Celtics Blog & CSL

Does Lakers vs. Celtics Have The Same Buzz This Year?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:10 GMT

Whenever the Celtics play the Lakers it is reason to sit up and watch. That is why the game is going to be on TNT tonight. But does it have that same buzz that it has had in recent years past?

Celtics, Lakers heading in opposite directions - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News

While it’s a stretch to hype tonight’s game as a NBA Finals preview for two teams that didn’t get out of the conference semifinals last year and currently sit in the lower half of playoff qualifiers in their respective conferences, any Celtics-Lakers matchup is a marquee one. But as the familiar, "Beat L.A.!" chants echo through the Garden well before the opening tip, the Celtics will be more focused on continuing their own recent resurgence than sending a statement to the opponent. "I think we’re a little unhappy where we are at right now," Paul Pierce said Tuesday night after passing Larry Bird for second on the Celtics’ all-time scoring list in a 94-84 victory over the lowly Bobcats. "We don’t want to be the seventh seed. We feel like we should be in the top three or four teams in the Eastern Conference." The Celtics have been that over the past three weeks, but are still trying to make up ground from their 5-9 start.

While both squads still boast the core of their Finals teams, neither one is favored to return to the Finals. So the temptation is to consider this just another game on the schedule.

However, with all that said, I can't help but get excited when the Lakers come to town. This is the best rivalry in the sport and the only one that really matters to anyone in Boston and L.A. I don't care if both teams are in last place and fighting for ping pong balls, I would still want to crush the Lakers.

Note: Here is a little more motivation:

Celtics turn it around after bad start - The Boston Globe

The Celtics have not defeated the Lakers in a regular-season game at home since a 107-94 victory Nov. 23, 2007. At that time, the economic meltdown was still heating up and “Banknorth’’ still figured into the TD Garden naming rights.

Boston Celtics Daily Links 2/9

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:35 GMT

Herald Aging Lakers, C’s set for toe-to-toe tussle
Kobe finds much to talk about with C’s, Lakers
Actor finds Larry Bird to be quite a character
NBA roundup: Tony Parker’s 37 points lead Spurs over 76ers, 100-90
Kobe finds much to talk about with C’s, Lakers
Globe Kobe Bryant said he has never met Larry Bird -Celtics blog
Paul Pierce's scoring evolution
Lakers thumbnails
Celtics, Lakers similar positions as they face off again
Celtics turn it around after bad start
Celtics, Lakers in similiar positions as they face off

