The Morning Walkthrough: Losing Paul Pierce

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 - "To compensate for the loss, the Celtics recalled Bill Walker from the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League. When the second-year forward got the call, he was in the middle of a practice in Portland. He may now be part of the patching coach Doc Rivers will have to do to fill in the significant lineup gap left by Pierce. 'Positionally, this is going to fall on people like Billy, Tony (Allen), J.R. (Giddens) and Scal (Brian Scalabrine), but how else we make up for it I really don’t know,' Ainge said. 'We really like the progress (Walker’s) been making in Portland.'"

Joel Brigham, Hoops World - After watching 57 players get selected before him in June's draft, Hudson thought for a while that he might not get selected at all. 'I know I'm fortunate to be here because a lot of the other players were on big high school teams and AAU and had gotten that recognition,' Hudson explained. 'I didn't get that recognition until junior year in college. Before that, they didn't know nothing about me. I just played one year of high school, and then I went to junior college. The difference between me and them is that they've gotten the credit all their life. I haven't. That's why I'm just so very happy to be here.' Where many rookies expect to make the NBA their whole lives, Hudson has had to work for it, and his humble demeanor and grateful personality certainly shows the strength of his character. He's working as hard as anyone, and at 25 years old he's also got the maturity and life experience to know what this opportunity to means. 'He's one of the better rookies that I've had,' Ray Allen said, 'just from the standpoint of talent and the ability to want to get better.'"

Jeff Clark, CelticsBlog - "I'm sure Ainge will continue to monitor the trade market, but once again, he likely won't feel pressured into making any sort of deal that he wouldn't have made in the offseason. If a good deal presents itself, great. Otherwise, they'll go with what they've got. So what have they got left? Well, the most logical guy to step up into the starting lineup is Tony Allen. Pause for a moment and reflect on how insane that statement would have sounded 3 weeks ago. But give Tony credit. He's played solid defense, he's attacked the rim, and he's added needed hustle and athleticism to our bench. He's always played better when he was on the court for longer stretches, and he'll get that opportunity now. Perhaps being surrounded by the starters will limit the mistakes and miscues that he's become famous for."

Frank Dell'Apa. Boston Globe - "'That’s what you have to do - it’s a different preparation,' Wallace said. 'When you’re coming off the bench you’re looking more at the guys that they have coming off the bench. At first, I was more focused on [Tyler] Hansbrough and the guys they have, then I focused on [Roy] Hibbert and [Troy] Murphy and try and do what I can with them. That first half, I’m not going to lie, they were kicking our [butts]. They was beating us to loose balls, getting any shot they wanted, getting layups, fast-break points. They were able to pass it without no pressure, going to any spot on the floor. Doc [Rivers] came in here and chewed us out and we knew what we had to do - go out in the second half and apply pressure. We couldn’t give them easy passes and easy buckets.' Wallace’s technical foul count this season was reduced to nine after he successfully appealed one from a game at Miami Nov. 29. 'No, I’m not happy,' Wallace said of the favorable decision. 'Because there are still some more that, hopefully, they can look at. That was the only one we were talking about and that one got rescinded that fast because of the referee [Bennett Salvatore]. As for the outcome of the others, I know it won’t be no time soon because of the simple fact it’s on the backburner because of the [collective bargaining agreement] meetings and all that stuff. So I’m not worried about it, yet.'"

