. That was the most the C's had allowed in a half in seven years.

I give Boston a ton of credit for cutting it all the way down to six points (108-102 with 3:31 left) but without Rondo, Brandon Bass, Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox, that was their last gasp.

Russell Westbrook led Oklahoma City with 31 points, six assists and five rebounds while Kevin Durant added 28 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals. Daequan Cook notched 17 points while former Celtic Kendrick Perkins had eight points and 10 rebounds. James Harden scored 17 points off the bench.

I absolutely hate the NBA and almost everything about it but I will admit that the Thunder would make me seriously consider buying League Pass that is if most of their games weren't already on national TV.

After missing two games, Kevin Garnett returned and looked good with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Paul Pierce had 23 points, eight assists and five rebounds while Ray Allen put up 21 points and seven assists. I honestly can't remember the last time those three all scored 20+ points, it figures it would happen when Rondo was out. Avery Bradley had 12 points, five assists and three blocks in his place. Mickael Pietrus had 16 points and seven rebounds.

Pierce and Rondo will be off to Orlando for All-Star weekend but the rest of the C's should get as much rest as possible. They have dug themselves quite a hole (3rd in the Atlantic Division, 8th in the East) by losing the first four games of this road trip and generally looking terrible for much of this season.

Barring a big trade (unlikely), the best we can hope for is that most everybody gets healthy at once and maybe this squad has one last run left in them. They return on Tuesday to close out the trip in Cleveland (1-1 so far this season against the Cavs). That's a must-win before they come back to Boston for a four-game homestand. The first half of 2011-12 was miserable, I feel like taking a cold shower after watching this mess.

UPDATE 2/24: Rondo was also added to the Skills Challenge, taking Stephen Curry's place (he's hurt too).

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Without Kendrick Perkins Patrolling The Paint, The Boston Celtics Don't Have A Soul

Tonight was Kendrick Perkins's first return to Boston since his trade last February to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It couldn't have gone much better for the former Celtics center since not only did he get plenty of love from the TD Garden crowd but the Thunder (12-2) held off the Celtics (4-8) for a 97-88 win.

For the record, that makes Boston exactly 24-24 since Perk left. During his time in Boston, they won 70% of their games.

I was saying to my buddy this weekend that the Celts are currently the easiest team to bet on in sports (maybe I should take my own advice). If they're playing a good team, bet against them and if they're playing an awful team, ride with the Green.

The numbers don't lie. Boston lost its fifth consecutive game, the longest streak in the Big Three era. They are now 0-7 against teams .500 or above this season. The Celtics haven't scored more than 90 points in their last six games (1-5). Finally, they've lost their last four games at home-somewhere that they used to own.

In fitting fashion since his game was never about numbers, Perkins put up seven points, five rebounds and a block in 28 minutes. For Boston, he was the most physical defender; an emotional player that was a consummate teammate and pro. With the Thunder now, you can already see the leadership he has brought to one of the NBA's top squads.

I hate the NBA but if I was ever brainwashed into getting the League Pass, since I'm pretty sure I'll never live in Oklahoma, it would be solely for the Thunder. With Kevin Durant (28 points, 7 rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (26 points, 7 rebounds), they possess the most exciting duo in the league. Add in fine role players like Thabo Sefolosha (19 points, 4 steals), Serge Ibaka (4 blocks) and James Harden (5 points) and you can see why they are a logical choice to win a title in the next two or three years.

For the Celtics, it was another dysfunctional night for their main guys. Paul Pierce (24 points) shot well but Kevin Garnett (12 points, 12 rebounds) and particularly Ray Allen (6 points) were awful. Rajon Rondo (12 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists) was ok but compared to Westbrook, he didn't do much. Jermaine O'Neal (12 points, 11 rebounds) had one of his best games as a Celtic but it was in a loss so you'll forget about it by tomorrow.

The Thunder were always in a comfortable spot and once it came down to the fourth quarter, they couldn't miss. It seemed like they hit every improbable shot. Boston's turnovers killed them as Oklahoma City was able to turn 19 Celtics turnovers into 24 points. On the flip side, the C's only converted the Thunder's 13 turnovers into two points. I don't know how that's possible.

After a brutal stretch of opponents, things ease up considerably for the Celtics as they face the Raptors, Suns and Wizards in their next three games. I expect Boston to win all three of those games but don't buy the hype if it happens. They've already proven they can beat bad teams; last time I checked, all those teams are hopeless. Toronto comes to the Garden on Wednesday night in a matchup that I wouldn't go to if I had free courtside seats.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

The NBA Trade Deadline is Danny Ainge's favorite day of the year

Just like any other normal day, I went to Planet Fitness this afternoon. Thinking that with very few tradeable assets and a true championship contender roster (when healthy) the Celtics wouldn't make much noise before the trade deadline (3pm today) proved to be one of my worst predictions in a while.

