If the Celtics are looking to go on a run, there may be no better time than now. Clearly it's the holiday season because the NBA schedule makers have given the Celtics what appears to be a pretty soft slate from now until Christmas.
Consider this, the combined record of the Celtics' next 13 opponents leading up to a Christmas Day rematch with Orlando is 69-99. Only five of those upcoming opponents are among their conference's top eight teams (Milwaukee, Miami, Chicago, Indiana and Oklahoma City), and none is better than fifth (Milwaukee).
Here's a look at the schedule and current record of upcoming opponents:
Nov. 25 vs. Philadelphia (5-8)
Nov. 27 vs. Toronto (6-8)
Nov. 29 at Miami (8-5)
Dec. 1 at Charlotte (4-9)
Dec. 3 at San Antonio (6-6)
Dec. 4 at Oklahoma City (7-7)
Dec. 8 Milwaukee (8-4)
Dec. 10 at Washington (3-9)
Dec. 12 at Chicago (6-7)
Dec. 14 at Memphis (5-9)
Dec. 18 vs. Philadelphia (5-8)
Dec. 20 vs. Minnesota (1-13)
Dec. 22 vs. Indiana (5-6)
Dec. 25 at Orlando (11-3)
While seven of those 13 games are on the road, it's not inconceivable -- though admittedly highly improbable -- that the Celtics could wake up on Dec. 26 with a 24-4 record. How does that compare to past seasons? The Celtics were 27-4 on Dec. 26, 2008, and 23-3 on Dec. 26, 2007.
Consider this, the combined record of the Celtics' next 13 opponents leading up to a Christmas Day rematch with Orlando is 69-99. Only five of those upcoming opponents are among their conference's top eight teams (Milwaukee, Miami, Chicago, Indiana and Oklahoma City), and none is better than fifth (Milwaukee).
Here's a look at the schedule and current record of upcoming opponents:
Nov. 25 vs. Philadelphia (5-8)
Nov. 27 vs. Toronto (6-8)
Nov. 29 at Miami (8-5)
Dec. 1 at Charlotte (4-9)
Dec. 3 at San Antonio (6-6)
Dec. 4 at Oklahoma City (7-7)
Dec. 8 Milwaukee (8-4)
Dec. 10 at Washington (3-9)
Dec. 12 at Chicago (6-7)
Dec. 14 at Memphis (5-9)
Dec. 18 vs. Philadelphia (5-8)
Dec. 20 vs. Minnesota (1-13)
Dec. 22 vs. Indiana (5-6)
Dec. 25 at Orlando (11-3)
While seven of those 13 games are on the road, it's not inconceivable -- though admittedly highly improbable -- that the Celtics could wake up on Dec. 26 with a 24-4 record. How does that compare to past seasons? The Celtics were 27-4 on Dec. 26, 2008, and 23-3 on Dec. 26, 2007.
As awkward as Rajon Rondo's desperation 3-point heave at the end of regulation in Sunday's overtime win over the New York Knicks might have appeared, the fourth-year guard stressed Monday that he's OK with taking pressure-packed shots.
"I was very comfortable," said Rondo. "That's not the shot I wanted, I was trying to look for Paul [Pierce], then look for Ray [Allen], but with 4.7 seconds, I didn't have time for all that. They didn't get open, so I just took the shot."
For an offense that has struggled to generate quality scoring opportunities late in close games, it was another botched opportunity. Rondo swears he's comfortable with his shot in that situation, but admits he's always going to be a pass-first player.
"That's just how I play," said Rondo. "It's hard for me to get the mindset to shoot the ball when others are open instead. I always try to pass first. When I shoot the ball, I've got to think shot, I can't think sometimes pass. Sometimes I go into my shot and, say, [Kendrick Perkins] or Kevin [Garnett] is rolling, I'm going to [give it to them] rolling, regardless. When I think shot, I've just got to take the shot."
Rondo was asked if it was a sign of disrespect for teams to leave him open for shots. He admitted it was, but said he didn't feel any particular need to make the defense pay because "at the end of the day, I try to dominate the game in other ways."
"That's not our game plan," added Rondo. "I don't let it dictate how I play."
