Earlier, I introduced TMJF, billed as the first of two new features of RwH. Here's the second.
In addition to being a (slightly) clever pun on the Spanish phrase for "very good," the name "Muy Beno" is an homage to the Slovenian point guard for the Sacramento Kings, Beno Udrih. Phonetics are not my thing, but his name is roughly pronounced BAY-noh OOH-drick.
As a lover of basketball and an occasional bed-partner of writing and, above all, a person who values his opinion on the subject of basketball extremely highly, I've been thinking for a while now that I wanted to start an NBA blog and name it "Muy Beno" -- a mildly clever Spanish language pun and an homage to Beno Udrih, the Slovenian point guard for the Sacramento Kings. However, as the reader of my college basketball blog knows, more than one writing project at this stage in my life is too many, and only one gets my full attention. Combine this with the fact that I can hardly seem to keep this blog barely presentable in terms of graphics and updated links, and a separate NBA blog just doesn't seem plausible. So I've expanded the scope of this blog to include non-Celtics NBA musings, starting now.
This initial installment has just a few light items of interest, culled from the way-too-many NBA blogs I subscribe to in Google reader.
-First, rumor is that Sasha Vujacic is dating Maria Sharapova. (I'm not linking to a picture because my head is spinning with all the options to choose from. Plus, my Mom reads this blog.) Regardless of what Adam Levine may or may not have said about her, this is a grave injustice. Sasha may have a new haircut, but Maria deserves to be with someone who can play some D. Hasn't she seen this?
-Drew Gooden of the Dallas Mavericks has been accused of using a homophobic slur in a verbal battle with some hecklers in Los Angeles, and one of the alleged heckler-slash-victims is actor Chris Wylde. Fellow American University alums (circa the mid-to-late 1990s) know him better as Chris Noll.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Boston 105, Philadelphia 74
I've always hated when coaches rail to the media about their team's sloppy play in a blowout victory or chew out their players on the sideline in a lopsided victory. So trust me when I say that we really didn't look all that good in this one, despite what the scoreboard says.
[recap] [box score]
Don't get me wrong; it was every bit a one-sided victory. But the third quarter was marred by seven turnovers, the exact kind of sloppy stretch we seem prone to once we build a comfortable lead. Several times, I looked at the score after another miscue and was surprised to see Boston still up 14.
These sloppy third quarters are growing a bit tiresome, even as the Celtics roll through their early season schedule. It's not something that's new this year; the team's concentration has waned with big leads each of the previous two seasons, as well. But it sure seems that these stretches are becoming more and more common -- though I don't have the data to back up or disprove it.
If I was in the habit of giving out game balls, I'd give this one to Rasheed Wallance, who scored early and often on his way to 20 points, including a cool six-for-eight from deep. 'sheed came in after Kendrick Perkins picked up a couple of early fouls against a surprisingly active Samuel Dalembert and nailed a nine-foot turnaround jumper to pick up a sluggish offense. He added a three later in the period and never really stopped.
Bullets!
[recap] [box score]
Don't get me wrong; it was every bit a one-sided victory. But the third quarter was marred by seven turnovers, the exact kind of sloppy stretch we seem prone to once we build a comfortable lead. Several times, I looked at the score after another miscue and was surprised to see Boston still up 14.
These sloppy third quarters are growing a bit tiresome, even as the Celtics roll through their early season schedule. It's not something that's new this year; the team's concentration has waned with big leads each of the previous two seasons, as well. But it sure seems that these stretches are becoming more and more common -- though I don't have the data to back up or disprove it.
If I was in the habit of giving out game balls, I'd give this one to Rasheed Wallance, who scored early and often on his way to 20 points, including a cool six-for-eight from deep. 'sheed came in after Kendrick Perkins picked up a couple of early fouls against a surprisingly active Samuel Dalembert and nailed a nine-foot turnaround jumper to pick up a sluggish offense. He added a three later in the period and never really stopped.
Bullets!
- Wallace also picked up a technical in the third quarter when he didn't get to go to the line after being fouled in the act of shooting. He carried on in typical 'sheed fashion, and in such a blowout, I was a little surprised one of the refs didn't run him.
