Throwing some dimes: Rick Pitino's shining moment as 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.

• Red's Army runs through the ten worst Celtics moments of the decade.  My favorite?  Number nine, Rick Pitino.  It's not often a top ten worst moment of the decade can make me laugh for full minutes at a time:

"Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through that door, they're going to be gray and old. What we are is young, exciting, hard-working, and we're going to improve. People don't realize that, and as soon as they realize those three guys are not coming through that door, the better this town will be for all of us because there are young guys in that (locker) room playing their asses off. I wish we had $90 million under the salary cap, I wish we could buy the world. We can't; the only thing we can do is work hard, and all the negativity that's in this town sucks. I've been around when Jim Rice was booed. I've been around when Yaz was booed. And it stinks. It makes the greatest town, greatest city in the world, lousy. The only thing that will turn this around is being upbeat and positive like we are in that locker room... and if you think I'm going to succumb to negativity, you're wrong. You've got the wrong guy leading this team."

• Celtics Stuff Live runs down the Celtics Team of the Decade, and if you don't want to see who they picked for the team, at least check out the picture...  It's priceless.
• According to Jon Duke, "Now is the time to dust off Messrs. Walker and Giddens and have them play with the type of reckless abandon that might make even Tony Allen say, 'hey, simmer down fellas.'"
• Don't look now, but Rajon Rondo is on pace to set the franchise record for assists.

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: 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.

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.

Has Tony Allen finally turned the corner?

What were you like when you were younger?

If you're an adult now, chances are you were probably a whole lot different. You probably did a whole bunch of things you regret, made a whole shit-load of mistakes, and look back at the young person you used to be and shake your head at some of your decisions. (Me? I've done many a stupid thing in life. One of my mistakes? Egging a house. It wasn't the fact that I egged a house that was so stupid; every kid does that once or twice. It's the fact that I got caught. I actually think I'm the only person in the history of the world to ever get caught egging a house. How in the world can you posibly get caught egging a house, you ask? By accidentally leaving your cell phone at the scene of the egging. Damn my small, slippery pockets.)

But everyone grows up, right? You learn from the mistakes of your younger days and grow into an adult. To put it simply, you mature. You go through experiences and they change you, mend you and make you a different person. It's inevitable.

Inevitable, that is, unless it was Tony Allen on a basketball court. Nope, he never changed. He kept making the same mistakes over and over again. He'd throw a dumb turnover, one that most people would learn from, but then he'd do it again the next game. He would drive into traffic continously, making reckless drives into the teeth of the defense that resulted in a charge... then he'd do it again the next game. He would foul a three-point shooter at the worst possible time and then, you guessed it, do it again the next game. Tony never seemed to harness his talent, always following whatever good stretches he had by making plays that would make you scratch your head and wonder what in the world was going through his head. He'd make the same mistakes over and over, and over and over, and over and over. I think he's the only player I've ever wanted to strangle - actually strangle - just because I watched him play basketball.

But is it possible that all that nonsense is merely the old Tony Allen? That the new Tony Allen has finally gone through the inevitable process known as maturation?

Before the season, I wouldn't have thought it possible that TA could mature. If you told me he was going to, it would have been like telling me the Celtics would go 10-72 for the season: I'd look at you, shake my head, maybe laugh a little, then turn and walk away, making sure to remember never to trust another thing that comes out of your mouth as long as I live.

But doesn't he seem to be coming around? As unlikely as it was before the season, Allen is playing like he's finally matured. He's providing solid and consistent minutes off the bench, so much so that I'm starting to let down my guard when he comes into the game. (By letting my guard down, I mean I no longer firmly grasp the sides of my chair so neither of my hands are free when he makes another signature dumb play. Why do I hold the side of the chair so tightly? If I had a free hand, I would probably use it to throw my remote control through the television set, and I don't really feel like paying for a new t.v.) He's letting the game come to him, rather than trying to force his imprint upon it and, for the first time in a long, long time, TA has put together a string of good performances.

He's played so well that when I heard that Nate Robinson wants to become a Celtic, I immediately thought, "I'd like him on the team, he can score and he could help, but I hope the C's don't have to give up Tony Allen to get him." If you'd asked me before the season if I'd ever say that I wanted the Celtics to keep Tony Allen, I would have told you maybe... if I became addicted to heroine and cocaine, and then was hypnotized while on a week-long drug binge. Other than that, I would have thought the answer would be absolutely not.

