Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:49 am
Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:50 am
Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:50 am
Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:04 am
Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:58 pm
First 2012 Power Rankings out: Heat at #1
Monthy Preview: Month of November
Notable Games:
Nov. 11th vs. Clippers - Veteran Kevin Garnett vs. a young rising power forward in Blake Griffin
Nov. 16th vs. Heat - A rematch with the current reigning Eastern Conference champions.
Nov. 17th vs. Magic - Might not have had the best season last year, but the Magic are still a tough team so long as Dwight Howard is there.
Potential Upsets:
Nov. 4th vs. Hawks - The Hawks have the talent and athleticism to make it tough on the Celtics.
Nov. 20th vs. Warriors - A young team who likes to run and gun can be a bad matchup for the Celtics if they aren't able to slow the tempo.
Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:43 am
Week 1 - Nov.1st - Nov. 7th
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics - November 2nd, 2011 - Played
Cavaliers: 99 Celtics: 107 (W)
The Boston Celtics opened up the season in style as they came out and embarrassed the Cleveland Cavaliers. The game was over by the second quarter as Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen went on fire from mid-range.
As soon as the game started, Doc Rivers called the first play for Garnett to post up Antawn Jamison and from then on Garnett continued to abuse him in the post. Eventually the Cavaliers decided that doubling up on Garnett was the only option, which just so happened to leave Ray Allen wide open for several jumpshots and threes. Paul Pierce was no slouch in this game either. His offense came in the second half, when the Cavaliers began to rally for a comeback. Because of the Big 3 being in the zone, Rondo found it easy to dish out his 13 assists and even get a few fastbreak layups for himself.
The Cavaliers were an absolute mess to start the game, but they eventually found the touch from three to keep the game close. Omri Casspi and Antawn Jamison began rallying their team in the 3rd quarter and even came close to tying the game up. Despite their offense however, their defense on Pierce and Garnett leaved much to desire and eventually cost them the game.
With this game, the Celtics hope that they can turn this win into a winning streak against the Hawks on the 4th of November.
Player of the Game: Kevin Garnett - 38 MIN - 32 Points - 8 REB - 2 BLK - 1 AST - 13-20 FG - 6-6 FT17 19 35 28 99
31 26 22 28 107
Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks - November 4th, 2011 - Played
Celtics: 117 Hawks: 95 (W)
The Celtics once again had no trouble coming out with the win today against the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks struggled to stop a red hot Paul Pierce from scoring and found themselves being completely outscored in the first half. Garnett had yet another fantastic game in both points and on the boards and along with Ray Allen going 5-7 from the three point line, the Hawks could not keep up. Once again, Rondo found himself in the double digits in assists thanks to the great scoring output of the Big Three and even Jeff Green off the bench.
Joe Johnson also had a great offensive game but with his teammates being locked up by the Celtics, it wasn't enough. Unlike the Cavaliers, they were unable to make any kind of rally to keep it close and basically gave up by the 4th quarter. Damien Wilkins had his share of amazing throw downs on the break but the crowd wasn't into it considering they were still down big. Part of the blame falls onto the shoulders of Al Horford and Josh Smith who really didn't contribute much to the cause and as many teams have found out before, the Celtics can't be beat by one player alone.
The Celtics are heading out to Indianapolis on the 5th to continue their back to back on the road. They hope that they can stretch this winning streak out to 3 games.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 39 MIN - 33 Points - 8 REB - 4 AST - 3 BLK - 1 STL - 12-20 FG - 1-3 3PT - 8-8 FT27 25 35 24 111
21 25 23 26 95
Boston Celtics @ Indiana Pacers - November 7th, 2011 - Simmed
Celtics: 109 Pacers: 102 (W)
Unlike the first two games the Celtics have won, this one actually came down to the last second. The game went down to the wire in the 4th until a combination of Pierce and Allen three pointers sealed the game. Paul Pierce had yet another great game with 25 points and 8 rebounds. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett also had solid games with 20 points and 12 points respectively. However, unlike the last two games, the big difference for the Celtics had to be their bench. Jeff Green had 13 points and 6 rebounds in only 13 minutes and was a key contributor towards defending Danny Granger. Rondo once again had double digit assist numbers with 11 assists and looks to be having a career year in passing.