- The game highlights have a couple instances of Rajon Rondo in all his Rondo-ness. At the end of the first quarter, he hit a ridiculous 13-footer from the baseline that I thought, at first glance, went over the top of the backboard. Upon further review, however, it appears that he may have somehow shot the right over the corner. Whether it should have counted or not, it was a remarkable shot, over seven-foot Jason Smith while falling out of bounds. Later, after a Sixers turnover, he threaded a blind, left-handed behind-the-back pass to a streaking Paul Pierce. The angle on this pass was extremely tough, as Pierce was filling the lane behind him. What made this assist particularly special, however, was that Rondo had tipped the outlet pass into the frontcourt, and surveyed the court as he chased it down. Gathering the ball right around the free throw line, he knew exactly where Pierce was, and, as importantly, knew that Thaddeus Young was lurking to challenge his layup. So he dropped a picture-perfect dime into Pierce's hands, taking Young out of the play, and the result was an easy two for Boston. These two plays were an excellent display of the $55 million dollar man's court awareness.
- First five minutes of the year for Brian Scalabrine. He got in during garbage time and showed no ill effects of either his injury suffered in the preseason or his summer off to recover from concussions. Five points for the former Human Victory Cigar, including a three-pointer.
- Lester Hudson played for another extended stretch in the fourth quarter and this time showed no qualms about displaying his offensive ability. He canned two triples in seven effective minutes. I think he's a better shooter than Gabe Pruitt, but he's not ready for a regular role with the big club the way Pruitt might have been.
- J.R. Giddens was a little bit better (read: a little less useless) than he has been, but he did nothing to make the Celtics regret not picking up his option next year.
- Boston hit 14 of 20 three-pointers. We're now at 48.6 percent from behind the arc on the young season, just two-tenths of a percent behind Phoenix. Philly, having been torched from deep previously by Orlando, has allowed opponents to shoot 45.1 percent from that distance through four games, the fifth-worst mark in the league.
- Philly shot just 36.3 percent on the game, and didn't hit a three-pointer until the waning minutes. The Celtics are the league's stingiest team in terms of field goal percentage and points against. At times, it looks simply like the opposition is missing shots, but the scheme and the players have a ton to do with that.
Next game is tonight (Wednesday) at 8 p.m. Eastern, against Minnesota. No national TV, but if you can find a way to watch this one, do it: the Wolves have former Celtics Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes, plus RwH fave Jonny Flynn, and it's always fun to see Big Al J and Gomes compete against some of their former teammates. Plus, KG back in 'sota is always a nice experience.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Viewing Alert
Not a game. "Without Bias," an hour-long program about Len Bias, airs on ESPN at 8 pm. I believe it re-airs on Wednesday and Thursday, as well. Check your local listings. (I've always wanted to say that!)
I have no memory of this tragic chapter in Celtics (and NBA, and human) history, but I find myself drawn to the Bias story, both as a Cs fan and as someone who grew up in the age when an icon's drug overdose became a somewhat regular occurrence. I can't decide if I'll watch tonight or one of the re-airs (the Celts have a game and I'm interested in the Cavs-Wizards matchup, as well) but I'm sure I'll have some thoughts when I do.
Speaking of the game tonight, we play the Sixers in Philadelphia at 7 p.m. Eastern. There's no national TV and I can't tell if the free preview of NBA League Pass is still going on.
As I think about this matchup, it seems like we match up poorly with Philly; Andre Iguodala is a nightmare cover for Ray Allen and Thaddeus Young is big, athletic, and physical matching up with Paul Pierce at the small forward spot. We swept four games against them last year, though the two wins in Philly came by a combined three points. Then again, we blew their doors off twice in Boston before the Christmas holiday.
This year, the Sixers have a new coach (Eddie Jordan) and a new offense (Jordan prefers Princeton-style sets). I haven't seen them yet this year, but they're 2-1, bouncing back from an opening night loss in Orlando with a home win against Milwaukee and an overtime triumph at Madison Square Garden. My hunch is that Philly's offense, which is still new to them, will negate some of the difficult matchups that they theoretically pose. At the other end, it seems like they are having a hard time guarding the three-point line: the Magic went 16-for-29 and the Knicks hit 14 of an astonishing 41 attempts. The Celtics have been both willing and capable three-point shooters this season, so that's something to watch.