But Tony 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.

The second-nicest play from last night's game

Lost in all the joy of Tony Allen's poster of Corey Brewer was another gorgeous play that had me jumping out of my seat in a fit of excitement.



That left-handed pass? You've got to be kidding me, Rajon. There's only a couple other guys in the NBA that could have made that pass with the off hand, and I can only think of one: Steve Nash. (Maybe Chris Paul, but I don't see him throwing left-handed dimes too often.)

So buy the poster of TA's dunk over Brewer and remember that play forever, but don't forget his involvement in the night's second-best play.

Tony Allen: The Celtics should have given up on me

It's not often an NBA player says his team should have gotten rid of him.  Actually, I can't recall ever having heard an NBA player say anything like that.  But Tony Allen went on the record today, telling ESPNBoston's Chris Forsberg the Celtics had every reason to cut him loose:

Allen talked extensively about rebuilding his confidence after all his injury troubles. Asked about the Celtics not giving up on him despite numerous chances to do such, an emphatic Allen responded, "They coulda, shoulda, woulda -- but they didn't."

Up until, oh, about a week ago, I too was on the "Get Tony Allen the hell out of Boston" bandwagon (sorry, newcomers - standing room only).  But Allen's recent play has started to change my mind; Allen has (shockingly)  been solid and consistent. 

It's looking more and more like a good thing the Celtics never got rid of Tony Allen.

But he was right...

They coulda, shoulda, woulda.

Tony Allen and Eddie House combine for play of the year

No words need to be spoken.  Just watch in silence, until you start screaming like a little girl because you're so excited...

Throwing a dime: Rajon Rondo is 'not your typical jock'

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.
 

• Gary Washburn of the Globe had a very interesting chat yesterday where he answered questions from Celtics fans, throwing out a bunch of  interesting tidbits.  Here are a few:
  

First, Washburn talks about Rondo's behavior:

2:10	[Comment From Chuck: ] We read subtle references to Rondo's off the court persona. Is he a difficult personality? just quiet? are we gonna start saying "It's Rondo being Rondo" soon?

2:13

Gary Washburn: Rajon Rondo is an interesting dude because he is not your typical jock or player who went to college just to play ball but wouldn't know about the world around him. He is very intelligent, rather moody and quite comical. He is not the "young guy who keeps quite around the old dudes" type of guy. If he has something to say, he will say it. Now perhaps a few years ago, that didn't go over well. But he is picking and choosing his moments better when to say certain things.

It's pretty out of the blue to hear about Rondo being an intellectual.  When I heard all types of stories this summer about Rondo being harder to deal with than Elin Nordegren with a golf club in her hand, I never figured he was the next Good Will Hunting.

Washburn makes a lot of great points, but also proves he's new in town:

2:25	[Comment From PennStateDad: ] The C's appear to be rounding into shape, but Tony Allen is still maddeningly inconsistent. He'll make a great hustle play, then make a real dumb one. It's not just his coming back from injury; he's always done this. Is there any hope he'll improve?

2:26

Gary Washburn: I know I will hear it from C's fans on this one, but I really like Tony Allen. He is athletic, chases loose balls, is tough and can score. He hit a big shot last night in Memphis and I think with more games, he will really help this team. He is already getting better, but I know he has made some questionable plays in his time here. I am fresh eyes, so I am seeing more positive than negative.

In time, I think Washburn will see the truth about Tony Allen: As good as he looks on certain trips down the court, the only thing he can be trusted for is being as trustworthy on a basketball court as Tiger Woods is away from home.  (That makes two zings at the Woods family in one post. A new career high... for now.)

Be sure to read the rest of the chat.  It's insightful and offers a lot of insider knowledge you probably wouldn't get elsewhere.

The Morning Walkthrough: What if the Celtics missed 220 straight shots?

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. 

Jack Jemsek, Celtics Stuff Live - "It is true - the Celtics are shooting so damn well that the Field Goal % differential is a whopping 5.3% and leading the NBA no less.  Consider this – the Celtics could shoot 220 shots and miss them all, while maintaining their defensive rating, and still be leading the league in field goal % differential."