Rondo's shaky shooting has been amplified by his struggles at the free throw line. His free throw percentage actually climbed to 33.3 percent after Sunday's game, when he made only 4 of 8 attempts. Those four free throws matched his for the season entering the game; he's now 8 of 24 overall.
Rondo, who altered his shot all together in the offseason after working with former NBA great Mark Price, has spent added time at the charity stripe at practice and before games, but the results haven't translated to games quite yet.
"I was very comfortable," said Rondo. "That's not the shot I wanted, I was trying to look for Paul [Pierce], then look for Ray [Allen], but with 4.7 seconds, I didn't have time for all that. They didn't get open, so I just took the shot."
For an offense that has struggled to generate quality scoring opportunities late in close games, it was another botched opportunity. Rondo swears he's comfortable with his shot in that situation, but admits he's always going to be a pass-first player.
"That's just how I play," said Rondo. "It's hard for me to get the mindset to shoot the ball when others are open instead. I always try to pass first. When I shoot the ball, I've got to think shot, I can't think sometimes pass. Sometimes I go into my shot and, say, [Kendrick Perkins] or Kevin [Garnett] is rolling, I'm going to [give it to them] rolling, regardless. When I think shot, I've just got to take the shot."
Rondo was asked if it was a sign of disrespect for teams to leave him open for shots. He admitted it was, but said he didn't feel any particular need to make the defense pay because "at the end of the day, I try to dominate the game in other ways."
"That's not our game plan," added Rondo. "I don't let it dictate how I play."
Rondo's shaky shooting has been amplified by his struggles at the free throw line. His free throw percentage actually climbed to 33.3 percent after Sunday's game, when he made only 4 of 8 attempts. Those four free throws matched his for the season entering the game; he's now 8 of 24 overall.
Rondo, who altered his shot all together in the offseason after working with former NBA great Mark Price, has spent added time at the charity stripe at practice and before games, but the results haven't translated to games quite yet.
The Celtics slipped four spots to No. 8 in Marc Stein's latest NBA Power Rankings on ESPN.com.
In the comments section, Stein writes the following on Boston:
The Celtics opened the preseason at No. 3 and climbed to No. 1 after their sizzling 6-0 start, but have since slipped back to the pack.
Our take? As bad as they've looked, not sure the Celtics deserved to fall four spots in a week in which they went 2-1, with their lone loss coming against Orlando. But maybe they should have been lower to begin with. On the positive side, three of Boston's four losses have come against top power-ranked teams in the Hawks (2), Suns (3) and Magic (4). One could make a case for the Celtics shuffling up a spot over the Cavaliers, considering they beat LeBron and Shaq on their home turf and boast the same overall record. Then again, Cleveland has won seven of its last eight, while Boston, as Stein notes, is 4-4 in that stretch.
In the comments section, Stein writes the following on Boston:
The Spurs, at least, have the handy rationalization of being wracked by injuries. The slow-moving Celts have been a lot healthier by comparison, which makes this 4-4 malaise since their smothering 6-0 start so curious.
The Celtics opened the preseason at No. 3 and climbed to No. 1 after their sizzling 6-0 start, but have since slipped back to the pack.
Our take? As bad as they've looked, not sure the Celtics deserved to fall four spots in a week in which they went 2-1, with their lone loss coming against Orlando. But maybe they should have been lower to begin with. On the positive side, three of Boston's four losses have come against top power-ranked teams in the Hawks (2), Suns (3) and Magic (4). One could make a case for the Celtics shuffling up a spot over the Cavaliers, considering they beat LeBron and Shaq on their home turf and boast the same overall record. Then again, Cleveland has won seven of its last eight, while Boston, as Stein notes, is 4-4 in that stretch.
WALTHAM, Mass. -- During Monday's practice at the Sports Authority Training Center at HealthPoint, Celtics coach Doc Rivers stressed that he was happy with his team's overall effort in Sunday's overtime win over the Knicks and simply felt Boston's shots didn't fall during regulation.
Rivers considered the win a step in the right direction, especially in terms of ball movement and execution. He continued to implore his players to shoot when they have open looks, even though their shots haven't been falling recently.
"These guys have shot well for 30 years," said Rivers. "They haven't forgotten in a month, so just keep shooting.
