Boston Celtics

Larry Bird Would Have Loved to Play With Kobe Bryant

by Josh Dhani on February 7, 2012 · 0 comments


For playing for the Boston Celtics, it should be a habit that Larry Bird dislikes the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the now Indiana Pacers’ president of basketball operations says that if he had to play with one player today, it would be Kobe Bryant.

Bird was on Bill Simmons’ podcast today and had a few things to say on the topics of LeBron James and Kobe. Bird says that James is one of the greatest players to ever play the game and we should just enjoy watching him. He also said that James is the best player in the league right now, but he would not be the player to go in battle with for him.

That person would be the Black Mamba.

“Well, probably Kobe, because of the fact that … well, of course he wouldn’t have been shooting as much as he does now … but his desire to win, his dedication, to always get better, uh, and he’s just, he’s just tough,” Bird told Simmons. “He’s just a tough cat.

“But, if you want to have fun, like I did with Bill Walton, play with LeBron. It would have probably been more fun to play with LeBron, but if you want to win and win and win, it’s Kobe. Not that LeBron’s not a winner, just that [Kobe's] mindset is to go into every practice, every game, to get better.”

There’s no question Bird, a three-time champion, would pick Kobe. He’s arguably the greatest Laker to ever play with his five rings, and recently passing Shaq for fifth all-time on the NBA’s scoring list. I mean, I would too. Bryant has more of that winning mentality in him.

Who would you pick? Kobe or LBJ?
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Written by Josh Dhani, Founder (Archive/RSS)

Josh has been writing since 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the website, Hardcourt Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

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Celtics Get Revenge, Beat Pacers 94-87

by Josh Dhani on January 28, 2012

If anyone thinks the Boston Celtics are too old to be a top team in the NBA still, think again. After playing a long 44 minutes in Orlando on Friday night, Pierce was able to make it to the Boston hotel at 3 A.M. on Friday.

Last night, he showed no signs of fatigue: just how much of an All-Pro basketball player he was as he helped the Boston Celtics to a 94-87 victory over the Indiana Pacers, getting revenge after getting pummeled in the past two meetings.

Pierce put up 28 points, including a huge 17 in the third quarter as he helped the C’s improve to 9-9 on the season without Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Jermaine O’Neal.

It was tough to see as a Pacers fan, as they couldn’t get past a depleted Celtics team, but that’s just how things go around here. Boston has bounced back from a tough 4-8 start, as they have been 5-1 since then.

Indiana was only able to put up 34 points in the first half, but were only down eight points at halftime, which wasn’t too bad to see after witnessing how bad Indiana was doing…especially their bench. Plus, there was some good signs coming into the third after David West finished off the second quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer.

But they just couldn’t get the win. They were just awful. Danny Granger led the team with 21 points and six rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. And his defense on Pierce wasn’t so good either, allowing the veteran to get 17 points on him in the third. Pierce also added ten rebounds and eight assists in the victory.

“I like to come out in the third quarter and just be aggressive,” said Pierce. “You can make your run. You can’t really settle on the lead. I try to focus on extending the lead, being more aggressive and getting better as the game goes on.”

Kevin Garnett and Mickael Pietrus also helped out, each having 13 points. Tied at 46, Pierce hit a three and scored a few more to help Boston on an 11-0 run to run away with the game.

“Hats off to Paul Pierce. He turned back the clock,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “Obviously, he’s playing like one of the best players in the league again, carrying the load for them. They deserved to win tonight.”

Paul George had 16 points and nine rebounds while West finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. Roy Hibbert struggled, but was able to finish with eleven points and seven rebounds. He’s also been playing tough through injury, with a broken nose and now a banged up ankle. Give credit to how he’s playing with injury.

“This was their night,” Hibbert said. “Paul Pierce made some real tough shots. He’s been leading this team since Ray and Rondo went out.”

Indiana heads off to Orlando on Sunday night, looking to bounce back after a tough 102-83 loss in their last meeting not too long ago. Indiana is now 12-6. They need to stop Dwight Howard and the Magic.

Looks to be a good one.

Gotta step it up, Indy!
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Written by Josh Dhani, Founder (Archive/RSS)

Josh has been writing since 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the website, Hardcourt Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Check him out on JoshDhani.com and follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

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Boston Celtics Done? Time to Trade Garnett, Pierce, or Allen? – NBA Basketball – JRSportBrief

by JRSportBrief on January 20, 2012

 http://www.nbaarena.com/img/haberler/boston-celtics-2012.jpg

The Boston Celtics have started the season 5-8 behind an old and injured core! Are the Celtics past their prime and ready for a breakup?