Brian Robb, CelticsHub - Brian Robb: 'Talk a little bit about Tony Allen. No one in Boston was expecting much out of the guy after an inconsistent past 2 seasons as he seemed to have lost his confidence. I had been a defender of TA up until last year when he forced me to jump off the wagon. This year however, he has been a nice sparkplug off the bench. What have you seen from Tony? Do you think he can keep this up on a consistent basis and still be an asset, even when Marquis Daniels returns from injury?' Mike Gorman: 'Doc has told me, and told Tony that if you defend, and don’t turn the ball over, you will get minutes. I think that’s where Tony is right now. He is the most aggressive defender on the floor when he is in the game. Even though he does find himself sometimes being the psuedo point guard here and there on the floor, he has played through those stretches well thus far, not turning the ball over and making good places. So to go back to your original question, I think it’s an embarrassment of riches for the C’s when Marquis comes back, but I think Marquis is going to take a little bit longer to come back than anyone is expecting. Tony is going to have a lot of time and Big Baby is going to have a lot of time to establish some minutes. Doc is just in a great situation since the team is so deep. There are going to be a lot of guys fighting for playing time.'

Paul Flannery, WEEI - "'[Rajon Rondo] just kills your whole gameplan because you don’t know where he’s going to be,' Murphy said. 'He’s all over the place. He’s taking chances. He just creates havoc out there. He’s tough.' Rondo leads the league in steals, which is part of taking chances and creating havoc, yet he’s doing it while playing 'more solid' as Doc Rivers has pointed out several times. There are no metrics for staying under control both offensively and defensively, but that’s what Rondo is doing this year, while still maintaining his creativity offensively and his gameplan destroying nature defensively. In other words, he’s putting it all together. People will start to notice soon off. Even the other players."

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

The Morning Walkthrough: Paul Pierce, more efficient basketball player and more efficient person

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 - "'I agree with a lot of what [Doc Rivers] said {about playing with instincts],” Pierce said. “Just go out there and continue to play with my instincts. When I do that I’m a better player.' That’s the new Pierce. Rivers can’t recall the player he first met. 'Oh no, I don’t even know who that is,' Rivers said. 'The one here is amazing, an amazing player. He’s older, he’s more mature, he’s solid - just a solid player. His percentages, everything is better. He’s just a more efficient basketball player. And he’s a more efficient person. I just think you grow up. Early on, I think, he was trying to establish himself, and now he’s just trying to establish his legacy. That’s different. I thought he actually bought in going into the second year. In the middle of that second year it clicked. The problem was that he didn’t have a lot of help around him, and that made it a difficult sell. I remember him even saying, ‘This is good.’ But we needed to take the next step because his frustration level was very high,' Rivers continued. 'So when Kevin and Ray (Allen) came in, it made how he had changed really stand forward.'"

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald - "But six games into [Tony] Allen’s return from ankle surgery, Rivers rarely has felt better about the oft-injured guard’s focus. 'It’s really been every game minus the Chicago game,' Rivers said. 'He’s been terrific. He’s getting into the flow of the offense and taking what they give him, making simple plays, and I think this is his best stretch of simple defense - not the gamble defense - since I’ve had him. (He has) better focus now, accepts his role. He realizes he’s not going to be a 30-point-a-night scorer like every other young guy believes. He just has to stay in that spot. It happened to (Kendrick Perkins) when he was younger. You have a 25-point game and you think, You know what? I am an offensive player, even if those 25 points came off a great pick and roll or another pass.'"

Frank Dell'Apa, Boston Globe - "Tony Allen’s 24 1/2-minute stint against Minnesota was his longest since last season. He had 15 points and no turnovers in his most impressive performance since suffering a thumb injury Feb. 11. Allen missed 22 games because of the thumb injury, then underwent offseason ankle surgery. Allen said he is planning to play against Indiana tonight. 'I didn’t think it was going to take this long,' Allen said of his recovery. 'But I’ll fight through it, I ain’t looking back. [My confidence] was definitely affected last year. I would say, if you look before that injury, I was getting money, I was doing the things that I was supposed to be doing. I think I had 11 [points] against San Antonio, we lost that game, but I did some good things. The next day, in practice, I hurt my thumb and I was out 6-8 weeks. Just look at my track sheet, when I’m out there playing big minutes, I produce. When I’m injured it’s kind of hard for Doc to say I’m going to put this guy out there and he just missed 20-some games, his conditioning is not there, the injury is still lingering. I just have to show Doc I’m healthy and I’m a force out there.'"

