POST GAME DALLAS

GAME STATS

SCORE – CELTICS - 94 / DAL - 104
REBOUNDS - CELTICS 38 /DAL 48.....Offensive - CELTICS 10 /DAL 13 ......Defensive - CELTICS 28 /DAL 35
POINTS IN THE PAINT - CELTICS 36 /DAL 44
FAST BREAK POINTS - CELTICS 17 / DAL 11
FG - CELTICS - 32/77 ( 41.6 %) DAL 38/82 ( 46.3 %)
3PM - CELTICS 5/17 ( 29.4 %) DAL 6/19 ( 31.6 %)
FTM - CELTICS 25/27( 92.6 %) DAL 22/28 ( 78.6 %)
TO - CELTICS 14 / DAL 14
ASSISTS - CELTICS 19 / DAL 26
STL - CELTICS 8/ DAL 7
BLK - CELTICS 5 / DAL 3
PF - CELTICS 26 / DAL 22
BENCH POINTS - CELTICS 32 / DAL 31
TOTAL TEAM TURNOVERS (Points off turnovers) – CELTICS 14 (17) /DAL 14 (22)

NEXT GAME STAURDAY - AWAY - AT MEMPHIS - 8:00PM - CSNE/NBA LEAGUE PASS

POST GAME RECAP

ESPNBOSTON.COM

Rapid Reaction: Mavericks 104, Celtics 94

By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

Rapid reaction after the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Boston Celtics 104-94 on Friday night at American Airlines Center:

THE NITTY GRITTY
Brandan Wright scored a game-high 23 points on 11-of-16 shooting to go along with eight rebounds over 30 minutes, while Vince Carter added 19 points (and was a game-best plus-25 in plus/minus) off the bench for the Mavericks. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Brandon Bass each scored 16 points for Boston (Bass and KG pairing up for 23 rebounds), but the Celtics spent nearly the entire night trying to play catchup.

TERRY DOES DALLAS
Jason Terry returned to Dallas for the first time as a member of the Boston Celtics and was showered with a standing ovation when he checked in with four minutes to play in the first quarter. Terry promised to be more aggressive and landed at the free throw line 30 seconds in, but he finished with just eight points on 3-of-9 shooting with three turnovers over 21:57. He was minus-6 overall.

TURNING POINT
The Celtics trailed virtually the entire night and spent most of the second half trying to chip away at a double-digit deficit. Every time Dallas' lead dipped to single digits, the Mavericks pushed it right back up. Boston clawed within six numerous times in the fourth quarter, including with 6:36 to play, but Dallas responded with a little 6-0 burst that included a Wright putback and a Carter finger roll for a 93-81 lead with five minutes to go. The Celtics simply could never get over the hump, charging within five with 1:51 to go, but O.J. Mayo delivered the 3-point dagger.

LEE INJURES ANKLE
Celtics guard Courtney Lee, playing crunchtime minutes, appeared to injure his left ankle, landing awkwardly on an opponent's foot while defending as Boston tried to make a late charge. Lee had to be helped to the bench, but was able to hobble to the locker room after the game.

WHAT IT MEANS
The Celtics fall to 0-2 on this three-game road trip. Boston put together a dismal first half, shooting 37.1 percent from the floor (13 of 35) while missing an impossible number of layups, turned the ball over nine times, and couldn't stop the pick-and-roll. That left them with a 10-point halftime deficit that was too much to overcome. The Celtics head immediately to Memphis for the second night of a back-to-back against the Grizzlies. The two teams will have something in common as Memphis lost to those pesky, no-longer-cellar-dwelling Hornets on Friday night. The Celtics dip a ½-game back of Chicago and are now four games of Brooklyn (the current fourth seed). The only good news for Boston: Two of the teams nearby on the playoff ladder -- Atlanta and Milwaukee -- also lost on Friday night.
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CSNE

Mavericks drop sloppy Celtics, 104-94

A. SHERROD BLAKLEY

DALLAS — Before every game, you'll find all of the Boston Celtics on the floor, driving to the lane to make lay-ups.

