Boston Celtics Blog – Page 57 – NBA Blog

Shavlik Randolph playing well for Celtics

“Shav is playing unbelievable basketball,” said Garnett. “I think he’s finding his little niche in here.”

In his last six games, Randolph is averaging 7.2 points on 74 percent shooting (17 of 23) and 5.5 rebounds in 16 minutes per game.

In the six games he played before that, Randolph was averaging 2.8 points on 44 percent shooting (8 of 18) and 3.8 rebounds in 9.8 minutes.

“I think I’ve got a little rhythm with that second group and knowing just what my role is going to be when I go out there,” Randolph said. “It’s very simple. I know, especially with Kevin back, I’m not going to be playing extended minutes.

“So when I go out there, it’s going to be for short periods of time and I’ve got to go out there and play with energy, rebound, play off people.”

— Reported by Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe

Jordan Crawford pretends to not remember playing for Wizards

Jordan Crawford will face his former team, the Wizards, for the first time since being traded in February.

“Who?” Crawford asked before practice Saturday when the issue was broached.

Washington, he was told. You’ll be playing Washington. Your old team.

“I don’t recall playing for Washington,” Crawford responded, and he repeated himself.

Crawford, who was acquired by the Celtics at the Feb. 21 trade deadline, didn’t enjoy his time in Washington, as one might infer from his comments.

— Reported by Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe

Kevin Garnett returns to practice for Celtics

Celtics center Kevin Garnett took part in a full-contact practice on Saturday for the first time in nearly two weeks, and the 36-year-old could return to action Sunday against Washington after missing eight consecutive games.

Garnett has been sidelined with inflammation in his left ankle, which he first tweaked March 20 in New Orleans. He played the rest of that game, and then the next against Dallas, before sitting out. Boston has lost five games in his absence.

“Obviously, rest is always a good thing for me,” Garnett said. “I’ve been able to get multiple treatments a day on my foot. I’m getting better.

“I have some issues with my foot. More from like the motion, if you’re pushing the gas pedal. It’s an issue. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be out.”

— Reported by Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe

Coach Doc Rivers hopes Celtics avoid Heat in playoffs

Does he pay attention to the standings?

“I do but I don’t,” Rivers said in his best hedging language. “I really don’t. I know we’re in the seventh spot. I know we want to stay out of the eighth spot.

So, Rivers is actually admitting he wants avoid the Heat?

“Of course we would,” Rivers admitted when asked that very question. “But if we play them, we’ll be ready. But of course we would. Listen, I’m not that dumb. I’m not the brightest guy but come on. Really, you would love to avoid anyone [like Miami]. Listen, no matter who we play, we’re going to play a tough team. It’s going to be New York, Indiana or Miami. There’s no cakewalk for us. It’s going to be hard.”

To Rivers point, the Celtics are 1-3 this year against New York, 1-2 against Miami and 2-0 against Indiana. The Celtics play the Heat next weekend in Miami and the Pacers at the Garden on April 16.

— Reported by Mike Petraglia of WEEI

Shaun Livingston reaction to Kevin Ware injury

Ware is expected to play again and the injury, despite the goriness, is not career-threatening. Livingston suffered a more damaging fate. Doctors says ligament tears are much more difficult to overcome than bone breaks, and Livingston had to rehabilitate from multiple ligament tears. His quickness, at one time a strength, was gone.

He has walked the road Ware is about to embark, an arduous rehabilitation filled with self doubt, constant visions of that night, and questions about your durability and desire.

“I would say stay away from the public’s opinion,” Livingston said when asked what advice he would offer Ware. “Just stay strong with his faith and focus on the positives.

“Obviously everything is going to be about what he can’t do, his limitations and all that. He has to focus on the positives, moving forward. That’s the way he’s going to make progress.”

— Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe

Celtics beat Pistons and clinch playoff spot

Ray Allen left as a free agent. Rajon Rondo is out for the season. Kevin Garnett is recuperating from an ankle injury.

With the core of the Celtics team that won the franchise’s 17th NBA title in 2008 otherwise occupied, Jeff Green led Boston back into the playoffs.

The Celtics swingman scored 34 points [on 13-of-19 shooting], including a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left to snap a two-minute scoring drought, to help Boston beat the Detroit Pistons 98-93 on Wednesday night and clinch the team’s sixth consecutive playoff berth.

”We knew we were a playoff team before the season started, despite the injuries and everything,” said Paul Pierce, the only holdover from the team that won it all in 2008 and returned to the NBA finals two years later.” …

Pierce and Brandon Bass scored 17 apiece, and Bass added seven rebounds for the Celtics, who had lost two in a row and seven of their previous nine.