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JRSportBrief (Archive/Feed)

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JRSportBrief covers the latest sports news, game highlights, and athletes of professional sports. JR gives his opinions on all sports: Basketball, Baseball, Football, Hockey, Boxing, MMA and all the major leagues. Whether it’s the NBA Finals, the MLB World Series, or the NFL Superbowl, JRʼs got his own opinions and he wants to hear yours! New Episodes all week long.

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Rasheed Wallace Thinking Of A Comeback

by Chris Edwards on January 14, 2012

Reports have came out saying that former 4 time All-Star Rasheed Wallace was thinking about making a comeback to the NBA.

Sources have said that Wallace had been working out and talking to some of his close friends in the league about possibilities and destinations.

At 6-foot-11, Wallace, 37, had been one of the most versatile and talented power forwards of his era. One league source who has talked with Wallace recently describes him as “serious” about a return to the NBA this season. Nevertheless, no teams contacted by Yahoo! Sports reported that they had any contact with Wallace, or his representative.

Wallace retired after the 2010 NBA season following a run to the finals with the Boston Celtics. At 37, he and being retired for a few years, he doesn’t have much appeal to teams. Age and his conditioning are concerns. Maybe in the right spot he could be a helping hand to a contender, if he’s in shape.

One NBA GM with potential interest in signing Wallace said, “I’d be worried about his conditioning in a condensed season.”

Wallce was never hit with any serious injuries and he was a good scorer and defender so he might get a call. Kurt Thomas, Juwan Howard, and Grant Hill are still in the NBA at an advanced age, so why not Sheed. If Greg Ostertag can make an attempt to work himself into shape in the D-League, Wallace should get a few calls if he makes it official that he wants back in the NBA.

This isn’t speculation or anything, but I could see him with the Bulls, Hawks, Lakers, Mavericks, Grizzlies, or Thunder.

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Written by Chris Edwards, Reporter (Archive/RSS)

I love to talk sports.Just a fan that blogs about what goes on in the world of sports. Everyone feel free to discuss their take on what’s going on.
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I love to talk sports.Just a fan that blogs about what goes on in the world of sports. Everyone feel free to discuss their take on what’s going on.

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Mavericks Win Another Step In The Process

by FeedCrossing on January 14, 2012

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The Dallas Mavericks fought their way to a 6-5 record with a win in an instant classic two nights ago in Boston. The win also marked a three-game winning streak and offered the first real glimpse of consistency for the Mavericks so far this season.

Part of getting to where the Mavs want and need to be this year includes beating the teams they are supposed to beat on a regular basis. Getting the 4-6 Milwaukee Bucks at home qualifies as a team the Mavericks should be able to beat even as they work to regain their full confidence.

Speaking of confidence, Mavs forward Lamar Odom hasn’t had much of it recently. Even after a huge, momentum-building win in Boston, apparently Odom wasn’t in a celebratory mood and was even questioning how he was going to fit into the Mavericks’ offense.

Whether Odom’s worries are justified or not, Coach Rick Carlisle will have his hands full going forward to make sure the historically emotional Odom feels wanted and motivated enough to be a key piece for the Mavs this year.

With the Odom news coming forward after the other night’s game in Boston, the new roster additions of Odom, Vince Carter, and Delonte West have been grabbing some headlines early in the season. West has not only been serviceable in place of Jason Kidd at point guard who continues to recover from a lower back injury, but downright solid. His main contributions have been through his ability to run the offense at a decent rate with Kidd out, but he’s also aggressively playing the passing lanes on defense to the tune of eight steals over the last two games and getting the Mavs out in transition.

Not to be left out, Carter has made his presence felt more and more as the season has progressed. He moved into the starting lineup next to West with Kidd out and has been an early source for points in games. In the first quarter against Milwaukee he had 11 points against the Bucks as he consistently got into the lane and finished his chances. It certainly helped that he drew Carlos Delfino as his defender to start the game, who more resembled a lamp post then an NBA defender.

With Carter’s fast start, the Mavs were basically on cruise control the rest of the night as the lead grew to 27 with 9:53 left in the fourth quarter. By the end of the night, Dirk Nowitzki has 11 points in 22 minutes, Jason Terry had 17 points in 22 minutes, and the Mavs ended the game with a lineup of Roddy Beaubois, Yi Jianlian, Dominique Jones, Brian Cardinal, and Brandan Wright on the floor.