The Pacers got great contributions from Granger, Hibbert, Hansbrough, and George Hill and it was the key to staying so close to the Celtics. Granger was tough to guard in this game and it took Pierce and Jeff Green's best effort to keep him from reaching 30 points. (He ended with 26 points) Roy Hibbert was a menace in the paint and Jermaine O'Neal found himself unable to stop him consistently. With Hill and Hansbrough contributing as well as Granger and Hibbert, the Celtics found it difficult to defend but with Garnett leading them on defense and Pierce leading them on offense, they eventually pulled away and came up with the win.
The Celtics get a few days of rest before facing the Charlotte Bobcats at the TD Banknorth Garden.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 34 MIN - 25 PTS - 8 REB - 1 STL - 10-18 FG - 2-7 3PT - 3-5 FT28 31 24 26 109
26 26 24 26 102
Fri Oct 21, 2011 11:50 pm
Week 2 - November 8th - November 14th
Charlotte Bobcats @ Boston Celtics - November 9th, 2011 - Simmed
Bobcats: 89 Celtics 92 (W)
When the Boston Celtics were looking at their schedule for the month, I doubt they looked at this game and thought that it would be so close near the end. The Celtics offense came out as smooth as ever and continued to stay on track until the 4th quarter, where the Bobcats came out on fire. Led by Tyrus Thomas and his 28 points and 5 rebounds, the Bobcats scored 33 poins in the 4th quarter and came close to winning it all before the least likely hero for the Celtics kept the game alive.
It was Avery Bradley, the second year player from Texas, who scored 9 points when the team needed it the most including a three pointer. Without a great performance by any of the Big 3, Jeff Green found himself having to pull more of the load than usual. He ended the game with 15 points and 4 rebounds. Pierce and Garnett had a decent game with 17 points and 14 points, but Ray Allen was flat out cold. He only shot 1-4 from three and missed two major three pointers late in the game. Rondo had an average game with 11 points and 7 assists. Its the first game this season that he ended a game under 10 assists.
The Celtics hope that their subpar performance won't continue against the Clippers on Friday, who have gone undefeated just like the Celtics.
Player of the Game: Avery Bradley - 9 MIN - 9 PTS - 1 REB - 1 STL - 4-7 FG - 1-1 3PT22 16 18 33 89
30 22 22 18 92
Los Angeles Clippers @ Boston Celtics - November 11th, 2011 - Played
Clippers: 96 Celtics: 102 (W)
In what promised to be a exciting game with both teams undefeated, it certainly did not disappoint. The Celtics found themselves down
for the entire game until the 4th quarter, where a run fueled by Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett eventually brought them the win. Paul Pierce was phenominal in tonights game with 39 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds. He saw the mismatch on Jamario Moon and kept taking it to him all night. Garnett took it to Griffin any chance he could and came out with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and a nice slam right in Griffin's face. Ray Allen had a decent night with 23 points but going 1-8 from three was what kept the Celtics from taking the lead earlier. Rondo had another disappointing passing night with only 7 assists. He did have 5 timely points in the 4th to help the Celtics take the lead, which might have been the difference maker.
For the Clippers, it was the Eric Gordon show. He put up a whopping 30 poinst and shot 3-7 from three. Chris Kaman ate Jermaine O'Neal alive in the post with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Most of these rebounds came off of offensive rebounds, which killed any momentum the Celtics tried to get on the defensive side of the game. Blake Griffin had a great showing against Garnett with 12 points and 15 rebounds, but Garnett eventually won the matchup in the 4th quarter. What really kept the Clippers out of the game in the 4th were the amount of desperate three pointers they took. They ended the game going 7-24 compared to the Celtics 2-11. While Eric Gordon made plenty of threes in the first half, the three ball clearly wasn't there in the second half and yet they continued to fire away to no avail.
