POST GAME WASHINGTON GENERALS...I MEAN PHX SUNS

GAME STATS

REBOUNDS - CELTICS 45 /PHX 40.....Offensive - CELTICS 9 /PHX 12 ......Defensive - CELTICS 36 /PHX 28
POINTS IN THE PAINT - CELTICS 48 /PHX 46
FAST BREAK POINTS - CELTICS 18 / PHX 11
FG - CELTICS - 44/79 ( 55.7%) PHX 35/84( 41.7 %)
3PM - CELTICS 10/22 (45.5 %) PHX 4/19 (21.1 %)
FTM - CELTICS 15/23 (65.2%) PHX 14/23(60.9 %)
TO - CELTICS 12 / PHX 13
ASSISTS - CELTICS 19 / PHX 26
STL - CELTICS 8/ PHX 8
BLK - CELTICS 6 / PHX 3
PF - CELTICS 20 / PHX 19
BENCH POINTS - CELTICS 47 / PHX 39
TOTAL TEAM TURNOVERS (Points off turnovers) – CELTICS 12 ( /PHX 13 (20)

NEXT GAME SUNDAY -AT PORTLAND - 9:00PM - CSNE/NBA LEAGUE PASS


POST GAME RECAP


ESPNBOSTON.COM

Rapid Reaction: Celtics 113, Suns 88

By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

THE NITTY GRITTY
Starting in place of Kevin Garnett (a rest day), Jeff Green scored a season-high 31 points on super-efficient 11-of-14 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, five blocks and two steals. Green was nothing short of spectacular in 39 minutes of play, finishing plus-26 in plus/minus. Avery Bradley was the only other Boston starter in double figures (13 points), while Boston got a boost from its newest faces in Jordan Crawford (10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) and Terrence Williams (9 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds). Chris Wilcox added 14 points -- almost all of the dunk variety -- on 7-of-9 shooting over 21:37.

FAST START FOR C'S
The Celtics scored the game's first 13 points to set the tone for the night. Goran Dragic broke up the shutout with a 12-foot floater with 8:18 to play in the quarter. Green scored 13 first-quarter points (on 5-of-6 shooting) and Boston led 28-20 after the frame (the Suns shot a mere 36.4 percent over those first 12 minutes).

TURNING POINT
The Celtics started the first half quick and finished it strong as well. Up seven with little more than two minutes to play in the second quarter, Boston went on a little 7-0 burst highlighted by Brandon Bass' hustling putback dunk and Bradley added a layup to put Boston up 53-39. The Celtics were up 12 at halftime and absolutely blew the doors off the game in the fourth quarter.

CRAWFORD DEBUTS FOR BOSTON
Crawford made his Boston debut while checking in with 2:04 to play in the first quarter. Crawford missed his first two attempts, but buried a corner 3-pointer early in the second frame, bowing his head as if relieved to get his first points. In the fourth quarter, Crawford added two buckets by attacking the basket then buried another triple. Crawford finished 4-of-7 shooting over 17:18.

PAIN IN THE NECK
Given all the injury woes Boston has endured recently, Celtics fans held their collective breaths when Pierce left the game holding his neck right at the start of the second half. It appeared to simply be a stinger (remember, too, that Pierce battled a pinched nerve earlier in the year). He worked through the pain and quickly returned to the floor.

WHAT IT MEANS
Go ahead and use up your "The Celtics are better without KG!" jokes. Green was otherworldly with his best all-around game in a Boston uniform (even beyond the scoring, he was spectacular). Even rookie Fab Melo got 3:42 of floor time with the Celtics up big in the final minutes. The Celtics have an off day Saturday before closing out this five-game road trip with a back-to-back on Sunday (Portland) and Monday (Utah). Some much-needed rest (and practice time for the newcomers) looms after the trip as Boston has just one game over a seven-day span.
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CSNE

Celtics eclipse Suns, 113-88

A. SHERROD BLAKLEY

Jeff Green starts in place of Kevin Garnett and drops 31 points on the Suns, leading the Celtics to a 113-88 victory.
(AP Photo)

PHOENIX — The Boston Celtics don't have the kind of players known for up-and-down, track meet in cleats kind of play.