There were even thunderous “Yiiiiiiiii” chants as Yi would get the ball during offensive sets at the end of the game. He made sure to shoot every time in order to properly acknowledge the enthusiastic fans.

The 102-76 win over Milwaukee wasn’t much for drama, but it was what the Mavericks needed to do in order to recover some of the norm. The performances put forth by the Mavs haven’t been perfect by any means, but Dallas is doing what they’re supposed to be doing by progressing game by game. If nothing else, the Mavs are inching closer to their expectations by getting blowout wins over teams like the Bucks at home.

Not everyone will always be happy, but the Dallas Mavericks are currently a work in progress. The keyword there being “progress”.

Written by Ryan McNeill via FeedCrossing
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Written by FeedCrossing, Content News Source (Archive/RSS)

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Michael Finley Still Has More To Give

by Josh Dhani on January 3, 2012

The last time anyone saw Micahel Finley in the NBA he was a spare part in the Boston Celtics’ run to the NBA finals in 2010. His ankle hadn’t fully healed from injury so he wasn’t used in the playoffs. Everyone figured that Finley was done, but he never officially retired. Well, Finley feels that he still has more left in the tank and wants another shot in the NBA. 

“When I went to Boston, my ankle wasn’t 100 percent,” Finley said. “So afer that season, I got my ankle worked on. I’ve been working hard to get that at 100 percent. I feel a lot better than during my time in Boston.



“With the lockout and the shortened season, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more injuries than usual since there’s been not much of a training camp. I’m just working hard to be in shape and prepared in case an NBA team calls me.”

“I got offers from the D-League before (Ricky Davis or Greg Ostertag) ever thought about playing in the D-League,” Finley said. “My thing is, I want to play basketball, I would enjoy playing in the D-League, but at the same time I don’t want to take an opportunity away from a young guy to get exposure. I’m still thinking about it. If the right situation comes, where I could be something like a player-coach, maybe I would take that opportunity.”

So he’s still open to playing overseas or in the D-league. At least he doesn’t feel that he should be given a shot because of past accomplishments. He wants to try to earn a spot. If he shows that he could still be a contributor he might get the opportunity. I think it could work for him on a team chasing a title. There a lesser players in the league right now that are sitting the bench stealing money.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

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Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info & More

by Josh Dhani on December 17, 2011

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/491/804/113835954_crop_650x440.jpg?1324156341

The veteran Boston Celtics will take on the struggling Toronto Raptors Sunday afternoon in both teams’ first preseason game of 2011-2012. The condensed offseason and training camp is sure to produce some interesting results that will attract fans of both squads.

Where: Toronto, Ontario, Air Canada Centre

When: Sunday, Dec. 18, 1:00 PM ET

Watch: CSNN

Listen: Boston: WEEI-AM 850 Toronto: SN 590 The Fan

Betting Line

Over/Under: 195, according to covers.com. Both teams will no doubt be a little rusty as it’s their first legitimate game action since last spring, so this total does seem a little high. Also take into consideration that neither team is incredibly explosive on the offensive end.

Line: Boston -3.5, according to covers.com. No gripes here. The Celtics are without question the better team on paper and have been for years now. Toronto will be a challenge playing at home with a younger roster, but the Celtics can surely do enough to cover.

Key Injuries

Boston forward Jeff Green (aortic aneurysm). Green will miss the rest of the 2011-2012 season due to surgery that must be done to treat an aortic aneurysm.

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/277/245/114097868_crop_650x440.jpg?1324156483What’s At Stake For Boston?

The Celtics will tip off their championship run without young and promising forward Jeff Green, who was lost for the season on Saturday after it was learned he needs surgery to treat a serious medical condition.

Boston needs to discover a working rotation on Sunday afternoon and begin to mold the personnel groups and lineups that will lead them to regular-season and postseason success.

What’s At Stake For Toronto?

The Raptors don’t have to worry about any crippling injuries heading into the season just yet, but Sunday’s matchup with division rival Boston will give them a chance to measure their players’ growth over the extended summer.

The Raptors have a nice core featuring Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan, but several roster positions remain uncertain, and Sunday’s perceived meaningless preseason game will go a long way in helping them fill in the gaps.

What They’re Saying

The overwhelming chatter surrounding this preseason contest is centering on the recent news that Celtics’ forward Jeff Green will be lost for the season.

Celticstweet_original

Green averaged 9.8 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game for Boston last season after coming over from Oklahoma City, and he was expected to build on his 23.5 minutes per game with the Celtics in 2011-2012.