I have no memory of this tragic chapter in Celtics (and NBA, and human) history, but I find myself drawn to the Bias story, both as a Cs fan and as someone who grew up in the age when an icon's drug overdose became a somewhat regular occurrence. I can't decide if I'll watch tonight or one of the re-airs (the Celts have a game and I'm interested in the Cavs-Wizards matchup, as well) but I'm sure I'll have some thoughts when I do.
Speaking of the game tonight, we play the Sixers in Philadelphia at 7 p.m. Eastern. There's no national TV and I can't tell if the free preview of NBA League Pass is still going on.
As I think about this matchup, it seems like we match up poorly with Philly; Andre Iguodala is a nightmare cover for Ray Allen and Thaddeus Young is big, athletic, and physical matching up with Paul Pierce at the small forward spot. We swept four games against them last year, though the two wins in Philly came by a combined three points. Then again, we blew their doors off twice in Boston before the Christmas holiday.
This year, the Sixers have a new coach (Eddie Jordan) and a new offense (Jordan prefers Princeton-style sets). I haven't seen them yet this year, but they're 2-1, bouncing back from an opening night loss in Orlando with a home win against Milwaukee and an overtime triumph at Madison Square Garden. My hunch is that Philly's offense, which is still new to them, will negate some of the difficult matchups that they theoretically pose. At the other end, it seems like they are having a hard time guarding the three-point line: the Magic went 16-for-29 and the Knicks hit 14 of an astonishing 41 attempts. The Celtics have been both willing and capable three-point shooters this season, so that's something to watch.
TMJF: Clippers 93, Wolves 90
Stat Line: 22 minutes, 4-8 FG, 1-1 3FG, 4-4 FT, 13 pts, 3 rebs, 4 assts, 1 stl, 5 TOs.
It was a tale of two halves in Los Angeles for Minnesota's rookie point guard. You see the above stat line? Jonny Flynn amassed all of it, save four minutes and four turnovers, before halftime.
Flynn played very well in the first 24 minutes, contributing a nice balance of scoring and setting up his teammates. His only mis-steps were a missed connection on a pick-and-roll at the end of the first quarter and a back-rimmed jam that would have been Sportscenter material (the kid can really get up). Flynn got 18 minutes at point guard in the first half, while Ramon Sessions, who played 31 minutes to Flynn's 19 in Phoenix on Sunday, got just six.
Things changed quickly after halftime. On the Wolves' first possession after the break, Flynn threw an ill-advised lob pass that was intercepted by Eric Gordon. I was in attendance -- having scored $100 face value tickets for a cool ten bucks off of Stubhub -- and so I couldn't rewind the play to see whether Flynn was completely at fault or Corey Brewer broke off his cut to the basket. Four possessions later, Flynn over-dribbled with no real purpose and had the ball stolen by Rasual Butler. At 10:19 left in the third quarter, Flynn went to the bench, where he'd stay for the next 17 minutes of game time.
Entering for Sessions down 84-82 with 5:05 remaining, Flynn was called for walking a minute and a half later, having taken an extra step as he forced his way to the basket. As the Clips brought the ball up, Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis called Sessions' name, and Sessions was at the table waiting to check in when Flynn threw a predictable lob pass on a fast break that Baron Davis easily swallowed up.
It's clear that, early on at least, Rambis has a short hook for Flynn. My best guess is that he wants to break Flynn of the habit of over-penetrating, a noble goal. But the tactic of sitting a guy -- particularly for a long stretch -- the first time he does something you don't like is a dangerous one, and a decidedly different approach than the one taken by Paul Westphal with Tyreke Evans in Sacramento and Scott Skiles with Brandon Jennings in Milwaukee. Having entrusted the starting role to Flynn, Rambis needs to give him some room to learn the position. Either that, or Rambis needs to decide that Flynn isn't ready for the responsibility, install Sessions as the starter, and have Flynn come off the bench. I think the former is the smart play, but starting a guy and yanking him quickly is a recipe for messing with his head and stunting his development. If Rambis is concerned with winning now, then the latitude he gives to other Wolves players, Brewer especially, is puzzling.
* * *
An amusing note from tonight's game: At some point in the first half, Clippers center Chris Kaman went to the line, and an "M-V-P!" chant started in the crowd, a nod to Kaman's outstanding play to open the season. This continued every time Kaman shot free throws the rest of the night. High comedy.