You wouldn't know that's a part of their pre-game routine based on how they played against Dallas, a game in which the C's missed a slew of lay-ups and put-backs.

And in doing so, it was more than enough for the Mavericks to lay out the C's and put them back on yet another losing skid - three and counting - as Dallas led from beginning to end in defeating the C's 104-94.

Boston spent the entire game trailing, but certainly put a scare into Dallas in the fourth quarter when they opened with a 7-2 run which included a steal and subsequent lay-up by Jordan Crawford that cut Dallas' lead to 81-75 with more than 10 minutes to play.

After a Dallas time-out, the Mavericks scored six of the game's next eight points to push their lead back to double-digits (87-77) following a 14-foot, pull-up jumper by Darren Collison after Wright stripped the ball from Jeff Green as he tried to drive towards the basket.

Just when the Mavs seemed to have the game back under control, the Celtics mounted another late-game rally which included a driving lay-up by Jeff Green that cut Dallas' lead to 97-92 with less than two minutes to play.

But the Celtics were unable to cut any deeper into the lead, and wound up losing the game - and possibly more with Courtney Lee going down with a leg injury that prevented him from getting up on his own.

The Celtics came in losers in nine of their previous 12 games in Dallas, and didn't do much at the start of the game to change that.

Boston fell behind by as many as 11 points in the first quarter as the Mavericks took a 30-21 lead into the second quarter.

It was a balanced attack by Dallas, although the return of Shawn Marion was huge out the gates as he grabbed seven rebounds in the first which was more than the Celtics (six) had collectively.

Dallas played with the lead throughout the second quarter, although the C's continued to play well enough to stay within striking distance.

However, the Celtics' efforts at rallying back into the game took a blow when Jeff Green picked up his third personal foul with more than eight minutes to play in the second quarter.

Green's absence on the floor took away one of the C's most important players of late, with Green providing the kind of offensive punch off the bench the Celtics have been wanting from him all season.

But the Celtics have been a scrappy bunch all season, regardless of who was on the floor or not.

After the Mavericks took a 39-29 lead, the Celtics responded with a 10-4 spurt.

But as has been the case in recent end-of-game situations, Boston's defense simply didn't step up to make the necessary plays needed to be successful.

Nothing exemplified this better than the ease with which Brandan Wright scored bucket after bucket after bucket on lay-ups and dunks because Boston's defense didn't rotate to him in time to contest let alone stop him. He finished with a season-high 23 points.

Boston cut the lead down to just four points following a pair of free throws by Chris Wilcox with 2:06 to play in the half.

But the Mavs responded with five straight which included a Dirk Nowitzki 3-pointer. He had 22 points.

As the quarter wore on, the C's continued to miss lay-up attempt after lay-up around the basket.

Dallas led 55-44 at the half, with the Celtics having missed eight lay-ups through the first two quarters of play.

Boston continued its missing-the-easy-one ways in the third quarter, and fell behind by as many as 14 points.

Keeping the Celtics in the game was Brandon Bass.

The former Maverick had 16 points through three quarters of play along with eight rebounds. Bass finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

For Dallas, it was a balanced attack with Dirk Nowitzki (18 points through three quarters) leading the way with solid contributions from a slew of Dallas players as the Mavericks took a 79-68 lead into the fourth quarter.
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WEEI 93.7 FM

SHORTFALL: CELTICS COME UP SHORT AGAIN IN LOSS TO MAVERICKS 03.22.13 at 11:12 pm ET

By Mike Petraglia

Jason Terry had his moments against his former team Friday night in Dallas. (AP)

Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points and Brandan Wright added a team-high 23 – 16 above his season average – as the Dallas Mavericks handed the Celtics their third straight loss, 104-94, Friday night at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass each scored 16 for the Celtics, who fell to 36-31 on the season.

In his return to Dallas for the first time since signing with the Celtics as a free agent last summer, Jason Terry was held to eight points on 3-of-9 shooting.

The only Celtics player in double figures in the first half was Brandon Bass with 10 points. Boston had no answers for Vince Carter off the Dallas bench. Carter had 12 points in 12 minutes, a big reason the Mavericks were able to take a 55-44 halftime lead.