The Celtics will find this game to be both emotionally draining and uplifting as they took a game out of their reach and played well enough to sneak out with the win. Another matchup against the Cavaliers is next and the Celtics hope they can come out with another blowout against a strugging team.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 40 MIN - 39 PTS - 5 AST - 3 REB - 1 STL - 19-27 FG - 1-3 3PT22 26 22 26 96
18 25 27 32 102
(Note: HUGE dunk by Griffin at 0:41 on Jermaine O'Neal)
Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers - November 12th, 2011 - Simmed
Celtics: 105 Cavaliers: 76 (W)
After a tough win against the Clippers one night ago, the Celtics came out on a back-to-back looking to end the game as soon as possible. They certainly succeeded as the game was once again over by the second half. Doc Rivers must have paid attention to their home opener's game plan as once again the offense went through Garnett as he abused a helpless Antawn Jamison all night. Garnett came out with 25 points and 10 rebounds and was the reason why the Cavs felt overwhelmed the second they lost the tip-off. Rondo had the best game of his season with 15 points, 13 assists, and 6 rebounds. If it wasn't enough for the Cavaliers to deal with Garnett, it was having Rondo speeding into the paint getting every easy layup he could. He also ended the night 7-8 from the free throw line, which is great news for the Celtics. Allen and Pierce had an average night with 18 and 16 points respectively. They really didn't have to play too spectacularly as Garnett and Rondo had it covered.
THe Cavaliers relied solely on Antawn Jamison the entire game. He had 29 points and 12 rebounds and shot 1-4 from three. Unfortuantly, not a single player was able to get more than 10 points. Joey Graham and Sessions were the only ones close to getting to 10 points and they played for nearly 20 minutes. Baron Davis and Omri Casspi were completely locked down by Boston's excellent defense as they couldn't even reach 5 points. Baron Davis really shot his team in the foot as he shot 0-6 from three.
The Celtics get another long rest before they have the toughest back-to-back of their season: two road games against the Heat and the Magic. The Celtics would love to see their record still have a zero in their loss column at the end of those two games, but their won't be any guarantees.
Player of the Game - Rajon Rondo - 37 MIN - 15 PTS - 13 AST - 6 REB - 3 STL - 4-9 FG - 7-8 FT29 22 34 20 105
21 17 23 15 76
Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:22 am
Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:55 am
Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:15 am
IQuessSo wrote:Wow, that Blake Dunk was awesome. He has the best dunk package in the game.
I'm liking the Association, keep it up
1goal wrote:Nice association, I Love the presentation. Not my favorite team but I'll follow anyways.
Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:31 am
Week 3 - Nov. 15th - Nov. 21st
Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat - November 15th, 2011 - Played
Celtics: 97 Heat: 103 (L)
The Miami Heat managed to squeak out a win against the previously undefeated Boston Celtics in a game where both teams gave everything they had. There was never a moment during the entire game where either team was an obvious winner. It was about as even as you could imagine as both teams seemed to counter every move that the other made.
Lebron James and Kevin Garnett both had 30 points and were the leaders for both of their teams. While the Heat didn't get much from the other members of their Big 3, they got plenty of help from their role players. Mario Chalmers had 15 points and shot 3-4 from three. For the Celtics, Garnett got help from Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. Ray Allen had 28 points and 10 rebounds while Rondo had 14 points and 11 assists.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, Paul Pierce went uncharacteristically cold and only had 11 points. It was his poor performance that made the difference between a win and a loss for the Celtics. He only shot 4-18 and 1-3 from three. The Celtics hope to rebound against the Magic tomorrow and stop this loss from becoming a losing streak.
Player of the Game: Lebron James - 38 MIN - 30 Points - 9 REB - 6 AST - 1 STL - 1 BLK - 11-23 FG - 8-8 FT29 22 25 21 97
30 17 29 27 103
Boston Celtics @ Orlando Magic - November 16th, 2011 - Played
Celtics: 96 Heat: 94 (W)
Tonights game against the Magic was once again a close game that went down to the wire. The Celtics were down for nearly the whole game but kept it just close enough to take the game in the 4th quarter. Paul Pierce made up for his horrible performance against the Heat tonight versus the Magic. Making a game winning shot to put the Celtics ahead by two, Paul Pierce sealed the game and stopped the losing streak at only one game.
Besides the game winner, Paul Pierce also had an amazing night overall. He scored 42 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Jeff Green also had a great performance off the bench with 14 points and 5 rebounds. When Pierce wasn't in the game, it was Jeff Green along with Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett who went off. Ray Allen had 10 points and 6 rebounds and Garnett had 17 points and 9 rebounds. A balanced performance by them allowed the Celtics to rest Pierce when needed.