Frank Dell'Apa, Boston Globe -"'When we try to outjump teams, if they’re pushing us under the basket, they’ve got a great chance of getting the ball,' said Ray Allen, whose late 3-pointer clinched the victory.  'We just started carving our space. And the guards, we’ve got to do a better job of getting rebounds.'

The Celtics lead the league in field goal percentage, their offense based on tactical efficiency. But the second unit is expected to reenergize things, and that is what it did against the Grizzlies."

Jeff Clark, CelticsBlog - "And all this coming after the offseason that Rondo had is all the more impressive.  Between trade rumors, questions about his character, and uncertainty about his contract, he must have been pretty distracted.  Yet he remained focused.  Maybe all that even sharpened his focus.  He seems to have a "I'll show you" mentality that fuels him better than Red Bull ever will.  So by all means, let the critics keep the criticisms coming.  Harp on his outside shot.  Question his attitude.  Do your best to tear him down.  As for me, I'll sit back and watch him tear you apart.  Little by little.  Game by game.  Assist by assist.  Steal by steal.  Win by win.  Rondo will be an All Star this year and a star for years to come because he's learned how to be consistent."

Greg Payne, CelticsBlog - "Throughout this revitalizing 11-game win streak, the C's have secured some steep performances from a variety of players not belonging to the very exclusive "Big Three" club. Sure, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen have been tremendous over this stretch, but so has Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins, and now, joining that list over the past two games, is Rasheed Wallace, whose play in the paint has opened my eyes and introduced a whole new weapon for this Celtics team to utilize."

Zach Lowe, Celtics Hub - "For now, TA is going to play double-figure minutes for this team while Marquis Daniels is hurt. His success would help the second unit, reduce the burden on Ray Allen and Paul Pierce and give the C’s a player who could diversify their offensive arsenal by getting to the foul line. It would also be a nice coda to a career until now defined by bizarre injuries, shady off the court connections, sloppy dribbling and maddening brain cramps. It was in this spirit that I introduced the Official Tony Allen Dos and Donts List after Monday night’s game. Right now, it only has six items."

Me, Celtics Town - "While most players bring their 'A' game on certain nights and are sure to bring a full effort for big games, Garnett has been bringing maniacal effort every game, every practice for 15 years. Some players treat the playoffs like college finals, but Garnett acts like he's got a final every time he laces up his shoes. He's like that one overachieving girl (I don't know why, but it's always a girl) who is really smart, but still gets straight A's mostly because of her work ethic. She puts more work in during her homework than a normal person ever would even for a test, writes pages and pages of notes during lectures, and pisses everyone off because she's so over-the-top about her desire to be the best student.  Sound familiar? Maybe like a 6'11" power forward who headbutts the basket support before every single game, even exhibition games? Who, at one of his very first practices with the Celtics, screamed at captain and long-time Celtics leader Paul Pierce for dogging it during suicides?"

Lester Hudson's D-League stay likely a short one

Via the Boston Herald:

Doc Rivers still likes the point guard very much, but he’s played just 49 minutes after a DNP last night in the 110-105 win against the Grizzlies.

"He’s on a very good team where it’s very difficult to get minutes, but that hasn’t sidetracked his work,” Rivers said. “We’re going to send him down pretty soon to the NBDL for a week or so to get him some games, because I don’t like our young guys going these long stretches without playing games. And then we’re going to bring him back. I think that will help him.”

I, for one, think Lester could benefit from a prolonged stay in the D-League.  If he's not going to play a single meaningful minute in Boston, what's the point of having him toil on the bench when he could be earning valuable experience in the D-League?

Remember, this is a guy who played college at the University of Tennessee-Martin, where he played against some poor competition.  So playing against some D-League competition could really be beneficial to him.

Plus, I'd rather see Bill Walker get his chance with the C's.  Now there's a player who could really make a role for himself on this team, especially with the Marquis Daniels injury.  For some reason, though, the Celtics are happier to give Tony Allen Daniels' leftover minutes. 

Oy vay.

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.

The Morning Walkthrough: Celtics not as good as two years ago?

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. 

