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Rapid Reaction: C's 106, Bobcats 103

By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

BOSTON -- Ping-pong balls be damned. Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens yearned for progress and he got it on Friday night.

Phil Pressey came up big in a spot start for Rajon Rondo and Boston rallied back after kicking away a big fourth-quarter lead en route to a 106-103 triumph over the Charlotte Bobcats at TD Garden. The win, coupled with an Orlando loss, will drop Boston in the lottery standings, but Stevens said before Friday's game he's more concerned with building momentum before the offseason arrives.

THE NITTY GRITTY
Rondo was a late scratch due to a bruised left shin, but Pressey produced his second double-double in the past three games by putting up 10 points and 13 assists over a career-high 39 minutes. Jared Sullinger overcame a third-quarter ankle sprain to score a team-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Jeff Green and Brandon Bass added 18 points apiece. Al Jefferson scored a game-high 32 points on 16-of-26 shooting against his former team.

TURNING POINT
The Celtics closed out the third quarter on a 9-0 run, then pushed their lead as high as 13 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Nothing comes easy for Boston and the Bobcats responded with a 15-2 run to tie the game at 92 with 5:13 to play. The Celtics were down 1 with under four minutes to play, but put together an 8-0 burst that saw Sullinger and Bradley sandwich 3-pointers around a Green layup for a 104-97 lead with 2:14 to play. The Bobcats got back within 1 on an Al Jefferson floater with 29 ticks to go, but Jannero Pargo missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that could have forced overtime.

LOOSE BALLS
Sullinger limped off in the third quarter after suffering a mild left ankle sprain. He got re-taped and returned in the fourth quarter. ... Jerryd Bayless departed with a right knee sprain in the fourth quarter and did not return. ... Boston turned the ball over 20 times for 23 points, but Charlotte couldn't capitalize despite limiting its own giveaways (12 turnovers for 14 points). ... The Celtics shot 51.9 percent overall (41 of 79), including 47.8 percent beyond the 3-point arc (11 of 23).

WHAT IT MEANS
The Celtics (24-55) snapped a nine-game losing streak while winning for only the second time in 16 tries. Boston now owns the fourth worst record in basketball, moving a game ahead of Orlando. The Celtics could be tied for that fourth spot pending how Utah fares versus Portland. Boston travels to Cleveland on Saturday night to close out their final back-to-back of the season. A visit to Philadelphia looms on Monday before the 2013-14 season wraps up Wednesday with a visit from the Washington Wizards.
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FAST BREAK: RAJON RONDO-LESS CELTICS FEND OFF BOBCATS

WEEI By Ben Rohrbach  
 
The Celtics coughed up a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, but an inspired Rajon Rondo-less effort fended off the Bobcats in a 106-103 victory that snapped a nine-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Orland’s loss to the Wizards gave the Magic sole possession of the NBA’s third-worst record.

Avery Bradley led the Celtics (24-55) with 22 points. Jared Sullinger scored 20 while Jeff Green, and Brandon Bass each added 18. Kelly Olynyk (12 points) and Phil Pressey (10 points, 13 assists) also reached double figures. Pressey’s rebound tap to Bass in the closing seconds sealed the victory.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Avery good night: The real shame in Rondo’s absence was another missed opportunity for the Rondo-Bradley backcourt. While the two provided the few highlights (43 points, 14 assists, 8 rebounds, 6 steals) against Atlanta in their first game together in almost two weeks, Rondo was not in uniform to play Batman to Bradley’s Robin against the Bobcats. Not that it mattered, as the soon-to-be restricted free agent led the Celtics with 14 points by halftime.

Triple take: Almost everybody got in on the C’s 3-point shooting effort, but Bradley again led the way, draining his first three attempts. Pressey and Olynyk also buried a pair each during their 9-of-13 start from distance.

