My favorite Celtics of the decade

So it's just about the New Year, which means it's just about the end of the decade, which means it's time for everyone and their mother to come up with All-Decade lists. I was thinking about what to write my own All-Decade lists, and couldn't decide what in the hell to do. I thought about writing the Boston Celtics All-Decade team... until I realized I might as well state their starting lineup for this season. I thought about writing about the ten best Celtics plays of the decade... but I'm far too indecisive to choose ten plays. I thought about ranking the top ten players... but that's kind of boring.

So instead of picking the best players, or the best plays, or an All-Decade team (because ANYONE can do that), I chose to write a list of my ten favorite players, mostly because, well, my favorites are probably far different than yours.

And here they are:

10. Walter McCarty - Why Walter McCarty? He was, at best, mediocre. He was a link to one of the worst times in Celtics history. He was Walter McCarty.

To be honest, I love Walter mostly for Tommy Heinsohn's famous call... IIII LOOOVVVEEEE WWWALLLLLLTTTAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!! But it wasn't just that. McCarty gave his all on the court, and he did it during a time when not every Celtic gave a damn. And for that, I love Waltah.

9. Delonte West - You're going to start seeing a theme on this list: My favorite players are normally tough, tough bastards. When Delonte was on the Celtics (and now, too), he was a gritty defender, a hard-nosed rebounder, and he didn't yet carry shotgun-filled guitar cases over his shoulder. (At least so far as we know.)

Plus, he was always good for a goofy interview like this one:




8. Ray Allen - Ray's game is as smooth as silk. From his picture-perfect jumper to his finger-roll finishes at the rim, Ray is the epitome of smooth. On top of the aesthetic pleasure I get while watching Ray, he's been willing to sacrifice his game in order to help the C's win ballgames.

More than any other Celtic, Ray has cut back his own game in order to fill the role Doc asks of him. And that, above anything else, is why Ray Allen has quickly become one of my favorites.

7. Eddie House - You take a more accomplished player, a starter, a point guard who can actually handle the rock.  I'll take Eddie House, shooter extraordinaire, a player who plays every second like it might be his last in the league. (Okay, damn it.  You got me.  I'd still like a point guard who can actually handle the rock.)

Just in case you forgot, Eddie was huge for the Celtics in their run to the '08 championship, then even bigger the following season while establishing a new Celtics single-season three-point percentage record.  Along the way, he's far surpassed what should have been the ceiling for a 6 foot nothing point guard who can barely dribble the ball upcourt.  You've got to appreciate the overacheiver.

6. Al Jefferson - While I love most of the guys on this list for their heart and grit, I admire Al mostly for the way he plays basketball.  Watching him whip out post move after post move, I can't help but lust after his great footwork and soft touch.  If I had a son who played in the post, I would give him tapes of Al Jefferson to help him become a better player; before long, my son would be doing drop-steps, up-and-unders and jump hooks, all with the soft touch of a goddess.  Is there a better compliment you can give a player than saying you wish your son played like him?

5. Rajon Rondo - Selfless on the court, with a mean streak that belies his meek exterior, Rajon Rondo is, quite simply, the best Celtics point guard of my lifetime.  (A short lifetime, indeed.)  He can do it all on the court, fill up box scores with the best of them, and he does it all with a certain flair that he makes seem so effortless.  I love Rondo because he never backs down from any challenge, because he fails to ever believe he might be outmatched.  With an attitude like that and all the athletic ability in the world, the sky is the limit for Mr. Rondo.

4. Antoine Walker - Good ol' Employee Number 8 (or is it Broke ol' Employee Number 8?)  has always been one of the most polarizing Celtics in recent history.  Some people felt his antics, like the Walker wiggle, were played out and unnecessary; others loved to see such joy emanating from a professional basketball player.  Some saw 'Toine as merely an underacheiver, capable of far more than he accomplished; others saw him as one of the more talented all-around players in the league, a player who could handle the basketball, pop out for three, or post up. 

In the end, he was all of those things, and that's part of what made me love him.  He was as accessible as any Celtic I've seen, and he behaved as I might if I got to play one game in the NBA... with unbridled enthusiasm and a passion for the game that most NBA players lose sometime down the road.

3. James Posey - If you need a guy to dive on the floor after a loose ball, Posey's your guy. If you need a clutch three, Posey's your guy. If you need a player who can guard three different positions, Posey's your guy. If you need a homo-erotic hug that makes every fan sitting in the first ten rows (at least) slightly uncomfortable, Posey's definitely your guy.

More than anything, Posey's on this list because he did whatever it took to get the C's wins. He fought for every inch, he never stepped outside his role, and I believe 100% that the Celtics wouldn't have won the 2008 championship without James Posey. Posey was only in Celtics green for one year, but he left an indelible mark as a tough competitor and, above all else, a winner.

2. Kevin Garnett - Even before Garnett became a Celtic, he was one of my favorite players.  I loved that he wore his heart on his sleeve, that he couldn't accept losing, and that he played as hard as any human ever has.  I loved him most of all for his interview with John Thompson, when a frustrated Garnett didn't demand a trade or sulk... no, he cried because he hates to lose, he blamed himself for the losses, and he stood by his teammates even as the wheels fell off in Minnesota.

I once wrote I love KG not only because he not only plays the game with unrivaled intensity and plays every play like it might be his last, but also because he demands that same kind of effort from every one of his teammates.  He's the rare leader who inspires his teammates to bigger and better things simply by being himself.

1. Paul Pierce - Who else could it be?  Pierce has been the Celtics' rock, their heart, and their soul since being drafted in the 1998 Draft.  Just like me, Pierce has experienced the Celtics during mediocrity, poverty and prosperity.  Pierce has been through the ups and downs in Boston, and seeing his career validated by winning an NBA championship was made all the sweeter by knowing that, just like me, Pierce has stayed with the C's during tough times and overcome those hardships. 

Knowing what it felt like to root for a team that won only 24 games, I can only imagine what it must have felt like for Pierce to actually play for that team.  He deserves the success as much as anyone in Boston, and will always be the player I remember as my absolute favorite.

The Morning Walkthrough: Monta Ellis 'had his way with us tonight'

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn't mean we have to. Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston - "'[Ellis] played great for them," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "He basically saved the game for them at the end of the game with that play. One misstep and Tony [Allen] would have had a layup. [Ellis] made a great adjustment to get to the ball and maintain control.' Ellis connected on 15 of 26 attempts, and added four assists. Celtics guard Ray Allen admitted there was little the Green could do to slow him. 'We started out putting one-and-a-half guys on him to start the game, which turned into two guys guarding him and that didn’t work,' said Allen. 'By that time it was too late. He basically had his way with us tonight.' Said Ellis of his big night: '[Scoring is] really just coming to me. I’m trying to get everybody involved -- got myself going, and they keyed in on me, so I moved the ball and everybody got involved.'"

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston - "Celtics coach Doc Rivers pointed to a season-high 25 turnovers as the key in allowing the Golden State Warriors to rally from an 18-point deficit for a 103-99 triumph at Oracle Arena. 'I told the guys [at halftime] that we had 58 points with 15 turnovers -- that's a miracle,' said Rivers. 'Typically, if you have 15 turnovers, you have maybe 35 points. The fact that we had 58 points with that many turnovers was amazing. But you can't have turnovers against them. They score too quick and too easy. Honestly, that was the difference in the game. 'We were up 18 in the first quarter -- that happens. Eighteen points doesn't mean much, they're an offensive team and we knew they'd get back in it. It was more the 25 turnovers that turned the game around.'"

