Celtics Have Their Heated Moments

PERHAPS WE NEED TO COMPLETE THE TRADE AND SEND RONDO TO OKC !

It’s why Kobe Bryant shoots death stares at Laker teammates Pau Gasol and Shannon Brown, and why Andrew Bynum comes out and says the team has trust issues.

It’s why LeBron James fires Dwyane Wade a look that screams, “What were you thinking?’’ after Wade fires a pass at James that is uncatchable.

The Celtics aren’t immune to such emotions.

They were huddled during a timeout late in the second quarter of Tuesday night’s Game 2 loss to the Heat, trailing, 44-40. Wade was making sawdust out of the Boston defense. Coach Doc Rivers was yelling out instructions when Rajon Rondo decided to break away from the huddle.

Ray Allen reached out from the other side of the circle to call Rondo back, but he was already gone. Paul Pierce left the huddle, grabbed Rondo by the arm, and started talking to him. The tone seemed forceful.

Rondo patted Pierce on the side, then walked away. Pierce kept talking. Rondo kept walking.

After the game, Pierce brushed off the exchange.

“We always do that,’’ Pierce said. “I forgot what I said.’’

The Celtics are down, two games to none, and searching for answers against a team that’s as fast and strong as it is skilled. There will be frustrations in such a situation, but getting through the fiery moments quickly and staying on the same page is critical.

“Emotional hijacks, you can’t have them,’’ said Rivers. “And they happen. When they happen, they always happen when you’re down or you’re in the heat of battle.

“They happen because it’s an emotional game, but once you let it get to a point where it’s hijacking the team, that’s never good.’’

To an extent, conflict is a part of the Celtics’ DNA. They’ve bickered over defensive assignments, disagreed over play calls and ball movement. They’ve argued over the strength of earthquakes and the best backup point guards of the 2000s.

“If I had a tape recorder on me or a video camera on me over the time that I’ve been here, you would see a lot,’’ Allen said. “I’ve always said about this team, we’ve argued and debated more than I’ve argued or debated in my whole NBA career.

“I’ve been on teams where you never communicated, you never argued about anything. This team, somebody will tell me I didn’t have pancakes for breakfast this morning and they didn’t even have breakfast with me.’’

When the issue is an on-court matter, the game tape typically settles it.

“Normally, it’s a defensive situation,’’ Allen said. “Any time you debate or argue over it, when the play shows up [on film] you will know what’s going on because everybody talked about it. At some point, you’re like, ‘That’s the play! That’s the play we talked about. That’s the play we argued about.’ ’

The Celtics roster has been like an emotional minefield. Kevin Garnett got in Glen Davis’s face in 2008, leaving the second-year forward near tears. Tony Allen was unpredictable. Nate Robinson was a live wire. Rasheed Wallace had a reputation for being a time bomb.

Pierce and Rondo are typically on the calmer, if more mercurial, side.

“But they came back, they played well,’’ Rivers said. “When it happens with the same guy all the time, that usually becomes a problem.’’

Over the course of four years, the Celtics core players have developed their own language with each other. James and Wade said they had to figure out their own as well, but acknowledged that in the playoffs, winning takes precedence over manners.

“It’s challenging,’’ James said. “Any time you have new teammates, you have to understand who you’re playing with sometimes.

“Some people can be yelled at and still can play. Some people you have to kind of have to do it a certain way.

“But at this point in the season, feelings go out the window. We’re trying to win a championship. We can’t worry about anyone’s feelings, friend or no friend, honestly.

“So if D-Wade makes a mistake or I make a mistake, I expect to hear from him. He expects to hear from me, too.’’

Off the court, they’re calm, according to Wade.

“If it’s on the court, it’s in the moment,’’ Wade said. “It’s been times where he’s gotten on me for something I should have done or didn’t do, and vice versa. And it’s a different tone.’’

“A whole different language,’’ James said.

“My voice is not this calm, his voice is not this calm,’’ Wade said. “It’s not a bed of roses all the time. We’re not always patting each other on the back. Our job is to get the best out of each other.’’

The emotions are as high as the stakes.

“It’s easy to say you can’t let it happen,’’ Rivers said. “But I can show you every Game 7 that was played and at some point there was an emotional hijack somewhere. It’s part of the game. The point is you don’t allow it to distract you from what you’re doing.’’

It undoubtedly will happen again. The only thing that will matter is how the Celtics respond.

“I can stand here before you right now and tell you something like that is going to happen again on Saturday, for us and them,’’ Allen said.

“For every team that’s playing in the playoffs, for everybody that’s going through something in life, there’s always something.

“We just have to always know that and be prepared.

“If a team goes on a run, it doesn’t matter. It’s how we come back together, it’s how we do it together, and hopefully we know that as a team.’’

