For the first time since they gave us Kevin Garnett, the Minnesota Timberwolves have beaten the Celtics. They did it by feeding Nikola Pekovic early and often, and then feasting on the Celtics mistakes. Wolves take it 110-100.
The Celtics kept nipping and tucking and making it feel like they had a shot, but every time they got close, the Wolves would whip off another run to put this out of reach. I rarely felt like this game was winnable after the first quarter, and was always surprised when the C’s were within 5.
Pek scored 15 in the first quarter, and he nearly fouled out half the Celtics. He lived at the line, hitting all 11 of his free throws and 9 of his 15 shot attempts. If it wasn’t for Avery Bradley (19 points, 8-14 fg) the C’s might have gotten blow out.
The Green
Bradley’s shooting: Tommy must have said “that’s his shot” on all 14 of Bradley’s attempts (I addressed that in the halftime show). He came out with confidence and it showed. I think this kid can be a solid offensive player, and any final determinations on a 22 year-old who doesn’t even have a full NBA season’s worth of games started under his belt can’t possibly be made yet.
Terrence Williams: I’m going to stand by my assertion that he’ll compete for some serious time next season after a summer of Celtics immersion under his belt.
The Gross
Turnovers: 17 of them for 22 Minnesota points. Many of them were turned into a 23-9 gap in fastbreak points for the Wolves. As I said at the half, the C’s without Rondo or Pierce are very screwed because they just don’t have a solid ball handler out there.
Jordan Crawford: I’m sorry, I’m just at a point where I think he should be let go this summer. The stat line tonight suggest he was ok (11 pts (5-11 fg) 6 reb, 5 ast) … but I just don’t like him out there. I don’t think it works. There’s no way I could have predicted that stat line having seen what I saw.
Chris Wilcox: This is it for Wilcox. He got demolished by Pek and only played just under 12 minutes on a night where the Celtics needed all they could get out of their bigs. Doc couldn’t even play him out of necessity. His Celtics career is probably over in the next couple of months.
The Greenlights
uhhhh….. hey look!! PUPPIES!!
[youtube id=”o7B18crIoso” width=”620″ height=”360″]The Grid
- Jeff Green: 10 pts (5-10 fg), 7 reb, 5 ast
- Brandon Bass: 13 pts (5-13 fg), 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk
- Shavlik Randolph: 8 pts, 2 reb, 5 fouls
- Points in the paint: MIN: 62 BOS: 38
- Rebounds: BOS: 37 (7 offensive) MIN: 31 (4 offensive)
I guess DJ White is so bad, that Doc couldn’t play him on a night where the C’s needed big, strong bodies to keep Minnesota out of the paint? It HAS to be the only explanation.
Anyone else shocked that Boston out-rebounded Minnesota?
Milwaukee won tonight, so the Celtics are now just a game and a half out of 8th.
Doc said before the game that Paul Pierce is definitely playing Wednesday against Detroit. They’ll need him.
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