HOOPLOG: Raef LaFrentz

Frustrated LaFrentz, Rivers Meet

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 09:55:13 -0800

Shira Springer of THE BOSTON GLOBE writes, "Raef LaFrentz met with coach Doc Rivers yesterday following comments the veteran big man made after recording 20 points and eight rebounds off the bench Tuesday night in Toronto. In uncharacteristically pointed remarks, LaFrentz sounded frustrated with the Boston coaching staff constantly asking him to adjust his game."

O Dallas ... Checking In on the Mavs

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 08:46:41 -0800

As if you needed anyone to tell you differently, Dirk Nowitzki is the unquestioned star of this team. Even when his shot isn’t falling, like the past couple games, where he’s shot a miserable 17-for-51, Dirk is still able to be a real asset. He still puts plenty of points on the board, makes his free throws, hits some 3s, grabs a ton lot of boards and throws in a block or steal. But there are some interesting trends for Dirk so far this year. He’s attempting 19.6 shots per game so far, which is the highest in his career. He’s being looked to even more on offense and seems to be taking more shots that he creates on his own, which aren’t always the highest percentage shots, hence his 44.7% shooting, lowest since his rookie season. He’s never shot below 46%, and you’d like to think he can at least get back to that number, but when you then see that he’s shooting a remarkable 46% from 3-point land on nearly 5 attempts per game, you start to think that it might actually get worse, not better. His owners would probably take the 1% hit in FG% to get an entire extra 3 per game, but that might be a bit much to ask. Dirk’s steals and blocks are also down from recent years, but you can feel more comfortable chalking that up to a small sample size so far. Earlier this week I talked about Kirk Hinrich not getting as many steals as past years, and then he turns around with a 5-steal game last night. Dirk has averaged between 1.0 and 1.4 steals and between 1.0 and 1.5 blocks each of the last five seasons. He’s at 0.5 and 1.0 right now, but it’s hard to see any reason why he shouldn’t end up at his averages. His assists are lower than any season since his rookie, but that’s one more likely to stay that way, given that he’s shooting even more. He scared some owners earlier this year with back problems, but he never missed a game and has never missed more than six in any season. He’s as much of a sure thing as there is, and that always makes him one of the best guys to put together a deal for.

I slotted Jason Terry at #32 on my preseason rankings, a bit higher than most other places I saw. But it was pretty much a no-brainer – here’s a guy who managed to finish 30th on the player rater last year in just 30 mpg. Now he was going to be locked in as the starting PG and #2 scoring option and he missed 9 games in the first six years of his career. This is the kind of guy to have on your team, because his perceived value is almost always lower than his actual value. And that’s the whole key to success, after all. He’s at #36 on the player rater right now and should stay in that general area all season. He’s a point guard who’s averaging just 4.1 apg, so it’s possible his owner is frustrated at the lack of assists. If you can make a move for him, I would highly recommend it. Like Mike Bibby, he’s a point guard, but is really more of a scorer and has never really racked up the assists. Save for a 7.4 apg season in Atlanta, he’s been between 4.9 and 5.7 in all of his other seasons besides his rookie campaign. He’ll likely finish around 5 per game, which is still a plus. He doesn’t have a standout number in any single category, which is another reason why his perceived value is probably lower than it truly is. But except for rebounds, he contributes across the board. OK, his 0.4 blocks will drop back down to his normal 0.2, but that’s normal for a PG. But it’s time to start considering whether he really has become a lights-out shooter. He never shot above 43.6% in Atlanta, but in his first year in Dallas he managed to shoot 50%. It was on just 9.3 shots per game, far down from 15 or so he averaged in Atlanta, so that seemed to be the logical explanation. But in 14 shots per game this season he’s still at a sterling 49%, and he’s even shooting more 3s. He’s still a 44% career shooter, and there’s still plenty of reason to except a somewhat precipitous drop in that percentage. But even keeping it in the 45-46% range will help him keep plenty of value there.

Erick Dampier is one of those guys you just don’t want to mess with. He’s a pretty confounding player, actually. Just five minutes into last night’s game against the Bucks, Dampier had 6 points and 3 boards and seemed to be on his way to one of his good games. But in 23 more minutes he went 0-for-2 from the field and scored just a single point. This really isn’t that out of the ordinary for Dampier, either. The Mavs try to establish him as an inside presence early on, but he either gets himself into foul trouble or loses interest and the Mavs decide to go with DeSagana Diop at center or just use a smaller lineup. Dampier’s had just three useful games this season out of 14. That’s not a very good percentage. If you have him on your team, he’s the kind of guy that will make you make sure you draft two reliable centers the next season. Well, assuming you play in a two center league, which you should, because that can really separate the fantasy boys from the fantasy men. Depending on what league you are in, there are anywhere from 8 to 12 reliable fantasy centers around, most likely. And that includes guys like Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Raef Lafrentz who are prone to throwing up clunkers. As for Diop, yes, he blocks shots, but that is truly all he does. If you're starting him, you are probably in the middle of the pack, at best.

Devin Harris I’ve written plenty about already. You know I love him, and Avery Johnson seems to like him too, as evidenced by all of the crunch time PT he’s been getting. But he still doesn’t want to start him. I mean, Darrell Armstrong getting the nod over you is one thing. He’s a seasoned vet who can bring a defensive intensity. But when an undrafted rookie like Josh Powell gets the starting nod before you do, that’s saying something. He’s still intriguing in the deepest of leagues, but since the very durable Terry is the one that’s blocking him from a starting gig, it’s hard to see Harris being a no-brainer fantasy starter this year. In time. I wrote about Marquis Daniels recently, too. He’s just playing a lot more passively this year. Here’s a guy who averaged 7.3 FGA per game in 18.6 mpg in his rookie season and 8.4 FGA per game in 23.5 mpg last season. So this season he’s averaging 33.2 mpg. At those rates, he should be averaging 12.4 FGA per game. But instead he’s at just 8.6. You can blame some of this on the me-first tendencies of many of his teammates – guys like Dirk, Terry, Josh Howard, Keith Van Horn, even Devin Harris are usually looking out for themselves. So Daniels has picked up some of slack with a career high 2.9 apg, but this isn’t an impressive number or really out of line with what he should be averaging with his increased time.

If Jerry Stackhouse ever comes back, it’s a lot more likely that he’ll mess up other players’ fantasy value instead of actually having any on his own. A guy who can only score, but does so while shooting 40% and doesn’t even start is the ultimate drag. If you can steal Josh Howard off his owner right now, I’d do it. It’s tough to make an offer for a guy who is out for two weeks, especially a fair offer, but Howard is a legit top 50 player and even though ankle injuries have a tendency to linger, I’ll trust in youth and think that he’ll have an easier time putting it behind him for good than an older player might. OK, that’s all the time for today…

Overall Rankings: 61-90

Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:33:25 -0800

1 to 30
31 to 60

This is where things start to get tricky. In the first four or five rounds, you have to take the best player available. There is a limited number of true impact players, and the more you can get your hands on, the better. By the time you get the middle rounds, you need to start addressing team needs. Most of these players have specific strengths and weaknesses and are pretty interchangeable, really.