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112288,
I saw that PP-RR interaction during the last game. Also, I saw a moment when the big 3 (PP, RA, KG) were walking together towards the bench discussing something. RR was walking a few steps ahead of them.
Frankly, I didn't like it. Usually RR talking to everybody on the floor. Especially it's noticible during FTs. But not in the last game.
I don't know what it's all about, but they better get "on the same page", start talking and start trusting each other, otherwise they can just start booking tee-time.

AK

Rondo better grow up and start acting like a franchise player in action (and in more consistent play) or else, he better find a real estate agent as DA is NOT going to stand for that kind of immature crap.

To no one in particular,

Frankly, I've been more concerned than I've revealed in my posts about possible dissension in the ranks. Little indications here and there, coupled with what everyone knows about Rondo's recalcitrant and sometimes stubborn nature.

This team, during the so-called "Garnett era," has obviously been in transition in terms of both playing style and balance of power. The ubunto (or whatever it is) term came into being, I believe, at a time when the Three Amigos were the engine and Rondo was essentially a caboose with increasing input. I'm sure there was some ebb and flow the following two years, with injuries very possibly demanding such attention that stylistic and power issues took second place to banding together and doing the best they could under the circumstances.

This year, however, I sensed (even in the early going) that these issues were gaining some momentum. And it's probable that The Trade could have been a catalyst that brought them to a head. The proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, particularly as far as Rondo has been concerned.

I'm starting to sense a pattern whereby things were rolling along pretty nicely for Rondo. The Celtics were evolving so that an increasingly older team was ironically registering the most cohesiveness when the offense included a strong transition element—right in Rondo's wheelhouse.

Then the trade occurred. And, regardless of what was gained and lost with the arrivals and departures of individual players, one thing was certain. The style that been moving in the direction of Rondo's comfort zone, was now in a state of flux. People (even holdover players) were learning new roles. The identity of the team was much less well-defined. And I'm virtually certain that Rondo—being not only a human being but also an impressionable and perhaps even somewhat volatile one—took a major hit to the psyche.

My guess (and this is mainly a guess) is that Rondo has always been the type of person whose inner feelings have been registered more through his actions on the floor than through vocalization. For at least the first month after the trade, what I saw in Rondo fit the pattern of petulance quite well.

And frankly, although he has played some good games—perhaps even pivotal games—in the playoffs, it almost seems as though they're occurring more through a sense of will and duty than through a sense of conviction. He seems to be playing more mechanically than instinctively.

In addition to being a team leader stylistically, I believe Rondo sets the tone for the emotional well-being of the team. No, I don't mean he wears his emotions on his sleeve. But, in the past, his verve on the floor has seemed to create a sense of joy throughout the team. I haven't seen any of that—at least not on an extended basis—for quite a while.

Whatever anyone might think of the wisdom of the Perk trade in terms of the caliber of the Celtics' play, I'm starting to think that the trade may have a sad but true implication for the future. It may be bringing to a head the question of whether the future of the Celtics—whatever course it takes—can be optimized with a gifted but petulant point guard holding the reins.

I watched Berea the other day, and I saw verve on the floor. I didn't see a jump shot. But I saw a true catalyst. I saw his teammates feed off his push of the ball and his penetration. I saw him make his opponents pay for any momentary lapse. And I saw joy out there on the floor. And he's just a sub!

I'm not attempting to single out Rondo for blame. First of all, I don't believe in going out of my way to assign blame and fault because I think that's just plain unproductive. Second, if there's truth to anything I say, there could easily be much more to the story than I'm surmising. Third, Rondo has always been my favorite Celtic during this era.

They'll either work with what they have and win a championship or they won't. I'm not into the prediction game, and I've learned to appreciate the good and deal with the bad. But, in this post, I'm attempting to be realistic and constructive in looking at the Celtics in a broad sense. It's all muddled by the CBA. But I'll bet on Danny to make the best of whatever comes.

Go Celtics!

Sam

I guess Rondo will become the next coach when Doc leaves!

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sam,
Interesting summary.
I guess that KG or RA should host a dinner a la Durant for the 4 of them plus, maybe, Shaq. There they should make a decision of what they, especially RR, are going to do. Because it more than obvious that if they continue to play as they did in the first 2 games, they might as well quit today declearing Mia a winner.
Oh well.... I still hope.

AK

Sinus and Others,

As you know, I've been consistently upbeat about the Celtics' ability to come together in time to make a serious run in the playoffs. That opinion was based on what I've seen on the floor plus a lot of experience in terms of how long it would typically take for such cohesiveness to take hold when there is a personnel change on a basically veteran team.

I still hold to that opinion. However, IF there is something more pervasive that is out of the norm and is affecting one or more key members of the team, then the norm might not apply. As for any remedy, I guess that would depend on the makeup of the team and the severity of the problem.

I find it ironic that there were two teams everyone was fearing most in the playoffs because of their center strength were Orlando and the Lakers. Orlando is now out of the playoffs, and the Lakers appear to be in even more serious trouble than the Celtics. If the Bulls and/or Thunder and/or Mavs wound up standing between the Celtics and a championship, the Celtics could arguably stand a better chance of squeezing by with more mobile centers.