Despite the loss, Dwight Howard had a fantastic performance. His 34 points and 17 rebounds kept the Celtics from ever pulling away until the last minute. His teammates weren't particularly brilliant in this game but they got the job done till the end. Gilbert Arenas had 14 points and 6 assists and Turkoglu had 12 points and 5 assists. Turkoglu did a good job playing point forward while Arenas played more of a shooting guard role. Despite their points however, they shot poorly from three which led to the Magic losing the game.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 41 MIN - 42 Points - 9 REB - 1 AST - 1 STL - 16-27 FG - 2-6 3PT -8-8 FT31 23 18 24 96
21 23 25 25 94
(Note: Pierce game winner is at 1:15)
Golden State Warriors @ Boston Celtics - November 16th, 2011 - Simmed
Warriors: 100 Celtics: 126 (W)
After a tough back to back on the road, the Celtics were looking forward to the rest and home game that came afterwards. Needless to say, it reflected in their play against the Warriors. Despite what the score seems to show, it was actually a close game up to the 4th quarter where a legendary performance by the Celtics led to 43 points to the Warriors 9 points. The Warriors were dazed and confused as they watched their slight lead get ripped away and eventually turn into a blowout.
Another great game for the Big 3 was the cause of the win. Paul Pierce ended the game with 25 points while Garnett and Allen scored 23 points and 22 points respectively. Rondo had his best scoring output this year, scoring 22 points and still managing to grab 5 rebounds and dish 8 assists. While Rondo was unable to reach double digit assist numbers, it was mostly the result of looking to score rather than pass.
The Warriors were led by a career night by Dorrell Wright, who scored 32 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. David Lee had a double double with 18 points and 15 rebounds. He dominated the boards during the first half and made it difficult for the Celtics to catch up. Monta Ellis had the same scoring night that we have come to except, getting 24 points. However in the 4th, his 7 turnovers led to his teams downfall as he couldn't seem to get past the perimeter without losing the ball. The Celtics now have a fairly easy schedule to finish off November and are looking to rack up a few more wins before December.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 32 MIN - 25 Points - 4 REB - 2 AST - 1 STL - 9-15 FG - 3-6 3PT - 4-5 FT23 32 36 9 100
26 25 32 43 120
Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:31 pm
Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:44 am
Glen Davis suffers injury in Warriors game; Will not miss any games
Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff November 17th, 2011 8:30 AM
Celtic forward Glen Davis suffered an injury on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors on a hard foul while driving to the basket. Davis suffered a bruised tailbone and is most likely not going to miss any games because of the injury. The Celtic medical staff does expect the injury to bother Davis over the next two weeks, but he should still be productive enough to contribute to his team.
"It stings but its nothing I can't handle", said Glen Davis on his injury. "The team still needs me to contribute off the bench and a small injury like this won't keep me from helping out my teammates."
Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:57 am
Week 4 - Nov. 22nd - Nov. 28th
Boston Celtics @ Washington Wizards - November 22nd, 2011 - Simmed
Celtics: 114 Wizards: 95 (W)
The Boston Celtics came out in the first quarter of tonight's game with one goal: to end this game as quickly as possible. In only the first quarter, the Celtics scored 38 points and were up by 25. The Wizards did manage to make the margin a little closer but the Celtics were clearly the victor. Paul Pierce had another high scoring game with 37 points on 14-18 FGA and 2-4 from three. He shot a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line and even had 4 rebounds. Kevin Garnett had another double double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. It was his work on the boards that kept the Wizards from gaining much momentum as they kept missing tough shots the Celtics defense forced them into.
Andray Blatche had an amazing game for his team. He scored 33 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. John Wall also had a great game with 24 points and 6 assists. He made several great passes, but the horrible play from players such as Nick Young and Rashard Lewis kept his assist numbers from reaching double digits. Rashard Lewis played for 32 minutes and only scored 6 points. He shot 0-3 from three and missed open shots his team desperately needed him to make.
The Celtics are looking forward to continue their win streak against the Toronto Raptors tomorrow at home.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 35 MIN - 37 PTS - 4 REB - 2 STL - 1 BLK - 14-18 FG - 2-4 3PT - 7-7 FT38 19 25 32 114
13 30 32 20 95
Toronto Raptors @ Boston Celtics - November 23rd, 2011 - Simmed
Raptors: 72 Celtics: 84 (W)
The Celtics had another easy game against the Toronto Raptors tonight as they made quick work of them. The Celtic defense was on full effect as the Raptors were forced into many terrible shots from the perimeter. On offense, it was Paul Pierce who once again led the show with his 28 points and 7 rebounds. He shot 9-18 and 3-5 from three. Its been a great season for him so far and this game was just another example. Kevin Garnett had yet another double double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Glen Davis and Jeff Green were sparks off the bench, each scoring 10 points and collecting 6 total rebounds between the two. With the Celtic bench contributing, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo didn't have to score too much to contribute to the win.
