Rose's 29 points, 10 assists lead Bulls Over Celts, 119-103

Derrick Rose had 29 points and 10 assists to pace the Chicago Bulls to a solid road win in Boston Friday night.

So much for his shooting slump.

The Boston Celtics shot 60% in the first half against the Bulls, a trend that has been developing of late.

However, The Bulls tightened up their defense and Derrick Rose hit some timely three-pointers in the 4th quarter to pull away from Boston.

Chicago had lost two in a row, and four of their last five games. The win came courtesy of Rose's 29 points (20 scored in the 2nd half), Jimmy Butler scoring 22, and Pau Gasol's double-double, 20 points and 11 boards. Aaron Brooks had 15 points.

Chicago hit nearly 54% of its shots (27-41 in the 2nd half), a high number for a road game. The team's 27 assists were also impressive playing on the road. Rose had a fine floor game with 10 assists. The offense was able to function well despite the absence of cornerstone center Joakim Noah, the fiery rebounder and low post defender.  Noah is out with a high ankle sprain.

Jared Sullinger scored 20 points had had 8 rebounds for Boston. Kelly Olynyk had 14 points and 9 boards.

Chicago has demonstrated it can score points, but also it has allowed teams to almost score at will. That is not Bulls basketball.  Coach Tom Thibodeau has been stressing that the team has to turn up the intensity on the defensive end. They will have an opportunity to do that with some tough road tests coming up.

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Gasol's 29 points leads Bulls in OT Over Celtics, 109-104

Pau Gasol has been the talk of making an All-Star game berth. Don't be surprised if he gets the nod.  At 34, he's playing as if he's 30.  That's great news for Chicago who sorely lacked a forward with his versatile offensive skills and shot blocking ability.

The Bulls defeated the Boston Celtics in overtime in a game that neither team could take control of. In the OT, the Bulls outscored Boston, 10-5 for the 109-104 win.  Gasol's line: 29 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Gasol could be an All-Star with a few more games like that.

This win came despite the loss of Jimmy Butler (bereavement leave) and Mike Dunleavy (ankle), both starters for the Bulls.  Boston got a great effort second half effort from Evan Turner who scored 29 points, 24 after half-time. Turner was 12-22 from the floor. When he gets hot, he can make some scintillating shots.

Nikola Mirotic started in place of Dunleavy and scored 10 points.  Aaron Brooks came off the bench and contributed 19 points. Joakim Noah had 8 points and 10 rebounds. Chicago had 59 rebounds, and had a 24-10 advantage in offensive rebounds. The team made 29-40 free-throw attempts. Boston went to the line only 11 times.  Chicago won despite the Celts' shooting 45% from the floor. The Bulls were 37% in made FG's.

Derrick Rose had another off shooting game, going 5-18 from the field. He scored 12 points. Although no one close to the team will admit it, it may be possible that Rose has hit a "wall" in his long awaited return to NBA play. He's missed nearly two seasons of games, and it could be that his steady minutes are catching up to him.  He doesn't appear injured. If he is, it will eventually come to light. The Bulls have been able to win in spite of Rose shooting 24% the last 4 games.

Chicago improves to 10-6 at home.

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Three-Team Trade Helps Brooklyn Immensely

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

July 9, 2014

Three-Team Deal Helps Brooklyn Immensely

chatsports.com

The LeBron James 2014 off-season factor made its way to Brooklyn on Wednesday, as the Cleveland Cavaliers in need of clearing cap room to offer James his max contract, basically just handed players away. The three-team deal also included the Boston Celtics, who acquired Marcus Thornton from the Nets, Tyler Zeller, and a 2016 protected pick from the Cavaliers. The Nets made out excellent in this deal, receiving Jarrett Jack to replace Shaun Livingston, and 2013 first round pick Sergey Karasev.

Even though James isn’t coming to Brooklyn it shows the effect that he is having on the off-season with many players and teams waiting on him to decide. For Brooklyn his interest in the Cavaliers allowed them to get the Point Guard they wanted in Jack, and a 20-year old with a lot of potential in Karasev.

Jack, was the Nets first option for quite a while when it became apparent that keeping Livingston was going to be unlikely. Jack is coming off a bit of a disappointing season with the Cavaliers after a great post season with the Warriors the year before. Jack averaged 9.1 PPG on a poor 41% shooting from the field to go along with 4.1 APG, and 2.8 RPG. If Jason Kidd was still coaching the Nets, you would certainly a lot of Jack and Deron Williams playing on the court together, but Lionel Hollins tends to go with a more traditional lineup so it will be interesting to see how Jack is used. Jack has two years left on his deal worth $12.6 million, and a team option for the 2016-17 season.

Karasev is a very interesting pickup for the Nets, with Karasev being a 6-7 Shooting Guard that was the 19^th overall pick last June. The Nets had a lot of interest in the Russian in that draft, which they eventually picked Mason Plumlee with the 22^nd pick. Karasev only played in 22 games last season, but brings the Nets a great shooter and ball-handler. He does however need to add some strength to his frame, which will come with him being only 20 years old. Getting Jack and Karasev for Thornton’s expiring contract is a good haul for the Nets, who have added a lot of young players this off-season. The Cavaliers will now be able to offer James what he wants money wise, and after just giving away players, they better hope he is indeed interested in coming back home.

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Press Play on Phil Pressey

As a little kid it's a natural instinct to dream big as we all want to become great at what we do. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)  Hall of Famer Bret Hart's motto was "The Best there is, the Best there was and the Best there ever will be." That's the slogan that every athlete should follow because they all should aim to be the best at their craft. In the NBA that motto is hard to follow; especially when one is selected in the 2nd round but to be undrafted makes that motto irrelevant but one can use it as motivation. 

Former Missouri guard and the son of 11-year NBA veteran, Paul, Phil Pressey was projected as a late to undrafted player in the 2013 NBA Draft by many “experts”. He did not have his name called by then NBA Commissioner David Stern or Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver and his dreams of joining a exclusive fraternity was falling from his grasp. Going undrafted must've hurt the ego of Pressey, because as a little kid he would go the gym with his father who was a assistant coach for the Celtics, along with playing his AAU games in Waltham where the team practices and idolizing Celtics' legend Paul Pierce. Along with other offspring of NBA players ala Austin Rivers - son of Doc Rivers - and also being scared of the forward.