The whole thing is starting to sound much like a soap opera called "As the NBA World Turns."

Sam

First of all, if there is only 1 leader and that is Doc, then it falls to the captain PP. If Rondo is so out of sync with the others....that spells disaster. This is not the first time Rondo has stepped our of bounds...perhaps more so now with his buddy Perk gone. That brings us to the Million dollar question..........

Rondo is here for at least the next 4 years....the Big 3 for less then that.....
Who goes first will be the Million dollar question? I would not shocked if Rondo headed to OKC.

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THIS ARTICLE SUMS IT UP! 112288

Religion, politics and the Perkins trade

May 5, 2011

By Rich Levine
CSNNE.com

It's been a while since I've really written anything about the Kendrick Perkins trade. In fact, unless you count taking veiled (or not-so-veiled) shots at Jeff Green, I've hardly mentioned it at all.

That's because most of the time, it's just not worth it.

It's gotten to the point where bringing up the Perk trade is like talking about religion or politics. It doesn't matter who the person is on the other side of the conversation, there's a good chance that you'll disagree. And if you do, it's going to get ugly.

What makes it such a hot-button issue is that, like religion and politics, each side of the argument has its own extremists: A very vocal and volatile minority that only sees things in black and white, and won’t be satisfied until their opinions are accepted as fact.

Because they're so loud, they're typically the ones driving the conversation. Questions are raised, chaos ensues, and we just end up arguing over the wrong things.

For instance, the Celtics lose two in a row in Miami and the anti-trade camp rushes to uncover all the reasons why Perk would’ve helped. Meanwhile, the other side’s scrambling to round up all the reasons he wouldn’t have. The issue becomes: Would the Celtics be down 2-0 if they still had Kendrick Perkins?

And they spend the next three days yelling at each other:

“Perk would’ve done this!”

“But he wouldn’t have done that!”

“He can do this!”

“But he can’t do that!”

Both sides are wrong. Both sides are right. No one’s wrong. No one’s right. It goes on forever and the rest of us are stuck in the middle — or leaning in one direction — but mostly just shaking our heads and wishing everyone would just calm down.

When Danny Ainge pulled the trigger on this deal, we knew it would define this season. When everything happened, he said he’d built a team to win this year, so that immediately became the barometer. And for that reason, it made sense for the jury to remain out until the season ended and all the evidence had been presented.

Instead, these two extremes argued every step of the way. After every loss, it was “See!” After every win, it was “See!” And now we’re in the playoffs, two-plus months since Perk was shipped out, and we’re still breaking it down on a game-by-game basis.

Listen, I know knee-jerk reactions are half the fun of being a sports fan. I know that’s what keeps the phones lit up and the ratings high. But in this case, it’s just not important. After two months, it's no longer knee-jerk. Right now, the question: “Would the Celtics be down 2-0 if they still had Kendrick Perkins?” is completely irrelevant.

How can you just insert him into this series and ignore all that’s happened since he left? How can we assume that anything’s remained unaffected?

If he sticks around, maybe the C’s hold on to the No. 1 seed and this series doesn’t exist. Maybe they hang on to the No. 2 seed, have home-court advantage, and everything’s turned upside down.

On the other side: Sure, Perk’s healthy now. But how would he have held up when he came back from that second knee injury and was Boston’s only center for the rest of March (and most of April)?

Also, if the Celtics never traded Perk, they wouldn’t have acquired Jeff Green (wait, let me just embrace that for a second). But they still would have made a deal for a small forward. So, who’d they get? How’d he play? How’s he playing now?

Of course, there are no answers to any these questions. They’re all hypothetical. Just like: “Would the Celtics be down 2-0 if they still had Perk?” We just don’t know. And never will.

So why bother? Why even make it about Perk? As of today, what’s he going to do to get the Celtics out of this hole? What he’s going to do to save their season?

Believe me, I love Perk as much as the next guy. But at this moment, I couldn’t care less about him.

You want to argue that they’d be better with him still on the team? Sure, I’ll buy it.

You want to tell me that they’d be worse? Okay. I’m sold.

You want to say it doesn’t make a difference? Yes! I’m right there with you!

Honestly, I don’t care. I’m more concerned with this. The one thing that we know for sure about the current state of the Celtics, and the one thing that everyone, regardless of where they stand on the trade, can agree upon:

The team Danny Ainge thought he was putting together still hasn’t come together.

And they’re running out of time to do so.

Maybe all the pieces are there. Actually, if Shaq plays on Sunday, all the pieces are there. But the pieces don’t quite fit. And until (or unless) they lose two more games, that’s all that matters. That locker room, at this moment. Not a guy who hasn't played a game at the Garden since two days after Valentine's Day.

They’ll be plenty of time to do that after the season’s over and the final verdict’s been handed down. We’ll have the rest of our lives to debate the Kendrick Perkins trade.

And something tells me we will.