May 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Boston Celtics guard Terrence Williams (55) drives the lane in front of New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the first quarter of game five of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Disappointing news being reported out of Washington today, as Celtics’ guard Terrence Williams was arrested on gun charges.

According to the report from Kent Reporter in Washington, the incident occurred when Williams went to meet the mother of his child for a scheduled visit.

During the visit, Williams and the woman started arguing and Williams “brandished a firearm and made threats.” Williams “left the area prior to police arrival, but was later located and taken into custody.”

Williams is signed for next season, but the contract is non-guaranteed.

Apr 23, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers reacts on the sidelines against the New York Knicks during game two in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

As has been the case for the last few years, there was a brief period of speculation regarding whether or not Doc Rivers would return to the bench in Boston.

Following the end of each season, Rivers has needed a few days to mull the decision over with his family and decide whether he was up for another year. Yet every time, he has made the decision to come back.

This year was no different. Following the Celtics’ Playoff loss to the Knicks in six games, Rivers said he was unsure if he would be back with the team next season. Today, however, general manager Danny Ainge confirmed that Rivers will return to coach the Celtics for the 2013-2014 season.

Danny Ainge confirms that Doc Rivers is returning next season as #celtics coach. “We’ve got a coach everybody would love to have.”

— gary washburn (@GwashNBAGlobe) May 16, 2013

This is great news for the Celtics, who will be going through a transition period next year. With multiple changes to the roster possible, it will be good to have a familiar face in charge.

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They haven’t been eliminated this early in the season since 2007, back when I was 14. Which, if you think about it, is pretty amazing. I remember the excitement of putting the “Big Three” together, and the hopes of winning a championship; yet having the realistic expectation that this union wouldn’t last long. “A three year plan,” they said.

And then Pierce and Garnett and Allen went out and won the title in their first year together. Suddenly there were thoughts of a dynasty, ruling the Eastern Conference and winning multiple rings. But it never happened. Injuries, more injuries and the rise of LeBron held the Big Three and the Celtics to just that one, glorious championship.

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Not that this series wasn’t a surprise; I fully expected them to lose. I even picked them to lose, as much as I didn’t want to. But it didn’t make it hurt any less. Despite the jokes on twitter, I still held out hope they could somehow make a stand.

May 3, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett (5) heads to the bench during a break in the action against the New York Knicks in game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. The New York Knicks defeated the Celtics 88-80. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

In the end, they kind of did. They won 2 games after being down 3 games to 0 to bring Game 6 to Boston. Then they made the ridiculous run in the fourth quarter to somehow cut the lead to 4. But it wasn’t enough. They ran out of gas in the final few minutes and ended up losing the series 4-2.

It was a fair result, given the talent of the two teams involved. And in a way, it was a fitting way to close out the season, and possibly this era. They fought hard, but ultimately couldn’t overcome their injuries and the superior competition.

This was what we had come to expect from this group. Six years into the “three year plan,” Pierce and Garnett (albeit without Allen this year) were still around, giving everything they had. Sacrificing who-knows-what to make one last fleeting run at an elusive second ring. And they came pretty close a few times. Every year since 2008 they faced set backs. But every year, try as they might, they couldn’t quite overcome. And this year was no exception.

But at the same time, this year was different. There was no Allen. There was no Rondo, following his torn ACL. Pierce and Garnett clearly just weren’t the same. There was no real hope for winning the first round series for the first time since this group had come together.

Like it or not, the era was ending. There’s a good chance Pierce and Garnett won’t be back next year. Even if they do come back, it won’t be the same. There are no more titles to win, at least not for the brief future. And if it truly is the end, if that was actually the last I’ll see of Pierce and Garnett together in Celtics green and white, I’ll be incredibly sad. But it was a thrilling six years filled with many memorable moments, capped off fittingly with a similarly thrilling run that came up predictably short.

And for that, I am thankful: for Doc and his leadership that held everything together, for Ray and his three-pointers (even if he did leave to join LeBron), for Garnett and his undying intensity and devotion to his craft, and for Pierce and all the big shots he’s hit over his 14 years in Boston.

Sure, all of this only brought one title, but I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

Boston Celtics

The Celtics have weathered injuries to Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger and Leondro Barbosa to cling to the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. They’ve done so battled without their star playmaker for the second half of the season, in which they held steady to go 21-17 to close the season after Rondo tore his ACL. With Rondo going down, a team that revolved around their speedy dime disher completely transformed their make-up and morphed to the kind of team that Doc Rivers ran before Rajon Rondo emerged as a star. It’s still a team that strives to move without the ball and work the ball around the perimeter. But what makes the Celtics strong isn’t their offensive prowess, but their stingy defense that finished 12th best in the league at restricting opponent scoring.

Boston accomplishes through employing lockdown defender Avery Bradley against their strongest opposing guard, and anchoring the veteran Kevin Garnett in the paint to work down any inside threat. Still surviving off the masterfully constructed defensive scheme engineered by Tom Thibadeau during his tenure as an assistant with the Celtics, they still load the strong side almost as good as any other elite team in the NBA. It’s a strategy that is set to be particularly effective against a Knicks team that is most exploitable to this kind of stragety. The Knicks both lean heavily upon one wing scorer and are, on the whole, a terrible passing team. It’s not necessarily that turnovers are a problem for New York, but they favor an isolation branded game of basketball; which is why they’re ranked dead last in assists. For Boston, this works to their favor as they try to shut out Carmelo Anthony’s bevy of scoring moves and force some turnovers. This may have become even easily as Knicks guard Pablo Prigioni has been ruled out of game 1 with an ankle ailment. The Knicks managed to scorch the Celtics in two of their three convincing wins over them this season by allowing their supporting cast to carry the scoring load with Anthony neutralised, but if the Celtics are diligent in shutting down the passing lanes when Anthony is blanketed, they could have a much better chance at forcing some turnovers and winning this series.

The other big defensive strength that the Celtics can use to strangle the Knicks is their perimeter defense. As the season closed this week, the Boston Celtics finished as fourth in the league in restricting their opponents’ three-point percentage. For a team that relies on the likes of Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith, Jason Kidd and Steve Novak to bank their threes to win, this is bad news for the Knicks. Granted, Anthony and Smith have managed to collectively torch the Celtics during the regular season; but there’s no guarantees they’ll continue to buck the trend. With the better part of a week to gameplan for this series, the brains trust of Doc Rivers and his staff are likely to have found a way to address the ways of Anthony and Smith and Celtics fans will hope that the Knicks become another victim to the stifling Celtics D.

However, the Celtics are going to have their hands full dealing with Tyson Chandler. Ranked second last in the league for rebounding, it’s no secret Boston has issues with their size and their ability to collect boards. A far cry from Celtics of Bill Russell’s time, this squad is marred by a lack of height and weakness at the rim. The team’s leading rebounder, Kevin Garnett, brings down only 7.8 per contest. While these numbers were acceptable when Garnett played at the 4 to Kendrick Perkins on previous iterations of the Boston Celtics, but a 6’11 Center with greatly diminished athleticism is not the recipe to dominate the glass. The rebounding weakness is going to be a large concern for Doc Rivers going into battle against Tyson Chandler (10.7rpg, 4.1 off.) and Carmleo Anthony (6.9rpg, 2 off.). While not a great rebounding team either, this is one area that the Knicks do have the advantage in and will exploit the Celtics. Tyson Chandler, creeping towards the twilight of his career, knows how important this year is to his aspirations of adding a championship ring to the Olympic Gold medal and will be preparing to exploit the small Celtics to the best of his abilities.

Apr 14, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 90-80. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Adding to the rolling pain for Boston is the bullish Kenyon Martin. Expected to match up on either Brandon Bass, KG or Jeff Green when on the floor, Martin brings aggression off the pine and has been impressiv e during the season for the Knicks since signing on as a free agent. A veristile defender, Martin provides a good secondary option to cover the interesting Celtics big man line-up. He has the skills and length to cover Bass and despite conceding some foot speed, should be able to do the job on Jeff Green when Melo is resting or on Pierce. With Anthony developing into a LeBron-esque combo forward, the Knicks now have the ability to load up on a ‘big’ line-up of two guards (hey, Shump!), Melo, Martin and Chandler that could potentially wreak havoc against a Boston outfit that is suspectible to size and rebounding.