Celtics Life Pau Gasol discusses Rajon Rondo trade rumor
I think Doc Rivers is happy
Celtic Nation State of the Green Address
Retro Man
CelticsBlog Magic Owner Doesn't Want To Trade Howard
Figuring Out Where Paul Pierce Fits In With the Other Greats of His Era
Respecting Kobe Bryant
LeBron James Is Pulling The Victim Card
Kobe Bryant Respects Boston
Does Lakers vs. Celtics Have The Same Buzz This Year?
ESPN Video: Bill Simmons' Top 10 Celtics
Here comes the Lake (not Blake) Show
From one rivalry to another
LeBron James won't apologize to Kendrick Perkins, tired of blame game
Los Angeles Lakers' Steve Blake returned to practice
CLNS Radio CLNS Post Game – win a FREE Larry Bird T-Shirt Thursday Night!
Video: Austin Rivers' game winner vs. UNC
Rivalry Renewed- Celtics and Lakers Meet In Boston
Red's Army Taking Stock: C's - Bobcats
Photo Gallery: Celtics vs Bobcats
CSNNE Would you trade Pierce to begin rebuilding?
Gasol: 'It's part of the reality of what we do'
NESN Vote: Would You Trade Rajon Rondo for Pau Gasol?
Report: Celtics, Lakers Could Be Interested in Rajon Rondo-for-Pau Gasol Trade
Rajon Rondo Provides More Value for Celtics Than Pau Gasol Ever Could
Austin Rivers, Doc Rivers' Son, Hits Buzzer Beater to Propel Duke Over Rival North Carolina (Video) -
Celtics Hub CelticsHub Reader Input Required For Lakers 5-on-5
Green Street VIDEO: The night Paul Pierce passed Larry Bird for No. 2 on the Celtics all-time scoring list
The All-Star cases for Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo
Mass Live Paul Pierce is no Larry Bird, but where does he stand among Celtics greats?
Celtics Title Town Lakers poised to make a deal
How do I feel about the Lakers?
Celtics Morning Joe: Rondo trade rumors not going away
Celtics 24/7 Make an Offer for Celtics vs. Lakers Tickets!
Sports of Boston The Atlantic, Week 5: Paul Pierce and a Recent Harvard Grad Trending Up
State of the Celtics Thoughts on Paul Pierce passing Larry Bird on the scoring list
Courant Celtics Playing The Lakers, But That Old Buzz Is Gone
Taunton Gazette Boston meets old rival Los Angeles
Celtics, Lakers heading in opposite directions
Lakers’ Bryant still going strong
5 Cent Cigar Celtics starting to show life this year, fans still have plenty of hope for future
Herald News CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Another Rondo trade rumor surfaces
CBS Sports Kobe Was Terrified Working Out With Celtics 16 Years Ago
NBA Preview - Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics - Feb 09, 2012
NBA releases Rookie/Soph 'player pool'
Laker Nation Lakers' Loss in Philadelphia Tells Statistical Story
Whittier Daily News Lakers, Celtics say rivalry still special
Milford Daily News CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Winning streak now at five
Bleacher Report Austin Rivers: There's No 'I' in Team, but There's Now a 'River in a Heel'
Lakers Rumors: Interest in Rajon Rondo Is Wishful Thinking
Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers: What to Watch for
Daily Campus Column: No one but The Truth
Fox Sports Kiki’s Keys to the Game: Lakers vs. Celtics
Nash trade partners hard to come by
LA Times Lakers FYI: Lakers-Celtics isn't quite the same
Lucid Sports Fan The Hottest Team in the NBA Plays in Boston/Celtics May Have 3 of the Top 25 Scorers of All Time
Hangtime Blogs Blogtable: Dirtiest Player(s)
WEEI Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett... who has the better overall NBA career?
Putting Paul Pierce in historical perspective after he passes Larry Bird on the Celtics all time scoring list
Jim Rome Videos - The Jim Rome Show Perk Video
Yahoo Boston Celtics Continue Historic Rivalry with Los Angeles Lakers: Fan’s Take
SB Nation Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant Are Some Of The Last Of A Dying Breed
Celtics' Rajon Rondo Drawing Interest From Lakers? Please, Enough Already

Kobe Bryant Respects Boston

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:07 GMT

Kobe Bryant answered a number of questions related tot he Celtics in Steve Bulpett's article today. The following two kind of stuck out to me.

Kobe finds much to talk about with C’s, Lakers - BostonHerald.com

On his lengthy, illustrious career: "It's more than I could have imagined, to be honest. I was very, very fortunate to be part of a storied franchise. There are really two storied franchises in Boston and us in LA, and I was very lucky to be drafted by one of them. You know they're going to make right decisions, right choices, and because of that I've had a successful career."

On his desire to win a sixth championship:"I’m obsessed about it. I’ve got to get it. It’s just one of those things. It’s what I play for. I can think of nothing else. As a kid growing up, that’s all I saw. I watched Bird. I watched Magic (Johnson). I watched them win multiple titles. I watched (Michael) Jordan win multiple titles. . . . After you win one, you become addicted to it. You win two and win three, and you just get greedy. So I want another one."

There might not be a more Kobe Bryant-ish quote than that last one.

LeBron James Is Pulling The Victim Card

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:59 GMT

This is kind of amusing in a sad sort of way. Who knew that a dunk in a game that LeBron James wasn't even a part of could have created such a backlash against him? For his part, LeBron says that he won't apologize.

LeBron James won't apologize to Kendrick Perkins, tired of blame game - ESPN

"Did I call him out? I mean, did you read the tweet? Did I call him out? I can see why he felt embarrassed. I don't think I was the only one to react to the unbelievable play by Blake and that's what it was all about," James said after the Miami Heat's 102-89 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. "Now, if Kendrick Perkins dunked on somebody like that on the other end, I would have done the same thing," James said. "If Perkins dunked on Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan or whatever the case may be, it would be the same thing. That's just my love for the game and connecting with my fans."

Then he takes the defensiveness up another notch.

