IT'S BEEN TOO LONG

HERE IS A VIDEO I MADE! Sorry it's been so long I just started at the Sports Hub and i've been a bit busy!

Hope you enjoy!

HAPPY GREEN-TEAMING!

Should Bradley Stay A Starter Once Ray Returns?

Celtics Win Fifth Straight with Rondo Triple Double 

This picture is the straight truth. With a blowout 91-72 win over baby bron bron and the Heat, the Celtics have increased their Atlantic Division to once game. More importantly, they are sitting in the four seed right now and, if the playoffs started today, would not be facing Miami. Out of all this, the key player has to be Avery Bradley (honey-badger I like to call him). Now, I have had my doubts about Bradley, but seeing him play this consistant with the starters has changed my mind. I think, along with my roommate Richard "Bubba" Wilson, he should stay in the rotation when Ray returns. I have two main reasons for this.

1. When Ray has been playing, he is barely getting any touches. The defense knows it's going to go to him, they block him out, and then we get it to KG who has been on fire of late. I feel that honey badge (Bradley) has been on a tare with the starters. He seems to elevate his game when running the floor with Rondo (then again who doesn't). It seems a bit ridiculous to bench the best 3-pt shooter of all time when he returns, but that leads to my next point.

2. Imagine Ray playing with the bench. It's no secret the C's don't have the best bench in the league. However, they have been playing strong on this win streak. Without Pietrus, Allen would give the bench that much need shooter to spread the floor. Even if he is just a distraction, the other team's benches would have to cover him tight, which would leave the other four Celtic players open. If they do not cover Ray...well we all know what can happen. I think that Ray would get more looks/open looks coming off the bench. Also, why screw with something that is clearly working right now. We need all the momentum we can get. Heck Ray is even okay with being bumped down:

“If it makes us better offensively, I have no problem with it,” Allen said (redsarmy.com)

So all-in-all, I do feel that the Celtics have a good chance to hold this Atlantic lead and stay at the four seed. No matter what seed, I do feel that the Celtics are getting hot at the right time. If I were Miami and Chicago, I would hope the Celtics don't drop back down to 7th or 8th either.

HONEY BADGE 2012  

Paul Pierce Second All-Time in Scoring

          21, 797. 21, 291. To an average person, these numbers may seem meaningless. To a Celtics fan, these numbers represent greatness. Paul Pierce passed Larry Bird on Tuesday night to become the second highest scorer in Celtics history; behind only to the great John Havlicek who has 26,395 points. 

          Pierce went into last nights game only needing ten points to pass Larry. He finished with 15 but did not break the record until he hit a three early in the second half with 10:23 remaining. Pierce said after the game that it was on his mind. "I'm not going to lie, it was hanging over my head too much." This may be the reason for him only scoring only 15 points all game, but now he says he just wants get on with basketball and try to bring a title back to Boston. "Then Coach (Doc Rivers) said, 'Hurry up and get it out of the way.' It was a relief once I hit that one 3, so I could really concentrate and focus on the game." 
          The game itself was a bit shaky and the Celtics were not able to pull away until late in the third quarter. Most would slay sloppy play, but it seemed that the team was just forcing the issue to Pierce to get past this record thing. 
          When a player is close to breaking a record, no matter how many times they say that it's not on their minds, it is. Pierce has been lights out for the last few weeks, and him struggling in the points category last night only shows more that records do matter to all players. Basketball is a difficult game, but throughout his career, the Truth has made it look like another day in the park in Inglewood Calif. In few years, Pierce's number 34 will be right below 00.

WOW!

     

      The Celtics come up with a big win tonight 91-89 against the New York Knicks with the return of Rajon Rondo from his wrist injury! I honestly didn't watch most of the game because I was stuck at work, but I was able to catch the end of the 4th quarter. The three by Paul Pierce that eventually was not counted, in my opinion was good, but also gave the Celtics motivation to make that stop on defense. Next, Paul Pierce got fouled in the corner and made 1 of his two free throws giving the C's a 2 two point lead. Then, the Celtics made another big defensive stop, lead by Pietrus in the corner, and the Knicks prayer three at the buzzer would not go.
       Now, let's skip right to the last possession for the Knicks. They were only down by two and resorted for a three in the corner. How did this happen? It's called good defensie pressure from the green team. Melo had his isolation but could not get a shot off. They were then forced to swing the ball around to a desperation three. The miss was tapped around and eventually swatted away to the other side of the court by KG to expire the time off the clock and secure the win. The Celtics are now 12-10 on the season.