New York Knicks

This is the New York Knicks that MSG wanted. They’re second-best in the East for a reason. Carmelo Anthony, fresh off his first scoring title, seems poised to lead from the front by piling on the points and he’s brought some friends this time. Adding to the scoring attack marshaled by Melo is J.R. Smith. Both guys are extremely talented scorers to the point you can’t isolate a specific aspect of their offense that is particularly good. You take away their shot and they drive to the hole. Lock down the paint, and they’ll hit a step-back jumper right in your face. Surrounding the two gifted scorers are a combination of good perimeter scorers (Novak, Kidd) and the inside bangers who are ready to receive and finish down low (Chandler, Martin).

The well crafted offense of Mike Woodson’s will test the stingy Celtics defensive more than almost any other side in the East. Raymond Felton, while not continuing the promise he showed during the hot start to the season, has done a serviceable driving the offense while Kidd has played his role of back-up ballhandler and spot-up shooter despite hitting some slumps throughout the year. Carmelo Anthony isn’t simply a brilliant scorer, or a superstar either – he’s a brilliant superstar scorer who is in red hot form. Closing the season, Carmelo Anthony threw 50 points on the Heat and then another 40 the following week on the Hawks. Not only are these primetime Kobe numbers in terms of scoring, but he went about his business in a very efficient manner – shooting 66% over the two games. The Celtics are going to struggle to contain him. In an earlier encounter, Rivers overloaded the strong side to death which successfully threw Anthony off his game…but allowed J.R. Smith to bury 32. Next time out the Celtics were blown out of the water on all cylinders.

The say that Anthony or Smith aren’t the best offensive weapon in Woodson’s chest would seem laughable, but there’s a third toy the Knicks have to play with that could keep the Celtics staff awake at night. The ‘two-PG combo’ that Woodson has used effectively throughout the year has been devastatingly effective. When two of Raymond Felton, Pablo Prigioni and Jason Kidd hit the floor, they become one of the most biting offenses in the league bar few. It works because the Knicks retain everything mentioned above that makes their offense so spectacular and strong – Anthony and Smith’s scoring, Chandler’s inside work and the perimeter guys – but adds in an element of ball movement that the Knicks don’t have when they throw out other line-ups with a traditional two.With the ball pinging around, it opens up more opportunities for the Novaks placed around the perimeter and also gets the Knicks a lot of good looks inside that the Celtics need to work hard to try to limit.

When the Knicks are fit and firing, they are near-unstoppable. The only issue for New York, is that they’re never healthy. The Knicks have already had to rule out starting guard Pablo Prigioni for game 1 with an ankle injury. Offseason signing Rasheed Wallace has already retreated to retirement before the Playoffs commenced due to a foot injury that has kept him sidelined for a lot of time this season, which led to Earl Barron coming on board to fill the void. The biggest out however for the Knicks could be Amar’e Stoudemire.

Speaking to the New York Daily News, Mike Woodson believes the former All-Star Stoudemire may m “I think he’s going to be out, That’s my gut. But he was out here moving around and shooting a little bit. It’s kind of nice to see him on the floor.” Stoudemire’s out compounds the hit to the Knicks’ depth as well as Prigioni’s injury. The injury will force Chris Copeland to start, which is another blow to the bench that is now likely going to lean more on the production of Steve Novak and Kenyon Martin during the Boston series.

It’s no secret that the Knicks’ health has been their biggest limitation this season, with their full list never being available because of injury. J.R. Smith and Steve Novak are the only two to play in more than 80 games this season. Prigioni and Kidd both have more than 75 under their belt but the list begins to thin with Felton (68), Melo (67) and Chandler (66) being the only other to play above 60 games this season. For the Knicks, they’ve had nearly $30,000,000 worth of players that have not topped that 60 game plateau this season with many of them – Kurt Thomas, Amar’e Stoudemire, Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace – unavailable for this series.

Players to Watch

The players to watch in this series are very directly linked with each other. The two have been at two ends of the spectrum this season – from lining up on the same side of the center stripe at All-Star Weekend, to coming within inches of a WWE-style parking lot brawl at the Celtics team bus. Carmelo Anthony has a chance to exact some revenge to the trash talking psycho Kevin Garnett. It’s a storm that the NBA has been waiting for and praying for all season. There’s Carmelo, who has always emitted a sense of sensitivity and vulnerability about himself while earning some sympathy from some of the more partial fans. A member of that star-studded 2003 draft class, he’s had to watch his peers collect their championship rings while meddling away on the Nuggets and lately the Knicks. He went to London and, we suspect, had to sit around while LeBron and Kobe compared championship rings and told Kevin Durant and James Harden how good it’ll feel when they one day get theirs. Well, maybe it didn’t exactly go like that, but Carmelo Anthony has long seemed like the guy who ends up without a chair when the music stops. However, he’s the most devastating scorers in the league today and has his best chance this year.

Apr 13, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett (5) reacts against the Orlando Magic during the second half at the Amway Center. Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 120-88. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Enter Kevin Garnett, who has done everything from have a bar fight with Dwight Howard to allegedly calling Detroit’s Charlie Villanueva a ‘cancer patient’  and driving LeBron James to insanity – to his own detriment last season in the Eastern Conference Finals. He’s already exploited Carmelo’s emotional vulnerability in a game earlier this season with an alleged slur about Anthony’s wife LaLa that led to a heated confrontation between the two. Both later dismissed it and even palled around at the All-Star game, but Garnett holds no punches when on the hardwood; let alone during a Playoffs game.

For both, time is running out. I’ve written before about the urgency of the Knicks putting it all together now and time is short for Kevin Garnett. Every year since the 2008 Finals, everyone has wondered how long this Boston outfit has left. Some would say their championship window has already closed. Garnett is nearly thirty seven years old and in his seventeenth year. Paul Pierce is treading similar water. Danny Ainge has come close to detonating this core for years now and came close sending KG to the Clippers at the last deadline. If he has any chances left to win another title in Celtic green, it’s this year. Don’t expect KG to go down without a fight.

Prediction

At their best, both teams could make the Eastern Conference Finals while at their worst, both are borderline playoff teams. The Knicks marched into the Playoffs with fifteen of their last eighteen while Boston closed their year with a 3-12 slide. The Celtics will fight valiantly as they always do, but the New York Knicks know their time is now. Carmelo Anthony is simply unstoppable, and sadly for the Celtics Army, nothing Boston can throw at the Knicks will be enough to overcome the strength of Anthony and the interior defense of Chandler and Martin. While I am taking the Knicks in this one, I must remark that this is the most unpredictable series, I believe, in the entire bracket. We don’t even know who’s suiting up for the Knicks every night, let alone how they’ll play. For the Celtics, they’re as good as their movement suggests – at their peak, they were light-footed and strong when diving to the hoop. At their worst, they throw up enough bricks to build a new home stadium if they so desired. One variable which could play large is the enormous sense of motivation and passion that the proud Boston Celtics may encompass going into the series following this week’s tragic events. Doc Rivers has spoken beautifully this week of his anger at what has been inflicted upon his city, and the team’s love and affinity with it. The Celtics are certainly not a team that ever lacks passion, but the galvanising events of the past week may be something that takes them into another gear which could lead them to an upset. With all that being said though, I am still backing the Knicks who I think will continue their hot run and take this one in 6.

Post-game, the MVP fancy couldn’t help but comment on the situation, telling reporters: “It’s been happening all year, and I’ve been able to keep my cool and tell [Erik Spoelstra], ‘let’s not worry about it’. But it is getting to me a little bit. Every time I try to defend myself, I’ve got to face the consequences of a flagrant or a technical foul or whatever the case may be. It’s tough. It’s very tough.”

Ainge, a two-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics during his playing career, discussed the situation with Boston radio station WEEI following the comments. Ainge disagreed with LeBron’s assessment of the situation and backed the referees on both counts, in allowing the hard fouls from Gibson and Hinrich and also calling the flagrant foul for the shot on Boozer. However, Ainge made sure his comments hit home by adding, “I think that it’s almost embarrassing that LeBron would complain about officiating.”

Not a man to let his players go defenseless, Heat President Pat Riley released a brutal statement through the team to officially respond to Ainge. “Danny Ainge needs to shut the f— up and manage his own team. He was the biggest whiner going when he was playing and I know that because I coached against him.”