"Execution-wise, we're getting there. Early in the year, the point I've been making is, it ain't like we're panicked about it. [We haven't been] doing it and we're starting to do it. [Sunday], we did it great, we just couldn't make shots. Days like [Monday] and [Tuesday] will help."
While the Celtics "practiced" Monday, Rivers wasn't sure that was the best term for a workout that saw limited activity for the starters and more of a walkthrough of different sets for the second unit.
Captain Paul Pierce wasn't on the floor for the portion of practice viewed by the media, but Rivers said he had been on the court earlier and was simply in the back receiving routine treatment.
"We didn't really have a practice," said Rivers. "We did a lot of walkthrough on the defense and offense, just cleaning up what we had slippage on. I didn't think this was a day we needed to be running up and down the floor. Then with the white group [second unit], we went through a lot of stuff."
The second unit could be seen working on various inbound plays late in the session. Nearly the entire coaching staff worked with that unit, including Rivers in the middle of it all, while the starters -- sans Pierce -- shot free throws with director of basketball development Tyronn Lue at the other end of the court.
Besides Pierce, the other 13 players with the team were on the court, including Tony Allen, who continues to nurse an injured right ankle. Glen "Big Baby" Davis was his usual butterfly self, bouncing between players and drills, while dribbling with his healthy left hand.
"I'd definitely say that; it's a positive thing," said Garnett. "We'll take it and try to ride the wave, if you will. Other than that, I've seen it, some teams I've been on. Teammates or ex-teammates hit a big shot and you win five or six in a row. We didn't have this caliber team, so sure, things can definitely happen."
At the close of practice, J.R. Giddens joined a group that included Kendrick Perkins, Lester Hudson and Rajon Rondo for some spirited 1-on-1 drills, with the player able to make a shot or a stop staying on the court as the others rotated in and out.
Utilizing a blistering outside jumper, Giddens won five 1-on-1 battles in a row before calling it a day.
Those players then joined Tony Allen and Davis lounging beneath one basket and joked with Lue as he attempted to re-create Garnett's three-quarter-court shot from last week. Lue hit glass a couple of times, but didn't come close to matching Garnett, much to the delight of the players ribbing him from beneath the basket.
Rivers considered the win a step in the right direction, especially in terms of ball movement and execution. He continued to implore his players to shoot when they have open looks, even though their shots haven't been falling recently.
"These guys have shot well for 30 years," said Rivers. "They haven't forgotten in a month, so just keep shooting.
"Execution-wise, we're getting there. Early in the year, the point I've been making is, it ain't like we're panicked about it. [We haven't been] doing it and we're starting to do it. [Sunday], we did it great, we just couldn't make shots. Days like [Monday] and [Tuesday] will help."
Practice? Well, sort of
While the Celtics "practiced" Monday, Rivers wasn't sure that was the best term for a workout that saw limited activity for the starters and more of a walkthrough of different sets for the second unit.
Captain Paul Pierce wasn't on the floor for the portion of practice viewed by the media, but Rivers said he had been on the court earlier and was simply in the back receiving routine treatment.
"We didn't really have a practice," said Rivers. "We did a lot of walkthrough on the defense and offense, just cleaning up what we had slippage on. I didn't think this was a day we needed to be running up and down the floor. Then with the white group [second unit], we went through a lot of stuff."
The second unit could be seen working on various inbound plays late in the session. Nearly the entire coaching staff worked with that unit, including Rivers in the middle of it all, while the starters -- sans Pierce -- shot free throws with director of basketball development Tyronn Lue at the other end of the court.
Besides Pierce, the other 13 players with the team were on the court, including Tony Allen, who continues to nurse an injured right ankle. Glen "Big Baby" Davis was his usual butterfly self, bouncing between players and drills, while dribbling with his healthy left hand.
Can KG's winner provide spark?
Kevin Garnett was asked if his winning jumper from the top of the key in overtime Sunday could be the spark the Celtics have been missing lately. He hoped it would provide a jolt to the team, which has gone 4-4 since its 6-0 start."I'd definitely say that; it's a positive thing," said Garnett. "We'll take it and try to ride the wave, if you will. Other than that, I've seen it, some teams I've been on. Teammates or ex-teammates hit a big shot and you win five or six in a row. We didn't have this caliber team, so sure, things can definitely happen."