The Raptors struggled all game to find an offensive spark. Demar DeRozan was the only player able to score above 12 points with 20 points on 6-16 field goals and 8-11 on free throws. Jerryd Bayless also had a solid game with 12 points and 3 rebounds. Other than these two however, the rest of the team could not score. Jose Calderon could only manage to score 8 points and shoot 1-4 from three. Rajon Rondo locked him down all game and it shows in his numbers. Bargnani was unable to play because of a sprained foot and the Raptors clearly suffered because of it.
The Celtics are ready to continue their win streak against the Bucks on Friday, where they will face Brandon Jennings and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 35 MIN - 28 PTS - 7 REB - 1 STL - 9-18 FG - 3-5 3PT - 7-9 FT18 12 17 25 72
27 15 19 23 84
Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics - November 25th, 2011 - Simmed
Bucks: 81 Celtics: 70 (L)
The Boston Celtics came out lackadaisical and uninspired as they were easily taken care of by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Celtics came out firing on all cylinders in the first quarter, scoring 30 points and taking an early 10 point lead. From then on, the Celtics struggled on just about every offensive possession, unable to sink even a wide open jumpshot. Glen Davis and Ray Allen were the top two scorers, only scoring 13 points each. Ray Allen was putrid from three, only going 1-6 from three. Rajon Rondo had 11 points and 7 assists and was unable to stop the bleeding. Kevin Garnett had another double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Paul Pierce had his worst offensive game since the game against the Miami Heat, only getting 8 points in 35 minutes of play.
The Bucks had similar problems scoring. Brandon Jennings only had 14 points and struggled from the field, only shooting 30%. Andrew Bogut had a solid game with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Both him and Earl Boykins were the go to players for the Bucks with 11 points each. Other than Bogut, Jennings, and Boykins however, the Bucks were unable to get much production out of any of their other players. Not another player on Milwaukee's team was able to get above 10 points. The game was overall more of a defensive struggle than it was an offensive struggle, but you can't deny that it was more or less because of both teams inability to score.
The Celtics hope to rebound from this loss against the Pistons in Detroit.
Player of the Game: Andrew Bogut - 33 MIN - 11 PTS - 13 REB - 2 STL - 1 AST - 1 BLK - 4-8 FG - 3-6 FT20 23 22 16 81
30 15 13 12 70
Boston Celtics @ Detroit Pistons - November 27th, 2011 - Simmed
Celtics: 108 Pistons: 66 (W)
The Celtics took all of their frustration from Friday out against the Pistons tonight, as they flat out embarrassed Detroit on their own home court. The Celtics locked down the Pistons, not allowing them to get any easy baskets. The Pistons were even held to 8 points in the second quarter, where the Celtics did most of their damage. It was Kevin Garnett who led the show with his 29 points and 14 rebounds. His history with Charlie Villanueva has been noted and could have been a factor in his dominant performance. Ray Allen also had a fantastic game with 27 points. He shot 6-9 from three and grabbed 4 rebounds. Paul Pierce rebounded from his horrible game on Friday with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists tonight. Rondo also had a great game, scoring 10 points and dishing 13 assists. He was a beast on defense with 6 steals and was a key contributor on both sides of the court.
The Pistons fell asleep in the second half after the Celtics run. They didn't even bother trying to catch up, which reflects the current state of their team chemistry. Hamilton was the Pistons lead scorer with 17 points and 5 assists. He shot poorly from deep, only getting a single three out of four attempts. Ben Gordon and Tayshaun Prince both had 13 points but had an equally bad shooting night from three. The one bright spot for the Pistons had to be the play of Rodney Stuckey who scored 16 points on a perfect 3-3 from deep. The Piston big's were unable to contribute at all. In 23 minutes of play, Charlie Villanueva only had 6 rebounds and was unable to score a single basket. He also shot 0-2 from three and missed every free throw he attempted. Ben Wallace had 7 rebounds and only a single point. He had 4 turnovers and contributed very little to the team.