But with so few big bodies, getting out in transition is an absolute necessity for them to compete, let alone win games.

Boston's transition game was just one of the many things that seemed to work on Friday night as the Celtics worked over a Phoenix Suns team, 113-88.

Jeff Green, who finished with a season-high 31 points, was able to corral loose balls and attack coast-to-coast.

Long rebounds found their ways into the hands of Boston's guards who quickly got the ball up court for easy scores.

Of Boston's 11 first-quarter field goals, eight of them were within four-feet of the basket.

With the victory, Boston (29-26) snapped a two-game losing skid while handing the Suns (18-38) their sixth loss in their last seven games.

Boston exploded with a 13-0 run to start the game, attacking the porous Suns defense with driving lay-up after driving lay-up.

With Kevin Garnett getting the night off, the C's went with Green in the starting lineup.

The change paid off for both Green and the Celtics.

Phoenix had no match for him defensively, as Green blew past every defender the Suns threw at him.

And when he wasn't getting to the rim for easy baskets, he was knocking down lightly contested jumpers.

Boston led 28-20 after the first, with Green scoring 13 of the team's points.

Although he only had two points in the first half, Terrence Williams was instrumental in the Celtics' controlling the action in the first half.

The 6-foot-6 combo guard displayed a feel for the point guard position the C's haven't seen since Rajon Rondo went down with a season-ending torn right ACL injury.

He played less than eight minutes in the first half, but had almost as many assists (four) as the rest of the Celtics combined (five).

Boston also got their other newcomer Jordan Crawford on the floor in the second quarter. He had three points and an assist in about five first-half minutes. For the game, he finished with 10 points in 17 minutes.

As for the Suns, turnovers and poor shooting put them in a hole that they had shown no signs of digging themselves out of Friday night.
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WEEI 93.7 FM

AINGE ON BIG SHOW: 'I DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE' PAUL PIERCE, KEVIN GARNETT
By Ben Rohrbach

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge didn’t want to trade Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett at the NBA trade deadline — not for pennies on the dollar, he told the Big Show.

“We really like those guys,” said Ainge on Friday evening. “I like Kevin and I like Paul a lot, and I didn't want to move them.”

Ainge wouldn’t discuss how close he ever came to trading Garnett to the Clippers for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan — other than to say, “I never talked to Kevin” — or dealing Pierce to the Nets for Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks and a pick.

"You don't just give them away,” he said. “There is great value in those guys.”

So, Ainge apparently wasn’t offered a deal that matched the value he places on either Garnett or Pierce, so he never had the opportunity that Red Auerbach had. For some background, here’s what Ainge told The Boston Globe two years ago (h/t @trubygreen):


"First of all, it's a different era. I sat with Red during a Christmas party (in the 1990s). Red was talking to Larry [Bird], Kevin [McHale] and myself and there was a lot of trade discussion at the time, and Red actually shared some of the trade discussions. And I told Red, what are you doing? Why are you waiting?

"He had a chance to trade Larry for Chuck Person, Herb Williams and [Steve] Stipanovich and he had a chance to trade Kevin for Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins. I was like, 'Are you kidding?' I mean, I feel that way now. If I were presented with those kind of deals for our aging veterans, it's a done deal."

On Friday, Ainge told the Big Show that deals like those weren’t on the table for Garnett or Pierce this season.

"What I said is that I would've done those deals,” said Ainge. “That's all I've said, and I hold true to that. Those deals don't exist, so there's a big, big difference between what you're trying to have me said and what I did say. …

“Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are playing much better at that stage of their careers than Kevin and Larry were at the same stage, so KG and Paul have been way, way more durable than Kevin and Larry ever were."

Pushed on the circus that surrounded Garnett in recent weeks, Ainge added, “He's very loyal. Right now, he bleeds green, and he has a huge, huge impact on the development of our young players."