"I'm an easy target; if someone wants to get a point across -- just throw Lebron's name in there," James said. "You could be watching cartoons with your kids and you don't like it, you say, 'Blame it on LeBron.' If you go to the grocery store and they don't have the milk that you like, you just say, 'It's LeBron's fault.' "

In a way he is stating the truth. He is an easy target. But complaining about it, especially when he put himself in that position, only makes the situation worse. On one level, you almost have to feel bad for him. He's kind of reached that Alex Rodriguez status where he might be the best player in the game but there's not a ton of respect for him because of the things he does and how he carries himself. Not to mention the penchant for choking in the clutch. (I did say that I "almost" feel bad for him... just not quite)

Respecting Kobe Bryant

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:00 GMT

I don't like Kobe Bryant. Not even a little. But I do have a begrudging respect for the man's basketball game.

That's about all I can say without dry heaves so I'll have to let a Laker fan give his tribute to Kobe (who just passed his nemesis Shaq on the all time scoring list).

Forum Blue And Gold " Reflecting On Kobe

I marvel at the legends he’s passed during his ongoing scoring binge and wonder how much higher on that ladder he can climb. Then, I’m almost overwhelmed by a sense of appreciation. Kobe and I are roughly the same age. I’ve been lucky enough to see his entire career unfold, watching nearly every game, and seeing how he’s grown from that young kid with the mini-afro to the the man that stands before us today. I’ve seen the ups and downs; the championships; the devastating losses. And through it all, I’ve seen him persevere - playing a game with a drive and dedication that not too many give in any apsect of their lives.

Bird had Magic but that was different. I hated Magic for years before I learned to respect and admire and eventually like a lot. In fact, with his relationship with Bird made him downright lovable to Boston fans (after retirement at least). That's never going to be the case with Kobe and I think he's fine with that. He's just a different kind of cat.

I don't wish injury or early retirement on anyone, including Kobe. But you won't find me shedding a tear for the game of basketball when he shuffles off the court for the last time. Though I might give him a tight lipped half head nod.

Kendrick Perkins Rips LeBron Over Dunk Tweet

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:39 GMT

(Yes, I know I'm late to posting this, but I've been busy all day)

Man I miss Perk.

Kendrick Perkins rips LeBron for dunk tweet - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

Shortly after the dunk, James tweeted, "Dunk of the Year! @blakegriffin just dunked on Kendrick Perkins so hard!!! Wow! I guess I’m No. 2 now. Move over #6." James was referring to his alley-oop dunk he threw down after jumping over Chicago Bulls guard John Lucas III a day earlier.

"You don’t see Kobe [Bryant] tweeting," Perkins said. "You don’t see Michael Jordan tweeting. If you’re an elite player, plays like that don’t excite you. At the end of the day, the guys who are playing for the right reasons who are trying to win championships are not worrying about one play. "They also are not tweeting about themselves talking about going down to No. 2. I just feel [James] is always looking for attention and he wants the world to like him."

No layups.

Figuring Out Where Paul Pierce Fits In With the Other Greats of His Era

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:34 GMT

It can seem impossible to compare Paul Pierce to his contemporaries, due to a style of play that is just so different from his peers. He's a different animal than the LeBron's or the Kobe's or the Shaq's -- players who dominated the previous decade. On Tuesday night Pierce moved past Celtics Immortalis Larry Bird into second place on the Celtics' all-time scoring list. As Jeff mentioned earlier in the week, this milestone sort of snuck up on everyone, because Pierce's legacy as a basketball player is somehow understated in spite of his best efforts to create the contrary. Throughout his entire 13-year career, Pierce has consistently put up the same stellar numbers every year, usually in the 22-6-4 range. Those aren't eye-popping averages, but when a player does them for over a decade it becomes impressive. All of Pierce's impressive moments on the basketball court came over a period of time -- like the 19-point fourth quarter against the Nets in the 2002 Eastern Finals. His career highlight reel isn't riddled with tomahawk dunks or ruthless blocks. Instead it would be filled with dagger jump shots and three pointers, a play that perfectly sums up how Pierce fits in with the rest of the NBA pantheon during his professional tenure.

Pierce is not by any means a "pretty" basketball player. He lacks the fluidity of the premier stars of the past decade. He can't soar over other human beings, he can't seamlessly execute a fallaway jumper with finesse rather than will, and his jump shot is less picturesque than it is gawky. Pierce is not slow, but he's not fast. He's not unathletic, but he's not mercurial in his movements. A Pierce jump shot is slower than the average jump shot, and a Pierce free throw looks like he's shooting on a tightrope. Paul Pierce is so hard to rank against his peers because he's just not like them. He can score at will and in buckets, but for some reason it's not done the same way Iverson or McGrady did it.