Giddens dominates in 1-on-1
At the close of practice, J.R. Giddens joined a group that included Kendrick Perkins, Lester Hudson and Rajon Rondo for some spirited 1-on-1 drills, with the player able to make a shot or a stop staying on the court as the others rotated in and out.
Utilizing a blistering outside jumper, Giddens won five 1-on-1 battles in a row before calling it a day.
Those players then joined Tony Allen and Davis lounging beneath one basket and joked with Lue as he attempted to re-create Garnett's three-quarter-court shot from last week. Lue hit glass a couple of times, but didn't come close to matching Garnett, much to the delight of the players ribbing him from beneath the basket.
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Ever since addressing health questions on the first days of training camp, Celtics forward Kevin Garnett hasn't been keen on talking about his surgically-repaired knee.
Yet the knee seems to become a focal point any time he struggles -- much like he did in Sunday's overtime victory over the Knicks. Sure, Garnett made the winning jumper at the buzzer to lift Boston to a 107-105 victory, but he was 4 of 15 overall for 10 points and played only 32 minutes with early foul trouble.
Garnett typically doesn't emerge from the visitor's locker room for a lengthy period of time after road games due to postgame treatment and that, in part, led some New York media to wonder if his knee was as healthy as Garnett's been leading on.
"I'm not going to answer any more knee questions," said Garnett. "It's getting old, OK? Y'all know what I'm dealing with here. I said it yesterday that no one in this league at this point -- what 14 games played? -- is 100 percent. Hell, I got worked on even when I didn't have surgery, so it's just the same rituals and stuff like that, not coming up with myths and all that stuff that's coming up. I always get treatment before games, hell, you see Paul [Pierce] and [Rajon] Rondo get massages. My ritual is no different than that."
An ill-timed follow-up question asked about Garnett's knee.
"Next question," he snapped. When none came immediately, he added, "Cool, then we done," and departed.
Yet the knee seems to become a focal point any time he struggles -- much like he did in Sunday's overtime victory over the Knicks. Sure, Garnett made the winning jumper at the buzzer to lift Boston to a 107-105 victory, but he was 4 of 15 overall for 10 points and played only 32 minutes with early foul trouble.
Garnett typically doesn't emerge from the visitor's locker room for a lengthy period of time after road games due to postgame treatment and that, in part, led some New York media to wonder if his knee was as healthy as Garnett's been leading on.
"I'm not going to answer any more knee questions," said Garnett. "It's getting old, OK? Y'all know what I'm dealing with here. I said it yesterday that no one in this league at this point -- what 14 games played? -- is 100 percent. Hell, I got worked on even when I didn't have surgery, so it's just the same rituals and stuff like that, not coming up with myths and all that stuff that's coming up. I always get treatment before games, hell, you see Paul [Pierce] and [Rajon] Rondo get massages. My ritual is no different than that."
An ill-timed follow-up question asked about Garnett's knee.
"Next question," he snapped. When none came immediately, he added, "Cool, then we done," and departed.
Sheridan: What's wrong with the Celtics?
November, 23, 2009
Nov 23
9:34
AM ET
On the heels of Boston's grisly overtime victory over the Knicks Sunday at Madison Square Garden, ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan examines why the Celtics are struggling.
Among his key topics:
Go HERE to read more of Sheridan's analysis.
Among his key topics:
- Kevin Garnett is still hurting
- Rasheed Wallace is playing horribly
- Rajon Rondo's flaws can be quite stark
- For a team with so many big guys, they sure don't rebound much
- Ray Allen is getting no respect
- The players aren't listening to Doc Rivers
Go HERE to read more of Sheridan's analysis.
It would be an oversimplification of the Celtics' struggles to pinpoint one player for the team's woes. Clearly Boston's troubles run deeper than one individual's difficulties.
But it's hard to ignore the connection between Rasheed Wallace's struggles and that of the team as a whole, and vice versa.
In Boston's 10 wins this season, Wallace has shot 34 of 86 from the floor (39.5 percent), including 21 of 60 (35 percent) from 3-point land for a total of 98 points.