Also, these people were the halftime entertainment. As much as I like the Asian lady who flips dishes onto her head while riding a unicycle, I'm officially a fan of the Russian Bar Trio.
It was a tale of two halves in Los Angeles for Minnesota's rookie point guard. You see the above stat line? Jonny Flynn amassed all of it, save four minutes and four turnovers, before halftime.
Flynn played very well in the first 24 minutes, contributing a nice balance of scoring and setting up his teammates. His only mis-steps were a missed connection on a pick-and-roll at the end of the first quarter and a back-rimmed jam that would have been Sportscenter material (the kid can really get up). Flynn got 18 minutes at point guard in the first half, while Ramon Sessions, who played 31 minutes to Flynn's 19 in Phoenix on Sunday, got just six.
Things changed quickly after halftime. On the Wolves' first possession after the break, Flynn threw an ill-advised lob pass that was intercepted by Eric Gordon. I was in attendance -- having scored $100 face value tickets for a cool ten bucks off of Stubhub -- and so I couldn't rewind the play to see whether Flynn was completely at fault or Corey Brewer broke off his cut to the basket. Four possessions later, Flynn over-dribbled with no real purpose and had the ball stolen by Rasual Butler. At 10:19 left in the third quarter, Flynn went to the bench, where he'd stay for the next 17 minutes of game time.
Entering for Sessions down 84-82 with 5:05 remaining, Flynn was called for walking a minute and a half later, having taken an extra step as he forced his way to the basket. As the Clips brought the ball up, Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis called Sessions' name, and Sessions was at the table waiting to check in when Flynn threw a predictable lob pass on a fast break that Baron Davis easily swallowed up.
It's clear that, early on at least, Rambis has a short hook for Flynn. My best guess is that he wants to break Flynn of the habit of over-penetrating, a noble goal. But the tactic of sitting a guy -- particularly for a long stretch -- the first time he does something you don't like is a dangerous one, and a decidedly different approach than the one taken by Paul Westphal with Tyreke Evans in Sacramento and Scott Skiles with Brandon Jennings in Milwaukee. Having entrusted the starting role to Flynn, Rambis needs to give him some room to learn the position. Either that, or Rambis needs to decide that Flynn isn't ready for the responsibility, install Sessions as the starter, and have Flynn come off the bench. I think the former is the smart play, but starting a guy and yanking him quickly is a recipe for messing with his head and stunting his development. If Rambis is concerned with winning now, then the latitude he gives to other Wolves players, Brewer especially, is puzzling.
* * *
An amusing note from tonight's game: At some point in the first half, Clippers center Chris Kaman went to the line, and an "M-V-P!" chant started in the crowd, a nod to Kaman's outstanding play to open the season. This continued every time Kaman shot free throws the rest of the night. High comedy.
Also, these people were the halftime entertainment. As much as I like the Asian lady who flips dishes onto her head while riding a unicycle, I'm officially a fan of the Russian Bar Trio.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Rondo Gets His
5 years, $55 million.
Up to this point, I've avoided writing about this topic because I didn't have any "insider" information and I didn't have much to say that wasn't already out there. Now that he's signed his contract extension, a few words on the subject.
(I don't have the most knowledgeable or interesting perspectives on this, so you may also want to look at what these guys have to say:
As a general rule, if there are no negative consequences to waiting, it makes sense to wait: an injury to Rondo or other key parts could change the direction the team is headed, and therefore affect whether the Celtics wanted to pay him. In this case, however, there were two possible negative consequences of waiting:
1)Rondo signs an offer sheet for a little more than we could have signed him to an extension before the deadline; and/or
2)Rondo signs an offer sheet for a LOT more than we could have signed him to an extension before the deadline.
The first of these was overwhelmingly likely. Teams always overpay in free agency. However, if this was the only concern, I'd still counsel waiting: Paying Rondo 12 or 13 million dollars a year instead of 11 isn't going to make a huge difference (the team will still be over the cap and their flexibility to pick up other free agents therefore hamstrung).
The second was less likely, but much more concerning: someone wildly overpaying him, all but forcing us to let him go.
