The Boston Globe (Marc Spears) reports: Kevin Garnett’s résumé has a lot more than pro basketball player on it. Garnett worked at Burger King, manned a cash register at a restaurant called Cheers, worked at an Ingles Markets grocery store, and mowed lawns while growing up in South Carolina. He mopped gym floors at a Boys’ and Girls’ Club his senior year in high school in Chicago. But of all the jobs he has held – including playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves – he says his current gig with the Celtics is the least taxing. “Since I’ve been 14, I’ve probably had seven jobs, and since I’ve been working, this is the most rest I’ve ever had in my life,” said the Celtics forward yesterday. “It’s so much that I don’t know what to do with myself. It’s coming at a great time. “You put your heart and soul in this. I’m staying afloat being a vet, being a leader. It’s been good. It’s coming at the right time for this team.”
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Apr. 5: Celtics 101, Bobcats 78
The AP reports: Doc Rivers accomplished it all Saturday night: resting his stars and continuing the Boston Celtics’ record-breaking return to prominence. Leon Powe had 22 points and nine rebounds, leading a makeshift lineup of Celtics who were never threatened in a 101-78 win over the Charlotte Bobcats that not only clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, but set the NBA record for biggest single-season turnaround… Powe dominated the inside and James Posey added a season-high 19 points for the Celtics, who improved to 61-15… Emeka Okafor had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Bobcats, who had won in Boston and lost at home to the Celtics on Ray Allen’s buzzer-beater.
Apr. 2: Celtics 92, Pacers 77
The AP reports: The Boston Celtics reached two milestones—matching the NBA record for best single-season turnaround and winning 60 games for the first time in 22 years… The Celtics also added a dominant player in the offseason, Kevin Garnett, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds Wednesday… The Pacers were led by Danny Granger with 14 points, and Mike Dunleavy and Jermaine O’Neal with 12 each. O’Neal came off the bench for the second game since missing 33 straight with a bone bruise on his left knee. Ray Allen had 15 points and Leon Powe had 14 with nine rebounds for the Celtics… Troy Murphy had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana.
Apr. 1: Celtics 106, Bulls 92
The AP reports: Ray Allen scored 22 points, and Kevin Garnett added 20 and blocked four shots to lead the Celtics to a 106-92 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night. Paul Pierce scored 17 for Boston, which won its fourth straight and remained six games ahead of Detroit in the conference standings. Allen was 5-of-7 on 3-pointers, Pierce hit 4 of 5 and Boston made 14 of 25 in all—one shy of its season-high. Chicago continued to fade from the playoff picture, despite getting a season-high 24 points from Tyrus Thomas, who started for the injured Drew Gooden, and 19 from Andres Nocioni. With eight games left, the 11th-place Bulls trail Atlanta by five and have to climb over New Jersey and Indiana to make their fourth straight postseason appearance.
Mar. 30: Celtics 88, Heat 62
The AP reports: Kevin Garnett scored twice before Miami made a basket, and the Boston Celtics held the Heat to an NBA-record low 17 field goals, coasting to an 88-62 victory Sunday. The matchup of the NBA’s best team and its worst was even more lopsided than anticipated. Boston was up 27-4 after 10 minutes and Celtics coach Doc Rivers started subbing for his starters just 7:10 into the game. Boston’s backups finished the first quarter, handled most of the second and all of the fourth as no starter played more than 25 minutes. Leon Powe had 17 points and 13 rebounds for Boston, and Garnett finished with 12 points, five assists and eight rebounds in 21 minutes. Ricky Davis had 14 points and six rebounds and Chris Quinn had scored 14 with eight assists for the Heat (13-60), who lost their third straight and sixth out of seven as they solidify their hold on the worst record in the NBA. Miami coach Pat Riley skipped his fourth game to resume his college scouting tour, and assistant Ron Rothstein ran the bench.