In Boston's four losses, Wallace shot 13 of 39 overall (33.3 percent), including an abysmal 1 of 21 (4.7 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc for a total of 26 points. Here's a game-by-game breakdown (with opponent, FGs, 3-pointer, and points):
vs. Orlando -- 4 for 16, 0 for 8, 9 points
vs. Indiana -- 2 for 4, 0 for 2, 4 points
vs. Atlanta -- 3 for 7, 1 for 5, 7 points
vs. Phoenix -- 4 for 12, 0 for 6, 8 points
The Celtics survived another Wallace clunker (0 for 6 overall, 0 for 3 from 3-point land, 0 points) in Sunday's overtime win over the Knicks, but once again mimicked his struggles.
Wallace hasn't made a 3-pointer since the final minutes of the third quarter in a 109-95 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. He's missed his last 13 3-pointers overall and, since Nov. 4, he's just 7 of 48 from beyond the arc.
On the flip side, the Celtics are 7-0 when Wallace makes two or more 3-pointers.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers has remained steadfast in wanting Wallace to shoot through his struggles, particularly if he has open looks. For his part, Wallace doesn't seem overly concerned.
"I'm not worried about my shot right now," Wallace said after Friday's loss to the Magic. "I do the same things every day, still, in practice. I get my shots up after practice. I'm shooting during practice. I'm not worried about it."
Whether he admits it or not, Wallace might simply need a couple of shots to fall to get over the mental hurdle that's seemingly developing.
"Everyone goes through their slumps, no matter what it is, every now and then," said Wallace. "The heart of that player will determine how he plays. I'm not the type of player to let the 3s get me down: 'Oh, I'm missing a couple of 3s. I don't want to do this no more.' No, I'm out there playing basketball, and I'm not going to let that get me down."
But it's hard to ignore the connection between Rasheed Wallace's struggles and that of the team as a whole, and vice versa.
In Boston's 10 wins this season, Wallace has shot 34 of 86 from the floor (39.5 percent), including 21 of 60 (35 percent) from 3-point land for a total of 98 points.
Associated PressRasheed Wallace is 1 of 21 from beyond the arc in the Celtics' four losses.
In Boston's four losses, Wallace shot 13 of 39 overall (33.3 percent), including an abysmal 1 of 21 (4.7 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc for a total of 26 points. Here's a game-by-game breakdown (with opponent, FGs, 3-pointer, and points):
vs. Orlando -- 4 for 16, 0 for 8, 9 points
vs. Indiana -- 2 for 4, 0 for 2, 4 points
vs. Atlanta -- 3 for 7, 1 for 5, 7 points
vs. Phoenix -- 4 for 12, 0 for 6, 8 points
The Celtics survived another Wallace clunker (0 for 6 overall, 0 for 3 from 3-point land, 0 points) in Sunday's overtime win over the Knicks, but once again mimicked his struggles.
Wallace hasn't made a 3-pointer since the final minutes of the third quarter in a 109-95 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. He's missed his last 13 3-pointers overall and, since Nov. 4, he's just 7 of 48 from beyond the arc.
On the flip side, the Celtics are 7-0 when Wallace makes two or more 3-pointers.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers has remained steadfast in wanting Wallace to shoot through his struggles, particularly if he has open looks. For his part, Wallace doesn't seem overly concerned.
"I'm not worried about my shot right now," Wallace said after Friday's loss to the Magic. "I do the same things every day, still, in practice. I get my shots up after practice. I'm shooting during practice. I'm not worried about it."
Whether he admits it or not, Wallace might simply need a couple of shots to fall to get over the mental hurdle that's seemingly developing.
"Everyone goes through their slumps, no matter what it is, every now and then," said Wallace. "The heart of that player will determine how he plays. I'm not the type of player to let the 3s get me down: 'Oh, I'm missing a couple of 3s. I don't want to do this no more.' No, I'm out there playing basketball, and I'm not going to let that get me down."
The Celtics today assigned second-year forward Bill Walker to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League.
Walker, who is working his way back after arthroscopic right knee surgery at the beginning of October, returned to practice last week and appeared in the final two minutes of a lopsided win over Utah on Nov. 11.
The Washington Wizards selected Walker in the second round (47th overall) of the 2008 draft before shipping him to Boston for cash considerations. He appeared in 29 games during his rookie season, averaging 3 points and 1 rebound per game.
Walker also spent 15 game with the Utah Flash of the NBDL last season, averaging 18.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest.
