The Morning Walkthrough is a set of links to Boston Celtics articles throughout the internet, designed to get your day started the right way.

Paul Flannery, WEEI – “The Celtics have won three of the four games that Rondo has sat out and Nate Robinson has been a big reason for that success. Against the Nets, Robinson scored eight points in the first five minutes and got the Celtics out of the gate quickly. He also launched a couple of ill-timed 3-pointers, including one where he stepped back on the fast break to launch from deep. That’s part of the overall package with Robinson, and Doc Rivers has encouraged him to just be himself when he’s out on the floor because the reserve unit needs his scoring punch. … Robinson’s play has helped alleviate a little bit of the concern about Rondo who is clearly going to be dealing with physical issues throughout the season. It’s unfair to ask Robinson to carry over that kind of production with the second unit because, as Rivers noted in his postgame talk with reporters, he’s not a focal point of defenses when he’s on the court with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. But Robinson has proven his worth in games that Rondo has missed and he has already earned back the investment that the Celtics made in him this offseason.

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “Avery Bradley had played all of eight minutes coming in, but circumstances — from Rondo’s injury to the 32-point lead the Celtics piled up in the second half — allowed him to see more time than he has all season (15 minutes). He took advantage by flashing the defense that the Celtics have been praising him for since drafting him in June. ‘Our teammates always tell me whenever [Rivers] calls your name, just be ready to play and that was my thing, just go out there and play hard,’ Bradley said. ‘It was good to get a chance to go out there and kind of get a feel for the game and the speed. I still have a lot of things I have to work on so I can get used to it, but I definitely felt good. It’s like a step toward me getting used to it.’ He hounded Devin Harris and was the driving defensive force behind a second-quarter stalemate that all but took the fire out of New Jersey’s offense. ‘Avery was unbelievable,’ said Von Wafer. ‘He was the catalyst. He was getting in their guards, pressuring them. Nobody likes that. He was the catalyst for that whole run. And nobody wanted to let the other guy down and we just came together and played good defense.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “‘It doesn’t matter who’s on the court, we’re all held accountable to do our job,’ said Daniels, who scored 8 of his 10 points in the second quarter. Davis also scored 8 points (of his 16) in the second, fueling a 17-4 run that put the Nets in an inescapable hole. Davis and Daniels played 30 minutes apiece, letting the starters take a load off, but at the same time letting the second unit find a rhythm. ‘The second team got a lot of reps being out there, being able to make mistakes and to learn,’ Davis said. ‘We don’t practice a lot, so we try to take every opportunity — every game opportunity — to build. That’s what the second team needs. We need repetition. We’re young players, we need to get out there and get reps. We didn’t make shots with that group. We played defense. That’s what it’s about, defense creates offense. Von and Avery came in and did what they were supposed to do. They came in for five minutes, we didn’t score, but the score was still the same because we were playing D.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (hamstring) is a last-minute scratch with coach Doc Rivers finding out his point guard was unable to go just moments before he met with reporters (about an hour before tip-off). Nate Robinson will start in Rondo’s place. Rondo missed three games late last month because of the strained left hamstring, but played in Boston’s last four games. At the start of Friday’s game against the Bulls, he motioned to be taken out, but stayed in the game after the initial soreness and ended up dishing out 19 assists in a win. With a two-day break looming after today’s game, the Celtics weren’t going to take any chances. “We have a two-day break after this and that’s one of the things that went into this,’ said Rivers, acknowledging that the team might need to shut Rondo down for a short period of time to get the hamstring right again. The Celtics do play a back-to-back later in the week as part of three games in four days. ‘Listen, it is what it is. We’re just going to try to get through it.’”

Rich Levine, CSNNE – “As for Rondo’s future status, Rivers wouldn’t rule out the possibility of his point guard sitting out more than just this game, although the fact that Boston doesn’t play again until Wednesday might allow Rondo enough time to rest.”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “Shaquille O’Neal is experiencing the same knee soreness that caused him to miss five games last month, but with the Celtics low on bodies (just 11 players active), he tried to play through it yesterday. He played 12 first-half minutes before taking a seat. ‘[Shaq] told me before the game that he probably wouldn’t go, but we didn’t have enough players,’ Rivers said. ‘He said, ‘If you just play me three or four minutes in a row, see how long I can go through halftime,’ and he was great. We needed that. We needed those minutes.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “Shaquille O’Neal was forced to miss the second half of yesterday’s win over the New Jersey Nets because of a drug problem. O’Neal is still bothered by pain in his right calf and shin from a collision of knees with Amar’e Stoudemire in the Oct. 29 victory over the New York Knicks. As part of his routine, he takes anti-inflammatory medicine the morning of night games. But yesterday’s 1 p.m. start necessitated him taking the dosage the night before. ‘I just forgot to take my drugs,’ Shaq said. ‘Without them, I can’t really play right now. But I’ll be fine Wednesday (when the Celts host the Denver Nuggets).’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “Celtics center Jermaine O’Neal will resume individual on-court workouts Monday with hopes of returning to full-team sessions next week, but he did not establish a timetable for returning to game action after sitting out the past month with lingering left knee soreness. In returning to on-court activities, O’Neal is taking his biggest step forward since shutting himself down and, should all go well this week, expects to be cleared by Boston’s medical staff to engage in full-team exercises.”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “‘They jumped all over us in the second quarter, and we never recovered,’ said Nets coach Avery Johnson. ‘They looked like a championship team. They didn’t come in looking to mess around. They took it to us.’ And the Celtics did so without some key players, including O’Neal, who skipped the second half with a sore right calf. ‘We just kind of move on,’ said Rivers, who didn’t get the word on Rondo until less than an hour before tipoff. ‘We try never to make a big deal of an injury or anybody’s absence, and we just keep playing.’”