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald - "Instead of patiently pounding the ball into the paint against the undersized Warriors, the Celts were content to jack up 3-pointers. They went 5-for-19 from beyond the arc and got outscored in the lane, 44-36. The best sign for the Celts was Rondo, who was utterly undaunted by his two free throw failures against the Clippers. Rondo also tweaked a sore left hamstring in the first quarter. 'I thought he played terrific all night,' said Rivers. 'His hamstring is bothering him. We almost took him out at the end but he just wanted to keep playing, and he played great.'"

Tom Halzack, Celtics Central - "In a move never before seen in an NBA basketball game (by me), Doc Rivers stationed his two tallest players, Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins, in front of Watson, the player throwing the ball in. Garnett and Perkins went crazy jumping and waving their hands. When Watson was unable to get the ball in, the Warriors called time out and substituted the taller Vladimir Radmanovic as the player to throw the ball in. Perkins and KG again waved wildly, causing a huge distraction as Radmanovic was forced to throw a football pass leading Ellis to a spot in the back court. The scheme almost worked as Ellis started to fumble the ball a bit as he got to it. But he recovered and the Celtics were forced to foul him. Monte made both foul shots essentially ending the game."

Paul Flanner, WEEI - "We have been down this road many, many times before with Tony Allen. Throughout his star-crossed career, Allen has shown sporadic spasms of brilliance, mixed with head-scratching periods of inertia. So, it comes with no small parts of restraint to say that Allen’s return to the Celtics lineup has been nothing short of solid. Yes, Allen still mixes the sublime with the bizarre, but on the whole the good has far outweighed the bad. His latest comeback is even more intriguing because when the season started one would have been hard-pressed to imagine a scenario in which Allen would have even been given the chance to contribute, let alone excel."

Have a link I might want to look at? Send it my way by email (jayking@celticstown.com) or Twitter.

Ray Allen wants to break Reggie Miller's three-point record

Ray Allen was mired in an almost season-long slump. He was uncharacteristically cold, missing open looks he never, ever misses. So what did he do?

He kept shooting. What else would such a great shooter do? Ray's got a terrific chance of catching Reggie Miller's record for the most career three-pointers in NBA history (2,560 threes), and he hasn't made all those threes by losing confidence in himself or being gunshy.

Now, Allen is shooting 44.6% from threes in the month of December. His jumper is rounding into form, and the threes are once again falling.

And that record? The NBA record for most three-pointers in a career?

Ray would like to break it.

Via the Indy Star:

Allen said he wants to break Miller's record because he doesn't want to have any regrets when he retires.

"Once you retire, you can't do anything because your stats are cemented," Allen said. "It's not like 'Mr. 3000.' You can't come back and get up one more 3. That's what it's all about, trying to do everything I can to stay in great shape and prepare for every shot that may come my way. I think records are really about longevity."

The Morning Walkthrough: Kendrick Perkins is a thief... in a good way

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn't mean we have to. Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald - "Watching Perkins roll out an arsenal of moves far more lethal than what he had when Jefferson was around these parts, Jefferson might have been moved to ask, 'Who are you and what have you done with the Perk I knew?' But Al has been paying attention. 'We were just talking about that last night, how well he’s been playing and how his confidence has gone up on the offensive end,' Jefferson said. 'The way he keeps playing, I think he has a chance to make the All-Star Game. I actually do see him a lot because (the Celtics) always play on a day we don’t play and I watch them every chance I get. To me, he had a quiet night, compared to the games I have seen him play.' And some of the Celtic’s moves may seem a bit familiar. 'I stole a lot of stuff from him,' said Perkins, who made 7-of-10 shots while Jefferson was hitting 9-of-18. 'The pump fake I do? That’s from him.'"

Dan Duggan, Boston Herald - "'Actually I kind of surprised myself. I wanted to lay it up, but I saw him running so hard, so I just had to finish,' Allen said. 'I was pretty happy after that. It actually motivated me throughout the game.' It’s the type of play the Celtics have come to expect from Allen, who missed the first 20 games of the season while recovering from offseason surgery on his right ankle. 'Tony was phenomenal,' coach Doc Rivers said. 'He’s been terrific. He’s just doing the things we need him to do. This is the best stretch that we’ve had him, as far as with this group of guys, where he’s playing his role.'"

Frank Dell'Apa, Boston Globe - "Rajon Rondo had 13 points and 15 assists in the Celtics’ 122-104 victory over Minnesota last night. But Rondo was regretting one of those assists after being informed that Paul Pierce had a chance to break a team record for 3-pointers without a miss. 'I had no idea, I didn’t know he shot 6 for 6 until I saw him do an interview,' Rondo said. 'You know, I looked him off on one, too. The skip pass to Ray [Allen], Paul said he was open, too. He made sure he told me that right after.' Pierce became the first Celtic to convert six 3-pointers without a miss in a home game. He tied a team record for threes without a miss in any game established by Danny Ainge at Utah Jan. 4, 1988, and Walter McCarty at Toronto Nov. 2, 1999."

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston - "'Well, first of all I didn’t think [House] was athletic enough to get to the ball," said Rivers. "So the fact that he got to the ball, I was shocked. And then he made a play once he got to the ball -- it was pretty spectacular. It was great. I was happy because it was a great defensive play.' Allen, who registered season-highs with 15 points (5-of-8 shooting) and 24 minutes, couldn't believe how the play unfolded, either. 'That was random -- a transition play, Eddie got a tip on the ball, defensively, chased it down to me and I was just running the lane for the fast break and we got the bucket,' explained Allen, who said he initially didn't intend to go for the jam. 'Actually, I kind of surprised myself. I wanted to lay it up and I saw [Brewer] running so hard, so I just finished, had to finish.'"

Frank Dell'Apa, Boston Globe - "'I told him he needs to get back to just playing on his instincts,’ coach Doc Rivers said of Pierce. 'I thought he was trying to get everybody involved, which you want him to do, too. But I think our three really instinctive players are Kevin [Garnett], [Rajon] Rondo, and Paul. You always have to remind them, just be an instinctive player, you have great instincts. Those three guys, you just want them to play. And their instincts do everything for them.’"

Jimmy Toscano, CelticsBlog - "'He's been huge man,' Pierce said of Allen, 'just his energy and what he's been able to bring especially with Marquis [Daniels] out because he's a guy who can come in and slash, score, and also what he's best known for is his defense. He comes in right away and he gets a steal and a fast break layup to start the game off when he gets in the game. Kendrick Perkins was matched up with his old friend Al Jefferson tonight. Perkins finished the night with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Jefferson recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds. 'Perk [Kendrick Perkins] is getting better and better every game,' said the Timberwolves' Al Jefferson. 'If he keeps playing the way he's playing, he's going to get a big contract. He's a great defensive player, always has been... Plus his offensive game is getting better.'"

Have a link I might want to look at? Send it my way by email (jayking@celticstown.com) or Twitter.

Celtics-Timberwolves game preview: Al Jefferson 'has the patience of a grandmother knitting on her porch'

When Al Jefferson was in Boston, he was the future. I watched him, saw his baby-soft hands, and looked forward to the time when Big Al would grow into his massive potential. I looked at his footwork and saw shades of Kevin McHale, looked at his soft touch down low and knew that one day, Al Jefferson would be one of the top low-post scorers in the NBA. I watched his potential and couldn't wait to see Al team with Paul Pierce to be one of the league's best inside-outside tandems.