According to the Red Claws, Walker will be in uniform for a scrimmage on Sunday (Portland) and the team's first preseason game Monday (vs. Springfield in Augusta).
For the Celtics, who are relatively healthy (Tony Allen remains sidelined with a lingering right ankle injury), it's a chance to get Walker game action and still have him in arm's reach should an emergency situation arise. For the Red Claws, it adds a known name as they launch their inaugural season.
Walker, who is working his way back after arthroscopic right knee surgery at the beginning of October, returned to practice last week and appeared in the final two minutes of a lopsided win over Utah on Nov. 11.
The Washington Wizards selected Walker in the second round (47th overall) of the 2008 draft before shipping him to Boston for cash considerations. He appeared in 29 games during his rookie season, averaging 3 points and 1 rebound per game.
Walker also spent 15 game with the Utah Flash of the NBDL last season, averaging 18.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest.
According to the Red Claws, Walker will be in uniform for a scrimmage on Sunday (Portland) and the team's first preseason game Monday (vs. Springfield in Augusta).
For the Celtics, who are relatively healthy (Tony Allen remains sidelined with a lingering right ankle injury), it's a chance to get Walker game action and still have him in arm's reach should an emergency situation arise. For the Red Claws, it adds a known name as they launch their inaugural season.
BOSTON -- Two nights after putting the Celtics on his back in the second half of a win over the Golden State Warriors, Rajon Rondo found himself confined to the bench during crucial moments of Friday's loss to the Magic.
Rondo finished with 6 points, 6 assists, and 3 turnovers in 29 minutes, but struggled to guide the offense as efficiently as he had the previous game. Celtics coach Doc Rivers leaned on backup guard Eddie House to bring Boston back from two double-digit deficits.
"Today, Rajon just didn't play well," said Rivers. "And Eddie -- there's no conspiracy here. Eddie had it going, defensively he was good. And when Eddie plays good defense, it allows him to stay on the floor. So, he spaced the floor, he did his job."
When reporters persisted about whether the lack of execution Friday fell on Rondo, Rivers defended his fourth-year guard.
"It's not on Rondo. No, no, no," said Rivers. "No, as a group we have to play better. But, listen, Rondo didn't play well today. He's been pretty good for the most part, he won the game for us the other night. So, no, it's just as a group. We are not functioning well as a group, all five on the floor."
Rondo subbed back in with 1:41 to go in the game with the Celtics trailing by a bucket and couldn't convert a driving layup. Boston was desperate for someone to settle a frantic offense, but not even Rondo could calm them.
Asked if Rondo's lack of playing time in the fourth quarter was an issue, Pierce said it was the coach's decision.
"Rondo's a defender, he gets steals, he causes havoc," said Pierce. "But that's what coaches do. They devise the schemes, they put the players in... We're players, we're asked to go out on the court and the coaches are putting the players on the court. It's not our job to be saying, 'Put Rajon in the game.' We're out there trying to win as a team, it's not about one individual."
Rondo finished with 6 points, 6 assists, and 3 turnovers in 29 minutes, but struggled to guide the offense as efficiently as he had the previous game. Celtics coach Doc Rivers leaned on backup guard Eddie House to bring Boston back from two double-digit deficits.
"Today, Rajon just didn't play well," said Rivers. "And Eddie -- there's no conspiracy here. Eddie had it going, defensively he was good. And when Eddie plays good defense, it allows him to stay on the floor. So, he spaced the floor, he did his job."
When reporters persisted about whether the lack of execution Friday fell on Rondo, Rivers defended his fourth-year guard.
"It's not on Rondo. No, no, no," said Rivers. "No, as a group we have to play better. But, listen, Rondo didn't play well today. He's been pretty good for the most part, he won the game for us the other night. So, no, it's just as a group. We are not functioning well as a group, all five on the floor."
Rondo subbed back in with 1:41 to go in the game with the Celtics trailing by a bucket and couldn't convert a driving layup. Boston was desperate for someone to settle a frantic offense, but not even Rondo could calm them.
Asked if Rondo's lack of playing time in the fourth quarter was an issue, Pierce said it was the coach's decision.
