Boston Celtics Blog – Page 96 – NBA Blog

Celtics send Spurs to 5th straight loss

The AP reports:

The Boston Celtics finally got a big win and their big man back. They may also reclaim the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

And the San Antonio Spurs, at this dismal rate, may give first place in the West away.

Rajon Rondo had 22 points and 14 assists, center Jermaine O’Neal returned from knee surgery, and the Celtics ended a miserable March by not slipping further from first in the East, beating the slumping Spurs 107-97 on Thursday night.

Paul Pierce added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Kevin Garnett scored 20. The Celtics won for just the second time in five games and, ending the month at 9-7, moved within two games of Chicago for the No. 1 playoff seed with eight games to go…

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 23 points. Tim Duncan returned after missing the last four games with a sprained ankle and finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

James Harden has stepped up since Jeff Green trade

Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman reports:

No one needed to say anything to James Harden.

When Jeff Green was dealt to Boston three weeks ago in the trade that brought Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder, Harden knew immediately that he needed to be more productive.

“We had to make up for those 15 points that we lost,” Harden said. “Everybody’s level of play had to step up.”

Harden, though, shot up to a level few thought he could reach — at least not this quickly.

In 15 games since the All-Star break, Harden has averaged 17.7 points. That total trails only Dallas’ Jason Terry for points off the bench over that span. Harden’s 50.6 percent shooting over that same span, meanwhile, ranks fifth among shooting guards with at least 10 games played.

By comparison, Harden averaged just 10.3 points on 41.3 percent shooting prior to the All-Star break. The turnaround has transformed the second-year guard into one of the league’s best Sixth Men.

Garnett says Rondo is playing hurt

Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com reports:

“Rondo’s playing hurt,” said Kevin Garnett [about Celtics teammate Rajon Rondo]. “He’s giving us everything he has and he’s grinding. I think the nights where he’s playing countless minutes for us, and he’s not playing washed up guys. He’s playing [Indiana’s Darren Collison] and [New Jersey’s Deron Williams] and all these guys and they’re coming at him. He knows that, so he’s just a little focused in. But everybody’s banged up at this point and [Rondo] is no different from that.”

Doc Rivers suggested before Wednesday’s game that Rondo was “just not playing well,” and said he’d work his way out of it. Rivers has praised Rondo’s play in recent games — despite stat lines that are less eye-catching than we’ve been accustomed to this season — and, while making his weekly appearance on Boston sports radio WEEI (850 AM) reiterated that there’s no mystery ailment here.

Nets top Celtics for 5th straight win

The AP reports:

Brook Lopez scored 20 points, Deron Williams added 16 and made the clinching 3-pointer, and the Nets extended their longest winning streak in three years to five games with an 88-79 victory Monday night.

Kris Humphries had 16 points and 15 rebounds, following his strong performance against Blake Griffin by turning in one against Kevin Garnett to help the Nets snap a nine-game home losing streak against the Celtics…

Ray Allen scored 19 points and Garnett had 18 for the Celtics, who couldn’t overcome horrible shooting nights from All-Stars Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo and fell back into a tie with Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Celtics mingle with President Obama

ESPN reports:

Members of the Celtics mingled with President Obama Tuesday night in a private meeting during a fundraiser at the Museum of Fine Arts.

The meeting was not open to the media, including the White House traveling press corps. According to the Celtics, the gathering was optional and not all players attended.

“We were thrilled to visit with the President,” Celtics co-owner and managing partner Stephen Pagliuca said in a statement through the team. “He spoke about the Boston Celtics unselfish play and teamwork. It was inspiring for us to hear those words and we told the President we hope to see him in the White House in the fall after the NBA Finals.”

Celtics sign Carlos Arroyo

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard Carlos Arroyo. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Arroyo, a 6’2” guard, appeared in 49 games this season for the Miami Heat including 42 starts, averaging 5.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He also is shooting a career-high 43.8% from three-point range. In his 42 starts he has averaged 6.4 points, 2.2 assists and has shot 45.9% from beyond the arc. In his ninth NBA season, Arroyo owns career averages of 6.7 points and 3.1 assists per game. He posted a season-high of 18 points at Milwaukee on December 6.

Grizzlies sign Leon Powe

The Memphis Grizzlies signed free agent Leon Powe, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Originally selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 49th overall pick in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft, the 6-8, 240-pound forward owns career averages of 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds on .516 shooting in 14.3 minutes in 223 games (19 starts) over four-plus seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, who acquired his rights from the Nuggets on draft night.

The former University of California standout averaged 5.0 points and 2.7 rebounds on .492 shooting in 13.4 minutes in 14 games (three starts) for the Cavaliers this season before he was waived on Feb. 24.

A key reserve for the Celtics during their 2007-08 NBA Championship run, Powe has appeared in 28 playoff games, averaging 4.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.8 minutes. The 27-year-old gives Memphis three players with NBA Championship experience, including Powe’s former Celtics teammate Tony Allen and Jason Williams, who captured the 2005-06 title as a member of the Miami Heat.

The Grizzlies have a full roster of 15 players.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Nate Robinson out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nate Robinson underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee the team announced today.

The 5-9 guard first experienced discomfort in the knee following the team’s practice on Monday. After deliberation, Robinson and the team made the decision to proactively address the situation.

“After consulting with our medical team, we have decided this is the best course of action to resolve the issue with certainty, and have Nate back on the court as we enter into the final stages of the season,” said Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Robinson is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

The University of Washington product has appeared in one game form the Thunder, since being acquired on February 24th, scoring six points in eight minutes of action.

Leon Powe may join Grizzlies

By Jeff Lenchiner

Free agent forward Leon Powe may soon become the newest member of the Memphis Grizzlies.

According to a tweet from David Aldridge of NBA.com and TNT/Turner, a source of Aldridge says Powe and the Grizzlies have come to an agreement.

The 6-8, 240-pound Powe has a career average of 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game.

Injuries have hampered Powe throughout his NBA career, especially in recent years. He played just 20 games in 2009-10 and only 14 so far this season.

Celtics sign Sasha Pavlovic

By Jeff Lenchiner

The Boston Celtics aren’t playing around. They keep doing what any team with championship aspirations should be trying to do and padding their roster with as many proven veterans as possible. Thursday morning they took another positive step by signing guard/forward Sasha Pavlovic. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it was presumably a pro-rated, league minimum signing.

Pavlovic, a 6’7” guard/forward, has posted career averages of 5.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 466 career games with stops in Utah, Cleveland, Minnesota, New Orleans and Dallas.

The native of Bar, Montenegro was a part of the 2006-07 Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers and was a starter in each game on their run to the Finals. During that 2006-07 regular season he posted a career-high average of 9.0 points per game and shot 40.5% from three-point range in 67 games.

Pavlovic also shot a career-high 41.0% from three-point territory during the 2008-09 season.

He has played in 10 games so far this season split between Dallas and New Orleans was a starter in seven of those contests. He has averaged 4.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and shot 50.0% from the three point line in 17.9 minutes per game in those starts.