1) Pause to Reflect
Are you a little worried about the back up center spot, or back up point, or allocation of minutes to some young guy who you just know would help the team? You think Garnett should be shooting more? You wonder about Rondo's free throw shooting?
Stop. Give it up. Quit worrying. This, right now, is as good as it gets. This as good as you will ever have it.
The Boston Celtics are on a 9 game winning streak. They are defending champions. They are 17-2 and visibly gaining momentum.
You'll never have a more comfortable hoops moment than now. Please pause to enjoy it.
2) Rondo
He of the gargantuan hands has taken a LEAP. He has become an elite passing point guard. You can combine that with his lofty FG%, position leading blocks, numerous steals, shutdown D, mesmerizing speed, and defense shredding driving ability.
For the legion of nonCeltic affiliated Rondo-doubters out there all I have to say is this: If Rajon Rondo was on a mediocre team where he had to shoot a lot instead of on a GREAT team where he wisely makes his teammates better, he'd be scoring 20 a game.
3) Tommy Bashers
Fans of other teams: You don't like Tommy? We don't care. He's our guy. We love the Celtics and Tommy IS the Celtics. I've said this before: If you're hearing Tommy somewhere else in the country you're eavesdropping. The broadcast isn't meant for you!
You criticize him because he's a homer? Well, being a homer is okay with me. Tommy Heinsohn is a homer in the splendid tradition of the great Johnny Most. He's a regional treasure...
4) Refs
...and he gets to complain about the refs. Why? Because of legal precendent from his ref-warring days when he was the best coach in the game. The rest of you- I'm talking to you fans of other teams: When the Celtics kick your favorite franchise's posterior back to the D-league, it's because the Green is BETTER than your squad...
That's it. David Stern didn't do it. The refs certainly didn't do it. Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, Perkins and the Celtics bench did it.
5) Other Coaches.
And another thing for you opposing fans: Get off your coach's back. What's Sam Mitchell supposed to do with the talent he has and Jermaine O'Neal hobbled? How about Mo Cheeks getting a lumbering Elton Brand to squeeze in with his non-shooting racehorses? Or Don Nelson with his best players injured, young, or gone?
I'll tell you: They're gonna lose some games, maybe a lot of games. These guys are good coaches but just like Doc Rivers when he didn't have the players, they are not going to win big.
6) Summary To This Point For Fans Of Other Teams
Quit complaining about the following: Tommy, refs, David Stern, your own coach, losing to a team with three hall of famers, and quit underestimating Rondo. Please retain some dignity.
7) Great Starts
The Celtics, Cavs and Lakers are off to really impressive starts. But do not discount the emergence of other teams by playoff time. If anyone thinks the Spurs (when healthy) can't play with the best in the game they have short memories and have forgotten San Antonio's every-other-year thing.
8) Devin Harris
Whoa! It's very impressive what the young man is doing. Dallas must be sick over this. Fortunately for Boston, Rondo matches up very well with Harris.
9) Spring Roster
Is the current roster the playoff roster? Last year at this time therre was no PJ Brown. There are rumors the Celtics might pick a player up by midseason: Horry (huh?) Marbury (double huh?) Joe Smith, or maybe even PJ Brown himself.
10) Sam
As far as that goes, Sam Cassell seems very comfortable with his quasi-assistant coach role. He doesn't appear to care about minutes, or even giving up his uniform to bring in someone else. But he got two techs and an ejection last night! I wonder what he said from the bench.
I can see why they kept him around. He's smart and a great team guy.
10 things after 9 straight
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10 things after 9 straight
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- RealGM
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
- TheMartian
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
Good stuff as always Gant. Couldn't agree more about your insights on the team. Especially Rondo. I think you are spot on.
Re: 10 things after 9 straight
- MyInsatiableOne
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
As always, great job Gant. Especially these two points:
^^^Nailed it.
And:
The refs and the League (and especially Stern) have NEVER done ANYTHING to help the C's, in fact they've historically gone out of their way to screw the C's, and there are numerous factual arguments to back this up. So this argument has no merit from opposing fans...
Gant wrote:3) Tommy Bashers
Fans of other teams: You don't like Tommy? We don't care. He's our guy. We love the Celtics and Tommy IS the Celtics. I've said this before: If you're hearing Tommy somewhere else in the country you're eavesdropping. The broadcast isn't meant for you!
You criticize him because he's a homer? Well, being a homer is okay with me. Tommy Heinsohn is a homer in the splendid tradition of the great Johnny Most. He's a regional treasure...
^^^Nailed it.