"We used to be there shooting before practices and games,” Austin Rivers said. “Then he would come up and say, ‘Y’all got to get off. It’s our turn now.’ We were like, all right. We were scared of him at that point."

Pressey recalls watching now 36-year old NBA citizen Paul Pierce play as a youthful child back at the Fleet Center alongside of Antonie Walker.

"He’s one of my favorite players,” Pressey said. “Me being younger, eighth grade, you always were just kind of drawn to whoever were the best players on the team. When him and Antoine Walker were on the same team, that was like my favorite. Because all they did was shoot threes. That was fun to watch."

As a basketball player, he knew he had the talent to be one of sixty players drafted into the association but he wasn't and despite that he still felt as if he belonged. 

"I was just frustrated because I knew I had a chance to be drafted," Pressey said.

Phil Pressey was given a chance by a team he was familiar with in the past as a child which was the Boston Celtics as they signed him to be part of their summer league roster and after a humdrum summer league in which he averaged 9.4 points, 6.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds and a PER of 12.0, the Boston Celtics decided to sign him to a contract. On July 22, 2013 the then 22-year old signed a 3-year deal with the Celtics with the first year being guaranteed with him making $490,180. Pressey signing that contract was a great start to his NBA career as All-Star guard Rajon Rondo was still recovering from a Torn ACL and the team needed another ball-handler to be the leader while their "captain" was recovering from battle. No one wants to go undrafted and become a free agent but Pressey cherished it becoming one and somewhat suggested it as being a better option than most cases. He believes it behooved him in the long run because he was put in a position in which he was granted a opportunity on a rebuilding team in search of young talent

"After the 45th pick, it’s almost like you want to go undrafted because you never know what the team is going to do with you when they have your rights,” Pressey said. “So unless you’re 100 percent (sure that) the team is going to keep you, you might want to go undrafted so that you don’t end up overseas or getting sent to the D-League.......Do I want to hear my name called and go to a team that will probably send you overseas or cut you? Or just wait and go undrafted, and go to a team that really wants you."

Pressey had a feeling the Boston Celtics were a good fit for him to make a name for himself in the league due to the direction to team was heading in the era of Rajon Rondo after the departure of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers.

"I kind of knew that was probably going to be the place for me, my best shot to make it in the NBA,” Pressey said. “A lot of guys want to get drafted and hear their name called. But after the first 35 picks or so, you don’t want to get drafted. Because they have your rights and they can just send you overseas. That was probably the best thing I did in my life, because going undrafted was the best thing that ever happened to me."

As a rookie, Pressey came off the bench for the most part and in certain junctures of time he showed the fans and organization that he could be part of the Celtics immediate future. First year coach Brad Stevens trusted Pressey with the key to the car and allowed him to drive for awhile until Rondo came back and he needed to take a backseat but even so, Rondo would receive nights off due to rest and Pressey would be inserted into the starting lineup.

"There’s so much you can learn from (Rondo) from a talent aspect,” Pressey said. “But the most I’ve learned from him is his leadership on the court – how he manages the game offensively and defensively. It’s like when he’s on the court, everything’s where it needs to be. Guys are in their spots. Guys are competing at a high level. Just, his leadership is unmatchable out there."

"Phil’s case, it worked out perfectly,” former teammate and current D-League front office official Jarrett Sutton said. “I think the Celtics were always interested in him and knew he would be there if he didn’t get drafted. It’s worked out for him. He’s kind of a rare case." 

His rookie season was filled with great highlights and his play shouldn't be taken for granted as he showed he deserves to be in the exclusive of about 400 and is a reliable backup Point Guard. In a catastrophic season for the 17-time NBA champions, the now 23-year old guard averaged 2.8 points, 3.2 assists and 1.4 rebounds. Pressey is watching his dream of being a pro unravel in front of his eyes and taking this opportunity and running like Usain Bolt with it.

"I think when I’ve had the opportunity to play, I’ve done the best I can,” said Pressey, whose work ethic has been praised by Stevens and teammates throughout the season. “I went out there playing my hardest. There’s not much more I can do. My rookie year is going well so far. I mean, I wish we won a lot more. But I feel like for me personally, it’s gone up and down. But overall it’s pretty good."

"I’ve been dreaming since I was a little kid to start in an NBA game," Pressey said. "and I’ve had great assists games, and I’ve scored my career high. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can this season so I can come back next year even better."

Over the course of the NBA season, Pressey has soaked up knowledge about the parameters of the NBA and learned why veteran players say NBA stands for "No. Boys. Allowed." Pressey is ready for next season after what he learned in a tumultuous season. Phil Pressey has become a local favorite in Boston with his play on the court and with him having a past in Boston. He has become a cache of youthful prospects Danny Ainge has assembled in white and green, and has a solid rookie season in a wasted season. Pressey won't become a All-Star but has proved he can play in this level when needed as he is ready for any situation he's out in.

"Make sure you’re ready,” Pressey said. “You need to look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you’re ready. Don’t just leave because it’s the NBA. I mean, the NBA takes no type of sympathy. If you’re not ready, they’re going to let you know it, and they’re going to send you elsewhere."

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Kelly Olynyk achieves All-Rookie Honor

During last summer the 2013 rookie class took a survey of which one of them would have the best career amongst each other, Boston Celtics rookie forward Kelly Olynyk revived most of the votes with Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo. Olynyk could be on pace to live up to the expectations of his peers as the NBA recently announced who the coaches selected for the prestigious All-Rookie First and Second teams.  Olynyk was named to the team and was the first Celtics' player selected to the team since Rajon Rondo in 2007 and the first big-man since Al Jefferson in 2005 (now with Charlotte Hornets). Who would've thought that a 7-foot Canadian with hair that moves from the wind would be the only source of light in a dim season for a team use to winning.

Olynyk had decent season and could say, "I outplayed the No. 1 pick in my draft my rookie year." In 70 games played, Olynyk averaged 8.7 points (6th among rookies) and 5.2 rebounds (2nd among rookies) on 46.6% shooting from the field (4th among rookies) and 35.1% shooting from the 3-point line (6th among rookies), also unlike most big-men, he didn't shoot horrifically from the free-throw line as he shot 81.1% (5th among rookies) . The shooting ability of Olynyk was a key asset for his first year on the job as he is following a norm in the NBA as their is a bevy of big-men congregating to the 3-point line.    