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE - "For a guy who has had a number of run-ins with the NBA and its rules, Rasheed Wallace is sure getting a lot of love from the league lately. After the NBA decided to impose no additional fines or suspension following his outburst ( and ejection) from Friday's loss to Philadelphia, CSNNE.com has learned that one of Wallace's technical fouls has been rescinded. The one in question came on Nov. 29 at Miami."

Zach Lowe, Celtics Hub - "Nate Robinson made a tremendous hustle play, sprinting the length of the court and pinning Rondo’s lay-in attempt on the glass. Nate turned toward the crowd, celebrating. A nice moment for Nate, only the ball was still in play right behind him. With Nate distracted, Marquis Daniels picked the ball up and laid it in. And that, to me, summed up Nate Robinson’s NBA career: Tons of talent, little understanding of what it means to be a successful NBA player on a successful NBA team. And so I reacted with a combination of anger and nausea when ESPN’s Chris Sheridan reported earlier today that Robinson, who has requested a trade and has veto power over any deal, would accept a trade to Boston. Of course, this doesn’t mean Boston would accept Nate Robinson. But they have the sort of cheap, expiring contracts (such as Tony Allen’s $2.5M expiring deal or the combination of J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker) that could work on the other side of a deal for Robinson. Were that anger and out-of-hand rejection really warranted? I decided to check the numbers and see. What I found surprised me a bit."

Jessica Camerato, WEEI - "Pierce grew up in California as a Lakers fan. No one, however, in purple and gold could top what he learned at home. '[It was] definitely mom. She was always there when I needed something. Not as an athlete but period. I get it from her… I definitely [carry part of her on the court]. Of course she [knows it]. I just got my never-quit attitude from her. My mom didn’t grow up in the best situations, raising three boys by herself, maintaining three jobs just to put food on the table. She didn’t look at adversity as something that would bring her down. She always tried to find a way.'"

Shawn McGrath, North Station Sports - "Ultimately, what matters here is that there’s a line between calling a guy for foul-worthy behavior and going looking for an excuse. [Referee Bill] Kennedy basically as much as said to ‘Sheed, 'go ahead, make my day,' and Wallace did. The prophecy is fulfilled, amor fati, and Rasheed’s Kenobi has now completed NBA Vader’s circle (or vice versa). In an ideal world, Kennedy would have looked the other way on Sheed’s second technical, as his actions (trash talking in the huddle) didn’t have an impact on the game. But in the same ideal world, Sheed wouldn’t have said anything worth Kennedy’s attention to begin with. As fans, we need to accept that Rasheed Wallace and the NBA officials are inextricably linked in an antagonistic relationship with no benefit to either party, and that’s not changing. We can only hope that the next time it costs the Celtics, it’s not enough to sway the momentum of a game, as it was Friday night."

Me, Celtics Town - "But Tony [Allen] is playing well. He's inspiring confidence and, for the first time in a long time, I don't mind it when he's in the game. Am I completely sold on him, yet? No, not at all. He's like the girlfriend who always cheats on you, then goes on her best behavior for a couple weeks. You really like the new her, but you can't trust that she's going to stay faithful to you... you just can't. Really, no matter how long she stays loyal, you'll never completely trust her. You'll always fear a relapse. So that's where I am with Tony Allen right now. I love his recent play and I can't believe the quality of his recent minutes, but I will always, always fear a relapse. My brain is telling me that Tony Allen is still Tony Allen, still likely to make a mistake at the worst possible time. But my heart? It's saying Tony might have finally turned the corner."

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

Throwing some dimes: Krypto-Nate wants to be a Celtic

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.

• Chris Sheridan reports Nate Robinson has one destination in mind as he demands a trade... Boston:

Robinson does want out, and a source close to the Robinson camp tells ESPN.com there's one place the former slam-dunk champion would truly like to land if a trade can be worked out: Boston.