As for the deadline deal Ainge did make — trading the injured Leandro Barbosa and Jason Collins for Jordan Crawford — the C’s president said, “We are looking to replace Barbosa's scoring punch off the bench.”


ADRIAN WOJNAROWSKI ON M&M: IF CELTICS WANTED KEVIN GARNETT TO WAIVE NO-TRADE CLAUSE, 'THEY WOULD HAVE JUST TRADED PAUL PIERCE OUT FROM UNDER

By Annie Maroon

Adrian Wojnarowski

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports joined Mut & Merloni on Friday to talk about what the Celtics did at the trade deadline and whether or not they missed an opportunity to trade Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett and get something of value in return.

"I don't know what opportunity really was there," Wojnarowski said of potential Pierce and Garnett trades. "You could trade them and you could get something for them, but I think the deal Boston really would have liked to have done was with the Clippers. To get Eric Bledsoe, 22-year-old point guard, and DeAndre Jordan, who's a 23-year-old center who's developing. That's a deal I believe Boston would have went to ownership with and said, 'We'd like to do this, let's see if we can get KG to lift his no-trade clause.'

"The Clippers coaching staff wanted to do it, and a lot of executives and coaches among the elite in the Western Conference, and some of the elite in the East, they were terrified of KG going to the Clippers. They thought that made the Clippers the team to beat out there. But ownership was reluctant to this deal, and … they never agreed in principle to that package. I think that's one [Boston] may have pulled the trigger on."

Reports of another proposed Celtics deal, which would have sent Pierce to Brooklyn for Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks and the Nets' first-round draft pick, also surfaced. That didn't happen, and Wojnarowski said he doesn't think it was urgent for the Celtics to make a deal like that.

"I think that Boston can revisit it in deals around draft time," he said. "Brooklyn's draft pick is not going to have a great value. They're a playoff team, you're getting a pick that's not going to be really high, in a pretty bad draft. And you've got to try and get one good player back. Humphries and Brooks, you're not really getting either. Humphries is fine, he has a purpose, but not if you're trying to get younger and rebuild. I have no problem with the Celtics not doing that Brooklyn deal."

On getting Jordan Crawford for Leandro Barbosa and Jason Collins: "In Washington, they are going with the future in Bradley Beal. He's much more of an all-around player than Crawford. [Crawford] can come off the bench and put points up. This guy has averaged 15, 16 points when he's gotten minutes. He'll help them as they're trying to make the playoffs. He's not a starter in the league. He's a guy who's a specialist. He's a guy who'll come in and score with the ball and handle it a little bit, and that's all the Celtics need."

On when the potential trade of the Hawks' Josh Smith fell apart: "I was talking to the guys in Milwaukee and Orlando, and they had been talking about that three-way deal with Orlando, Milwaukee and Atlanta, and finally it was 10 minutes to 3 — it was 2:52 p.m., and Atlanta had pulled out and said, 'Forget it, we're not doing this.' And that's when Milwaukee and Orlando did the two-way deal for [J.J.] Redick. Atlanta took it down to the wire, rejected the last offer Milwaukee made, and Milwaukee said, 'We're not giving you any more for Smith.' "

On the Celtics regretting Garnett's no-trade clause: "I don't know how hard KG pushed for that no-trade in his contract. Obviously organizations don't like to give it out … but once they gave it to him, they knew it was going to be difficult. I do think this, though: If Boston had wanted KG to waive that, they would have just traded Paul Pierce out from under him. If they sent Paul off to Brooklyn or anywhere else, KG may have looked at not waiving that thing very differently.

"I don't think they ever had the agreement. From everything I heard out there, [Clippers] management just didn't want to do it and Chris Paul did not push hard enough. Chris Paul can get anything done he wants there. He is running that organization right now, and rightfully so. They can't lose him. He's going to be a free agent. Chris was not pushing really, really hard for it, because if he did, he would have made management have to reconsider how they felt about it."