Fortunately for the Celtics, that day never came. Jefferson was packaged in the Kevin Garnett trade and sent to Minnesota, where he (no surprise) blossomed into one of the best interior threats in basketball. While the Celtics were busy winning the 2008 NBA title, Jefferson came into his own with the Timberwolves. But the rest of the team has yet to catch up to Big Al.

Still, Jefferson remains unfazed by his team's lack of wins (5-22 record) and lack of top-notch talent, and sees hope for the future.

Via the Boston Globe:

“I do see hope,’’ he said. “The thing I have been through in Minnesota is, when I first got here with Randy Wittman and Kevin McHale, it was a rebuilding stage. Now two years later, we got David Kahn, we got Kurt Rambis, so it’s now Stage 1, the rebuilding stage. Luckily, I’m still young and I am able to go through that. But the difference is now that I have David Kahn, who is committed to making us a playoff team.

“They said three years max that we could be a playoff team. One year is almost gone, so next year, maybe this offseason we can add some pieces, do whatever we are going to do. And I can see it. I am really happy about what’s been going on here.’’

Happy? With a 5-22 record and a roster that could probably use even a few of the players on Boston's D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws? Only a loyal man, could be happy with what's going on in Minnesota. But Jefferson, who, as the Globe's Gary Washburn wrote, "has the patience of a grandmother knitting on her porch," seems to realize that nothing comes easy in life, that the best things are worth working towards:

“It’s not going to come easy; you have to work for everything,’’ he said. “There’s going to be times like this. I was in Boston and I was going through the same thing in Boston. We were rebuilding. I got traded for one of the best players [in the NBA], put myself in a position here, got blessed with a nice contract. So this is what it’s all about. It’s about working your way to the top. It’s not about people giving you stuff, making it easier for you."

I'd prefer to see Jefferson posting double-doubles for a championship contender (and I'm sure he would too), but a player who is in such a bad situation, yet does not complain, must be highly-respected. Losing so many games must be frustrating, no? Playing on a perennial bottom-feeder must eat at Jefferson, make him hate playing for Minnesota... right? Not so, according to Jefferson:

“At the end of the day, you could be playing with the worst team in the league but it’s still the best job in the world. It’s still the best job to be on the worst team. It’s a blessing. So I don’t feel that way. If I got waived or got cut then I would feel bad. I am in this league and I rather be playing for the worst team than not playing at all.’’

But wouldn't Jefferson rather be playing for Boston, contending for championships every year? Yes, but he's willing to wait for his own shot at it, a shot he still thinks will come:

"Boston will always be home to me. It’s like a homecoming. It’s always good to come back and see the guys I came in here with. To see the goals they have reached and I know my day is coming to be where they have been. That’s what I hope."

*****

Things to watch for in tonight's game:

1. Minny's inside tandem - A couple days after over-the-hill Elton Brand and inexperienced Marreese Speights had their way down low with Boston's front line, Al Jefferson and Kevin Love come to town.  They will both be all over the glass, and both are talented and relentless scorers.  Fortunately for the Celtics, Love's return means Oleksiy Pecherov won't be playing tonight.  Why is it fortunate that a bum won't be playing?  He murdered the Celtics the last time the two teams met.  For one night, at least, it looked like Pecherov was actually worthy of being an NBA player.
2. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce's field day? - Allen and Pierce might as well take the night off defensively; it doesn't take an All-Defense Team-caliber defender to guard Corey Brewer or Damien Wilkins.  On the other end, Brewer and Wilkins aren't horrible defenders, but Boston's wings should have a whole lot of energy saved up for their offense.
3. Boston's turnover struggles - After a few games with precise ball-handling, the Celtics' old nemesis - turnovers - reared its ugly head in full-force against Philadelphia.  The C's not only made turnovers; they made careless, bone-headed mistakes that resulted in a one-point loss.  If the C's don't take care of the ball tonight, this is another game that could be a lot closer than they plan for.

*****

Game notes:

• Lester Hudson is back on the Celtics' roster, after a brief stint in the D-League.  Hudson played well for most of his time with the Maine Red Claws, but had a dud in his final game (7 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds). 
• Boston looks to get back on track at home, after the Friday-night loss to Philly dropped their home record to 8-4 for the season.  (They are 12-1 on the road.)
• Paul Pierce is in a bit of a slump: After scoring in double figures in each of the first 17 games, he's scored in single figures in three of the last eight games.

The Morning Walkthrough: Celtics whole starting five should be in the All-Star game

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn't mean we have to.  Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.   

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald - "There are many quality guards in the Eastern Conference, and now that sentimental favorite Shaquille O’Neal is with Cleveland, the competition for an All-Star spot at center is thick as well. But in the biased view of their teammates and coaches, Rajon Rondo [stats] and Kendrick Perkins [stats] are as worthy of a trip to Arlington, Texas, for the Feb. 14 game as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce [stats] and Ray Allen. 'Our starting five should go,' coach Doc Rivers said after yesterday’s practice. Funny how that sentiment has spread. 'He means so much to this club,' Pierce said of Rondo. 'But our starting five should be in the All-Star Game.'"

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston - "'Mentally, you have to be confident in that ligament, that thumb,' said Davis. 'What I have to do right now is get strong, mentally, using it. To shoot, or when somebody hits you and you have to stay focused, and make sure you don't hurt it again. When I get over that, that's when I'll probably be 100 percent.'  Davis pegged his birthday -- Jan. 1 -- as a potential return date (the Celtics host the Raptors on Jan. 2), but admitted he's taking everything slow at his teammates' urging.  'It's a good sign when Baby got the cast off,' said Celtics captain Paul Pierce. 'For him to come out here and do some stretches with us, he hasn't been able to do that in a while; a couple dummy offensive plays. Slowly, but surely. It's still a long season. We want these guys to be healthy at the right time, and completely healthy.'"

Scott Souza, Courtside View - "Marquis Daniels also watched practice and lent a few thoughts on some things he saw from the sideline. He is expected to miss the next five to seven weeks after surgery to repair a ligament in his left thumb.  Daniels said he would have kept trying to play through the injury if not for Rivers pulling him off the floor.  'As a basketball player with a competitive nature you want to be out there with these guys competing,' he said. 'But everyone is keeping me up and involved.  I was trying to keep going, but (Rivers) pulled me out of practice, telling me he was noticing it a lot more. It was something we decided that needed to be done. … I wasn’t going to (pull myself out). I just want to play and be on the floor. We have a great team right now, so you don’t want to take yourself out of it if you don’t have to.  Unfortunately, I had to get this taken care of.'"

Steve Weinman, D-League Digest - "'All of this brings us back to Hudson. His job is to show that he can run a team because that’s what the Celtics may need him to be able to do. Forget for a moment that there is a jump from playing at UT-Martin to playing in the D-League and an even larger jump from UT-Martin to the Association, so how much of his scoring ability will transfer to the next level of basketball remains in question. It doesn’t matter. Not right now, anyway. Hudson, whom at least one scouting report pegged early in his senior year as possessing mediocre ball-handling skills and speed, needs to show that he can help create opportunities for those around him without turning the ball over with abundance. He needs to make smart decisions with the ball in his hands. He needs to use his length (listed at 6-3 and possessing a sizable wingspan) to cause defenses problems offensively and to make his man tentative with the ball at the other end. Given the lack of playing time he is receiving with the Celtics, any chance to get some run is significant for Lester Hudson. But this one is especially important because it will give Hudson further opportunity to focus on turning himself into an NBA-level point guard.'"