Colin Stephenson, New Jersey Star-Ledger – “All season long, the Nets have surprised, and impressed, with their fighting spirit, their never-say-die attitude and their penchant for playing great games against the best teams. They had none of those Sunday. Playing an afternoon game at the Prudential Center against the Boston Celtics, with a good portion of the crowd cheering for the visitors, the Nets suffered one of their worst losses of the year, scoring a season low in points as they went down in an ugly 100-75 defeat. This is probably our third bad game of the year,’ a subdued Nets coach Avery Johnson said afterward, bringing up the 101-78 home loss to Miami on Halloween and the 102-86 road loss at Philadelphia on Nov. 27 as the others. ‘We thought we would have some energy. We didn’t. Devin (Harris) wasn’t his normal explosive self. I could just go on and on down the list.’”

Got a tip? An article you think should be included? Send an email to jayking@celticstown.com or hit me up on Twitter @CelticsTown.

Delonte West in good mental state

If you watched The Association a couple nights ago, you heard Delonte West profess his love for basketball. “Basketball is my life,” he said. He was emotional after the Celtics gave him a second lease on his NBA career, and happy to be back on the court. Basketball is like a safe haven to West, whose life off the court has been a roller-coaster the last couple years.

With West’s bi-polar disorder, which makes highs better and lows worse, I wondered how he would react to his broken right wrist. Facing months away from the game that means so much to him, I wondered how West would be affected. Would it tear him down? Would it bring back the monsters of his past? Would he be okay?

West joined the team at yesterday’s game, the first time he’d watched a game since the injury. Though he said the injury was the worst broken bone in his life (he has broken eight bones), he said his wrist is good. His cast should be off in two weeks, and he expects to play later this season. For now, he is limited to jump-shooting (the broken wrist was his non-shooting one) and conditioning.

But really, when it comes to West, basketball isn’t most important. His mental health, so fragile at times, takes precedent. From that standpoint, West passed the first test.

“You know what? I got right back up and can’t feel sorry for myself,’’ he said. “Feeling sorry for myself, them days are over with. I gotta get back up again. The Lord is trying to get my attention, trying to show me something. He has my undivided attention now. And my eyes are open, seeing what I can do to help out in the community, help out off the court, and wait this out.’’

And so he continues to ready himself for the return he is certain will come this season.

“That’s what I have to do,’’ he said. “I can’t hang my head and cry about it, it happened. It’s over. It’s on to the next mission.’’

(Source: Boston Globe)

Kevin Garnett expresses uncertainty about future

Want to scare an entire fanbase? Be as vital to a franchise as Kevin Garnett, then say, “Who knows if this is my last year?” Of course, Garnett qualified that question with extenuating circumstances, but this is still the first time Garnett leaving has crossed my mind. Here’s what Garnett actually said (WEEI):

“At some point, especially with the lockout coming up, who knows if this is my last year or if we don’t play next what it’s going to be. So I’m trying to enjoy the guys now, you know.”

Enjoy the guys now, KG. But don’t tell me this might be your last season. Say it ain’t so.

The Noah-Garnett feud continues

Kevin Garnett finished exacting revenge on Joakim Noah last night, he kinda-sorta called Noah a nobody. That was to be expected. If a player talks shit about KG, the normal response from KG was exactly what he said yesterday: “I’m not entertaining nor addressing nobodies.”

Is Joakim Noah really a nobody? Absolutely not. He’s one of the league’s best big men, and a potential All-Star. You’ll just never get KG to admit any of Noah’s potential. After Noah’s disrespect, you’re more likely to see KG stop cussing for an entire year than you are to see him praise Noah.

Did KG have any extra motivation last night?

“It’s not that he’s up for [Friday's game], it’s that these young cats have no respect,” Shaq told CSNNE. “So Kevin just has to teach them.”

It looks like Noah learned his lesson.

“Maybe sometimes, you’re right,” he told CSNNE. “Maybe sometimes it’s better to just shut your mouth. And my mouth definitely, my mouth definitely gets me in trouble. But, you know, you’re right. Maybe sometimes it’s better to not say anything and let your game do the speaking. He (Garnett, 20 points, 17 rebounds) did that tonight, and I don’t like that.”

