Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here…
highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as
satisfying as a good morning dump.
Now that the NBA has decided to suspend Kevin Garnett for Game 2 of the Celtics
series with the Heat, Doc Rivers has a decision to make. If form holds
from this season, Rasheed Wallace will get the call to start for
Garnett.
Wallace has started every game that Garnett has missed due to injury
or coach-ordered rest, but now is not the time to play it safe. Rivers
should start Glen Davis instead.
Davis overcame a shaky first half in Game 1 to put together a solid
eight point, eight rebound effort with almost all of that production
coming in a decisive second-half Celtic run. Wallace didn’t play poorly,
but Davis was a difference-maker. Starting Davis would be a reward for
his inspired play and also better utilize Wallace’s versatility to play
both the four and five spots.
WEEI – Time to call on Big Baby
While Paul Flannery makes a solid case for starting Glen Davis, that switch removes a ton of energy from the second unit. Doc should play it safe, start 'Sheed and keep Davis on the bench. Right?
[polldaddy poll=3076689] Who should start in place of KG?customer surveysOn Page 2, the Heat are looking for more out of Michael Beasley.
While Kevin Garnett was tugging at his wrist, grabbing his shorts,
knocking down his arm while out of the sight of the referees, Beasley
remained unaffected, so calm he almost looked medicated.
He was in a different place, it appeared, and it was commendable
for the second-year forward whose emotions are normally quite evident
and occasionally his downfall.
But it resulted in nothing.
Six points. Eight rebounds. Two assists. Five turnovers. Zero free
throws. Zero blocks. Zero steals. In a physical game, he committed one
foul. In a fourth quarter where Dwyane Wade was practically begging for
assistance, Beasley had one made shot, two missed shots and one
turnover.
With KG out, Beasley does pose a match-up problem for the Celtics. As Sherrod Blakely points out in this column, Beasley is too quick for Rasheed Wallace and too long for Glen Davis. Quite frankly, I'm really not worried about Mike.
Globe – Heat now realize they're in for a fight | Garnett suspended | Herald – Captain says shoulder is fine | Pierce not lured in by Richardson talk | KG has no regrets | Apology not part of Richardson vocab | CSNNE – Emotion raised by incident is good for Cs | KG no longer the head man | ESPN Boston – Davis ready to reprise role | Celtics Hub – Video history of flying elbows |
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