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.
"The good thing is Paul and Ray played less than 23 minutes tonight. I'm sure that's probably their season low… for good reasons. It wasn't like we got blown out or anything. Paul told Nate and I before the start of the fourth quarter that he didn't want to come back in so we just tried to make it happen. It wasn't me and Nate, it was the whole team, but we knew it started with us." – Rajon Rondo
CSNNE: Pierce, Allen get some rest for Portland
The C's started slow last night and it was starting to look like another "oh no, not again" kinda game. But the second unit came in and got some separation… then the starters came back to finish the job.
So basically, things finally went the way we thought they would. On a night where the starters came out slow, the bench came in and wouldn't allow the other team to get confident and build any momentum. This is how it was supposed to work.
And I love Paul coming up to guys and getting them to keep the pressure on. Sure it meant 38 minutes for Rajon Rondo… which I don't like as he deals with that sore foot… but right now it's more about rest for the Big 3.
Now they can play a little more and maybe we'll see Rondo sit a little against Portland… which is struggling right now. The Blazers are 8-9 and have lost 4 in a row… including an 88-79 loss in Philly last night. If the C's really come out hard, maybe they can put the Blazers away early too… and it'll be Gino time at the Garden early.
On Page 2: 2 Bench Mobbers that really stood out
Marquis Daniels had 16 points and played strong defense in the Celtics’ 106-87 victory over the Cavaliers last night. As a result, he’s going to get yelled at by Doc Rivers.
“He surprises me and he upsets me, because I know he can do it every night,’’ the coach said. “And I’m going to stay on him, because he has that in him.
“I think he can be that terrific every single night. I really do.’’
Glen Davis, another player who has heard it from Rivers, went for 17 points and a season-high 11 rebounds one day after the coach said he wanted more out of him.
“He was absolutely sensational,’’ Rivers said. “Defensively — deflections; he challenged shots. Offensively he was patient. I thought he set the tone early on.’’
Herald: Good bad for Marquis Daniels
I tweeted last night "Man…. Marquis is quietly having an excellent game, huh?" And that's what Quis can do. 16 points on 7-10 shooting, 4 boards, 2 steals and a block (along with 3 turnovers) is a pretty damn good game. But tell me at what point you look at that game and thought "man… Quis is doing work right now."
He just slides in there and gets the job done without being flashy. You just suddenly find yourself find yourself saying "Oh… nice move Quisy"… and then he goes about his business.
As for Baby, the big thing he did was mix in some shots closer to the basket along with his jumpers. He's fallen in love with his jumper… which is part of why his shooting percentage was so low recently. But last night he was much more aggressive… and it showed on both ends of the floor. His 11 rebounds were a team high. And that block was one of the highlights of the year.
Just getting this kind of performance on a daily basis from these two guys will be a HUGE help. Other guys can have some ups and downs… but consistency from these two will allow Doc a lot of flexibility.
Related Links: CSNNE: Daniels: Bench just tries to bring energy | WEEI: Marquis delivers just what Doc ordered | Globe: Davis propels bench
The rest of the links:
Herald: Celtics have Quicken fix | Lakers lose 3rd straight | CSNNE: Rondo challenged to score and he does | ESPN Boston: Stat Check: Defensive 3 seconds | Five from Afar | WEEI: Celtics handle Cavs | Globe: Celtics roll past Cavs
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