Riley coached the legendary ‘Showtime Lakers’ through the eighties while Ainge was a part of the famous Celtics team led by Larry Bid, a decade-long rivalry that is now carved into NBA folklore. While it has since subsided, I’m sure Riley was especially provoked by Ainge’s comments because he was a Celtic. The Celtics have been tormentors for Riley since he left the Lakers, with the Heat and Celtics locking horns in some intense battles since Riley brought together Miami’s Big 3.

Ainge has since moved to distance himself from a beef, stating “I think we were both right,” and conceded he was a frequent complainer during his playing days, and also agreed he should manage his own team. However, if the preceding Lil Wayne/Pusha-T feud has taught us anything about modern day beef, this isn’t the end of it. Following the exchange of words, both will proceed to downplay it, and then make passive-aggressive allusions to each other in their upcoming songs. Prepare to see Danny Ainge go off on his upcoming single, with featuring vocals from The-Dream.

Alternatively, I’d be happy to see Doc Rivers’ proposal go into action. The Boston coach told reporters. “I think it’s funny. Very interesting. I think it’s cool. They should duke it out.” While both men are known more for their work on the basketball court, I’d be very keen to see them square off the boxing ring. Personally, I’d take Pat Riley in a split decision.

Mar 13, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics power forward Chris Wilcox (44) returns up court with small forward Paul Pierce (34) as they take on the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Last night, the Celtics didn’t need a game winner to take care of the Toronto Raptors. In fact, they routed the Raptors 112-88. Along the way, they ran a great out of bounds play that I want to take a look at today.

It starts with Paul Pierce inbounding the ball. He gets the ball to Chris Wilcox at the three-point line and steps in bounds. Immediately, Pierce sets a screen for Courtney Lee, who cuts across the lane. At the same time, Wilcox has swung the ball to Jeff Green who is at the top of the key.

As soon as Wilcox gets rid of the ball, he moves to set a down screen for Pierce. Right after Lee has used Pierce’s screen, Pierce curls up to the wing, coming off the screen set for him by Wilcox. He is wide open on the wing when he catches the ball, which is exactly what the Celtics wanted. He then pump fakes Jonas Valanciunas out of the way and drives to the basket for a lay-up.

This action is called “screening the screener,” and this is how it works.

First, Pierce’s screen forces his defender to help on Courtney Lee. If there was no help, Green would have simply thrown the ball to Lee for an easy lay-up, because Avery Bradley is spacing the floor in the corner, leaving no one near the lane to protect the basket. Then, before Pierce’s defender can recover, a screen is already being set for Pierce, who runs off it, and is wide open.

This kind of action forces the defense to be alert and really work. If they don’t communicate well enough and either call for a switch or fight through the screen quickly, then the offense will have someone open, as the Celtics did with Pierce.

(For more on this type of play, check out this piece from Jacob Frankel of HoopChalk.)

Shavlik Randolph

Earlier this morning, CSN’s Celtics Insider A. Sherrod Blakely broke the news:

#Celticstalk: The #Celtics have signed Shavlik Randolph to a 10-day contract.

— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) March 1, 2013

Randolph played his college ball at Duke and in 2005 he declared for the NBA Draft and went undrafted. However, the Philadelphia 76ers gave him a shot by inviting him to training camp, where he played well enough to earn a roster spot. Unfortunately, after spending three years in Philly he became somewhat of a journeyman as he bounced between three teams in the next two seasons. By 2010 he found himself out of the Association and decided to take his talents overseas. Most recently, over the course of the 2012-13 Chinese Basketball Association’s campaign, he averaged an absurd 32.0 PPG and 14.6 RPG. I bet you’re thinking he did it over just a few games and got lucky in one of those contests. That’s just simply not the case, because Randolph was able to maintain these numbers through 28 games.

July 17, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Wizards player Shavlik Randolph (32) takes a free throw during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Cox Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

What to Expect

Shavlik Randolph will not average 32 and 14 in the NBA, I’m just getting that out of the way now. However, if given an adequate amount of minutes, I fully expect him to grab around 5-6 rebounds a game. As for his role offensively, he will probably be lucky if he averages about 4 per outing. He is definitely a capable player on the offensive end but the Celtics didn’t sign him to score the ball. Currently, Boston is ranked 29th in the NBA in rebounds per game as a unit. Enter Randolph, now the team has a 6’10, 236 pound body to throw his weight around down in the trenches.

As a member of the NBA, Randolph has posted averages of 2.4 PPG and 2.4 RPG in just a little over 8 MPG. In an odd way, I’m kind of glad that’s the case. With such low career averages, he will be free to play with practically no expectations at all. While no doubt he will be nervous playing through this 10-day contract, I think he can breathe a little easier than most due to the fact that the Celtics faithful won’t know much about him. If he under performs you’ll hear fans saying, “Well what did you expect,” and if he plays to the potential I know he has you’ll be listening to more of, “Wow, solid pickup for the C’s.” Over the next 10-days the Celtics will take on the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, and Oklahoma City Thunder. There will be plenty of opportunity for Randolph to showcase his skills so keep an eye out for the big guy, he’ll be wearing number 42.

D.J. White

Two days ago, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports announced that the Celtics would be signing D.J. White:

After forward D.J. White’s letter of clearance finally arrived from China, he’ll sign with Celtics in next 24 hours, sources tell Y! Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 27, 2013

D.J. White was selected 29th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He is only one year removed from the NBA as he played for the Charlotte Bobcats last season. For the majority of this year’s campaign, White found himself suiting up for the Shanghai Sharks of the CBA. Like Randolph, White also dominated in China this season posting per game averages of 21 and 10.

March 7, 2011; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward DJ White (8) drives to the basket while playing against the Los Angeles Clippers at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

What to Expect

White is a bruising 6’9, 250 pound forward who was also brought on to help on the boards. For his career, he averages 16.2 MPG and produces about 6 points and 3 rebounds in that time. Although he sports a 50% FG for his career, don’t look for him to light up the score board. While it is refreshing that he can score rather efficiently, his focus will be on defense and rebounding the basketball. Unlike Randolph, I expect White to come out with a good amount of confidence. He’s played against and alongside the best the league has to offer. With that said, he should fit in somewhat seamlessly as he already knows what to expect from most players. Most importantly, though, White is going to bring more toughness to the floor. Earlier this season, Doc Rivers had accused his team of being soft. Since then they have gotten tougher and have been more aggressive but there is still room for improvement. When Sullinger went down I started seeing players boxing out for rebounds even less. Sully was really the only one who would drive his man out of the way to get the rebound. D.J. White will take the floor and look to put a body on somebody right away.

Terrence Williams

What started out as a 10-day contract turned into a full-time gig:

Celtics will sign Terrence Williams for rest of season and conditionally for 2013-’14, league source tells Y! Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) March 1, 2013

When Terrence Williams signed his 10-day contract with the Celtics, I saw it as a perfect opportunity for him. The Celtics needed some help at the guard position and Williams has proved to be a good fit so far in Boston. In fact, he finds himself playing alongside former teammate, Courtney Lee, and Seattle area natives, Avery Bradley and Jason Terry. I don’t think that Williams could have dreamed up a better situation for himself. If his option for next year is picked up, I am seriously interested in seeing what he will do alongside Rajon Rondo. Williams is extremely athletic and has the ability to throw it down with the best of them.

What to Expect

Williams is averaging 4.3 points and 2 assists per game so far in his short stint with the Celtics. Although the numbers might be low, he’s only been logging around 14 minutes per game. As the year goes on and he gets more practice time under his belt, his minutes will increase. Williams has surprised me with his passing skills thus far and I have a feeling he will be able to get his assist numbers to about 5 a game by season’s end. He makes the correct passes at the correct times and he hardly forces the issue.

Not only can he move the ball around effectively, he has a consistent jump shot. A small sample size of 46% and 50% from the field and behind the arc, respectively, suggests that he’s more than capable of scoring the basketball. Realistically, I think he can probably up his scoring average to around 8 PPG before the season is over. His focus right now is to be a facilitator so he won’t be doing a large amount of scoring. However, if he sticks around next year, I think he has the potential to score anywhere between 12-14 points per game with Rondo setting him up. The C’s were very fortunate to sign Williams at this point in the season. As long as he continues to be a dynamic offensive player the Celtics will be more than happy to have him.