An interesting factor at play here is that the current economic market combined with the top-heavy free agent class in 2010 has resulted in a large number of NBA teams cutting salary. That means that next summer, more teams than usual will have a lot of cap space, and while some will certainly not spend all of it for financial reasons, some team or teams will, having missed out on the big-name free agents (Lebron, Wade, Bosh) and responding to pressure from fans, will use up that cap space to overpay the next tier of available free agents, which includes Rondo.
Because of that possibility, this is a logical signing for the Celtics: It's a little more than they wanted to pay for him and it comes with some risks, but it takes losing him altogether out of the equation, vital for a team that is committed to winning now and in the next couple of years.
By the way, note that Rondo did not, through four games this year, play like a man in search of a contract extension. The extension he sought and ultimately signed is for five years, by which time Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen will be well beyond the age when we can count on them for deep playoff runs. For the Boston front office to sign Rondo to an extension, they had to believe he was capable of playing a different role for this team than the one he plays currently. It would have been easy, then, for Rondo to display his scoring ability, at the expense of others. Instead, Rondo has played as unselfishly as ever, taking his role as catalyst to new levels. Through these first four games, Rondo has twice as many assists as field goal attempts (47 to 23). He's gone about this the right way, and it's nice to see him rewarded.
Up to this point, I've avoided writing about this topic because I didn't have any "insider" information and I didn't have much to say that wasn't already out there. Now that he's signed his contract extension, a few words on the subject.
(I don't have the most knowledgeable or interesting perspectives on this, so you may also want to look at what these guys have to say:
- Tony Massarotti of the Globe
- Jeff Clark of CelticsBlog
- Brian Robb of Celtics Hub
As a general rule, if there are no negative consequences to waiting, it makes sense to wait: an injury to Rondo or other key parts could change the direction the team is headed, and therefore affect whether the Celtics wanted to pay him. In this case, however, there were two possible negative consequences of waiting:
1)Rondo signs an offer sheet for a little more than we could have signed him to an extension before the deadline; and/or
2)Rondo signs an offer sheet for a LOT more than we could have signed him to an extension before the deadline.
The first of these was overwhelmingly likely. Teams always overpay in free agency. However, if this was the only concern, I'd still counsel waiting: Paying Rondo 12 or 13 million dollars a year instead of 11 isn't going to make a huge difference (the team will still be over the cap and their flexibility to pick up other free agents therefore hamstrung).
The second was less likely, but much more concerning: someone wildly overpaying him, all but forcing us to let him go.
An interesting factor at play here is that the current economic market combined with the top-heavy free agent class in 2010 has resulted in a large number of NBA teams cutting salary. That means that next summer, more teams than usual will have a lot of cap space, and while some will certainly not spend all of it for financial reasons, some team or teams will, having missed out on the big-name free agents (Lebron, Wade, Bosh) and responding to pressure from fans, will use up that cap space to overpay the next tier of available free agents, which includes Rondo.
Because of that possibility, this is a logical signing for the Celtics: It's a little more than they wanted to pay for him and it comes with some risks, but it takes losing him altogether out of the equation, vital for a team that is committed to winning now and in the next couple of years.
By the way, note that Rondo did not, through four games this year, play like a man in search of a contract extension. The extension he sought and ultimately signed is for five years, by which time Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen will be well beyond the age when we can count on them for deep playoff runs. For the Boston front office to sign Rondo to an extension, they had to believe he was capable of playing a different role for this team than the one he plays currently. It would have been easy, then, for Rondo to display his scoring ability, at the expense of others. Instead, Rondo has played as unselfishly as ever, taking his role as catalyst to new levels. Through these first four games, Rondo has twice as many assists as field goal attempts (47 to 23). He's gone about this the right way, and it's nice to see him rewarded.
TMJF: Suns 120, Wolves 110
Stat Line: 19 minutes, 4-9 FG, 1-2 3FG, 2-2 FT, 11 pts, 2 rebs, 4 assts, 2 stls, 2 TOs.
Sunday night brought quite a few firsts in young Jonny Flynn's three-game career:
The first time he's played against a truly great NBA point guard. With apologies to the New Jersey Nets' Devin Harris, a fine young lead guard in his own right, Phoenix's Steve Nash is the first great point guard Flynn's lined up against. The two-time MVP took advantage of the rookie early, drawing two quick fouls and sending Flynn to the bench. To Flynn's credit, he didn't back down from Nash, nor did he try to prove too much.