On the Clippers being reluctant to trade young players for Garnett: "You've got a front office organization that sees a window here. They could be very good for a considerable amount of time here with Paul, Blake Griffin in his early 20s, and feel like they're good enough to compete this year. I understand why Vinny Del Negro wanted [Garnett]. He's a coach in the last year of his deal, and that could put them over the top in the short term. I think the front office was looking at the longer view. But if you're the Clippers and you have a chance to finally go for it, you can say hey, we have a few more years of Chris Paul — he's had some injuries. You don't know what's going to happen. Bledsoe's a guy they're going to have to trade eventually anyway because they can't pay him what he's going to be able to command once Chris Paul signs. So we're just talking about DeAndre Jordan.

"Kevin Garnett, the feeling was, out there and around the league, he would have spread the floor, he would have cleared out the lane for Griffin, he kind of would have played that stretch-4 power forward position. And a guy who's won, who steps in. Listen, nobody in San Antonio, nobody in Miami, nobody in Oklahoma City wanted to see that deal happen."

On what's best for the Celtics regarding Pierce and Garnett: "The longer you hold on to them the less value they have. You can still get something for them, but as they get older, they have less value. And I think the days of being able to trade aging veterans for first-round picks, for really good young players, are mostly over.

"Especially with this new collective bargaining agreement, you don't see teams trading for first-round picks. They're getting into that in-between place now where they're not really competing for an Eastern Conference championship anymore but they're not bad enough that they're going to get good picks. You can get stuck in that middle, and I think that's what Boston ultimately wants to avoid, because when you get stuck in that middle place, you never get out of it."

112288

Now who needs Rondo.......better yet ....who needs KG! LOL

Mark down this date and game....... the torch has been passed......Jeff Green is our next star!

Fast game ...........just over 2 hours and change.

This kid Williams is good. He made a number of great passes.........right on the money.....and hit some nice shots. Hope he keeps this up...like his game.
9pts 4/8 - +11 - 4 rbs

Crawford - 10 pts 4/9 - +13 - 3 rbs Also a very nice game considering he has never practiced with the team ever!

If Doc can mold these guys into the Celtic system, the C's just added 2 quality role players to their bench.

Chis Wilcox...where have you been....nice game!

112288

A few observations on the Suns game:

• The Celtics gang-banged the defensive boards so well they garnered 36 defensive rebounds to 28 for the Suns. Seven players had at least 4 rebounds. This is what they
need to do regardless of what big guys may be in the lineup. And, incidentally, Courtney Lee is definitely one of the best position defensive rebounders
on the team when he sets his mind to it.

• The Celtics grabbed 9 offensive rebounds and converted a number of them into second-chance points. Both Wilcox and Bass were immense on the offensive boards.

• Despite putting their smallest lineup of the year on the floor, the Celtics had 48 points in the paint—two more than the Suns, who ran the pick-and-roll to a faretheewell in order to utilize their significant height advantage. This was the most aggressive I've seen the Celtics at both ends in some time.

• The two new guys displayed confidence along with restraint as they didn't hesitate to shoot (with good results) but also were alert for passing opportunities that paid off. And, for guys who have no clue about the Celtics' defensive schemes, they pulled their weight on the defensive end.

• Jeff Green is officially the new go-to guy on the Celtics. However, I'm not sure he knows that yet, and he'll probably require more convincing. He was assertive out there without taking ill-advised shots. Extremely efficient. 31 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks and 2 steals? C'mon!!!!!!!

• The biggest thing this team had going for them was their energy and aggressiveness. But close behind were pace and rhythm, which they maintained from their great start throughout the game. They made the Suns play catchup throughout; and, when Phoenix mounted a run, the Celts just brushed it aside with an answering run of their own. Eighteen fast break points with only 12 turnovers, while integrating two new guys? That's amazing! And you don't shoot 45% from long distance without great rhythm. You could see guys like Green, Terry, Lee, Crawford and Williams feeling it.