The night I heard that Terrence Williams would be joining the Celtics, I decided to ask him how he felt about the whole situation. He told me that he hadn’t been to sleep since he received the call.

“@timmaclean_sts: @therealtwill How’d you feel when you got the call from the C’s?” Haven’t been to sleep since lol

— Terrence Williams (@TheRealTWill) February 20, 2013

I’m glad that Williams is proud to be a member of my Celtics and I’m looking forward to watching him get better each day under Doc Rivers’ tutelage. The only thing I have to say to TWill is that I hope he’s been able to get some rest, because we’re gonna need him at his best for the rest of the season.

Follow @TimMacLean_StS

Feb. 22, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Michael Beasley (0) handles the ball against Boston Celtics guard Jordan Crawford (27) in the second half at US Airways Center. The Celtics defeated the Suns 113-88. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

I love Jordan Crawford.

Sure it was only one game, but I’m all in. Is it a trap? Well, ya, I guess there’s a chance, but I don’t care. I’m driving the Jordan Crawford bandwagon, and there’s plenty of room for everyone to hop aboard.

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Now, the trade deadline was a strange time to be a Celtics fan. Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett were all on the block. There were daily rumors of trade talks, and talks being called off and blowing it all up, or not blowing it all up.

No one knew what was going to happen. Heck, Danny Ainge probably didn’t even know.

And then suddenly, as the deadline closed in, a different name emerged in Celtics’ trade talks:

Jordan Crawford.

The Celtics shipped Leandro Barbosa (out for the year with a torn ACL) and big man Jason Collins to the Wizards for the young Crawford.

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The move was unexpected, especially after all the talks involving Rondo, Pierce and Garnett. Initially, it was met with some confusion. Why were the Celtics trading for a guard when they desperately needed a big man? Some also disliked the move because of Crawford’s reputation as an inefficient gunner. Now, Crawford definitely likes to shoot. But who doesn’t?

Despite any concerns that people may have had initially, this trade can work out well for the Celtics.

First of all, Crawford is a scorer, pure and simple. Since he first came into the league in 2010 that has been his reputation. However, his main flaw is that he has never met a shot he doesn’t like. Crawford is full of confidence, and it can lead to poor shot selection, as shown by his 41.5% field goal percentage.

Doc Rivers mentioned it immediately when asked about the trade, saying,

“Listen, he’s a scorer. Most scorers don’t have a conscience, and that’s a good thing,” Rivers said. “What you try to teach him is the difference between a good [shot] and a bad one. But you don’t want to take away — if he’s a great scorer, great scorers make bad shots.”

Granted, he will probably still take some bad shots, but Crawford’s bench scoring will be huge for the Celtics. As he did last night, Crawford will come off the bench and play in the second unit with either Jason Terry or Terrence Williams. With Crawford, the Celtics finally have another player who can go get his own shot when the offense is stagnant or the shot clock is winding down

For many years, Paul Pierce has been the Celtics’ only player who could create his own shot. This is why Rondo was so valuable. He was always capable of finding shots for guys. Without Rondo, the Celtics’ offense has actually been pretty good overall, but they still go through stretches where the offense is painful to watch. Just check out the tape from their game against Chicago a few weeks ago.

*                                                                      *                                                          *

Given a chance, Crawford has shown he can play, as evidenced by his per 36 minute stats. According to NBA.com, he is averaging 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists per 36 minutes. Seeing as the Celtics picked him up, they are clearly willing to give Crawford that chance.

The most important part of River’s quote from earlier is this:

“What you try to teach him is the difference between a good [shot] and a bad one.”

And what better place for Crawford to learn and grow as a player than under Rivers, Garnett and Pierce. Crawford is only 24 and in his 3^rd season in the league. He clearly has the talent; he just needs to put it all together. With Rivers and company showing him the way, there’s no reason to believe Crawford can’t become a very solid option off the bench.

At the very least, it’s gonna be a fun ride. So come on everybody, jump aboard the bandwagon. Give Jordan Crawford and all his steez a shot.

After tearing his ACL a few weeks ago, it seemed that Rondo would no longer be involved in trade rumors. But then, CBS Sports’ Ken Berger reported last week that the Boston Celtics had discussed a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers involving Rondo and Dwight Howard.

Today, however, new reports make it seem that Rondo will be staying in Boston for the time being.

At USAT: Trade buzz – Rondo’s agent says he’s not being dealt, details on Brooklyn’s offer for J. Smith & more- usat.ly/WQSeqk

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 20, 2013

Despite the Celtics’ success without Rondo, the team is not better off long term without him, especially with an aging core. It would take a major haul for the Celtics to actually deal their star point guard.

Feb 19, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 97-90. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Pierce

According to a report this afternoon from Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnnarowski, the Brooklyn Nets have made the Celtics’ an offer for Paul Pierce.

“The Nets’ offer centered on forward Kris Humphries, guard MarShon Brooks and a first-round draft pick, but the Celtics want a more substantial package to consider moving Pierce, league sources said.”

While Pierce is nearing the end of his career, it makes sense that the Celtics would turn down this offer. The first-round pick would be a mid, to late first rounder, so that isn’t very valuable to the Celtics. Humphries, though a solid rebounder, is a mediocre player. And even though Brooks is only in his second year in the league, he is already 24 years old and can barely get off the bench.

It is unlikely that the Celtics move Pierce at all, but they certainly won’t move him for an offer as weak as this one from the Nets.

Kevin Garnett

In the same report, Wojnarowski reported that the Garnett to the Los Angeles Clippers talks are now off.

“For now, the Los Angeles Clippers have terminated talks with the Boston Celtics on a Kevin Garnett for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan trade, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.”

Garnett has a no-trade clause that he would have to waive in order to be traded. But there were thoughts that his good friend Chauncey Billups and moving close to his Malibu home could persuade Garnett to accept a deal to the Clippers.

The rumored trade that would send Bledsoe and Jordan to the Celtics would be tough to stomach for Celtics fans, but it would make sense for the team. Garnett is nearing the end of his career, and this trade would allow them to rebuild quickly with two good, young players.

By ending talks the Clippers appear to be weary of giving up their future for an aging Garnett, who is unlikely to even waive his no-trade clause.

1. Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks

Josh Smith has been rumored in trade talks for years now.  However, with his free agency status pending, he is a virtual lock to go elsewhere.  And why not?  He has put his time in with the team, helping the Hawks go from cellar-dweller status to a respectable playoff team.  He was suspended earlier this season for conduct detrimental to the team.  The one reason to try to keep him is to use him as a lure for Dwight Howard to come to his hometown of Atlanta.  However, if Dwight didn’t put the Hawks on his wish-list last year, why would he go there now?  And if Dwight is unlikely to come, why hold on to Smith?

Feb 8 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe (12) during the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

2. Eric Bledsoe, LA Clippers

Eric Bledsoe has really set himself up for a huge paycheck for next year and beyond.  The question is, where is it going to be?  Certainly not in Clipper land, where Chris Paul will presumably sign a long-term deal and run Lob City for years to come.  With his trade value very high, Bledsoe should garner a lot of interest from other teams looking for a solid point guard to build their team around.

3. Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz

With a crowded but talented front court, Utah is not going to be able to hang on to all their bigs.  As a small-market team, we have seen precedence that holding on to more than 2-3 stars is just not feasible (e.g. James Harden in OKC, Rudy Gay in Memphis).  Trading Millsap makes the most sense, as the Jazz will want to give more minutes to their new talented bigs in Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter.  At the same time, they can keep their contender status with Al Jefferson manning the middle.  To me, trading Millsap to the Clippers for Bledsoe makes the most sense for both teams.

4. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

I’m going out on a limb here:  while GM Danny Ainge has been adamant about not trading Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce, he remains mum about his newest superstar.  Obviously, tearing his ACL kind of sets back Rondo’s trade value, but teams would still love to have him.  Also, it’s not like this would be the first time Rondo would be shopped around.  The team rattled off eight straight wins in his absence, which may reinforce Rondo’s expendability.  Although a shakeup is due soon, I think Ainge, deep down, does not want to build around the volatile young point guard.

5. Kris Humphries, Brooklyn Nets

Humphries is being actively shopped by the aggressive Nets, most conspicuously in an effort to get Josh Smith from Atlanta.  While that particular exchange seems unlikely, I think Humphries has become the odd man out of Brooklyn in PJ Carlisemo’s playbook.  Besides, Reggie Evans and Andray Blatche have proven to be far more valuable role players.  There’s many teams that could get his hands on him in the next 24 hours, and I suspect that the Nets aren’t going to be it.

