Category: Basketball

Breaking down the Celtics vs. Warriors

First Quarter

First quarter started out pretty good, Smart hit a couple of 3s and Isaiah looked like he was comfortable scoring. The problem with the first quarter was turnovers, our passing straight up sucked and the Warriors were able to capitalize on the mistakes. Steph was not even part of the offense and the defense looked pretty good. Avery Bradley was nowhere to be seen ending the quarter with 0 points, it also was very surprising to see him on Durant? Seems like a 1 foot difference is kind of a problem.

Score: Warriors 29 Celtics 27

Second Quarter 

Celtics need to find a way to stop Kevin Durant because he was taking over this quarter because he is a HUGE matchup problem for the Cs especially with Horf and Crowder out. Avery covering him is not going to cut it. Isaiah kept his rhythm but they need someone to step up and score when he is out. The Warriors went on a 7-1 run to start the quarter and that was ultimately what killed them. I have no idea the names of the refs in the league but the girl is just straight up awful at her job, I could see about 5 missed calls from the officials including an absurd traveling call by Kevin Durant, he took a good five steps which turned into 2 points. Jeff Van Gundy was livid calling the game on ESPN and I have never seen Brad so mad about missed calls. The Celtics are in this game if they keep it up but they need to figure out a gameplan to stop KD, he is going to be the difference in the second half.

Score: Warriors 55 Celtics 48 

Third Quarter

This is when it went completely to shit. We looked like we had no energy, sloppy everywhere, and Klay Thompson literally did whatever he wanted, he could probably score every single possession if he really wanted to. The Celtics really need to learn how to start a quarter if they want to have a chance in the playoffs. Theres nothing more frustrating to have had a little momentum and just having it crushed as soon as you start playing again. One okay half is not enough when you’re playing one of the best teams in the league, you need to show up and the Celtics just aren’t. We look so rushed on offense which is leading to turnovers. No one can score. Just ugly basketball all around.

Score: Warriors 86 Celtics 57

I was planning on doing the whole game but I think the game is clearly over by now. I will still be watching the game but right now it is really ugly. The Celtics gave up in the third quarter and it is as simple as that. I do not like the reaction that this team had when the Warriors went on a run. They looked like they were pouting about the fucking score and just didn’t look like they wanted to play. Everything was terrible.

This was the biggest games by far this regular season for the Celtics and it really sucked to see them respond to pressure this way. We won’t really know for sure if this team will be a playoff contender until Al and Jae come back but this was the game for them to make their return and they didn’t. At what point can Celtics fans be frustrated by the fact that Horford hasn’t come back yet. It is the start of the season and it is important to keep the players fully healthy but he was questionable tonight and looked like he was going to play in yet he was still ruled out even though he practiced fully for 3 straight days. Again it’s important to keep yourself healthy but don’t take unnecessary time off. The story was that Zeller nailed him in the head in practice and he has now missed 10 straight games. I am giving Horford the benefit of the doubt here thinking that the organization is holding him out and not himself. If we don’t get him back soon I might go certifiably insane watching Tyler Zeller play basketball. What does he do for this team? He is 7 feet tall but still manages to not rebound effectively and gets stuffed at least once a game, I don’t know how he does it.

Also huge shoutout to Zaza Pachulia for being the cockiest bad player in the NBA.

You hit a 15 foot jumper, you’re the man now go back to being irrelevant.

Final score was 104-88 which is not as bad as I thought it would end up. Now we have Detroit tomorrow so maybe we will get Horford back and get this team back on track. I just hope this loss can motivate them a little, I know Isaiah will be fired up ’cause he just broke his 20 point game streak so I expect him to be very aggressive tomorrow.

Isaiah Thomas off to a historic start

Is it safe to say that Isaiah Thomas is a star yet? Of course it fucking is, I am sick and tired of the narrative that this team is “one star.” No it’s not, Isaiah Thomas has proved to be a legit point guard during his best season last year which he is currently out-pacing his numbers this year.

Last year, Isaiah ended the season with 22.2 points/game with 6.2 assists/g. Over the first 11 games he is averaging 27.2 and 6.5 which puts him in elite company. The last Celtic to score 20 or more points in the first 11 games was Kevin Mchale. Not too shabby for the little guy. Here’s a list of point guards who are out scoring Isaiah in the NBA.