61. Shareef Abdur-Rahim – Career averages: 20 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.8 bpg, 47% and 82%. Was always healthy before last year, could be bargain this low.
62. Kyle Korver – Will lead the league in 3s – probably by a lot. Philly isn’t very deep (especially after C-Webb goes down), so PT shouldn’t be an issue, plus he grabs his share of steals.
63. Kurt Thomas – Not a whole ton of upside, but he’s missed just five games in four seasons and will be a key part of one of the league’s top offenses.
64. Chris Paul – A bit of wishful thinking perhaps, but he should have every opportunity to run with the starting job and backup Claxton has a knack for getting injured.
65. Damon Stoudamire – Should fend off B-Jax and be a solid #2 PG; you know he’s not shy about launching 3s.
66. Stromile Swift – At the very least, should average around 2 bpg, and that C-eligibility is pretty sweet, to boot.
67. Jalen Rose – Not the most exciting pick, but he should be on the court enough to rack up some pretty nice numbers.
68. Tony Parker – Remember, he’s just 23 and has gotten better each year; fixing his FT% and continued improvement will make him as solid as the rest of the PG in this batch.
69. Grant Hill – Can’t see production or health getting better this year, only worse.
70. Samuel Dalembert – Another one of those failed sleepers picks that can provide nice value the following year; could be the next in the Camby/Chandler mold.
71. Kenyon Martin – Always overrated; usually fights injury issues and just doesn’t fill up the box score all that much.
72. Jamaal Magloire – We think you’ll probably be able to slip him by later than this; don’t forget he was 14/10 with 1.2 blocks and 47% and 75% before injury-marred 04-05.
73. Stephen Jackson – Depth and sanity issues, but he’s a 3-point gunner who gets decent steals.
74. Antawn Jamison – He might get more trigger happy from long range, which would help boost his overvalued stock.
75. Marko Jaric – He’s been an FBB favorite and an FBB most hated; brings a nice combo of 3s, assists and steals, but health has always been a major, major issue.
76. Tayshaun Prince – If you’ve made some risky picks, he’s a guy you can plug in for the entire season and leave alone.
77. Carmelo Anthony – Probably the single most overrated player in fantasy, but young enough to improve.
78. Jason Williams – Just sense trouble in Miami; also, has missed at least 10 games in three of last four seasons.
79. Josh Childress – This kid could blow up, and you’ll want to get in on the ground floor; I see Tayshaun Prince, others see Shawn Marion – could realistically land halfway between the two.
80. Drew Gooden – Hard to ignore last year’s 28th place finish on the player rater, but he always seems to rub folks the wrong way and this is a deep squad.
81. Caron Butler – Don’t at all expect more of April’s numbers, just hope he can regain his rookie steals magic.
82. Luke Ridnour – He’s almost a solid #2 PG, and if he can get up to 37 mpg, he surely will be.
83. Quentin Richardson – Actually averaged 2.5 ppg less last year than with the Clippers; great rebounder for a guard.
84. Jamal Crawford – Expect lots of people to be scared to draft Knicks; there’s a certain risk involved, but this late you can afford to take a chance.
85. Deron Williams – Just remember that Jerry Sloan can be an extremely frustrating coach, and he is a rookie point guard.
86. Mike Dunleavy – Hey, it’s a contract year and the Warriors could put up 120 regularly.
87. Antoine Walker – Fewer minutes may make percentages more bearable, but will have negative impact overall.
88. Andrew Bogut – We tend to tread very carefully with rookies on FBB; it’s all about how many steals and blocks he can give you.
89. Raef Lafrentz – If he can repeat last year’s unspectacular but healthy season, he’ll be a bargain this low.
90. Shane Battier – With Memphis’s thinned-out roster, more PT will be available for the stat stuffer – especially when the inevitable injury hits.

Happy To Have Raef Around

Tue, 16 Aug 2005 00:16:03 -0800

Some are surprised by the fact that the C's did not waive Raef LaFrentz to get potential luxury tax savings down the line. Some are even disappointed. I'm not sure why. I'm happy to have Raef on the team.

Is he overpaid? Sure. Nobody can make a case that Raef is worth the $9.9 million that he'll bring home this year. Nor will he ever reach a level that would justify the 4 years and $40+ million left on his contract.

On the other hand, if you had a dime for every big man that was overpaid in the NBA, you could pay Raef's salary (well, for like an hour or so). It is not an ideal situation by any means, but it is a common one. Arguing over releasing him or not is a moot point now. Still, I wanted to say that I'm glad he's around (in spite of his pricetag).

He brings a calming, veteran presence. He works hard at his rehab, and plays hard on the court. He's had this game taken from him, so it shows how much he wants to be out there. That alone is a great example. Perhaps being a year removed from his surgery will bring a less painful and more productive season as well.

He doesn't have the lateral movement that he once had, making him a liability at times on the defensive end. However, he has shown the ability to put the screws on opposing post players when called upon. He's especially handy on the weak side, often coming up with blocks and rebounds. And in case you missed it, he can shoot the ball pretty well too.

Not only that, but he gives us a legit starting center option to use instead of the growing Perkins or the sinking Blount. He'll compliment Al's low post game by working the high post.

With all that said, I'm sure if there was a deal where we could relieve ourselves of his contract and not lose too much in productivity (ie. picking up a cheaper option or having a current player step up), then obviously you do it. But as long as we are still paying him, I'm inclined to see him out there working for his money.

Sunday Notes - Pierce, Banks, Amnesty?

Sun, 07 Aug 2005 11:53:19 -0800

commercialappeal.com:

"Grizzly gossip from the trading frenzy revealed that among the first Wells deals proposed involved Boston and Paul Pierce. The teams couldn't agree on the complete package but don't rule out the Griz talking to Boston before training camp"

Boston Globe:

Trade rumors have swirled around Celtics point guard Marcus Banks throughout the summer. Danny Ainge dismisses such talk with a laugh, and Banks's agent agrees. ''I don't think that they're looking to move him," said Mike Higgins. ''I think they're looking to go into the season with Marcus and Delonte [West] and let them fight for the starting job."

Orlando Sentinel:

One team the Magic will be watching closely this week is the Boston Celtics, who are expected to waive either Raef LaFrentz or Mark Blount under the league's amnesty provision. Orlando would be interested in either one. And when the Magic officially waive Christie this week, watch for several teams to give him a call.

Personally I don't believe the Amnesty rumor one bit, but I guess we'll find out for sure in about a week. The deadline is Aug. 15 for teams to make the cuts.

76ers won't cut Webber?

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 10:20:28 -0800

Aside from the Knicks, other teams guaranteed to chuck cement contracts are the Mavericks (Michael Finley; three years, $52M), Raptors (Jalen Rose; two years, $32.5M), Lakers (Brian Grant; two years, $30M), Celtics (Raef LaFrentz; four years, $47M) and perhaps the...

Mock Draft, pt 2

Mon, 27 Jun 2005 18:36:11 -0800

For picks 1 through 13, check out Friday's post.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves
Who they will take: Antoine Wright
Who they should take: Francisco Garcia
Minnesota is a team that needs to draft based on attitude. They way under-performed last year, and they need to plan for a future without dead weights like Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell. I like Garcia here because of his passing ability, but Wright isn’t a terrible choice.

15. New Jersey Nets
Who they will take: Martell Webster
Who they should take: Ike Diogu
New Jersey, if they could, would spend their draft pick on a great doctor to make sure Jason Kidd and Vince Carter stay healthy next year. While they should take a rebounding PF, they’ll go for the Kerry Kittles of the future in Martell Webster. This pushes Carter to the 3 and Jefferson to the 4. I’d much rather have them at 2 and 3, respectively.

