http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4073024
He's not going to be ready. After watching him practice, there's no way," Rivers said on WEEI-AM. "The way I saw him move today, I don't know if he'll be ready."
When asked to clarify, Rivers said there was a chance Garnett could be out for the rest of the season. Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said he could not elaborate on Rivers' comments.
Garnett injured his right knee Feb. 19 and missed the next 13 games before returning for four, but never playing as many as 18 minutes. With the Celtics assured of a high playoff berth, Rivers then held Garnett out with an eye toward bringing him back for the last three games of the regular season; that became the last two, then the last one, but he never made it back.
Rivers said Thursday he watched Garnett run at the team's practice facility and said he had to shut him down after 20 minutes.
"If he can't get through biking and working out without swelling and his leg locking, I don't know how you can play in the playoffs," Rivers said. "This was an honest run today, you couldn't make your way through it. The guy's a warrior, you see him try to mask his way through it. But after 20 minutes of running, I don't see it. After today, there's no way he can play."
Garnett's reaction?
"He was frustrated. He was mad at me, mad at everybody. Then he understood," Rivers said. "He put up a fight. He's really frustrated, but that's Kevin. That's why we got him, because he cares so much."
The defending NBA champions begin the best-of-seven first round series against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
"We're going to move on without him," Rivers said.
Showing posts with label Boston Celtics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston Celtics. Show all posts
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Boston falling apart in basketball
http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/16271/bobcats_deconstruct_the_mighty_celtics
So the Celtics lost again, this time 114-106 in OT to the piteous Bobcats. At this point, their downfall is hardly news; even getting bested by Charlotte is par for the nightmare. In these dark times, a team like Boston can't fall back on their past glories, or their press clippings. It's a full-blown existential crisis, where all you can do is look deep inside your soul and return to what really makes you tick.
Unless, of course, super freak Adam Morrison manages to snatch it out your chest first. From The Boston Herald:
Among the glut of instructions scrawled on the Charlotte Bobcats' locker room greaseboard before last night's game was the following advice regarding Kevin Garnett: "Don't get punked."
Yes, the biggest-talking team in the NBA was in town, and beyond the Celtics' obsessively vocal leader, whose favorite target for barbs and a couple of late elbows vs. the Bobcats was Adam Morrison, who returned the favor, the Bobcats weren't in the mood to take nonsense from anyone in the defending champs' lineup.
That was the sound of complete and total identity deflation, or something like that. Swagger is easy when you're on top. It's when things get rough that it's a source of strength, not just a byproduct of hype or logical extension of facts on paper. If the Celtics can get out-swagged by Adam Morrison, then they've got to rally themselves on all sorts of levels before they'll return back to that upper echelon. It's not just about winning some games, but recapturing confidence that can light the way when that shield of dominance comes crashing down.
Posted In: Boston Celtics, Charlotte Bobcats, NBA
So the Celtics lost again, this time 114-106 in OT to the piteous Bobcats. At this point, their downfall is hardly news; even getting bested by Charlotte is par for the nightmare. In these dark times, a team like Boston can't fall back on their past glories, or their press clippings. It's a full-blown existential crisis, where all you can do is look deep inside your soul and return to what really makes you tick.
Unless, of course, super freak Adam Morrison manages to snatch it out your chest first. From The Boston Herald:
Among the glut of instructions scrawled on the Charlotte Bobcats' locker room greaseboard before last night's game was the following advice regarding Kevin Garnett: "Don't get punked."
Yes, the biggest-talking team in the NBA was in town, and beyond the Celtics' obsessively vocal leader, whose favorite target for barbs and a couple of late elbows vs. the Bobcats was Adam Morrison, who returned the favor, the Bobcats weren't in the mood to take nonsense from anyone in the defending champs' lineup.
That was the sound of complete and total identity deflation, or something like that. Swagger is easy when you're on top. It's when things get rough that it's a source of strength, not just a byproduct of hype or logical extension of facts on paper. If the Celtics can get out-swagged by Adam Morrison, then they've got to rally themselves on all sorts of levels before they'll return back to that upper echelon. It's not just about winning some games, but recapturing confidence that can light the way when that shield of dominance comes crashing down.
Posted In: Boston Celtics, Charlotte Bobcats, NBA
Saturday, December 27, 2008
LA beats Boston - Ends Streak at 19
http://wbztv.com/sports/celtics/boston.celtics.los.2.895050.html
LOS ANGELES (AP) ―
Click to enlarge
Kevin Garnett drives past the Lakers' Pau Gasol in the first half. Garnett led the Celtics with 22 points.