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston - "The Celtics enjoyed a couple of days of downtime after polishing off a perfect three-game road trip Monday in Memphis and coach Doc Rivers noted there was some expected rust to shake Thursday. 'Practice was OK, it was typical of taking a couple of days off," said Rivers. 'We were flat early, but I thought we got it going... We had one more drill left, but I blew the whistle and said, 'That's it.' We were going so hard at the end, let's save something for [Friday].' Said captain Paul Pierce: 'It's good to get back out there. It was nice to get some rest after playing so many road games, get the body adjusted back to the time. We came in today, freshened up -- it's not as crisp as we want to be, but as practice went on it got better.'"

Greg Payne, CelticsBlog - "As that season went on, the notion of a championship became more and more realistic and we quickly adjusted to the fact that that squad was really, really good. It was almost as if the 22 years prior to that had never happened. But when we locked ourselves into that mindset that told us a championship was possible, we began to expect certain things, and when they happened, we took them as they came, rather than appreciating them for all they were worth. Even simple things like a Pierce step back jump shot, or an Allen three-pointer in transition were taken for granted because they happened so routinely. But the uniqueness of these players makes every play they make that much more memorable, and we need to recognize that."

Henry Abbott, TrueHoop - "Every which way people slice and dice crunch time numbers -- field goal percentage, plus/minus, you name it -- Bryant is not the NBA's best in crunch time. A glance at last year's crunch time numbers on 82games.com makes clear Bryant shoots more than anyone else in the NBA in crunch time, but is he more skilled at making those shots? That's what we're trying to judge, right? In crunch time field goal percentage, last season Bryant finished 92nd in the League, right behind Michael Beasley. Others ahead of him include Kevin Garnett, both Gasols, Zach Randolph, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Terry, Jameer Nelson, Tim Duncan, Amare Stoudemire, Eric Gordon, Brandon Roy, Andre Iguodala, Jason Kidd, Ben Gordon, and Chris Bosh."

Tom Halzack, CelticsBlog - "Thought [the Celtics] were going gently into their assisted living facilities, eh? Tut tut, my skeptical friends. The ‘assisted living’ comes courtesy of one Rajon Rondo, point guard extraordinaire. Rondo plays one gear higher than the rest of his starting unit.  11 game win streak says they are rounding into shape after starting strong, stumbling, then slowly righting the ship. The only major surprise was/is the lack of 48 minute intensity, and rebounding woes. They still look like one of the best teams in the NBA to challenge the Lakers. Back with a vengeance? They are back. Vengeance comes later."

Have a link I might want to look at?  Send it my way by email (jayking@celticstown.com) or Twitter. 

Throwing some dimes: Never too early to speculate a Celtics-Lakers final

Once in a while, someone else's article catches my eye. Sometimes, it's because the article is so spot-on I wish I'd written it myself. Other times, it's because the article enlightens me with something I never knew. Still other times, it's because I disagree with whatever's written. No matter what the reason, I dish it off to another writer to make his/her point. You know, throwing some dimes.

 

• NESN's Liam Martin takes a look at who would win a Celtics-Lakers finals:

And yes, finally, it’s far too early in the season to judge two clubs from different conferences. Injuries, for one, can change a team’s trajectory in mere seconds. Ask Kevin Garnett.

But if the C’s (and by “C’s,” I mean KG) stay healthy; and if Sasha Vujacic continues to ride the bench in Los Angeles; and if Ron Artest keeps himself out of trouble; and if Rasheed Wallace doesn’t get booted from the league; and if Andrew Bynum’s knee stays intact for an entire season ... then luck might just fall again in favor of the greatest rivalry in the NBA.

• Red's Army is trying to give away some free Celtics tickets.  I suggest you head on over and try to get some. 
• ESPNBoston's Chris Forsberg throws his own dime to ESPN's NBA Award Watch, where Rondo is fourth in the running for Defensive Player of the Year and Pierce is eighth in the running for MVP:

In the latest update of ESPN's NBA Awards Watch, Rajon Rondo climbs to No. 4 on the list of potential Defensive Player of the Year candidates.

Writes Maurice Brooks: "It is easy to peg Rondo as a defender who simply jumps passing lanes, but he shuts down opposing point guards as well as anyone."

Rondo climbed one spot this week, while Paul Pierce sits tight at eighth on the MVP watch. Brook's blurb on Pierce; "He recently went over 19,000 points for his career. You could make a case that Rajon Rondo is Boston's most important player, but PP is the team's most consistent player."

• Just go check out this picture. Please.

Wanna throw your own dime, and get someone's article recognized? Email me at jayking@celticstown.com or follow me on Twitter.

The Morning Walkthrough: Ray's a devil to Grizzlies

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn't mean we have to.  Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Frank Dell'Apa, Boston Globe - "Then, Pierce drove again as Garnett screened Gay. As the Grizzlies committed to Pierce, he attempted to pass back to Garnett. Instead, the ball ended up with Allen.  'We improvised a little bit,' Allen said. 'Kevin was wide open. Paul was trying to probe and see how much they wanted to help. Rudy’s long and tall, and he got his hands on the ball.  I was just trying to keep my feet active. I ended up just following the ball and the ball fell in my hands. I looked down at the other end and I saw it was like four seconds and I looked up and it was like ‘3.’ And I said this has got to go up.'"

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston - "Rondo's jumper with 2:47 remaining put Boston out front 103-95, but Memphis quickly made it a one-possession game, striking for three buckets in little more than a minute.
That's when the Big Three took over. Pierce and Garnett ran a familiar pick-and-pop, leading to a 21-foot jumper by Garnett with 1:20 to play. Marc Gasol answered with a pair of free throws when Perkins fouled out, but Pierce made a driving layup on the Celtics' next possession to push the lead back to four.  O.J. Mayo hit a long jumper to make it 107-105 with 42 ticks left, setting up Allen's heroics. Pierce and Garnett tried to run the same play at the top of the key, but Rudy Gay deflected the pass. Allen scrambled to get the loose ball, then pulled up from well beyond the 3-point arc and drilled a straightaway bomb for the final spread."

Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal - "Allen’s basket — one of 10 for the Celtics from beyond the arc — came as the shot clock expired and accounted for the final score.  The basket also fell good after it appeared the Griz would earn a much-needed stop. Griz leading scorer Rudy Gay disrupted the Celtics’ pick-and-roll when he tapped away Paul Pierce’s pass intended for Kevin Garnett.  Instead of the Griz coming away with a stop, the basketball fell to Allen for the dagger.  'We played outstanding basketball, and they just beat us,' Hollins said. 'Sometimes that happens. When you play well, you can live with getting beat.'"

Me, Celtics Town - "Early in the second quarter, Tommy Heinsohn said, 'They... their defense is porous, man.' He was talking about the Grizzlies of course, but he could have been talking about either team on this night.  The C's couldn't get stops, and it wasn't that Memphis was playing good team basketball. They were simply making one-on-one forays to the hoop. I can't really describe how Memphis played, besides saying it was 'selfishly unselfish.' It wasn't like any member of the Grizzlies took a ton of shots. Their four top scorers (Rudy Gay, Mayo, Mike Conley, and Marc Gasol) all took between 12 and 17 shots. If you were to look at the boxscore, you'd probably think they played great team basketball, and shared it nicely. But it wasn't that; It was more like the Grizzlies took turns being selfish. One play, they'd clear it out and let Mayo go to work. The next, it was Gay's turn. Then Randolph's, and on and on. There wasn't a lot of ball movement, and the Grizz only had 5 assists in the final three quarters, but their offense was nonetheless effective."

