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.
With a challenging five-game road trip against several of the elite teams in the Western Conference, the Celtics know they will be facing a stretch that could be a defining portion of their season starting Sunday in Oklahoma City.
“Every road trip is a make-or-break,” Gerald Wallace explained. “Especially in the situation we are. We have lost a couple games in a row. We are going on a West Coast trip playing some pretty good teams, and this can send us in the right direction for where we want to go or destroy our whole season.”
Wallace continued: “Guys are going to have to pull together. We are going to have to become one on the road. We’re going to have some tough battles, like we had tonight, and we have to find ways to win these games.”
The free-falling Celtics have lost 3 straight and 6 of 7. And the immediate future is bleak. Next week they travel cross country and face OKC, Denver, Clippers, Golden State, Portland. In their first game back at the Garden the C’s play Houston.
Prepare yourself for one win over that stretch. They could go winless if Jared Sullinger’s hand/wrist doesn’t heal.
I’ve enjoyed this team’s early season “success.” Avery Bradley and Sully have shown great improvement. Brad Stevens has earned his players respect. Rajon Rondo is getting healthy. There is a foundation for the future.
But now is the time to take our lumps knowing full well it will benefit us in the long term (i.e. the draft lottery).
On Page 2, Chris Paul goes down with a serious shoulder injury.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said the injury to the shoulder on the star’s shooting arm was a separation. Earlier, the team had announced it was a sprain.
Paul left the American Airlines Center with his right arm in a sling and did not speak to the media.
“He’s down,” Rivers said. “He’s out at least three to five weeks and maybe more. We don’t know that [yet]. We know it’s a separated shoulder. We don’t know what grade it is, yet. We’ll probably send him home, and he’ll get evaluated in L.A., and just hope that he’s going to be OK.”
Has Doc Rivers resigned yet?
You know the old saying…
When the going gets tough, Doc quits.
The rest of the links:
Herald – Floor scare for Wallace | Cold shooting hurts Celtics | Sully braces for painful role | Globe – Humphries hitting boards | Celtics shooting turns frigid | CSNNE – Celtics, Pelicans turn thoughts to Anderson | Steimsma shines in return to Boston | Davis draws comparisons to KG | ESPN – Melo for Griffin trade discussed
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