If that can't happen, Robinson wants a buyout, believing he will be able to sign with one of the top contending teams in the league, including the Lakers, Cleveland and Orlando -- the thinking being that he can provide the instant offensive boost for any of those teams that he once provided for the Knicks.

Sunday night's 98-94 victory against Charlotte marked the ninth consecutive DNP-CD for Robinson, whose tension-filled relationship with D'Antoni has reached a tipping point. The Knicks have gone 6-3 since D'Antoni removed Robinson from the rotation -- a point D'Antoni repeatedly used in his own defense in addressing the matter prior to the game -- and Robinson's camp has made the decision to go public with its displeasure, formally requesting a trade while letting the media know it was doing so.

But a couple of problems exist in regard to Robinson's demanding a trade:

• Robinson has the right to veto any trade (because he would be forfeiting his Larry Bird rights by accepting a trade), and as unhappy as he is, at the end of the day he'd rather sulk at the end of the bench in New York than battle Wayne Ellington for spot minutes in Minnesota. One source close to the Knicks said the list of teams that Robinson would accept a trade to could be described as "slim and/or none."

I wouldn't mind Nate if the Celtics didn't have to give up much to get him.  He's super-athletic, he can score, and by the looks of it he wants to win (or at least be traded to a very cushy situation). 

But, it'd be very tough to pair Eddie House in the backcourt with Nate; they wouldn't be able to guard a soul.  Also, Nate must be some type of behavioral problem for such a talented player to go through such a long string of DNP's.  So if the Celtics give up next to nothing for Nate, I'm all for it.  But if they have to give up Marquis Daniels, as Sheridan later hypothesizes, my answer would be, "No.  Absolutely not."

• Red's Army is up for best individual blog in the NBA.  Vote for them.
• Red's Army is also trying to give away tickets.  It's your last chance... try to win them.
• Zach Lowe takes a look at just how prevalent film sessions are in Boston:

Is it possible that group film study, NFL style, is not as big a part of NBA culture as some of us (myself included) think it is? It must vary from coach to coach, right?


Whatever the case, my favorite tidbit from the Globe’s rightfully sunny recap of the C’s-Wolves beat down is this:

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he also told Pierce, who scored only nine points in Friday night’s loss to the Sixers, to get back to his instincts instead of trying to figure out ways to get everyone involved. The team watched film after the loss — a rarity during the regular season — and Rivers put together a sequence of all the uncontested shots.

“There were a lot of them,” Rivers said. “It was good for them to see.”

It’s unclear from the context if Rivers was showing uncontested shots that Pierce passed up or uncontested shots the C’s defense yielded to Philly. Either way, the line that caught my eye was “a rarity during the regular season.”

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: 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. 

Joakim Noah: Celtics completely different team than last year

Via ESPNChicago:

As they did back in May, the Celtics overwhelmed Vinny Del Negro's team in the end with more talent. But it is the way that Boston handled the Bulls this time around that has to be so disconcerting to the team's head honchos.

"I think right now we're not even close to being as good as they are right now," Bulls center Joakim Noah admitted after the game. "When you see the way they run their offense, the way they run their defense [and] the weapons that they have on the court, I think that it's a completely different team than it is last year."

I guess Kevin Garnett makes a little bit of a difference...  But it isn't only that, or the additions of Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels.  The C's offensive execution has been absolutely exquisite, their defensive intensity has improved, and they are playing with a better sense of purpose.

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.

We could see a lot of Tony Allen over the next 6-8 weeks

Remember a week or two ago, when I wrote about Tony Allen maybe being the single most hated player in Celtics history, a player so frustrating because he still has all the talent to succeed, but couldn't put together a stretch of smart basketball to save his life?

Well, get ready for 6-8 weeks of him.  According to the Herald:

Marquis Daniels will be out for 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery on his left thumb.

