The AP reports: Derrick Rose matched Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record with 36 points in his playoff debut, adding 11 assists to lead the Bulls to a 105-103 overtime victory over the defending NBA champions in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series… “I hope this is a wake-up call,” said Paul Pierce, who scored 23 points… Tyrus Thomas scored 16 points—making six of Chicago’s eight points in overtime, including the game-winning jumper with 51 seconds left in overtime. Joakim Noah, who was also making his postseason debut, scored 11 with 17 rebounds for the Bulls as they wrested the home-court advantage from Boston… Rajon Rondo scored 29 points with nine rebounds and seven assists for Boston, which was without Kevin Garnett and didn’t get what it needed from the rest of the Big Three, either.
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Danny Ainge OK after minor heart attack
Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge is recovering at Massachusetts General Hospital after having a minor heart attack. He is recovering nicely. Mr. Ainge is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days.
The Celtics are the NBA’s current defending champions, and the NBA playoffs are set to begin Saturday.
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Pierce lifts Celtics past 76ers
The AP reports: The 76ers might be in big trouble in a playoff series with Boston once Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are back. Paul Pierce and his backup band were enough to finish off a Sixers team that still has something to play for. Pierce hit the winning jumper, scored 31 points and hindered Philadelphia’s shot at the Eastern Conference’s sixth seed in Boston’s 100-98 win over the Sixers on Tuesday night… Tony Allen and Leon Powe were pressed into service and combined for 28 points, and the Celtics’ bench also outscored Philadelphia’s reserves… Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 25 points and Thaddeus Young had 18.
Ray Allen suspended for elbowing Varejao
Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics has been suspended one game without pay for elbowing Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao in the groin, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred with 5:05 remaining in the third quarter of the Celtics 107-76 loss to the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday, April 12.
Allen will serve his suspension tonight when the Celtics visit the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA.
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Cavaliers destroy Celtics 107-76
The AP reports: LeBron James made five 3-pointers and scored 29 points before swaying to the music in his seat, and the Cavaliers throttled the defending NBA champions 107-76 on Sunday to move within one win of matching the 1985-86 Celtics for the best home record in league history… The Cavaliers, now the 14th team in league history to win 65 games, may have never looked this good. They outclassed the Celtics, who were missing Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe and have nothing to play for but pride after locking up the East’s No. 2 seed… Daniel Gibson scored 15 and Williams added 13 for Cleveland, which held the Celtics to a season-low in points on 36 percent shooting. Paul Pierce scored 14 and Glen Davis 12 for the Celtics, who never led and weren’t thrilled to rehash the game afterward.
Celtics go to wire before beating Heat 105-98
The AP reports: Paul Pierce spent part of the week looking over the schedule, counting the missed opportunities that cost the Celtics a chance to repeat as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. There was a loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles. Another to the Trail Blazers when Brandon Roy was out… Pierce scored 21 of his 28 points in the second half, including the go-ahead free throws with 97 seconds left to help the Celtics earn their sixth straight win… Rajon Rondo had seven points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for Boston, and Glen “Big Baby” Davis scored 22 points with eight rebounds. Dwyane Wade scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half, adding nine assists, to help the Heat tie it 95-all with just under 2 minutes left. But Boston scored the next eight points to pull away.
Celtics survive scare, beat Nets 106-104
The AP reports: If the Boston Celtics’ stars are going to get any rest for what could be a long playoff run, they’re going to have to earn it. “I thought they hadn’t played well enough to sit,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said pointedly about bringing his starters back into the game to hold off the New Jersey Nets down the stretch of a 106-104 victory on Wednesday night… Rajon Rondo had 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists, coming back into the game for the final 5 minutes after New Jersey cut what seemed like a secure nine-point lead to five… Vince Carter had 33 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets, who were eliminated from the playoff race when Detroit beat New York earlier Wednesday night.
Celtics add to Hawks’ road woes, win 104-92
The AP reports: Pierce scored 21 points and Rondo had 20 for Boston, which has four days off before its next game and has just one, two-game road trip before the end of the season. The Celtics also have just one set of back-to-back games, on the last two days of the regular season. Kendrick Perkins had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Glen “Big Baby” Davis had 19 points in place of Garnett, who missed his fourth straight game and his 17th of 21. Tony Allen played his first game since Feb. 8, but Brian Scalabrine and Leon Powe also remained on the bench with injuries… Flip Murray scored 21 points, Mike Bibby had 20 and Josh Smith had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta, which has lost seven straight regular-season games to the Celtics and nine in a row overall in Boston, including last year’s seven-game, first-round playoff series.
Big Allen 3, Celtics beat Bobcats 111-109 in 2OT
The AP reports: Ray Allen’s last long-range shot, on a pass from Paul Pierce, lifted the Boston Celtics to a 111-109 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night and into second place in the Eastern Conference… Paul Pierce led Boston with 32 points, Allen added 22 and Rajon Rondo had 21 points and nine assists… Gerald Wallace had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats, and Boris Diaw scored 17… Boston, with Kevin Garnett sidelined for the third straight game with a sore right knee, won for the seventh time in eight games. Charlotte’s winning streak ended at three.
Celtics shut Kevin Garnett down
The NBA champion Boston Celtics aren’t a championship team without star power forward Kevin Garnett. And with KG’s right knee still giving him some issues, they’re playing it safe. The AP reports:
Coach Doc Rivers announced after practice Tuesday that the team would be ‘shutting down’ their star forward after Garnett experienced continued soreness in the knee, first injured on Feb. 19 at Utah.
The Celtics are currently just behind the Orlando Magic in the Eastern conference standings. There is no danger of them falling any lower than their current #3 seed. The Atlanta Hawks are a distant #4 seed and are 12.5 games behind Boston for #3. So, the Celtics could lose every remaining game, and it wouldn’t affect their home court situation in the East playoffs. The Finals homecourt situation is another story. But getting back to the championship round would be infinitely harder without Garnett, so they are correctly making sure he gets healthy for the post-season.