The Mavericks built their lead to as much as 14 twice in the second quarter.

Jordan Crawford hit a baseline three early in the third quarter and followed that up with a steal and reverse layup with 10:19 left in the fourth to cut Dallas’ lead down to six, 81-75. Crawford hit another tough shot – a baseline fadeaway – to keep the Celtics within six, 83-77, with just over nine minutes left.

But the Celtics couldn’t keep the Mavericks from responding and building the lead back to 11, 94-83, with three minutes left. Pierce hit a straightaway three with 2:59 left to cut the Dallas lead down to eight, 94-86. Green’s layup with 1:51 brought the Celtics within five, 97-92. The Celtics forced a missed shot by Carter but Knight got the rebound and kicked it to O.J. Mayo, who knocked down the three to push the lead back to eight, 100-92, with 1:21 left.

Mayo then stole a pass on the next Celtics possession as the Celtics lost their third straight.

The road gets no easier on Saturday night, as the Celtics travel to Memphis to battle the Grizzlies. The Celtics return home on Tuesday for a Atlantic Division showdown with the Knicks on Tuesday night at the Garden.

112288

Just some observations.

The last 2 games, the body language of the Celtics in my observation is really poor........more of losers ......lottery pick team rather then the team we know........to me something has changed!

This kid Crawford is out of control and has no basketball IQ........its players like that on other teams that the Celtics would feast on knowing the player would be out of control and coughing up the ball for a turnover. Not the smart ball player the Celtics have been known to acquire........almost like we are regressing in our talent pool!

We are a small team and thus we are getting killed out there when other players including forwards and guards don't box out opposing players flying in for rebounds.

The Celtics are an enigma! I cannot figure them out.

112288

112288

My thoughts exactly with Crawford, for every tough shot he hits, how many stupid out of control momentum killing plays does he make? I would rather see T Will and what he can do, he can't be any worse, everything in Crawfords game is unCeltic. Avery Bradley is on a terrible shooting spree, love the kid, hope he can get it together....right now hes a liability on offense. I don't see any backcutting from him, last year it was one of his staples, we really could use Rondo right now, something is very off with the offense.

cow

....for example, what happened to Jeff Green, can no one get him the ball? hes got to get more first option plays in the offense.

1. It seems that Green must start to be effective.
2. Since we're getting beat up om the boards, I think Doc should give White and Randolph some playing time. Why the hell sign them up if you're not going to play them? And please don't give me the "we only play veterans" stuff. Our veterans are being handed their butts trying (or not trying) to defend the pick and roll. Fresh legs and aggressiveness might just be what the doctor ordered. (Just apparently not our Doc).

I agree completely with the comments concerning Crawford.

Even though the Celtics are failing, the Patriots declining, and the future of the Red Sox uncertain at best, Boston can bost of the finest in evening and overnight talk radio provided by the mighty WBZ 1030 on the AM dial. Dan Ray, Jordan Rich and the lovely Jen Brien keep not only New England, but 38 of the 50 Sttates intellectually stimulated and informed each and every night by informative and stimulating debate. THere! You can't get that in South Beach, Texas or LA. Boston is the envy of the world, intellectually! The good folks of Mass. can NEVER be robbed of that! Thus, the great tradition of the late Larry Glick and Steve Lavelli lives on!

MD!

more and more I am convinced that the Celtics woes have to rest on Doc. Afterall, even the most strident Rondo hater can't blame him for when they play like this. This has always been two teams during the Doc/big3 era. The team that runs wins, the team that settles loses. Doc never seems to notice and he never coaches rebounding and that has always been a deficiency. Rondo led teams play like this, sans Rondo they play like this. If the players aren't playing the right way they need to come out. that simple. Doc is a great coach and motivator but he needs to stop dreaming about cherry picked highlights and really study this team the way we all do.

To no one in particular:

Perhaps in high school, it's appropriate for players who are not playing to their potential to be jerked from the game. The NBA is a different story. In the pros, players are acquired for certain major league strengths, and those players are ideally acquired to complement one another in a productive manner.