The Celtics swingman missed last night’s game against the Bucks because of the injury and had undergone an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

Last night Celts coach Doc Rivers said the Daniels injury has been affecting the entire second team.

It sure has, and will continue to over the next 6-8 weeks.  Daniels was signed for his versatility, high basketball IQ, and ability to play point guard.  Tony Allen, Daniels' likely replacement, has very little versatility, is probably the single dumbest basketball player in the history of western civilization, and, if forced into some PG minutes, certainly isn't going to make anyone forget about Bob Cousy. 

I would much rather see J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker, or even Marty Conlon pick up Daniels' playing time, but what can you do?

The only way TA was going to get playing time was if A) Marquis got hurt, B) Marquis somehow, inexplicably died, or C) Doc Rivers developed a terrible case of alcoholism.  Unfortunately, option A) has happened only 21 games into the season.  On the bright side, though, at least it isn't the playoffs.

On the negative side...  Well, we're now looking at 6-8 weeks of Tony Allen.  Isn't that negative enough?  Somebody, please get me a bottle of Advil, and maybe a few shots of Jack Daniels.

Throwing a couple dimes

I was going to write about these two things, but some of my fellow Celtics bloggers beat me to it.  So instead of beating a dead horse and writing my own commentary, I'll just let you hear their opinions:

CelticsHub's Brendan Jackson, on who should get the brunt of Marquis Daniels' minutes:

While I’m not a psychologist (although I have been known to enjoy a good armchair), I believe his stints in the D-League, the fact that he was a first round pick, the attempts to resurrect his image after his incidents at Kansas and subsequent exodus, and him playing on a team that flat out didn’t need him for two years has really hurt J.R. psyche.


This stretch the C’s will have play without Daniels, however, could be what J.R. needs to become an actual player in the league. There is no chance that J.R. can become a star, starter, or even seventh man off the bench, but could he develop into a guy that plays six minutes a game? I think so.

Just like me and, probably, everyone else who's ever watched Tony Allen play basketball, Jackson doesn't believe TA should get Daniels' minutes.  He thinks they should go to the inexperienced Giddens, a guy who has never seen extended time in his career. 

But who do I think should get those minutes?  Doc Rivers, as a player-coach, of course.  Seriously though, there isn't a viable option off the bench at small forward besides 'Quisy.  My top option to be the recipient of those minutes would probably be Scal, but the thought of Scal having to guard opposing small forwards is already giving me nightmares.  Still, I think he's the best option.  At the very least, he'll play good team defense, hit open shots, and not to anything too destructive to the team.  (TA, I'm looking at you.) 

If not Scal, bring Billy Walker up from the D-League.  He's been far more productive than Giddens to this point in his career.  Plus, he's likely to at least produce a highlight, if nothing else. 

Now, here's CelticsHub quoting Ric Bucher from an NBA Podcast on ESPN:

As for Sheed, I’ve got to tell you. The most startling thing–this is a guy who has always played his way into shape. But I went into the locker room after the game, and he took off his shirt, and I mean, I could not believe what I saw. I mean, he looked like a guy who is on the couch watching games with a bowl of potato chips and a six pack and not a guy who is playing a game. The roll I saw hanging off of his shorts—I’ve never seen it on him before and I can’t tell you the last guy I saw that had a body like that. He’s not Popeye Jones-esque, but it was a very, very bad look.

I've actually been wanting to write about Rasheed's unsightly shape for awhile.  I've never seen him without his shirt on, but he sure seems pretty damn pudgy underneath that jersey of his.  On top of that, he's a touch slow, he's front-rimmed countless jumpers, and he looks fat, damn it! 

Now, I don't care what he looks like if he plays well, but Rasheed would help the C's even more than he already has if he were in shape.  Maybe he'll be able to play himself into shape, maybe not.  But as long as he's canning jumpers, snatching rebounds, and contesting shots come playoff time, I don't care if he looks like Free Willy.