There’s a reason Noah and Garnett don’t like each other: they’re both competitors. Throwbacks to the days when players didn’t help opponents off the floor, the days when nobody gave a damn about being liked. Once Kevin Garnett steps on a basketball court, all of his opponents are nobodies. (Boston Globe)

“No way, unless you’re on the same team as him,” Glen Davis said of what players actually get shown respect. “Other than that, he’s just a fierce competitor. He doesn’t care who comes in. You can be my friend, but at the end of the day he’s trying to rip your head off. That’s the way he plays.”

That’s how EVERYBODY should play. In high school, I was really good friends with a lot of my opponents. I would hang out with them all the time, we’d play AAU basketball together, yada yada yada. But as soon as I stepped on that court and my friends were on the other side, those friends were just like anybody else –they were enemies. I wasn’t going to take it easy on them just because we had slumber parties once in a while. Fuck, if anything I wanted to beat them even more. Bragging rights are a powerful thing. Even my best friends were never immune to a nicely timed elbow.

I’m not saying, “Hey, guys! I did everything right! Model yourself after me!” Not at all. I was a mediocre basketball player. I had Eddy Curry’s vertical leap, Dwight Howard’s handle and Chris Quinn’s frame. Nothing about my basketball game was perfect. But I was a competitor, and I never wanted to lose. I feel like that aspect of basketball has partially been lost (see: Cleveland Cavaliers in Lebron’s return). But not within Garnett and Noah. Those guys, whether you like them or not, are warriors. They always come out to play.

Von Wafer wants what’s best for the team

It’s natural to desire playing time. If you didn’t, well, why do you play basketball again? So I didn’t dislike Von Wafer’s preseason “I don’t just want to make the team; I want to play real minutes” comment (I paraphrased) because he wanted minutes. Everyone in the NBA wants minutes, I assume. I disliked Von’s comments because it was evident he hadn’t quite grasped the team concept.

Now? Everything that comes out of his mouth is about the team. Yesterday, Wafer spoke about his role (or lack thereof) so far this season. He still wants minutes (again, who doesn’t?), but Wafer now understands he’s part of something greater. (Boston Globe)

“It’s tough. It’s very tough, because I’m a rhythm player. I need my rhythm. But it’s not about me, it’s about the team. I’ve just got to play the cards that have been given.’’

At this point, Wafer said, he’s more interested in making shots than making waves.

“Just do what I’ve been doing,’’ Wafer said. “Coming to the gym early, staying out of the way, listening to what they say. Just don’t become a distraction.

“Hopefully, they’ll eventually notice the work I’m putting in and how bad I want to be a part of this, because it’s something special.’’

Wafer said he will stay ready in case his opportunity comes, but he wants to keep his hopes down. He doesn’t expect to be subbed into games, yet he will be prepared when his name does get called. And that might happen sooner than Wafer thinks.

“We’ve got to get one more guy to play,’’ said Rivers. “Von is probably the first candidate.

“We’ve got to figure out a way of getting him going a little bit. He’ll figure it out. He’s close, he’s working. He’s just got to remember why we play him, and he’ll figure it out.’’

So Von, remember why the Celtics play you — because all other options are exhausted. I kid, I kid. Wafer’s coming around, but he still has to learn the Celtic way to play. At least he’s now headed in the right direction. The intentions are good. Now, the Celtics just have to work on defense and shot selection.

Injury news

– Rajon Rondo is still bothered by two ailments: plantar fasciitis and a sore hamstring. Early in the first quarter of Friday’s game, reports Chris Forsberg, Rondo actually asked Doc Rivers to replace him with Nate Robinson. Rondo’s hamstring was THAT stiff. Says Paul Pierce, “He’s battling through a lot of injuries right now.”

Even Doc Rivers admitted Rondo’s minutes have to be cut down. “”Rondo’s a guy, we have to lower his minutes. There’s no doubt about that.”

I bet you $100 Rondo plays at least 39 minutes today.

– Nate Robinson, limited by symptoms similar to those caused by plantar fasciitis, played only three minutes against Portland. He bounced back with 13 minutes against Chicago, and — despite registering more shot attempts (6) than points (5) — didn’t look any worse for the wear.

– Kendrick Perkins continues to recover from his offseason ACL surgery. Perk targets a February return, saying he intends to take the recovery slow and safe. Perk has been okayed, he said, for all activity except side-to-side movement. He can now run on a treadmill, and has been shooting jump shots for quite some time. By all accounts, he looks to be slimmer (in a good way) than he was before the injury.

– Jermaine O’Neal could be cleared for activity sometime this week. Still, according to Forsberg, “no return is imminent.” Yes, I know the Celtics originally said he would miss 2-3 weeks, and now it has (already) been damn near a month, but — hey — better late than never. Also, it’s not like the Celtics have a reputation of being open about injuries. They’re more Belichickian than Belichick himself.

– Devin Harris will likely return to the court today when the Celtics play the Nets. He has missed the last two games with a strained left knee.

The season is approaching (but not quickly enough), so that means it’s NBA preview time. Starting with the league’s worst team and working our way to the top, we’ll preview one team per day.

This picture must have been from two seasons ago. Last year, there was nothing for Harris to celebrate.