Bob Ryan, Boston Globe - The Celtics cannot possibly be as good as they were two years ago. How could they be? The key players weren’t exactly athletically young then, and they’re all two years older now. Factoring Wallace into the mix, four of their first six players are 32 or older, and the seventh guy, Eddie House, is 31. Fortunately, they have a powerful young (and ever-improving) big man in Kendrick Perkins and a dynamic young point guard in Rajon Rondo, but they ultimately depend on older players to be as good as players their age can be, and that places a tremendous responsibility on the coach to manage team affairs as efficiently and intelligently as possible.

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston - "I like taking shots, it's just when you play with guys that are great at what they do, it's my job to distribute the ball," said Rondo. "I'm a pass-first guard. Probably pass second and shoot third. That's how I play. I'd rather get an assist than score with the ball. I shoot when I have to or I feel the need to. Other than that, I'm fine with getting Ray [Allen] the ball, Paul Pierce, or Eddie House. I've got great shooters."  But as Rondo has shown at numerous times this season, he's capable of taking a game over offensively, and not just by distributing the ball.  Take Tuesday, for example. Not only did Rondo score all of his points in the pivotal fourth quarter (the game was tied at 71 after three), but he also registered three assists, which means he was directly involved in 19 of the Celtics' 27 points in that period.  While much of the pregame chatter was about Milwaukee rookie Brandon Jennings (17 points on 7-of-19 shooting) and his prolific offensive numbers, Rondo stole the show.

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE - After being scoreless through three quarters, Rondo seemed to channel his inner Paul Pierce in the fourth, looking to not just penetrate the lane but also finish around the basket.  There appeared to be little Jennings could do, even though the rookie has already proven to have the speed to hold his own with most NBA playmakers.  But there's speed, and then there's Rondo's  jet-booster-pack-in-the-sole-of-his-sneakers speed.  He was blowing past Jennings off the dribble and into the lane all night, but frequently passed on potential lay-ups to instead kick it out to a teammate for an easy jumper or possible lay-up.  That all changed in the fourth quarter.  That's when Rondo became a scorer, not only from the field but also from the free throw line.

Zach Lowe, Celtics Hub - Within two minutes of entering the game for the first time, TA bullied Carlos Delfino under the rim, received the ball, fooled Delfino with a shot fake and drew a shooting foul.  And in that moment, I was thinking: “Yes! This is exactly what the C’s need from TA. The team doesn’t draw a lot of fouls, and that’s one thing he’s good at and oh my freaking god he’s about to convert this into an And-1!”  And then he missed a relatively clean lay-up. Didn’t even graze the rim. Then he missed both free throws.  Throw in a classic TA charging foul on an out-of-control fast break drive, and I officially ran through a season’s worth of the Seven Stages of TA in six minutes of playing time.

Frank Madden, BrewHoop - Unfortunately, in crunch time the Celtics simply played like the Celtics.  And the Bucks, well, they played like you'd expect the Bucks to play on the road against the league's best defense.  After Delfino found Ilyasova surprisingly open for a layup to tie it at 86, Rondo (40% ft shooting coming in) hit a pair of freebies and stuck a mid-range jumper shortly thereafter.  It was the capper on a big quarter for Rondo, who scored all 11 of his points in the decisive period, including 5/7 from the stripe.  Bogut then turned it over on consecutive possessions, and Garnett dumped a righty hook over Ilyasova to extend the Boston to lead to 93-86.  Ballgame.

Jeremy, Bucksketball - Yes, playing hard is great and coming close against the Celtics is fun, but ultimately losing sucks.  While this game wasn’t nearly as frustrating as the Cleveland Blowout last Sunday, it wasn’t very satisfying to see the Bucks put it together when they needed it most.  If they got a stop, they couldn’t get a bucket.  If they got a bucket, they couldn’t get a stop.  Ultimately they blew it over a two and a half minute stretch in the fourth.  The most difficult thing to swallow about this stretch is the Bucks inability to even get a shot up.  Two turnovers by Andrew Bogut and one from Brandon Jennings. That’s the just the strength of the Celtic defense.