16. Toronto Raptors
Who they will take: Ike Diogu
Who they should take: Ike Diogu
Toronto is in a tough spot. They’ve got Alston, Rose, and Bosh as defiinite starters. They took Granger at 16, but now they wish they had taken a big there, so they could take Garcia here. That said, there’s not a spot for Garcia and Bosh needs help down low, so they go for the top-rated big left on the board in Diogu.

17. Indiana Pacers
Who they will take: Francisco Garcia
Who they should take: Francisco Garcia
Indiana is my pick to win the East next year. Last year everything that could have possibly gone wrong did, and now they’ve got Artest coming back with a vengeance. Yikes. They could really use some size to back up Jeff Foster and Dale Davis, but Garcia is too good to pass up here.

18. Boston Celtics
Who they will take: Roko Ukic
Who they should take: Johan Petro
Payton isn’t long for the C’s, so Ukic is actually a pretty good pick here. But really, how far will you get with Mark Blount and Raef LaFrentz in the middle?

19. San Antonio (in trade with Memphis Grizzlies)
Who they will take: Joey Graham
Who they should take: Joey Graham
Joey Graham keeps slipping and slipping, and finally San Antonio moves up to get him, giving Memphis their first round pick (#28) and Beno Uridh, who will take over at point for Jason Williams, who has fallen into Jerry West’s doghouse.

20. Denver Nuggets
Who they will take: Martynas Andriuskevicius
Who they should take: Rashad McCants
Denver is pretty sure they want Andriuskevicius here … and the fact that Phoenix is salivating over him means they definitely take him, because he won’t be around for them at 22. They’ll stash him in the D-League for a couple years and once Marcus Camby breaks down for good, he’ll be ready. Hopefully.

21. Phoenix Suns
Who they will take: Johan Petro
Who they should take: Jarrett Jack
Phoenix is dying to get some defense, and Petro should be a decent backup for Kurt Thomas. But I’d like to see them get a successor for MVP Steve Nash. Let Jack grow under Nash’s Canadian wing for a few years.

22. Denver Nuggets
Who they will take: Rashad McCants
Who they should take: Rashad McCants
As a team that ran into a couple of rough stretches offensively last year, this is a great pick. If they treat him like the Bulls treated Ben Gordon, he could be invaluable to this team and a great competitor.

23. Sacramento Kings
Who they will take: Jarrett Jack
Who they should take: Charlie Villanueva
The Kings look for the next Bobby Jackson in Jack, who is a nice value pick here.

24. Houston Rockets
Who they will take: Wayne Simien
Who they should take: Wayne Simien
He’s the guy they’ve targeted since day 1. Villanueva is tempting but they don’t need 2 passive guys in the paint. Simien is a nice fit here.

25. Seattle Sonics
Who they will take: Charlie Villanueva
Who they should take: Charlie Villanueva
It’s between Villanueva and Chris Taft, and Villanueva has at least some upside. Taft seems like a bigger version of Terrence Morris.

26. Detroit Pistons
Who they will take: Linus Kleiza
Who they should take: Salim Stoudamire
The Pistons are deep just about everywhere so they’ll take Kleiza and stash him in the D-league for a year or two, but really, they could use a one-dimensional shooter like Stoudamire for late-game situations.

27. Utah Jazz
Who they will take: Luther Head
Who they should take: Luther Head
The Jazz prayed for Jarrett Jack to fall here, but they’ll have to settle for Head. Ha!

28. Memphis Grizzlies (from San Antonio)
Who they will take: Julius Hodge.
Who they should take: Julius Hodge.
Jerry West loves Hodge, and after the deal with San Antonio, they’ve got Udrih and Hodge to play the point, 2 of "Jerry’s guys".

29. Miami Heat
Who they will take: Mile Ilic
Who they should take: Salim Stoudamire
The Heat go for Shaq’s new backup, but they should be concerned about the short window that they have to win it all. Stoudamire would be a better choice.

30. New York Knicks
Who they will take: Chris Taft
Who they should take: Chris Taft
Hey, why not? At least he’s tall.

Celtics(L) vs Nets (W): 99-86 Doc Tossed Early

Sat, 09 Apr 2005 16:16:38 -0800

Well folks, this one is going to be short. When Justin Reed spends more time in the game and makes more of a positive, meaningful contribution to the team than Doc Rivers does, you know it's going to be a long day.

Doc managed to get tossed from the game with 2 quick technical fouls at 10:19 in the 1st quarter. I have no idea what he said. Whatever it was must have been a doosey, since when the camera panned to him, he was still sitting in his chair and had an incredulous scowl on his face. Walker got called for an offensive foul just before the incident, so I'm guessing it had something to do with that.

Regardless, it wasn't the only crappy call this game, not that the Celtics likely would have won the game even with better officiating. Vince Carter went nuts on us and was completely unconscious from outside. He hit several 3pt bombs from 2-3 steps outside the arc.

The Celtics were never really in this game. The C's took a timeout at 2:54 in the 1st and they were already down 26-15. They never got the score closer than 8 points after that and it was usually at least an 11 point gap or more. I'm not sure if it was never there today or if Doc getting tossed so early put the team in a fog. Either way, the temporarily promoted Tony Brown couldn't get them together.

Pierce and LaFrentz really hustled well all game. GP couldn't handle guarding VC (not that anyone could have today, but PP seemed to slow him down more in the second half). 'Toine was never really a factor in this game. The C's didn't really go to him in the post and he didn't really look to try and score much from outside either. Tony Allen never even got into the game tonight until 6:45 the 4th quarter. Justin Reed got 4 mins tonight, what's up with almost no Tony? I don't like it and want to see him with more regular playing time than this.

Our efforts were scattered and unorganized tonight. We over-pursued alot again and I didn't feel like we used the shot clock very well. Regardless, there's alot of reasons to blow this one off. VC having the kind of night he had is a good reason. 'Toine's reinsertion could have caused some confusion. Doc getting booted is certainly a factor on the outcome. Whatever factor you choose is up to you. I'm looking to Doc. There were plenty of guys putting forth good effort out there tonight, I just think they needed better organization and direction than Tony Brown could provide.

Celtics lose: 99-86

Player of the game: Raef LaFrentz

During his time on the floor, Raef out hustled every other Celtic. He did what he could to stop the Nets on the interior and had some success, collecting 2 official blocks and altered many others. He ran down loose balls heading out of bounds and got on the floor for them as well. 9pts/8rbs and 2 blks doesn't seem like enough to garner POG, but the stats don't tell his hole game tonight. In a game where alot of people weren't able to do what we normally ask of them, Raef was a constant and the backbone of our defense while on the floor.

11-1

Tue, 22 Mar 2005 15:38:08 -0800

Flash back to the trade deadline. The 76ers finally get a second talented offensive player to team up with Allen Iverson. That day Chris Webber was the "huge trade" and everything else was just a byline. The deal was supposed to propel Philly to the top of the Atlantic division. However since February 24th, the Sixers have only gone 6-7, and find themselves sputtering in second place.

Just before the trade deadline the division rival Celtics sent point guard Gary Payton, a first round pick, and some belly lint for Antoine Walker. That Boston wanted the 7 year Celtic back after a year and a half exile could have been the trade day laugher had Isiah Thomas not given sports talk hosts something to pounce on. Since then Boston has gone 11-1, and are 5.5 games ahead of Philadelphia. So the Celtics unexpected streak begs the question "Is this for real?"