Of all the players rumored to be in trade talks, I’ll tell you who’s not getting traded, also.

1. Dwight Howard and 2. Pau Gasol, LA Lakers

Despite the growing speculation that Howard is a lock to leave LA so long as coach Mike D’Antoni and golden boy Kobe Bryant stick around, I highly doubt that Mitch Kupchak will come to his senses and trade Howard.  The team has made it clear that it wants Howard to be the centerpiece of its future.  Problem is, I don’t think Dwight will want to suck it up for another year or two under the tutelage of Kobe and D’Antoni.  It would be equally asinine for the Lakers to keep Howard as it would have been for the Magic to keep him last year.  Be that as it may, don’t expect Howard to leave LA until July 1^st.

As for Gasol, don’t expect him to go anywhere, either.  His foot injury has not only quieted trade talks surrounding him, but also subsided the other troubling subplot of the season:  D’Antoni has NO CLUE how to play his two star bigs together.  None.  The team is about a million times better featuring Gasol in the post rather than Howard, but now that is a moot point.  Lakers will want to keep him in case they make a run at the playoffs – which, by the way, is still a possibility, given the Golden State Warriors’ impending slide in the standings.

3. Kevin Garnett and 4. Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

Since Rondo went down, the media-driven trade talks surrounding the two current Celtics icons gained some steam.  However, Danny Ainge has been very clear that he does not expect either Garnett or Pierce to get traded.  Garnett has a no-trade clause that he has absolutely no intention of waiving, and Pierce cannot leave Boston for the same reason that Kobe can’t leave Los Angeles, and Tim Duncan can’t leave San Antonio:  you just cannot get rid of your long-standing franchise player.  That’s a big no-no.

5. Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls

Yes, he is overpaid.  And yes, he has been largely disappointing, other than a few stretches of good games this season.  But I think with Derrick Rose presumably coming back soon, the Bulls will want to see one more go-around with the Rose-Boozer-Noah core and make another playoff push.  If Boozer disappoints again, I think he will be shopped heavily over the summer.  But for now, expect him to stay put.

Oct 13, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Terrence Williams (9) drives for the basket against Milwaukee Bucks guard Beno Udrih (19) at the Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

About an hour ago, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported that the Boston Celtics had signed swingman Terrence Williams.

Terrence Williams signing is a done deal according to #celtics source

— gary washburn (@GwashNBAGlobe) February 18, 2013

Williams agreed to a 10-day contract in which he can face a couple of different situations. When the contract runs out, the team can choose to sign him full-time or to another 10-day contract. If he serves two 10-day contracts, the Celtics can choose to sign him full-time or release him. If they decided to release him, Danny Ainge would still have the opportunity to sign him full-time at any point throughout this season.

The Louisville product was the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft. The New Jersey Nets selected him and he spent two seasons in New Jersey before moving on to Houston where he would suit up for the Rockets. Williams only appeared in 23 games for the Rockets in his combined two years playing there. His most recent stint in the NBA was during the 2011-12 campaign where he would find himself competing in just 18 contests for the Sacramento Kings.

Terrence Williams has managed to average just 7.6 PPG, while shooting 40% and 32% from the field and beyond the arc respectively. However, in the 29 games he appeared in for the Guangdong Southern Tigers (Chinese Basketball Association) this year, he averaged 17.9 PPG.

Although Williams hasn’t lived up to expectations since being drafted, the potential is still there. He has the ability to be a good short term stop gap for the Boston Celtics. After being invited to the Detroit Pistons camp prior to this season, he was cut. I think that Williams will take this opportunity he’s getting from the C’s and make the most out of it. He will have plenty of chances to show what he’s got to the Celtics’ brass as the guys in green are starting a long road trip on Tuesday. Look for Williams to be signed throughout the remainder of the season after he plays out his 10-day contract. He has great athletic ability and he knows how to score the basketball. As a Celtics fan, I am really excited to see what he can do for Boston.

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Feb 12, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) is congratulated by guard Steve Blake (5) in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Rajon Rondo For Dwight Howard?

Both Rondo and Howard have been mentioned in trade rumors on numerous occasions this season. In the last few weeks however, Rondo tore his ACL and Howard was supposedly told he wouldn’t be traded.

According to CBS Sports’ Ken Berger, however, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers engaged in preliminary talks involving the two stars.

“CBSSports.com has learned that the Lakers have engaged in preliminary trade discussions with an unlikely trade partner regarding Howard: their fierce rival, the Boston Celtics. The centerpieces of the possible deal, which hasn’t gained any traction, would be Howard and Rajon Rondo.”

Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak almost immediately denied the reports, saying,

“I haven’t talked to Danny Ainge in weeks.”

While the deal is unlikely, as Berger mentions, it is still surprising that the teams would discus such a swap. While Kupchak’s denial doesn’t mean much, (any GM would deny having those talks) it would be absolutely shocking to see a trade based around Rondo for Howard happening.

Kevin Garnett to the Clippers?

Late last night, another rumor involving the Celtics and a team from Los Angeles broke, this time it focused on Kevin Garnett.

Yahoo! Sports reported that the Celtics were involved in talks with the Los Angeles Clippers.

“The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have been discussing a deal to trade forward Kevin Garnett for guard Eric Bledsoe and center DeAndre Jordan, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.”

Garnett, who has a no-trade clause, is the emotional leader of the Celtics. If he were to leave Boston, it would be a tough decision for him to make, and even tougher for fans to accept.

However, from a strictly basketball perspective, this trade makes sense for the Celtics. Adding Jordan and Bledsoe for Garnett, who has only a few years left at the most, would allow them to still compete this season and build for the future.

For the Clippers, this would be a very shortsighted move, intent on winning a title immediately. Trading two young, talented players for a veteran on the verge of retirement will hurt their future. However, they may be willing to mortgage their future if they think adding Garnett would make a championship more viable.

- Stay tuned to Saving The Skyhook as we continue to follow all of the latest trade rumors across the NBA

Feb 13, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center forward Kevin Garnett (5) during the first quarter against the Chicago Bulls at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

“This is definitely my last All Star Game.” The words no true basketball fan ever wanted to hear but, at the same time, knew were inevitable. These are the words of Kevin Garnett, one of the greatest to ever play the game.

After tonight’s win over the Chicago Bulls, the Celtics big man spoke with reporters per usual. In a small back and forth with one reporter, KG was asked if this year’s All Star Game would be his last. After confirming that it would be, Garnett was asked why he thought that if he still had two years remaining on his contract with the team. “Ya’ll don’t know what I know,” he said in a matter of fact fashion.

Since hearing those comments, I’ve come to the unfortunate conclusion that this will most likely be Garnett’s last year playing professional basketball. However, I can’t say that this is the first time I’ve had these thoughts throughout the course of the 2012-13 NBA campaign. Actually, the first time the notion came to mind was when Rajon Rondo was told that he would be out for the remainder of the season due to an ACL tear. Without their star point guard, the Celtics looked like they would be in some serious trouble. You can’t simply replace what Rondo brings to the team. He may not be the best scorer in the league, but in my opinion, he is the best passer. Rondo has mastered the art of creating for his teammates and using any means necessary to get the ball to the open man. Without him, who would the Celtics hand the reigns to as the facilitator of their offense? Most importantly, Rondo is one of just three players who played for the 2008 championship squad. The other two obviously being Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. In saying that, I mean that he’s been there before and he knows what it takes to have playoff success. I heard about the injury and thought about it for a while. Maybe playing point guard by committee wouldn’t be SO bad. I decided to see how the C’s would fare without him. It’s not like things could get any worse, right?

Wrong. The next game on the schedule had the Celtics slated to take on the Miami Heat at the TD Garden. Just a few minutes into play, rookie Jared Sullinger hobbled off the court and directly into the locker room. The initial report was that he was having “back spasms.” Although that was true, when he was further examined, doctors told him that he would need to have surgery to repair a herniated disk. This injury was no stranger to Sullinger, who had seen his draft stock negatively effected because of his poor back history. To throw salt in the gaping wound caused by the Rondo injury, Sullinger was also told that he would miss the rest of the season as well.

