POST GAME UTAH

A wild up and down game......Defense, no Defense......Points in the Paint, no Points in the Paint but overall the Celtics gathered themselves with another big win. Celtics have the 3rd best record since the All Star Break @ 13-5.


Doc on Allen's return: 'We're hoping for Friday'

Ray Allen's ankle injury is making progress, but he's sitting out for his fourth straight game against the Jazz.

BOSTON — Ray Allen's ankle injury is making progress, evident by him participating in the Boston Celtic's morning shoot-around and later, proceed with his pre-game routine.

But the ankle isn't well enough for him to return to action, with Allen sitting out for the fourth straight game, and ninth this season.

"He went through shoot-around and just didn't feel right," said C's coach Doc Rivers. "We're hoping for Friday."

Key wins and losses tonight...NY Knicks beat up on Orlando......Indiana losses to NJ and Atlanta losses to Chicago.

NEXT GAME FRIDAY @ MINN. 8pm CSNE/NBA League Pass

112288

POST GAME WEEI 850 AM


FAST BREAK: CELTICS’ THIRD STRAIGHT WIN EARNS FIRST-PLACE TIE
By Ben Rohrbach


Rajon Rondo became the first player since 2009 to register double-digit assists in 11 straight games (obviously, Steve Nash was the last to accomplish that feat), as his 14 dimes on Wednesday night helped the Celtics (28-22) defeat the Jazz 94-82 and move into another tie with the idle 76ers for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Kevin Garnett submitted his 16th double-double of the season, amassing 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Paul Pierce (20 points, 6 rebounds) and Brandon Bass (19 points, 4 rebounds) also turned in big nights.

Meanwhile, despite 18 points, 12 rebounds and three assists from old friend Al Jefferson, the Jazz (27-24) dropped into a tie with the Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

High-flying Hollins: He may not be much of a rebounder for a 7-footer, but the 27-year-old Ryan Hollins can run the floor with Rondo, and anyone who can do that will be rewarded. On consecutive plays 30 seconds apart in the waning minutes of the first half, Hollins threw down two alley-oop dunks sandwiched around a Jazz timeout.

Seconds, please: The second quarter was vintage Celtics, who outscored the Jazz 28-14 going into the break. As a team, they shot 11-for-20 (55%) from the field. Pierce scored six points in the frame while Garnett and Bradley each netted five apiece. As good as they were on offense, they might have been better on the defensive end.

Rondo tornado: Where there is vintage Celtics, there is vintage Rondo. His four points, three assists and two rebounds in the first in the first eight minutes cued the triple-double watch early. While he didn’t shoot as much as the Celtics might have liked, he kept the engine running smoothly for most of the night.

Dooling bravos: It’s been a rough season for Keyon Dooling, battling injuries and losing his role to Avery Bradley, but the veteran guard submitted his best performance of the season. He scored seven points, including a huge fourth-quarter trey that gave the Celtics the lead back after the Jazz tied it, 66-66.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Ugly first impression: The Celtics shot just 8-for-22 (36.4%) in the first quarter. Only Rondo eclipsed 50 percent shooting over the opening 12 minutes. These are the periods the Celtics most miss Ray Allen, who missed his third consecutive game with an ankle sprain. It’s a good thing the Jazz also couldn’t buy a bucket, shooting an even worse 7-for-21 (33.3%) in the first quarter, but grabbing 18 rebounds to take a 21-18 lead after one.

Board to death: The Jazz entered the game as the NBA’s third-best offensive rebounding team, and by game’s end they accumulated 49 to the C’s 38, including a 16-4 advantage on the offensive glass. Since the C’s held them to 39.0 percent shooting, even that discrepancy didn’t make much of a difference.

Party Favors: For 15 minutes in the first half, a young, athletic Derrick Favors put in work against the Celtics, totaling six points and six rebounds. However, after picking up his third personal foul with five minutes remaining in the second quarter, he didn’t see the light of day off Utah’s bench until the fourth quarter, and the Celtics built a lead as large as 18.

