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.
“Well, he may,” Rivers said of the prospect that West, after suffering a broken wrist and severely sprained ankle this season, could do more harm to himself.
“I don’t want him to change. It’s just how he plays. I don’t think you could get him to change if you wanted him to change. He’s just extremely competitive, and he’ll put himself in harm’s way, and he’s going to do it even if he’s injured. That’s why everyone loves him.”
Herald: Celtics benefit by good night's West
We love Delonte because in just a few games back, we're seeing exactly why the C's need him so much. When everything was a bit of a mess… Delonte came in and calmed things down, got control of the situation, and kinda got things back on track.
He's the Celtics' human defibrillator. When things fall out of whack, you yell "CLEAR"… hit them with 500 volts of Delonte… and then everything returns to normal.
And why can Delonte, a guy who has missed almost the whole season, still do that effectively? This:
“When he came back from the wrist injury it didn’t seem like he missed a lot of time,” Paul Pierce said. “He’s kept himself in tremendous shape, being around the team constantly, understanding what’s going on. Usually when a guy misses time you’ll see him get winded and kind of not know the plays, but Delonte never has a letdown. Every time he comes back from an injury it seems like he’s been there already. He stays prepared. You should see him behind the scenes. He stays ready.”
I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. I wonder if people will say this about Jermaine O'Neal… because everyone in the media I've talked to says they don't see him around. That's not to say he's not. LIke I said, I have no idea what's going on behind the scenes. I'm just saying that Delonte was a bit more visible… and I would assume that someone trying to stay ready and get back into things right away would be someone visible.
Regardless… Delonte has shown an intense desire to help his team win. I hope he can stay healthy this time so he can keep doing it. Considering how Rondo's been playing lately, we REALLY need Delonte to do what he does right now.
Related links: CSNNE: West gives Celtics what they need, just in time
On Page 2: Krstic recruited Pavlovic
Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
“He was telling me, ‘Please, man. Do whatever you can to come here,’ ’’ Pavlovic recalled.
“I called him more because he didn’t have a team,’’ Krstic said.
Joining the Celtics was tempting, but Pavlovic had options and he was still weighing them.
“He said there were a couple teams trying to get him,’’ Krstic said.
Pavlovic ended up signing with the Celtics for the rest of the season, giving them depth, but also giving Krstic a familiar face in a new locker room.
Globe: Krstic & Pavlovic a good matchup
It's not exactly "Wade recruits LeBron"… but it's actually a good thing for Nads. As the piece unfolds, you see that having Pavlovic around is helping him get more comfortable… and that's helping him get to know all these other guys a little bit better.
And in this locker room, in this situation, if Pavlovic's #1 job is getting Krstic more acclimated… then it was a great signing.
The rest of the links:
ESPN Boston: Bench could be the difference for Celts | Rivalry reshuffled: Knicks look different in rematch | Celtics clinch Atlantic Division title
That's it for the links. One other note: Happy Birthday Jester. Everyone have a drink to celebrate.
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