Feb 10, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) shoots the ball against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

In just a matter of days, the Celtics lost both their floor general, who just happened to be leading the league in assists with 11.1, and their second leading rebounder in Sullinger who was averaging roughly 6 boards per game. The men in green found themselves in a very tough position.

Wait a minute though, the Celtics went on to knock off the Heat in a game that required extra sessions, making them 1-0 as a Rondo-less group. It would turn out that the win would give them a pretty good deal of confidence. The team ripped off six straight wins following that contest putting them at 7-0 without Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger. At this point, fans and analysts alike were starting to wonder if the Celtics were actually a better team without Rondo. I hate to break it to you though, that’s just simply not the case. When you put on a Celtics uniform, you’re expected to buy into the brotherhood and feel the pride that had run through players before them for decades. The team came together and decided that they would fight as hard as they could for their guys that couldn’t be out there with them.

Next up on the docket: the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. Boston was visibly tired and the Bobcats were running them out of the gym in transition but the game remained close. Then, after hiding for about a week and a half, the injury bug decided to make an appearance. Combo guard Leandro Barbosa caught the ball in the post, pivoted, and dished the ball back out to the top of the key. Following the pass, Barbosa fell to the floor grabbing his knee. He would have to be carried off the court to the locker room where he couldn’t put even the slightest bit of weight on it. It was reported the next morning that the veteran had torn his ACL and suffered damage to his MCL, and would be out for the season. This is when I really started thinking about KG’s future.

With all this said, at 36 years old, Kevin Garnett doesn’t have time to be messing around waiting for his teammates to get healthy again. He also doesn’t have time playing for a team that can’t give him a great chance to make a run at the title. Historically, the Celtics have been known for making a run after the All Star break, as we saw last year year when the team came within one game of the NBA Finals after they had headed into the break under .500. Unfortunately, I see the team making the playoffs but I can’t imagine them making a lot of noise in the post season. The problem is that the Celtics don’t have any interesting trade chips which means they’ll probably have to fill roster spots via free agency. I don’t see anybody in the free agency pool that can come in right away and get this team over the hump. With teams like the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, and the Indiana Pacers also competing in the Eastern Conference, I don’t think the Celtics can roll through all of those teams on the way to an NBA Finals. On the off chance they did make the Finals, the chances of them taking down an opponent like the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, or Los Angeles Clippers are slim to none. They just don’t have the pieces or the youth to get such a tall task done.

As we all know, KG won’t leave the Celtics through a trade. First of all, he’s too loyal and he would never leave the squad in their helpless state. Garnett has also said on multiple occasions that he won’t play for anybody but Doc Rivers for the rest of his career. Perhaps the most convincing reason why he won’t be traded is because he has the benefit of the oh so rare no-trade clause on his side. He is currently one of four players in the entire league that has such a clause in his contract. In fact, the only way that KG would accept a trade would be if Paul Pierce were to be traded first.

Dec 12, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce (34) and power forward Kevin Garnett (5) signal during a break in the action against the Dallas Mavericks at the TD Garden. Celtics defeated the Mavericks in double overtime 117-115. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Both Paul and Kevin have made it clear that they want to retire as members of the Boston Celtics. In this article by ESPNBoston’s, Chris Forsberg, he quotes KG as saying, “…I bleed green and I continue to do that. And if it’s up to me then I’m going to retire a Celtic.”In this video, Paul Pierce is doing an interview with WEEI during practice. Pierce goes on to say, “I want to retire as a Celtic. That’s been my longtime goal, but it’s not under my control. The organization, they make their decisions, but it’s something I’ve desired since being here so long.”

In my opinion, this is a great thing to see, especially in today’s NBA where players change teams all the time. However, it’s a frightening thing to me as well. If this truly is Kevin Garnett’s last season then that means it could be Paul Pierce’s last as well.

Sure, they might not go out on top but as much as they love the game, their tired and battle tested bodies just might not have enough left to go through a possible rebuild next year. They won a ring together, something that was so elusive for a long period of time. Whether it was KG’s days in Minnesota or Paul’s early days with the Celtics, I think they both may have thought it just wasn’t supposed to happen for them. After going through years and years of being super stars on bad teams, these two future Hall of Famers got it done together.

Being the proud owner of a championship ring is the tip of what has been a mountainous career for Kevin Garnett. The man has done more in 17 seasons than most players dream about.

Accolades that include:

- NBA MVP (2004)
- 15 time NBA All Star (1997-98, 2000-11, 2013)
- All Star Game MVP (2003)
- NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2008)
- 4 time All-NBA First Team (2000, 2003-04, 2008)
- 3 time All-NBA Second Team (2001-02, 2005)
- 2 time All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2007)
- 9 time NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000-05, 2008-09, 2011)
- 3 time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2006-07, 2012)
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1996)
- 4 time NBA Rebounding Champion (2004-07)
- J. Walter Kennedy Citizen Ship Award (2006)

Not to mention his career averages of 19.2 PPG and 10.5 RPG.

February 11, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics center forward Kevin Garnett (5) in the pre game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

The bottom line is that KG has nothing left to prove to anyone. He’s done it all while being one of the most competitive players to ever put on an NBA uniform. His intensity has been unmatched throughout the years, causing his teammates to adore him while opponents can’t stand him. If KG decides to retire after this year then so be it. If he wants to bring Paul Pierce with him, let him. Both of these men have made huge impacts on the game we all know and love. As a lifetime Celtics fan, I am honored and feel truly privileged to have watched these men perform night in and night out. They’ve had each other’s backs for years, and it would only be fitting if The Big Ticket and The Truth rode away from the TD Garden in the same limousine, reminiscing on their prestigious careers and deciding what they should do first with all of their new found time.

*All stats can be found on NBA.com*

Follow @TimMacLean_StS

Jan. 7, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) have words on the court during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Boston won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Carmelo Anthony was a lack of respect. Though some, including Anthony himself, were in favor of the decision and saw it as an act of protection, to avoid embroiling Anthony in further scandals like the infamous Garnett-Melo incident.

Doolan, for a welcome change, is right on the money with his decision to install microphones in his arena and the NBA should follow his lead and make it mandatory around the league. On-court trash talk is a part of the game, and it rightfully should remain that way, but there are an increasing number of incidents where players take it too far.

Racism, homophobia and personal statements about a player’s family have no place on a basketball court, and any offender should be dealt with appropriately  Finding a way to catch more instances of this may unearth some bad short-term publicity for the league, in the case that more instances are discovered because of the more ways to detect them, but in the long-term will be a better step forward for the league.

It is currently against the rules of the league to say offensive, derogatory comments on the court. In 2011, Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 by the league for a gay slur against a referee. The incident was only reported and sanctioned because television cameras for TNT picked up the incident. Had TNT’s cameras not been focusing on Bryant at the time, and had TNT commentator Steve Kerr not drawn attention to the issue, perhaps Bryant would have proceeded unpunished for his comments. Thankfully, there was a solid audio track that caught the Lakers star in the act and the situation was able to be dealt with properly.

In November of the same year, Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva tweeted of a clash he had with Celtics star/resident psychopath Kevin Garnett. Villanueva alleged Garnett called him a ‘cancer patient’ on the court, ridiculing Villanueva – a suffer of alopecia. The allegations against Garnett were never proven, it was a matter of Villanueva’s word against KG’s, and thus no suspension came out of it.

If the NBA is serious about preventing more instances like Bryant’s gay slur, and actually catching players who take trash-talking too far, they would make on-court microphones like Dolan’s as mandatory as a shot clock and video review. It has been implementing in other sports across the world to solve disputes and appropriately allocate blame. On the other side of the world in Australia, a spat between two stars of their domestic cricket competition made headlines across the country. The fiery confrontation was only resolved because of microphones installed on pitch, which captured the instigator, Shane Warne, abusing the batsman who snapped on the next delivery. Had microphones not been in place, it would have been extremely difficult to correctly place the blame for the explosion, who to sanction and what for. Warne’s only crime would have been throwing the ball at an opponent, something he managed to get away with in the hearing as an accident; while Samuels’ motive for throwing his bat down the pitch may have been blown out of proportion and punished more heavily than he deserved.