This season, Olynyk didn't have box office numbers despite being compared to Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki but did put up respectable stats throughout the regular season. Olynyk had 22 games of 10+ but a dismal three double-doubles, then again he's more of a shooter/scorer than a prolific rebounder and could turnout to become a Point Forward further down in his career.

In recent years, young players who ended up in Boston didn't have the best career one would hope for playing for one of the original NBA teams but in a rebuilding year it's imperative that the Celtics are successful with their rookie and they've done that with Olynk as he has improved throughout the season.

"[Olynyk] is getting a better feel, Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "getting into a great rhythm and the game is slowing down for him in a lot of ways — especially on the defensive end. He’s reading situations better. He’s in the right position a lot of the time."  

Olynyk ended his rookie year on a high note as he averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds in the month of April. He had a career-high 12 rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the ensuing game after, he had a career-high 28 points against the Washington Wizards. 

While Danny Ainge can pound his chest like Kevin Garnett for acquiring Olynyk on draft day from the Dallas Mavericks and making a smart decision with the way he has performed, in which he has recently had a ineptitude of mistakes trade wise, Olynyk is far from being infallible. Olynyk needs improve his defense as he was a liability on that end and needs to bulk up and go on the left or right block and get the Celtics more possessions in the post. 

Olynyk had a better rookie season than most of his peers drafted ahead of him in Anthony Bennett (No. 1), Otto Porter (No. 3), Cody Zeller (No. 4), Alex Len (No. 5), Ben McLemore (No. 7), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (No. 8) and C.J. McCollum (No. 10).

With the draft coming up, it'll be interesting to see if the Celtics stock up their frontcourt as they've been linked to Julius Randle (Kentucky) and Massachusetts native Noah Vonleh (Indiana). Another option is stay pat and go forward with Olynyk and Jared Sullinger.

Olynyk achieved the All-Rookie honors along with Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Gorgui Deing (Minnesota Timberwolves), Cody Zeller (Charlotte Bobcats) and Steven Adams (Oklahoma City Thunder) on the second team. For the first team, Michael Carter-Williams (Philadelphia 76ers), Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic), Trey Burke (Utah Jazz), Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (New York Knicks) were selected as the top rookies of the 2013-2014 campaign on the first team.

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Nets Make It 11 Straight Wins at Home

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 21st, 2014

Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Celtics 98 Nets 114

The Brooklyn Nets sporting their nice alternative blue and grey jerseys were able to pick up their 11th straight victory at the Barclays Center on Friday night against the Boston Celtics. The win moves the Nets to just 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors with a (36-31) record, as the Oklahoma City Thunder helped the Nets out by beating the Raptors in double overtime behind 51 points from Kevin Durant.

espn.go.com

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

In the blowout win for the Nets their starters didn’t have to play much, but when Joe Johnson was on the court he was on fire. Johnson played the most of any starter, playing 30 minutes, which led to him having a team-high 27 points on 10 for 16 shooting, including going an outstanding six of eight from three-point range. Johnson added four assists and two rebounds to go along with his big scoring performance.

Positives:

In the absence of Kevin Garnett, Mason Plumlee has really come into his own in the starting lineup, as that was shown on Friday night. Plumlee scored 18 points on six for seven shooting, and went a perfect six for six from the free throw line. He would also add five rebounds, three assists, and three steals to round out a nice game.

Former Celtic Paul Pierce was finally able to put together a good game against his former team. Pierce didn’t have to play much, but in 19 minutes he was able to score 14 points on six of 10 shooting, which is so much better than his previous three games against the Celtics this season.

Brooklyn’s bench got a lot of work in the game, and nobody shined more off the bench then Jorge Gutierrez. Gutierrez, who normal doesn’t see much court time, was the only Net in double figures off the bench, as he scored 10 points on five for six shooting with three rebounds. The 10 points for him is a new season-high, his previous best was seven points, also against the Celtics.

Negatives:

The only bad thing for the Nets in this game was that Celtics Guard Avery Bradley scored an uncommon amount of points. Bradley scored a game-high 28 points on 12 for 19 shooting, including going four of nine from deep. Most of Bradley’s damage came in the second quarter, as he scored 18 of his 28 points.

Next up for the Nets will be a very difficult test on the road as they head to Dallas to play the Mavericks on Sunday night.

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W2W4: Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets March 21st, 2014

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 21st, 2014

W2W4: Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Brooklyn Nets will be at home on Friday night hosting the Boston Celtics, as the Nets will be looking for their 11th straight win in the Barclays Center. The Nets are currently 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division with the Raptors hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Match-Up of the Game: Rajon Rondo vs. Deron Williams

On Friday night in the Barclays Center their will be a great match-up at the Point Guard position, as Rajon Rondo will be facing off against Deron Williams. Rondo is coming off a very good game against the Miami Heat, as the Celtics were able to pull off the upset at home against the defending champs. In Wednesday’s win, Rondo almost had a triple-double, with 15 assists, 10 rebounds, and nine points. In two games this season against the Nets, Rondo has played well averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game. Rondo will however have his hands full, as Deron Williams has been on fire in his last two games combining for 53 points on 19 for 28 shooting against the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Bobcats.

- Looking for Revenge

Earlier in the month the Nets were in Boston, which turned into a nightmare for the Nets, as they were held to just 84 points on March 7th. What killed the Nets earlier in March was the horrendous three-point shooting, as they went just four for 30 from deep. The backcourt of Williams and Joe Johnson played well, but there wasn’t much help from anyone else, as Paul Pierce has yet to play a good game this season against his former team.

news.sportslogos.net

- New Uniforms

Tonight will be the debut of the new Brooklyn blue jerseys, as the short-sleeved blue and grey jerseys look pretty sharp paying tribute to the old Brooklyn Dodgers. Many thought that Brooklyn would have these as the normal team colors, but they obviously decided to go with the black and white, but it is nice to see these as an alternative jersey.

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Knicks Blow Celtics Out For 5th Straight Win

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, March 12^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to go into Boston and handle business Wednesday night, coming away with a 116-92 blowout victory over the Celtics. It was a total team effort tonight from the Knicks on both ends of the court overall as they took control of the game right from the start. The victory tonight moves the Knicks to three games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and alone in ninth place. The Knicks will take their five game winning streak into a matinee with the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday night and look to inch closer to the playoffs.