The first time he's played the Suns, or a team like them. Playing an up-tempo opponent like Phoenix can be a trap for young point guards, particularly those who may feel a bit, ah, fettered by their team's offense. As I've mentioned before, the Triangle doesn't make the best use of Flynn's talents, and the wings he plays with are offensively challenged. Flynn is a flashy and freewheeling playmaker, and it has to be difficult for him to play in such a regimented system, especially one where he plays a reduced role. The temptation against a team like Phoenix is to match their style, and while the Wolves want to run this year, they aren't quite cut out for seven seconds or less-style offense. I thought Flynn resisted the siren call of the uptempo pace the Suns set fairly well. I attribute his playing "outside" himself and/or the offense first to his foul trouble, which may have made him anxious to make his mark when he was on the floor, and second to the fact that he played alongside Ramon Sessions for what I believe was the first time all season. I was preparing dinner and not watching all that closely, but it appeared at times that Flynn was in the off-guard role, which really doesn't suit him.
The first time he's sat in crunch time. There was no crunch time against Cleveland, but Flynn led the charge in the wild come-from-behind victory over New Jersey to start the season. Tonight, Sessions got the late minutes. A starter at point guard from the moment he arrived on Syracuse's campus, tonight had to be the first time in a long time that Flynn was benched as his team tried to make a late comeback. Flynn can take some solace in the fact that Al Jefferson sat in favor of Ryan Hollins for much of this stretch, but it has to have him in a weird place, mentally. Already, some are calling for Sessions to get the starter's minutes that are currently gong to Flynn, which I find weird because Sessions has hardly torn it up in his time on the court -- although head coach Kurt Rambis praised Sessions' play Sunday night, which has to mess with Flynn's psyche even further. It will be interesting to see what Flynn's minutes -- and his reaction to them -- are like Monday night against the Clippers in Los Angeles (and yes, RwH will be in attendance).
Sunday night brought quite a few firsts in young Jonny Flynn's three-game career:
The first time he's played against a truly great NBA point guard. With apologies to the New Jersey Nets' Devin Harris, a fine young lead guard in his own right, Phoenix's Steve Nash is the first great point guard Flynn's lined up against. The two-time MVP took advantage of the rookie early, drawing two quick fouls and sending Flynn to the bench. To Flynn's credit, he didn't back down from Nash, nor did he try to prove too much.
The first time he's played the Suns, or a team like them. Playing an up-tempo opponent like Phoenix can be a trap for young point guards, particularly those who may feel a bit, ah, fettered by their team's offense. As I've mentioned before, the Triangle doesn't make the best use of Flynn's talents, and the wings he plays with are offensively challenged. Flynn is a flashy and freewheeling playmaker, and it has to be difficult for him to play in such a regimented system, especially one where he plays a reduced role. The temptation against a team like Phoenix is to match their style, and while the Wolves want to run this year, they aren't quite cut out for seven seconds or less-style offense. I thought Flynn resisted the siren call of the uptempo pace the Suns set fairly well. I attribute his playing "outside" himself and/or the offense first to his foul trouble, which may have made him anxious to make his mark when he was on the floor, and second to the fact that he played alongside Ramon Sessions for what I believe was the first time all season. I was preparing dinner and not watching all that closely, but it appeared at times that Flynn was in the off-guard role, which really doesn't suit him.
The first time he's sat in crunch time. There was no crunch time against Cleveland, but Flynn led the charge in the wild come-from-behind victory over New Jersey to start the season. Tonight, Sessions got the late minutes. A starter at point guard from the moment he arrived on Syracuse's campus, tonight had to be the first time in a long time that Flynn was benched as his team tried to make a late comeback. Flynn can take some solace in the fact that Al Jefferson sat in favor of Ryan Hollins for much of this stretch, but it has to have him in a weird place, mentally. Already, some are calling for Sessions to get the starter's minutes that are currently gong to Flynn, which I find weird because Sessions has hardly torn it up in his time on the court -- although head coach Kurt Rambis praised Sessions' play Sunday night, which has to mess with Flynn's psyche even further. It will be interesting to see what Flynn's minutes -- and his reaction to them -- are like Monday night against the Clippers in Los Angeles (and yes, RwH will be in attendance).