In a series of three separate moves, the Celts shipped away five players and got only two in return. Wait what?

At first blush, seeing Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson go to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, cash and the Clippers 2012 first round pick was shocking and I have to say that I didn't like it. However, upon further review I feel like you have to trust Ainge since he's been able to make other solid (albeit not as big) deals before and after (buyouts) the trade deadline in past seasons.

In addition, Luke Harangody and Semih Erden were traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a 2013 second round pick. And finally, Marquis Daniels (who probably won't play this season due to his spinal injury) was sent to the Sacramento Kings for cash considerations and a protected second round pick in 2017 (haha really).

Whew and I thought the Bruins were the ones making moves before their trade deadline (next Monday).

Perkins is by far the biggest loss for Boston. He's their defensive stopper who's capable of guarding Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum, etc. It makes you scratch your head since now the Cs will have to rely on Shaq or Jermaine O'Neal (don't hold your breath on that) along with Krstic who's not known for his defense.

For the time being, they called up Chris Johnson (2nd year 6-11 center from LSU) from the D-League since they only had eight players in Denver for their game vs. the Nuggets.

You always want to get the best player in a trade, not giving him up and it's obvious that in Jeff Green, the Celtics did so. He was drafted by Boston with the fifth pick in 2007 but then quickly shipped to Seattle for Ray Allen. We all know how that story ended up.

Green is young (24), big (6-9) and versatile. This was a move with the future in mind, a tough balance when you're trying to get Banner 18 this season. As my friend said, having Rondo and Green in a few years is much better than just Rondo and Perk. Plus, Perk's contract was going to be up after this season and I have to assume that the Celtics tried to re-sign him but couldn't so they wanted to get something in return while they could.

Losing Robinson isn't a big deal. Aside from a few playoff games last season, he never really had any consistent play. He's fun to watch but if they made a deal, you knew he would be involved. I'm also bummed to see Erden and Harangody go since they're both young players who could turn out pretty good but again, who else could they trade?

Daniels might still return next season. With two roster spots left, what does Ainge do? Troy Murphy, Leon Powe, James Posey and Richard Hamilton are names that have all been mentioned for buyouts. Murphy seems most likely and he would be a good fit: he averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds last season so he can't be completely washed up. Who knows how much Powe or Posey have left? Rip can still play but I don't see how Boston can afford him.

Got all that? It's going to take some time to digest these moves but one thing's for sure: Danny Ainge has the biggest balls in the world. The anti-Peter Chiarelli if you will. Rather than hemming or hawing for years about minor players, Ainge completely surprises you. Let's hope the Mormon is right again.

We'll miss you Perk.

The Boston Celtics still own the Miami Cavaliers

There will absolutely never be a better time for LeBron James and the Miami Heat to knock off the Boston Celtics than yesterday afternoon.

The Celts are losing players seemingly daily and are just trying to hang on (one more game) until the All-Star break next weekend.

It was very ugly but Boston (39-14) came through with perhaps its biggest victory of the regular season over Miami (39-15), 85-82.

With the win, the Cs moved to 3-0 against the Heat this season. Boston vaulted ahead of Miami to the top of the Eastern Conference and these teams will only meet one more time (April 10 in South Beach) in the regular season. Gee, do you think they'll play each other in the playoffs?

Rajon Rondo led the Celts with 11 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds while Kevin Garnett had 19 points. Kendrick Perkins notched 15 points and Ray Allen had 13 points.

With only two players that played significant minutes off the bench, Glen Davis (16 points) and Von Wafer (10 points) showed up in a big spot.

Chris Bosh paced the Heat with 24 points and 10 rebounds, LeBron added 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Dwyane Wade was held to 16 points.

Miami led 20-15 after the first quarter and 43-39 at the half as it looked like injuries and old legs would be an easy out for a poor performance.

However, Boston played outstanding in the third quarter (35-18) which enabled them to hold on for a rocky fourth (21-11 Miami).

LeBron had a chance to tie it with two free throws with 12 seconds left but he bricked the first one and made the second. Finally, Mike Miller (who is a great shooter) had a wide-open look on a 3-pointer but he missed it as time ran out.

Paul Pierce was 0-for-10 and only had one point but an MRI on his left foot today was negative, meaning he'll play on Wednesday when the Celtics host the New Jersey Nets. Delonte West is expected to return and hopefully, Boston can hold the fort before the Big Four and Doc Rivers head to LA for the All-Star festivities.