"Rondo's a defender, he gets steals, he causes havoc," said Pierce. "But that's what coaches do. They devise the schemes, they put the players in... We're players, we're asked to go out on the court and the coaches are putting the players on the court. It's not our job to be saying, 'Put Rajon in the game.' We're out there trying to win as a team, it's not about one individual."
BOSTON -- Hedo Turkoglu, where have you gone?
The Celtics expected the departure of Turkoglu, who will come to Boston next Friday as a member of the Toronto Raptors, to potentially be an advantage when the Orlando Magic visited the TD Garden Friday night in the first meeting since last year's Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series.
But Turkoglu's departure forced the Magic to aggressively pursue Vince Carter during the offseason and the 12th-year swingman slayed Boston with his clutch shooting.
Carter's field goal percentage isn't eye-popping (10 for 29, 34.5 percent) -- in fact it matches Boston's dismal effort overall -- but he poured in a game-high 26 points and shined in crunch time.
"In this kind of basketball game, you don't want to let down," said Carter. "It would have been great to make 29 shots, make some of the layups I missed -- I missed like four of them -- but all that matters is getting the win. We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game regardless. We knew they were going to make a run, they play well here. So it was, 'Can we sustain and persevere?' "
The answer is a resounding, "Yes." When Boston closed within one at 75-74 with 5:16 to go, Carter hit a 7-foot baby hook. When Boston tied the game at 78, he hit a fearless 12-foot turnaround fadeaway to regain the lead for good.
"Against great defenses down the stretch, it's sometimes hard to free people up," explained Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "You gotta have a guy -- a Paul Pierce, a Vince Carter, a Dwyane Wade, a LeBron James -- someone who can get a shot against a good defense. Vince can get off a pretty good quality shot all the time and at least you will have a chance, even if the defense is good."
Added Rashard Lewis: "He is the guy we went to pretty much the whole game -- went to him on pick-and-rolls, we thought we had a mismatch on the post. He came up with some big shots."
Carter is simply happy to be playing for a winning team and beating good competition.
"I don't put any pressure on myself, I am just thankful that I was able to come to a great team and that, in the early point of the season, they have this confidence in me," said Carter. "Whether it is putting it in the basket or trying to find the right guys. I am just glad I was able to deliver."
The Celtics expected the departure of Turkoglu, who will come to Boston next Friday as a member of the Toronto Raptors, to potentially be an advantage when the Orlando Magic visited the TD Garden Friday night in the first meeting since last year's Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series.
But Turkoglu's departure forced the Magic to aggressively pursue Vince Carter during the offseason and the 12th-year swingman slayed Boston with his clutch shooting.
Carter's field goal percentage isn't eye-popping (10 for 29, 34.5 percent) -- in fact it matches Boston's dismal effort overall -- but he poured in a game-high 26 points and shined in crunch time.
"In this kind of basketball game, you don't want to let down," said Carter. "It would have been great to make 29 shots, make some of the layups I missed -- I missed like four of them -- but all that matters is getting the win. We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game regardless. We knew they were going to make a run, they play well here. So it was, 'Can we sustain and persevere?' "
The answer is a resounding, "Yes." When Boston closed within one at 75-74 with 5:16 to go, Carter hit a 7-foot baby hook. When Boston tied the game at 78, he hit a fearless 12-foot turnaround fadeaway to regain the lead for good.
"Against great defenses down the stretch, it's sometimes hard to free people up," explained Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "You gotta have a guy -- a Paul Pierce, a Vince Carter, a Dwyane Wade, a LeBron James -- someone who can get a shot against a good defense. Vince can get off a pretty good quality shot all the time and at least you will have a chance, even if the defense is good."
Added Rashard Lewis: "He is the guy we went to pretty much the whole game -- went to him on pick-and-rolls, we thought we had a mismatch on the post. He came up with some big shots."
Carter is simply happy to be playing for a winning team and beating good competition.
"I don't put any pressure on myself, I am just thankful that I was able to come to a great team and that, in the early point of the season, they have this confidence in me," said Carter. "Whether it is putting it in the basket or trying to find the right guys. I am just glad I was able to deliver."
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Chris Forsberg
Chris Forsberg has been reporting on the Boston sports scene since 1999. With his video camera in tow, Forsberg covered everything from Massachusetts high school sports to Boston's pro sports teams. Follow him on Twitter.
