Boston Celtics-New York Knicks running diary

The Celtics took a long time to get going, but started to come together in the second half of a 96-82 blowout. Led by Kendrick Perkins’ 14 points and 7 rebounds, the Celtics had no problems dispatching the Knicks, despite a sometimes lackadaisical effort. Off the bench, Rasheed Wallace added 13 points and 12 rebounds, accounting for three of the Celtics’ nine made three-pointers.

Kevin Garnett scored 10 points and 8 rebounds, but still looked unable to fully explode off his recovering knee. The other members of Boston’s Big Three, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, scored 13 points and 9 points, respectively. Rajon Rondo has a solid game but didn’t do too much, accounting for 6 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals.

Playing a lot of point guard, Marquis Daniels struggled at times. But I don’t think anyone is too worried about Marquis… yet.

In case you want more analysis, here’s a running diary of tonight’s game…

First Quarter

Listening to the Knicks broadcast team. Another plus of going to college in New York. Grrrr. And if you have ever heard Walt “Clyde” Frazier, this is an “auspicious beginning” to the night.

The first bucket of the game is a Kendrick Perkins alley-oop to KG. Only it didn’t work out. Perkins made the bucket instead, then trotted back downcourt like it always happens.

Rajon Rondo just hit a pullup jumper. Stunningly, it looked smooth and natural and Rondo was confident taking it. It’s early yet, but it looks like Mark Price’s lessons might have paid some real dividends.

Perkins may be a bit skinnier, but he’s still a monster. He just backed down David Lee with utmost ease. It looks like he maintained a lot of his muscle while getting rid of the excess weight.

Pierce is doing a lot of work down low. He looks to be in good shape.

Ray Allen almost just dunked all over Danilo Gallinari and Gallinari’s entire family and ancestors. From here on out, we will call Gallinari “the best shooter Mike D’Antoni’s ever seen.” And he was almost called “Ray Allen’s poster victim.”

It is almost imperceptible, but Garnett looks to be limping a little. It was very little, but I’m pretty sure it was there. Uh-oh. And I might have been right: Doc took him out right after I noticed the limp.

Rasheed in the game, misses his first three. Misses his second three. Goes nowhere near the paint in the meantime. Still, I like the addition.

Celtics just ran a set where Pierce was point guard, made one pass and cut straight into the post. It seems like he’s focused on his low-post game right now.

I definitely just thought Marquis Daniels was Mikki Moore. That made my heart sink. To run that by you again, I just thought Mikki Moore was still on the Celtics;talk about depressing. Do you know how I realized it wasn’t Moore? He played his first minute without committing a foul.

Toney Douglas has a weird shoulder brace on his arm. At least I think it’s a brace.

Uh-oh. Tony Allen checks in. My heart dropped again. But Rasheed picked it right back up with a nice turnaround jumper.

This game got hit in the head with the ugly stick. It’s missed shot after missed shot. Every individual for the Celtics looks good, but as a team they need some time to gel. And the Knicks just used their last two possessions to have Darko Milicic and Jared Jeffries fire three-pointers.

Tony Allen just stumbled on his way to making a layup, clanking it off the iron. I don’t know if I can handle another year of Allen.

Mikk… I mean Marquis is posting up a lot, too. The Celtics have a lot of versatility this year. They can trot out big lineups, small lineups, fast lineups, and lineups that include Brian Scalabrine.

19-8 after the first quarter. I’d like to say it’s a defensive struggle, but it’s more of a disgusting offensive performance.

Second Quarter

My buddy just switched the channel. To watch the f—ing Yankees. I don’t know what’s worse; that the last play I watched was Tony Allen committing his first of many offensive fouls this year, or that A-Rod just came through with a clutch single.

Daniels playing point now. Not much defensive pressure, though, so I can’t get a feel for how he’ll handle the pressure.

Nate Robinson just had an incredible missed alley-oop. Not to be a party pooper, but the two plays that have gotten me the most excited have been missed dunks. Not exactly the sign of a good game.

Knicks are now 2-16 from beyond the arc. I guess that’s what happens when you’re letting Milicic, Jeffries and Wilson Chandler shoot them.

Big Baby is looking good. As much as anybody on the team, he’s fighting for a spot in the rotation. Another guy fighting for a spot… Tony Allen. Who just missed a floater in the lane. By my count, 0-3 with a charge and a failed layup for Tony.

Garnett back into the game. Hopefully his limp isn’t.

Marquis is not playing well. He’s showing good ballhandling skills, but playing a little out of control. My buddy’s quote: “He just doesn’t look natural playing PG.” Uh-oh.

“The best shooter Mike Dantoni’s ever seen” is now 0-3. UPDATE: two possessions later, he is now 0-4.

Al Harrington also has a weird shoulder brace thingy-ma-bob. And he’s also killing the Celtics, with 11 of the Knicks 25 points right now.

Starters back in. Perkins has been the best Celtic so far, with a nice fadeaway jumper right over David Lee. Also, the Knicks’ broadcast crew just shared their first interesting tidbit of information. Perk was so obsessed with working on his game and getting in shape this summer that he… wait for it… DIDN’T GO ON A HONEYMOON! That’s right, Kendrick Perkins declined a honeymoon to work on his game. Just another reason I love Perk.