Lakers beat Celtics on Ray Ray's big night

The fans that packed the TD Garden last night got what they wanted: Ray Allen broke Reggie Miller's NBA record for 3-pointers with a pair in the first quarter but the game (an afterthought) didn't turn out as perfectly as the Lakers won 96-92 in their only regular season visit to Boston.

It was a nice moment even though they didn't stop the game right away which was puzzling. The usually emotionless Ray got to hug Miller (commentating for TNT) and his family who were all courtside.

Buoyed by the momentum of Allen's (20 points) memorable night, the Celts (38-14) got up by as many as 15 points in the second quarter but LA (37-16) eventually wore them down with their big bodies.

More than ever (which is saying something), the Celtics have so many injuries. Nate Robinson went down in the second quarter with a knee injury (don't think it's too serious) while Shaq, Delonte West, Jermaine O'Neal and Marquis Daniels are still out.

Boston dressed only 10 players which leads to wacky things like Avery Bradley covering Kobe Bryant (23 points) for a couple minutes in the third quarter.

Pau Gasol had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Andrew Bynum scored 16 points with nine rebounds while Lamar Odom (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Shannon Brown (12 points) were superb off the bench.

Paul Pierce had 15 points, Rajon Rondo notched 12 points and 10 assists, Kendrick Perkins put up 12 points and nine rebounds while Kevin Garnett had a quiet 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Von Wafer was great off the bench with eight points while Glen Davis scored nine but struggled shooting (3 of 10).

The Cs were up 27-20 after the first quarter and 53-45 at halftime. LA worked them in the third quarter (27-15) and Kobe helped finish it off in the fourth (20-18).

For the game, the Lakers shot 47.9% to 40.2 for the Celtics. Boston hit two more 3-pointers (5-3) but LA made four more free throws (19-15). LA grabbed 11 more rebounds (47-36) but Boston had five more assists (25-20). The Lakers pounded it inside to the tune of 50-32 points in the paint while the Cs didn't get to run much (9-2) fast break points.

This gauntlet of games ends on Sunday as the Celtics host the Miami Heat. Boston has won both matchups so far this season but truth be told, those were very early in the season.

There is absolutely no reason to fear the Orlando Magic

Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and his team have crafted the perfect way to shutdown the Orlando Magic: let Dwight Howard have a big day and try to make the rest of their one-dimensional players beat you.

That was the story yesterday afternoon as the Celts (38-12) won one of their most impressive games of the season, 91-80 over the Magic (32-20) at the TD Garden.

Howard had a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds but the Cs held him to six second-half points. Even more pathetic or funny (depending on your allegiances) was the fact that Orlando went 3-for-24 as a team on 3-pointers.

Obviously, they are a great 3-point shooting team and that number is a season-low and an anomaly but it shows how they only know one way to win: dump it into Howard and if that doesn't work, bomb threes.

The Magic have a bunch of decent role players but nobody that can take over if Howard ever struggles. Ryan Anderson had 12 points and seven rebounds while Jason Richardson and Jameer Nelson scored 10 points apiece.

One of the most scary incidents I can remember in all the years I've watched the Celtics occurred early in the second quarter as swingman Marquis Daniels went down with a neck injury. He wasn't moving and was transported to New England Baptist Hospital. He has had neck issues in the past so it was a very serious issue and somber scene.

Credit to Boston for being able to rally from that emotionally taxing moment. Rajon Rondo was the star as he repeatedly drove to the hoop for a team-high 26 points and seven assists.

Paul Pierce added 18 points, Kevin Garnett scored 16 points and Ray Allen had 11 (he needs three more 3-pointers to tie Reggie Miller's all-time NBA record). Kendrick Perkins did his best Ben Wallace impression with 0 points and 13 rebounds while Glen Davis had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Orlando got out to a 22-17 lead in the first quarter as Boston started off very slow in the Super Bowl matinee. The Celts took a 46-43 lead and never looked back from there. They took the defensive second half, 24-18 in the third and 21-19 in the fourth.

For the game, the Cs shot 47.6% to the Magic's 34.4%. The Celtics made 15 more free throws (28-13) while Orlando pulled down five more rebounds (46-41). Boston had eight more assists (21-13) and three more blocks (4-1).

As I always say with this team, back-to-backs are never easy, no matter who they face. Still, the Celtics completely own the Charlotte Bobcats (11 of their last 12) and even though the game is in North Carolina tonight, they should win.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do they still call traveling in the NBA?

On the surface, with Trailblazers star Brandon Roy out following double knee surgery (yikes) and a 10:30 p.m. start on a Thursday night, there weren't many reasons to watch the Boston Celtics begin their four-game West Coast trip last night in Portland.

