Why the Celtics Lost

I'm not the most astute observer of basketball, but I do think I know why the Celtics were eliminated by the Knicks.

#1: No Rondo
Everyone who once suggested that the Celtics were better without Rondo should be forced, for one year, to wear hats and shirts that quote that absurd theory. Rondo has been especially good in the playoffs, and his ability to run the offense was a stabilizing factor that would have prevented some of the runs that the Knicks went on in this series. Losing Rondo lost this series.

#2: Age
This is an old team. Small bumps and bruises become nagging injuries. Pierce and Garnett didn't have enough gas in their tanks to play 40 minutes of great basketball every night. And it won't be any better next season. If they come back next season.

#3: No Depth
When the Celtics won in 2008 they had a good supporting cast for The Big Three. When they made other deep playoff runs, they had guys who could score, guys who could play defense. This year they had no random 25+ point nights from Ray Allen. They had Avery Bradley in a role he's not suited for (again, the Rondo injury). In Game 6, only Jason Terry scored points off the bench. When Pierce and KG needed the most support, they received the least.

It might be difficult for the most optimistic Celtics fans to realize, but this team just wasn't that good. It was old, it wasn't deep, and even with a healthy Rondo I don't think the Celtics would be a match for the Heat. Not in a 7 game series. The C's were 41-40. They nearly pulled off an historic comeback in Game 6, but they lost this series in Game 1 when they scored 8 points in the 4th quarter. They lost this series in Game 2 when they scored 23 in the second half.

And now we enter a period of uncertainty for the C's. Rondo will be back. But what kind of team will be back with him? Pierce and Garnett can still play, however they can't be the centerpieces of this team anymore. And in the NBA, unless Rondo can become pals with other great players who decide to come here, or the Celtics get a #1 overall pick, it is very difficult to rebuild.

This might be the end of a mini-era for the Celtics.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Knicks Hit Threes, Beat C's

The Knicks knocked down 19 three-pointers which propelled them to a 118-110 victory over the Celtics. The C's had a chance to clinch the Atlantic Division, but they just couldn't keep up with New York's three-point blitz.

Pierce had 43 points, Rondo had 13 points with 13 assists. The Celtics starters scored 108 points. Of course, the bench only added 2.

It's a loss that doesn't carry too much meaning. The Celtics will clinch the division another day, barring disaster. And the Knicks won't be hitting 19 three-pointers in a game anytime soon. The Celtics' key players are all playing well at the right time and that's what is important as the playoffs approach.

Celtics host the Magic tonight.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Why the Celtics Shouldn't Trade Rondo

I don't think the Celtics are Championship contenders. So I wouldn't mind if they traded some of their big names in an effort to build for the future. This team, as currently assembled, has no future. And their present isn't that good either. People in this town are exhilarated to win 4 straight and improve to 19-17, thus tightening their grasp on 7th place in the East.

One player that shouldn't be traded, unless you got significant compensation in return or could acquire a clearly superior player, is Rajon Rondo. Yesterday's triple-double was the latest example of his explosiveness. He's young, talented, and he helps you win games.

We know Rondo's faults. They've been meticulously and repeatedly documented the last few months. Never have so many written so much about such a small number of minor shortcomings. And those in favor of trading him repeatedly say stuff like "you can't build a team around him."

So?

Was the 2007-08 team built around him? Nope. That worked out well.

He doesn't have to be the centerpiece of the team. And he's proven that when he's surrounded by talent, he does extremely well. More importantly, the team does extremely well. You don't need to build around him in order to win. Yet he can still help you win.

There are better point-guards out there. But they're not cheap to pay for or easy to find. And it doesn't seem like Rondo's value in a trade would be very high. So how does trading your only young talent for medium value help you build for the future? How does dropping your youngest star help your future?

It doesn't make sense.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Racial Linsensitivity

The English language is a fun and funny thing. There are so many words and phrases that have multiple meanings. Homonyms, homophones, double entendre, et cetera. But ESPN crossed the line with their racist headline.

People should be fired. If it's an "honest mistake," then the writer of the headline has demonstrated a fundamental failure to grasp the English language. If you don't know that this word is a racial slur for Asians, then you shouldn't be in the writing profession.

The word "chink" is only used for two reasons. The first is as part of the expression "chink in the armor," which is rarely used. The second, and much more prominent usage of the word is as a derogatory slur. This cannot be excused as an accident or a mistake. This was intentional.

This person at ESPN gets paid for their proficiency with words. They get paid to fill the site with words. And if they don't know this basic racial slur then they must not be very proficient with words. In which case, they shouldn't be in the Word Business.

The alternative is that the writer did know what they were saying. Which is worse. Someone who knows that what they were writing had serious racial overtones. Did they think it was clever? Did they think it was cute to use such a vile term?

The writer should be fired for either their failure to grasp basic English, or their willingness to use racial slurs. Moreover, the editors should also get the boot for allowing such a headline to appear on the site. And even the lowly web designers who write the codes for the site should be scrutinized. How come nobody at ESPN said "hold on a minute?"