-Player of the Game: Cole Aldrich

Jared Wickerham-Getty Images

With Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire both sidelined for tonight, the Knicks needed someone to step up and try filling the void. That person tonight was Aldrich, who made his first NBA start and put together a great game in the process. Aldrich recorded a double-double, scoring a career-high tying 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. He also brought intensity and production to the defensive end, blocking three shots. Aldrich knows his role with the team and that he probably will not play much, if at all, when all the regulars come back, but for one night Aldrich was called upon and he showed up. This is a good thing all around as the Knicks now know what Aldrich can give them in a pinch and Aldrich now has the confidence that he can come in and produce.

-Positives

EPA/CJ Gunther CORBIS OUT

Carmelo Anthony led the way scoring 34 points. He set the tone early on for the Knicks, scoring 13 points in the opening quarter to open up a lead that the Knicks would never relinquish. Anthony had it going from deep, knocking down 4-7 from beyond the three point line and making all eight of his free throws. He also grabbed nine rebounds, handed out two assists and getting one steal.

The bench tonight provided a lot of positives for the Knicks. With Stoudemire and J.R. Smith being inserted into the starting lineup the bench recently has lacked punch but tonight they did well. Tim Hardaway Jr. poured in 22 points as he was on fire from the field all night, knocking down 7-11 from the field, 3-5 from deep and 5-6 from the charity stripe. Pablo Prigioni provided timely baskets with his two three point makes and veteran leadership while on the court with four assists, two rebounds and three steals. Jeremy Tyler gave energy and a presence on the boards for the Knicks, grabbing seven rebounds. The biggest surprise was Earl Clark, who was inserted into the rotation tonight with all of the injuries. Like Aldrich Clark made the most of his chance, scoring six points to go with six rebounds, two blocks, an assist and steal.

The offense was clicking all night for the Knicks from the opening tip through the final whistle. It was a wire-to-wire victory for the Knicks, the second time they have accomplished such a feat during the winning streak. Tonight they lit the Celtics up from deep, shooting 11-19 from the three point line and from the field overall, going 42-80 on the night. They also made the most from their trips to the charity stripe, something that has plagued them at times but not tonight, making 21-24 free throws.

-Negatives

Jared Wickerham-Getty Images

The Knicks showed a little bit of a letdown in the third quarter. After opening up a 20 point lead going into the half, the Knicks saw that lead cut in half when the fourth quarter started. A big reason for that was Jeff Green, who scored 17 of his 27 in the third quarter. That combined with a poor shooting quarter got the Celtics back into the game going into the fourth quarter. It was a short lived comeback though, as the Knicks ended the game strong, outscoring the Celtics 31-17 in the fourth quarter to come away with the easy victory.

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W2W4: New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics; March 10th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, March 12^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Knicks and Celtics will be facing off for the fourth and final time this season in Boston. The Knicks will look to even the season series up at two, as the Celtics won the first two meetings pretty handedly and the Knicks won in blowout fashion in the most recent meeting. This is an important game for the Knicks as they continue their playoff push, as they cannot afford to lose to teams below them in the standings to move up. The Knicks will look to continue their four game winning streak and here are some news and notes for them to do so.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks will be extremely short-handed in the front court tonight. Tyson Chandler will not be with the team for the second consecutive game as he deals with a personal problem. The Knicks will also be without his frontcourt mate in the starting lineup in Amar’e Stoudemire. Stoudemire will miss tonight’s game for precautionary reasons; he has played 56 minutes in his last two games after being on a strict minutes limit throughout the season.  One of Jeremy Tyler or Cole Aldrich will most likely find themselves in the starting lineup and both getting increased minutes tonight. Earl Clark will more likely find his way into the rotation tonight as the backup big man off the bench.

For the Celtics, Rajon Rondo will not be suiting up. Rondo played 41 minutes last night against the Indiana Pacers and will be held out. Rondo is still not playing back-to-backs for the Celtics, who have very little to play for so pushing Rondo makes little sense. The Knicks catch a break as the inexperienced Phil Pressey will take over the starting point guard duties.

-Match-Up of the Game: Carmelo Anthony vs. Jeff Green

NBA.Com

With Rondo out, Green is the best player the Celtics have and will be the vocal point of their offense. Green has had some success in guarding Anthony this season as well. Anthony struggled in the first two meetings, both Knicks losses and did well in the third meeting, a Knicks win. The Knicks fortunes tonight will hinge on the performance of Anthony and if he can take advantage of his match up with Green tonight. Anthony has struggled a little offensively recently dealing with an illness and will look to get back on track tonight.

-Who Steps Up Tonight?

With Stoudemire and Chandler out the Knicks are missing key pieces to their recent turnaround; an extremely efficient scorer who has been a presence rebounding, and the heart and soul to their defense. Who picks up the slack tonight for the Knicks will be the most intriguing thing to watch tonight. Tyler has played well in limited minutes, but is foul prone at times. Aldrich hasn’t been a constant contributor at any point in his career, but has shown the ability to rebound and play some solid defense when given a chance. Clark, who was cut from the Cavaliers, is probably the x-factor tonight in the front court. If he can give the Knicks anything tonight it will go a long way, but it is going to be a group effort to replace the production of Stoudemire and Chandler.

-No Let Down

The Celtics are coming off a hard-fought game against the Pacers last night in Indiana. The Knicks, on the other hand, are coming off a game that took them three quarters to get going, but ended up winning comfortably. Tonight they have to come out with the same intensity they did the fourth quarter Monday against the 76ers and take the Celtics out early. The Knicks have a tendency to let teams stick around far too long and it has hurt them throughout the season. Tonight, especially without 2/3 their starting front court, they need to come out early and take control. Expect a lot of Carmelo Anthony early and often as the Knicks will lean on their leading man with key pieces missing the game. If the Knicks can get on the Celtics early they can put this game away early as the Celtics will be a little fatigued and without their best player, even post ACL-injury, in Rondo. 

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Nets Shooting Woes Cost Them in Boston

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 7^th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 84 Celtics 91

The Brooklyn Nets were unable to stay above the .500 mark on Friday night, as they were defeated by the Boston Celtics. The loss moves the Nets to (30-30) on the season, and they now trail the Toronto Raptors by four games in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Shooting Guard Joe Johnson was questionable to play on Friday with an illness, but was able to play, and along with Deron Williams was good for Brooklyn. Johnson finished with a game-high 21 points on nine for 21 shooting. He also grabbed seven rebounds, which was a quarter of the Nets total rebounds as the Celtics dominated the glass, holding the Nets to just 28 as a team. It was the third straight good game from Johnson, which is important for the Nets heading into the stretch run.

Positives:

Deron Williams was good once again for Brooklyn, but with most of the team struggling it just wasn’t enough to get past a poor Celtics team. Williams finished with 20 points on seven for 15 shooting, but did have four turnovers with only four assists. Off the bench for Brooklyn the only positive was the play of Andray Blatche, who scored 11 points on three for seven shooting, and was one of the few Nets to have a positive +/-.

scores.go.espn.com

Negatives:

It was the second game back in Boston for Paul Pierce, but although he played better on Friday than he did on his first trip back to Boston, it was still a poor game from him. Pierce finished scoring just 11 points on four for 11 shooting with three rebounds and one assist. In three games now this season against the Celtics, Pierce is averaging just 6.7 points per game, while shooting a dreadful 25% from the field.

Shooting from three-point land was a complete nightmare for the Nets on Friday, which was a large part for their lack of scoring. In the first half the Nets went zero for 17 from deep and for the game they finished hitting just four on 30 attempts. Marcus Thornton had a rough night going zero for six from beyond the arc, and Pierce went zero for four. Even the good games from Williams and Johnson didn’t exclude them from the poor percentage from three-point range, as they combined to shoot three of 15.

Celtics Point Guard Rajon Rondo looked good once again, as he seems to be getting healthy from his knee injury. Rondo came close to a triple-double, as he scored 20 points on six for 14 shooting with nine assists, seven rebounds, and four steals. Rondo even went three for six from three-point range, which is a rare thing from generally a poor jump shooter. The only downside to Rondo's game on Friday was that for the second consecutive game he turned the ball over seven times.

Next up for the Nets will be an off day on Saturday before hosting the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.

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W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics March 7th, 2014

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 7^th, 2014

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics

barclayscenter.com

The Brooklyn Nets will be heading up to Boston to play against the Celtics on Friday night, as the Nets will look to stay above the .500 mark against a struggling Celtics team. With their (30-29) record the Nets are sitting three games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

- No Return for KG

Kevin Garnett has missed the last three games with back spasms and wont be available for the Nets on Friday night against his former team the Celtics. Rookie Mason Plumlee will be making the start yet again in place of Garnett. Plumlee hasnt played bad in the starting role, as the athletic, energitic Plumlee is averaging five points and a little more than five rebounds per game in the absence of Garnett. Joe Johnson is listed as questionable for Friday, as he is a bit under the weather. Even against the Celtics its tough to head into a game without possibly two of your normal starting lineup.

- Pierce Back Home

Forward Paul Pierce will be going back to Boston for the second time as a Net after 15 seasons as a Celtic. Pierce will be looking to play much better than he did the first time he was back in Boston, as on January 26^th, Pierce scored just six points on a dreadful two for 10 shooting night. Even in Brooklyn, Pierce struggled, scoring just four points on zero for three shooting. Butterflies are expected for Pierce again, but the second time in Boston should be a bit easier and less emotional for him to have a better game.

- Stay Above .500

It was a long road for the Nets to get to over .500 this season, but after battling a lot of injuries they are finally above the .500 mark for the first time all season, and now have to look to build on that. After their game against the Celtics they will be at home against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday before a huge game on Monday against the Raptors, who have beaten the Nets twice already on the second half of Nets back to backs. With five straight games against likely playoff teams coming up after the game against the Kings, the Nets can really use these wins against the sub-.500 teams.

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What's in the future for Rajon Rondo?

With the NBA's Trade Deadline a day away, the rumor mill surely has started spinning, especially over Boston Celtic’s point guard Rajon Rondo. While recently coming back off of his torn ACL Rondo has averaged 9.8 points and 8.7 assists per game so its understandable why he’d be such a sought after acquisition to many teams rosters but the question still remains where could Rondo actually end up? There are a few teams that could definitely benefit from having Rondo but there are also teams that could benefit the Celtics rebuilding process as well.  One of which being their league long rivals; the Los Angeles Lakers.

Hear me out now, it's not as far fetched as it seems. Although Rondo has said multiple times that he would not play for the Lakers in his career the trade could benefit both sides positively. A trade of Rajon for Pau and two unprotected draft picks has been in the talks recently and it's honestly not a bad idea. Pau has an expiring $19+ million dollar contract coming up at the end of the year, as does current Celtics center Kris Humphries (although his contract is $12 million which still ties him as highest paid Celtic with Rajon Rondo). Collecting Pau’s contract along with Humphries' expiring would total almost 30 million dollars in free cap space onto the Celtics roster at the start of next season. That would put the Celtics at 3 first rounds and 2 deep draft picks, and $30 million dollars to use on free agency in the 2014 - 2015 season. That's nothing to turn your nose at, as sucky as it would be to see Rondo in the hated purple and gold.

Another team making a last ditch effort towards acquiring Rondo are the New York Knicks. The Celtics have already declined two previous offers for their point guard but that doesn’t mean the Knicks have quite given up hope yet.  Word from the Knicks camp is that the team's push for Rajon is coming straight from Carmelo Anthony himself. Unfortunately the players, and trade picks that the organization is willing to offer, just aren’t any good for the Celtics in the long run; so the odds of seeing a Rondo - Anthony link aren’t looking to good. Sorry Knicks fans.

And last but not least, The Detroit Pistons. Like the Knicks the Pistons have had a long time interest in Rondo, ever since acquiring Josh Smith to a big money deal in the off season. Its was only natural to assume that the Pistons would try to make a trade work for Rondo using their big man Greg Monroe.  Recently they have offered Greg Monroe, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a first round draft pick. Words from the Pistons camp is that the asking price for a fresh off injury Rajon Rondo is just to steep for them to even entertain, but you never know. when it comes to a ring, teams have been know to break the bank at an opportunity to see the NBA Finals.