The Celtics were able to show their dominance tonight and hope to do the same in their rematch against the Raptors in Toronto on Tuesday.
Player of the Game: Kevin Garnett - 33 MIN - 29 PTS - 14 REB - 1 AST - 1 BLK - 10-14 FG - 9-10 FT24 23 35 26 108
19 8 22 17 66
Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:04 am
Week 5 - Nov. 29th - Dec. 5th
Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors - November 29th, 2011 - Simmed
Celtics: 91 Raptors: 80 (W)
The Celtics didn't start the game as smooth as they would want to, falling behind by 7 in the first. However, a great shooting game from Paul Pierce and Ray Allen had them bounce back and take a huge lead by halftime. While both teams struggled in the third quarter to score, the Celtics dominated in the fourth and took the game easily. Paul Pierce had 23 points and shot 7-15 from the field. Both he and Ray Allen were deadly accurate and it made them a nightmare to guard for the Raptor defense. Kevin Garnett also had a solid game, scoring 16 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. With his numbers and Jeff Green's 13 points and 7 rebounds, the Celtics were able to close out the game without to much trouble.
The Raptors didn't get much from their best players. Jerryd Bayless led the team with 19 points and shot 4-8 from the field. He had a bad shooting performance from three, missing both of his attempts. Demar Derozan and Sony Weems were the only other Raptors to score more than 10 points with 14 and 15 points respectively. Both players were inaccurate from the field and shot below 43%, showing that the Celtic defense was effective in slowing them down. With Bargnani still hurt from a foot injury, the Raptors didn't have enough offense to keep up with the Celtics. They didn't have a go to player and while they got a decent performance from Bayless, Derozan, and Weems, the poor performance of the other players kept them from winning the game.
The Celtics have a tough game against the Heat coming up and are hoping to get revenge for their defeat earlier in the year.
Player of the Game: Ray Allen - 34 MIN - 21 Points - 2 REB - 2 AST - 2 STL - 7-12 FG - 5-6 3PT - 2-3 FT20 28 11 32 91
27 13 18 22 80
Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics - December 1st, 2011 - Played
Heat: 78 Celtics: 92 (W)
After a tough defeat to the Heat earlier in the season, the Celtics came out tonight looking to get revenge. While the game was hard fought for the first two quarters, the Celtics managed to pull away in the third and never looked back. Paul Pierce rebounded from his awful game against the Heat last time with 23 points on 8-14 shooting from the field and 7-9 from the free throw line. He didn't shoot well from three, but he made up for it by attacking the basket consistently. The Celtics also got a solid performance from Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Jeff Green. Garnett was a force down low and scored 18 points while grabbing 7 rebounds. Ray Allen had a poor performance from three, only shooting 2-6. However, he was great from mid range and attacked the basket consistently, which contributed to his 15 points. Jeff Green also scored 15 points and was a force off the bench. He gave the Heat defense fits as he aggressively attacked the basket any chance he got. Rajon Rondo had a solid night, scoring 7 points and dishing out 10 assists. It was his defense on rotations that helped keep the Heat guards from getting to the basket at will.
The Heat had a great first half, but the Celtic defense locked them up in the second half. Dwayne Wade got into deep foul trouble in the third quarter that kept him out for most of the game. Because of this, the team relied on Lebron as their main scoring threat and because of the double teams thrown at him, he bricked several shots. He had 24 points and 8 rebounds on 10-24 shooting from the field. Chris Bosh struggled the entire game, only scoring 4 points and grabbing 4 rebounds. It was his poor performance that allowed the Celtics to double Lebron at will without worrying about who he passed out to. Because of their defensive style however, Mario Chalmers did get several wide open shots which led to his 22 points.
With their matchup against the Heat tied up at 1 each, the Celtics will look to take a 2-1 lead against them later this month. They will head out to face the Bucks in Milwaukee on the 3rd.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 36 MIN - 23 Points - 4 REB - 3 AST - 2 STL - 8-14 FG - 0-2 3PT - 7-9 FT20 17 21 20 78
23 25 18 26 92
Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks - December 3rd, 2011 - Simmed
Celtics: 109 Bucks: 85 (W)
After a great win against the Heat, the Celtics took care of business early against the Bucks. They went on an offensive run early in the first and continued it until the end of the third quarter when the win seemed clearly in their favor. Paul Pierce had a great scoring night with 34 points on 11-16 shooting. He shot 4-6 from three and made all eight of his free throws. He was efficient for the entire game and was careful with his shot selection. Kevin Garnett also had a great night, scoring 28 points and grabbing 4 rebounds. He shot an equally efficient 14-20 from the field and was a force in the post. Rajon Rondo had a great all around game with 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists. It has been a great season for him in the assists category and it certainly carried over to tonight's game.