New Jersey Nets

Last year’s record: 12-70
Head Coach: Avery Johnson
Projected Starters: Devin Harris, Anthony Morrow, Travis Outlaw, Troy Murphy, Brook Lopez

Outlook:

It’s impossible to discuss next year’s New Jersey Nets without talking about last year’s New Jersey Nets. Because the Nets were supposed to be decent, last year, but were instead bad. Hideously bad. Almost historically bad. After their 12-win season, pardon me if I’m no longer sold on the star potential of a Devin Harris-Brook Lopez combo. Still, shouldn’t there be improvement there? Shouldn’t the Nets be a lot better, just by default? Who knows. I’m just happy I no longer have to listen to Avery Johnson’s voice on TV.

X-Factor:

Heart. Remember Vince Carter from his final days in Toronto? Mailing games in, milking injuries and generally acting like he didn’t enjoy playing basketball? Multiply that effort by twelve players and you get the ’08-’09 Nets. In my 20+ years of watching professional basketball, I’ve never seen a team play with less energy. Avery Johnson’s got a big job ahead of him.

Biggest Question Mark:

What the hell happened to Devin Harris last year? Talk about falling off the face of the earth. I know he was injury riddled, but damn. Look at the statistical drop:

’08-’09: 21.3 ppg, 6.9 apg, 43.8% field goals, 8.8 free throw attempts
’09-’10: 16.9 ppg, 6.6 apg, 40.3% field goals, 6.0 free throws attempts

Nagging injuries or not, 27-year olds NBA All-Stars aren’t supposed to jump off a statistical cliff. Harris’s return to form would go a long way toward repairing the Nets’ respectability.

Most important newcomer:

For this year, Troy Murphy. Any time you can add a 6’11″ player with three-point range who gets a double-double every night, that’s a nice addition. Even if it’s just Murphy. Another thing about Murphy? He plays hard and should be a breath of fresh air. Don’t sleep on Travis Outlaw, either. That man can play.

Key loss:

Can you possibly have a key loss from a team that won only 12 games? Almost any loss is addition by subtraction, right? If I had to choose somebody, I’d pick Courtney Lee. But only because I had to.

Most compelling storyline:

The Nets aren’t going to win 60 games. They aren’t going to be contenders. They aren’t going to pick the world up and drop it on its head. We all know that. Hell, they’re already talking about 2012 free agency. But I’m interested to see whether Avery Johnson can turn the attitude around. If he does, he’s a miracle man. I’ve always suspected that his work in Dallas was underappreciated.

Player to watch:

I could say Brook Lopez, but that’d be too easy. (And yes, I just went through an entire Nets preview without discussing Lopez once. Sue me.) Watch Derrick Favors, folks. The first post move he learns will be his first, but Favors can jump into the stratosphere. If I were a betting man, I’d wager on Favors becoming an All-Star before long. Then again, if I were a betting man I would have written the same thing about Kwame Brown.

Descriptive movie quote:

“I play for the Indians.”
“Here in Cleveland? I didn’t know they still had a team.”
“Yup, we’ve got uniforms and everything, it’s really great!”

- Jake Taylor and some other lady, Major League

Yup, the Nets still have a team. They’ve got uniforms and everything. And if you squint your eyes hard enough, they even have some talent. Squint a little harder and you’ll see a bright future. You know, as long as you use your imagination.

Projected Record: 25-57. But more wins wouldn’t surprise me. Jersey’s got a little talent. And I stress a little.

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn’t mean we have to. Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Jimmy Toscano, CelticsBlog – “‘I didn’t say much- very little- at halftime, if anything,’ said Coach Doc Rivers. ‘I basically said, ‘I don’t think I need to talk. We’re a defensive team and tonight we want to outscore them.’ And I said, ‘Good luck.’ And that was about it.’ Well, as short as the message was, it was loud and clear to the team as they came out in the second half with a little more energy and tenacity. After shooting at 63% clip in the first half, the Nets were held to a measly 29% from the field in the second half, scoring a total of 32 points. ‘I think it was just one of those games where we weren’t getting stops defensively, weren’t talking, weren’t communicating; we just weren’t doing our jobs individually and collectively as a team on the defensive end,’ said Eddie House. ‘I think when we came in and saw they were shooting 63%, we made a conscious effort to make it a little harder for them and everybody was just taking care of their man and just rebounding the basketball.’”

Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “With Celtics coach Doc Rivers limiting Allen’s minutes, the Celtics relied on House to provide a perimeter threat. That did not happen in the first half, as House missed all four of his shots and went scoreless. It did in the final quarter, as House scored 10 points. ‘First half, I think I was kind of rushing shots,’ House said. ‘I took some quick ones, I just tried to let the game come to me in the second half – when I get my shot, made sure it was in rhythm, wasn’t rushed, took my time with it, and knocked it down. It’s like the shots I’ve been getting all season. I’m just sticking with it – never lose confidence and keep shooting the basketball. As long as we win, all I’m trying to do is help the team win. So, if you get looks in the fourth, or you get them in the first, I try to make all my shots. When you get shots in the fourth you definitely want to make them.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “‘Eddie making shots bailed us out,” Rivers said. And as House continued to make one shot after another, the C’s kept doing all they could to get him the ball. ‘Feed the pig, whoever has it going,’ said Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo.”