All this talk just leads us to wonder where he will end up, and truth is up until Thursday no one will know until trades have gone through. As a Celtics fan the thought of parting ways with the last piece of the 2008 Championship Team is a sad one, but with eyes on the future; and a rebuilding process in sight that needs to make its way to the present, the right trade may just make it worth while. Currently (in my opinion) Rondo doesn’t seem very interested in who he plays for, as long as the money and the contract is right; which is hard to understand after seeing him under the wings of Celtics greats; Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. That leads myself and a majority of Celtics fans whom bleed green to have the mindset of let him go and bring in a player with pride to play for this city. Someone to take over the reign Paul Pierce left to be filled. Only time will tell, but until then we’re just left with different possibilities that could come to surface. Celtics coach Brad Stevens has said that he doesn’t see a team overhaul coming into play before the trade deadline, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

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Knicks Exact Some Revenge and Blowout Celtics

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Tuesday, January 28^th, 2014

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to exact some revenge on the rival Celtics tonight, blowing them out 114-88; the score does not even do justice to just how much the Knicks outplayed the Celtics tonight. The Celtics came into Madison Square Garden December 8^th and gave the Knicks their third worst defeat in franchise history so tonight put a smile on their faces. It was a solid team effort as everyone did their part tonight to get the victory, the third in a row for the Knicks. The win also evens their win and lose record at 3-3 during the eight game home stand. The Knicks will get back at it Thursday night again at Madison Square Garden against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 PM ET.

Player of the Game: Carmelo Anthony

NBA.com

The Knicks for once did not need Anthony to carry the offensive load himself, as the blowout victory enabled him to get some rest for once. But he was still a catalyst in the blowout victory, as he helped with a little bit of everything. Anthony fueled the blowout with 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals in only 28 minutes. Anthony got some much needed rest as the Knicks are extremely shorthanded currently in the front court. Anthony scored efficiently and kept his teammates involved, a potent combination for the Knicks this season as they improved their record to 13-3 when Anthony registers four or more assists in a game.

-Positives

The offense was clicking for the Knicks tonight, as they shot an impressive 53.7 percent (44-82) on the night, knocking down half their three pointers (10-20) in the process. Four other Knicks including Anthony scored in double figures, including a career high 17 points from Jeremy Tyler. Tyler has performed well in his limited minutes this season and looks to be a viable option for head coach Mike Woodson with all of the injuries ravaging the front court currently. Chandler added 12 to go along with 13 rebounds to give him his third double-double in his last four games as he continues to round into shape. J.R. Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr. were the other Knicks in double figures, as the two are becoming a potent backcourt combination off the bench, scoring 17 and 16 points respectively. This was the second game in a row that the Knicks had five players score in double figures.

NBA.com

The defense was as effective as the offense through the first three quarters when the regulars were in. The Celtics were as cold shooting the ball as the temperatures outside, missing 12 of their first 15 three point attempts. On the night they shot 39 percent overall and an unsightly 27.3 (6-22) from the three point line. This looked nothing like the Celtics that routed the Knicks in December, as no one was able to really get going for Boston. Jeff Green led the way with 14 points.

-Negatives

It wasn’t all positive for the Knicks Tuesday night, as the injury bug reared its ugly head again. Kenyon Martin was returning from a five game absence and was barely able to make it through a half as he had a reoccurrence of his left ankle pain. Martin returned to the bench and was said to be able to return, but with the game in hand Woodson did not risk it, but the fact he had to leave the court at all is not good. Iman Shumpert was also injured in the game with a right shoulder injury. The Knicks could be without Shumpert for an extender period of time as the severity of the injury is not yet known, but he was not able to return to the court tonight.

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Chris Johnson given a second 10 day contract with the Celtics

The Boston Celtics announced Tuesday that they have given Johnson a second 10 day contract.

This comes as no surprise to anyone who has been watching the team play recently. Johnson has been very effective in picking up where he was needed; averaging 10 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals in about 25 minutes per game. He truly guaranteed his semi-peremenant stint with the team when he managed to score 12 points in sundays game against the Brooklyn Nets. Johnson's contact was supposed to expire after Sundays game but news came that he flew into New York ahead of the team with the expectation of signing the new contract.

Johnson originally signed with the Celtics on January 17th, after playing 20 games with the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The team now has until next month to make the decision on whether or not they will keep Johnson for the remainder of the season.

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What does the future hold for Rajon Rondo and the Celtics?

Over the last week there has been a lot of buzz surrounding Rajon Rondo and his role with the Boston Celtics.  News came that the Celtics President of Operations, Danny Ainge, offered him a contract extension with the team that was denied (as expected)

"In the collective bargaining agreement, there are limits on what can and can't be done," said Ainge.
"Really, it's not that Rondo doesn't want to accept an extension, as much as it's just not financially smart for him to accept it right now. We didn't think he would [sign], but we did try.”

Initially the news led some fans to question what Rondo’s long term intentions were with the team. Was he in this for the long haul as the newly named captain or was this a way for Ainge to say “we made him a deal, he denied it so now we must move forward” and go through with another multi-team trade later in the year? Thinking with Rondo’s interest in mind, it really wouldn’t be a smart move to sign with the team right now.

His best bet (and what the team expected) is to wait until summer and see what his options are. Boston currently has two potential extension options for Rondo. One of which is a three year, $44.8 million extension added to the end of his current contract, without a signing bonus. That would pay him right around $12.9 million in 2014-2015, $13.9 million in 2015 - 2016, $14.9 million for 2016 - 2017 and $16 million for 2017 - 2018 campaign. Boston can go another route by applying a signing bonus of $6.6 million, which then would cause his salaries to drop to $11.7 million, $12.5 million, and $13.4 million for the 3 additional seasons, respectively. Either option would be a good deal for Rondo. It would offer him team security, and a chance at another big contract at the end of this season, since he’d only be 32 years old when the contract expires. After this season he would also become eligible for a ‘no trade clause’, similar to what veteran Kevin Garnett had written into his contract. You probably find yourself questioning why in the world would Rondo take the second offer of a lower salary, well think about it; accepting less money gives Ainge the ability to build around Rondo with other top of the line players. After being off the court for nearly a year Rondo is back, and is an excellent value to the team. Which is proven by hearing his name consistently in the trade buzz, an extension this summer keeps him as a valuable asset.

