The Dallas Morning News (Eddie Sefko) reports: Fundamentals were never ingrained in Gerald Green because he could always get by on his outrageous physical talent. Carlisle said Green jumps higher than any player he’s ever seen and that he’s also a good outside shooter. But Green has never learned to translate his physical gifts into great defense or ball-handling ability. “I just didn’t take advantage of my opportunities,” Green said. “I blame myself, nobody else. … I’m a new guy and ready to get after it.” Green averaged better than 10 points with Boston in his second NBA season, which is partly why he was included in the trade that brought Kevin Garnett (and a championship) to Boston. A struggling Green was traded to Houston, which cut him after one game.
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2008-09 Salary Cap set to $58.680 million
The National Basketball Association today announced that the Salary Cap for the 2008-09 season will be $58.680 million. The new Cap goes into effect immediately as the league’s “moratorium period” has ended and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.
The tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million.
The mid-level exception is $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season and the minimum team salary, which is set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $44.010 million.
For the 2007-08 season, the Salary Cap was set at $55.630 million, the tax level was $67.865 million and the mid-level exception was $5.356 million.
Kendrick Perkins and Bill Walker have surgery
The Boston Celtics announced today that center Kendrick Perkins and second round draft pick Bill Walker both had successful surgical procedures today at New England Baptist Hospital. Perkins underwent arthroscopic left shoulder surgery while Walker underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery. Both surgeries were preformed by Team Physician Dr. Brian McKeon and was assisted by Dr. Alan Curtis and Dr. John Richmond. No timetable has been set for their return.
Gerald Green to Mavs
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jeff Caplan) reports: Gerald Green, a former high school prodigy out of Gulf Shores Academy in Houston, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks, Green’s agent Colin Bryant said. A first round pick of the Boston Celtics in 2005, the slender, 6-foot-8 Green was part of the trade that sent Kevin Garnett from Minnesota to Boston. The Timberwolves traded Green to Houston last season. He played in one game for his hometown team before being released. Bryant was on his way to Dallas on Wednesday morning to work out the specifics of the deal.
Reminder: Celtics got Rondo from Suns for cash
The Boston Herald (John Tomase) reports: The Phoenix Suns dealt away the draft rights to Rajon Rondo two years ago, and here’s what they have to show for it: cash. That’s it. Hopefully it was a lot of money, because Rondo may just go down as the steal of the 2006 draft. It’s amazing to think that the 22-year-old starting point guard for the world champion Celtics [team stats] could have been had for so little. On draft day 2006, the C’s sent Cleveland’s 2007 first-round pick, which they acquired for Jiri Welsch, to Phoenix for the rights to Rondo, the 21st overall pick out of Kentucky. A year later, the Suns then shipped that pick (No. 24, Rudy Fernandez) and James Jones to the Trail Blazers for cash considerations.
Not enough Kobe, not enough help for Lakers
The AP reports: Kobe Bryant knew all along the Celtics were going to force someone besides him to beat them, and there was nobody else in purple and gold up for the job. Bryant finished with 22 points, but shot only 7-of-22 from the field and was quiet after a sizzling start for the second straight game. The Lakers needed an MVP performance from Bryant. Bryant needed help… And there was no one else to pick up the slack. Lamar Odom didn’t have a field goal until the fourth quarter, when the Lakers were already down by 29 points. Pau Gasol took only seven shots and finished with 11 points—and he was their second-leading scorer until deep in the fourth quarter, when Odom went to work against the reserves who played the last few minutes while Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were busy celebrating on the sideline.
Celtics 39-point margin sets record for clincher
The AP reports: The Celtics’ 39-point margin in Tuesday night’s championship clinching win is the largest in a decisive NBA finals game. In fact, Boston now has four of the six biggest margins in games that clinched titles… Ray Allen set a record for most 3-pointers made in a finals series with 22. The previous mark of 17 was set by Dan Majerle with Phoenix in 1993 and matched by Derek Harper with New York in 1994. Allen’s seven 3-pointers Tuesday night tied the finals record shared by Houston’s Kenny Smith and Chicago’s Scottie Pippen. And Boston’s 52 baskets from 3-point range erased the finals mark of 51 set by San Antonio in 2005… The Celtics also put on a record-setting defensive performance Tuesday with 18 steals, eclipsing the single-game finals mark set by Golden State against Washington in 1975.
Rivers and Celtics keep Jackson from passing Red
The AP reports: Light up one more for Red. Some fans wore green Celtics jerseys with the name “AUERBACH” in white capital letters on the back. Others puffed victory cigars—an understandable disregard of anti-smoking laws on a special night—just as the team’s late patriarch often did. After all, Boston did more than just win its first NBA championship in 22 years with a 131-92 rout of Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The Game 6 victory kept Lakers coach Phil Jackson from breaking a tie with Auerbach for most titles by an NBA coach. Each has nine. “This win is for Red Auerbach,” owner Wyc Grousbeck said. “Red believed in our ownership group and got it done.” Grousbeck’s group took over the franchise on Dec. 31, 2002. Auerbach, who was president at the time, died on Oct. 28, 2006, at the age of 89.
Road to Celtics 17th championship
Ticker reports: Their odyssey to a league-record 17th crown began long before being stuck on the tarmac on their charter jet late Sunday night in Los Angeles. It began after they finished the 2006-07 season with just 24 wins. It continued when they failed to land one of the top two picks in the draft and had to settle for the fifth pick last summer. But their fortunes started to turn when director of basketball operations Danny Ainge traded that pick, along with Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak to Seattle for Ray Allen. Then, Ainge pulled off the blockbuster deal with former teammate and current Minnesota Timberwolves basketball chief Kevin McHale. Ainge acquired Kevin Garnett and had a new “Big Three” in place. The team didn’t disappoint. That’s not to say there weren’t scares along the way. Seven-game series with the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers had fans and experts questioning the 66-win season. But the Celtics finally won a road game against the Detroit Pistons and eliminated them in six games in the Eastern Conference finals.
Up to 30 people arrested after Celtics win
The AP reports: Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis says up to 30 people have been arrested during the Celtics championship celebration, most for disorderly conduct. Several storefront windows were damaged near the TD Banknorth Garden after the Celtics’ 131-92 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
InsideHoops.com joke: It was all Brian Scalabrine. He’s responsible for every alternation that resulted in all 30 arrests.