The debate is not whether comments like Bryant’s, Garnett’s or Anthony’s are out-of line or just a part of the game. Regardless of our personal views, the NBA have made it their stance that what happens on the court can well and truly come off the court if it crosses the line. However, just hoping that a television camera will catch a player uttering the offending phrase and otherwise leaving it for media speculation is not an appropriate or professional way for the league to go about it. The Knicks took the right step to ensure they have hard evidence every time Carmelo Anthony is accused of saying something, and it should become policy that all other clubs do the same.

Jan. 7, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) have words on the court during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Boston won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

… the fans! Of course it’s the us, the NBAbrethren. Think about it for a second. We just watched two players, two mega stars nonetheless, in Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett scuffle all over the basketball court, with ‘Melo trying to scuffle just as much off of it as he “hung out” by the Celtics team bus after the game.

Now with chaos ensuing, we have everything NBA fans dream of… an intense, dramatic and at least “in-season” rivalry, where the two teams will meet another three times before the end of the season (twice in Boston, once more in New York).

We’re going to have hostile basketball, trash talking, video clips, exaggerrated interviews, social media blowups and lord willing, a continued storyline heading into the playoffs. Another fact: If the playoffs started today, take a guess at who would meet in the first round. That’s right, the #2 Knicks would host the #7 Celtics. After last night, please, please let this happen.

Now, I don’t need to go into the rant about how much KG is disliked on the basketball court, his reputation proceeds him. But we saw a side of Carmelo Anthony last night that we have never seen before. Angry Carmelo. Like he needed even more support from New York’s MSG faithful, now he’s chirping raucously at one of the league’s most hated players? Spike Lee was having a baby on the sideline. And we all know that Spike represents the “people.”

My favorite part of the Carmelo video (linked to above) was the fact that halfway through the clip, Rajon Rondo just wanders into the picture with his hands in his pockets. Remember, this is the guy who didn’t even play in the game because he was already serving a 1-game suspension, and now he’s just casually surveying the scene? We’re even getting unintentional comedy out of MeloGate, BusGate, whatever “Gate” label will be cast upon this. But we all love it.

Thursday, January 24th is when Round 2 is scheduled. This time in Boston. Like Spike, they’ll be ready.

Dec 26, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat might be the best team in the NBA, but concerns about their inability to rebound seem valid (they are the league’s second worst rebounding team according to ESPN.com). Hey, that’ll happen when you’re undersized. Has an NBA club ever been more infatuated with players of 6-feet-8-inches? The bottom line is that when you jack up hasty shots and don’t, well, rebound, poor stats follow. Forward Chris Bosh said the team needed to figure out a way to fix the problem. Here’s a suggestion Chris – try rebounding.

Houston Rockets superstar, James Harden, no longer second fiddle in Oklahoma, has taken the league by storm since his relocation. Harden top scored for the Rockets in most of their December games and also dropped 20-plus points in a 14 straight contests (at the time of writing). His beard, too, continues to be the benchmark for NBA facial hair, and has moved past Bill Walton’s werewolf era fuzz on the all-time list.

Like Washington’s politicos, the city’s Wizards face an unnerving precipice, one which could see its entire future fall into disarray. Okay, let’s be honest: the Wiz haven’t cast a good spell since Harry Potter sought the Philosopher’s Stone. And yet, amid all the turmoil, the ineptitude and disgrace, rookie Bradley Beal has been a beacon of hope on The Hill. Beal led all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring (13.4 ppg) and total assists with (41) in December. He also had six games with 15-plus points during the month.

It took an unlikely opponent in the Brooklyn Nets to upend Oklahoma City’s 12-game home winning streak with a recent 110-93 victory. This was, in part, helped by the ejection of a rather conversational Kevin Durant. The other part was a combination of Joe Johnson scoring 33 points, and Deron Williams taking charge with 19 points and 13 assists. Amazing how quickly he’s adjusted to his new coach, isn’t it?

Don’t look now but the Detroit Pistons are motoring, winning five of six en route to a 12-22 overall record (as of January 4). Sure, their record is still woeful, but we’re talking about the Eastern Conference here folks, where a sub-500 record is fashionable, and making consecutive free-throws is cause for All-Star consideration.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are flat out of luck, losing four straight and dropping below .500. Most alarmingly, the Cs have lost each of these game by an average mark of 20 points. Things haven’t been this bad in Beantown since the Celtics 15-win season of 1996-97 on the back of Antoine Walker’s 33% from three-point land. Good times.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard, Damian Lillard, has fast become Rookie of the Year favorite. With the Blazers playing mid-tier ball, it was surprising to see them rattle the New York Knicks at home, let alone beat them. But Lillard is a big reason for that. He’s fearless, and plays an all-around game—scoring, rebounding, passing, you name it. For the Knicks, Amare Stoudemire returned to a standing ovation. He then proceeded to light up Madison Square Garden with 6 points, one rebound and two turnovers. Spike Lee was beside himself.

No round-up would be complete without something about Kobe Bryant. In recent days, the league’s best scorer has called his Los Angeles Laker team “old” and “slow”, and admitted that their Staples Center roomies, the once lowly Clippers, are in the mix for the NBA crown. Kobe even called the Clips, currently among the Western Conference’s elite, “one of the top contenders”. Presumably L.A. reporters are now seeking Bryant’s view on Daniel Day Lewis as an Oscar favorite, and his take on other outrageousness circling the internet.

December 27, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (left), center DeAndre Jordan (center) and small forward Caron Butler (right) joke around on the bench in the second half against the Boston Celtics at Staples Center. Clippers won 106-77. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Mavericks (12-17) 105 @ Thunder (22-6) 111 – OT

• Leading scorers: DAL – Darren Collison 32, OKC – Kevin Durant 40.
• Kevin Durant put up a 40-spot on the Mavs, along with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks.
• The Thunder as a team had 13 blocks, more than doubling the Mavs 5.
• Serge Ibaka had a monster game as well, with 19 points (7-10 FG), 17 rebounds and 5 blocks.
• Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins both struggled with their shot, shooting 7-20 and 0-6 from the field respectively.
• Darren Collison had an incredible game for Dallas, scoring 32 points on 13-22 from the floor, grabbing 5 rebounds, dishing 4 assists and having 4 steals.
• O.J. Mayo was certainly quiet in 36 minutes, with only 4 points (1-7 FG) and 6 turnovers.
• Shawn Marion looked like The Matrix of old, with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

Celtics (14-14) 77 @ Clippers (23-6) 106

• Leading scorers: BOS – Kevin Garnett 16, LAC – Matt Barnes 21.
• The Clippers are now at 15 straight WINS.
• Matt Barnes led the Clips with 21 points, knocking down 5-9 from downtown.
• Blake Griffin (15) and Caron Butler (14) were the only Clipper starters in double figures.
• Lamar Odom had a very solid game with 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks (also 4 points).
• Eric Bledsoe totalled 6 steals in only 19 minutes.
• The Celtics meanwhile, only scored 10 points in the 4th quarter.
• Jason Collins got the start at center and contributed exactly 0 points, 1 rebound and 1 turnover in 17 minutes. Think the C’s need a big, like yesterday?
• Rondo did put up 10 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.

December 21, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers small forward Caron Butler (5), power forward Blake Griffin (32), shooting guard Willie Green (34) and center DeAndre Jordan (6) cheer from the bench during the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center. Clippers won 97-85. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA Today Sports Images

Welcome back to The Skyhook’s NBA Power Rankings, where any given week, things can change faster than a James Harden trade.