The Morning Walkthrough: Rebounding is the 'tear in C's fabric'

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.

Jeff Clark, CelticsBlog - Lets just say that [rebounding] is a tear in the fabric.  We can sew it up, patch it up, or ignore the problem.  Ignoring it isn't an option because the tear will just keep getting bigger and leave a big hole in our attack.  Patching it with an outside person might help, but might end up causing more problems than it is worth.  I think we have players that can rebound but they need to make if more of a priority.  Perk, Sheed, and KG should be able to board with anyone.  Sheed and KG spend a lot of time on the perimeter on offense, but if they emphasized it, they could pull down more boards.  I think.

Frank Dell'Apa, Boston Globe - Daniels’s role likely will be filled by Tony Allen, who is expected to return for the first time this season after ankle surgery, and Brian Scalabrine.  Allen practiced at full speed yesterday and will be evaluated today.  “I’m just taking it one step at a time and building my energy and strength, getting the rhythm of these plays and defensive schemes and just get back in gear,’’ he said. “This was a good day, but I want to see how my ankle responds.  “If it doesn’t swell and ache, I know I’m building.

Red's Army - It's hard not to feel bad for Greg Oden.  Just when he was playing up to some of the hype that preceded him a few years ago, he went down with a fractured kneecap that will probably end his season.  Add it to the list.  Oden's getting hurt like a guy who got drafted by the Clippers.  I was a believer.  I thought this was the year he stepped into his own and helped the Trailblazers move into the next level out West.  I still think he's got the tools to be a good player in the NBA.  He might never be the franchise player people thought he would be, but he can still be good.

Sherman Alexie, via Truehoop -In this poem, I also liken it to the every day death of the Sonics. I feel their loss constantly. And then, seeing that Oden is down for the season (and likely done as an everyday player for good), I first thought, "Well, I'm glad I don't have to feel the kind of pain that Blazers fans are feeling today. I don't have to feel the pain of every Sonics loss or injury anymore."  But then, I thought, no, I miss the losses as much as the victories. I miss the pain as much as the joy. I miss the losing streaks as much as I miss the wins. Hell, I miss Luke Ridnour. And so, I think, my grief for my father -- my ever-present grief -- is so important because he never goes away. I don't forget him. I keep him alive that way.

Marquis Daniels injured by "Nolan Ryan Rondo"

I can honestly say I've been waiting my entire life to use this photo in a blog post.

Via the Boston Herald:

Marquis Daniels, who has been nursing, and taping, a sore left thumb and wrist for the last week, finally had to leave today’s practice after taking a hard Rajon Rondo pass off the hand.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that as a result, Daniels will miss Tuesday night’s game against the Bucks. Tony Allen, who ran hard through a complete practice today, is expected to take Daniels’ place in the lineup.

“Nolan Ryan Rondo threw the ball in practice, I tried to catch it, and it just hit my thumb wrong and swelled up a little more,” said Daniels, who said he may have an MRI taken of the thumb and wrist tomorrow.

Nolan Ryan Rondo, huh?  After Rondo takes on Chris Johnson in a race, let's have Rondo participate in a throwing contest with the Red Sox' Daniel Bard.  We could even make this into another reality t.v. series, like "Shaq Vs."  Can't you just imagine the commercials: "Watch Rajon Rondo try to outlift Vince Wilfork, out-eat Joey Chestnut, and out-cheat Tiger Woods!"?  The funniest part?  Rondo probably actually thinks he's better than all those guys at what they do best.

Now, back to the Celtics.  Not only will the C's miss Marquis Daniels, who ESPNBoston's Chris Forsberg reports has been wearing tape around his left hand and wrist since Nov. 14 before reinjuring it catching Rondo's pass, but they will also be experiencing subtraction by addition with Daniels' replacement Tony Allen.  Yikes.

Moral of the story?  Don't catch a fastball from Nolan Ryan Rondo.