Chris Forsberg (again), ESPNBoston - Celtics forward Kevin Garnett put together another brilliant game Tuesday night, scoring a team-high 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting with nine rebounds as Boston topped the Bucks, 98-89, at TD Garden.  And while Garnett, who shot 90.9 percent while connecting on 10 of 11 shots in a win over Oklahoma City on Friday, admitted he's shooting the ball particularly well right now, he's hardly conscious of it.  “Really I’m not even paying attention to my shot," said Garnett. "I just know it feels good. I feel great, I feel a lot more explosive. Everything I’m doing in the course of the offense is nothing sparkly, it's nothing shiny, it's nothing glossy. I’m just going out there trying to get chances to score, opportunities to be effective. I’m trying to take advantage of them. Other than that, my mindset is more defensive than offensive right now. I'm not even thinking about the offensive end, to be honest with you.

Tom Halzack, CelticsBlog - The 4th Quarter was the Difference.  After losing Jennings on a screen on the left side, Rajon drove and scored his first basket of the game with a little jump shot on a beautiful spin move in the paint. That made the score 75-73.  The next time down the floor, the Celtics moved the ball around with Scalabrine passing up a three and driving and kicking out to Sheed for a three that energized the house. Score 78-73.  Jennings drives to make it 78-75, but Pierce kicks it out to Rasheed for another three to make it 81-75.  The Bucks come back to tie it at 86 all on an Ilyasova lay-up, before Charlie Bell fouls Rondo on what Doc Rivers called Hack-a-Rondo.

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.

Starbury Rumors, Rasheed, Tony Allen, And The NBA's Worst Haircuts Ever

After my Tony Allen column yesterday, I received a bunch of comments regarding the column and Tony and one thing was evident - Celtics fans are extremely split between either hating Tony and wanting to see him hit by oncoming traffic or remembering the Tony of a couple years ago when he seemed poised to become a very solid player and expecting Tony to regain that year's form with additional playing time.

It’s a good thing we have the Celtics Town Mailbag so I can set everybody’s mind straight.

I think your disgust with the play of Tony Allen is a bit misguided. I recall a very productive bench player/starter on some occasions prior to his most recent knee injury (a bone-headed play that doesn't support my argument by the way) several years ago. There were a couple games that season where Tony led the team in scoring and played a very well rounded floor game. His aggression and defense kept him in the rotation night after night. He had definitely turned the corner of mediocrity and was heading toward being a key part of the organization moving forward. I think that stats will also show that it takes at least two years to come back from a serious knee injury; if at all. Tony is about a 1 1/2 years into his return and I've noticed increased confidence, lateral movement, and athleticism. If he can return to the form of two years ago, coupled with the return of Big Baby, we have a very formidable bench. Getting any contribution from Bill and JR would surely go a very long way. So, before we completely write-off Tony, let's give him until December to see what he can provide. I think he'll surprise us all. – Sean King (Sacramento, CA)

I hope he does, Sean, but I think you’re wrong. And here’s why.

Tony was pretty productive a couple years ago, when the Celtics were mired in one of their worst seasons ever. During that season, he averaged 11.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. But - when Pierce was out with an injury - he was often the focal point of the offense, with the ball in his hands a whole lot. Tony needs the ball in his hands to thrive and, with so many stars on the Celtics’ roster, he will never – nor should he ever – have the ball that much. If Tony ever played for a down-and-out team, I am certain he could put up pretty big numbers. But for the Celtics? He hasn’t been a great fit.

You want to know another guy who averaged almost the same stats as Tony in ’06-’07? Gerald Green, with 10.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in slightly less minutes than Tony. And nobody would ever want him back on the C’s. A lot of guys in the NBA can thrive when they get more shots and opportunities.

But other guys can fit in with a contending team and really push them over the top. That’s what makes players like James Posey so valuable to contending teams. They know their role, take good shots, and play D. And knowing his role was something Tony Allen has never figured out, and I don’t think he ever will. Which makes him, in my eyes, completely expendable.

Do you think that the Celtics acquiring Rasheed will make them once again the most dominating team in the NBA? – Pete (MA)

In a word, yes.

A lot of the NBA’s top teams have gotten better this offseason. Cleveland with Shaq, Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon. Orlando with Vince Carter, Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes. The Lakers with Artest.