Zach Lowe, Celtics Hub - "But Rudy Gay got a hand on the ball, knocking it into no-man’s land behind the three-point line. And there was Ray, fresh off sitting nearly 7:00 on the bench in the 4th, in the right position to retrieve the ball, take two dribbles and launch a three from the top of the key—while falling to his left as the shot clock expired. Swish. Game over. Big plays. All night. On both ends, whenever the Grizzlies threatened. That was the theme of the night. (That and the continued development of Rajon Rondo, which makes me giddier than anything has as a sports fan since maybe sometime in the fall of 2004). The Grizzlies were good and the C’s were a step behind their usual brilliance on D, but they still found a way to win—without overplaying the starters."

Matthew Noe, 3 Shades of Blue - "In the grand scheme of things, one shouldn't be all that surprised by the outcome of this game-the Celtics are, after all, infinitely more experienced with games going down to the wire than are the young Grizzlies.  But as the esteemed Eric Hasseltine said immediately after the game on the radio broadcast, if you're a Grizzlies fan and you're not proud of the way the team played tonight, you need to check your pulse and look in the mirror. Well said, Eric, well said. I can dig that.  There were a zillion reasons why everyone in the FedEx Forum got their money's worth tonight....but I would have gotten just a bit more value out  of the deal if the Griz could have pulled this one out..."

Straight Outta Vancouver - "And while they might not be rising quite as fast as a couple weeks ago, the Memphis Grizzlies are showing a hell of a lot more resilience than anyone expected from this team. This recent run has seen the Grizzlies playing the Mavericks, Cavaliers, Thunder, Heat, and Celtics. That's quite the spread right there.  I don't want to take anything away from the Celtics, because that's not my point. It takes an enormous change in team culture for the Memphis Grizzlies that most people remember as the Memphis Grizzlies to come out on the second night of a traveling back-to-back and play a full-strength, reloaded championship squad down to the wire."

Celtics-Grizzlies Game Preview: Grizzlies and Celtics both riding high

Pre-Game coverage from Celtics Town:

• Memphis Grizzlies: Talented but unwilling to commit defensively
• Throwing some dimes: Memphis Grizzlies blog Three Shades of Blue guarantees win
• It took Hasheem Thabeet 19 games to finally register his first NBA assist

Something's got to give in tonight's matchup between Boston and Memphis; both the Celtics and Grizzlies are playing terrific basketball.  The C's have won 10 straight, while the Grizz have merely defeated four of their last five opponents.

Here are three things to look for:

1. Boston wings vs. Memphis wings - O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce.  That's a whole lot of talent flanking the wings tonight.  What should be the difference-maker: Boston's perimeter players are not only talented and efficient, but also dedicated on the defensive end.  Mayo and Gay are both young, and both supremely skilled, but often bring nothing more than a lackadaisical effort on the defensive end.

2. Rebounding battle - Zach Randolph is a beast to keep off the glass, and has been rebounding the ball at close to 15 boards a game in the Grizzlies recent streak.  But it isn't just him; the Grizz also have Marc Gasol pounding the boards, and are outrebounding opponents by a league-best 4.95 boards per game (including a 49-26 dismantling of Miami in last night's win).  The C's, meanwhile, have struggled to rebound the basketball.  They'll have to have a full team effort on the glass tonight, if they intend to win the battle on the boards.
3. Boston bigs - The Boston big men should have their hands full with the rebounding and scoring of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.  On the other end, though, it should be open season for Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett:  The Grizzlies have a porous defense, and -- on most nights -- their interior "D" might as well be two matador defenders waving red flags and screaming, "Ole."

The Morning Walkthrough: Celtics starters play together

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn't mean we have to.  Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.


Zach Lowe, CelticsHub - "I’ll be honest, though: I was a little surprised to see the C’s starters leading the league again this season. My impression has been that Doc is experimenting with different line-ups more often now than in either ‘08 or ‘09. I’ve written before that Doc has never—almost literally never—played KG without both Ray and Pierce on the floor alongside him.  That has changed a bit this season; half of the five-man units KG has spent the most time with include just one of the other Big Three members, according to 82games. But about 500 of KG’s 700 minutes played have come as part of the starting line-up, so the more diverse usage of KG is really just picking at the margins.  We’ve also seen Doc play Eddie House more with the starters as the first man off the bench, a move that has allowed Rondo to take a new leadership role with line-ups that usually include three back-ups and one other starter. I suspect we would have seen even more of this sort of experimentation if not for the Marquis Daniels injury.  And yet still: The C’s starters spend a ton of time playing together."


A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE - "There's no universal currency when it comes to measuring the value of stellar point guard play.  But make no mistake about it.  The play of Rajon Rondo during Boston's 10-game winning streak has been priceless.  Rondo's numbers - 13.2 points, 10.4 assists and 4.5 rebounds - during the streak tell the story of his versatility.  But it's what he has done for the rest of the team that has coach Doc Rivers excited about his budding point guard prodigy.  'It's great where he's at mentally with our team,' Rivers said. 'If we come down and take three or four shots without running our offense, he'll slow it down and get us in a set. That's a sign of a great point guard.'"


Gary Washburn, Boston Globe - "Weeks ago there was hesitation. Rondo would pause before taking a jumper and then either force the shot or attempt an acrobatic drive. That is no longer the case.  'I’m taking [the jumper] more. I am getting it with the shot clock running, trying not to settle for the jump shot, [but] I don’t mind taking it at all,' he said. 'I just try to be efficient as much as possible. Teams are giving me the shot and I am taking it this year and I think that’s the only difference. I have more freedom. I don’t know what it is, I am just shooting it.'  Coach Doc Rivers has been pushing his point guard to shoot more. First, the more Rondo shoots, the more confidence he gets. Second, the more he draws defenders, the more he can drive past them for a dish to a teammate or layup.  'It’s great where he is at mentally, he understands our team,' Rivers said. 'If we come down and take three or four shots without running the offense, he’ll slow us down and get us in a set. That’s the sign of a great point guard. He’s become a leader on our team and I think that’s the step he’s taken this year. Our guys now want to follow him and that’s huge when your point guard is your leader.'"


Jeff Clark, CelticsBlog - "Call me greedy, but I want a little more.  I'm looking forward to one game in particular 12 days from now.  Last year this team had some similar themes that were concerning.  The team ran over lesser teams but hit a brick wall against the Lakers and staggered through a rough stretch.  They got their mojo somewhat back down the stretch but we don't know how good the team could have been with a healthy KG in place.  The Magic beat us in November, which appears to have motivated the team to step it up a notch.  They haven't lost since and they get their chance at revenge on Christmas day.  I want that win.  I want it badly."


Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald - "Lester Hudson, the pride of Central High, was very much looking forward to coming home.  In fact, he will find it hard not to be a little sentimental tonight when he takes the FedEx Forum floor in his Celtics uniform. After working his way through community college and Tennessee-Martin, the 25-year-old rookie guard has reached this level against strong odds.   'I think about it all the time because it was my dream,' Hudson said. 'It was the dream of everyone in here to be an NBA player. It was rough for me growing up, and there were times I didn’t know it was going to happen. I doubted myself. But I kept working hard, and I had good people in my corner - family and friends and my coaches.'"

Throwing a few more dimes: Ray Allen doesn't want J.R. Giddens to hit the rim

Once in a while, someone else's article catches my eye. Sometimes, it's because the article is so spot-on I wish I'd written it myself. Other times, it's because the article enlightens me with something I never knew. Still other times, it's because I disagree with whatever's written. No matter what the reason, I dish it off to another writer to make his/her point. You know, throwing some dimes.

