Boston Sports Then and Now

I bleed green.

Ok, so it’s been a while since I have written about the Celtics, but what has been going on lately is just terrible.

I need to get some things off my chest.

Now before I dig in, I’d like to say that I’m 27 years old and have been a C’s fan all my life. I’ve been going to games with my sister since the early 90’s and sat through the “Youth Movement Year” with tickets that were given to me.

I’ve seen the Eric Montross’s, Eric Williams, Gerald Green’s, and Kenny Anderson’s of the world come and go.

I’d like to first start off by advising the “pink hats” on the bandwagon to get off safely because Guru from Gang Starr said it best “Read. Study lessons, build your inner power, cause the next level doesn’t tolerate cowards.” If not we’re just going to kick your complaining ass off anyway!

Never have I heard so much booing during games when the team is down 10 and needs that confidence from the crowd!  It makes me want to puke when I see people leaving in the 4^th quarter because they are down by a few points! Most of you people that due leave usually have great seats and make the area look dreadful with all the empty seats on television! If you turned on the game and saw that, you would of thought they were getting blow out by 30! You know those people in the nosebleeds were envious of your seats in the beginning, but had to want to slap you for the chuck of empty in the fourth! I know if I was at the game I would have been disgusted, tickets are expensive enough especially with economy.

And we press on…

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Courtesy of  North Station Sports

Is the window closing on the "Big Three"?

As some one that started writing about the Celtics as a way of occupying myself during a health imposed layoff, it was easy to say what was on your mind when no one was reading your opinions. When North Station Sports was launched, in the spring of 2009, it was named The Boston Celtics News Station. Back then we only received 10 reads per day and I am pretty sure 8 of those reads were from friends and family. I guess back then I was a bit more controversial in my opinions stated on the site. Through the summer of 2009, as readership quickly spiked, I added writers and watched the developing personality of North Station Sports.

With a growing readership that spanned the globe, the responsibility to my readers for a non-speculative, fact-based writing transformed into taking the safe PC route of the truly opinionated. NSS writers Calvin, Lee and Shawn have produced some controversial pieces but not me. I have sat back and let the personality of the site take shape.

Just as the Celtics “issues” need to stop today, my PC writing is total bull.  I am going to lay my opinion out for readers no matter how pissed off it makes them or how upset the harsh reality of it makes me feel to put it in print…

On February 12, 2010, I can honestly say that the Boston Celtics suck!

Yes, I said it. Their are major problems brewing in Beantown and no one in the “Celtics-family” is willing to admit it.

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Courtesy of North Station Sports

Injuries and age have slowed the new "Big Three".

As disappointing as the Celtics loss was on Thursday night, I found it slightly encouraging to hear the captain not excepting any reasons as an excuse for lack of energy. The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen (guest on this week’s Celtics Late Night Show) would bring reference to the Celtics lack of fire power on the second night of back to backs by quoting Pierce as saying,

“Every team in the NBA has to do it,” said Celtics captain Paul Pierce. “We’re conditioned to play as many games as they put on the schedule, so I don’t know if that’s a factor or not…We feel like we’re at home, we should be a better team at home than what we’ve been playing as of late.”

Playing on national television and on the second night of back to backs (four games in five nights), the Celtics looked old, tired and defeated at tip off. The young and athletic Bulls had charged through the TD Garden tunnel, onto the parquet floor and over the vulnerable Celtics. Described as “old and experienced” by the TNT intro to the telecast, the 2009-10 Celtics continue bare resemblance to the late 80’s, early 90’s team led by the aging Big Three of that era.

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Courtesy of North Station Sports

Can the Celtics stay afloat without Paul Pierce?

We have been keeping tabs on Glen Davis’ injury since the start of the season. Recently the coverage shifted to Marquis Daniels who had sudden hand surgery. Both injuries were manageable and, given the depth of this Celtics squad, not considered detrimental to the team’s success.

As I glance over my Google reader this morning and, more dramatically, the front page of North Station Sports (NSS), the Celtics suddenly do not look quite so deep.

Tuesday evening, Kevin Garnett sat out the Celtics 103-94, comeback victory against the Pacers. Suffering from a deep right thigh bruise, Garnett is a game time decision for Friday’s, Christmas Day show-down with the Magic. KG was replaced by Rasheed Wallace in the line-up against Tuesday. Rasheed chipped in with 9 points and 13 rebounds. ‘Sheed would not be immune to the injury bug suddenly swirling around the Celtics locker room. During the fourth quarter, Wallace would suffer a shoulder bruise. His injury is not expected to be serious and Wallace finished the game with 36 minutes– a season high.

Paul Pierce had an exceptional late-game performance on Tuesday night, easing the blow of another, overall, poor shooting night (4-15).

Recently, North Station Sports (NSS) dissected Pierce’s struggles and speculated over whether Pierce may be fatigued or hiding an injury. After starting the season hot, Pierce cooled down to 39 percent shooting the last 10 games, averaging just 15.6 ppg. This may be purely coincidental, as the captain complained of no pain prior to reporting to the hospital Wednesday morning with swelling and discomfort in his knee.

From the Boston Globe:

“Paul felt fine after the game,’’ said president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “He felt great. A few hours later there was swelling and pain, and so they put him through some tests [yesterday] morning. Then they went in and they felt like they needed to clean out the infection. It’s nothing structural, and it’s a guess, but they are saying two weeks. I’m always worried when a player gets hurt, but the good news is there was no structural [damage].’’

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Courtesy of North Station Sports

Kevin Garnett saved his best for last.

If you follow your sports through the ESPN-hype machine only, then you maybe just fine with the Celtics sneak-away win today at Madison Square Garden. Fact is, today’s performance was more of the same from the Celtics. erratic play, poor shooting, and veterans just looking plain old.

Our worst fears came true Sunday afternoon as the C’s recent offensive woes had spilled over to the defensive end of the court. Zero communication had translated to bad help defense, on some plays– no help defense. Again, our guys made a down right poor team look decent.

The C’s jumped out to an early first quarter lead and closed the period up by 8 points. I had started to exhale from holding my breath all weekend as the Celtics FINALLY jumped out to a decent start. Again, the Celtics struggling to put together a full 48 minute game of decent basketball, entered the half only up by three points.

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Is the NBA catching up to the Celtics?

“I was able to make it through the game, but I obviously hurt us tonight. Especially on the defensive end.”

- Paul Pierce, following the Celtics 113-104 loss to the Pacers.

Once again, the Celtics starters could not keep pace with the youth, hustle and stamina of a younger and more athletic team. The Indiana Pacers, in what has become a nightly routine, held tight with the Celtics throughout the first quarter.

Early on, the Celtics corrected their deficiencies from a night earlier, rebounding the ball well and defending the basket. They had extended a one point first quarter lead to a nine point halftime lead as the Celtics seemed to be returning to their normal form.

The second half was like an episode of the twilight zone for Celtics fans. It was like a bad dream you wake up from, thinking it was real, thanking god it wasn’t. Fact is, it was real. We did lose for the second straight night to teams that are, not only sub-par but have zero chance of winning a championship in the distant future.

More disturbing was the Celtics lack of mental toughness. Missing clutch free-throws, taking ill-advised shots and complaining at every whistle. Who are these imposter’s?

In the second half of last night’s disaster, we saw a completely different Celtic team. Unfortunately, due to the recent losses to Atlanta and Phoenix, the Celtics that showed up in the second half last night, were a team that we are beginning to get familiar with and it has to stop here.

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