Previous weeks: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 7

Week 8 – December 24, 2012

Biggest jump: Rockets (+6) | Biggest drop: Celtics (-5)

1. Los Angeles Clippers | 21-6 (W13) | Last week: 4

Last week: 4-0 | Current streak: Won 13

2. Oklahoma City Thunder | 21-5 (L1) | Last week: 1

Last week: 2-1 | Current streak: Lost 1

3. San Antonio Spurs | 21-8 (W2) | Last week: 3

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 2

4. New York Knicks | 20-7 (W1) | Last week: 2

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 1

5. Miami Heat | 18-6 (W4) | Last week: 5

Last week: 3-0 | Current streak: Won 4

6. Memphis Grizzlies | 18-7 (L1) | Last week: 6

Last week: 3-1 | Current streak: Lost 1

7. Golden State Warriors | 18-10 (L1) | Last week: 7

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 1

8. Atlanta Hawks | 16-9 (W1) | Last week: 8

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 1

9. Chicago Bulls | 15-11 (L1) | Last rank: 9

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 1

10. Indiana Pacers | 16-12 (W3) | Last rank: 14

Last week: 3-1 | Current streak: Won 3

11. Denver Nuggets | 15-13 (W1) | Last rank: 12

Last week: 2-1 | Current streak: Won 1

12. Los Angeles Lakers | 13-14 | Last rank: 17

Last week: 2-0 | Current streak: Won 4

13. Minnesota Timberwolves | 13-12 (L1) | Last rank: 10

Last week: 1-3 | Current streak: Lost 1

14. Brooklyn Nets | 14-12 | Last rank: 11

Last week: 1-2 | Current streak: Won 1

15. Houston Rockets | 14-12 | Last rank: 21

Last week: 3-0 | Current streak: Won 3

16. Milwaukee Bucks | 14-12 | Last rank: 16

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 1

17. Utah Jazz | 15-14 | Last rank: 15

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 1

18. Boston Celtics | 13-13 | Last rank: 13

Last week: 1-2 | Current streak: Lost 1

19. Portland Trail Blazers | 13-13 | Last rank: 19

Last week: 2-1 | Current streak: Lost 1

20. Philadelphia 76ers | 13-15 | Last rank: 18

Last week: 1-3 | Current streak: Lost 1

21. Orlando Magic | 12-15 | Last rank: 22

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 2

22. Dallas Mavericks | 12-16 | Last rank: 20

Last week: 1-3 | Current streak: Lost 3

23. Phoenix Suns | 11-17 | Last rank: 23

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 2

24. Toronto Raptors | 9-19 | Last rank: 26

Last week: 3-0 | Current streak: Won 5

25. Sacramento Kings | 9-18 | Last rank: 25

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 1

26. Detroit Pistons | 9-21 | Last rank: 24

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 2

27. Cleveland Cavaliers | 6-23 | Last rank: 29

Last week: 1-3 | Current streak: Won 1

28. Charlotte Bobcats | 7-20 | Last rank: 27

Last week: 0-4 | Current streak: Lost 15

29. New Orleans Hornets | 5-22 | Last rank: 28

Last week: 0-4 | Current streak: Lost 11

30. Washington Wizards | 3-22 | Last rank: 30

Last week: 0-4 | Current streak: Lost 7

Dec 19, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce (34) shoots the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Pistons (7-21) 91 @ Raptors (8-19) 97

• Leading scorers: DET – Greg Monroe 35, TOR – DeMar DeRozan 23.
• Jose Calderon didn’t have a triple double, but did drop 17 dimes (along with 7 points) in this game, with only 2 turnovers.
• Ed Davis continues to make the most out his new starting gig with 11 points (5-7 FG), 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• The Raps had 26 assists on 35 made field goals (74.3% assist rate).
• They also finished with only 6 turnovers for the entire game.
• Greg Monroe had a monster game and was one of only 2 Pistons that scored in double figures (Stuckey 13). Monroe finished with 35 points (14-22 FG) and 10 rebounds.

Nets (13-12) 86 @ Knicks (19-6) 100

• Leading scorers: BKN – Joe Johnson 17, NYK – Carmelo Anthony 31.
• The Knicks did it again. But “it” I mean scored 100 points, made 11 threes and had only 7 turnovers for the game.
• Melo returned to score 31 (12-22 FG).
• Tyson Chandler had a nice game with 16 points, 12 rebound and 3 blocks.
• J.R. Smith played 37 minutes off the bench and finished with 19 points (7-11 FG), 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
• Double doubles from Deron Williams (16 pts, 10 asts) and Brook Lopez (16 pts, 10 rebs).
• Kris Humphries + Reggie Evans = 0 points (0-3 FG) and 11 rebounds.

Wizards (3-20) 83 @ Magic (12-13) 90

• Leading scorers: WAS – Nene 20, ORL – J.J. Redick 17.
• Not the greatest shooting night for Big Baby and Afflalo (12-36 FG), but they got the job done with 12 and 15 to bring the Magic to within one game of .500.
• On the flip side, Redick and Moore had 32 points off the bench and combined to shoot 11-19 and 7-11 from behind the arc.
• Jordan Crawford had a “Jordan Crawford” night with 19 points (7-16 shooting) and 7 turnovers.
• No stat necessary for this… talk about a murderer’s row starting lineup for the Wiz: Martell Webster, Earl Barron, Emeka Okafor, Shaun Livingston, Jordan Crawford.

Jazz (14-13) 84 @ Pacers (14-12) 104

• Leading scorers: UTA – Derrick Favors 16, IND – Gerald Green 21.
• The Pacers got very solid games out of the Georges. Paul George finished with 20 points (9-13 FG), 11 rebounds and 4 blocks and George Hill finished with 20 points (8-13 FG), 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
• Gerald Green gave the Pacers 21 points off the bench in 23 minutes.
• The Jazz had a less than stellar performance from Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap. The two combined for only 11 points on 3-15 shooting.

Cavaliers (5-22) 91 @ Celtics (13-12) 103

• Leading scorers: CLE – Kyrie Irving 22, BOS – Paul Pierce 40.
• Paul Pierce had a hell of a game. He scored 40 points on an incredible 13-16 from the field, including 6-7 from downtown and 8-8 from the free throw line. He also grabbed 8 boards, had 5 assists and 3 steals.
• The Celtics as a team shot 59.7% from the field.
• All five Cavs starters scored in double figures, which didn’t include Anderson Varejao, who did not play in the game.
• Tristan Thompson did have 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Thunder (21-4) 100 @ Hawks (15-8) 92

• Leading scorers: OKC – Kevin Durant 41, ATL – Jeff Teague 19.
• 12 straight wins and counting for the Thunder.
• Kevin Durant went off in Atlanta with 41 points (14-23 FG) and 13 rebounds.
• The other Thunder player in double figures was Russ Westbrook with 27 points and 11 assists.
• Thunder were 19-20 from the free throw line.
• Jeff Teague had 19 points and 9 assists for Atlanta.

76ers (12-14) 103 @ Rockets (13-12) 125

• Leading scorers: PHI – Nick Young 21, HOU – James Harden 33.
• James Harden continues his prolific free throw assault, going 17-18 from the line in scoring his 33 points.
• The Rockets shot 56.0% from the field and were 30-36 from the free throw line.
• Omer Asik posted a double double of 17 points and 15 rebounds.
• For Philly, Dorell Wright had a really solid game with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

Bobcats (7-18) 104 @ Suns (11-15) 121

• Leading scorers: CHA – Kemba Walker 27, PHX – Shannon Brown 26.
• The Suns shot a blazing (no pun intended) 60.7% (17-28) from downtown.
• Shannon Brown (20 pts, 4 rebs), Jared Dudley (20 pts, 5 asts) and Goran Dragic (21 pts, 11 asts) all scored over 20 for Phoenix.
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a beat of a game with 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
• MKG and Kemba Walker both shot 9-14 from the floor.
• Yes, that’s 13 straight losses for the B-Cats.

Bucks (13-11) 80 @ Grizzlies (17-6) 90

• Leading scorers: MIL – Brandon Jennings 26, MEM – Zach Randolph 15.
• Z-Bo and Marc Gasol combined for 27 points and 29 rebounds.
• The Grizz outrebounded the Bucks 56-44.
• The Bucks only recorded 11 assists in the game.
• Brandon Jennings had 26 points, but it took him 26 shots (9-26) to get them.
• Monta Ellis was frozen, shooting 1 for 14 from the field.

Warriors (17-9) 127 @ Kings (8-17) 131

• Leading scorers: GSW – Stephen Curry 32, SAC – DeMarcus Cousins 24.
• The Kings had 7 players score in double figures.
• They shot 50.0% from the field and 57.9% from three.
• Jason Thompson had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
• Steph Curry had 32 points (7-12 3PT) despite fouling out of the game.
• David Lee and Jarrett Jack filled it up as well, putting up 29 and 28 respecively.

Hornets (5-20) 77 @ Clippers (19-6) 93

•  Leading scorers: NOH – Robin Lopez 22, LAC – Blake Griffin 18.
• The two teams combined to shoot 6 for 39 from behind the arc.
• Chris Paul put up a double double with 10 points and 12 assists.
• Robin Lopez had 22 points and 9 rebounds.