• I really liked hearing Doc say, after the game, that Williams is really a point guard more than anything else. A 6' 6" point three-position player who looks as though he could squash Dwayne Wade like a kumquat. It somehow has a nice ring to it.

• I know it was only the Suns. You all know how I feel about that trite viewpoint. The fact that they played as they did tonight proves to me that they have substantial abilities individually and collectively. It's irrefutable; I saw it with my own eyes. It may be tougher to execute against some teams than others, but you have to start with abilities and then graduate to strategically determining how best to impose those abilities on others. That's what the next month and a half should be all about.

• So now we'll see if D.J. White can help. Is the similarity in names between P.J. Brown and D.J. White just a coincidence?

• And mention should be made about the maestro who's the leader of the band. An excellent game plan. Good player rotations. Great motivation job (on Wilcox in particular). Good initial integration of Crawford and Williams into the lineup, including a ballsy pairing of the two practically right out of the chute.

There's a long, long way to go in this season, and I know just about everyone is writing this team off. And it's true that they have a massive workload ahead of them, although it's nice to start with something like 5 or 6 days for practice next week. I'm sticking with what I've said all year long (although, in truth, the reasons have changed):

See me in April.

Sam

When I first saw T Williams he was a 5 tool player already at first glimpse as a rookie, remember liking his game so much, wish we could have gotten him back then. Who woulda thought he would go through so many growing pains? but presto here he is with his strong body and cat like quickness and handle, seems like he understands better now and his vision got better. Great to see him making strides right away.

Don't know much about Jordan Crawford, but he looked good and Danny instead of going big, added more depth at wing so we can run more and more options at small ball. Hope we can still play uptempo more and more with the added pieces and glad were giving Melo a chance to develop and take baby steps, hopefully he can earn some minutes.

Jeff Green, WOW, he has all star talent and is still young with tremendous upside.... I want him to be more selfish, 5 blocked shots, Pierce and KG must be pushing this kid behind the scenes and he has the athletic ability to run with it.

COWENS

ARE YOU ATTENDING DINER AT CHEERS AT 4PM SATURDAY BEFORE THE GAME WITH YOUR FRIENDS/FAMILY?

SEE POST ON ST. PADDY'S DAY
112288

This may have been the most fun game to watch all year.

This was the first game that I saw where all of Jeff Green's skills were on full display. It was like wow he made that one too!

While Crawford is known as a gunner I was pleasantly surprised to see him handle the ball so well, penetrate the paint and dish the ball to open guys who quite frankly were surprised that they were so open.

And Williams plays with a calmness that allows him to dictate the tempo.

I am going to hold back my shear excitement because the Suns really do suck but playing without KG and winning the way they did certainly opens up all types of possibilities.

These new additions are something more than just filling out the roster. As improbable as it seems the Celtics are not ready to write this year off. They have made some under the radar moves that are designed to force them to play uptempo basketball.

I think that if Doc cuts back on Paul's minutes (he logged 26 last night) it may help to establish Jeff Green as the guy you pass the ball to.

This teams looks like they have a lot of fire power.

dboss

I was a little concerned about Crawford's handle. He almost seems so energetic that he is moving ahead of his dribble. I know that isn't a good description but I do think Williams is more controlled. But two great pickups.

In his post game news conference, Lindsey Hunter was on a rampage. He was pissed and wanted everyone to know it. When asked why he went with three pg's for so long, was it to counter Doc, he said NO! I was just trying to find five players who can compete. He wasn't that type of player and won't tolerate lack of hustle on his team. Good! If I'm ever going to make a playoff game I need Phx to get good. Go ahead, call me selfish.

mulcogi

of course, he could have been blinded by those orange sneakers

I didn't watch the game. I did, however, get to listen to Sean Grady and Cornbread Maxwell on the radio. This is the first time I have listened to Celtics radio since Johnny. Sean Grady is an adequate, but not great play-by-play announcer. Unfortunately for him, he follows Johnny. Cornbread is hysterical. If you're looking for color he has that.