Letting Rondo become an unrestricted free agent should be a scary thought for the franchise, as a Bird Rights free agent after this current season Rondo could demand a five year max contract that would put him in line for a $100 million, a price tag I’m pretty sure Boston wouldn’t want to see. Ainge admitted Thursday that he doesn’t think signing Rajon will come cheap since the competition for Rondo on a roster will be very high, but both sides have motivation to make a deal.

If this talk alone wasn’t enough to boost your belief that Rondo could see a long term career in green, Rondo acknowledged recent talks with the organization about his time left in Boston

 "I like to stick to the script, I don't like change much. I wouldn't mind staying here the rest of my career. Things don't always seem to go that way, but like I said before, it's just a business. I wouldn't mind extending another 10 years in Boston.”

When told that Ainge reported that Rajon could request “star money” to continue with the team, Rondo laughed and replied “I’m making star money now, really. Its a good living.” Even though word is out about current talks with Rondo, Both sides agree that the best bet for both parties is to wait until the end of the current season before escalating more conversation at an extension. Rondo admitted his agent will be handling all the money talk, so all us Celtic fans can do is cross our fingers and see what's in store for the future.

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2012 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Finals

           It was the matchup that was destined to happen, the Big Three of the Boston Celtics are to battle the Big Three of the Miami Heat.  In reality, the Celtics will face the Big Two of the Miami Heat with Chris Bosh still being listed as out indefinitely with his abdominal strain.  As the Heat were moving past the Indiana Pacers, they were tested, finishing the series in 6 games.  The Pacers surprised the Heat and punched them in the mouth.  The Heat regrouped and delivered the knockout punch to the Pacers.  The Celtics just wrapped up a grueling 7 game series with the Sixers and they were pushed to the brink.

With Bosh being sidelined, the Celtics will have a huge advantage down low with Kevin Garnett free to do as he pleases but the Heat will counter with Joel Anthony who can be a capable defender as long as he remains out of foul trouble.  Another huge advantage the Celtics will have is with point guard Rajon Rondo who has killed the Heat every time these two teams face off.  At times Rondo can be considered as a walking triple double.

The Miami Heat's main advantage will be the play of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.  If hot, the Celtics will have a hard time defending those two and the combo
will be able to create shots for the teams' role players.  The shots will be there, the role players will just have to convert them which is easier said than done.  If on the move, the Heat will create terrible match up problems for the Celtics and don't count out the fact that the Celtics will have no time to rest between yesterday's game 7 and Monday's game 1.  Both Ray Allen and Paul Pierce stated that they like quick turnarounds between each playoff series but as one gets older, your mind can say one thing and your body another.

The Celtics had the hardest time getting by the Sixers who gave them significant match up issues and the Heat are a more advanced version of the Sixers as far as speed, athleticism, and rebounding.  The Miami Heat will dispatch the Boston Celtics in what could be the end of the era of the Big Three of the Celtics, but you won't hear the Celtics say that.

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2012 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference 2nd Round

The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers will meet for only the second time in the playoffs with the Pacers coming out victorious during their first encounter in the 2003/04 season. Most expect this series to be one that will have a very physical tone but this series will be about pure execution. Which team will be able to execute better in their half court sets?

There's no doubt that Danny Granger will take center stage during his first trip to the second round of the playoffs and Roy Hibbert will continue to dominate the paint defensively. As strong as Hibbert is in protecting the rim, the Heat will expose and counter that aggression by having Chris Bosh pull Hibbert from under the rim, leaving slashing lanes for Wade, James, and Chalmers. Despite Indiana's great guard play versus the Magic, defensively, the Miami Heat are leaps and bounds ahead of the Magic.  The Pacers may have heart but
they will lack the necessary firepower to defeat the Miami Heat four times.  Heart alone may allow them to capture a game of two but the Miami Heat will prove to be too strong.

It's becoming to be a mistake to count out the Boston Celtics, I myself learned that lesson when I picked the Atlanta Hawks to defeat them in the first round of the playoffs.  The Celtics moved on in six hard fought game and next the Celtics will host the Sixers who took advantage of an injured Bulls' team to advance to the second round.  These teams faced each other 3 times in the regular season with the home team winning every game which allowed the Sixers to win the series 2-1.  

The Celtics are clearly hobbled, Paul Pierce is dealing with a knee injury that won't be dealt with until the off-season and Ray Allen is still recovering from ankle injuries.  Kevin Garnett has to have found some sort of fountain of youth as he was the driving force in the Celtics moving past the Atlanta Hawks.  If the Sixers gained anything from defeating the Bulls, it would experience because  despite the fact that the Bulls were without Derrick Rose, they put up a strong fight against the Sixers.  This series will again come down to Kevin Garnett and no one on the Sixers being able to guard him.  It will be the classic case of youth versus experience and the experience will move on to the conference finals.

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Through the Lake of Fire: Lebron James: The Aftermath

10 points, 10 straight points by Lebron James to finish off the Boston Celtics in 5 games.  10 straight points to exorcise the pain that the Celtics have inflicted upon the players of the Miami Heat for years and finally 10 straight points to give the kiss of death to a well respected champion who fought to the end.  The Miami Heat did what many thought was impossible, they walked through the Lake of Fire and faced the demon that haunted them for years.  Once the game clock read zero, dot dot, zero zero, Lebron James knelt onto the court overcome by the pure raw emotions of not only a basketball player but that of a man.  No team has faced the pressure that the Heat had over the last 9 months and no player had to face the music as much as Lebron James has thus far this season.  Going through the Boston Celtics was only one goal, one of the reasons that this big three was formed and now the Miami Heat are at the threshold of their final journey; they're only eight wins away from the ultimate prize, the ultimate redemption for James, the cementing the legacy of Wade, and the culmination of sacrifice for Bosh.  Last night was the 1 year anniversary of that faithful night in Boston where the downfall of Lebron James started......how ironic that last night he rose up in the face of all of the adversity and delivered the knock out blow.