Stats: Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports

Points-Rebounds-Assists

Rondo: 7-7-5
Allen: 14-2-5
Pierce: 30-5-7

And the C's are Back to .500

        So any one still want to blow the team up now? I'm not saying it's completely out of the question, but right now I think things need to be left the way the are. With the win against Indiana last night, that is the Celtics 4th straight win, and three were against teams in the top of the conference. The comeback against Orlando was one of the greatest Celtics comebacks I've seen. Along with the '02 playoffs and the '08 finals. The reason for the come back....Paul Pierce. Ice water travels through his veins and he is back to the "truth" form. So I ask this.....does anyone still want to blow it up and trade Paul? I'd say NO!

Quick Video Perk Montage From Game

Here is the tribute video they played for Perk. And I must say, being there in person was something I will never forget. Thank You Perk!

Pierce leaving?

Reports by Yahoo Sports Adrian Wojnarowski show that a few title contenders have contacted Danny Ainge about the availability of Paul Pierce.
 
   Like the rest of you fans, I truly hope this is just rumors. I personally believe that Pierce isn't going anywhere, but it's still something to keep an eye on. For updates on the situation follow me on twitter @Jscal18 and Adrian @WojYahooNBA.

Tough Stretch is Only Going to Get Tougher

     So, the Celtics have not had the best season so far, and it is not going to get easier come Monday night. The Celtics are set to host the Oklahoma City Thunder at the garden, marking the return of Kendrick Perkins. I'll touch on Perk in a minute but there are a few other things I need to say first.
     Pierce is struggling, and I believe it's due to his not 100% heel. Paul has not been Paul since his return and he is showing his age not being able to play well through this injury. So for you folks who say Pierce isn't going to get better, calm down. He will get healthy and return to being "the Truth." No, he will never be the old Pierce, but he will still be that clutch shot we need to win big games.
     Also, I am worried. Most fans try to say that it'll get better, but it isn't looking pretty for gang green. The starters are not producing, except for Rondo (and Ray at some points), and the lack of no definitive big man is beginning to really really hurt the team. Yes, Bass has produced, but he is not the answer to the team's big man problems. Unfortunately, the only short term answer I see is wearing an OKC jersey (Yeah I went there). I think Stiemsma does have potential, but Doc wont give him a shot over O'neal and Bass. The Celtics are not showing much potential, and I have not lost complete faith yet, but they need to turn it around soon. They have had a tendency to start games slow and then are screwed and can't turn it on to come all the way back. A prime example is the Bulls game. They got down by over 20 at the half, then they turned it around in the third and got within 1. Then, they let another game slip out of their old, yet seasoned hands.
       So now, on to Perk. Man do I miss that man. When I found out that he was being traded, I think I actually shed a bit of a tear. The idea that Danny Ainge traded our future away for, now essentially no one, was just obnoxious to me. Yes, we still have Jeff Green, but I don't see that being worth Perk. He is a force down low, and was our certified Dwight Howard stopper. I think that if he stays, we have a much better shot last year against the Heat. There was no reason to trade him. With that said, Perk returns to the Garden for the first time tomorrow night with OKC. I will be there, and I can say it will hurt a bit inside. The only thing I hope is that Eddie Palladino announces his name with a little luster, instead of a normal road player introduction. Perk will get a standing ovation and there is no question about it. Perk we all miss you:

oh and here is a word from Doc "Perk's a  Celtic...."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jgX1l-RSp6M

TEBOW TIMEEEEE

       Tim Tebow throws an 80 yard pass to Demaryius Thomas to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime 29-23! You know what this means? Unless they screw themselves, the Pats now have a much better chance to go to the AFC title game. Today, Tebow through for 316 passing yards with 2 TD and 1 rushing TD. He needs to do this and more next week to have a shot to get out of New England. I don't believe that he can do this two weeks in a row. The key to next week for the pats for me is force turnovers. Come out and play loose, keep the ball in Tom's hand, and let Tebow throw the ball. 
      The Patriots should run through Denver, Tebow is 0-2 in games that the temperature has been 40 degrees or less at kickoff. As of now, it is said to be 15-20 degrees at kickoff! Tebow won't be able to throw the ball in the cold weather. No, this game will not be as easy as their last meeting, but I expect the Pats to win by two scores. With Welker, Gronk, Deion and Hernandez, I believe the Pats have to many options for Broncos to come in here and shut Brady down. My early prediction is Pats vs. Baltimore at Gillette for a shot to take a trip to Indy. 