One Max-ism I remember was when he was talking about Jeff Green doing something great: "Ooooh, he is nasty! Somebody get him some mouthwash!".

Here's another, at the end of the game when Melo was running the floor: "here's a 7-footer who doesn't have a rebound and he's running downcourt? I'm just saying..." Yes, he actually said "I'm just saying..."

Here's what came through, last night on the radio:

1. Terrence Williams looked great including, unexpectedly, at point.
2. Crawford came in and looked good too.
3. Green is God, as opposed to God is green (which Celtic fans already know).
4. Beasley is gone. It's just a matter of time. He is in the doghouse. And somebody will give him another chance. Hmmm.

As far as stats go:

Jeff Green with 5 blocks? Damn. Grady mentioned how he was visibly and audibly angry when someone missed a defensive assignment. Way to assert yourself, Jeff!

We are a much better team without Rondo and KG and with Pierce only playing 26 minutes. KIDDING! It is nice, however, to see that our 2nd unit can compete, even though they are competing against a horrible team.


We rest, we heal where we can and we start finding combinations that will get us further into the playoffs.


bob


.

BobH,

A couple of things on Williams and Bradley:

William's PG skills are no surprise to Doc, who said in his post-game conference that Williams is more a PG than anything else. I must say that, if you're going to have a combo PG/SG/occasional SF, it's nice to have one that's 6' 6" and 230.

After Williams' first game with the Celts, Doc made a point of saying that he didn't just make good decisions; he made then quickly without holding the ball. In this
game, he generally held the ball a little longer, but it was by design to wait for his teammates to get into their half-court set (Doc was calling the plays from the sideline). But, when he got rid of it, something good almost always happened.

Even one of William's turnovers was on a slick bounce pass into the post that was definitely the right play, but one of the Suns stepped into the passing land and intercepted it. Williams' other turnover was a bad one, as he got himself into a trap and had the ball taken away. That one earned him a little conversation with Doc.

This kid just oozes confidence. His three happened when he brought the ball upcourt, with plenty of time remaining on the clock, and found himself all alone on the perimeter. He never hesitated for an instant as he let the ball fly. He also has a definite nose for the ball, as he tends to be in the right place at the right time. That's the kind of trait that's NOT a function of the caliber of the team you're playing.

Terrence's poise in bringing the ball up and initiating a play is in direct contrast to Bradley, who often has a deer-in-the-headlights look as soon as he crosses midcourt and whose only objective in those circumstances seems to be to rid himself of the ball as quickly as possible. However, lately I've noticed an occasional tendency on Avery's part to catch opponents by surprise by occasionally by maintaining the dribble and taking it all the way to the hoop. It's not the dribbling part the flummoxes Avery; it's the passing and the fact that his game tends to be very reactive and not anticipatory. He's a very good opportunist, taking advantage of situations that open up (especially along the baseline). He's just not much of a creator on offense (an important distinction because he creates problems all over the place for opponents on defense).

One change I'm noting in Avery's game is on defense. While he's always been unsurpassed in harassing opponents bringing the ball up and on the perimieter, he hasn't always stayed in front of them when they make a move to the hoop. He's slowing improving that part of his defensive game, which can be huge for the Celtics because they need all the interior defense help they can get.

One thing I mentioned on the Game On Thread was Bradley's need to let the game slow down for him a la Paul Pierce. I don't mean moving slowly; I'm referring to Pierce's exceptional ability not to do anything too hastily. He makes a lot of shots with a hand in his face because he hasn't rushed the shot and yet has the confidence that he can get the shot off. Avery's missing a lot of bunnies lately, and I think one reason is that he tries to do everything at warp speed.

Sam

sam wrote:BobH,

William's PG skills are no surprise to Doc, who said in his post-game conference that Williams is more a PG than anything else. I must say that, if you're going to have a combo PG/SG/occasional SF, it's nice to have one that's 6' 6" and 230.