Marquis Daniels: The difference between Daniels and Allen Iverson

When Allen Iverson took a personal leave from the Memphis Grizzlies, the Grizz wondered if the angered Iverson would ever return.

When Marquis Daniels left the Boston Celtics for personal matters, they just hoped he’d come back soon.

While Iverson has become the poster boy for what not to do as a teammate, Daniels has proven to be the epitome of a selfless player. He made $6.86 million last year and set career highs in points and rebounds; nobody could have blamed Daniels if he took the biggest deal he could get and played for whatever team offered him the most money and a starting job. After all, Daniels is entering the prime of his career. He’s already made big money, but Daniels’ age is when a lot of guys aim for that one last big contract.

Instead, Daniels signed with the Celtics -- to come off the bench behind two All-Stars -- for less money than he would have gotten elsewhere. He signed a one-year deal, so Daniels has every incentive to play for next year’s contract. Despite being in a contract year, he’s content doing whatever the Celtics need him to, anything to help the C’s win games.

His stats (5.7 points, 2.9 assists, 2.1 rebounds) certainly don’t jump off the page. In fact, they scream out “Worthless bum!” But the way he affects the entire Boston second unit is easily noticeable for anybody who watches the Celtics play. For a Celtics fandom that spent so much time last season harping on Tony Allen’s shortcomings, Daniels is, well, the anti-Tony Allen. Allen is known for his boneheaded mistakes, stupid drives to the basket, and ill-advised shots. He fouls the opposing team at the worst possible times, often on jumpshots.

Daniels, on the other hand, does whatever it takes for the Celtics to win. His stats aren’t going to put him on the All-Star team (hell, they aren’t even better than Allen’s stats from last year), but Daniels does all the “little things” that make a big difference. He moves the ball, takes good shots, and penetrates into the teeth of the opposing team’s defense. He handles the ball, leaving Eddie House to roam the three-point arc rather than being harassed by the opposing PG. Daniels plays good defense on his man and great position defense when his man doesn’t have the ball. Doc Rivers raves about Daniels’ basketball IQ, and talks about how much better the second unit operates with Daniels on the floor.

After a year of Tony Allen, Daniels is a human sigh of relief. He won’t light up the scoreboard, he’s not going to drain threes, and he probably won’t play many crunch-time minutes at all. But when he’s in there, you can feel confident that 1) he won’t do anything destructive to the team, 2) he will do positive things, even when he isn’t scoring, and 3) he’s not Tony Allen.

Especially with Iverson’s tired act of refusing to come off the bench, everything Daniels has done for the Celtics, everything he’s sacrificed to help the team, makes him look like a great teammate. Iverson put up nice stats in his first three games with Memphis (maybe his ONLY three games in Memphis), but watching the way he put up those stats you realize he’s a selfish gunner who, at this stage of his career, doesn’t make his teammates better.

Iverson controlled the ball, isolating early and often, completely foregoing his teammates and never involving them in plays. He took contested pullup jumpers off one pass. He dribbled the ball excessively. He turned the ball over by trying to do too much. For those three games, Iverson averaged 12.3 points, 3.7 assists and 1.3 rebounds while shooting 57.7% from the floor. On the surface, those numbers look great, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find out that Iverson had a negative +/- in every game he played for the Grizzlies. By monopolizing the ball and turning it over frequently, Iverson completely limited any contributions his teammates would have made. He scored a lot, but Iverson did none of the little things to help the Grizzlies emerge victorious.

Contrasting Daniels and Iverson, you find one player who makes sacrifices to help his team win, who is fine with coming off the bench as long as he can contribute to “W’s”. The other player? Well, let’s just say he’s a malcontent who has never gotten the concept of team basketball.

Just in case it wasn’t painfully obvious, Marquis Daniels (not Iverson??) is the unselfish player who has foregone more money and a starting role for the chance to win a ring, then adapted his game to fit the Celtics’ needs.