This story has dominated the NBA chatter and will likely continue as more information is released.

Celtics Player to Watch

Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo is currently dealing with a bum ankle that has limited him throughout training camp.

It should be interesting to see how Rondo reacts on the court with his play following the various trade rumors involving his name along with Chris Paul’s just weeks ago.

Raptors Player to Watch

Andrea Bargnani, Toronto’s seven-foot Italian center, has improved every season with the Raptors. He averaged 21.4 points per game last year, which was the highest of any Toronto player.

The 26-year-old missed 16 games last season, and oddly enough he’ll miss at least the same amount this year given the season’s shortened, 66-game schedule.

Key Matchup

The battle on the boards will be by far the best matchup to look at in this game. The Celtics were ranked 29th in the league last season in rebounds per game, but they used their No. 1-ranked scoring defense to make the playoffs and win a series against New York.

Toronto reeled in a little more than 40 rebounds per game last season as a team, ranking 21st in that category despite giving up the 26th-most points to opponents. It will be interesting to see how intense Reggie Evans is for the Raptors and how the Celtics fare on the glass without Glen Davis.

Prediction

Celtics 95, Raptors 91

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

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Why the Celtics Shouldn’t Deal Rajon Rondo

by Josh Dhani on November 30, 2011

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I’m sure you have heard the latest rumors of Rajon Rondo heading to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Chris Paul. However, that deal appears all but dead now after Paul announced that he will not sign any long-term deal with the Boston Celtics if he’s traded to the franchise.

With that, the Celtics have not stopped with shopping Rondo. Several other rumors have came up that Rondo could head elsewhere like the Indiana Pacers. However, in my opinion as a Pacers fan, the deal probably won’t work. As it looks right now, Boston would deal Rondo and Glen Davis (or Jermaine O’Neal) for Paul George and Roy Hibbert. Honestly, I don’t think it will happen. The Pacers will be giving up a franchise-center in Hibbert and a prized young small forward in George. With that, the Pacers are basically trading their future for Rondo, in which the team already has two point guards ready to go in Darren Collison and George Hill. So basically, it’s not gonna happen.

Plus, Boston should know why no star player probably won’t head to Boston…because it’s Boston. That’s one factor, and that’s one of the many reasons Chris Paul said what he did today. Paul is more interested in the bigger market teams like New York or Los Angeles. Boston is in Dallas’ class at best, or behind them. Along with that, the team is aging and it’s not going to get any younger. Ray Allen will be 36 and Kevin Garnett is 35. Paul Pierce 34 years of age, I think. So basically, this team is aging. With that, Paul will be nothing more than a one-man team like what he was in New Orleans. Sure, he will have those guys, but only for a few years. He’d probably much rather be with guys in their prime in New York with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Or with a title-contending team with Kobe Bryant and the young big men in Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

So why deal Rondo? This guy has been sensational and continues to improve each and every year. This guy wants to stay on the team and is basically the future when you look at it. I don’t why you would want to deal him. It would be better if you build the pieces around him for the future once the Big Three is gone. Besides dealing Rondo, why not deal other guys on the team to prepare better for the future? With the squad they have now, they can still fit in a championship somewhere, but the time is ticking as the stars of this team continue to age.

They can build a solid team around Rondo. The future is still bright for Boston. Just don’t ruin it by dealing away Rondo. He’s the guy now.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

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Rajon Rondo and Zach Randolph Making Connections to Family Matters

by Josh Dhani on November 18, 2011

Have you guys seen Rajon Rondo lately during these NBA Lockout press conferences. Well this is what the Boston Celtics’ point guard has been looking like from the photo above. The first time I saw him looking like that, Steve Urkel instantly came to my mind.

Yes, yes, Steve Urkel: the star character played by Jaleel White in the hit show, Family Matters. Although I wasn’t even born to see the show, I just a bunch of re-runs just a couple years back and it has become one of my favorites.

But look: Rondo and Urkel. They look quite similar. This also brings me to another conclusion, Eddie Winslow from Family Matters looks like Zach Randolph:

http://images.bluegartr.com/bucket/gallery/7a8456baffec81339476674a5de3f88f.jpg

Maybe next, Eddy Curry looks like Carl Winslow.

Z-Bo and Rondo make some close connections to characters on Family Matters, though, that’s for sure.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

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Rajon Rondo Mix – Opponent’s Worst Nightmare NBA Mixtape Boston Celtics 2011 NEW HD

by Josh Dhani on November 12, 2011

 My Rajon Rondo mix:

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

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