The critics who just needed something negative to say were all underwhelmed by the 58 wins the Heat earned this past season but the bigger picture was lost.  It was always all about the playoffs and making it to the Eastern Conference Finals with what some have called a "flawed" roster is a great achievement.  All year the naysayers have spoken about this team as being bullies, front runners, not being able to win in the clutch and dare I say accused of being soft.  The majority of those labels were shed last night, the Heat wanted the biggest kids on the block "The Celtics" and they vanquished them in five games that equated to five rounds of a heavyweight fight.  Simply put it was a climatic power struggle of two great defensive teams, similar in many ways to the playoff battles the Heat had with the Knicks in the late 90's.  As stated in the past, the Celtics Big three were the blueprint for the big three of the Miami Heat and if you look at the numbers, they are staggering.  The Celtics big three averaged 50.4 points, 19.4 rebounds, and shot 42.2% from the field.  The big three of the Heat averaged 71 points, 25.2 rebounds, and shot 44.8% from the field.  Simply put, the Celtics were outplayed by younger legs.  

Mission Accomplished....Not Quite!

The Great White Shark was able to capture the seal and devour him and now what's next in the chain of life is the next meal?  He'll no doubt enjoy this meal, it was a long time coming; this meal will end the hunger of the Great White for a couple of days but then that hunger will return, consume every thought of that Great White once more.  In a matter of days it will be time for those eyes to roll over black again and those jaws spring open, ready to slam shut on the next helpless seal, whether it be the Bulls or the Hawks, the fight for survival will be the same as the last.  Will the determined win or will the desperate win?  After walking through the Lake of Fire to defeat the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat now understands what it takes to jump start their collective games and make the championship pushes as the end of games that necessary to truly be crowned champions.  

In a season of ups and downs, a season in which the most scrutinized team in NBA history grew up before our eyes, the most honest assessment of the team came from outside of the organization.  The assessment was based on all of the negative media coverage that the Heat received throughout the season   Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers made the assessment last night in his post game interview when he made this statement about the Miami Heat:  

"I didn't like it because I thought it helped them. I said it all year, I wish you guys would leave them alone because it allowed them to go through something, it prepared them for the playoffs, and i said it all year to our coaches, I wish people would just leave them alone."


A lot of people in this world spend the majority of their basketball time hating on the Miami Heat and attacking the Heat every chance that they can.  The deeper the Heat go into the playoffs, the less "fans" will be able to hate.  The Heat are 8 wins away from the ultimate goal, the ultimate FU and I wonder what will the "fans" who hate have to say at that point about Lebron James and the other team members.  Even this morning I heard "fans" on sports radio complaining that the Heat "celebrated" too much after the win last evening, maybe I'm biased but I didn't see it that way.  What I saw was a team exhaling after completing one of their two goals for this current season and that was defeating the Celtics, the next goal....winning the NBA Championship.


At this brief moment in time the Miami Heat are the favorites to bring the title home but they will still have to work for it.  There's no doubt that earning the next eight wins will be the toughest wins of the season to acquire but they can at least see the finish line.  The playoffs are where you make your name and Lebron James has become entrenched inside of the Miami Heat culture and it was the best thing for him as a person and as a player.  Over the past season I've seen him grow up as a player and as a man and embracing the best partner he could have in Dwyane Wade instead of standing in his way.  It seems as if Lebron, King James has figured it out and if that's the case...NBA beware because all Championship hopes and dreams for the other NBA franchises may have to go through Miami for the next 3-4 years.

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Through the Lake of Fire: Lebron James

During one's path to a championship one has to make the leap, the leap that normal men can't make, the leap that players like Barkley, Miller, Stockton and Malone couldn't complete...now it's all on Lebron James dubbed the King since he was a teen to take that next step in his championship journey.  With one phrase that included the words "talents" and "South Beach", James became the most hated man in the NBA.  Now he has the opportunity to make it all go away because if this journey is a successful one, you can call him a lot of things but don't forget that in the very end you must call him champion.

Make no mistake about it the Miami Heat are Dwyane Wade's team and will always be but the 2nd round series with the Celtics that begins in mere hours which I have dubbed Armageddon will be James's series to win or lose.  Two of the last three seasons, James's season has ended at the hands of the Boston Celtics in the dreaded 2nd round.  The Celtics are to James what the Pistons were to Jordan and the time is now for James to take the next step in the evolution of all time greatness.  The two standards that James can look to for inspiration is Kobe Bryant and his five championships and James's own teammate Dwyane Wade with his one championship.  James has something now that he has never had in the past, he has a go to guy who's arguably the better player and he's on a class A organization with a championship pedigree who's gotten it done before.  In the playoffs when the game slows down, talent wins and the Miami Heat have one of the greatest triumvirates of all time, all that's missing is the championship validation.  

Facing the Boston Celtics will be akin to walking through the lake fire.  No this isn't a championship round but with all due respect to the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, the winner of this series will represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.  The loser of the series will have to be carried off the court, make no mistake about it, epic isn't big enough to describe this clash...this is Armageddon!  Today is why the Decision was made, it was always about Boston from day one as they eliminated both James and Wade during last years playoffs and they made their improbable run to the NBA Finals only to feel heartbreak in LA during game 7.  The Celtics are the team that I respect the most in the current NBA and that's why it's only fitting that my Miami Heat must go through them as a rite of passage.  Lebron James may not be the best player on the court but he will be the most important, not Wade or Bosh, not Pierce or Garnett, today will be the start of James's basketball Opus.

The Celtics big three are all in the twilights of their career but that's why they are the most dangerous threat to the Heat and King James.  The Celtics remind me of the seal fighting to capture one last gasp of air before he can escape from the clutches of the Great White Shark, that seal willing to do anything in it's power to survive and avoid those deadly jaws.  In this series the Celtics are the desperate team, the Heat are the determined team but sometimes the shark misses the seal, sometimes desperate wins...shit happens, but the Heat must stay the course, stay as the hungry determined beast willing to hunt that seal down to death, willing to drain the last breath from the seal's body as predators do to survive.  One isn't right, nor is the other wrong and it's simplistic in it's beauty, thus survival is at stake.

Lebron James and the Miami Heat must become that killing machine and it starts today by smelling that blood and going out for the kill and then do the same the next game and every game from now on.  Treat every game like a new struggle for survival, and new battle for life, a new desire of hunger.  The goal is simple, vanquish the Celtics and the destination will most likely be the NBA Finals with the home court advantage.  The Celtics aren't going to lie down in this series, the Heat must beat them down, rip their souls out of their bodies and walk through that lake of fire!        

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