Granted in this 12 game span, Boston has beaten up on a few of the league's worst teams. They've steamrolled over the Hawks, Jazz, Hornets, and the expansion Bobcats twice. But before we dismiss the Celtics success to the schedulemaker's whimsy, Boston has been an impressive 4-1 against teams that are .500 or better. The Beantown 12 have defeated Washington and Detroit at home, and Phoenix & Houston on the road. So maybe the Celtics' turnaround is due to the man they (re-)acquired?

Someday in the far away future, when advanced statisticians look at 20th/21st century NBA, someone is going to write his thesis on the statistical anomaly known as Antoine Walker. The shimmying forward defies being put into any simple category. While 'Toine is comfortable hoisting three pointer after three pointer, his free throw accuracy is inexplicably free falling towards Shaqsville. The tweener forward is a respectable rebounder (2.3 OREB/40min), but a permeable defender. He's skillful enough handling the ball that you can run your offense through him (as Atlanta did when they played New York this year), although he's as likely to have an assist (3.6 AST/40min) as he is a turnover (3.4 TO/40min). His most similars by age according to www.basketball-reference.com show Walker's diverse and polarized game: Drexler to Glenn Robinson to Bird to Chuck Person to Nick Anderson to Scottie Pippen.

Antoine Walker's 16.1 PER (career 16.9 PER) isn't exactly league shattering. However his insertion in the starting lineup gives the Celtics a unique look on offense. They can hit the long ball from the three big spots (Pierce, Walker, LaFrentz), and the two forwards have been averaging more assists combined (7.3 AST per game) than the starting point guard (Payton 6.0 AST/game). The Walker deal also gives Boston an addition by subtraction. Since #8 dusted off his old uniform, Raef LaFrentz & Mark "Phillies" Blount have seen more bench time. In the 12 games before the trade, the two played 30 minutes or more 21 times, a feat they've only matched 6 times since. Walker gives the Celtics a better front court rotation.

There is one caveat with the Celtics recent success. Walker is playing a bit above his head. This year for Boston he's been better than his career average or even best year in three main shooting categories.

Stat    eFG     3P%     PSA
Celtics 52.4%   38.9%   1.08
Career  45.7%   32.6%   0.97
Highest 47.8%   36.9%   1.01

Although I think he was a good addition to the Celtics, I suspect that they'll cool off a bit as 'Toine floats back down to earth. While I don't see Boston as good as their 92% win percentage since the trade, I don't think their improvement is a total fluke. They're certainly not as good as the Spurs or even the APBRSonics, and it's possible that they'll get swept in the first round by a young & hungry team like the Bulls or the Cavs. On the other hand, I wouldn't be shocked if they knocked off the Pistons & crept into the Eastern Conference Finals.

GP Is Back - Book It

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 19:51:01 -0800

According to WEEI (Dale & Holley), Gary will sign with the Celtics.

Update: Just got a note from a source that assures me that Gary Payton will be back. Just not sure when. (hey, I sound just like Chad Ford!)

Our new startling lineup likely looks like this:
Gary Payton, Tony Allen, Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker, Raef LaFrentz

Our bench should look like this:
Delonte West, Marcus Banks, Ricky Davis, Al Jefferson, Mark Blount, Kendrick Perkins

Thats nice.

On Tap: The Boston Celtics

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 18:00:58 -0800

It s been almost a couple of decades since this was a must-see NBA matchup, but there is always something exciting about the Boston Celtics coming to town. Twenty years later, those green uniforms still stir my passions.

That said, these are not exactly the 1985 Lakers and Celtics. The Lakers are two games over .500, the Celtics just one (for Boston that s good enough to lead the Atlantic division). Both are in the playoffs as of now but by just one game and need a strong second half to make sure it stays that way.

In a major role reversal from two decades ago, it is Boston that will want to push the pace tonight they are fifth in the league averaging 96.8 possessions per game and take 45% of their shots in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock (shooting 52.9% eFG% on those). The Lakers, for contrast, take jut 37% of their shots in the first 10 seconds. Fast-paced teams have not given the Lakers a ton of problems, they are 7-7 against the 10 fastest-paced teams in the league this season.

What has given the Lakers problems is good point guards, and Gary Payton will try to exploit that. He has a just-above-average PER of 15.68 this season, however he is averaging 7.4 assists and just 2.6 turnovers per 40 minutes.

Of course, the Celtic offense focuses on Paul Pierce. He has a PER of 22.73, is averaging 24.2 points per 40 minutes and is getting to the free throw line 9.3 times in those same minutes (being fouled on 15.5% of his shot attempts). He s also grabbing 7.6 rebounds per 40 minutes, or 11.1% of the missed shots while he is on the floor. Second on the Celtics in PER is Raef LaFrentz at 18.45.

The player I m interested in seeing is rookie Al Jefferson, who Celtics fans are very high on. He s playing just 15.7 minutes per game but has a PER of 17.09, and averages 17.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per 40 minutes. He s grabbing 17.7% of the missed shots when he s on the floor, a very good percentage.

For the Lakers, tonight is a good night to attack inside. The Celtics have done a good job defending on the perimeter this season but have been weaker inside (18.4 opponents PER at the four, 17.9 at the five). Lamar Odom should be able to put up good numbers, and this is a great chance for Chris Mihm to show his old team they made a big mistake.

The Lakers may be without Caron Butler tonight, who missed the morning shoot around because he really doesn't feel well (and is not just about to be traded).

These first two games out of the block after the All Star break are going to tell us a lot about the Lakers both Boston and Portland are teams the Lakers can beat, but will lose to if they don t show up ready to go. These are tough wins, but the kind the Lakers need if they want to hold off Minnesota.

Defensive Stat

Sun, 20 Feb 2005 16:00:43 -0800

One of the statistics I have been looking at a lot lately has been the on court off court defensive stats at the 82 games site. Many believe figuring out who are good defenders and who are not is almost impossible. I think its difficult, but not impossible. I believe the following on court off court defensive statistic is one of the best barrometers I have found to giving a fairly accurate account as to who can play defense and who can't. What the following stat shows is who gave up more points against the other team when they were on the court as compared to their own teamates when they were off the court. I have calculated the top 100 or so players in the NBA plus anyone who recieved more then two votes in the ALL NBA defensive team voting in any of the last 3 seasons. I think its a complete list of the best players and defenders. The list is for the last 3 years starting with 3 years ago and finishing with their average for the last 3 seasons combined.