Dave D’Alessandro, New Jersey Star Ledger – “They played aggressively, they made their own breaks, they actually attacked Kevin Garnett at their best moments, and they went punch-for-punch with a title contender. Basically, the Nets went into TD Garden and played like they belonged in the building. Then the fourth quarter started. You know the rest. The Boston Celtics, who take defense pretty seriously, loafed through their assignments for three quarters before strangling the Nets over the last 12 minutes to register a 96-87 victory Friday night.”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – Doc Rivers: “‘I told them before the game that we should win the game; I’m not going to blow smoke and create some illusion that’s not there. I said, having said that, the only way you can do that is you have to execute our system. And if we don’t, then anybody can win the game. It’s called basketball. It’s a competition. And I thought from the middle of the third quarter on, we did that.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “‘Lackluster,’ Wallace said of last night’s defensive effort. ‘We didn’t pick it up probably until the six- or seven-(minute) mark in the fourth. But what my high school coach once said was true – winners find a way to win. We dug it out, they kept it close the whole game, and we just pulled it out in the last minute.’ That, right now, is the problem. A Celtics opponent shot better than 60 percent in the first half for the second straight game, but this time that opponent didn’t have Miami star Dwyane Wade. Instead, players like Brook Lopez (19 points) and Devin Harris (17) made the biggest threats. The Nets, despite the supposed drop in frontcourt talent, outscored the Celtics in the paint, 34-32.”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “‘Tonight, we didn’t come out with that that killer mentality to destroy them in the the first half,’ said Garnett. ‘I thought that, collectively, as the quarters went on, we increased the intensity defensively… When we started the game, we didn’t come out with that energy to just get them out of here. You look at the game in New Jersey, the tone was set right away. Defensively, guys’ hands were active. You could see the energy there, but tonight it wasn’t the same.’ Rondo stressed that New Jersey’s 4-44 record had nothing to do with underestimating them or not bringing the necessary energy. ‘Last time, we did a great job coming out there early and attacking them,’ said Rondo. ‘We were setting the tone, and our guys got to sit in the fourth. That is not an excuse. We just didn’t come out with the right energy or right effort tonight.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “The man who is expected to make this ride a long one couldn’t elevate to convert a third-quarter alley-oop pass from Rajon Rondo. This Hall of Fame-caliber defender was taken to the hole by Kris Humphries – yes, Kris Humphries. But Garnett, despite continuing to favor his right leg, wrote his problems off to a one-night brain cramp. ‘I was OK – I made some misreads,’ he said. ‘Kris Humphries made a couple of baskets on me and I wasn’t too happy about that. Defensively you have to know what you are going to do when picks come, talking for guys like Rondo and Ray (Allen). I messed up a couple of times. I am human. I will get better at that, but right now my focus is on rebounding better and continuing to talk,’ said Garnett. ‘I did miss some assignments tonight, which is something I don’t usually do.’”

Have a link I might want to look at? Send it my way by email (jayking@celticstown.com) or Twitter.

I had to put a wager on tonight’s Celtics-Nets game with my friend. I just had to.

Otherwise, it might have been brutally boring to watch. Frankly, I’m sure it will still be boring to watch.

I can already tell you right now, there are two ways the game could go. Either 1) Boston plays well and blows the Nets out like they did last time, or 2) Boston plays indifferently, allowing New Jersey to hang around for far longer than Doc Rivers would enjoy. No matter what happens, the game probably won’t be very scintillating. Either a blowout, or a slopfest. Yuck.

Thus, my bet. If I’m going to watch a bad game of basketball, I might as well have a friendly wager on it. If Boston’s winning by a lot, I’ll be happy; my bet will be won. If they’re mired in a game too close to call and too ugly to watch, I’ll be pissed at the Green Team for doing their best to screw me out of some money, and all wired up to see whether I win. Either way, watching the game will be less excruciating with some money on the line.

Still, let’s just say I’m not as excited for tonight’s game as I am for Sunday’s rematch with Orlando. Sorry, but watching a 4-44 team halfheartedly pretend to try to win isn’t my idea of a perfect Friday night. I’d rather complete my emasculation — which began when I knowingly looked at Greg Oden’s nude pictures — by attending the premier of Dear John.

Okay, maybe Dear John is pushing it. The second coming of The Notebook doesn’t exactly sound like my cup of tea. But watching Kris Humphries and Jarvis Hayes play a combined 50 minutes doesn’t exactly suit me either. Neither does Devin Harris mailing in yet another game. Or seeing Chris Quinn on an NBA court.

You want to know just how bad it’s gotten for New Jersey? Assistant coach Del Harris packed up his bags and left. Quit. During the middle of a season. Yahoo! Sports “claims” he left because he was told he wouldn’t be considered for the head coaching job this offseason, but I know the real reason…

You couldn’t pay Harris enough to continue watching the Nets play basketball from the front row.