Big Al: Of course, Favors plays behind both Jefferson and Paul Millsap (16 points, 7 rebounds), who weren’t so bad themselves. Jefferson dominated the third quarter, totaling 14 points and four rebounds in the frame to cut the Celtics lead to 66-61 after three.

Hi,
I just wanted to mentioned SP. He didn't have much on the stat line but he did a lot of little things and did them right.
Also, what's wrong with GS - he can't get 6 blocks a game!

AK

I was only able to watch the 1st quarter and a bit of the second, so I can't comment on much.

Obviously an offensively ugly 1st quarter for both teams, but especially for Utah. Rondo was the offense, directly or indirectly in that quarter.

Gordon Hayward was going to be a tough matchup for Bradley. Listed at 6'8" (with the usual NBA height inflation), he's one of the new breed of NBA SGs that are significantly taller than the past (Paul George, Indiana, 6'8"; Ronnie Brewer, Chicago, 6'7"; Landry Fields, Knicks, 6'7"). It used to be that a SG that size was a freak (T-Mac, Kobe) but now it's becoming the norm. Except for us, we're developing a 6'2" SG. Getting back to Hayward, though, this kid has great court vision. A great passer.

I'm glad sinus mentioned Sasha. I've felt for a while he does a lot of non-stat stuff, I'm glad someone else noticed it too.

19 minutes for Steamer, 4 blocks. Man oh man. He needs to hit the weights this summer and work on his inside game but he sure as hell does at least one thing very well, doesn't he? He's actually a pretty good high-post passer too, if you haven't noticed.

Almost tied (we lose the tie-breaker) with Philly again. They're in Washington and we're in Minny. Let's hope Kevin Love is pooped after his 43 minute, 40pt, 19 rebound night last night. Isn't he something else? He scored 40 and his team scored a total of 88. On Sunday, we host Miami. On the bright side, next Tuesday Philly is in Miami.

bob

.

According to Gary Washburn, look for the Celtics to express interest in Jazz forward CJ Miles. He's unrestricted and shouldn't ask for a lot of money. Personally, I don't get this. I'd rather have Sasha. Or even Q. CJ Miles has never impressed me and at 6'6" he's no taller than either of those players. In fact, Sasha's taller AND he is finally getting comfortable with Doc's system and has good chemistry with the other players.


KG's press interview. He hears us calling him old. He's priceless. The Gold Standard.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=itjr2mw1wKY


Rondo making a sick pass to Bass underneath. Millsap (#24, in the middle) has NO idea what the hell just happened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h0GQ2HX7Voo


bob


.

Sasha is solid, no glitz and glamour but he is also not a reliability on either end.

swedeinestonia wrote:Sasha is solid, no glitz and glamour but he is also not a reliability on either end.

swede,

Not a reliability, or a liability?

bob


.

bobheckler wrote:

swedeinestonia wrote:Sasha is solid, no glitz and glamour but he is also not a reliability on either end.

swede,

Not a reliability, or a liability?

bob


.

Haha my bad. Liability is what I meant

He does not seem to make bonehead plays and does not try to play outside of his abilities. Just solid basketball and a good guy to be able to throw in for a few minutes here and there at the 2/3 position

Thought biggest shot of the game wad made by Sasha. A real dagger.

Most exciting play...the unreal assist by Rajon...you know the one.

Dboss

Here's dboss's assist. Sick, absolutely sick.



Bradley, doing what he has learned he does well:




Steamer, hustling back and doing what he does well.





bob


.

Its Hollins on the middle one but he likes the lob and does it well

swedeinestonia wrote:Its Hollins on the middle one but he likes the lob and does it well

swede,

Yeah, I guess you're right. I saw the 0, and saw Bass (#30) coming down court and forgot we have another player besides him and Bradley with a 0 on their jersey.

I should have known, considering how high he got that it wasn't 6'2" Avery Bradley.

bob

.

He has another one like 30 seconds (game time) later after a time out but from the other side.

I only knew because I watched the game and remembered the commentators (utah ones) saying he almost hit his head on the rim.