  1. Russell Westbrook
  2. Damian Lillard
  3. James Harden
  4. Stephen Curry

That’s it, Thomas is sitting at number 5 in the entire NBA and Tracy Mcgrady still had the balls to say that Kemba Walker would make the all-star team over him if it were today. In case you didn’t figure it out all by yourself, he is Number 1 in the eastern conference right now. Isaiah is leading the Celtics in player efficiency rating by almost 10 points and we still sit here looking like nothing is going on and we still don’t have a star. It’s not like Isaiah is trying to stat chase either, he has already shown he shines in clutch moments because he loves it. He had 8 points going into the fourth quarter against the Mavs yesterday and came out with 30 in a game we were losing but ended up winning by 7.

If Isaiah can keep up the run he is on for the season, he will finally get the respect he truly deserves.

Celtics need to step it up

The Celtics have been nothing short of disappointing to start the season. With a record of 5-5, they are sitting in the 8 spot in the eastern conference. While many teams would be happy with a .500 record, the Celtics should not be one of them. They were so hyped up and had so many expectations coming into the season, it is hard not to be pissed about where they are standing.

I know, I know, Horford and Crowder being sidelined with injuries is huge for them but even with them on the court, it does not solve any of their big problems which are rebounding and ball movement. Rebounding more than anything because Horford and Crowder are not great rebounders. The Celtics are only in front of one team (Portland) for dead last in rebounding differential. I know we weren’t supposed to be the biggest rebounders in the league because we are trending towards the smaller lineup but damn, 29th? Hey Brad, could you run a couple of box-out drills in practice once or twice cause we might as well just sit on the offensive end just to save us a little time. The rebounding woes need to stop if we want any chance of making the playoffs let alone the eastern conference finals.

Horford needs to come back if we want any sort of functional offense cause I am sick to my stomach watching this team run through the same couple plays and failing miserably. Having Olynyk back helps spread the floor but nothing compared to what Horf can give the team. It seems every time we’re on the offensive end it goes 3 ways, either Isaiah gets it and drives to the basket, Avery comes off a pick and shoots from the key, or Tyler Zeller gets his shit blocked right in front of the rim. Isaiah and Avery have both been very good and are currently our whole offense but we need someone else to step up.

Also, what the fuck happened to our defense? We were 3rd last year in defensive efficiency and now we just let everyone walk all over us. Langston Galloway just dropped 21 on us for fuck sake. What happened? Isaiah says it’s apparently about lack of effort but I find that hard to believe that everyone is simply just not trying hard enough. I get it that this team runs on grit and heart but there has to be something that we are fucking up.

There are some good signs that have come out of the start of the season. Jaylen Brown looks like he can be an everyday player and contribute to the team but he really needs to work on his free throws. He can be a player that can get to the line a lot in this league so if he works on that his game could be dangerous to other teams. If I were the Celtics and I needed to think of something to change the energy of this team, it might be time to start playing James Young. The one game he plays for 16 mins he comes out with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals but then other than that he hasn’t played more than 6 minutes in a game. You kept him on the roster for the final spot for a reason and he has finally shown some potential so now is the time to do it. The James Young era is about to start folks, get ready. The emergence of Avery Bradley is also starting to kick in, the points are finally starting to come with some consistency and holy hell is this guy rebounding his little heart out. How does a 6’2″ shooting guard lead his team by almost 2 rebounds a game? Marcus Smart has definitely put in some time into his shot this offseason but still isn’t quite there yet but he is close to becoming an okay shooter.

Next up for the Celtics are the 2-7 Mavs and the Celts are currently a 6 point favorite at home. We need to start a run here before Horf and Crowder come back so we have a little momentum so step it up.

In the least shocking accusation of all-time, Bob Knight allegedly abused Indiana players in the 1980s

BleacherReport — Former Indiana basketball player Todd Jadlow accused Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight of physical and emotional abuse in his memoir, Jadlow: On the Rebound.

Per Bob Kravitz of WTHR in Indianapolis, Jadlow stated Knight punched him in the back of the head, grabbed him by the neck and shook him violently and “made a habit…of grabbing players by the testicles and squeezing.”

“If he did those things today,” Jadlow said, “he would be in jail.”

Well I for one am shocked. Shocked! Bob Knight, the most even-keeled, mild-mannered man in the history of college sports, abused his players? Tried to give guys CTE before it was cool? Grabbed college kids by the balls and squeezed them? Shocking!

