Every
morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here…
highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as
satisfying a good morning dump.
“With the starts that we got at home
over the last couple weeks, we understand we have to play better at the
beginning of games. And our focus is defense. We don’t feel like we
played our best game, I know we didn’t. But as long as we defend and
get off to the start we did, we always have a chance to win games.
“We
just got to have the killer instinct and go out there and try to finish
the road trip. We’re not the type of team that takes that last game of
the road trip off. We’re going to get the job done and sweep the road
trip, that’s our mind-frame. We know Oklahoma City’s been playing well
of late, they’re a good home team, and our job is try and close the
road trip off on a good note.’’
Paul Pierce in the Globe's Celtics Notebook
Oklahoma City is no joke. They're 10-8. They've got wins over San Antonio and Orlando. So if the Celtics go out there and coast… they could be looking at problems tonight.
It's kinda like they do in games. They coast. They get lazy. Give DeJuan Blair all the credit in the world for going out there and making 9 of 11 shots, crushing the C's on the boards, and carrying the team to a comeback. But the Celtics could have played "Celtics Basketball" (or maybe GIVE PAUL PIERCE THE BALL) and put an early end to last nght's festivities.
I feel like this is a Mortal Combat game… and when the voice comes in and says "FINISH HIM!"… the Celtics just kinda stand around and wait for the opponent to fall over. Dammit… bust out a bad-ass fatality, will ya?
Up next, Page 2… Where Rondo belongs in the Matrix
Photo by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images
In case you didn’t remember, Rajon Rondo is 23 years old. He’ll be 24
in February. Think about that for a second. OK, now stop thinking about
it and hum the theme to Growing Pains for a bit. Now go back
to thinking about how young Rajon Rondo is. He’s arguably the best
defensive point guard in the NBA, right? At the age of 23? Think about
how difficult it is going to be to score against him when he’s 27. You
can say that he can’t shoot. And you can say that he isn’t a good
enough scorer to be considered elite. Or go ahead and talk about how he
wouldn’t be this good without his Boston teammates around him. But none
of that matters because he’s basically Agent Smith in Matrix.
He can bend the laws of physics to be quicker than you. Maybe someone
will come along someday that proves to be his Neo but until that
happens, he’ll just be wrecking shop in the NBA and shutting every
point guard down who is arrogant enough to think they can score on him.
He’s insane.
Hardwood Paroxysm – Lion Face/Lemon Face 12.4.09
So there we were… with the marquee matchup… Tony Parker vs. Rajon Rondo. Game potentially in the balance. Tony Parker drives… looks like he's got a chance to make the layup… and in come's the fly swatter. Rondo slaps the ball away… the ball goes off Parker's leg… Celtics get the ball and hold off the Spurs.
Excellent point in there, though: How good is gonna be when he hits his prime? Yikes.
The rest of the links:
Herald: Green locked in on perfect road trip | Stingy Celtics stifle Spurs | Philly right answer for MVP | Sheed not worried about technicals | Globe: Garnett has Perkins' ear | Celtics run streak to six | Spurs playing a game of bridge | Glen Davis making progress | WEEI: No more fear for Celtics in San Antonio | Fox Sports: Spurs not yet jelled, but could still turn into force | ESPN Boston: Pruitt signs with D-Fenders
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