However judging by Twitter, I know I wasn't the only one interested since former Celtic and ESPN announcer Bill Walton took over for Tommy Heinsohn the next few games. I was never a huge Walton fan when he was on all the time for ESPN but like a crazy relative or ex-girlfriend, he is great in small doses.

It definitely added some spice to an otherwise pedestrian 88-78 Celtics (35-10) win at the Rose Garden.

Ray Allen led Boston with 18 points, Paul Pierce had 17 points (before leaving late with a knee bruise), Rajon Rondo scored 11 points with six rebounds and five assists while Kevin Garnett was the story with 10 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

Kendrick Perkins also looked really good in only his second game back with 10 points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes.

Without Roy, Portland (25-22) is simply overmatched in the Western Conference. LaMarcus Aldridge (17 points, 16 rebounds) is a nice player but a fringe All-Star in his best possible season. Ageless and underrated Andre Miller had 14 points and seven assists and Wesley Matthews scored 12 points with seven rebounds.

Off the bench for the Blazers, Rudy Fernandez (who could have been a Celtic this summer) put up 11 points with five assists and three steals.

It's too bad this game was a dull one since it was also on TNT and the Rose Garden is quietly one of the best arenas in the NBA. The hipsters of Oregon deserved better damn it!

The Celts won every quarter which always helps. They were up 21-18 after one quarter and 41-37 at halftime. Boston outscored Portland 23-21 in the third quarter and 24-20 in the fourth.

For the game, the Cs shot 46.9& to the Blazers' 36.7%. Boston made one more 3-pointer (5-4) and a whopping 15 more free throws (23-8). Portland pulled down seven more rebounds (49-42), I'll never understand why the Celtics are such a bad rebounding team these days. Maybe that'll improve as Perk gets more minutes.

The Celts had five more assists (21-16) but the Trailblazers made six more steals (13-7) thanks to Boston's six more turnovers (21-15). The Cs had two more blocks (4-2) but Portland outscored them 48-34 in the paint which is hard to explain.

Boston travels to Phoenix tonight to take on the Suns, a team they typically have no problems with. Other than fatigue from last night (always a factor with these old guys), I expect nothing different tonight since these Suns aren't nearly as good as they've been in the last five or six seasons. Shaq is expected to play tonight while Pierce is apparently a game-time decision.

Perk returns as the Celtics eviscerate hapless Cavaliers

As long as they took care of business last night at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers (a nightmare of a team that had lost 17 in a row), the Boston Celtics would be able to punch in and check out on time in one of the most pointless contests of the regular season.

However, this largely meaningless exhibition took on plenty of meaning as right before game-time Twitter blew up with the surprise announcement that Celtics center Kendrick Perkins would return to the TD Garden parquet.

Riding the wave of emotion and momentum with their true center back, the Celts (34-10) rolled to an easy 112-95 win over Cleveland (8-37).

Semih Erden (8 rebounds) started but a few minutes into the game, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers put in Perk and he rightfully received a standing ovation. He only played 17 minutes but Perkins put up a respectable seven points, six rebounds and three assists.

Everybody knows that Perk's game is about defense, toughness and presence inside, things that usually don't pop out on a box score or in stat sheets. One of the great unknowns in Boston sports from the last decade is whether the Celtics would have won Game 6 in last season's NBA Finals or Game 7 with a healthy Perk.

Whatever the case, it was great to see him back and contributing. It was the first time this season that Boston's starting five was intact and it was thanks to Kendrick's remarkable rehabilitation from a torn ACL.

Other than Rajon Rondo (11 points, 10 assists, 4 assists), the rest of the Celtics veterans got to sit for much of the second half. Paul Pierce scored 24 points, Ray Allen added 18 points and Kevin Garnett had 10 points.

The cumulative effect of having a healthy starting five was that Boston's bench suddenly looks much more versatile and deep (funny how that works). Nate Robinson and Glen Davis both scored 11 points while Von Wafer had 10 points and Luke Harangody notched eight points.

Marquis Daniels was out due to a family emergency but he's expected back tomorrow night.

I would never say this but you almost have to feel bad for the Cavaliers. Yes, LeBron had the right to leave their miserable city but he really left the franchise in a bad place that will be tough to crawl out of for years.

A guy named Christian Eyenga (that I'd never heard of) led Cleveland with 15 points. Ramon Sessions added 14 points and seven assists, J.J. Hickson had 12 points and 17 rebounds while Antawn Jamison put up 11 points.

Manny Harris scored 14 points off the bench for the Cavs while Joey Graham and Samardo Samuels each had 10 points.

The Celtics depart for a tricky four-game West Coast trip beginning tomorrow night at Portland. After that they go to Phoenix on Friday, face the Lakers for the first time since the Finals on Sunday then end it in Sacramento on Tuesday. 3-1 is my hope but 2-2 is definitely possible.

