Rasheed Wallace lashes out at Doc during Cavs game

Wallace explodes, lashes out at Rivers

The faces alone in this photo speak volumes. Rasheed Wallace's third-quarter tirade was the most volatile he's been in a Celtics uniform. Shouting at a pair of officials was one thing, but when the tantrum spilled to his own bench -- his own coach no less -- the sight was hard to believe.

Wallace was upset that referee Bill Spooner allowed LeBron James to talk back after not getting a foul call on a layup. Rivers was just as upset, screaming at Mott as the play went the other way. But Wallace kept it up, riding Spooner until he got a technical, then exploding once he was hit with his 14th tech of the season.

He yelled at another referee Rodney Mott on the opposite side of the court, then yelled at Rivers, who was trying to calm him down. Rivers never sat Wallace down and never put him back on the floor.

Wallace may have let a personal belief that the league protects its stars -- or as he's called them "Basketball Without Borders kids" -- supersede the fact that the Celtics needed to stop a three-game losing skid.

Paul Pierce ended up talking to him after the dust settled.

"I just said, stay focused," Pierce said. "We were going to need him. Just to gain his composure, that’s all. Rasheed is a vet, he’s been there before, you just have to talk to him. He understands the situation. He understands that we are trying to win a game and I just told him to stick with it, and at that point when I said something to him on the bench, I thought that he was fine.”

Rivers protected Wallace after the game, not arguing the validity of Wallace's initial frustrations, and adding that had no plans of fining Wallace.

"We know who Rasheed is and at times he’s an emotional player," Rivers said. "But the one thing I will say is once he does the explosion – you noticed sitting on the bench – I honestly thought if I needed him I could’ve put him back in. He gathers himself pretty well."

This can't happen come playoff time.

We had enough trouble getting past the Cavs without Shaq & Varejo, and we need Sheed not to be sitting on the bench because of going crazy over non calls, but to be out there helping this team!

Look at the photo

Look at the eyes of KG and PP.

Wonder what the heck they are thinking?

beat

Paul Pierce looks absolutely disgusted!

You can tell by everyone's faces in the photo their not liking whats going on.

Look at Tyrone Lue's face in the top right corner. I think his look sums it up.

Pierce looks pissed in that he's thinking, MAN that guy is wired or nuts or both.

KG appears to be looking right thru him!

Would have been interesting to see waht was said after the game behind closed doors.

beat

What he did damn near cost us the game. A game of the type he was brought in to help us win. Excuse my language but it's like having a crazy spouse thats good in the sack is the screwin you get worth the screwin you get.

At long last to me the answer is no. Sheed is not bringing much to the party. The freaky thing is he IS right. ANY OTHER PLAYER IN THE NBA INCLUDING KOBE would have been thrown out. Any celtic would have been thrown out. Lebron gets away with bloody murder. It is a ridiculous double standard. Ask yourself how many times Sheed or KG would have been hit with a technical after one of James many clownish demonstrations.

Pretty complicated shite.

I think Sheed was just really upset at the fact that LeBron constantly gets treatment from the refs because lets face it, he is the NBA's golden boy.

And then to be given a technical foul for standing up to the refs must have really sent him over the edge.

This episode (and others) with Sheed should teach all of us one thing.

Remember when Marbury joined the team, and people said the Three Amigos would straighten him out if he went off? Same with Nate. Fortunately, to my knowledge, those two never went off.

But I read the same thing about Sheed. And he has gone off plenty and continues to do so. The more established a volatile player is (at least in his own mind), the more impervious he apparently is to attempts of the Amigos to intercede.

To the credit of someone (possibly Phil Jackson), I haven't heard about Artest being all that volatile in L.A. A little crazy, perhaps, but nothing that approaches Sheed's transgressions. However, I do wonder if perhaps some of L.A.'s own funk could have something to do with the "fit" between Ron and that team.

Perk seems to have cut down on his technicals. Perhaps his self-esteem is not at the point where he feels entitled to blow up at the possible expense to the team.

I've been hoping for months that this would be a time during which the Celts would be gaining momentum as a thoroughly integrated team. Perhaps the Cleveland game will be a catalyst. Maybe they need a chip on their collective shoulder, and this chippy game will provide it. I do know that they can't survive with only two truly big men. They need Sheed, and they need him to be at his best.

Otherwise, it may be Nellie Small Ball all too often. I have to admit that I felt more secure with KG, Finley, Rondo, Tony and Ray out there late in yesterday's game than with either Perk or Sheed in there against a small Cleveland lineup.

Sam

Sam,


Yeah, I've noticed that Perkins has cut down a lot on the back-talk towards the refs.

You would think it would be the other way around!

The older vet stops & realizes his team needs him and stops with the constant berating of the refs while the young gun doesn't take the time to realize this.


Perkins could teach a thing or two to Sheed!

beat wrote:Look at the photo

Look at the eyes of KG and PP.

Wonder what the heck they are thinking?

beat

Paul Pierce should try and GET BACK a bit of the fire that Rasheed showed yesterday. He was a WALKING ZOMBIE in the 4th quarter and let Lebron punk him over and over. The captain is either very hurt still, or he is DONE...but the last few games - even when he has gotten his points early, he has come up lame down the stretch.

As for Sheed, he was completely in the right with the refs....BUT, he isnt helping anyone with outbursts like that.

I believe Paul still has knee problems.

Sam

Then he should sit down as he is HURTING his team.