nba musings

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Celtics @ Pacers 122-117 (OT)

The Celtics tried really hard to lose that one, but in the end, they pulled out the win. Ray Allen continued to make big shots and Paul Pierce continued to miss them (although, he did make the biggest shot of all, the one to send the C’s to OT). Overall though, it was my least favorite game of the season. They looked out of sorts and the chemistry was missing. But… a win is a win is a win.

The CSN dudes in the studio (Gary Tanguay & Donny Marshall) were busting on the bench for “not getting it done” and I have a bone to pick with that. The starters weren’t getting it done either. They have just as much responsibility (or more) to lead by example, so I think the blame so-to-speak should be spread around. They specifically said that Big Baby and Leon Powe were regressing. I agree that they aren’t playing as well as last year, but to call them out specifically isn’t exactly fair. They win as a team and they lose as a team, and I think the whole team could be playing better.

Sweet baby jesus Jesus, they’re on a 12-game winning streak and we’re talking about the team needing to play better? Only in New England.

ps…

• I was right about the Pistons. :p
• I don’t believe in Magic, but how about that Hedo Turkoglu?
• Did the Lakers really lose to the Kings?
• Can that really be Shaq on Twitter? If so, he gives really bizarre and choppy life advice. Like a beat poet without the bongos.

Celtics v. Trailblazers 93-78

This one was looking like another blowout until the bench let the Blazers back into the game. Doc put the starters back in and apparently KG ripped Big Baby a new one and made him cry. Sigh. There was also a lot of back and forth yapping going on. I don’t think Paul Pierce and Brandon Roy will be exchanging Christmas cards any time soon. Greg Oden fouled out. In the end, the Celtics won fairly easily.

I bought two more Celtics t-shirts while out Christmas shopping for other people. Oops.

Celtics v. Pacers 114-96

What was in Rondo’s Cheerios yesterday morning? He went completely OFF on the Pacers. Take a good long lingering look at this stat line: 16pts, 13rebs, 17assts. That’s just sick. I’m not going to go completely insane and declare him the second coming of Jesus H. Christ in sandals, but man… what a great night.

In non-Celtics news, I’m currently watching the Phx/Mavs game on TNT. The Suns look like excrement. Craig Sager just interviewed T.O. (yes, that T.O., of the Cowboys variety) and T.O. asked if he could send a message to Charles Barkley. The message essentially was, “Get off Lebron’s back.” Gah, as soap operas and he said, he saids go, this one is pretty lame.

Leon Powe sign

Celtics v. Magic 107-88

Saw this one in person at the Garden. Thoughts…

• Went to the game w/my mom. She’s a pretty good C’s fan. Not obsessed like me, but watches enough to carry on a decent convo. Her favorite players are Ray Allen and Big Baby.
• She bought the train tickets on her own while I was at work and choose a time that was about 3 hours too early. So we get to N. Station, chill in the Boston Bruins Pro Shop, get some ice cream, and then sit for 2-1/2 hours waiting to be able to hit the escalators.
• Scored two t-shirts (one glittery shamrock, one old school logo) and a black argyle winter hat w/white logo. I wanted to get a couple sweatshirts too, but my mom kept saying that I don’t know what Santa might have for me at xmas time. Apparently she thinks I’m 12. (Who says I can’t have several six or seven Celtics sweatshirts and not just the one that Santa might be bringing? Hmmm?)
• We finally get upstairs and decide to get wine (her) and beer (me). We head to our seats and at first sit in the wrong ones. While making our way to the right ones, my mom teeters into some seats and spills half her wine. Being the sweet daughter that I am, I yell, “You’re CUT OFF Mom, no more wine for you!” Haha. I’m a brat.
• Get to our correct seats and I realize that despite the fact that I paid almost double, my seats are worse than the ones I had two years ago when I went to see the C’s play the Magic. Sigh.

• The game starts and my mom is nice enough to hold one side of the Leon Powe sign. At some point, we realize we can’t hold a sign and clap, so we put it down. Later, Leon Powe has a monster slam (his only 2 points of the game) and we start fumbling around, “Get the sign, get the sign!!” and we hold it up about a minute too late and start waving it around.
• Sam Cassell got ejected and we were like, “What the hell just happened?” I said, “I’ll watch the DVR later and find out.” Later when I watched the DVR, it appeared the commentators were just as clueless as we were.
• There were like 8 technical fouls called in that game. The refs blew monkeychunks. I kept hearing Tommy Heinsohn’s voice in my head saying, “Oh boy! Oh BOY! That was all ball!!!”
• Despite being ahead by only 2 points at the half, I never once worried that the Celtics would lose the game. The Magic looked awful. I know they can be deadly at times, but I watched enough of their games on League Pass to know that they can’t hang.
• Note to people who decide to leave the game with two minutes left. SIT YO ASS DOWN!
• The train ride home was long and smelly. The guys in front of me smelled like liqour and stale cheesepuffs. It was not pleasant.
• I wouldn’t trade any of it though. I had a great time and can’t wait to go back again in April for the Heat game. Whoo!