Mar. 28: Celtics 112, Hornets 92
The AP reports: Paul Pierce scored 27 points, Garnett added 21, and the Boston Celtics moved closer to wrapping up the top record overall by avenging last weekend’s loss in New Orleans with a 112-92 win over the Hornets on Friday night… David West did drive by for a basket after Garnett squared up defensively, cutting it to 72-68, but the Celtics scored 19 of the next 24 points over the ensuing 5:56 to move ahead 88-73… Rajon Rondo added 17 points and Ray Allen had 12… Chris Paul paced the Hornets with 22 points and 10 assists. Peja Stojakovic had 17 points and David West 14.
Mar. 26: Celtics 117, Suns 97
The AP reports: Kevin Garnett scored 30 points, sinking the final two to an “M-V-P!” chant echoing through the new Boston Garden, and Paul Pierce had 12 of his 27 in the fourth quarter to help the Celtics snap a two-game losing streak… Kendrick Perkins had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Ray Allen had 14 points and eight assists for Boston, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Rajon Rondo scored 14 with six rebounds and six assists while pestering Shaquille O’Neal into a technical foul as Boston turned a tie game into a double-digit lead in the third. Amare Stoudemire scored 32 and Shaquille O’Neal had 16 with seven rebounds for the Suns, who brought a seven-game winning streak into Detroit on Monday night but lost 110-105 in overtime.
Mar. 24: Sixers 95, Celtics 90
The AP reports: Andre Iguodala scored 10 straight points during a 19-0 run that brought Philadelphia back from a double-digit, fourth-quarter deficit Monday night, and the 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 95-90 to move above .500 for the first time this season. “It shows how hard we’ve worked to get back,” said Iguodala, who finished with 28 points… Andre Miller scored 20, Thaddeus Young had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 12 boards for Philadelphia. Kevin Garnett scored 18, Leon Powe had 16 and Ray Allen scored 14 for Boston, which lost its second straight after winning 14 out of 15. The Celtics long ago clinched a playoff berth, and they played as if it didn’t matter down the stretch.
Players of Week are Garnett, Paul
The Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett and the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, March 17, through Sunday, March 23. This is the second Player of the Week nod for both players this season.
Garnett led the Celtics to a 3-1 week, as Boston became the first team since the Sacramento Kings in 2001 to sweep the Texas Triangle (Dallas, Houston and San Antonio). The last time Boston accomplished the feat was in 1987. Garnett had 22 points, 11 rebounds and three steals in Boston’s 94-74 win over the Rockets, snapping the team’s 22-game winning streak. For the week, Garnett averaged 20.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals.
Paul led the Hornets to a 3-0 week, averaging 25.7 points, 10.0 assists and 3.0 steals. Paul has scored 20-plus points in 15 of the team’s last 19 games. In a 113-106 win over the Celtics, New Orleans came back from a 15-point deficit as Paul scored seven of his 19 points in the final 2:12 of the game. The Celtics were 36-0 when leading by 15 or more. Paul had 37 points, 13 assists and three steals in a 108-97 victory over the Bulls. He recorded 16 fourth-quarter points to help the Hornets finish the game on a 24-4 run.
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Joe Johnson, Boston’s Paul Pierce, Cleveland’s LeBron James, Indiana’s Mike Dunleavy, L.A. Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, Phoenix’s Amaré Stoudemire and Washington’s Antawn Jamison.
Celtics to be a playoff favorite
The New Orleans Times Picayune (John Reid) writes: “With 14 games remaining on their schedule, all signs appear the Celtics will be the odds-on favorite once the playoffs begin next month. The Celtics (55-13) play the Hornets tonight at the New Orleans Arena having won 14 of 15 games. It had been eight years since a team went to Texas and came away with victories against Southwest Division foes San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. The Celtics became the first since the Sacramento Kings achieved it in 2001. Boston came back from a 22-point deficit to defeat the Spurs and snap their seven-game home winning streak earlier this week. They ended the Rockets’ 22-game consecutive winning streak, the second longest in league history, after holding them to a season-low 34 points in the second half. On Thursday night, Ray Allen’s 3-pointer with 31.7 seconds remaining sealed Boston’s 94-90 victory against the Mavericks. The Celtics is 6-0 against Southwest Division opponents, playing the Hornets for the first time tonight.”