Unlike Harris, I can be paid enough to watch New Jersey. If everything goes according to plan, the Celtics will win tonight and I’ll rake in 20 bucks.

If the plan goes awry? I will be down 100 banjos, and the Celts will have the most embarrassing loss of the season.

Can you believe my friend was dumb enough to take the Nets with 5-1 odds?

So I was surfing YouTube in an attempt to find a Highlight Reel of the Day, and I decided to choose the single worst officiating call I could find.

Long story short, I couldn’t pick just one. So here is a compilation of the top ten worst calls in NBA history, or at least the one I could find a tape of on the internet.  I had only one guideline; I chose these calls based on how egregious the call, NOT on how much the call affected the outcome of a game.  If they all seem recent, you try to find tape of a bad call that existed before the 90′s.  I dare you.

They’re unranked because, well, because it’s tough to differentiate between such atrociousness.

Corey Maggette walks halfway to China

There are a lot of no-calls on switched pivot feet floating around on YouTube. I chose Maggette’s as the worst, partially because it was arguably the worst but mostly because I can’t stand watching the way he plays basketball. (Catch the basketball. Drive the basketball. Avoid open teammates at all costs. Create contact. Shoot free throws. Repeat from step one.)

By my count, Maggette only switched his pivot foot five times. Then had the audacity to argue with the ref about a foul no-call.

Joey Crawford gives Tim Duncan a good chuckle

No bad NBA calls list would be complete without a Joey Crawford quick-trigger technical foul. Can you really get thrown out of a game for laughing?

Carlos Boozer refrains from touching Lamar Odom

… but is called for a foul anyway. On first glance, it actually looks like Boozer might have shoved Odom in the back. On second glance, that was air that he was shoving.

As close as Boozer gets to touching Odom? That’s about as close as I’d ever want to get to touching Odom’s wife Khloe Kardashian. Her sisters, though…

And the Academy Award goes to…

Robert Horry, for his performance in this NBA game. Jeff Van Gundy, announcing the game, said, “He didn’t throw him. Robert Horry — every time he comes up to set a screen — if there’s any contact he’s going to fall to the ground.”

Jeff, you’re wrong. It doesn’t take contact.

Chauncey Billups called for ref’s foul

So a ref trucks Damon Jones, who falls out of bounds and loses the basketball; what does the ref call? A foul on Chauncey Billups, of course.

Devin Harris’ pirouette

In the NBA, it often works to up-fake, lean in and shoot. It’s a great way to draw a foul…

Even when there isn’t even any contact.

Sean Marks hits the “E”!

Sometimes, an out of bounds call can be impossible to miss. On second thought, never say never.

Lebron does double duty

Lebron not only manages to travel twice on the same play, but he also lets me put a Jiri Welsch highlight (okay, lowlight) on the site. Plus, the Master of the Crab Dribble took about five steps before even thinking about dribbling.

Keyon Dooling runs into a brick wall

When you run into your own teammate, it’s never a good thing. Unless, that is, the ref mistakes him for your opponent.

Player goes Mike Tyson on ref

This isn’t in the NBA and isn’t even that bad of a call. It’s actually a pretty decent no-call. But it had to be on the list because this player certainly reacted like it was the worst call ever.

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn’t mean we have to. Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald - “In what was very likely the Celts’ last visit to the Meadowlands, the final snapshot was a surgical strike that kept New Jersey on the turnpike to the worst record in NBA history. The 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers [team stats] (9-73) are about to be taken off the hook. The Celts were ahead by 21 in the first quarter when a Nets writer turned to a Boston counterpart and said, ‘This is the point where you’re supposed to tap me on the shoulder and ask how they’ve been able to win three games.’”

Mike Fine, Patriot Ledger -”Kevin Garnett is out again, and now, so too is Rasheed Wallace. Marquis Daniels is on an extended recovery break and Glen Davis has already been there. The Celtics have been unable to find a rhythm, and you have to wonder if there are some parallels that trace to the 1986-87 season. ‘You certainly hope not, because that’s out of everybody’s hands,’ McHale said from his Minnesota home Wednesday. ‘That’s just a tough thing. It’s hard. One thing about the NBA is that if you’re lucky enough and blessed enough to have the talent to play in the NBA, playing basketball is really fun and enjoyable and actually fairly easy. But when you’re out there playing hurt, it’s hard, it’s drudgery, it’s not fun. It steals the fun from you so you hate to see a guy like Garnett, who loves to play, go through that. So I’m hoping they have good health, but that’s something that is kind of out of your control.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “He’s been absolutely great, and you can see now that they’re allowing him to work out, you’re seeing (Garnett’s intensity) creep back up a little more, which is good. You want him to want to play,” Rivers said. “I don’t think he’s been more down in his life than he was sitting on the bench during the playoffs last year, and I think he would do anything to not ever be in that position again.’ And as for the overall state of his team, which improved to 27-10 — only two games off the pace they were on at this point a year ago — this was Rivers’ State of the Celtics’ sermon: ‘I love our team. I’d love to see ‘em. I don’t think we’ve had our team intact one game yet this year, our main nine, eight guys, so I’m looking forward to actually seeing that group, and I think we will eventually,’ Rivers said. ‘I’m hoping after the All-Star break we’re whole. I like our team as it is now. Obviously if you can improve it, you will. But I like our chemistry, I like our mindset, who we are as a group, and when you get that you want to hold onto it.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely – “Boston made 10 of its first 11 shots and barely slowed up from there, building a 36-point lead during its highest-scoring first half of the season and cruising to its 11th straight victory over the Nets (3-35). Yi Jianlian scored 19 points and Brook Lopez had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who lost their sixth straight and were as far away from the Celtics on the court as they are in the standings.”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “Limited action for the top of the rotation meant extended minutes for little-used reserves like J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker. Both second-year players showcased their athleticism, while registering six points apiece. Walker, who played six minutes after logging just six minutes all year, posterized Nets center Josh Boone with an emphatic one-handed jam, then assisted on a pair of Giddens buckets. ‘Big time,’ Ray Allen said when asked how much the Celtics needed an easy win. ‘Just seeing the young guys coming in and playing and be able to run up and down the floor. It continues to make them — or allow them — to work harder if they’re not getting a lot of minutes. And then getting a lot of rest for the starters.’”