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
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numSlides of totalImages Related StoriesLakers, Celtics To Meet For 1st Time Since Finals (12/25/2008)
Celtics Win Franchise Record 19th Straight Game (12/24/2008)
Related LinksMore Celtics News
Perhaps now the Los Angeles Lakers can put the anguish of losing the NBA finals to Boston and the embarrassment over the way the series ended behind them.
Kobe Bryant had 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Pau Gasol scored seven of his 20 points in the final three minutes, and the Lakers beat Boston 92-83 Thursday to snap the Celtics' franchise-record 19-game winning streak.
The game was the first between the teams since the Celtics romped to a 131-92 victory in Game 6 of the finals last June to win their first championship in 22 years and league-high 17th title. The Lakers blew a 24-point second-quarter lead in Game 4 at Staples Center to fall behind 3-1 -- a deficit that's never been overcome in the finals.
The victory was the 1,000th for Phil Jackson, enabling him to become the sixth NBA coach to reach that milestone. The 63-year-old Jackson has a career record of 1,000-423 in 17-plus seasons as coach of the Chicago Bulls and Lakers. He became the fastest to win 1,000 games, surpassing Pat Riley, who did it in 1,434 games.
"Here we are, a game that's been pointed to since the schedules came out," Jackson said beforehand.
The longtime rivals have met in the NBA finals 11 times, with the Celtics going 9-2.
The Celtics entered with a 27-2 record -- the fastest start by a two-loss team. They were in pretty good shape when Kevin Garnett put them ahead 81-79 with 3:57 remaining, but the Lakers went on a 13-2 run to finish the game.
Lamar Odom had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Sasha Vujacic also scored 10 for the Lakers (24-5), who won their 12th straight game at home, where they're 15-1. Andrew Bynum, who missed most of last season and the playoffs with an injured knee, had nine points and seven rebounds.
Garnett shot 11-of-14 in leading the Celtics (27-3) with 22 points, and he also had nine rebounds. Paul Pierce added 20 points and 10 rebounds, but didn't score in the fourth quarter. Ray Allen scored 14 and Rajon Rondo had 12 assists for Boston.
A 15-foot jumper by Gasol with 2:48 snapped an 81-all tie and put the Lakers ahead for good. Allen's 3-pointer failed, and Gasol scored from close range off an assist from Bryant with two minutes left, putting Los Angeles up by four and sending the crowd of 18,997 into a frenzy.
Garnett answered with a jumper to draw the Celtics within two, but Gasol's three-point play with 1:28 left put the Lakers on top 88-83. Gasol then blocked a 3-pointer by Allen, setting up Trevor Ariza for a dunk that gave Los Angeles a seven-point lead with 1:12 to go. Bryant's basket completed the scoring.
Boston's Eddie House made his only basket with 8:09 remaining to tie it at 75. Neither team led by more than two points after that until the Lakers took command down the stretch.
Pierce scored five points and Allen added three during an 8-0 run that put Boston ahead 64-62. Then, with Bryant on the bench, Odom made two 3-pointers, and the Lakers outscored the Celtics 9-3 to finish the third period and take a 71-67 lead.
Vujacic scored eight points and Bryant added six during a 16-5 run to begin the second quarter, giving the Lakers a 39-29 lead, and they were on top 51-45 at halftime. The Celtics shot 2-of-13 to begin the period and 7-of-12 to finish it. Boston attempted only two free throws in the half -- by Pierce with 13.5 seconds left.
Neither team led by more than three in the first quarter, which ended with the Celtics on top 24-23. Boston shot 61.1 percent to 47.6 percent for the Lakers, but committed six turnovers.
Notes: Boston's Glen Davis returned to action after missing two games because of a concussion sustained in a traffic accident last Sunday, and had four points and four rebounds in a reserve role. ... The Lakers played without backup point guard Jordan Farmar, who underwent knee surgery Wednesday and will be sidelined approximately eight weeks. ... The game marked the first time in NBA history that two teams met with so few losses (seven) this late in the season. ... The game was the 10th straight for the Lakers on Christmas. They have an overall record of 20-15 on Christmas including 11-6 at home. ... It was the Celtics' first game on Christmas since 2002. They have a 10-15 record, going 9-15 on the road and 1-0 at a neutral site. They have never played at home on Christmas. ... The game was the first on Christmas between the teams since 1970, when the Lakers won a 123-113 decision at the Forum in nearby Inglewood.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ―
Click to enlarge
Kevin Garnett drives past the Lakers' Pau Gasol in the first half. Garnett led the Celtics with 22 points.
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
1 of 1
Close
numSlides of totalImages Related StoriesLakers, Celtics To Meet For 1st Time Since Finals (12/25/2008)
Celtics Win Franchise Record 19th Straight Game (12/24/2008)
Related LinksMore Celtics News
Perhaps now the Los Angeles Lakers can put the anguish of losing the NBA finals to Boston and the embarrassment over the way the series ended behind them.