And:
Gant wrote:4) Refs
...and he gets to complain about the refs. Why? Because of legal precendent from his ref-warring days when he was the best coach in the game. The rest of you- I'm talking to you fans of other teams: When the Celtics kick your favorite franchise's posterior back to the D-league, it's because the Green is BETTER than your squad...
That's it. David Stern didn't do it. The refs certainly didn't do it. Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, Perkins and the Celtics bench did it.
The refs and the League (and especially Stern) have NEVER done ANYTHING to help the C's, in fact they've historically gone out of their way to screw the C's, and there are numerous factual arguments to back this up. So this argument has no merit from opposing fans...
It's still 17 to 11!!!!
Re: 10 things after 9 straight
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- RealGM
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
As usual ....very enjoyable post....I look forward to them 

WE ARE CELTIC NATION
17 TITLES, ON TO #18.
17 TITLES, ON TO #18.
Re: 10 things after 9 straight
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
Remember the saying "Everyone loves a winner"??? That is SO off-base, it's not even funny. The only ones who love a winner, are those who have an invested interest (financially, emotionally or otherwise) in the winning team. When a team/organization sets a standard for everyone else, that team/organization is loathed and detested, considered arrogant, and called :"fake"... And just for the record, I still do not understand how the C's are "fake tough"....
And as always, a brilliant post by Gant.
And as always, a brilliant post by Gant.
'Mate, you just dropped the World Cup'
-Steve Waugh, the Australian captain, after S. African fielder Herschelle Gibbs dropped his catch in the 1999 Cricket World Cup in England. Australia went on to win the World Cup.
-Steve Waugh, the Australian captain, after S. African fielder Herschelle Gibbs dropped his catch in the 1999 Cricket World Cup in England. Australia went on to win the World Cup.
Re: 10 things after 9 straight
- ParticleMan
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
hahaha
great stuff Gant!!!
I'm still more worried about the Spurs and Cavs than I am the Lakers.
great stuff Gant!!!
I'm still more worried about the Spurs and Cavs than I am the Lakers.
Re: 10 things after 9 straight
- Tricky Ricky
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
I...LOVE...TOMMY!
Quote of the year
MyInsatiableOne wrote:Did we just seriously post Danny's personal address and phone # on the board?
Re: 10 things after 9 straight
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- Sixth Man
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
great work, Gant. Comments on Tommy are perfect. He is truly a treasure. No other franchise in the league has anything close to Tommy and any serious fan who is honest would admit to being insanely jealous. Who the hell is Indiana going to trot out, Rick Mount? Tommy is a guy who has been connected to this team for 53 seasons and through all 17 titles. He bleeds green. I hope he stays for another 25 years. I will chip in to pay his salary. He is family.
And, yeah, Rondo. What I loved was when KG, after a game last week, when asked about Rondo, said "what you have to understand abour Rondo is he has a heart the size of Africa." That is all we need to know. He has what it takes to make himself as good a player as he can be. And he has the tools to be a very special player.
It took Devin Harris five years to hit his prime. Most points takje a few years to get their sea legs -- think Kidd, Nash, Payton, Stockton, Billups. In a couple of years Rondo will finish with his left hand and will be making his shots. And he will be the best player on the team. The only question I have about Rondo is whether he has the chance to eventually be the best player on a championship team. That is quite unlikely, though not impossible. If he does get that good, then we are in for a very nice decade.
And, yeah, Rondo. What I loved was when KG, after a game last week, when asked about Rondo, said "what you have to understand abour Rondo is he has a heart the size of Africa." That is all we need to know. He has what it takes to make himself as good a player as he can be. And he has the tools to be a very special player.
It took Devin Harris five years to hit his prime. Most points takje a few years to get their sea legs -- think Kidd, Nash, Payton, Stockton, Billups. In a couple of years Rondo will finish with his left hand and will be making his shots. And he will be the best player on the team. The only question I have about Rondo is whether he has the chance to eventually be the best player on a championship team. That is quite unlikely, though not impossible. If he does get that good, then we are in for a very nice decade.
Re: 10 things after 9 straight
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- RealGM
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Re: 10 things after 9 straight
Thanks Elrod and everyone.
I'm a huge Rondo guy. He's the oil in the Celtics' engine, and a nightmare match up for many teams including some with top point guards. Tomorrow will be tough for him though, as TJ Ford is one of two guys (Deron Williams) that always gives Rajon big trouble.
I'm a huge Rondo guy. He's the oil in the Celtics' engine, and a nightmare match up for many teams including some with top point guards. Tomorrow will be tough for him though, as TJ Ford is one of two guys (Deron Williams) that always gives Rajon big trouble.