Once it has been established that a given rotation has the sustained capability to play well together, the team depends on them to play that way in every game. If one or more given players begin to under-perform, jerking them out of the lineup would basically inhibit them from regaining their competence and would also
very likely cause back-sliding in the team's chemistry. Of far greater value is finding ways to get under-performers back to regaining their competence and once again fulfilling their most productive roles with the team.

A better reason to make a change would be if Doc decides the potential of a given player is not is high as it originally appeared. Perhaps Jordan Crawford is an example. But, even with Crawford, I wouldn't be too hasty to strip him of all or most of his relatively low 17 minutes per game. And here's why.

I happen to believe that Doc and Danny were right in searching for a hired gun off the bench to energize the team. One recurring problems with this team is energy—especially down the stretch. The fact is that Jordan Crawford is averaging more points per minute than any Celtics current rotation player not named Pierce, KG
or Green. While he's shooting a very respectable 47.1% from 2-point range, he's averaging only 29.7% from the 3-point arc (or, more precisely, from far beyond the arc). He has taken more three-point attempts per minute than any other Celtics rotation player. As a coach, do you stop giving him 17 MPG, or do you tell him his role is to drive to the hoop more often and shoot threes only when he's wide open or there's no time left on the clock? (And, by the way, Doc said last night that Jordan's defense was pretty good.)

I know all about Avery Bradley's defensive value, especially in the open floor. However, should someone who's shooting only 43.6% from 2-point range and 32.3% from 3-point range have just about the same number of FGA per minute as Jeff Green—and substantially more FGA per minute than Jason Terry, Courtney Lee and Brandon Bass? If I were Doc, I'd tell Avery and Jordan that main role in the corners is primarily to spread the floor and only secondarily to take three-point shots if wide
open. More important than taking threes would be for Jordan to take the ball to the hoop more often and for Avery to resume the back cuts on the baseline with which he did so well last season. While it's more difficult to get the ball to Avery on the baseline without Rondo's presence, KG and Paul Pierce can do it because they attract more than their share of defenders away from Crawford and Avery.

Why oh why would someone suggest replacing Brandon Bass with Jeff Green as starting PF? Bass is currently one of the Celtics' best rebounders, and rebounding is a major area of vulnerability. Moreover, Bass is becoming much more aggressive in taking the ball to the hoop.

If it's deemed desirable to get Green into the starting lineup, why not play him at SF and switch Paul Pierce to SG? Paul's a pretty good rebounder; and, with a height and bulk advantage over most competing SGs, he could more easily get to the hoop on offense. He could also spend more time on the perimeter, where he seems more comfortable lately. He could change up by occasionally going into the post against his smaller adversary. And he could run the point from the outside, from where it's meant to be run. I'm betting the advantages of this move would outweigh the disadvantage of his occasionally being beaten on defense by quick SGs.

Playing Pierce and Green together much of the time would require Doc to find some way to sub for Pierce, in particular, without over-taxing Green. Perhaps this would be a reason to consider Williams as a "poor man's" Pierce whose role will be as a swing man (F, SG) with as much ball distribution responsibility as he can handle.

None of these things I'm talking about requires a radical change in the rotation or effect on the chemistry (especially if Lee was going to be out anyway). They require some alteration and clarification of roles.—all of which could make it easier for players to contribute and easing the frustration that I believe is currently taking a huge toll on the team.

By the way, the Celtics have reverted to fiddling around outside the perimeter while the shot clock runs down; and, if they don't have a true fast break opportunity, they walk the ball up.. In fact, they're obviously having difficulty maintaining an attack mentality on both ends of the floor. The measures I've cited above are partly designed to help restore aggressiveness on the offensive end and to tone down the jumper sickness.

As for the defense, which is very likely the strongest reason for any frustration, it has been proven that the system can work. Defense is one factor that constantly has to be drilled into the heads of all players every day. It's not a lack of ability that made Brandon Bass stand stock still, about two feet from the rim, while a Mav drove, unmolested, from the other side to the hoop. This is where, if I were Doc, I'd let them know, in no uncertain terms, that constant and full effort on the defensive end is the only way true Celtics teams play; and anyone who falls short of constant defensive effort is not considered a Celtic.

Sam