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Boston 97, New Orleans 87
Our first subpar performance of the season.
[recap] [box score]
The Celtics may have fallen victims to their own early-season success a little bit in this one. Despite not shooting particularly well, they looked to have the game completely in control, holding a nine-point lead late in the third. Whether they let up at that point or simply couldn't find the killer instinct they had in putting the Bobcats and Bulls away I can't say, but letting a Chris Paul-led team hang around without paying for it. The Celtics' price for their lethargy was a much more difficult final period than it needed to be.
This one wasn't over until just over two minutes remained in the fourth. Boston went to a 3/4 pick-and-roll for three consecutive possessions. On the first two, Paul Pierce posted up Peja Stojakovic on the left wing, took an entry pass from Kevin Garnett, and then dribbled right over a screen from Garnett, forcing a switch. The ball then went to KG in the post, and the havoc this mismatch wreaked on the Hornets' defense resulted in in an easy bucket for Rondo cutting to the hoop and a wide-open three for Pierce after New Orleans triple-teamed KG. The last time we ran this action, Pierce took a high screen from KG and dribbled right. Garnett rolled to the foul line, took a pass from Pierce, drew Emeka Okafor out ever so slightly, and dumped it down to Kendrick Perkins for an easy two.
Bullets:
[recap] [box score]
The Celtics may have fallen victims to their own early-season success a little bit in this one. Despite not shooting particularly well, they looked to have the game completely in control, holding a nine-point lead late in the third. Whether they let up at that point or simply couldn't find the killer instinct they had in putting the Bobcats and Bulls away I can't say, but letting a Chris Paul-led team hang around without paying for it. The Celtics' price for their lethargy was a much more difficult final period than it needed to be.
This one wasn't over until just over two minutes remained in the fourth. Boston went to a 3/4 pick-and-roll for three consecutive possessions. On the first two, Paul Pierce posted up Peja Stojakovic on the left wing, took an entry pass from Kevin Garnett, and then dribbled right over a screen from Garnett, forcing a switch. The ball then went to KG in the post, and the havoc this mismatch wreaked on the Hornets' defense resulted in in an easy bucket for Rondo cutting to the hoop and a wide-open three for Pierce after New Orleans triple-teamed KG. The last time we ran this action, Pierce took a high screen from KG and dribbled right. Garnett rolled to the foul line, took a pass from Pierce, drew Emeka Okafor out ever so slightly, and dumped it down to Kendrick Perkins for an easy two.
Bullets:
- The bench had a nice sequence starting at the end of the third quarter, after New Orleans had come back from down 12 to tie it. Rasheed Wallace hit a three with the shot clock expiring to end the period, then hit a little turnaround in the lane to again push the lead to three with a minute and a half gone in the fourth. Stojakovic tied it with a three, but Marquis Daniels drew a foul on the next possession. He hit the first free throw and missed the second, but he then combined with Wallace to tap out the offense rebound, and Wallace hit a three on the possession. Eddie House then sandwiched nice assists to Shelden Williams and Daniels around a Stojakovic triple, which gave the starters the cushion they needed.
- Rajon Rondo didn't have a bad game, but he made several mistakes in the fourth quarter: A bad pass, a dribbling violation, a gamble on Paul that used up Boston's foul to give, and an over-aggressive attempt to keep the ball out of Paul's hands that ended up putting CP3 on the line. He was hardly the only guy not at his best Sunday night, but he came down to earth a bit after his remarkable start to the season.
- Stojakovic nearly buried us with his outside shooting (26 points on 9-of-15, including 6-of-10 from deep). Pierce was on him a big chunk of the time and Stojakovic just ran him off of screens. Boston never really helped; it was as though they were totally unprepared for New Orleans to run plays for Peja. That may be forgivable, given how balky his back has been, but it sure was frustrating to see the guy who is fourth all-time in three-pointers made have so much daylight over and over in the second half. Boston didn't really make him work on the defensive end until the final few minutes, either, despite the fact that his cover, Pierce, had a very strong first half offensively.
A win's a win, though, and the Celtics move to 4-0. Next game is Tuesday night, at Philly.
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