Iverson is now said to be contemplating retirement, frustrated by his role as a sixth man.

And Daniels? He'll be back for the Celtics on Wednesday, willing to fulfill whatever role Doc requests.

Marquis Daniels Or Eddie House: Can Either Back Up Rajon Rondo?

The season is inching closer and closer to finally being underway, which means I’m inching closer and closer to regaining my sanity, stolen annually by the NBA offseason.

Sadly, it also means the Celtics look more and more like a team that will enter the season with no truly reliable backup point guard. Out of the top two choices to win the job, one is a shooting guard and the other a small forward. Yikes.

Can either out-of-position backup PG help the Celtics win ballgames? Let’s take a look.

Eddie House:

Eddie House has been Rondo’s primary backup to begin each of the last two years but, each year, the Celtics decide to go a different route when other players have been bought out (first Sam Cassell, then Stephon Marbury). By the end of the playoffs, though, it’s been House getting minutes rather than the new, more highly-regarded PGs.

During the ’08 championship run, Doc Rivers’ switch to House over Cassell was an underrated aspect of the Celtics’ NBA Finals victory. It was Doc’s insertion of Eddie into the lineup that solidified the offense, helping Boston to pull away from LA and win the series in six.

With House on the floor, the C’s offense tends to run smoothly. He hits open shots (and sometimes unopen shots, too), spreads the floor, and never forces passes or penetration.

Despite his lack of elite ball-handling skills or NBA-level quickness, House can run an offense. The only times he truly struggles are against quick, pesky defenders willing to defend him in the full-court – guards like Lindsey Hunter. In the face of such intense pressure, House’s inability to handle the ball as well as other point guards comes back to haunt him, and he sometimes floats passes in an attempt to get rid of the ball more quickly than a true PG would have to.

All in all, the Celtics could do a lot worse than Eddie House, and I feel comfortable with the ball in his hands – unless he’s got a good defender hounding him for the full 94 feet.

Marquis Daniels:

Expecting Marquis Daniels to play any more than spot minutes at point guard is, in my eyes, a stretch. I know he’s versatile, and that’s a big reason why I’m excited about the Daniels addition, but he hasn’t played enough point guard in his career for me to feel confident with him there. Daniels has been forced into point guard duty by injuries, and also played a little PG for the experimental Don Nelson, but has never had extended time at the point and has always, admittedly, felt more comfortable at the small forward position.

Marquis’ former coach, Jim O’Brien, had this to say in 2008 (the last time Daniels played point guard) about Daniels at the point guard position…

On Offense:

“Here's a guy when you think about it was a power forward in college. Now all of a sudden he's playing point guard at 6-7 out of necessity because we have Jamaal down. I would say he's never really been able to get into a groove there.”

On Defense:

“I have enormous confidence in his ability to defend. The difference between, as an example, how we are defensively with Travis on the court at the point and Marquis, we're a much better defensive team right now with Marquis at the point guard spot.”

Clearly, O’Brien did not feel comfortable with Daniels running the helm at offense, but thought he was very good defensively (then again, his example was pretty bad – my twelve year-old brother is a better defender than Travis Diener).

I tend to agree with O’Brien. Daniels will be fine defensively no matter what position he plays but, with his skill set, Marquis is more suited to playing from the wing and slashing to the bucket. I’d rather have him finish plays than begin them.

Conclusion:

If the Celtics go into this season with Eddie House and Marquis Daniels as their backup point guards, I’d prefer House (in a close race) to get the nod. Both players are better off playing different positions, but the offense has run efficiently in the past with House manning the PG spot, and I think it would once more if he’s again forced into that role.

Either way, look for Rajon Rondo to play the overwhelming majority of the minutes. He’s young, ever-improving, and poised to take a step to the next level. One could even make the argument that Rondo might be the Celtics’ most important player in ’09-’10.

But we’ll save that argument for another day. For now, let’s just stick to his capable, but out-of-position, backups.