Fighter’s mentality: Led by the consistent effort of Bass and a surprising spark from Green, the Celtics closed the third quarter on a 12-0 run, snagging an 84-75 lead entering the fourth quarter. Pressey’s dive for a loose ball and pass from his behind to a breaking Olynyk drew a playoff-like response from the Garden crowd. While the C’s would have been better served with the loss, the fight they showed may also pay dividends down the road.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Rondo no go: While Rondo’s absence should have benefited the Ping Pong count, his late scratch surprised the Garden crowd. When Brad Stevens addressed the media two hours before the game, Rondo was slated to start the first night of the team’s final back-to-back, but he returned from  warmups with a bruised left shin. His status for Saturday’s game in Cleveland — originally a scheduled day off — remains uncertain. With Kemba Walker (groin) also sidelined, fans instead watched a starting point guard matchup between Phil Pressey and Luke Ridnour.

Big Al: As the Celtics have all season, they struggled against a talented offensive big man. This time it happened to be old friend Al Jefferson (32 points, 10 rebounds), who torched Sullinger & Co. with a variety of post moves for 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting in Charlotte’s 29-point first quarter. He signed a three-year, $41 million deal with the Bobcats over the summer, and while pundits criticized his move to a franchise in perennial peril, his 21.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists for a team surprisingly ranked among the top defensive units in the league. Suddenly, that $41 million doesn’t seem so bad, especially when you consider the C’s are paying Gerald Wallace $30.3 over that same span.

Bumps and bruises: Jerryd Bayless suffered a right knee sprain in the fourth quarter and did not return. Additionally Sullinger rolled his left ankle and left for the locker room in the third, but returned after getting some tape on it. The last the Celtics want to see is injuries pile up in the last few games.

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It was a distinct pleasure to watch the Celtics maintain a push throughout the game.  It enabled them to keep pace with the torrid Bobcats in the first half and to eke out a two-point lead at the half.  Then they kept it up while the Bobcats cooled off a bit (thanks, in part, to some very energetic Celtics defense by Phil Pressey, Brandon Bass, Avery Bradley (who reverted to his old habit of hounding the Bobcats full-court) and Jared Sullinger.

Once again, they had to endure an opponent's furious rally in the fourth quarter, but the Celts did not slow down their attack, and so they won the game.  Simple as that.  Keep the pedal to the metal and you've got a shot in every game.

Phil Pressey was utterly frenetic through almost all of his 39 minutes.  It was mostly noticeable in his defensive effort, as he was all over the place—jumping, diving, poking. and even tipping the rebound of the final Celtics shot so that it eluded a Bobcat and fell into Brandon Bass's hands; and that was essentially the game.

Phil's offensive performance was at least as good as his defensive game, though may not quite as noticeable because it looked a lot smoother than his frantic defensive efforts.  He did have 4 turnovers, but his 13 assists more than made up for them.  There's no question that he gets the game ball.

I have no desire to start a controversy and then take off for a couple of weeks in Europe.  But I found the very late news of Rondo's calf injury to be just the slightest bit suspicious.  I can't help but wonder whether it had anything to do with Brad's seething demeanor after the previous game.  Probably not, but the suddenness of it seemed somehow odd.  Anyway, we got treated to a wondrous exhibition of point guard play in this one.

Best regards to all,

Sam

That did cross my mind.

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I only watched the first half, so I can't give much more than what has been already said, but I liked Pressey's push in the 1st half.  7 assists at the half.  He ended with 13, which says to me he didn't let up either.

1.  Big Al sure can play offense.  He sure can't play defense.

2.  In the first half Bass was doing everything except putting the ball on a string and pulling it to him.  He had McRoberts on him and was calling for the ball every time.  McRoberts couldn't stay between Steady Eddie and the rim.  On the other hand, McRoberts assumed the role of Kemba Walker, playing point forward, and dished out 10 assists, most of which came from entry passes from the 3pt arc.

3.  The Bobcats' back up centers are only slightly better than ours, and we have none.  Cody Zeller was ok, but not that effective and while Bismack Biyombo might still have the best name in basketball, he is wholly inept on offense with hands so stony he makes Perk look like a brain surgeon.  He was their starting center last year, he's #3 on the depth chart this year.  They are also making the playoffs this year.  Coincidence?  I think not.  He's 6'9 1/2" (in shoes) with a 7'6" wingspan.  Sorry, it takes more than that.

4.  Bradley was playing both sides of the ball last night.  We haven't been seeing that much this year.


No Rondo, and we win.  Hmmm.