Allen and Rondo too much for Lakers

The Boston Celtics got the job done in LA by getting the split, winning Game 2 of the NBA Finals last night 103-94 at the Staples Center.

On the outside, the Celtics were a two-man team: Ray Allen set a Finals record with eight 3-pointers (32 points) and Rajon Rondo added a triple-double 19 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists for his fifth career triple-double in the playoffs.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were completely shutdown offensively, shooting a combined 4-for-16 but both made numerous other contributions: screens, defense, passing, free throws.

Kendrick Perkins had 12 points and Boston's bench outscored LA's 24-15. Glen Davis had eight points and seven rebounds, Rasheed Wallace had seven points and seven rebounds while Nate Robinson notched a quick seven points in six minutes.

The Lakers size was out in full force as they set a Finals record with 14 points while Andrew Bynum (21 points, 7 blocks, 6 rebounds) and Pau Gasol (25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks) were both unstoppable.

Kobe Bryant wasn't his usual clutch self, dropping only 21 points on 8-for-20 shooting.

Despite tons of foul trouble on both sides, this was a scintillating game with great plays and runs. Boston closed with an 11-0 run, fueled by Rondo who seemingly did everything.

The Celts came out strong, winning the first quarter 29-22 and 54-48 at the half. It only took a few minutes into the second half for the Lakers to take the lead back (24-18 third quarter) but Boston closed the fourth (31-22) in style.

With Games 3-5 in Boston, all the C's needed was one game in LA. They seemed to quickly forget their no-show in Game 1 and it doesn't matter now. If they can get two at the TD Garden, chances are great they'll get banner 18.

Thanks to Ray, Boston made six more 3-pointers (11-5) while LA had 11 more free throws (31-20). The Celtics had five more rebounds (44-39) and most importantly 10 more assists (28-18). They also had 10 more points in the paint (36-26).

Boston is deeper, plays better defense and they have more late-game options than the Lakers.

Game 3 is tomorrow night.

And now we love Glen Davis, again

t has been a strange season for Glen Davis. After playing out of his mind in last year's playoffs (with Kevin Garnett out injured), he expected to be rewarded with a big free agent deal but it never materialized. He came back to the Celtics and was out for the first few months of this season after fighting with a childhood friend and breaking his hand.

He's had a couple decent games this season but for the most part, he didn't look like the guy who had really found his game in the NBA last year.

The beauty of sports is that all that drama can be forgiven in one night. With KG serving his one-game suspension, Glen Davis started last night and dropped 23 points and eight rebounds as Boston smoked Miami 106-77 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at the TD Garden.

Big Baby or Ticket Stub as he has dubbed himself, has always been emotional (see: crying on the bench last season after KG ripped him). He has tons of personality and he's very likable for being undersized (height-wise) for the NBA. If the Celts are going to go anywhere in these playoffs, they'll need him to provide more valuable minutes.

After no-showing in Game 1, Ray Allen was back in all his glory with a team-high 25 points, including seven 3-pointers. In the third quarter, he was on fire as he continually drained threes in front of Miami's bench.

Dwyane Wade led Miami with 29 points but Michael Beasley (13 points) and Mario Chalmers (10 points) were the only other Heat in double figures. To call Miami a one-man team is an understatement. You can already see Wade counting down to free agency this summer when he can bounce from this going nowhere squad.

Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins added 13 points each and Rajon Rondo had 12 assists.

Miami actually led 29-25 early in the second quarter but Boston hit them with a 44-8 run that had them dreaming of models on South Beach and a long but glorious offseason.

The C's shot 48.0% to the Heat's 38.2%. Boston made more threes (12-9) and free throws (22-10). They also had 17 more rebounds (53-36) and ten more assists (26-16).

Game 3 is Friday night in Miami. If the Celts take care of that one, it should be smooth sailing to a second round meeting with the Cavs, who are getting slightly pushed but will get by the pesky Bulls.

And John Denver is smiling somewhere

Talent-wise, you'd be hard pressed to find more than two or three teams in the NBA (Lakers, maybe Magic) more talented than the Denver Nuggets.

They can score with anybody, they're great at home and they've been on a roll lately. All this meant that yesterday's game at the Pepsi Center, wrapping up the four-game West Coast trip, was nearly impossible to win for the Celtics.

The Nuggets (37-19) proved in the first quarter of their 114-105 win why they're so good and later in the game why they'll probably never win a title, since they rely way too much on clowns like Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin.