Just read a couple good pieces, so I wanted to let you guys know about them:

• First, from TrueHoop, a story of Ray Allen teasing J.R. Giddens for hitting the rim on a made jump shot:

As Giddens took long-range shooting practice this morning at the United Center in Chicago, Ray Allen sat observing, just inches away on the bench. Giddens isn't not a congenital shooter -- he falls away a bit on his shot -- but this morning, he was doing alright. He hit three consecutive shots in front of Allen from the right side.

But that wasn't sufficient for Allen.

"You touched the rim!" Allen said after Giddens' third make.

Giddens turned around to face Allen. He wasn't despondent, but appeared more like an eager child trying to please a father-coach.

Stories like that are always cool.  It's interesting to get a peek at what goes on behind the scenes, the relationships between players.

• Chris Forsberg from ESPNBoston, asking the question, "Do you want Ray to stay?":

The best general managers in sports have to make tough decisions like this on a regular basis. While now is probably not the opportune time to point it out, the New England Patriots were the NFL's team of the decade in large part because of the shrewd personnel decisions the team made in order to remain a top competitor over the long haul.

Put yourself in Danny Ainge's shoes and suppose the Celtics win another NBA title in June, what should management do? Bring back Allen, committing quality money over what would likely be at least a two-year period? Or recognize that you squeezed two championships out of a three-year window with this new Big 3 and start the turnover process, potentially using the savings to try to lure a quality young player out of a bountiful 2010 free-agent class?

I would love for him to stay, but only at a reasonable price.  From what Ray said about the Allen Iverson saga earlier this season, he understands veteran players have to take a discount and accept a smaller role to continue to play for a contender.  It's a nice attitude, and one I hope brings Ray back to Boston after a sizeable pay cut.

Ray Allen, named top shooter of the decade, says Dirk is best

Yesterday, Ray Allen was named Slam's top shooter of the decade:

In assessing the decade’s top shooter I tracked down grainy, pre-HD video montages, scoured through lists of all stars, tried to make sense of stats I didn’t know exist, and… disregarded it all. The true mark of evaluating a marksman is recognizing one when you see one, and Ray Allen, the smoothest of operators, has earned the decade’s superlative while staking his claim as one of the top shooters of all time.

Ray, though, says Dirk Nowitzki is best. (Via an interview with Slam):

SLAM: Who do you consider the best shooter this decade?
Ray Allen: The best shooter this decade? Dirk.

SLAM: Why?
RA: There’s always a separation in this league of shooters and scorers. He’s been a guy that can score, he’s scored a lot of points, but at the same time he’s shooting from all over the floor, from three to mid-range. He doesn’t get a lot of layups, but he creates a big matchup (problem). He’s been having big games for his franchise over the last ten years.

I don't have any problems with Ray being listed as the top choice; the man can stroke the hell out of a basketball, and it is oh-so-pretty to watch him shoot.  But I wouldn't agree with Ray's choice of Dirk.  As far as midrange jumpers go, Dirk's as good a shooter in the league; he can get his shots off against anyone and he has unbelievable touch.  He just doesn't have the same range as a lot of other guys.  His three-point percentages over the last three seasons, including this season, (35.9%, 35.9%, and 35.3%) scream "Rasheed Wallace" more than they scream "the best shooter of the decade."

Nonetheless, Dirk can shoot, and he can get his shot off over anyone in the league.  He's just no Jesus Shuttlesworth.

In other news, Brian Scalabrine was not nominated.

Throwing some dimes

Once in a while, someone else's article catches my eye.  Sometimes, it's because the article is so spot-on I wish I'd written it myself.  Other times, it's because the article enlightens me with a stat I never knew.  Still other times, it's because I disagree with whatever's written.  No matter what the reason, I dish it off to another writer to make his/her point.  You know, throwing some dimes.

• Red's Army discusses who on the Celtics will make the All-Star team, and includes Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and, well, and nobody else.  In my eyes, that's just wrong, flat-out wrong.  Don't get it twisted, I think Pierce and Rondo should definitely make it, and I'm a big fan of the Vote for Perk movement.  But if Perk makes the All-Star team and Kevin Garnett doesn't, it will be a travesty.  An absolute travesty.  For everything that Perk does for the C's, Garnett does so much more.  He's their best passing big man, their most consistent mid-range threat, and can do a lot of things that Perk simply cannot do.  I'm all for Perk making the All-Star team, just not in lieu of Garnett; KG is still a lot better than Perk, no matter how much adulation has been bestowed on Perk lately.  Also, I don't think Ray Allen will make the team, but I think he's playing very good basketball... everything, that is, besides his normal calling card: three-point shooting.
  
• Celtics Hub: Eddie House did something last night that he hadn't done in a long time, and rarely ever does.
• Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston: Boston did a much better job rebounding last night, especially in the second quarter, when Washington did something else that hadn't been done in a long time... maybe ever.  They didn't have a single rebound.
• Jeff Clark from CelticsBlog appreciates "the good Tony Allen": 

Tony Allen is an easy target on this blog.  He's known for his maddeningly low basketball IQ and frequent boneheaded plays.  But he's on this basketball team and in the NBA for a reason.  He's athletic, aggressive (which is important: see Gerald Green), and he gets after it on defense.  When the stars align and he is focused on what he needs to do to help the team win, good things can happen like they did last night.

 

Ray Allen gives teammates credit for milestone

We always knew Ray Allen was as classy as they come.  In a sport -- a society, really -- often marred by reckless behavior, poor decisions, and lawlessness, Ray Allen is a shining light of class.  He has always carried himself in a manner that sets a good example for everyone who looks up to him as a role model, in a manner that endears my mother to him.  (And if my mom likes you, you're probably a great guy.  She doesn't like very many athletes, but the one's she does are usually the epitome of class.)

So when Ray reached a milestone (20,000 points) last night, how else would he handle himself but with the utmost class?

Here's Ray, speaking about the milestone.  (Via the Boston Globe):

“It’s interesting how basketball’s such a team sport, but it’s governed by so many individual statistics,’’ Allen said. “I’m just grateful I’ve had great teammates, I’ve had great coaches, and I’ve had pretty good organizations, and that’s helped me be where I am today.’’

When he came to the Celtics in 2007, scoring was obviously less of an emphasis for him than it was earlier in his career with the Bucks and Sonics. But, he said, he learned early about the value of sharing over scoring.

“What I did learn, somewhere around my fourth or fifth year, is that the more I pass the ball, the more it’s going to come back to me,’’ said Allen, who finished with 18 points in the 104-102 victory.  “So that’s a philosophy that for a long time I’ve lived by.

“I’ve always been aware of the team. I’ve always been conscious of another player, trying to get him going, because I’ve always felt the game will gravitate towards me at some point.’’

More than anything else, that's what makes me root for Ray.  He not only says the right things, but does the right things.

If you asked me, I'd have to say Ray Allen is the second classiest athlete there is, behind only Tiger Woods.

Then again, maybe he's the very classiest.

On an unrelated note, I also reached a milestone today:  It was the first time I've ever used the word "classy" or a derivative of it more than five times in a single post.  I think I'll take all the credit for myself, though.

Ray Allen reaches 20,000-point milestone

With a three-pointer with about five minutes left in the third quarter, Ray Allen reached the 20,000 point milestone for his career. According to today's Boston Globe, of the 36 players who have reached the milestone, 26 have been inducted to the Hall of Fame and seven of the remaining 10 players are not yet eligible for induction.