Julian Garcia, NY Daily News – “Someone was bound to snap. And while Devin Harris may not have broken anything or singled out a teammate at halftime of Wednesday night’s game against the Celtics, it could be a good sign that the Nets’ de facto captain finally ripped into the team during one of its most dreadful performances yet. Maybe the Nets needed to hear it from their usually understated leader during an embarrassing 111-87 loss to the shorthanded Celtics. Maybe his message will finally wake the Nets up from a season-long slumber that has resulted in a 3-35 record.”

Marc Spears, Yahoo! Sports – “The biggest struggles among the Magic’s core players have come in adjusting to playing with [Vince] Carter. Though Carter is averaging a team-high 17.4 points, he’s also shooting a team-worst 39.2 percent. The Magic also have won five of the six games in which he hasn’t played. Carter, Van Gundy said, has ‘made a lot of bad decisions in terms of shot selection.’ Struggling to find his All-Star form in Orlando, Vince Carter is shooting a team-worst 39.2 percent this season. ‘He’s predetermined of what he’s doing offensively,’ Van Gundy said. ‘Vince is thinking too much. He’s very conscientious. He wants to fit in, make the right play. I think he’s thinking ahead of time, like, ‘I’m not being aggressive enough, I have to drive at this time. If I’m going under the screen, I got to shoot it or I got to get Dwight a shot,’ instead of just making plays and trusting his instincts.’ Lewis and Howard miss playing with Turkoglu, who often looked to get them the ball and was patient enough to let his own offense come in the flow of the game.”

Have a link I might want to look at? Send it my way by email (jayking@celticstown.com) or Twitter.

Three years ago, the Boston Celtics’ roster consisted of a bunch of young, talented players who didn’t at all know how to play winning basketball. They were a lost group of players, a team pointed without a compass. At one point, the Celtics lost 18 straight games, leaving their fans hoping for nothing but Doc Rivers to be fired and winning the draft lottery… and maybe, perhaps, a win or two. But wins were certainly secondary to making severe changes for the future.

Does that sounds like any team in the NBA right now? A team the Celtics play tonight, perhaps?

Pierce is looking forward to playing the New Jersey Nets again.

At this point — and, really, for a long time now — the New Jersey Nets have stopped focusing on this season. What’s the difference between a 10-win team and a 20-win team? In the eyes of the New Jersey front office, probably only a reduced chance at winning the lottery.

The Nets aren’t going to be in the playoffs, they aren’t going to be a competitive team, and their roster is going to need to undergo a major overhaul to be considered a contender at any time in the near future. They have some nice young pieces in Devin Harris and Brook Lopez but, much like the Celtics of yester-year, just about everybody else on the roster could use an attribute boost like you can give to your created player in NBA 2k10.

Lucky for the Nets, the future brings hope, even during the bleakest times of a franchise’s existence. They need only look across the court tonight to see an example of a franchise in dire straits that righted the ship and turned everything around.

For the Celtics, that turnaround took less than a season; it happened over a single offseason. Even after the NBA Draft Gods frowned on the Celtics — who were expecting the first or second pick in a draft most believed to be only two players deep — and delivered them the number five pick in the 2007 draft, Boston used its young talent (and, perhaps, a nice dose of Danny Ainge’s relationship with Kevin McHale) to fetch Ray Allen from the Supersonics and Kevin Garnett from the Timberwolves. Almost overnight, the Celtics were the NBA’s team to beat.

New Jersey’s fortunes might take a longer time to turn around, or they could turn in the blink of an eye as Boston’s did three years ago. With cap space in the loaded free agent market of 2010, a new owner willing to spend loads of money, and Jay-Z’s relationship with Lebron James, the Nets might return next year stocked to contend. On the other hand, they could embark on the first year of a lengthy, strenuous rebuilding process filled with losing seasons and dashed hopes.