The victory, coupled with Philadelphia’s 88-83 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats, left Boston 8 1/2 games ahead of the 76ers with eight games to play. It’s the sixth consecutive season Boston has reached the playoffs since the New Big Three was assembled in the summer of 2007…

Green scored 13 points in the fourth quarter and added six rebounds and four blocked shots in the game. He has become one of the players the Celtics look to for big plays as the clock runs down, sharing the role that Pierce had occupied for more than a decade…

Greg Monroe had 24 points and 17 rebounds and Rodney Stuckey scored 22 for the Pistons.

— Reported by Jimmy Golen of the Associated Press

Nikola Pekovic scores 29, Timberwolves beat banged-up Celtics

Nikola Pekovic bruised and battered the overmatched Boston front line for 29 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 110-100 victory over the Celtics on Monday night.

Andrei Kirilenko had 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Dante Cunningham scored 19 points off the bench for the Wolves, who delivered coach Rick Adelman his 998th career victory.

Avery Bradley scored 19 points for Boston, which was playing without Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. The Celtics, who started the day 2 1/2 games ahead of eight-seeded Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference playoff race, have lost seven of their last nine games.

This one snapped an 11-game winning streak against the Wolves, who beat Boston for the first time since Garnett was traded there in 2007.

Jeff Green had a quiet night with just 10 points and seven rebounds, while Jason Terry and Terrence Williams each scored 14 points for Boston, which was a step slow on the second night of a back-to-back…

Ricky Rubio had nine points and 10 assists for the Timberwolves.

— Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

Paul Pierce out for personal reasons

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce did not travel with the team for Monday’s game against Minnesota due to what the team called personal reasons.

Coach Doc Rivers says he doesn’t expect Pierce to be out any extended period. It’s just the second game Pierce has missed this season, and his banged-up Celtics could certainly use him. Boston lost six of its previous eight games heading into Minnesota, with the playoffs fast approaching.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Knicks rout Celtics for 8th straight win

Closing in on one goal of ending Boston’s division title reign, the New York Knicks added another.

While they were finishing off their second victory over the Celtics this week, injured forward Rasheed Wallace drew a large ”50” on the board in their locker room, challenging them to strive for a 50-win season.

They’re on pace to get that, too, in what’s shaping up as their best season in two decades.

Carmelo Anthony had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Knicks extended their winning streak to eight games and moved closer to ending Boston’s hold on the Atlantic Division title with a 108-89 victory Sunday night…

Chris Copeland added 22 points and Raymond Felton had 18 for the Knicks, who last won eight in a row from Nov. 28-Dec. 12, 2010. They will try to extend the streak Tuesday at NBA-leading Miami…

J.R. Smith, who had 30 points off the bench in his previous three games, finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Jeff Green scored 27 points, and Paul Pierce had 24 points and 15 rebounds as the Celtics had a two-game winning streak snapped.

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Pat Riley says Danny Ainge should shut up about LeBron

Miami Heat President Pat Riley has added another chapter to his rivalry with the Boston Celtics.

After LeBron James complained about calls and Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge chided him for it, Riley lashed back Friday night.

Riley’s response: “Danny Ainge needs to shut the (expletive) up and manage his own team.”

This saga started Wednesday after Miami’s 27-game winning streak ended in Chicago. James told reporters that night that he does not believe some of the hard fouls he takes are “basketball plays.” A day later, Ainge told Boston radio station WEEI that “it’s almost embarrassing that LeBron would complain about officiating.”

Riley was clearly irked, calling Ainge “the biggest whiner going when he was a player.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

According to Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post, “After Donovan relayed Riley’s quotes to the media Friday evening, coach Erik Spoelstra was asked to speak on them. “I love direct GM-to-GM communication,” he said, smiling. “It’s awesome.” Ray Allen, who played for the Celtics the past five seasons, also smiled when the quotes were read to him. “That’s between Danny and Pat,” Allen said. “They obviously have a lot of history.” James does not hold a structured press availability prior to games, but when Riley’s just-released statement was mentioned to him — as he got stretched on the floor and scrolled through Twitter — he referred to it as “awesome.” When told of the statement, a couple of his teammates also heartily approved. Heat players have frequently expressed amusement that representatives of other teams — whether players, coaches or executives — tend to talk so much about them. They are especially amused by the Celtics’ chatter about them, whether it’s coming from Jason Terry or Paul Pierce or whomever; one Heat player referred to it as an “obsession.”