After Williams' first game with the Celts, Doc made a point of saying that he didn't just make good decisions; he made then quickly without holding the ball. In this
game, he generally held the ball a little longer, but it was by design to wait for his teammates to get into their half-court set. But, when he got rid of it, something good almost always happened.

Even one of William's turnovers was on a slick bounce pass into the post that was definitely the right play, but one of the Suns stepped into the passing land and intercepted it. Williams' other turnover was a bad one, as he got himself into a trap and had the ball taken away. That one earned him a little conversation with Doc.

This kid just oozes poise. His three happened when he brought the ball upcourt, with plenty of time remaining on the clock, and found himself all alone on the perimeter. He never hesitated for an instant as he let the ball fly. He also has a definite nose for the ball, as he tends to be in the right place at the right time. That's the kind of trait that's NOT a function of the caliber of the team you're playing.

sam,

Boy, have you got that right. A 6'6", 230#, UBER-ATHLETIC point guard? When have we ever had one of those, much less one that plays defense too? And not just against opposing SGs but SFs?

Thanks for the insight into the TOs. So, if we adjust to recognize TOs that were his fault, vs TOs that were just great defense by the Suns, he had a 4-1 assist-to-TO ratio last night. Nice start for the kid.


bob


.

Here's A Sherrod Blakely's take on Williams:



PHOENIX — Within minutes of getting into Friday's game, it was clear that Terrence Williams' passing was no passing fancy.

Despite his 6-foot-6, 220-ish pound linebacker frame, Williams is all point guard, all the time.

And his ability to find teammates was yet another development to come out of Boston's 113-88 victory over Phoenix.

Williams shared team-high assist honors (4) with Jeff Green, although Green played almost 15 more minutes.

"T-Will played tremendous, dishing the ball out, playing the point guard, setting us up in the offense, being aggressive," said Green who had a season-high 31 points. "That's what we want from him. He did a good job."

Said Williams: "I just try to find people. This is a great, great group of guys to play with. They're able to make shots. I'm just getting them the ball. They're doing the hard part making the shots. It's definitely a dream to play with shooters. I'm just trying to get them the ball when they're open."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers had a pretty good feel for what Williams could do as playmaker after Williams spent a couple of weeks in Boston prior to the season starting working out at the practice facility.

Danny Ainge told Comcast SportsNet that Williams was given an invitation to the C's training camp, but instead opted to participate in the Detroit Pistons' camp in which was eventually waived prior to the start of the season.

Williams says him playing the point is a function of what he does best on the floor.

"I'm not great like these other guys to run off a screen, come off another screen and shoot the ball and make it," Williams said. "That's not my game. I can find you, and let you do the running."

Williams' ability to run the point off the bench was among the many factors that contributed to the Celtics' blowout win.



bob


.

T-Will, transition pass. Nice vision and running by our new backup point guard (?).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T5NSDjdH-iA



T-Will, NOT forcing the ball inside, but instead seeing Green come up free on top.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0TNOLaLr6Ro




https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y1yZBd10udY



bob


.

Bob,

I love this kid. I hope he can maintain his momentum. He could potentially add just enough discipline in the half-court offense to make a difference in the cohesiveness of the bench play.

I'm actually feeling pretty good about the ability of the Celtics' guard corps to hold their own against elite teams and create some separation from lesser opponents.

As usual, the big question mark remains the center position. They seem to keep getting people for whom the center position is a secondary skill. Will White be another?

As I calculate it, the Celtics will still have one slot open on the roster (even after getting White); and (assuming Melo could be sent to the DL again) they'll also have one slot open on the ACTIVE 12-man roster, with Rondo, Sully and Melo not being among those 12. (This, of course, assumes both Williams and White will stick, and we obviously have no read on White's NBA-readiness yet.) Whether or not White remains on the team, I fervently hope Danny's next move will be for an actual tall guy with at least some defensive impact potential.

Sam

Couples of points:

-Jeff Green needs to start. Now. I dont care if he replaces Pierce or Bass - he needs to get starter minutes and have plays and clear outs called for him. Last night was the tip of the iceberg - and the start of him becoming to eventual leader of this time. All of those who questioned the Perk trade - or the contract that Jeff signed in the off season should feel free to grab a plate and cut a nice slice of humble pie.