About the record, Allen told Yahoo! Sports:

”It’s a big number,” Allen conceded. ”To me, it’s a wondrous accomplishment. It’s about staying healthy, taking care of my body, being on a good team. A lot of things. But I’m still working hard every day to get better and I can’t afford to focus on numbers. The more games I can play, the more games we can win, that’s where the focus is. On this team, we don’t pay attention to the individual stuff.”

With all them points, a championship ring and maybe more to come, plus his reputation as one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history, you can book Ray Allen into the Hall right now. The only things left are to design his plaque and write his speech.

Congrats, Ray.  You're a class act and you deserve everything that comes to you.

The Morning Walkthrough: Ray Allen closing in on exclusive 20,000 point club

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn't mean we have to.  Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe - There were doubts outside the organization as to whether Allen would be the same player following the surgeries.  One NBA title and 3,032 points later, Allen is on the verge of an exclusive club. Of the 36 players who have reached 20,000 points in the NBA/ABA, 26 are in the Hall of Fame, and seven of the other 10 are not yet eligible for induction.  Allen, who is in his 14th NBA season, attended September’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Springfield, soaking in the atmosphere and thinking of the possibility of his inclusion someday.  “It’s one of those moments where you just always feel vindication for everything you’ve ever done,’’ he said. “All the people that said no you can’t or put something negative in your life and you turned around and made it positive. It’s always something that’s been reiterated to me that I have always been on the right path.

Red's Army - The assist came on a play where Tony has, in the past, made a bad decision.  Instead of forcing a shot or putting his head down and either dribbling it off his foot or bowling someone over, he made the extra pass.  Am I reaching a bit to praise Tony Allen?  Probably.  Am I trying to convince myself that he might be able to hold the fort for the next two months until Marquis Daniels comes back?  Maybe.  Am I being lazy by resorting to the "ask your self a question and then answer it" cliche so you can get to your main point.  Definitely.

Jeff Clark, CelticsBlog - You don't replace Marquis with one player because this year's edition of the Celtics is build a lot like a Rubik's Cube.  To move one piece, you have to move two others with it.  Then you might have to move several more pieces around before you finally get the desired result (and you are still far from being done).  Headed into the offseason, the Celtics had 3 priorities.  Get help in the frontcourt, get a backup wing, and bring in someone to help with bringing the ball up court.  Sheed took care of the first priority and Daniels was supposed to take care of the next two.  Now we've got some pieces to shift around.

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald -  Coach Doc Rivers will now be hard-pressed to duplicate the contributions of one of the most uniquely talented players in his lineup.  The second unit had come to thrive on Daniels’ playmaking, which often found him directing the offense in Rondo’s absence.  As his play deteriorated from the injury, the second unit clearly suffered, according to the Celtics coach.  “I think it’s affected Eddie (House), because earlier in the year, and especially in preseason, Eddie was getting great shots off of Marquis passes,” Rivers said Tuesday night. “Now (Daniels) doesn’t have the ability to pass and I think that affects Eddie.”

Tom Halzack, Celtics Central - With 13 symphonic assists, the Bucks game is as good an example as you will find to see how far Rondo has come. And he added his scoring at the most important time, with a few made jump shots, and made foul shots, both of which have been absent for most of the season.  That it happened against a rookie point guard and a team that isn’t known for strong inside players, I’ll grant you.  But without a special defensive strategy devised to just to stop Rondo, he will get into the interior defenses of any team. Yes, he will have some trouble against talented interior length. The good thing is that Rajon isn’t the only willing passer on the team.  The team relies more and more on Rajon Rondo’s ability to conduct the offense. But Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett are all good facilitators in the offense, too.  It’s an ubuntu world.

Throwing some dimes: What to do with 'Quisy's minutes?

I want to write more in-depth about what will happen to Marquis Daniels' minutes, I really do. But the thought of trying to discuss the possibility of Tony Allen being in the regular rotation makes me shudder in fear. So, instead, I'll just hand it off to the rest of the Celtics blogosphere, and their thoughts on the situation.

First, Red's Army does a rundown of the injury and how it affects everyone in the lineup. Here's what they had to say about Tony Allen:

He's the first choice to get more minutes. He can spell both Ray and Paul and in case of emergency, he can dribble the ball up court with his knuckles and run the point. Defensively, especially in man-to-man situations, Tony is an upgrade over Daniels. However, while Marquis was a steady player, Allen has ups-and-downs like no other.

Then, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston offers his take on the situation, saying the Celtics need to finally address their backup point guard issues:

Maybe it's time to ask Tyronn Lue if he's certain he's played his last basketball. The 32-year-old Lue, brought in to be the Celtics Director of Basketball Development in late October, has shown he's still got plenty of talent left in him when he works out with the team in practice or before games.

Heck, Lue is only five months older than Paul Pierce. He averaged 8.5 points and 3.1 assists over an 11-year career.

About the only problem we see is that Lue's familiar No. 10 is retired in Boston. Maybe he could sweet-talk Jo Jo White into pulling it down from the rafters for the final 60 games of the 2009-10 season.

Finally, Brian Robb of Celtics Hub discusses his idea that Rajon Rondo is better off playing some minutes with the second unit, to help offset the loss of Daniels' ball-handling abilities:

With Rondo playing with the 2nd unit, setting the tone and getting out in transition, the Celtics have a better opportunity to create easier buckets for themselves, instead of over-relying on Pierce and Ray Allen to jumpstart the offense. It also keeps the ball out of the hands of Eddie House more, which allows him to be at his most dangerous on the floor.

So that rant went longer than expected but my point is essentially clear: I expect the trends from last night to continue as far as Rondo playing with the 2nd unit. Rondo is only playing 33 minutes a game at this point, so he can handle the uptick in minutes better than Ray and Pierce can. He has set the tone for this offense all year long, and it’s wise to incorporate that into the 2nd unit rather than let it philander without a true point in the lineup.

My thoughts? I don't think Tyronn Lue is the answer. He couldn't even play minutes ahead of Anthony Johnson last year, remember? There's a reason he was signed as the Director of Basketball Development rather than a player, and that reason is that he's washed up.

Tony Allen isn't the answer, either, and I don't like playing Paul Pierce or Ray Allen more minutes. I'd like to see Billy Walker called up to finally get his chance to play some meaningful minutes, but my gut tells me that won't happen.

My gut tells me were going to be seeing a lot of Tony Motherf---ing Allen.

Boston Celtics discuss Tim Donaghy's allegations

Tim Donaghy is coming at the NBA hard with allegations of a crooked referree corps that throws games, influences otucomes, and holds grudges against certain players and coaches.  He's trying to take the league down with him, all so he can get a little bit of money through selling his tell-all book. 

Should he be trusted?  I don't think so.  How can you trust a man with his back against the wall, who has proven to be a snake, a thief and a liar, who is clearly trying to gain whatever monetary profits he can off his immoral decision to bet NBA games?  I just don't think he holds any credibility at all, or that we can trust a single word that come out of his mouth.

At the same time, I'm positive some of the things he will say, has said, are true.  Just like in any other profession, I'm sure there are some unethical NBA referrees, and I'm sure some guys do hold grudges, and other guys have probably bet on games.  The only problem is, we don't know which parts of Donaghy's stories are bullshit and which parts are real.  We can't trust a single word coming out of his mouth, but some of it has to be true, right?