Chauncey Billups, who's having a career year, led the Nuggets with a game-high 26 points and seven assists, Melo added 23 points and eight assists while both Nene (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Martin (12 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles. Smith scored 19, including 16 in the fourth quarter.

Even though it was a loss, there were plenty of good signs for Boston. Ray Allen continues to play as if he just jumped out of a time machine, he had a team-high 25 points. Kevin Garnett (15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks) looked as explosive as I can remember him all season.

Rajon Rondo (15 points, 11 assists) and Kendrick Perkins (14 points) had another good game and Marquis Daniels was a revelation off the bench with 15 points in 18 minutes.

If Paul Pierce (2 of 10 shooting, 5 points) had been anything like himself and not the currently crippled Truth, the C's might have pulled this one out.

Denver was up twenty points in the first quarter and almost ran the Celtics (35-19) out of the building, up 37-19 after the first twelve minutes.

Thanks to great play from its second unit, the Celts clawed back into it and were down only 54-47 at the half.

Boston tied it in the third quarter but they were gassed by that point and the Nuggets had way too much firepower to be held down for too long.

Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry should be in uniform tomorrow night as the Knicks, their former team, come to town in Eddie House's first return to the TD Garden since he was traded last week.

Tales from the Crypt, starring the Boston Celtics

Remember when we had buried the Boston Celtics before the All-Star break? They weren't going anywhere and they had to trade Ray Allen. It's funny how much of a difference three games make since the Celts have won three straight coming out of the break, including an impressive 96-76 victory last night in Portland.

It was one of Boston's (35-18) best defensive performances of the season. Kendrick Perkins (7 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks in 25 minutes) and Kevin Garnett (16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks in 22 minutes) seem re energized the last two games, particularly on the defensive end where they're much more active and mobile.

The other theme of the last two nights has been the comeback of Ray Allen. He had a game-high 21 points and five assists last night and shot 9 of 14 from the floor.

Rajon Rondo added 10 points, 11 assists and three steals while Glen Davis scored 10 off the bench.

For a team desperately clinging onto the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, the Blazers (32-25) were just lifeless.

Injured star Brandon Roy surprisingly played but he was held to nine points. Andre Miller led Portland with 16 points and LaMarcus Aldridge notched 15 points.

Boston led 32-25 after the first quarter and 56-38 at the half. Portland (23-17) made a slight run in the third quarter but even with the bench in for most of the fourth, the C's (23-15) not only held on but increased the lead.

The Celtics shot 53.4% for the game and Portland shot a pathetic 33.8%. Portland had 18 more made free throws (30-12) but Boston had an incredible 20 assist advantage (27-7). The C's also took advantage inside with 44 points in the paint.

The West Coast trip concludes tomorrow afternoon in Denver, against the high-scoring, thugtastic Nuggets. 4-0 would be pretty sweet for the Celtics but this is going to be a really tough one to get.

Don't you, forget about me: Ray Allen edition

There might be nothing going on in the sports world besides the Olympics (snooze) but for one day, the NBA was front and center. The trade deadline came and passed yesterday with many teams making minor moves and a few making a big splash.

Antawn Jamison is on the Cavs, Marcus Camby went to the Blazers and T-Mac and his juicy expiring contract went to the Knicks. For the Celtics, the weeks of Ray Allen rumors proved pointless as he stayed with Boston although they did trade Eddie House, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker to New York for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry.

I love House and will always have fond memories of his time in Boston (particularly the championship year) but he's having a bad year and he was very expendable. Nate Robinson is younger, more dynamic and can hopefully provide the consistent scoring off the bench that the Celtics so desperately need.

Oh and by the way, the Celts were at the Staples Center last night playing the Lakers albeit without the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant.

Whatever the reason, perhaps because of the burden off his shoulders (of not being traded), but Ray Allen was back to his old self last night, dropping a game-high 24 points as the C's (34-18) held off the Lakers (42-14) 87-86.

The Christmas day win in Orlando and this are interchangeable as the best wins of the season so far. Last night, Boston played great defense and although they only scored 11 measly points in the fourth quarter, they were able to hold LA to 17. The Celts' second half collapse when they were up 11 happened but they weathered it and pulled out a huge road win.

All five starters scored in double-figures in what fittingly was the definition of a team win. Rajon Rondo added 14 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and five steals as he badly outplayed Derek Fisher (3 points, 1 of 9 shooting). Kendrick Perkins finally showed up and had 13 points and 14 rebounds, Kevin Garnett scored 13 and Paul Pierce notched 11 points.

Even without Kobe, the Lakers are one of the deepest, most talented teams in the league. Pau Gasol led LA with 22 points, Ron Artest scored 15 and Andrew Bynum added 14 points and nine rebounds. The Lakers backcourt was their downfall as Shannon Brown (8 points) couldn't quite fit Kobe's shoes.