What's the difference between Pierce and everyone else in the NBA? The fact that he's more cerebral than almost anyone out there, and can overpower players more athletically gifted. He's always in the right spot, he's always cutting the necessary corners, and always mapping out the best way to do things. As his legs got older, he became a better shooter from outside. He adapted his game to his own abilities, something that should be commended. He's not as good talent-wise as Kobe or LeBron, but always competes with (if not out-plays) them. He outlasted guys like McGrady and Iverson because he learned to evolve, whereas they didn't (McGrady's never been blessed with a clean bill of health, but his general disdain of coming of the bench has highlighted his half-decade long demise).

It's also difficult to compare him to the Celtics' who proceeded him. One could say that he's had a better career than Kevin McHale or Bob Cousy, but it's a stretch to compare him to Bill Russell or John Havlicek or Larry Bird. Even in the midst of those five, he doesn't seem like he belongs. Maybe that's because it's difficult to compare those of the present to those that are held nostalgically in the past, but that's my feeling. I have trouble saying he's better than Cousy, a guy who revolutionized the point guard position. But I know if Pierce played Cousy one-on-one during both of their primes, Cousy would be constantly falling to the parquet floor. Pierce doesn't yet seem like he deserves to mentioned with all those greats, but he does. If you're one of those people who are obsessed with championships, and are annoyed that Pierce only won a single title (in which he was awarded a Finals MVP for), just remember that for the majority of his career he was the single driving force in the Celtics' relevancy, and that without him the Celtics would have likely been cultivating Top-5 draft picks.

He's done this:

This:

And this:

He doesn't have the physical gifts that his other brilliant opponents do. But he fits right in with them because of what he can do with the gifts he has.

******

Paul Pierce was once stabbed eleven times in the face, neck, and back, and then had a bottle smashed over his head. This happened on September 25, 2000, and Pierce almost died because of the injuries he suffered. He was back a month later and was the only Boston Celtic to play in all 82 games. Does anyone else realize just completely insane and ridiculous that is? If that were me, I would still be hooked up to an iron lung and having a nurse give me sponge baths. Pierce was the victim of a crime that Martin Scorcese would dream of, and came back a month later. This just defines Paul Pierce as a human being. I'm not one to wax poetically about stupid things like "grit" or "heart", but my God, how can any of that not mean anything? It makes sense that Paul is always at the center of comebacks after remembering his own personal comeback. This doesn't mean that if a basketball player wants to be a great crunch-time player (however you want to define that), they need to be stabbed in the freaking face. It just proves that Paul doesn't give an inch when dealing with adversity.

That matters for something, right?

Follow the author @brendohare

Magic Owner Doesn't Want To Trade Howard

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:23 GMT

The Magic owner does not wish to trade Dwight. In related news, I don't want to pay taxes this year. We will both likely be disappointed.

Orlando Magic owner Rich DeVos does not want to trade Dwight Howard

DeVos made a surprise appearance in the Magic locker room tonight before their game against the Miami Heat, and he came right out and said what I believed he was thinking: He does not want to trade the best center in the NBA. "I don’t want to trade him," DeVos declared to reporters. "You never give up," DeVos said of the negotiations. "We’ve got a great talent, a great young man. He’s got to look at his options (and) what’s best for him and I have to tell him what I think is best for him. I’m selfish." ESPN.com’s Tom Haberstroh reported that Howard did not acknowledge the team owner while the two were together in the locker room.

Meanwhile the Magic actually beat the Heat tonight.

Magic hit 17 3-pointers in 102-89 win over Heat - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

Dwight Howard had 25 points and 24 rebounds, Ryan Anderson scored 27 and the Orlando Magic hit 17 3-pointers in a 102-89 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

And finally, David Stern doesn't think that any of this will be a distraction over All Star weekend. Right.

Sheed and the Beast

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:47 GMT

Scott Souza has some interesting quotes from Rasheeed Wallace at Media Day up on his Courtside View blog: On Kendrick Perkins: “It’s cool. I didn’t know what to expect from Perk. I only know these guys a lot from playing against them. It’s a difference playing with them than playing against them on and off the [...]

Celtics Stuff Live 9/24: Sean Grande & Gary Washburn

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:23 GMT

Celtics Stuff Live is unfortunately not live this week, but in return for this transgression, Jon and Justin were able to tape a show Thursday evening to get a few thoughts out prior to the start of Celtics training camp next week, reacquaint our viewers with the dulcet tones of Sean Grande, and introduced the [...]