Ok, got that out of the way. So no, this isn’t surprising at all that Bobby Knight crossed the line a few hundred times. He was a hell of a coach, but also a well-documented nut job, and things like this undoubtedly happened all throughout his tenure. Of course they surface today, because dropping accusations of things that happened decades ago is apparently the new hottest thing in the streets, but it was going to come out eventually. And as always, one accusation will lead to more, and soon we’re gonna be talking about Bobby Knight in the same breath as Paterno, which is dumb. Plus, that asshole Kravitz is the one who “broke” Deflategate (I say “broke” because it’s hard to actually break a non-existent story), so I’m taking this all with a grain of salt.

Basically what I’m saying is, yeah this almost certainly happened and yeah it’s definitely wrong, but don’t let it absolutely ruin the legacy of one of the sport’s greatest coaches, which we often do too easily. You don’t think Vince Lombardi or Connie Mack smacked around a player or two now and then? Of course they did, times were different, and this is more recent but still not an exception. Some messed up accusations, for sure, but let’s let the full story unfold before we revoke the guy’s Hall of Fame membership.

Some brainless SI writer doesn’t even think Isaiah Thomas is a top-13 NBA point guard

Jesus Christ, who peed in this guy’s Cheerios? Ok, I need a sec here: so this guy thinks Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, and Ricky Rubio are better than Isaiah Thomas, and he’s writing for Sports Illustrated? And meanwhile I’m over here scrapping out a blog that 6 people from my high school will read? Did I get that right? Cool.

Kidding aside this is ludicrous. Yeah I’m a bit of a homer and I see a lot more of IT4 than maybe some of these other guys, but completely leaving him out of the top 10 then naming three more that aren’t him is just insanity. If you’re curious (you’re not but who cares) here’s my list:

  1. Steph
  2. Westbrook
  3. CP3
  4. Kyrie
  5. Lowry
  6. Wall
  7. Lillard
  8. Conley
  9. Walker
  10. Thomas
  11. Teague
  12. Bledsoe
  13. Dragic
  14. Rubio

So no, I’m not some brainwashed Celtics fan who thinks Isaiah is the best PG in the NBA, but he’s top 10 easily. As you can see I have some other changes (Russ is younger, quicker than CP3; if this was all-time, obviously Paul is ahead, but talking today I’d take Russ) but I just can’t comprehend the disrespect of IT4. Yeah he’s short (5’9″, shortest current player in the NBA) and he’s not on a stacked team like GSW or CLE, but the guy is insanely talented. Among PGs last year Isaiah was 4th in scoring, T-11th in assists, 5th in FT percentage, and shot a solid 48.8% from the field. Is he a 1st team All-NBA stud? Of course not. But he’s a top-10 PG, no question, and at the very least top-13. Oh well, just some more bulletin board material for the boys in green this year. ECF or bust!

Derrick Rose posing for a picture with his lawyer and a juror after his rape trial is NUTS

I….I just… This is insane. I haven’t followed this court case even a little bit, to be totally honest with you, but no matter what this is just a bizarre thing to do. What I do know is, the case was essentially deciding whether or not Rose and his two buddies had consent when they all had sex with Rose’s ex-girlfriend. The woman argued that she was too drunk, and possibly drugged, to have given consent, and her lawyer said Rose and his friends were “sexual deviants” (sounds like a compliment to me), and Rose’s side argued that the sex was consensual and the woman was bitter after their breakup and wanted to get revenge with this case. Not only would a guilty verdict have all but ruined Rose’s reputation and possibly ended his NBA career, but the $21.5 million she was seeking probably would’ve made a substantial dent in DRose’s bank account. The woman’s legal team said they’ll seek alternate options, but for now this saga’s over.

As for the picture, it’s just a strange look. Undoubtedly the woman’s lawyers will use this as evidence of a biased jury if they can ever get a re-do at this trial (which may or may not happen, I have no idea how any of that works but Deflategate had like 7 appeals so who knows), and if they do it’ll be a tough thing for Rose to shake. Juror looks way too happy. And the fact that it was immediately after the verdict? Suuuuper fishy.

Regardless, the madness is over for now. New York Super Team: Assemble!

 

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Ok, Good: Paul Pierce plans to sign a 1-day contract with Boston and retire a Celtic after this season

When Paul Pierce announced a few weeks ago that he would be hanging them up after this season, selfishly the first thought that entered my mind was “He’s gonna retire with us, right?” I mean, it’s just logical: Boston is where he spent the majority of his career, where he won his only NBA Championship, and the city that stuck with him through years of losing and disappointment. He loved it here, we loved having him here, and he means a lot to this franchise. Add in the fact that Doc Rivers is his current coach, and it just made sense that he’d come back Boston to retire. Well, today we got the answer to this concern: a resounding fuck yeah.