Kobe Bryant had 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Pau Gasol scored seven of his 20 points in the final three minutes, and the Lakers beat Boston 92-83 Thursday to snap the Celtics' franchise-record 19-game winning streak.
The game was the first between the teams since the Celtics romped to a 131-92 victory in Game 6 of the finals last June to win their first championship in 22 years and league-high 17th title. The Lakers blew a 24-point second-quarter lead in Game 4 at Staples Center to fall behind 3-1 -- a deficit that's never been overcome in the finals.
The victory was the 1,000th for Phil Jackson, enabling him to become the sixth NBA coach to reach that milestone. The 63-year-old Jackson has a career record of 1,000-423 in 17-plus seasons as coach of the Chicago Bulls and Lakers. He became the fastest to win 1,000 games, surpassing Pat Riley, who did it in 1,434 games.
"Here we are, a game that's been pointed to since the schedules came out," Jackson said beforehand.
The longtime rivals have met in the NBA finals 11 times, with the Celtics going 9-2.
The Celtics entered with a 27-2 record -- the fastest start by a two-loss team. They were in pretty good shape when Kevin Garnett put them ahead 81-79 with 3:57 remaining, but the Lakers went on a 13-2 run to finish the game.
Lamar Odom had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Sasha Vujacic also scored 10 for the Lakers (24-5), who won their 12th straight game at home, where they're 15-1. Andrew Bynum, who missed most of last season and the playoffs with an injured knee, had nine points and seven rebounds.
Garnett shot 11-of-14 in leading the Celtics (27-3) with 22 points, and he also had nine rebounds. Paul Pierce added 20 points and 10 rebounds, but didn't score in the fourth quarter. Ray Allen scored 14 and Rajon Rondo had 12 assists for Boston.
A 15-foot jumper by Gasol with 2:48 snapped an 81-all tie and put the Lakers ahead for good. Allen's 3-pointer failed, and Gasol scored from close range off an assist from Bryant with two minutes left, putting Los Angeles up by four and sending the crowd of 18,997 into a frenzy.
Garnett answered with a jumper to draw the Celtics within two, but Gasol's three-point play with 1:28 left put the Lakers on top 88-83. Gasol then blocked a 3-pointer by Allen, setting up Trevor Ariza for a dunk that gave Los Angeles a seven-point lead with 1:12 to go. Bryant's basket completed the scoring.
Boston's Eddie House made his only basket with 8:09 remaining to tie it at 75. Neither team led by more than two points after that until the Lakers took command down the stretch.
Pierce scored five points and Allen added three during an 8-0 run that put Boston ahead 64-62. Then, with Bryant on the bench, Odom made two 3-pointers, and the Lakers outscored the Celtics 9-3 to finish the third period and take a 71-67 lead.
Vujacic scored eight points and Bryant added six during a 16-5 run to begin the second quarter, giving the Lakers a 39-29 lead, and they were on top 51-45 at halftime. The Celtics shot 2-of-13 to begin the period and 7-of-12 to finish it. Boston attempted only two free throws in the half -- by Pierce with 13.5 seconds left.
Neither team led by more than three in the first quarter, which ended with the Celtics on top 24-23. Boston shot 61.1 percent to 47.6 percent for the Lakers, but committed six turnovers.
Notes: Boston's Glen Davis returned to action after missing two games because of a concussion sustained in a traffic accident last Sunday, and had four points and four rebounds in a reserve role. ... The Lakers played without backup point guard Jordan Farmar, who underwent knee surgery Wednesday and will be sidelined approximately eight weeks. ... The game marked the first time in NBA history that two teams met with so few losses (seven) this late in the season. ... The game was the 10th straight for the Lakers on Christmas. They have an overall record of 20-15 on Christmas including 11-6 at home. ... It was the Celtics' first game on Christmas since 2002. They have a 10-15 record, going 9-15 on the road and 1-0 at a neutral site. They have never played at home on Christmas. ... The game was the first on Christmas between the teams since 1970, when the Lakers won a 123-113 decision at the Forum in nearby Inglewood.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Boston looking like champs so far in the NBA
http://www.nba.com/celtics/
The Celtics once again demonstrated why they are the reigning powers of the Atlantic Division.
Ray Allen registered 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and Kevin Garnett posted 15 points as Boston cruised past host Toronto, 118-103, on Sunday for its fifth straight triumph.
The C's, who defeated the Raptors earlier this season in dramatic fashion when Paul Pierce led a furious fourth-quarter comeback, never trailed in this one as they improved to 6-1 on the road.
Leaders for the season -
Points - Paul Pierce 19.0
Rebounds - Garnett 8.7
Assists - Rondo 6.5
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