-Jordan Crawford is a stud. He can score in a number of different ways, and if he even plays a little defense (he did a fine job last night), he will get plenty of minutes and points. VERY good pick up by DA.

-Similar feeling about Williams. Very smart player who seems unfazed by playing with the veterans. He is a great passer, good shooter. Very good pick up by DA.

-Wilcox played a great game on both ends. Apparently Doc had a chat with him to boost his confidence.....I hope it continues. Chris is one of the most athletic big men in the NBA, and I love when he plays easy going and relaxed like this. More of this please.

I think this new group of players means that the Celtics will HAVE to run...and I am all for it.

After the game on Monday - the Celtics have 3 days off play Friday and then 3 more days off. That means practice time with the new guys (including Fab) and being able to regroup - learn plays and defensive rotations.

Exciting to see how this all gels in the next few weeks.

Sam, you wrote: "A 6' 6" point three-position player who looks as though he could squash Dwayne Wade like a kumquat. It somehow has a nice ring to it."

I trust that the ring you were talking about is #18.

Has anyone else noticed the ambience of love and respect the fans, players, coach, amd GM of the Celtics feel for each other? There is a VERY special vibe to this team. despite the extraordinary adversity we have faced.

Hi,
Win is a win is a win, as they say.
I hope the Celtics will build on this win.
OTOH, it was very sad to see how porous their defense is without KG.
The new guys started great. I expect their production/efficiency will dip after a few games but I hope they, after a while, get back to the level of the first game and above. BTW, it was nice to see PP, Jet, et al cheering for them. I hope that T-Will will stick beyond 10-day contract.
I don't know what'll happen, I hope Celtics will get to the playoffs. I agree that if Celtics get to the 2nd round it'll be a great achievement. I think, having all the recent events (injuries to RR, Sully, LB, etc), Danny was wise to stay put (almost) and wait for the post-season.
Paraphrasing Sam "see me in April" I'd say - see me in September/October.

On the more general topic. I wonder when the Celtics Curse will be over: 2 tragic deaths in 80's and 90's, 2 knees that robed them of rings in 10's...
I hope they don't follow path of Red Sox...

AK

W,

A ring would be better than a sharp stick in the eye. I think the fact that they've been forced to circle the wagaons has invested each player with a sense of ownership in the team's destiny. That's a nice beginning. And, when it's reinforced by their realization that they're pretty damn good, confidence can lead to a little swagger and also a great rhythm on the court.

I agree with Mrkleen that the team has to be very opportunistic in motoring down the floor. The basket after a Phoenix make made Heinsohn all verklempt, and I was right there with him. Even if it's accompanied by occasional turnovers, there's nothing like a little audaciousness to fuel a team. Audaciousness was a hallmark of the Russell teams, the Cowens/Havlicek/"now THAT'S a foul" teams, and the Bird teams

Sam.

For what resources he has and opportunities out there, Danny did a great job, he has increased our ability to run with more depth and we were running fairly well before Barbosa went down, now with 2 more young athletic wing pieces, should be an exciting stretch run. We can run and have alot of pieces to stretch the floor, I'm thinking we can jell and make a run and make a run on the fly. Two very good under the radar signings on 2 young guys with upside hungry to show what they can do.....if Melo can start to show a pulse.

Let's not lose sight of the fact that teams don't run anything like 100% of the time. And the incidence of running usually diminishes during the playoffs. The Celtics will need to hone their halfcourt game if they're to go anywhere this season.

That's why I'm excited for the Celts to have six off days out of seven next week at home. It's almost as though the schedule maker knew they would be in serious need of practices at this point in time.

Here's hoping they'll have White and another big (my minimum = 6' 11, 250) with them during that stretch. If White's paperwork isn't completed by the beginning of the week, the majority of his 10 days could be spent in practice.

Sam