It’s a bummer that we won’t actually see Paul suit up for the Celts in a game one last time, because that’d be amazing, but this is probably the next best thing. I’m assuming the organization will plan some sort of event for his retirement, which is only fitting for a guy who played over 1,100 games for the Celtics and etched his name into the legacy of the most historic franchise in the NBA.

The Clippers do play a game in Boston this year, February 5th, so the Paul Pierce faithful will get to come out in full support one last time. But once the year is over, The Truth will be hanging ’em up for good. *Crying emoji*

It’s pretty funny how much the Lakers still hate D’Angelo Russell

A+++ video right there. It hasn’t really been blowing up because it’s the preseason so not a lot of people saw it, but just gold. And honestly, respect to Russell. Because, as someone who has had a few awkward high five exchanges in my day, the only way you can play it off is to just high five yourself and hope nobody saw. Going up for a high five and not getting seen/getting ignored is possibly one of the most embarrassing things that can happen to you, so you gotta be able to play it off. And the self-five and awkward chuckle is really about all you can do, aside from being that annoying dude who just sits there with his hand up, clearing his throat till you turn. This video actually seems like more of a case of Young just not seeing Russell as opposed to ignoring him, but regardless the video is great.

I actually think the only thing more embarrassing/awkward than a rejected high five is going for a high five when your buddy goes for a knuckle touch, or vice versa. Because then you try to switch quick but then you both switch then you both switch again and you literally end up having to talk each other through what’s supposed to just be a passing nonverbal interaction that requires no thought or effort if done right. No way to look dumber/whiter, period.

This Derrick Rose situation is so messed up

So when I first saw these headlines of Derrick Rose in a rape allegation I didn’t think much of it. It is pretty fucked up that athletes getting accused of rape is kind of normal to see in the media whether it is true or not. Since it wasn’t getting a huge amount of attention, I just thought it was one of those times when they were falsely accused. But the more I read into it, the weirder it got.

The case has been going on for a couple of weeks now and it just came out that the victim sent text messages to Rose which seemed to look like she gave him consent. I mean “you are the reason I wake up horny” might be consent, but others see it clearly that she said please don’t ever come near me and I certainly do not want to have sex with you. This is already laugh out loud funny because the trial should have just ended right there. But it gets better.

Apparently when Rose went to this girls house, he brought two friends with him. That’s right, they went over to this girls house fully planning on tag teaming her. It was said in court that when they all walked in, they went straight to the bedroom and said “one at a time” while the other two sat on the couch outside of her bedroom. Wow. Derrick, my man, what are you doing? Not only is this your ex-girlfriend who is planning on accusing all of you of rape, but you are a professional basketball player. I am not positive but I am pretty sure you can do better than that. Although I do like that you already lack confidence since you are a Knick now. Your life sucks.

Derrick needs to get his life together and re-evaluate decisions he makes but this girl high-key needs to get it together. In the trial, she claims that she doesn’t remember much of it even though she was texting Derrick all day about all the nasty things she is going to do to him and his friends. So she was black out drunk when all of this was happening. You need Jesus.

 

Taking A Look Back At Kevin Garnett’s Most Villainous Moments

In no particular order let’s rundown KG best villain moments.

First the one that doesn’t have a video and it may be his baddest moment ever: Calling Charlie Villanueva a cancer patient in reference to his skin condition that leaves him hairless.

And here are the rest, if you edited all of these clips together you could have yourself and entire goddamn documentary.

**I’m sure there are some missing and if you can think of some leave a comment and I’ll add them to the list, if I don’t see a lot of comments that means I did a good job.**

Using Lance Stephenson’s move wasn’t creative but it got under David West’s really easily.

Dwight Howard is such a fraud I wish KG murdered him on the spot here.

Might not seem like a villain move until you realize he was completely serious.

 

This might be my favorite. No Mr.Nice guy the way we’ve seen it so much in the few years. Ready for war. Might need to make a t-shirt for that.

 

I was so glad when he did this. Ray jumped ship when everyone was trying to stay afloat. Cold shoulder like you read about.

 

KG literally revolutionized what NBA players do after a dead ball. Totally agree with the fact that you shouldn’t let a shooter see the ball go in.

I 100% believe that Crawford was telling the truth.

They don’t call him big baby for nothing.