Boston will look to go 3-0 on its West Coast trip with a tough game in Portland this evening. Nate Robinson might make his Celtics debut and we know that Blazers star Brandon Roy is out indefinitely.

I'll take this starting five over anybody else's

It's a very big if, since they're aging faster than the Jonas Brothers, but when the Boston Celtics' starting five is healthy and on the court, I like their chances against anybody else in the NBA.

After losing three straight, the C's got KG back and no surprise, won their second consecutive game last night 95-89 over the Clippers.

It wasn't a pretty win since the game was delayed multiple times because of a slippery court (somewhere Red is smiling) but it was nice to get some revenge after the Celts lost in LA a few weeks ago on Baron Davis's buzzer-beater.

The defensive presence that Garnett brings is immeasurable but something which is not talked about ad-nauseum with him is how much he opens up the passing game for Boston offensively.

Paul Pierce led Boston (29-13) with a game-high 22 points, Garnett added 17 points and Rajon Rondo notched 16 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Ray Allen scored 15 and Kendrick Perkins posted nine points and 15 rebounds.

The Clippers (20-24) had six guys in double figures but nobody went off. Rasual Butler (who was a Celtic for about a minute) led LA with 17 points, Davis had 16 points and seven assists, Al Thornton added 12 points and Chris Kaman had 10 points and nine rebounds.

Former BC star Craig Smith (who could be a good NBA player if he got consistent minutes) scored 13 points off the bench and former Celtic bozo Ricky Davis added 12 points and two blunts smoked on the bench.

The Clippers led 19-17 after the first quarter and 44-43 at the half. Reversing their recent trend, the C's played well in the third quarter (21-15) and made enough plays in the fourth (31-30) to hold off the talented but helter skelter Clippers.

After a couple days of practice, Boston embarks on what I would nominate for the toughest four day stretch in the NBA this season: at Orlando on Thursday, at Atlanta on Friday and home against the Lakers on Sunday afternoon. They also go to the Wizards on Monday but we won't count that (please don't shoot me Gilbert, I'm just playing).

Life without KG and Sheed is not fun

Pick an excuse: the Celts played the Bulls last night without Kevin Garnett or Rasheed Wallace and it was the sixth game in nine nights for Boston.

Whatever the reason, the Bulls (who had been blown out in their previous two meetings this season) looked like the team that gave the Celtics so much trouble in the first round of the playoffs last spring as they won 96-83 at the TD Garden.

Luol Deng scored a game-high 25 points, Derrick Rose added 17 points and eight rebounds while the world's ugliest man Joakim Noah posted 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.

Rookie Taj Gibson played well for Chicago (17-20) notching 14 points and six rebounds and Kirk Hinrich scored 11.

Boston (27-11) got a very quiet 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists from Paul Pierce and 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks by Kendrick Perkins but nobody else (save for 11 points by Eddie House off the bench) bothered to show up for an obviously tired C's team.

The Bulls are certainly not as good as the Hawks but they fit the young, athletic team mold that is so clearly Boston's kryptonite.

Chicago jumped out to a 29-18 lead after the first quarter and 47-39 at the half and the C's could never really make a definitive run in the second half. Boston outscored Chicago 24-23 in the third quarter but the Bulls closed with a 26-20 fourth.

Missing 13 free throws (15 for 28) especially for a veteran team that normally shoots so well is inexcusable for the C's. Predictably the Bulls owned them on the glass (50-39) and had five more blocks (10-5).

Thankfully the Celts have a few days to relax at home as they prepare for the Mavericks, the second best team in the Western Conference (still frauds), who come to the Garden on Monday night.

The Situation should coach the Nets, it couldn't hurt

Well at least MTV's newest reality phenomenon, Jersey Shore is bringing the wonders of New Jersey to homes across the country. That has at least partially diverted attention away from the trainwreck, joke of a team that is the New Jersey Nets.

I don't know if I would call it a game, glorified scrimmage, summer league or preseason was more like it, but the Celts went down to the Izod Center last night and won 111-87.

If it wasn't over after the first quarter (38-22), it was time to call Vinny, Ronnie, Pauly D and the Situation at halftime (71-35) to see what they were up to since the Nets (3-35) were putting up less of a fight than your average Jersey boardwalk zoo creature.

Seven Celtics (27-10) scored 11+ points, led by Paul Pierce's game-high 24 points. Rajon Rondo had 11 points and 14 assists while Ray Allen scored 15, Kendrick Perkins had 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocks and even superscrub Brian Scalabrine notched 11 points. Scal started again since Rasheed Wallace is expected out for the week with a sore foot.