1-Tim Duncan-------///-9.0///-5.5///-8.2=-7.6
2-Theo Ratliff--------///-7.6///-6.9///-5.4=-6.6
3-Jeff Foster---------///-2.3///-8.8///-8.3=-6.5
4-Rasheed Wallace---///-6.8///-4.3///-8.0=-6.4
5-Bruce Bowen-------///-6.6///-4.5///-5.4=-5.5
6-Kevin Garnett------///-9.6///-6.5///+0.1=-5.3
7-Dirk Nowitzki-------///-5.7///-1.4///-6.0=-4.4
8-Kelvin Cato---------///-3.3///-4.8///-4.8=-4.3
9-Andre Kirilenko-----///+3.1///-2.5//-12.7=-4.0
10-Ron Artest---------///-1.6///-4.0///-5.6=-3.7
11-Antonio Davis------///-2.8///-2.0///-5.3=-3.4
12-Ben Wallace--------///-3.1///-3.0///-3.9=-3.3
13-Dikembe Mutumbo-///-0.4///-1.2///-8.3=-3.3
14-Shane Battier-------///-1.5///-1.4///-6.0=-3.0
15-Bobby Simmons----///****///-4.2///-1.7=-3.0
16-Brad Miller---------///+0.8///-5.5///-2.9=-2.5
17-Ray Allen-----------///-3.7///+1.0///-4.5=-2.4
18-Kirk Hinrich--------///****///-3.7///-0.9=-2.3
19-Larry Hughes-------///+1.5///-2.9///-5.5=-2.3
20-Reggie Miller-------///+1.2///-6.7///-1.3=-2.3
21-Roberty Horry------///-5.1///-0.8///-0.6=-2.2
22-Jason Kidd----------///+5.0///-6.1///-4.5=-1.9
23-Baron Davis---------///-3.3///-4.6///+2.3=-1.9
24-Bobby Jackson------///-2.4///-1.3///-1.5=-1.7
25-Jermaine Oneal-----///-0.5///-3.7///+1.6=-1.5
26-Tyson Chandler-----///+0.7///-3.8///-0.9=-1.3
27-Michael Finley------///-5.9///-2.2///+4.7=-1.3
28-Kenyon Martin-----///-0.6///-5.2///+2.1=-1.2
29-Eddie Jones---------///-1.3///-0.3///-2.0=-1.2
30-Shaq Oneal---------///+0.8///-3.9///-0.6=-1.2
31-Kobe Bryant--------///-0.6///+0.7///-3.3=-1.1
32-Elton Brand---------///-0.9///+3.9///-4.7=-0.8
33-Doug Christie-------///+1.0///+1.9///-5.2=-0.8
34-Andre Igoudala-----///****///****///-0.8=-0.8
35-Chris Bosh----------///****///+3.4///-4.7=-0.7
36-Josh Howard--------///****///+1.2///-2.3=-0.6
37-Emeka Okafor-------///****///****///-0.6=-0.6
38-Brian Grant----------///+2.6///-0.3///-4.1=-0.6
39-Vince Carter---------///-2.0///+1.8///-1.7=-0.6
40-Nazr Mohammed----///+1.5///-0.7///-2.6=-0.6
41-Manu Ginobili--------///+2.5///+3.4///-7.5=-0.5
42-Rchard Jefferson-----///+0.8///-0.9///-1.0=-0.4
43-Paul Pierce-----------///-0.4///-0.1///-0.8=-0.4
44-Darrell Armstrong---///+2.5///-1.8///-2.0=-0.4
45-Q Richardson--------///-2.5///+0.8///+0.5=-0.4
46-Steve Francis--------///+0.9///-1.9///+0.2=-0.3
47-Eric Snow------------///-1.1///-0.6///+0.7=-0.3
48-Hydayet Turkoglu---///+1.1///-2.5///+2.2=-0.3
49-Jamal MaGloire------///+1.0///+1.3///-2.6=-0.1
50-Raef Lafrentz--------///+3.0///-4.8///+1.6=-0.1
51-Zyd Ilgauskas--------///-4.0///+4.0///-0.1=-0.0
52-Jamal Tinsley--------///+4.6///-5.3///+0.7=-0.0
53-Tony Parker---------///-2.5///+4.1///-1.2=+0.1
54-Latrell Sprewell------///+4.5///-0.8///-3.3=+0.1
55-Tayshawn Prince----///+4.3///+0.9///-4.6=+0.2
56-Keith Van Horn------///+0.2///+0.8///-0.1=+0.3
57-Rueben Patterson----///+1.2///-1.3///+1.2=+0.4
58-Alonzo Morning------///****///+2.9///-2.1=+0.4
59-Mehmet Okur--------///-0.4///-1.7///+3.2=+0.4
60-Grant Hill------------///+1.7///****///-0.8=+0.5
61-Chauncey Billups-----///+3.5///+1.0///-2.7=+0.6
62-Dwight Howard------///****///****///+0.7=+0.7
63-Antawn Jamison-----///+4.8///+0.4///-2.4=+0.9
64-Jason Terry----------///+0.1///+4.1///-1.6=+0.9
65-James Posey----------///+1.2///-0.1///+1.9=+1.0
66-PJ Brown--------------///+5.7///-4.5///+2.7=+1.3
67-Kurt Thomas----------///-0.9///+2.1///+2.9=+1.4
68-Rip Hamilton----------///+3.3///+3.7///-2.7=+1.4
69-Carlos Boozer----------///+6.6///-0.6///-1.9=+1.4
70-Yao Ming--------------///+2.6///-1.6///+3.4=+1.5
71-Troy Murphy----------///+1.4///-0.1///+3.8=+1.7
72-Dewayne Wade--------///****///-1.4///+4.9=+1.8
73-Al Harrington----------///-2.5///+9.2///-1.4=+1.8
74-Lebron James---------///****///+5.2///-1.4=+1.9
75-Wally Z----------------///+3.1///-3.9///+6.4=+1.9
76-Cutino Mobley---------///+1.4///+1.9///+3.5=+2.3
77-Zach Randolph---------///+5.8///+2.0///-2.3=+2.3
78-Sam Cassell------------///+10.0//-1.7///-0.9=+2.5
79-Shawn Marion---------///+5.2///+1.2///+1.5=+2.6
80-Gilbert Arenas---------///+5.8///+4.2///-1.9=+2.7
81-Allen Iverson----------///+5.1///+0.9///+2.5=+2.8
82-Chris Webber----------///+3.6///-0.4///+5.3=+2.8
83-Mike Miller------------///+3.2///+3.9///+1.3=+2.8
84-Joe Johnson------------///+2.3///+1.4///+4.7=+2.8
85-Drew Gooden----------///+0.7///+6.6///+1.0=+2.8
86-Lamar Odom-----------///+4.6///+2.1///+2.2=+3.0
87-Antonio Daniels---------///+2.7///+2.3///+4.4=+3.1
88-Amare Stoudemire-----///+3.5///+2.2///+4.0=+3.2
89-Mike Bibby-------------///+5.7///+5.8///-1.9=+3.2
90-Steve Nash------------///+4.3///+3.1///+2.3=+3.2
91-Marcus Camby---------///+6.3///+1.4///+2.4=+3.4
92-Peja Stojacovic---------///+7.1///+2.5///+0.6=+3.4
93-Stephon Marbury------///+7.8///+1.9///+0.9=+3.5
94-Cliff Robinson----------///+3.1///+2.0///+5.6=+3.6
95-Desmond Mason--------///+5.4///-2.6///+8.1=+3.6
96-Jason Richardson-------///+7.3///-1.1///+5.0=+3.7
97-Carmelo Anthony------///****///+5.9///+1.4=+3.7
98-Andre Miller-----------///+8.2///+0.5///+2.8=+3.8
99-Gary Payton-----------///+5.2///+1.8///+4.7=+3.9
100-Rashard Lewis--------///+6.4///+2.1///+3.2=+3.9
101-Tracy McGrady-------///+6.4///+2.4///+3.4=+4.1
102-Matt Harpring--------///+3.1///+1.4///+8.5=+4.3
103-Corey Maggette-------///+6.2///+1.2///+5.7=+4.4
104-Jeff McCinnis----------///+8.4///+2.2///+4.7=+5.1
105-Michael Redd----------///+3.3///+9.1///+5.6=+6.0
106-Antoine Walker--------///+0.6///+4.6//+13.8=+6.3
107-Pau Gasol--------------///+10.8//+8.2///-0.4=+6.5

I am not saying this statistic is perfect or totally accurate. One common sense flaw is a team that has great starting defenders and a bench of bad defenders would skew any player on the team depending on whether they are a starter or backup. A great example of this is Manu Ginobili with the Spurs. He came off the bench his first two seasons so didn't play that much with Duncan or Bowen and his numbers were a weak +2.5 and +3.4. This year he starts with those two and he gets a -7.5. So who a player plays with can effect this stat. However, most players play with their teamates quite a bit eventually and 3 seasons is ussually going to have every player play with tons of different players and lineups so it will even out to some degree.