But the Celtics picked up exactly what they needed. Remember, this was a 62-win team last year even without KG for a big chunk of the season. Now, KG will be back, hopefully healthy, Rondo and Perk are a year older, Rasheed provides a backup center the C’s sorely lacked, and Marquis Daniels gives Paul Pierce and Ray Allen a dependable backup they desperately needed last year. Plus, the KG and Rasheed combination will shatter all previous records for most intensity during a sporting event. The Celtics are as good or better than they were last year at every position, with backup PG their only potential weak link.

Which takes us to…

What do you think about all these Starbury rumors? After 3.8 points and 3.3 assists per game, he’s not worth bringing back. – Bob (Lynn, MA)

Okay. I admit it. Marbury had a bad year last year - I could have shot a better percentage from the field, and I haven’t worked out once since I quit my college basketball team. Marbury was tentative, hesitant, and timid on the court – and I just used three words that mean the exact same thing to describe it because he played THAT cautious last year (and that’s a fourth).

What you can’t forget about Marbury is that he was out of basketball for an entire year before he joined the Celtics. He hadn’t played a game in that long. So for him to struggle last year should have been expected. With a full training camp to become acquainted with the offense and shake the rest of the rust off, Steph should be back to his normal self – even last year, when he struggled so mightily, he still had his trademark explosiveness and quickness.

Just a quick note about Steph – I was at Knicks training camp last year, and I got to see Steph play right before the Knicks told him to eat shit and wouldn’t let him play. At their training camp, he completely surprised me. I was expecting to see the guy who had been labeled a problem child but, instead, Marbury was the hardest worker at the camp and was the best player there for the Knicks. When they wouldn’t let him play, after I had just seen him murder Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson throughout training camp, I was shocked.

Another note about Steph from the Knicks’ training camp, and this is a true story. During one practice the sole of his Starbury shoe became completely detached from the rest of his shoe and flew across the court. The Knicks’ equipment manager went to find Starbury his backup pair of shoes, but the pair didn’t fit – how? I don’t know. So Steph asked me – yes, your's truly, a lowly ballboy at the camp – if he could wear my shoes for the rest of practice. I wear a size 13, though, and Steph is only a size 11.5, so he couldn't use mine, and Steph spent the rest of practice sitting on the bench, wearing his broken Starbury’s and watching his teammates play. Moral of the story? Don’t trust a ten dollar pair of shoes.

Anyways, back to Stephon’s situation with the Celtics, recent rumors have stated that Marbury is close to resigning with the C’s. However, Marbury has denied the rumors, and claims to have no idea where he will end up. Right now, it seems like it’s either Boston or Europe, and hopefully Boston will work out. Otherwise, the Celts’ backup point guard position will still be in limbo.

How do you think that the signing of Ron Artest will affect the Lakers and Artest himself? – Arnie (MA)

To be honest, I’m not sold on the Artest signing for the Lakers. Ariza fit in perfectly with the Lakers – he is an athletic defensive stopper who was opportunistic on offense and didn’t command a lot of touches. Artest, while an upgrade defensively and the first truly tough player the Lakers have added in a long time, isn’t nearly as good a fit on offense. He is more talented than Ariza, yeah, but I don’t know how Kobe will feel when Artest is firing fadeaway jumpers from all over the court.

I don’t see Artest as being willing to change to more team-centered play, but I could be wrong.

If the Lakers can resign Odom, and word is that they have resigned him for four years and $40 million, then I see them as taking a big step sideways this offseason. And, the way everyone else is improving, that may not cut it for next year.

Just wanted to ask one thing: Does Rasheed Wallace’s bald spot in his hair amount to the worst hair in NBA history? – Andrew (Cross, South Carolina)

Not even close. I can definitively say that Rasheed, though his hair may not be perfect, is certainly surpassed in the hair category by a former Celtic great, Dwayne Shintzius. Shintzius, who played 16 games for the C’s in the 1998-1999 season, has – far and away – the worst hair in NBA history. With that mullet, Shintzius looks more like Stifler in Old School than he does an NBA basketball player (look right).

If anyone is asking, honorable mention for the worst NBA hair ever goes to Chris Mullin, Chris Kaman, a younger Rony Turiaf, and Joakim Noah, and Rasheed isn't even close.