Glen Davis posted 13 points off the bench and Tony Allen (11 points) also made the most of his extended minutes.

The Nets (3-35) were led by Yi Jianlian's 19 points, Brook Lopez had 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks and Devin Harris scored 15.

As you could imagine, the numbers were almost as scary as J-Wow's skunk hair. The Celts shot 53.1% for the game (including 66% in the first quarter) to the Nets' 37.7%. The C's had 11 more rebounds (47-36), 17 more assists (30-13) and five more steals (9-4). The Nets actually made 14 more free throws (33-19) but that's about as memorable as Angelina's abbreviated stay in Seaside Heights.

Appropriately enough, the green and white bros get back at it tonight (right before two new episodes of Jersey Shore) back at home against the Bulls.

See you next summer Obama

The Celtics let the good times roll last night in our nation's capital, surviving 104-102 against the Wizards for their ninth straight win.

Ray Allen scored 18 points, which helped him go over 20,000 for his career. Rajon Rondo led the C's (18-4) with 21 points (including a sick dunk late in the fourth quarter) and 11 assists. Kevin Garnett had 17 points, Kendrick Perkins added 16 points and 11 rebounds while Paul Pierce notched 12 points.

The Wizards (7-13) can still talk with the best of them but at the end of the day, they're just not very good. And I don't think having uberbozo Flip Saunders on the bench will do anything to change that losing atmosphere.

Gilbert Arenas led Washington with a game-high 25 points and eight assists. Brendan Haywood and Andray Blatche both scored 17, Antawn Jamison had 16 points and Caron Butler was held to 10 points.

The Wizards led 28-27 after the first quarter but Boston looked to blow it open with a 37-22 second quarter. Washington outplayed the Celts in the third (24-19) and the fourth (28-21) but they had nothing to show for it.

Winning was a direct result of good work at the free throw line (26-14) and on the glass (40-34). It wasn't pretty but it was a road victory and those are always tough to come by in the NBA.

The C's visit another underachieving team tomorrow night when they take on the Bulls.

Ray Allen ain't dead yet

Sure he maybe robotic and any day now he might be getting the senior discount but Ray Allen (at times) can still stroke it with the best of them.

Allen had his best game of the season last night (27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) as the Celtics (14-4) rolled over the Bobcats (7-10), 108-90 for their fifth straight win.

It's amazing that Allen has been able to focus lately and play so well given his son's serious health issues but on a lighter note, damn his wife is fine.

Kendrick Perkins (21 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks) continues to blossom into one of the best centers-an endangered species in the NBA-that absolutely nobody outside of New England talks about.

Kevin Garnett added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Rajon Rondo (8 points, 9 assists) and Eddie House (12 points) also contributed to the win.

For probably the first and last time of his life, Nazr Mohammed led his team in scoring with 16 points off the bench. Raymond Felton had 14 points, Boris Diaw scored 13, Stephen Graham added 12 and Stephen Jackson mustered 11 for his new squad.

Things will get harder as the Celts end the road trip with a back-to-back: at the Spurs tomorrow night then at the Thunder on Friday night.

KG ain't dead yet

Much like reports of Tom Brady's demise earlier in this season were laughable, the same could be said for Kevin Garnett. He was coming off the first major surgery of his career and he's 33-years-old. How some people didn't get that there'd be some recovery time in season is beyond me but the good news is that KG has looked great lately.

He shot 11-for-12 last night and had a team-high 24 points and eight rebounds in the Celtics' (13-4) 92-85 win in Miami. It was Boston's fourth straight win and a perfect way to get their four-game road trip started.

The incomparable Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 27 points for the Heat (9-7) with help from Michael Beasley (18 points, 7 rebounds) and the ghost of Jermaine O'Neal (14 points, 10 rebounds).

It seems like a given these days that all five Boston starters score in double figures and last night was no different. Paul Pierce (15 points), Kendrick Perkins (14 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks), Rajon Rondo (13 points, 11 assists) and Ray Allen (11 points) all did what they had to do in the win.

Miami led 31-29 after one quarter but Boston came back to grab a 55-48 halftime lead. For whatever reason (old legs?) the C's started particularly slow in the third quarter and let Miami back in it with a gross quarter (17-12). When it came time to make the winning plays as they say, Boston stepped up with Allen drilling a 3-pointer and KG swishing his final jumper in the fourth.

For the game Boston shot 52.2% to Miami's 41.8%. The Celts had way more assists (21-12) while the Heat doubled them up on steals (10-5) and the C's had five more blocks (7-2).

The Celts are a work in progress but at 13-4, it's hard to argue with their success so far. They travel to Charlotte on Wednesday night to play the Bobcats.