The 4 Mav players are interesting. Of course its great to see Dirk ranked in the top 10 of this stat. Eventually the media will have to start to accept the gathering evidence. Some may take issue with Fin ranked 27th. However, if you look closer you will see that Fin has a bad +- this season. Most of his points were gained 3 seasons ago. Remember, this stat is saying who were good for the last 3 seasons combined. I think Fins numbers show the accuracy of this stat more then anything. Josh is in nice shape at 36 and improving. And Jason Terry is a poor but not horrible 64th. A little below average.

Of the top 38 players on the list, I would call only Brad Miller, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, Michael Finley, and Chris Bosh less then "very good" defenders. To have 33 of the top 38 players be "very good" or better defenders is very impressive IMO. And I would have called Fin very good 3 seasons ago. Reggie Millers numbers are skewed by his season two years ago when he was injured and played very little, so his -6.7 that season is probably very misleading. As for Brad Miller, Ray Allen, and Chris Bosh, maybe they are a little better then I thought.

As for those ranked in the bottom 25, only Gary Payton, Cliff Robinson, and Marcus Camby I would have called even "good" defenders. And Payton and Robinson are getting extremely old. Maybe they are more cooked then we think. So the only player that really surprised me was Camby. And his numbers are skewed by his +6.3 3 seasons ago when he played very little and so that stat and his ranking might be misleading.

Let me simply ask why Dirk is ranked so high in this stat? Where is the flaw in his ranking? I can't find any. He ussually starts with some real lousy defenders, which should hurt his stat. This year he is starting with Damp and Howard and occasionally he has started with Bradley in the past. However, he hasn't had much help starting with him the last 3 seasons. Bradley, Najera, Bell, and Josh Howard mostly came off the bench. And shouldn't the Mav tempo be higher when Dirk is on the court? So the other team should score more because of that shouldn't they?

All I know is when Duncan and Ratliff are ranked 1-2 and Gasol and Walker are dead last, I think its probably a solid defensive rating system. And Dirk is ranked 7th for the last 3 seasons combined.

Celtics (L) vs Kings (W) : 104 - 100 Back to Even.

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 16:51:57 -0800

As you can imagine with 2 of the highest scoring offenses in the league meeting up, the action can get fast and hairy. These 2 teams didn't really disappoint, providing plenty of offense. Like good teams do, the Kings hung around all game and then got it done late. The Celtics were shooting 55% FG and had a 46-22 advantage in Point in the Paint after 3 quarters. We out fast broke them, held as much as a double digit lead in the 3rd quarter and in fact led most of the game. Then we get to the 4th quarter, which was when Sacto tightened up the defense and the C's went too much 1 on 1 on offense, after being so successful sharing the ball most of the game. I think this, along with Sacto being in a funk for a little while after the loss of a key cog in the machine early in the game contributed to the game playing out how it did.

Fairly easy buckets and a fast pace opened the tilt. The Celtics got out front 12-8 by the 7:58 mark and Paul Pierce (PP) had a quick 6pts. Around 6:48, a rebound and Celtics break the other way saw Peja Stojakovic hobble straight to the Kings bench, instead of joining his teammates defending thier goal up court. This left the Kings shorthanded and after the patience of 2 passes, the Celtics found the open man in Raef LaFrentz for a 3pter and that stopped play. Out of the timeout, Gary Payton (GP) stole the ball and fed a streaking Tony Allen (TA) for a big 2 handed reverse dunk and the Celtics leading 17-11 with 6:21 left in the 1st quarter.

Raef had a nice tip-in, off an offensive board that saw the C's lead now 19-15 with 5:15 left. The rest of the stanza went into one of the games predictable slugfest type scoring runs with both teams scoring on seeming every possession. With just under a minute left Blount finished it up with a score on a feed from GP, after rolling to the middle on a screen. He was fouled, but failed to convert the FT and the quarter ended with the Celtics leading 29-26.

Celtics shot 52%FG and had 20 points in the paint (pip)

2nd quarter

Random Stat: The Celtics are 10-5 when Perkins plays 10 or more minutes.
Ricky Davis (RD) was double teamed and passed out of it to a wide open Kendrick Perkins (Perk) for a monster two-handed jam at 11:22. Perk then returned the favor by setting a screen for RD that he used to pull up for a 20ft jumper. RD scored on a spin move on the baseline for an easy layup and then at 4:45 tied the game at 42-42 with a mid-range jumper.

On the next possession, RD got to entertain. He recieved a kick out pass on the left baseline. His defender responded to it by running out to meet him and then after biting on a pump fake, enduring the indignity of watching RD blow by him and throwing down a big, sweeping hook of a one handed dunk. GP ran over Bibby, off the dribble, and was called for the offensive foul. He then compounded the issue by getting T'ed up for complaining about it. After all the FT's, the Kings had tied it at 47 apiece. (By my count, that's 4 technicals this season for GP. Don't you sit a game when you reach 7?)

Blount actually scooped up the ball off the floor from a bad pass by RD that went to his feet. Blount collected the ball and scored from deep in the paint to give the C's a 51-49 lead with 1:31 left in the half. RD helped push the ball up the floor and rewarded Raef for getting up it as well, when he delivered a nice pass that Raef dunked overtop of Brad Miller, drawing a foul with 1:12 left and the C's now leading 54-49. However, after a quick score, Cuttino Mobley (Cat) hit a 3pter with :05 left and tied the game at 54-54.

At the Half: TIE GAME - 54 ALL

The C's jumped out to a relatively quick 10pt lead (64-54) by the 8:41 mark. GP scored on a tough drive at 7:19 that made it 68-56. On the next end down, he earned a Tommy Point for a nice piece of defense that saw him contest a Bibby drive well enough that Bibby missed a shot from within 1 ft of the basket. Miller, CWEBB and Bibby kept at the Celtics defense and by 4:11 had cut the C's lead to a more manageable 70-64 after trailing by twice that. Maurice Evans hit a 3pter for the Kings that capped off a 9-0 run and now saw the C's lead diminished to 70-67.

CWebb had collected a triple-double by the 2:00 mark in the 3rd. Mobley torched RD on a drive to the hole at 1:42 and the Kings had tied the score again. A closing fury set upon both teams. PP hit a jumper near the FT line to make it 77-75. CWebb answered on the next trip down. GP scored on a drive the following possession. GP then collected a steal and an assist when he pushed the ball backup the floor and fed Blount for a score with :25 left. (This is a fair example of the way runs went during the course of the game.) The quarter ended with no more offense and the Celtics led 81-77.

4th quarter

Tom Gugliota(Googs) got into the mix early in the final stanza with a big block and then hustle to keep it from going out of bounds. Delonte West again saw short time. He collected 2 quick fouls during his time in the 4th. However, he challenged a bigger Evans on a break away dunk attempt, which I thought spoke well of competitive spirit. He got called for the foul, but kept Evans from dunking and did it safely.

However, after a Bibby steal and score, the Kings now lead 85-81 at 10:13 and had just went on a 8-0 run. A deep RD jumper with a defender hanging on him stemmed the tide temporarily. 85-83 Kings, 9:38 left. Bibby then continued his tear with another 3pter, this one from the baseline. With the score the same, Raef collected big rebound from within a sea of Kings and even managed to induce a foul doing it. 88-83 Kings, 8:18 left.