Whatever the future holds for New Jersey, one thing is certain:

For now, they suck.

*****

Three things to look for in tonight’s game:

1. Rajon Rondo vs. Devin Harris- Earlier in the season, Rondo wanted a race against Chris Johnson, the Tennessee Titans’ 2,000-yard rusher.  Now, Johnson has spurned Rondo for a race against Usain Bolt.  I guess Rondo will have to settle for a basketball game against Harris, speed demon extraordinaire.  Harris hasn’t been nearly as productive as he was during his breakout year last season, but still possesses the athleticism to give any point guard fits.
2. Boston’s depth- With injuries everywhere, the Celtics were reduced last game to starting Brian Scalabrine.  Throwing Scal out there to start the game isn’t exactly throwing a white flag… but it’s probably the closest thing.  With so many injuries, Doc Rivers should lean on his subs a little more, and use the youth towards the end of the bench.
3. Celtic skid- The C’s have lost five of their last eight games.  They are running on fumes, and could really use an easy win over an overmatched opponent to help ease the pain.  Good thing they’re playing New Jersey.

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn’t mean we have to. Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “‘[Kendrick Perkins is] a load, he knows his role, he knows how to play the game,’’ Bosh said. “He’s not saying a lot. He’s not asking for the ball a lot. He’s a strong post player. He knows where to pick and choose his spots.’ Perkins had 11 points and nine rebounds against Horford and an Atlanta team that backed into a zone defense in the second half. ‘Every time you come in and play Boston, you know it’s going to be a war,’ said Horford, who had 9 points and 12 rebounds. ‘They may blow you out but you are not going to blow them out. It’s a war.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “Veterans aren’t the only players Boston needs to be concerned with logging too many minutes. Point guard Rajon Rondo missed one game with a left hamstring injury, and although he’s been fine since returning to action, the Celtics have to be careful not to wear down the 23-year-old. ‘He’s a really big part of their team,’ said Hawks guard Jamal Crawford. ‘He’s been one of the best point guards in the NBA this season.’ Because of his impact on the team, he will naturally play a lot, but the minutes he’s logged lately are just insane. In the four games since he sat out Boston’s Jan. 2 win over Toronto, Rondo has averaged 21 points and 9.5 assists while playing 45.3 minutes per game. That includes a 50-minute effort in an overtime win., but even if you look at the other three games, that still averages out to 43.7 minutes a night.”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “[Paul] Pierce is the same guy who watched Scalabrine going through extra drills after the shootaround in Memphis last month and said, ‘I love Brian Scalabrine. Look at him out there sweating. Young guys need to see what he’s doing and learn from that.’ Because Scalabrine shoots so rarely (nine shots is a quarter for Lakers star Kobe Bryant), coach Doc Rivers wasn’t bothered for the team by the recent drought. But he was concerned for Scalabrine.”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “The Celtics are 26-10 nearing the midway point of the season. They’re still on pace for around 60 wins. Sure, it’s not the 72 victories that some had them pegged for after a blazing 20-4 start, but they’re on track to be one of the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference (currently second behind the Cavaliers). The real question is: Will the Celtics ever be free of the injury/illness bug? Is this a rash of bad luck that will fade before the postseason? Or, as many pundits openly wondered in the preseason, are the Celtics simply too old and fragile?”

Jessica Camerato, WEEI – “The chemistry on the court between Rondo and Kevin Garnett make alley-oops look effortless. But as Rondo explains, it takes a certain kind of player to pull off the dunk. ‘Everybody can’t do it. There are guys in the league that can do it, but it may be four or five things — you’ve got to have the athleticism, perceptiveness, the set up, knowing when to do it, you’ve got to be a good player. Part of the reason why [Garnett] gets so many lobs is because people fear him getting the ball. If he gets the ball, he’s going to score so they try to deny him the ball. He has great coordination, great timing. When he spins out, he loses track of the ball, so after he turns around he has to go up and find the ball and then find the rim. It’s not as easy as it looks. He does a great job at it.’”

Dave D’Alessandro, The Star-Ledger – “And rest assured, the Nets are disappointed enough to listen to offers for [Devin]  Harris — they just don’t expect to get anything done with any of their six core guys before the Feb. 18th deadline. But they’re not exactly considering him (sportswriter cliché alert) an untouchable anymore. Why should he be tenured, anyway? His jumper’s broken. His defense, by and large, is still poor. He’s injury prone. And he’s still young and talented enough to bring back a very good return, given his contract (at least if you pair it with one of the expiring deals). But even if the Nets think they could do better, we find it very hard to drop all the blame of this 3-34 nightmare on this kid’s head.”

Zach Lowe, CelticsHub – “In his last 11 games, Perk has turned the ball over 41 times. In his last 11 games, Rajon Rondo has turned the ball over 44 times. That’s eight turnovers per game between two players. And as well as these two guys have played, that’s just too many. Right now, there isn’t a more turnover prone center-point guard combo in the starting line-up of any NBA team.”

Have a link I might want to look at? Send it my way by email (jayking@celticstown.com) or Twitter.