Rasheed Wallace thinks so (via the Herald):

Rasheed Wallace said tonight he believes the Tim Donaghy scandal will eventually get deeper. He predicted a major problem for the NBA when all the facts come to light.

“I always said to myself and had the thing that there’s no way that the things that he did he could do them by himself,” Wallace said. “I always said that. It’s virtually impossible. The things that he’s been accused of, there’s no way, to me, in my opinion, he could have done those things by himself.”

I'm with 'Sheed.  How could he do these things by himself?  And, if he did do it by himself, don't you think there's some other scummy ref out there who did the same things?

But I'm also with Doc, who doesn't think he can trust Donaghy at all (via ESPNBoston):

"My buddy," Rivers joked when Donaghy's name was brought up by reporters before Tuesday's game against the Bucks. Asked if he had heard Donaghy's comments about Rivers trying to persuade refs, Rivers challenged the credibility of someone who admitted to betting on NBA games.

"I've been trying to get on younger players for a long time and persuade them to do things as well," said Rivers. "I don't know, I'm so sick of that guy right now, I really am, for our league. I love our league, and I hate what's going on, that we're giving a guy like him credibility."

It's a tough line to straddle.  Clearly, what Donaghy says probably has some merit but, at this point, I probably wouldn't even trust him if he told me Tony Allen has a low basketball IQ.  That's how much credibility he's lost.

Ray Allen has a more balanced view on things, saying that while Donaghy makes some points that might be valid, it's hard to trust a man in his position, a man with his reputation (via the Globe):

In the wake of the Tim Donaghy scandal and its recent fallout, Ray Allen said NBA referees need to be held accountable for their actions, but he stopped short of saying he believed everything Donaghy had to say to the media in recent days.

"He made a very strong case," said Allen. "I can't say that he would do anything to jeopardize -- he went to prison, it's hard to say whether or not he would lie or make something up of that nature. "

So what is the real deal?  What is true about Donaghy's allegations, and what isn't? 

I just don't know, and I don't know if we'll ever really find out.  I still find it hard to give weight to his words, but it's also tough to discount them.

Glen Davis has cast taken off, does 'light work' in practice

Via the Globe:

Glen “Big Baby’’ Davis had the soft cast removed from his right hand and did some light work Sunday

So the Big Fella could be returning soon, presumably to take over whatever's left of Shelden Williams' minutes. 

Just don't let him catch a pass from "Nolan Ryan Rondo".

Also from that Globe article, Ray Allen is playing terrific defense despite his prolonged shooting slump:

Since arriving in Boston three years ago, Allen has drastically improved his defensive reputation and worked arduously to blend into coach Doc Rivers’s help-oriented defensive system. Assigned to some of the league’s top shooting guards, Allen put special emphasis on stopping dribble penetration and contesting jump shots.

While Allen has been working to end his perimeter struggles, his defense is peaking and that is not lost on Rivers.

“It’s funny you noticed because we were kidding with him that I thought it was one of his better games,’’ Rivers said of the Oklahoma City game. “And San Antonio as well on [Manu] Ginobili at times. What we want him to do as much as possible is to keep the ball square and then contest shots and I thought he did both. Harden, I don’t think, got a shot off without a hand in his face. He was right in his face. When Ray does that, it brings another dimension to our defense.’’

Ray has been playing very good defense, but it's nothing new.  Ever since coming to Boston, Ray has been a surprisingly good defender capable of guarding some of the league's best shooting guards.  Remember Kobe's poor Finals performance, when he didn't have a single breakout game?  Well, it was mostly Ray guarding him.

It's nice to see Ray get some credit for his defensive work, but his effort on that end of the court hasn't changed.

What if the Celtics had never traded for Ray Allen?

A long, long time ago, when the Boston Celtics were the NBA's worst team and the Oklahoma City Thunder were still the Seattle Supersonics, a trade occurred that would greatly change the fortunes of the two aforementioned teams.

Okay, it wasn't quite a "long, long time ago," but doesn't it feel like ages have passed since the Seattle Supersonics packaged Ray Allen and a second-round draft pick (which became Glen Davis) for the #5 pick (Jeff Green), Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West?

Way back when (again, aka three years ago), there was talk of the Celtics trading Paul Pierce away, tanking an entire season for the chance to draft Greg Oden seemed like a great idea, and the Celtics relied upon Tony Allen for big-time production. I guess it's a good thing times have changed.

In fact, that trade ended up working out perfectly for both teams. While the prospect of teaming Kevin Durant with Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis seemed like a terrific opportunity, by the time Durant fully develops Allen will likely be on his way out of the league and Lewis will be co-authoring a tell-all book with Jose Canseco. (In case you didn't know, I'm just kidding.) The Sonics... I mean,Thunder, are set up perfectly for the future, with young talent at just about every position. Seriously, think about this lineup once they all mature: Russell Westbrook at point guard, James Harden at shooting guard, Durant at small forward, Green at power forward, and... B.J. Mullens at center. (I told you, they have young talent at just about every position, not every position.)

The Thunder are exciting, fun to watch, athletic, talented, young and perfectly positioned for being a contender down the road. Plus, they aren't even that bad now, with a 10-8 record and a surprisingly effective defense to go along with all the budding talent on offense.

And the Celtics? I could go on and on about how much better they are now than they were a few years ago, but I'll instead remind you of what would have happened to the Celts had that trade never been made. If the C's don't make that trade, they don't get Kevin Garnett because he didn't want to come to a non-contender. Then, they would have either had to decide to trade their youngsters for another player (maybe Pau Gasol?) or to keep their youngsters and build around them Let's say they chose to build around the youngsters, mostly because I can't stand the thought of the Big Poodle in Celtics Green. If they did that, the C's would have had a lineup the following season of Rajon Rondo, Delonte West, Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins, with Ryan Gomes, Tony Allen, Yi Jianlian (according to grumblings, would have been the Celtics fifth pick had they kept it), and Sebastian Telfair coming off the bench. You might think for a second that those guys could compete and win their share of games, but let me continue.

In all reality, playing with three highly professional future Hall-of-Famers every day has sped up the development of all the C's youngsters. Do you think Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins would be nearly as good as they are now if they didn't have the Big Three to show them the ropes? If the Big Three doesn't come together, Rondo would probably have ended up being traded to some other team, after causing such a big headache for Head Coach X (Doc would have been canned after another bad season) that General Manager Y (Ainge would have been fired too, after another losing season and the embarrassment of drafting Yi Jianlian with the fifth pick in the draft) decided to give him away for almost nothing. Perk might still be useless and out of shape, because he didn't have three guys to show him how hard you need to work to succeed in the NBA. Paul Pierce would either be so disgruntled with his poor teams that he'd be causing problems and destroying his legacy in Boston, or he'd be making All-NBA teams for some other organization after being traded himself. Al Jefferson has missed huge chunks of the last few seasons, and that would have meant Yi Jianlian (yes, THAT Yi Jianlian) would be relied on to be a starter for those chunks.

So would you rather have option #1) a misbehaved Rajon Rondo who hadn't yet gotten a good work ethic, a fat and useless Kendrick Perkins, a disgruntled Paul Pierce, a terrible Yi Jianlian and a nutty Delonte West, or option #2: the current Celtics starting five? If you want to say the first option, you are very drunk, very high, or a combination of both, so I'll first wait until you're sober and then ask you again. If you continue to say option #1, I will first check you into a mental hospital, then I will send you this picture in the mail.

Looking back on that trade, it was a real rarity in the NBA: A trade that made sense for both teams.