The Bucks struggled to score throughout most of the game as Brandon Jennings was the only player to score 20 points. He shot 8-15 from the field and 3-4 from three. It was a fairly efficient scoring night for him but it wasn't enough to make up for the struggles of his teammates. Bogut had 15 points and only 3 rebounds. He was outmatched by the Celtic front court and it showed in his performance. Drew Gooden and Michael Redd had 12 points and 11 points respectively. While they had a decent scoring output, the poor play of other players on the team made their contributions seem weak.
The Celtics are looking to extend their win streak against Blake Griffin and the Clippers on Saturday.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 35 MIN - 34 Points - 4 REB - 1 AST - 3 STL - 11-16 FG - 4-6 3PT - 8-8 FT31 26 28 24 109
20 14 22 29 85
Boston Celtics @ Los Angeles Clippers - December 5th, 2011 - Played
Celtics: 89 Clippers: 86 (W)
The Celtics barely managed to squeak out a win against the Clippers on Saturday as Blake Griffin and co. made it difficult on the Celtic veterans. It was a back and forth game where both teams had their share of brilliant stretches. Paul Pierce was the Celtics leading scorer with 31 points in 39 minutes of play. He took advantage of Aminu and Jamario Moon every chance he got and it made him a difficult player to guard all game. Kevin Garnett once again had a great game against Blake Griffin with 20 points and 8 rebounds. He and Griffin went at each other all game, with both players having their share of great plays throughout the game. While the Garnett vs. Griffin matchup got the most attention, it was the Allen vs. Gordon matchup that surprised everyone. Ray Allen had 18 points on 2-2 shooting from three. He and Gordon battled each other with everything they had.
The Clippers relied on Griffin, Gordon, and Mo WIlliams for their scoring output and they got great performances out of all three. Mo Williams led the team in scoring with 19 points and 4 rebounds. He was a surprisingly hard player to guard and the defensive attention given to Griffin and Gordon left him wide open in several instances. Griffin had 18 points and 13 rebounds as well as several spectacular dunks. The Clippers clearly had the rebounding advantage as Griffin and Jordan combined for 27 rebounds. With Jordan and Griffin cleaning up the boards, It was easy for Gordon to score his 12 points. While he didn't have a great volume shooting game, He made many timely baskets in the forth to keep his team alive.
The Celtics hope that they can extend this winning streak even further next week as they head out west against the Trailblazers and Jazz.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce - 39 MIN - 31 Points - 4 REB - 1 AST - 3 STL - 12-28 FG - 1-3 3PT - 6-8 FT23 19 25 22 89
16 24 24 22 86
(Note: 0:20 for Ray Allen's dunk over Griffin)
Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:18 am
Jermaine O'Neal injures calf in practice; Will still be a starter
Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff December 2nd, 2011 12:30 PM
Celtic center Jermaine O'Neal suffered a sprained calf yesterday during a scrimmage game. The injury happened when O'Neal went up for a rebound and landed at an awkward angle. Despite the injury, he is expected to play through it and continue being a starter.
"We'll have to play him for a few less minutes for a week or two but he'll be able to play through it.", said Doc Rivers when asked about the injury. "Injuries like this happen all the time. You hate to see them happen but I think in this case we'll survive."
Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:40 am
Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:22 pm
Cruzerr wrote:Not bad..Not bad at all. Great presentation. Keep it up
1goal wrote:Nice wins, good to see you beat Miami after loosing to them earlier.
Thu Nov 03, 2011 2:55 am
Monthly Review: November
Player of the Game totals:
1st. Paul Pierce: 10
2nd. Kevin Garnett: 2
3rd. Rajon Rondo: 1, Ray Allen: 1, Avery Bradley: 1
Celtic Player of the Month: Paul Pierce
November stat line: 36.1 MPG, 24.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, .506% FG, .400 3PT
Paul Pierce has had an amzing season so far, leading the Celtics in most Player of the Game awards in the month of November. He's been having his best season in 4 years statistically and its led to a Boston resurgance in the East. With the best record in the league the Celtics have recieved great performances from everyone on their team, but Paul Pierce's contributions have been the most important thus far.