Just realized what I should have realized a long time ago – Pierce and Allen are posting up so often because Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson are in the same backcourt, leaving Duhon on either Pierce or Ray. I don’t think that Knick’s backcourt is too conducive to winning ballgames. In case you were wondering, it’s 38-29 Celtics.

Another quote from my buddy, the bearer of bad news: “KG just looks like he’s hobbling.” I can hear the audible sigh from all of Celtics Nation. Or maybe that was just my own sigh.

Pierce spin moves directly into Jared Jeffries’ waiting hands. Kind of reminded me of a move Tony Allen might make.

41-33 Celtics at halftime. Ray Allen just nailed a three, then Nate Robinson dribbled between Rondo’s legs while trying to answer. But he misses, and the first half is over. I can’t believe THIS is what I waited five long months for. What an ugly game.

Doc shortened his rotation from last game, and a bunch of guys have yet to get into the game. Lester Hudson and Shelden Williams were the two I wanted to keep an eye on. My brother was very impressed by their effort in the first game. But in the first half, at least, we won’t get a chance to check them out.

Third quarter

I took a shower and missed the first three minutes of the second half. Just as I expected, I didn’t miss much scoring.

The Knicks’ broadcasters are very excited about Jared Jeffries’ developing three-point stroke. Umm, I wouldn’t be too hyped about it.

Perkins misses a dunk on Jeffries’ head, but gets fouled. Next play down, Jeffries misses a dunk on Perkins’ head, but gets fouled. Anything you can do, I can do the same.

Garnett may be hobbling, but his jumpshot is still the same. Even hobbling around (and hobbling is probably too strong a word), KG will affect games and make the Celtics far better. But let’s hope that tiny little limp goes away.

By the way, Jared Jeffries has posted two straight bricks from three-point land since I said the announcers shouldn’t be too excited. Either I’m omniscient, or I’ve just seen Jeffries play enough to know that his stroke is not very good. I’m going to go with a) I’m omniscient.

Scal comes in to a thunderous applause. I hope this means Doc will open up the bench a little bit in the second half. UPDATE: And it does; Lester Hudson comes right back in. This time, playing alongside Rondo at the SG position.

Hudson is really a bull. He’s built like a house. Would have made a good safety had he chosen football.

Finally, an exciting dunk that actually goes in. Pierce with a thunderous reverse on the fast break.

The Celtics look great right now. The prettiest play of the game just occurred: an over-the-head pass from either Pierce or ‘Sheed (wish I had DVR!) to a cutting Rondo, who then whipped a bullet to Scal in the corner for three. Just pretty basketball. Celtics up double digits and looking like they might run away with this one.

Hudson applies very good ball pressure; he could become a very good defensive point guard. And as I was writing that he whipped a beautiful left pass to Marquis Daniels underneath the bucket. But Marquis missed, continuing his struggles.

House, Daniels and Hudson all in the game at the same time. And House is doing most of the ballhandling – something to watch. UPDATE: Hudson takes the point the next possession.

‘Sheed ends the quarter with an airball, and the Celtics will take a 64-51 lead into the fourth quarter. Still a pretty ugly game, but the Celtics picked up their ball movement and finally began to look like a team out there. The Knicks, on the other hand, just look like the Knicks.

Fourth quarter

Daniels and Wallace with back-to-back buckets to bring the lead to 69-51. And somewhere Red Auerbach broke out his victory cigar.

Wallace with a pretty finger roll. Looked more like George “Iceman” Gervin than a 35 year-old center on that one.

Marquis now running a little point. None of the Celtics three backup point guard options look completely comfortable at the position, but they all seem capable of providing good minutes. Which is exactly what most people expected.

This second unit can really shoot. Rasheed, Eddie, and Scal are all deadeye shooters, and Big Baby can spread the floor too. Marquis Daniels? Not so much. But his slashing game will benefit from all the spacing.

Gotta love Big Baby’s energy: 76-57 in a preseason game, and he just tried to take a charge.

Toney Douglas is a hawk defensively. Either that, or Marquis Daniels is a very shaky point guard. I think it’s more the former; Douglas looks like a menace.

Big Baby with a sweeping hook in the lane, then ‘Sheed with another three. This second unit has made this game a complete blowout. 84-61, Celtics.

Shelden Williams in the game. Sweetney and Giddens are the only guys yet to play, if I’m not mistaken.

Celtics are nailing three after three. That might be a theme with this second unit. Remember the Bench Mob? The C’s haven’t even played a single regular season game yet, but I nominate their bench for the nickname “The Boston Bomb Squad”.

Sweetney checks in. Everyone in the front row just hid all their food. Hudson and Giddens check in, too. The bench has been emptied.

92-71 Celtics. This one just about in the books.

There’s a rumor going around that Glen Davis didn’t actually lose weight… He just looks a lot smaller compared to Michael Sweetney.

Sweetney may be an exact replica of the Good Year’s blimp, but he has great hands and touch down low.

This one has come to a close. 96-82, Celtics.

Click here to see the Box Score

Celtics Columns | Jay King | October 9, 2009

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