PP went to the FT line on 2 consecutive trips and got the C's back to within one at 88-87 with 7:18 remaining in the contest. Evans fought hard to get to the hoop and score to give the Kings a full possession cushion, but PP hit a 3pter to tie it at 90 ALL with 5:48 remaining. Blount directed and tipped out a rebound to RD at the right elbow area. As the defense reacted and moved to RD, the Celtics continued to move on offense and a cutting Raef was hit with a bounce pass deep in the post for a short floating bank shot. Timeout Kings at 4:53. 92-92.

Raef gave the C's a brief lead at 3:54 with 2 FT's, making it 94-93. Blount hit a 15fter to get the C's ahead 96-93, but another Bibby 3pter at 2:48, knotted it at 96. RD hit a tough 10ft fall-away shot with 2:19 remaining. However, CWebb answered with a short hook shot inside the paint and it was again tied, this time at 98.

A timeout came at 1:36 with the score still even at 98 ALL. PP was drawing alot of attention from the Kings defenders. Cat Mobley et al had done a fair job of making PP miserable most of the 2nd half. Doc was clearly calling PP's number, but he just couldn't get open enough to get off good shots. RD looked like a better scoring option at this point. He seemed to be able to get free of his matchup and I'm surprised that Doc didn't make this adjustment quicker.

Pierce FT's got the C's ahead 100-98, coming out of the timeout. Cousy, Gorman and Heinsohn all chastized CWebb for a behind the back pass to Bibby very late in the game that netted the Kings only 1 of 2 FT's. However, Bibby hit another 3pter after collecting a loose ball Cwebb had bobbled. He advantagiously used the reaching CWebb as a screen and and drained the open shot. Trailing 102-100 with only :38.2 left, the Celtics took a timeout. At this point, the lead was enough to secure a win for the visitors. The longest remaining possession saw a scrum of wannabe rebounders continuously tipped the ball for about :08 until someone collected it and got it out to Evans. RD got back and challenged the play so as to not give up the easy bucket, but Evans hit his FT's anyways and it was over. Celtics Lose......

Final Score: 104-100 Kings Win.

Player of the Game: Raef LaFrentz

PP, RD, and GP all deserve some consideration for thier efforts. However, Raef put up 25pts and 9rbs and played some pretty decent defense as well.

C's vs Hawks: 106-94 - Return of 'Toine II

Sat, 15 Jan 2005 14:00:15 -0800

I have to be honest: I was excited to watch this game. It had nice subtext and plots going into it and the characters did not fail to hit thier performances.

Antoine Walker came into town tonight for his latest meeting against the Celtics, in Boston. Last time he came as a League and Western Conference front-running Dallas Maverick. This time, as an Atlanta Hawk, he travels back to town with a bad ATL team who's got alot of young potential, but no "NOW" players, except Walker and probably Al Harrington, who can realistically still meet the criteria for both types after forcing a trade out of Indiana so he could start.

Before the game, Doc Rivers interview with Mike Gorman yeilded the following comment on Antoine Walker in relation to the Celtics Defense: "Well, you know 'Toine. When he's on, he's a tough cover..........When he off.........well, that's a good thing for us" Tonight, 'Toine would mostly prove to be a tough cover.

Then of course, you have the element of the Celtics #2 go-to scorer/player, Ricky Davis. It was fairly clear he sent a message tonight, whether purposeful or not, that he was quite capable of helping Paul shoulder the load that Walker used to.

Ok, enough of the subtext, let's play ball:

Game Coverage

A Gary Payton turn-around opened the scoring for the C's and a Paul Pierce to Raef LaFrentz play to make the score 4-2 and the C's would have a lead that they never relinquished. The Celtics, for most of the first half, passed and shared the ball absolutely beautifully at times. In fact, ATL called a time out at 8:20 because the C's had passed and pushed thier way to a quick 11-2 score. ' Toine came out of the timeout and scored.

The C's led 13-5 at the 6:40 point, when Hawks Rookie sensation Josh Smith collected his 50th dunk of the season, coming in over everyone to put a rebound back down. This kid is an athletic freak who understands shotblocking timing and rebounding positioning and doesn't just rely on his athleticism. That's a dangerous conbination, so my advice would be to watch out for this kid. He's gonna be really good.

Because I've mentioned the passing of the C's, I want to pay quick homage to an ATL play around the 6:00 mark in which they collected a rebound, pushed the ball up the floor, only dribbling once, passed the ball 6 times in 9 secs and scoring a layup by Collier, making the C's lead now only 13-10.

GP to a cutting Raef along the baseline and the C's led 19-12 with 3:40 left. A reversal of delivery roles saw PP hitting a running GP for 2 more. (GP scored 8 pts in the 1st Q) The Celtics now led 23-12. Al Jefferson collected a bucket on a rebounded put back that he and Raef kept alive for about 5 successive tips. Tony Allen entered the game for PP at 2:05 and Pierce left with 4pt, assts.

Ricky Davis got into the books, for the first of many baskets on the night, at 1:12 with a short jumper. He then got a traditional 3pt play when going strong to the hoop with :27 left. Celtics ended the 1st leading 31-21.

Banks, RD, Perkins, Waltah and TA started the 2nd quarter. RD got back into the scoring act around the 9:00 mark when he had a thunderous follow-up dunk off a Celtic miss. 36-25 Celtics.

Al Harrinton got called for PALMING at 8:10. (I only bring this up because it's an unusual call) The Celtics had another run of great passing, combining on 3 straight passing plays for scores. At 5:17, the Celtics led 43-31. The teams then traded baskets until 1:58 when Blount hit a 15fter to make it 53-41. Drobnjak got it to within 10 pts with a score at 1:20 53-45. The Half ended with the Celtics in front 56-47. The Celtics shot 53%, with ATL shooting 37%.

2nd Half

The first real action of the 2nd half was at 9:23 'Toine, getting a shot to his funny bone that he didn't think was so funny and left the game for a short while, likely to get the tingling/numbing to go away. However, PP hit a 3 to break the lull and at 8:36 the C's led 64-53. ( At this point, Tommy Heinsohn mentioned that it looked like PP was being tenative when being defended by the young athletic freak Smith, possible worried about the fact that Smith was blocking/altering shots well thus far. As soon as PP got Childress, Heinsohn noted the difference in the tenacity of Pierce's drive. Against Smith, PP went too much east to west, while against Childress, he did just as Ricky Davis was doing so successfully, which was to go right to the hole on ATL. North to south and hard all the way.) The Celtics then started to move the ball around. PP to GP on another full court break involving just the 2 and the C's led 66-53 with 7:48 left.

RD quelled an ATL mini run with a 3pter at 5:24 which saw the Celtic lead at 71-60. However, Former Celtics Kenny Anderson and Antoine Walker worked thier own magic on 2 successive scores and the C's called a timeout with 4:35 left and the C's lead now under 10, at 71-64.

RD then came alive again with 2 consecutive scores of his own and it was 75-66 with 3:05 left. Kenny and 'Toine were at it again and on another set of consecutive plays, cut the Celtic lead to 75-70 with 2:00 remaining. GP gave a scare to the Fleet faithful, when taking a hard, head first fall at 1:26. Thankfully GP wasn't injured.

RD hit another jumper to give him 25 of the last 50 Celtic points with :24 left and the 3rd ended with the Celtics leading 80-76.