Season Standings
Eastern Conference- 12-2
- 11-6
- 10-6
- 9-8
- 9-8
- 9-9
- 7-8
- 7-9
- 8-11
- 7-10
- 6-9
- 6-11
- 4-12
- 4-13
- 4-13
Western Conference- 12-4
- 13-5
- 13-6
- 12-6
- 11-6
- 12-7
- 9-7
- 10-8
- 10-8
- 8-7
- 9-8
- 6-10
- 6-11
- 5-11
- 3-16
Injury Report:
ATL - Jeff Teague - Strained Groin - Day-to-Day
BOS - Jermaine O'Neal - Strained Calf - Day-to-Day
CHA - D.J. White - Broken Ankle - 4-6 weeks
CHA - Corey Maggette - Torn Hamstring - 2-4 weeks
CHI - Carlos Boozer - Twisted Ankle - Day-to-Day
CLE - Manny Harris - Broken Foot - 2-4 weeks
CLE - Daniel Gibson - Broken Toe - Day-to-Day
DEN - Timofey Mozgov - High Ankle Sprain - 2-4 weeks
DEN - J.R. Smith - Shin Splints - Day-to-Day
DET - Richard Hamilton - Sore Ankle - 1-2 weeks
GS - Monta Ellis - Back Spasms - Day-to-Day
HOU - Patrick Patterson - Sore Back - 1-2 weeks
LAC - Randy Foye - Broken Nose - 1-2 weeks
LAC - Willy Warren - Sprained Achilles - 2-4 weeks
LAC - Chris Kaman - Migraine Headache - Day-to-Day
MEM - Shane Battier - Dislocated Finger - Day-to-Day
MIA - Mike Miller - Broken Hand - 4-6 weeks
MIA - Dexter Pittman - Bruised Rib - 1-2 weeks
MIA - Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Sore Knee - Season
MIA - Dwayne Wade - Sprained Wrist - 1-2 weeks
MIL - Stephen Jackson - Sore Wrist - Day-to-Day
MIN - Anthony Randolph - Torn Meniscus - 2-4 weeks
NJ - Sasha Vujacic - Back Spasms - Day-to-Day
NJ - Ben Uzoh - Knee Tendinitis - Day-to-Day
NO - David West - Broken Back - 4-6 weeks
NY - Derrick Brown - Dislocated Finger - Day-to-Day
ORL - Jason Richardson - Broken Jaw - 2-4 weeks
ORL - Quentin Richardson - Sprained Wrist - 1-2 weeks
PHI - Craig Brackins - Sore Wrist - Day-to-Day
POR - Greg Oden - Strained Quad - 1-2 weeks
SA - Gary Neal - Strained MCL - 1-2 weeks
SAC - Marcus Thornton - Broken Arm - 6-8 weeks
TOR - Leandro Barbosa - Torn Hand Ligament - 1-2 weeks
UTA - Al Jefferson - Sprained Foot - 2-4 weeks
WAS - Javale McGee - Strained Achilles - 1-2 weeks
Players of the Month
November -- Lebron James |
- Kevin Durant
Rookies of the Month
November -- Anthony Riley |
- Ricky Rubio
Monthly Preview: December
Notable Games:
Dec. 1st vs. Heat - A chance for the Celtics to get revenge after a painful loss last month.
Dec. 5th @ Clippers - A rematch against one of the best teams in the West
Dec. 22nd vs. Knicks - The first game of the season against an Atlantic division rival.
Dec. 25th @ Knicks - A tough road game where one team will be looking for revenge after the 22nd.
Potential Upsets:
Dec. 8th @ Trail Blazers - A surprisingly successful team so far this season. Could make for a tough matchup.
Dec. 9th @ Jazz - The second game of a back-to-back on the road.
Dec. 27th @ Memphis - A tough team in the West with lots of talent.
Thu Nov 03, 2011 3:01 am
Thu Nov 03, 2011 3:10 am
Lamrock wrote:Some good writing and lots of effort in this one. Hope you can stay healthy and atop the East.