I know there is a lockout going on but did you guys see this from the FIBA Americas Tournament? Nasty.... http://bleacherreport.com/tb/bb6wn

I don't know about you and Fisher but I am not seeing anything different from Kobe in this clip. He still looks slower and barely gets the ball over the rim on the break away dunk. His first dunk was not impressive either. He didn't get up any higher or move any faster than he has been doing during the NBA season. Even if it helped (which I can't see it) it will wear down back to original old kobe after the first half of the season. It 's just the OC register and Fish trying to hype Kobe and the upcoming season ( if there is one) for the ignorant Lakers fans who want to hope Kobe isn't done. He's done.

Boston is truly TITLE TOWN baby! The only city in sports history to win a title in all 4 major sports within a 7 year span.....the shortest span ever!! Who's next? Red Sox look prime to win the World Series again this year.

"Joey Crawford has hair, he ain't gonna give me a tech so don't think I won't swing on you right now bird man!"

Yeah, Perk's numbers with the Thunder are going to be different and it is no surprise. He had a better Core of guys that he played better with in Boston for one thing and another thing is they don't have that defensive mindset in OKC to help back him up. Perk is the only guy that tries to be tough and the others are mostly all offensive players. Ebaka takes his rebound numbers down as well. More athletic than Perk. OKC's game is focused more around offense and not defense so Perks numbers are and will certainly be different from his already small numbers from Boston. It wasn't like Perk put up huge numbers in Boston either. He fit better there. Just like Green fit better in OKC since he is more of an offensive player and like to be free on offense. He got eaten up in boston by whoever he gaurded. Perk deal should have never went down when you look at it all after the fact. Bad deal.

Yeah, someone send that link to Pierce, KG, and Ray.

The Miami faithful stole coaches' bags? Anyone think it could have been an "inside job" and that it is part of the reason the Heat FINALLY figured out the Celtics after losing the first 3 games to them this year? Or, is it just because the C's had Shaq or Perk in the first 3 wins against Miami this year? Just some thoughts.

So, what is the Celtics road record in the playoffs since 2008? Correct me if I'm wrong. I believe it would be 11-19. That is the playoffs. That is not too bad considering it's the playoffs and the first year they were together in 2008 they were still getting to know each other. They went 3-9 in 08' which hurts their overall playoff road record since the Big three came to Boston. I'll take a 3-9 road record with a title anytime though. Road playoff records: 2008 3-9 Title 2009 2-4 (without KG and early second round exit) 2010 6-6 Finals game 7 road loss. (game 7 win would have been 7-5 road record) 2011 2-0........??? They seem to be getting stronger on the road in the playoffs. I'm sure they would have went farther and won at least 3 road games or more in 09' if KG was healthy.

What about the foul last night from Kobe on Okafor? He straight hit him right over his face with a swing of the forarm and didnt even get a tech? That played should be reviewed as well. Okafor was a fool for not going at kobe and creating a stir about it becuase if he did the refs would have looked at it and gave kobe a tech and maybe even be getting a suspension or flagrant 1 for sure. The league should take a look and upgrade it to flagrant IMO. Just because you act like you didn't mean to doesn't mean you are off the hook.

Ok dude, you have some good points and I can understand that you just don't like the hype of the Celtics. Wait? Has anyone seen hype around the Celtics lately? Not me. How can you grade the trade accurately until Shaq (or at least J O) are playing and back with the Celts. You can't! You can grade it with how they have played with out their full roster or the guys they have had but it is not going to give you a full report of how the trade went until the players Ainge thought could do as good or better for a title run actually get to play. Shaq and J O have to be playing with some degree of health to see what the trade has done. If they were never to come back then I guess you have an accurate answer. Everywhere I look the Celtics are being shrugged off and told they can't get by the Heat. Yet they went 3-1 against the heat during the season and the only loss to them was an end of season game where Perkins or Shaq were nowhere to be found. All three wins had Shaq or Perkins in them. J Oneal played in the last one but was still getting his health back and not wanting to hurt himself again. Now it's playoff time and he is still getting more healthy and back into the flow. He will be even better as the playoffs go on. J Oneal is playing as good as Shaq and Perk did in those three wins. Even IF Shaq doesn't play in the Heat series the Celtics should win in 6. If shaq plays it could be less. Doc and Co. were thinking of getting healthy, minutes, seeding/who they wanted to play in the first round more than anythiny else in the last game against the heat. Go look at the box scores. Take a look at the Bulls game as well. Celtics didn't bring it at all for the Bulls and Heat games. It's always nice to let your opponent think they can beat you and then pounce on them with a wake up call. Celtics play better in the underdog roll when everyone doubts them. Wether they do it on purpose or not, they just do it. It's a game of the minds as well.

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b94f8 Shaq to play sunday? Follow the link.

Now all we need is the article from John Schuhmann on the Lakers and how they are even less convincing since they are supposed to be the favorites. They LOST their first game AT HOME against a more inferior team than the knicks without David West and had guys like Gray balling them up. If the Laklers are supposed to be "better" than the Celtics then why can't they beat a depleated Hornets team at home in the first game? Where is the article John?

Good post. Explains it like it is. He is failing himself and the team for any one of those reasons. The only one that is excuseable is if injuries are plaguing him.

Rondo needs to put aside his stubborn attitude and play the way he was playing at the beggining of the season. Did any of you see when Ray had the ball on the far side at the 3 point line close to the corner after a fast break attempt that turned into Ray looking right at Rondo 5 feet away calling for the ball to set up a play and Ray COMPLETELY ignored him and threw it to the top of the key/3 point line to KG instead? Huh? Right when KG got the pass from allen he threw it RIGHT to Rondo where ray didn't want to. I bet Rondo's meeting has something to do with him and Ray. Ray is mad cause he's missing everything and not getting more touches. Every team is gaurding Ray very close all game long. Hard for Rondo to keep feeding him more often when he is being tailed all game and has to shoot with guys in his face and keeps missing. Doc needs to find a way to get Ray open and free for an open three!!

This is a great piece. It just goes to show us how relevant or irrelevant Rondo can be when he is plaing the right way for this team. If he is going to take more of those 16-23 ft shots and not make them on a consistent basis, which takes away from others getting shots, then the Celts will continue to struggle the way they are. One of 2 things need to happen. Rondo needs to start getting the assist #'s he had at the beggining of the season or he NEEDS to be able to hit those shots 50% of the time. Then teams can't lay off him and have a "free safety" out there helping on defense. I say he just starts playing like he was, driving in for more layups and creating more shots for others. (bring those asts back up) Whether that is passing off on the dribble drive or just coming down and setting up guys for open looks from outside, especially Ray. The reason I say that is because he has had PLENTY of time to come up with a consistent 16-23 ft shot and can't produce one still. Just play your game Rondo. Don't try to shoot from outside any more. Use your speed and passing skills cause that is about all he has got.

Yeah. I don't think he was taking a shot at bosh. He just meant that if not all on the same page it won't flow.....can't stop go.