Tommy Heinsohn gleefully yelling "I Love" Waltah into my living room by opening up the scoring in the final quarter with a 3pter at 11:12. Big Al Jefferson broke a quasi-scoring drought at 8:43 with 2 FT's and the Celtic lead was 88-76. Drobnjak hit a 3pter :20 later and it's 88-79.

Marcus Banks shot FT's at 7:44 to make it 90-79. During his time at a line, Mike Gorman shared a quote from Marcus: "This is the first time I've ever really been coached about the GAME. Not about my skills,........THE GAME" Just thought I'd share that.

The C's then committed a couple of turnovers on plays they should have scored on with careless and over-passing. Not sure if someone passed on Tommy's advice, but PP went strong to the hole at 5:20 to keep the C's with a buffer at 92-85. Raef then hit a 3pter and the C's officially had breathing room again, up again by 10, at 95-85. PP hit another 2 at 4:32 and RD hit another 3 at 3:26, throw some FT's in with those scores and around the 3:00 mark, the C's led 102-88. GP went strong to the hoop at 1:50 and it ended with the Celtics winning 104-88. Small stuff happened to close this one out, but it ended in comfortable, 12 pt Celtic win.

Final Score: 106-94

Player of the Game: (It's your call, but here's my list of worthy candidates)

Gary Payton: 6/14 FG, 15pts, 3 rbs, 7 assts. (Notable effort. Helped C's get off to quick start)
Paul Pierce: 7/17 FG, 21 pts, 15 rbs, 7 asst, 2 stls. (Stat line and play was simply impressive.) (Walker: 10/30 FG, 21pts, 17 rbs, 8 assts, 2 stls.)
Ricky Davis: 11/16 FG, 30 pts, 4rbs, 1 stl. (If I had to make a call, I'd probably go with RD tonight. That run of 25pts scored during a stretch in which the team scored 50 was impressive as well.)

C's vs Raptors: 104-91 - Bosh and MoPete explode

Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:47:20 -0800

The Raptors are 6th in the NBA in 3pt% and if you watched this game, you'd know why. It was the Morris Peterson, (MoPete) show from outside and Chris Bosh show inside. The C's essentially had no answer to either. Both had career highs in scoring: MoPete had 37 and Bosh had 25. Bosh dominated LaFrentz, Blount and Jefferson inside, even when we were playing a 2-3 zone and MoPete.....well he hit damn near everything he threw up towards the rim. It was that kind of night for him.

Paul Pierce, guarded initially by Former Celtic Eric (EWill) Williams started out with 3 for 4 shooting and 6 points by the 9:10 mark and it was 8-6 Raps. Gary Payton got an early technical for yapping with with refs too much around the 9:00 mark. A short time later (8:10) he fed Raef laFrentz on a nice cut move and it was 9-8 Raps. Pierce hit a 3 at 5:10 and the C's trailed 18-15. MoPete, of course, answered only 20 secs later. PP over Alston for 2 and the C's trailed 23-20 with 3:28 left in the 1st. Ricky Davis and Al Jefferson reported at 2:59 and Al was greeted shortly after by Bosh, who scored over him to make the Raps lead 23-22 with 2:29 left. Bosh then blocked Raef. MoPete ended the 1st quarter with a 3pter and the Raps led 29-25 after 1.

The Raptors shot 54% to the C's 38% in the 1st quarter.

RD fed Kendrick Perkins for a dunk and it was 31-27 Toronto at the 10:50 mark. An open court steal by Perkins, who passed to a streaking Tony Allen and the C's closed it to 31-27 with 10:20 left. TA then collected his 2nd foul and went to the bench with 9:40 left in the half. Perkins then had a second steal, which went up the court to Big Al, who was fouled in the attempt. He hit 1 of 2 and the C's trailed 34-31. Another 3 pter, this time by Alston and the Raps went ahead 37-31 and a timeout ensued, which saw PP sub back in. The C's scrapped for points until a Blount hook shot at 6:40 brought them back to within 1, at 39-38. A RD fall away in the paint at 6:10 and the C's led for the first time 40-39.

Another exchange of baskets that didn't go in the Celtics favor and Doc took another timeout at 5:10, with the C's trailing 47-42. Blount took a nice offensive charge, but 3 straight Celtic turnovers hurt the cause. RD stopped a 8-0 Raptors run with a basket which left the C's still trailing 50-44 with only 3:25 left in the half. PP got a tip in basket to close it to 50-46, but MoPete then hit what would have to be a shot of the game nominee with an expiring shot clock at :01 and was one step inside half court. Like I mentioned earlier, it was that kind of game for him.

Blount hit FT's with :38 left to make it 56-49 but MoPete hit another 3 pter and at the Half, the Celtics trailed the Raptors: 59-49.

The Raps hit a team record 10 3pters in the first half and shot 53% from the field.

The Celtics didn't help themselves out by opening the 2nd half by committing 5 team fouls by the 10:11 mark(they only committed 7 in the whole 1st half) and the Raps now led 60-50. Fast break points on a PP to GP collaboration got the C's to 64-56 by the 7:58 mark. A Blount hook at 7:24 and the C's were inching closer at 64-58. Timeout Raptors.

Alston came out of the break and hit a 3pter. 2 PP FT's and a Waltah 3pter later and the score was 70-64 with 5:50 left. Another Alston 3 at 4:46 and the Raps started to pull away again, 76-64. A PP score got the C's back to 10 and 2 RD FT's made it 76-68 (He probably would have had a 3 pt play had he not tried to cock the ball back so far for the highlight dunk, giving MoPete the chance to knock the ball away, while fouling him). PP took a charge on Alston, which was Skip's 4th at 2:47. PP then scored a dozen seconds later and the C's trailed 79-70.

Waltah blocked Bosh at 1:43 (one of the few times Bosh was stopped). I want to take a minute to give Waltah a little bit of props. I have to question the timing and duration of when he played tonight(20 mins), but he was ready when called and played a decent game, including 6pts, 4rbs, 1 asst and 1 blk.

MoPete then took his game inside and while slashing to the hole made another circus shot, while falling to the floor. The Raps now led 82-70. Waltah hit a 3pter and a Banks steal and pass to TA, who fed RD for an oop and the C's ended the 3rd trailing by 11: 84-73.

The Raps shot 12/23 from 3pt land through 3 quarters.

Banks to RD on a hard push up the floor, but MoPete then smoked Jiri off the dribble and the Raps still led by double digits, 88-78. RD scored 2 at 9:11 and the C's got it into single digits at 89-80. Of Course, MoPete then hit another 3, this time with Waltah firmly in his face at 8:50. RD came off a screen to score at 8:10 and the C's trailed 94-84. PP to Banks and RD for another 2 and at 6:27 the C's trailed 94-88.

At the 5:00 mark, Raptors fans lowered themselves by protesting a foul call that sent Raef to the line by throwing debris on the floor. Raef made both FT's anyways. PP then went to the hole and was fouled, but only converted 1 of 2, missing his first FT of the game, making the Raps lead 97-91 with 4:20 left. However, the C's then went dry, with RD missing a 2, forcing a 3 and throwing the ball away on 3 consequtive plays (I just want to get that out of the way so no one can blame Pierce for not coming up in clutch time. He didn't get the ball). MoPete added a final dagger 3 before it was all said and done and the Raptors continued to thier defense of the Air Canada Center with a 104-93 win.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

23 pts on 8/15 shooting(53%), 10 rbs (9 defensive), with only 1 turnover. (Man this guy sucks, I can't believe we haven't traded him yet. He's horrible.)