Before Rondo returned our record was 14-16 (.466).  We were a respectable 7-12 during Hell Month of November, 6-6 in December and had a 7 game losing streak to start January that made us 1-8 through January 15th.  A .466 record today would earn us the #8 playoff slot in the butt-ugly EC.

By my count, since Rondo returned to play on 1/16 vs LAL, our record is 11-28, which has made us tied for the 4th worst record in the league.  Of those 11 wins Rondo played in 6 of them and didn't play in 5 (2nd half of back-to-backs, birthday parties in LA, etc).  Of the 28 games we lost Rondo Rondo played in 22 and did not play in 6.

So, the final tally since Rondo returned is 11-28, a total of 39 games.

Wins - 6-5 with Rondo.
Losses - 6-22 with Rondo.



I'll leave it to you to tell me what this means.


bob


.

We played better without Rondo.

Ipso facto.

How do we begin to quantify the effects of adding another player into the rotation mid-year as opposed to having had that player all along? Should we suggest that this team would have been better off with Rondo not playing this year? Is it better for this team to be an eventual quick out in the first round of the playoffs? I can't really say.

It's largely impossible to say what would have happened if Rondo were to sit the entire year out. We don't know who else that played a major role on the team could have been injured during the same time frame. Perhaps my viewpoint is a bit sci-fi, but one slight change in one place could have considerable repercussions elsewhere.



KJ

KJ

We certainly needed to have Rondo back this year for many reasons....

Certainly if we are to deal him potential trade partners would like to know he can play.

beat

Rondo was physically able to play, so he should play.

The Adrian Peterson outlier notwithstanding, it takes time to fully recover from a serious knee injury, and a significant part of that recovery is mental -- getting to the point where you don't think about the injury as you play. Delaying Rondo's return until next season likely would have delayed his mental recovery.

Rondo is no longer the sure-fire keeper that he once was. The question becomes whether a) how well he fits into Stevens' offense and defense; and b) if so, whether his positives outweigh his negatives significantly enough for him to be part of a contender. The best way to find out is to put him out there and see how he does with Stevens as the coach.

Five years ago, his negatives seemed less significant because he had proven he could be part of a championship team and it was logical to think that he'd improve aspects of his game as he got older. But now, those negatives loom larger. Despite shooting nothing but free throws when he couldn't do much else after surgery, he didn't do any better (63.6% compared to 64.5% last season and 62.1% for his career). His turnovers are at the same level (3.6 per 36 minutes compared to 3.7 last season and 3.6 the season before that). His moodiness hasn't been an issue this season that I'm aware of, but it still sits there in the background.

But given his talents, the Celtics can live with those limitations. What is most worrisome is his penchant for walking the ball up and not initiating the offense quickly. In the past, he had the excuse of the old vets holding him back, but that excuse is gone and the habit remains. This team as constructed this year practically begged to take advantage of quick-hit opportunities -- not necessarily fast breaks, but pushing the ball up the court and getting a shot opportunity before the defense could set itself completely. The half-court offense isn't very effective and has the disadvantage of no consistent low-post scoring threat, so finding a cutter to the basket in transition or an open spot-up shooter after transition penetration is the logical way to take advantage of their assets. Rondo's a smart guy and has to recognize this. Why doesn't he lead the way?

Perhaps he'll do it next season when he's more fully recovered. He looks healthy out there, but I don't see him slice to the basket for layups like he used to, and the most glaring difference in his stats post-injury is his two-point FG percentage -- 40.1%, compared to 51.3% last season and 49.5% for his career.

This tells me more than anything that his recovery, physical and/or mental (probably both) is not sufficiently complete. Perhaps he lacks confidence to drive, cut, and do the amazingly athletic things he used to do, and that's why he puts the brakes on and walks it up.

The point guard position is so crucial, especially in today's NBA, and Rondo is obviously a talented player, but to me, the first half of next season is a make-or-break tryout for the Rondo-Stevens experiment. His recovery can't be an excuse at that point, and if he's still walking it up, it's time to recognize that this particular experiment isn't going to work.

The thing is, there's no reason why it shouldn't work. Just push the damn ball.