Celtics Playing Well Again...and KG being KG Interview

   

     
     I am going to start off by apologizing for not blogging after the Monday game against the Wizards. It slipped my mind for other reasons. I think that the game doesn't need much attention anyway except for THE STEAMER Greg Stiemsma. Stiemsma got the start over J O'Neal because of a hamstring injury. Stiemsma finished the game with 13 points 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, with the first block coming in the first minute of the game...which in turn got coach Flip Saunders canned. Stiemsma looked like a seasoned veteran out there playing with the starters, and continues to impress Doc and the coaching staff. I believe that by the end of the season, Stiemsma will be the the starting center.
    Any way, let's look at the game against New Jersey. The first half was again sloppy and sluggish. They played down to the talent of the Nets and just flat out sucked. The starters played like nervous rookies, and the bench played like 1st graders learning the game. Losing 35-34 at the half to a Deron Williamsless NJN team, it was horrifying to watch. However, the second half however, was a complete turn around. They played like a flawless basketball machine out to dismantle the competition. Again the Celtics did their damage in the third quarter. They outscored the Nets 29-12 and didn't look back from there. Paul Pierce was himself finishing with 24 points. KG was behind him with 14. Ray Ray didn't play due to flu symptoms. (He did not practice today and was told by Doc to stay away to keep the team healthy. Should be a go for Friday against Indiana though.) Overall it was a solid win for the C's. They need to now focus on the next few games (Indiana, Dallas Chicago, Indiana again then OKC for the return of Perk).
     Also I'd like to say that that Avery Bradley is a defending machine. He harasses the ball carrier like its do or die for him. It amazes me how well he does it. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Eb13zsme4gU#!

Also KG is being KG in an interview about the team :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rcCgcbMzI64#!
 

Let's Try This Again!

   

     The Pats are once again the 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs. They finished with a demolishment of the Buffalo Bills. What worries me about that game, and the Miami game last week, is the damn slow starts! They try to run offense that isn't them, then once they get down they go back to the no huddle pass always offense. My opinion is that you have Tom, use him. We don't have a running game, even though Ridley is a great spark, that is good enough to not throw 80% of the time. Either way, the Pats are in and waiting for their opponent in two weeks. They will either play Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, or Denver. The AFC Playoffs look like this:
   
     1. Patriots
     2. Baltimore
     3. Houston
     4. Denver
     5. Pittsburgh
     6. Cincinnati

    The best situation would be that Cincinnati beats Houston down at Reliant Stadium, and Denver pulls out Tebow Time and beets Pittsburgh. This would let us play the Bengals, and Pittsburgh would go to Baltimore. Seeing as this probably wont happen, we will most likely be playing Pittsburgh in two weeks.
Out of the first week, the best upset chance in my eyes is the Bengals over the Texans. The Texans have been playing poor of late and the Bengals, yes backed in, are playing well behind their rookie quarterback. I think Denver has no shot at beating the Steelers. I think Denver's best chance is if Big Ben DOES play. He is hurt with the high ankle sprain and can't move. He has been less accurate since getting hurt and has been less effective. If they started Batch, they would do better. However, Tomlin will start Rothlisburger. Either way, the Steelers D has tightened up, and unless Tebow magically grows an arm with a passing game, he will be smothered at the line and won't be running anywhere.

My picks are as follows:

Pittsburgh over Denver
Houston over Cincinnati (Upset alert being Houston loses)

NFC is just as packed. I won't go in detail, but I believe the Saints are going to Indy for the Superbowl.

The C's are Getting it Together

   


      After a terrible 0-3 start, the Celtics have won 2 straight and look to get to .500 with a win against the Wizards tonight at the Garden. Yes, their 2 wins have come against a terrible Pistons team and a young Wizards team , but wins are wins. Rondo threw together a triple double last night...while barely trying. Yes, I do believe Pierce has made a difference, and he will continue to be the key piece on this aging roster. Also, with Pietrus expected to join the teams in a few weeks, they can only get better. My 3 keys to the Celtics team are: Pierce, J O'Neal, and the bench...mainly Stiemsma.
     Pierce is obviously the major scorer or the team, and it showed when he didn't play in the team's first three games. He had 12 points in his return and 9 last night against the Wizards (not playing more than half the 4th quarter). No, he didn't drop 40, but his presence on the court is what is needed. Him being there opens up the floor for Allen, and takes a lot of pressure off of Rondo. Also, Pierce is there to be his clutch-self if needed in the 4th quarter.
      J O'neal is going to need to do what he did against Detroit. He finished with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. He was a force. He was Jermaine from the land of Indiana. He is going to be the starter, and we really don't have another big man to be a scorer behind him. Steimsma is good for defense (all those crazy blocks!) but he just isn't a reliable scorer.
     Stiemsma has been on fire on the defensive end and he should be coming off the bench before Wilcox if he keeps this up. Wilcox is not a scoring threat either, and big Greg is a better defender. He fills the gaps well with the help defense, and the rest of the bench trusts him playing behind them. Overall he should be the backup center as of now.
     The celtics have been playing better, and tonight they play to get to .500, and then who knows from there. I am personally going to the game tonight, and will be tweeting throughout. So if you can't wait for me to return home and write about it, just follow me @jscal18. Enjoy the game everyone!