I had intended to write a post about people overreacting to MSG's fortune cookie graphic and how it wasn't racist because fortune cookies are something that's positively associated with Asian-Americans. Sort of like spaghetti being associated with Italian-Americans. I don't think it's racist for Asian-American food to be associated with an Asian-American basketball player.

That graphic was a relatively innocent thing. Utterly innocuous. But ESPN's headline is not innocent. At the very best, it's an example of extreme ignorance of the English language, which is inexcusable for a professional writer. And more likely, it's some jerk who thought they were being clever as they incorporated a racial slur into their headline. In either case, it's wrong, and people need to be fired over it.

Jeremy Lin-gers on in New York

I've been talking about Jeremy Lin since he was in college. I was privileged to see him dismantle Boston College twice. What amazed me was hos quick he was with his movements, and how tight his dribble was. He's a smart player, but the athleticism is there. He might not be able to sprint up and down the court with the NBA's fastest players, but in short bursts, he might be the quickest draw in the Association.

A few haters have been saying that Lin is only front-page news because he's Asian-American. But I think his play has spoken louder than the haters' words. You have an undrafted Harvard alum (Harvard, like all Ivy League schools, doesn't offer athletic scholarships) leading the New York Knicks to victory when their so-called stars are out. This story is a story no matter what the ancestry of the main character is. I think this story occurring in New York is a bigger reason for this story's prominence then Lin's race.

Yes, he is Asian-American. But more importantly, he's a really good basketball player.

I've always liked Lin. He plays the game smart, he plays the game fast. He decides what to do, then does it before the defense realizes he'll do it. He is lightning fast. He's just fun to watch. It's a rare combination of fundamental soundness and awareness with sheer athleticism.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

CELTICS ADD TO MADISON SQUARE'S HISTORY OF LOSING

New Yorker's talk up their arena so much. Just because it's old, antiquated (why is it so poorly lit for hockey games?), and lots of college basketball gets played there, New Yorkers think MSG is "historical" even magical/mythical. But I guess if I were a Knicks fan, I'd brag more about my building more than my team.

The Celtics disposed of the Knicks on Sunday. And even though I'm not confident in a deep playoff run for the C's, I'm not surprised that the Knicks were so easily defeated. Maybe the games were close, and maybe the Knicks had a valiant 4th quarter effort yesterday to make things interesting, but when did they ever have control of this series? And look elsewhere. The Heat lost to the 76ers yesterday. Isn't that a bit more disappointing than only winning by a few points?

I don't think the Celtics have the depth, or the health to win it all this year. They can still go deep, simply because guys like Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and KG are so ludicrously clutch. And Rondo has stepped it up, as well. So while I don't think we'll be celebrating Banner #18 in Boston, I won't turn down the opportunity to celebrate a triumph over a team from New York.

Besides, anything is possible.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

KG FOR THE W

In both these games, the Celtics and Knicks have been essentially equal for 47 minutes. Then in those final 60 seconds, the Celtics are clearly the superior team. And while I still have some concerns about the C's, both in this series and in any future series, they've proven to be far more clutch than the Knicks.

It was Ray Allen on Sunday. Last night it was Garnett. Having so many experienced, big game players is quite a luxury. One that most other teams don't have. KG's lead-taking shot, followed shortly by his game-winning steal was quite literally the difference in this game. The difference was clutchness.

We shouldn't dismiss the previous 47 minutes of play. Rajon Rondo deserves praise for his 30 points. And when Ray Allen got shots, he nailed them. On the other hand, there were some worrying aspects to this game.

The Knicks only got 18 minutes from Stoudemire, and still this game was evenly matched. Carmelo exploded for 42. And the Knicks collected 20 offensive rebounds. A huge chunk of their offense came from second chance baskets.

I don't see New York coming back from 2 games down. They'll win one or two in this series, but they're not poised or refined enough to do more than that. However, the Celtics long-term prospects aren't good unless Rondo continues to rampage, Allen continues to drain threes, the bench contributes more, and the overall defense improves.

Game 3 Friday night in New York.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

RAY ALLEN, FOR THREE

The Celtics played their game. They controlled the tempo, kept it a low scoring contest, and the clutch shooting of Ray Allen came through in the end. Give an assist to Doc Rivers' ability to draw up an inbounds play.

I'm still not overly enthused with the Celtics, as they're lack of an inside game was more than a little frustrating. It seems like all 5 c's stand around the arc, pass it to each other, hope for an open look, then hope the shot falls. That means Ray Allen's shooting percentage will dictate the result of the game. And nothing against Ray Ray, but it's not smart to rest everything on one man's shoulders. Then again, it does mean that one man can carry the team.

And Glen Davis needs to shut up. He's a backup talking trash about Amare Stoudemire's offensive play. Stoudemire might not play defense, but he averaged 25.3 points per game this year. Davis is lucky to see that many minutes.

Game 2 Tuesday night.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo