Jameer: "Vince, you've got to tell this Bianchi clown that YOU'RE the choke artist, not the Celtics."

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Via the Orlando Sentinel:

You want to know why this series isn’t over?

Because it’s headed back to Boston, that’s why.

And, don’t kid yourself. In Boston sports right now there is something in the air that smells more rancid than curdled clam chowder.

It is the civic scent of uncertainty; the atmosphere of asphyxiation; the helpless feeling, that any minute, the local sports team might start choking and gagging like a Boston terrier with a splintered pork chop bone lodged in its throat.

The Boston Celtics lead the Orlando Magic 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals and the general consensus is this series is over. Of course, that’s what the Boston Bruins thought a couple of weeks ago when they were up 3-0 on the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup playoffs and proceeded to pull off the biggest choke job we’ve seen in sports since Latrell Sprewell tried to strangle P.J. Carlesimo.

The Flyers won the next four games, including Game 7 in Boston, and the Bruins became only the fourth team in the history of American sports to blow a 3-0 lead in a playoff series.

Don’t think Magic point guard Jameer Nelson, a Philly guy, isn’t reminding his teammates of the amazing comeback pulled off by his hometown hockey team.

“Those guys on the Flyers were counted out and look what they did,” Nelson says.

First of all, this writer (Mike Bianchi) is an idiot.  He’s normally good, but this is awful.  I know he’s reaching to offer any sliver of hope he can to whatever Magic fans haven’t jumped off the bandwagon yet, but — DAMN! — this is a Manute Bol reach.  But I guess Magic fans have to make things up to give them hope — their play has offered none and neither does the depressing history of teams that have gone down 0-2 on their own home court.  So they turn to Boston’s hockey team to offer a ray of light.  I’ve got to tell ya, though — when a hockey team’s collapse is the biggest light of hope an NBA team sees, it’s never a good thing for said NBA team.  In other news, I have a chance to beat Nate Robinson in a slam dunk contest because — once upon a time — Chaminade defeated Ralph Sampson’s #1-ranked Virginia team.  And I can’t even dunk.

Now, let me speak on the “helpless feeling, that any minute, the local sports team might start choking and gagging like a Boston terrier with a splintered pork chop bone lodged in its throat.”  Child please.  Really, Bianchi?  You’re better than that.  You know everyone in Boston has complete faith the Celtics will finish off the Magic.  You know that any intelligent person in Orlando does, too.  Not for a second do I doubt the Celtics will win this series.  (My 23,478,392nd jinx since Tuesday — if the C’s somehow lose this series, the ghost of Red Auerbach is going to show up at my door with a chainsaw.)  They just took two games in a row, on the road, and have clearly been the better team.  Both games ended up being close, but the final scores weren’t indicative of how dominant the Celtics were.  They’re simply playing at a level right now that Orlando can’t obtain.  Do you honestly think a Bruins collapse has us thinking the Celtics will fall apart too?

So no, Mike Bianchi, you stupid, moronic nitwit, we don’t have any “helpless feeling” heading into Game Three.  We don’t think our Celtics are going to choke and gag, either.  Remember, Vince Carter’s on your team, not ours.

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.

Woj sure does know how to rub losses in. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

Ron Borges, Boston Herald – “Sitting in a near-silent Amway Arena yesterday morning, Paul Pierce spoke about one of his favorite things – hearing once raucous fans in opposing arenas grow silent and then slink away after the final buzzer. Last night, he made that a stunning reality. ‘See you next year,’ Pierce snarled in the direction of several sad-faced Orlando fans as he walked off the Amway floor following a 95-92 victory in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.”

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel – “‘They brought the fight to us in a lot of ways. I thought we withstood the hits,’ Rivers said. Pierce led the Celtics with 28 points, hitting three 3-pointers, scored 22 in Game 1. He was asked what has been the difference since his poor offensive output against the Cleveland Cavaliers. ‘I didn’t have to guard LeBron James,” cracked Pierce, who quickly added, ‘Nothing against Vince [Carter].’”

Bob Ryan, Boston Globe – “This is, as Doc says, the Paul Pierce the Celtics must have if they are to keep advancing. He is by far their best one-on-one player, the best, in fact, in the history of the franchise. (Some day, perhaps, stubborn old-timers will finally admit this obvious truth). He can get something at all times. It may not be pretty always, but he gets it, and many of those ugly maneuvers result in a trip to the free throw line. He long ago realized that there are no style points in this game. The only question for the guy throwing the ball toward the basket is, ‘Did it go in, or didn’t it?’ That, or ‘Did you get the friendly toot?’ Pierce is a truly a combination of the best the 21st century has to offer, combined with the best tricks of the old school. A defender never knows exactly what he’s going to do, because just when you think he’s setting you up for the step-back, he can spin a foot or two farther and take a face-up jumper. Or he can fake one way or the other, put the ball on the floor and go to the basket. Or he can torture his man with an up-fake, or two, or three, perhaps capped off by a lean-in that draws contact. And at the end of it, he hits the floor as if run over by the entire field of the Kentucky Derby, just in case the referee hasn’t already gotten the message. All this chicanery is making him one of the most despised players in the league. I’m not talking about the players, who appreciate what he can do, but the fans, many of whom have never before seen someone with a playing style that seems to have been superimposed from 1959. What he’s doing would be nothing special at Convention Hall, Cobo Arena, the old Madison Square Garden, or Chicago Stadium.”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “Put it this way: If the Bruins played hockey as well as the Celtics did last night, they’d still be playing. ‘Ooh, real tough,’ Glen Davis said of the 95-92 victory against the Magic in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. ‘Man it was a fight. We don’t worry about how pretty the game is. We leave that to the pretty boys. We just go out and play the game like it’s supposed to be played.’ It is supposed to be played like this in the postseason. Fifty-four fouls that were called and 54 more that were missed. ‘It was a great game intensity-wise,’ coach Doc Rivers said. ‘It was a game of runs, very physical. They got the better of us in that, I thought. They brought the fight to us in a lot of ways. I thought we withstood the hits, and that’s something you’ve got to keep doing.’”

John Hollinger, ESPN – “You can’t just turn it on for the playoffs … um, right? Maybe you can, after all; at least if you’ve done it before. The Boston Celtics, champions in 2008, limped through the final two-thirds of the regular season and were mostly counted out heading into the playoffs. Magically, all that changed once the postseason started. Boston blew past Miami in five games, shocked Cleveland by winning the final three games — including a 32-point rout in Game 5 — and continued its stunning run by beating Orlando 95-92 on Tuesday to take a 2-0 series lead in their best-of-seven series. Game 3 is Saturday in Boston. The Celtics have won five straight games against the East’s two regular-season heavyweights — Boston’s first five-game winning streak in more than half a year — and as a result has one foot in the NBA Finals and is six wins away from claiming a second championship in three years. So … did they just turn it on for the playoffs? ‘I know it’s starting to look that way,’ said Paul Pierce, who scored a team-high 28 points and shook off a second-quarter chop to the face from Dwight Howard that resulted in a flagrant foul. But he insisted that the Celtics’ charge really began in the final 10 games of the regular season. The results weren’t there yet — they lost three times to lottery teams — but the spirit was.”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “Here’s how it unfolded: Garnett missed a 20-foot jumper with little less than eight seconds to play in a three-point game. J.J. Redick came down with the rebound, but waited an extra moment or two before signaling for a timeout. It might have cost his team a true opportunity for a tying shot. ‘I think he was just trying to call timeout to one of the refs, but the ref really couldn’t see him,’ explained Howard. ‘But Coach says, as soon as we got the rebound to call a timeout. So, you know, when you’re playing in a big game like this, it’s the little things that get you wins. Boston, they did all the little things to get the win tonight.’ Van Gundy was far more pointed in his assessment than Howard. ‘It would have made a big difference [calling timeout quicker], because if you watch the last play, Rashard [Lewis] got open,’ said Van Gundy. ‘But because we were inbounding in the backcourt, [Michael] Finley was back in the passing lane and we could not make the pass.’”

Michael Vega, Boston Globe – “‘We’re going to have to win these next two games if we want to win this series,’ Redick said. ‘But we got to start by winning one. At this point in time, it’s going to take a supreme effort to win anywhere. We could play at a neutral site and it’s still going to take a supreme effort.’ Now, the Magic must cling to the belief that the road will be a kinder and gentler place than home in the first two games of this series. Orlando, after all, won twice during the regular season at TD Garden. ‘That was the regular season; this is the playoffs,’ Howard said. “We know we can win, but we have to put it together 48 minutes against a good Boston team. This series is not over. I won’t stop believing that. I won’t let my teammates stop believing that. We’re going to keep fighting. We’re going to do it.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “Forget “Ubuntu,” Boston has got its swagger back. And that may be far more important in deciding if the Celtics are ultimately able to win a world title than any humanist philosophy aimed at promoting team unity. These Celtics aren’t exactly the feel-good type. Boston wants to beat you up and then they’re going to take your lunch money, too. In an ultra-physical Game 2, the Celtics endured every haymaker Howard and Co. offered, and bounced back with two of their own. The Magic tried desperately to even this series with a late rally, and the Boston team of a month ago would have crumbled under the adversity. Not now. These Celtics have put together five consecutive postseason wins and are headed back to Boston with a commanding 2-0 series advantage. Also packed on their carry-on: an undeniable confidence.”

Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “‘I always say, when you’re bad, it takes just something small to turn you around, you’re not that far from being good,’ guard Ray Allen said before last night’s Eastern Conference playoff game against the Magic. ‘And vice versa — when you’re good, you can just tank it, immediately. You never have it figured out. And, as a team, you have to figure you get a break in the schedule somewhere, there’s so many different variables. So, you just try to take it one day at a time. As a coach, it’s like let’s hold on, you’ve got to keep cementing what everybody is doing.’”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “Most of Vince Carter’s 16 points were empty and when he could have made the loudest statement of the night with two free throws, he missed them both, allowing the Celtics to retain their 95-92 lead. And when the Magic desperately needed a hoop when trailing, 93-90, Jameer Nelson launched a 3-pointer off a fastbreak that caromed off the rim and right into the waiting hands of Ray Allen. ‘We played a lot harder tonight,’ Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. ‘But we don’t sustain what works. We won’t stay with it. Our shot selection was terrible and we didn’t play smart enough. It’s not a matter of digging out of this. It’s a matter of going up there and you have to win a game. There’s no magic [when] you’re in a hole, 2-0. You have to go win a game.’”

Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “Rondo totaled 25 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds in a 45 1/2-minute stint. He also outdueled Orlando point guards Jameer Nelson (9 points) and Jason Williams (3 points). Rondo might have seemed to be carrying much of the Celtic load, but he did not consider it to be exceptionally heavy lifting. ‘I played 45 minutes but Paul [Pierce] had a lot of isos, he was very efficient,’ Rondo said. ‘So, on the offensive end of the floor I wasn’t always making the plays. Kevin [Garnett] made the plays, Ray [Allen] made the plays, as well. I don’t want to take my eye off the defensive end but on the offensive end I didn’t have to do as much as it may seem.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “Garnett shot 5 of 16 from the floor for 10 points and had nine rebounds. He hit a handful of big shots, including a pair of jumpers and a dunk in the third quarter to fuel a 9-1 Celtics’ burst. But his pinch defense on Howard was key. ‘Overall he did a great job with his length,’ Rivers said. ‘Kevin knows he’s not going to win a muscle contest with Dwight Howard, but he does have length, and he stretched him out and he made him change some shots.’ ‘We had a ton of foul trouble today. That’s what I’m happy about, obviously winning the game, but winning the game with different guys in different positions, and everybody pitching in.’ ‘Dwight had 30 points and still had trouble,’ said Marcin Gortat. ‘All those guys — [Kendrick] Perkins, KG, Rasheed [Wallace] — do a great job.’”

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

Van Gundy will have to do more than yelling if he hopes to win Game 2.

Game 2 is going to come down to which coach can push the correct buttons and make the right moves. I could talk about all the different match-ups at each position, but these teams know  each other well, and I believe the series will come down to who game-plans and executes the best from the sidelines.

In game 1, the Celtics executed their game plan to perfection.  You could tell from the start that their plan was to force Dwight Howard away from the basket (easier said than done) and maul him whenever he gets close , sending him to the line. In addition the green wanted to keep pressuring Rashard Lewis off the three point stripe, forcing him to make moves and beat them from off the dribble.  Lewis is a borderline all-star player, and he has shown at certain points in his career that he can make those plays from the dribble, but versus a great defensive unit like the C’s it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Matt Barnes was supposed to be the defensive stopper, but it looks as if back spasms are going to limit his play (he only played 22 minutes in the first game).  I  thought Barnes would be a problem, whether he  guarded Pierce or Allen to start.  Barnes started guarding Allen, and Allen showed that he can run even some of the best defensive players in the league ragged by piling up 25 points.  It will be interesting to see how Van Gundy adjusts to the Barnes injury, and how his team is affected from a defensive perspective.  While  Matt Barnes looks like he is much better suited to sell crack on Dorchester Ave in South Boston rather than be a reliable NBA player (sweet neck tattoos), when healthy he is a very serviceable defender.

Van Gundy failed to make the adjustments necessary to get his team over the hump in Game 1, and judging from how the game played out, I  wonder if Orlando can match up with Boston.  I know we have a long way to go in this series, but as Rasheed Wallace said after the game, “It looked like their butt holes tightened up.”  In order for the Magic to win, Magic studs Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson will have to lead the way in Game 2.  If the Magic plan to tie this series up, they will need to get  out of a half court game, and speed up the tempo, while getting Dwight involved with some easy buckets early.  Howard and Nelson are at their best when they feed off each other, and when Howard doesn’t get involved early, he has a tendency to disappear from games.

Rivers’ game plan is working true to form, and if they can make Howard beat them from the line, while keep Lewis and Carter in check, Boston will dominate the series. Surprisingly, the Celtics won game 1 without a significant contribution on the offensive end from Rajon Rondo or Kevin Garnett.  You have to believe– with the way those two have been playing– that won’t happen again.  KG was missing open looks, but Rondo really seemed to struggle with having the man with the tiniest head in the NBA (Dwight Howard) waiting for him whenever he beat Nelson off the dribble.  I am curious to see how Rivers devises some  creative ways to get Rondo more involved.

Regardless, Game 2 is as close to a must-win game for the Magic as possible. As good as the Green are playing, they cannot afford to go back to Boston down 2-0.  The key will be how Stan Van Gundy plans to get Howard more touches close to the basket.  If that happens, Howard gets going, the crowd gets going, Nelson gets going, and so go the Magic.

With the way Boston played in game 1 it seemed to me that they were fed up with all the crap going on with ESPN/ABC.  The Celtics were sick of seeing bullshit puppet commercials featuring Lebron and Kobe, sick of seeing stupid halftime segments of Dwight Howard interviewing himself as Superman. Boston is a blue collar team that is peaking at the right time, and if they play Howard the way they did in Game 1, they will be looking at a 2-0 series lead.  My prediction: 99-92 Celts……and maybe Matt Barnes gets caught with a crack rock in the locker room (seriously, you can’t tell me that guy doesn’t do some illegal shit, its a rule, more than one neck tattoo, you are a scumbag, see Delonte West).

This is something I noticed a couple days ago during the game, and Paul Pierce pointed it out after practice today: The Celtics struggled with Jameer Nelson coming off the pick-and-roll. (WEEI)

The Celtics also want to figure out their pick and roll coverage. Jameer Nelson burned them in the second half when they went under the screen. He’s too good a shooter to allow him open looks.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to stop Jameer Nelson in the pick and roll,” Pierce said. “He really got hot in the second half. We’re far from being where we want to be.”

When the Magic scored yesterday, it was Nelson doing a lot of the damage. Paul Flannery noted that Nelson did damage when the C’s went under the screen, and he did. But he also did damage when the C’s went over the screen.

He’s surprisingly quick for a guy who kinda looks like a chunker and does a good job splitting the coverage to get into the middle of the lane. When he’s aggressive coming off the screen, it’s going to be tough for Boston. Because Nelson is a good shooter, Rajon Rondo has to defend him over the top of the screen, leaving the big man alone with Nelson. Being quick, skilled and aggressive, Nelson is able to attack big men, get penetration, and make plays.

Here’s a still picture of Nelson at the point of attack coming around the screen (yes, I know it’s against the Hawks — couldn’t find one of Nelson running p/r against the C’s). Even though it isn’t the C’s, the defense was very similar to how the C’s played it — a flat hedge by the big man, a trailing defender trying to get over the screen to no avail.

Nelson continues to attack the big man, isolating against him as the defender still trails the play. Even for a big man as mobile as Al Horford (or KG/Perk), it’s tough to stay in front of an attacking Nelson. The key is to make Nelson take a step backward, to give enough time for Rondo to get into the play. Horford fails to do that here, and Nelson is in the driver’s seat.

Though the Celtics were shredded by Nelson in the pick-and-roll, not all was bad. He finished with only 2 assists, so his influence was pretty much limited to his own scoring. The pick-and-roll didn’t help to get everyone else involved. It could start to pay benefits for all the other Magicians, though, should the Celtics not tighten up the defense.

Rondo has said on more than one occasion that Nelson is the most important Magician (at least on offense), and Game One showed why. Nelson is one of two Magicians (Vince Carter being the other — with apologies to J.J. Redick, who pretended like he could for parts of Game One) who can create their own shot or opportunities for others.

Look for the C’s to make an adjustment in Game Two, if they want to continue to stop the dangerous Magic.

Mr. May? (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)

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.

Paul Flannery, WEEI – “It’s taken six months and maybe a little longer, but the world has finally aligned with Rasheed Wallace’s orbit. In retrospect, his 17 points in Game 2 against the Cavs was a little bit of fool’s gold. Points aren’t what are at a premium for the Celtics big free agent signing. Defense and savvy intelligence are what’s needed now. ‘Hell, yeah this is what I enjoy,’ Wallace said. ‘It’s nut-busting time.’”

Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports – “The Celtics’ frontline beat on Howard, yes, but they don’t let him get angles and they don’t require the guards to come and double Howard for them. They just keep their chests into him and challenge Howard to beat them with a back-to-the-basket game he doesn’t have down nearly as well as his dance steps. This allows the Celtics to stay out on the perimeter and protect the 3-point line. Orlando missed 17 of 22 3-pointers and they’ll never beat the Celtics unless those shots start to drop for them. ‘A lot of them jump shots, the buttholes get tight,’ Wallace declared. He was talking about the playoffs, about the time of year that he lives for at his advanced age of 35. He doesn’t take particularly good care of his body, but his mind is forever sound for the playoffs. When the Celtics were constructing a 20-point lead in the third quarter, Wallace had Howard so flustered that he completely lost his composure, his mind. Within 2½ minutes left in the third quarter, Wallace inspired Howard to get a double technical foul for tangling with him. Howard got a three seconds call because he was trying so hard to get into low-post position. Howard also tried to rush an offensive move on Wallace and got called for a travel. And, for good measure, Wallace completely crushed Howard across the arms when he had to give a foul. ‘He did some old tricks that were just terrific,’ Rivers said.”

Shaun Powell, NBA.com – “This was defense, the kind Howard hadn’t felt in these playoffs, the kind the Celtics threw his way throughout Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Sure, the Bobcats and Hawks ran bodies at Howard, too, but difference is, Boston’s bigs know what they’re doing. It begins with Kendrick Perkins, who’s both clumsy and clever all at once. And Big Baby Davis, who looks (and probably feels) like a Hummer. And finally, Sheed, who bumbled through his first season in Boston, who knows he’ll be judged for what he does (or doesn’t do) right now. When it counts. Collectively, they dared to check Howard one-on-one and the Celtics lived to tell about it. Gone is Orlando’s win streak, which had reached 14, dating back to April 4. Ditto for the Magic’s clean run through the playoffs. And now, the Magic must deal with a Celtics team knowing it has the equipment to slow the game’s most lethal inside player.”

Dick Scanlon, NBA.com – “‘They came out ready to play,’ said Vince Carter, who led the Magic with 23 points. ‘They jumped on us early, offensively and defensively. We fought like heck to get back in the game. Unfortunately, when you’re down that many points with about nine minutes to go, and with them defending like they did, it’s going to be tough.’ It was the Magic’s first loss in the playoffs, their first loss at home since March 14 and their first loss of any kind of since April 2. ‘It’s been that long since they lost a game?’ asked Pierce, who needed only eight shots to score 22 points. ‘We honestly didn’t realize that.’”

Chris Sheridan, ESPN – “Those schemes limited the Magic to just 14 points in the first quarter and 18 in the second. The Magic then allowed a 20-3 run midway through the third quarter as the Celtics went up 65-45, with Howard and Wallace getting double technical fouls toward the end of the run for getting a little too personal as they untangled their locked arms. ‘That was a wake-up call we really needed, in my opinion,’ said Carter, who was Orlando’s most aggressive player, attacking the paint and trying to create offense. ‘They’re relentless, they’re aggressive, they do a great job of contesting, especially in the paint, and it took us a while to figure it out, but when we did we played a lot better.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “The Magic had taken target practice on the Celtics from 3-point range in the past, but yesterday everything beyond the arc was a wasteland. The Celtics held a team full of snipers to 5-of-22 shooting from distance. ‘They have a list of guys that can beat you,’ Celtics forward Kevin Garnett said. ‘It just comes down to one-on-one defense and everybody helping each other out. You have to contest shots and run them off the three. They are going to shoot 20 to 25-plus threes.’”

John Hollinger, ESPN – “Of particular note was the first 16 minutes, when Boston frustrated Orlando at every turn by getting hands on balls, running shooters off the 3-point line and denying Dwight Howard quality looks on the block. With eight to go in the second quarter, the Magic had amassed the pathetic total of 14 points and already were down 15 points; essentially, they built themselves a hill too great to climb. ‘I don’t think we were prepared for the level they were ready to play,’ said Vince Carter, who was just about the only Magic player to show up in the first quarter and a half and finished with a team-high 23 points. ‘They were ready to go from the jump, and we weren’t on their level from the beginning.’ ‘We were anxious,’ said Howard, who struggled to a 3-for-10 night and was responsible for seven of the Magic’s 18 turnovers. ‘I don’t think we moved the ball like we needed to get them off our bodies. That’s what we have to do to beat this team.’”

Bob Ryan, Boston Globe – “‘We said it going in,’ said Van Gundy. ‘It was what they did to Cleveland in the last series against them; very physical, very tough defensively. Eighteen turnovers. We’re not giving ourselves a chance to win with 18 turnovers.’ ‘Hands were big for us,’ said Rivers. ‘Because of their pick-and-roll game, I think that is one of the underlying keys for us defensively — the deflections and active hands. I don’t know if you saw early in the game, I think it was whoever got a shot, the whole team came down with their hands up because no one had their hands up. They were trying to remind themselves.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “‘Rasheed was phenomenal defensively tonight,’ said Rivers. ‘He’s been good in the playoffs for us and that’s what we wanted from him when we signed him.’ It took six months to deliver upon, but maybe that’s better late than never. ‘Because of the ups and downs, you had to remind yourself of that,’ Rivers said with a smile. ‘Everyone else was reminding me of what he wasn’t doing. One thing I’ll say about Rasheed and he said it throughout, ‘It doesn’t matter what I do in the regular season, I will be judged for what I do in the playoffs.’ I didn’t want him to take that literally throughout the season, but he did. But he’s been terrific. He’s a knowledgeable big who has a lot of game.”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “Kevin Garnett was one of several teammates and coaches who have talked with Wallace recently about the need for him to be that player. Message received. ‘His perspective is a little different from how he was looking at it before,’ Garnett said. ‘Plus, ‘Sheed’s a gutty veteran. He responds to when you give two cents, and when you’re being straight and up-front with him. He’s a no bull(bleep) kind of guy. It’s up to ‘Sheed. He’s a big part of when we win. And when we win big, it’s because he’s sound and he’s influenced the game.’ And all the talk Wallace has made about his best stuff coming through in the postseason? There may be some truth to it after all. ‘That’s what he has been telling us all year,’ Rondo said. ‘He’s a man of his word.’ Added Rondo: ‘It’s proven. He’s done it in the past. I haven’t been watching Rasheed all my life, but I’ve seen him recently. He’s a proven player in the playoffs.’”

Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel – “Heading into the game, Howard said he wanted to use his quickness to force Perkins to move his feet. That rarely occurred in Game 1. Celtics players barely gave Howard any room to maneuver. ‘I think I got into a little wrestling match with all those guys,’ Howard said. ‘That’s playing to their advantage. They want me to wrestle and fight with them. That takes me off my game.’”

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel – “This was as thorough a four-point beating as you’ll ever see. The Magic never led at any point, dug a 20-point hole and looked as if they were caught flat-footed when the Celtics charged out with a Paul Pierce haymaker of a ’3.’ Vince Carter was shaking his head in the dressing room, mentioning the “Celtics’ intensity” several times. ‘You don’t want to make excuses,’ J.J. Redick said. ‘When you don’t do it for a few days, you forget how much you have to put into it, and we didn’t put enough into this game.’”

Zach McCann, Boston Herald – “‘The game most definitely felt different,’ said Magic forward Rashard Lewis, who scored a playoffs-low six points. “Going against the Atlanta Hawks and now to the Boston Celtics, the Celtics are a good team, a veteran team, a championship team.’ Those are the same Celtics who frustrated two of the game’s premier players – Dwyane Wade and LeBron James – in the first two rounds. Now, it’s the Celtics’ chance to frustrate Orlando’s collection of stars. ‘They’re relentless,’ Magic guard Vince Carter said. ‘They’re very aggressive. They work on their strengths. They play well together. . . . They do a great job of contesting, especially when you’re in the paint. And it took us a while to figure that out.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “You can almost picture the scene: The Celtics bunkered down for film study at their practice facility, coming off an intense six-game series with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, and watching tape of the Orlando Magic essentially waltz through the first two rounds of the 2010 NBA playoffs. But what stands out most is how the opposition offers little in the way of resistance against Dwight Howard, allowing Orlando’s uberathletic center to get to the rim uncontested and convert an array of dunks and layups. The Celtics are half appalled, half salivating. It won’t come that easy against them, they promise each other. And for all 39 minutes he was on the court in Sunday’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, absolutely nothing came easy for Howard as the Celtics took turns hacking away at him en route to a 92-88 triumph at Amway Arena. [...] ‘You gotta be physical, he plays physical,’ said Rasheed Wallace. ‘That was the thing we looked at on film; over the last two series, guys just let him do whatever he wanted to do down there. We’re definitely going to fight him.’”

Michael Vega, Boston Globe – “‘The reason he has an offensive impact is because he draws so much help,’ Rivers said. ‘You have to double-team him. He gets offensive rebounds and he throws them back out for threes. So we did a good job as far as his scoring numbers, but I thought we could do a better job, quite honestly, in helping on Dwight in getting back. You think about the J.J. Redick drives [in the fourth quarter], those are all Dwight Howard-generated. No one wants to leave Dwight, allowing their guards to get all the way to the basket. That’s what I mean, we have to do a better job. They scored 30 points in the fourth quarter. I thought it was mostly Dwight-generated.’ But for Howard to be a more-effective scorer, the Magic know they must help him get his numbers. ‘We’re going to continue to support and stay on him to keep him — try to make sure he’s not frustrated and just play basketball and have fun,’ Carter said. ‘I think he puts pressure on himself because he wants to win. He wants to be perfect or as perfect as possible and do what he has to do to lead this team because he is one, if not the captain of this team. He’s the leader. The leader trying to lead his team. At the same time, we tell him he’s not out there by himself. We’re going to support him. I think when he realizes that he settles down, and he did that later on in the game.’”

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel – “Now we get to see. Now we get to find out. Now we finally learn if the Orlando Magic really and truly are championship material. We know what the high-flying, free-wheeling Magic can do when opponents lay down and play the role of frustrated foot wipes in the playoffs. Now let’s see what the knocked-down, beaten-up Magic can do when they get punched in the teeth during the playoffs. [...] ‘The game plan is a little harder against Boston.’ Van Gundy admits. ‘Against Cleveland, you focus everything on LeBron. With the Celtics, you’ve got to worry about ‘em all.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “‘We were sound for 48 minutes,’ Celtics forward Kevin Garnett said. ‘It was not the type of fourth quarter we would normally like to have, but we were sound, very sound.’ The Celtics improved to 7-0 in the postseason when they receive 18 or more points from Ray Allen, who had a game-high 25 yesterday. But the Celts didn’t hit another basket after Allen’s 3-pointer with 5:34 left. ‘I warned them at halftime,’ said coach Doc Rivers, who told his players to expect a much sharper Orlando team during the last 24 minutes. ‘They had two or three (missed open) 3’s in the first quarter, and they had eight in the second quarter. That’s not a good sign for us, because they didn’t make them, but they got them. Eventually they would make them. That was a concern.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “Judging from the ice packs on both knees – the left one from a hyperextension suffered just before Game 1 of the second round against Cleveland – one might think Perkins would prefer the finesse player after so much pounding. But no way. ‘I’m better against the power player, absolutely that’s what I prefer,’ he said. Perkins acknowledged that the pain persists in his left knee. It was bad enough to keep him out of Saturday’s practice.”

Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel – “Barnes played 15 minutes, 30 seconds in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday, and he acknowledged after the game that he wasn’t as effective as usual. ‘I didn’t really get a chance to get it loose tonight,’ Barnes said. ‘But that’s no excuse. I wasn’t getting the job done, so Coach had to go with someone who was. I’ll keep getting treatment, and I’ll be ready for Game 2.’”

Tania Ganguli, Orlando Sentinel – “‘Ray Allen can really shoot,’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ‘And he’s always on the move. He and [ Paul] Pierce both had really good nights … I didn’t think our defense was real good either, to be quite honest. I think we have to make some adjustments there.’ [...] ‘I predict [Pierce] will have a better series than he did against Cleveland,’ Boston forward Kevin Garnett said. ‘And we are going to need it.’”

Gary Dzen, Boston Globe – “The NBA’s second most prolific 3-point shooter of all time, Allen took what the defense gave him in the first quarter, pacing all scorers with 8 points without attempting a three. His two field goals and four free throws in the quarter came on a variety of drives and pull-up jumpers, and for most of Game 1 Allen torched the Magic on something other than his bread-and-butter outside shooting. ‘It was just the plays that I had,’ said Allen. ‘I knew that they were trying to force me away from my shot. Just watching the film all week, they were playing me so high over the top that when I go to the basket I have to keep my head up and look for the ball. I got my shot blocked two or three times. But for the most part, when the shot is not there I need to drive it.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “‘Coach [Doc Rivers] told me I have to take care of the point,’ Rondo said. ‘It starts with Jameer. A lot of people talk about Dwight, but Jameer, he’s the key. He makes those guys go.’ Nelson missed 10 of 18 shots, never able to leave his fingerprints on the game. ‘He’s more of a scorer,’ Rondo said. ‘He can create his own shot. You’ve got to get in his space, make him take shots over Perk.’ With Ray Allen (25 points) and Paul Pierce (22) providing the offense, it wasn’t necessary for Rondo to put up big numbers in Game 1. ‘If you game-plan for one type of guy, it seems like the other guys do a great job of [scoring],’ Rondo said.”

Kirk Minihane, WEEI – “On Feb. 27 the Celtics lost at home to the New Jersey Nets, who moved to 6-52 with the victory. This humiliating defeat came the day after a blowout loss at Cleveland, which at the time seemed little more than another failed test to see if the Celtics could sit at the NBA’s version of the adult table. They looked lost, old, and disinterested. Any Celtics fan with a even a shred of objectivity on that day would have told you that it was more likely they would get swept in the first round than be in the driver’s seat in the Eastern Conference finals after getting past the Cavaliers (raise your hand if you picked the Heat in the first round — it’s OK, made plenty of sense at the time.) But here we are. I’ve never seen a season like this. The 1968-69 Celtics are the closest template, but they made their run before I was around. Older teams just aren’t supposed to get better during the season. But it’s happened. The Celtics, in less than three months, have gone from a team that surprised no one by losing at home to one of the worst teams in NBA history to being called “the favorites to win” the NBA title by Jeff Van Gundy. And that proclamation probably surprised no one. No one paying attention, anyway.”

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

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.

"III'mmmm baaccccckkkkk."

John Denton, OrlandoMagic.com – “‘People were quick to jump on the whole age thing, but there were some health problems there,’ Van Gundy said. ‘Garnett was coming back off a major leg injury. I think he was hurt; it doesn’t look now like there was any slippage. Paul Pierce had the bad foot. I think a lot of what people were calling slippage was health-related,’ Van Gundy continued. ‘All I know is what I’m watching, not only in the Cleveland series but in the Miami series, does not look like a team on the decline. If (the media) thought they looked like they were on the decline, I would like you to watch film with me and show me the signs of decline that you see.’”

Kirk Minihane, WEEI – “Cleveland Cavaliers forward Leon Powe, a member of the Celtics’ 2008 championship team, said that the 2010 Boston group is playing ‘a bit better’ than the team that he won a title with. ‘They are playing as well as that team, a bit better,’ said Powe following Boston’s Game 6 series-clinching win over Cleveland on Thursday. ‘They are clicking on all cylinders right now. First series against Miami, they did pretty well. The team [in 2008] needed seven games in the first round. This series they were great. They are locked into that championship defense that everyone is accustomed to.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “His reward for surviving the six-game Texas death match? A paint battle with the well-rested Dwight Howard, the pseudo 7-footer known to devour rebounds, swat away layups and floaters, and crush opposing big men like a movie monster does to small cities. The Magic haven’t played since finishing a sweep against Atlanta last Monday. ‘It’s just the playoffs,’ Perkins said. ‘It’s not going to get any easier. It’s tough going into the next round, but that’s what I’m here for, to be a defensive stopper on the block and guard those big guys. I can’t run from the challenge. It’s there, so I’ve just got to accept it.’ [...] ‘With [Howard], he’s more athletic,’ Perkins said. ‘Not stronger, but more athletic. That’s the difference. I kind of use my weight against him. He kind of uses his athleticism. So it’s going to be interesting.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “And Howard is coming in with a head of steam, having made 27-of-32 shots (84.4 percent . . . yes, 84.4) against Atlanta. ‘I can’t worry about that,’ said Perkins. ‘I’ve just got to worry about going out and playing my defense. Obviously everybody gets better over the summertime and throughout the season, so I just can’t worry about if he’s going to hit shots or anything like that. At the end of the day it’s just about competing – going out there and having heart, going out there just to try to get the job done the best way you can.’ Said Glen Davis of Howard, ‘He does look better. He’s been working on his game. I think Patrick (Ewing, Magic assistant coach) has been helping him out a lot. I’ve been watching him. He’s been doing a great job of playing and executing. But I feel like me and Perk and Rasheed are three guys that can really guard him, so we’re going to try to do our best to limit him.’”

Dan Duggan, Boston Herald – “Rivers stayed the course, and his team followed. And because of that, the Celtics have taken another step toward filling that blank banner hanging in Waltham. ‘The only thing that’s going to make our season is winning a championship,’ Paul Pierce said. ‘We have those types of goals around here, where you look at some teams that get moral victories for hanging around in a series or winning a series, not here in Boston. We strive and we get excited when we put that banner up.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “‘One thing we don’t lack, and that’s confidence,’ Garnett said. ‘Even when we were playing like crap and trying to get our chemistry problems together in our locker room and all the things that come with the season. I thought we hit our stride at the right time. We’re a veteran team, we understand that when it’s time to lock in as a group, as a unit, I think we did just that. I think if anything, the experience has totally taken over versus anything else. We’re not celebrating. I think, if anything, that everyone is going to go home and relax with their families, obviously. Get ready for [the Orlando scouting report]. We get these massive books, and you’ve got to know your coverages and all the schemes that come with it. So [Friday] it’s back in the classroom, getting ready.’”

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel – “‘Over the course of the season, I’ve been fortunate to be healthy and can honestly say I’ve gotten stronger,’ Garnett said after the game. ‘And the playoffs come around, it’s time to step it up another notch, and that’s all I’ve been trying to do — nothing more, nothing less — it’s no secret. I take care of my body. I’m a workaholic when it comes to trying to better myself and nothing’s changed, so it’s paying off.’ Lewis said the best plan against KG is to ‘keep the ball away from him or keep him as far as away from the basket as possible.’ Lewis said he expects Garnett to make a difference this time. ‘It’s definitely a big difference,’ he said. ‘He’s the anchor of their defense, a great offensive low-post player. Not only that, he’s a good defender and shot-blocker. Kevin was somebody they were missing last year and it’s not going to be easy to beat them again this year like we did.’”

Jarrod N. Rudolph, Boston Globe – “Jameer Nelson has silenced his critics and created a fan base, and Rajon Rondo has taken over the floor for the Celtics. With a return trip to the NBA Finals on the line, Nelson will try his best to put out Rondo’s fire and stop the budding star from leading his team to the championship. ‘He’s a beast, man,’ Vince Carter said of Rondo. ‘He’s playing with a lot of confidence. He’s controlling the game and running the team. He’s earned respect around the league.’ [...] ‘I think [Rondo] has a lot more time and experience under his belt,’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ‘He’s clearly become their leader. You watch him on the floor, he’s directing traffic and his confidence level is very high. I don’t think it’s any one or two things he’s doing differently, he’s just continued to get better and better.’”

Dan Duggan, Boston Herald – “‘Tom Thibodeau has been great (in) both series,’ [Tony] Allen said of the C’s assistant coach and defensive whiz. ‘Every time I listened to him, I was able to stay on the floor. So I’m listening to Tom Thibodeau as much as I can.’ Allen also has found his niche on offense, filling the lanes in transition and awaiting passes from Rajon Rondo. ‘I’m enjoying playing with him,’ Allen said. ‘I just have to read him and be ready to catch the ball. He’s great.’”

Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel – “‘Some people are calling it a major upset,’ Van Gundy said. ‘I don’t know how a team that’s essentially the same two years removed from winning a championship and is healthy pulls a major upset. But I think it’s because of the whole LeBron James thing. There’s a lot of people in the media that can’t fathom him getting beaten.’ The reporters clustered around Van Gundy laughed. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I mean that. I just think there’s a lot of people that just [say], ‘Oh, if you’ve got LeBron James, you’re gonna win every night, and no matter who else is on the other team it’s a major upset.’ Call it an upset if you want because they were the underdog, but Boston’s pretty [darn] good.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “Finley has been on two teams that dashed James’s title hopes — the Celtics and the 2007 Spurs, who swept Cleveland in the Finals. ‘Great players will win a game or two, great teams win series,’ Finley said. ‘In my opinion we were the better team in the series. It was a tough series for him. He needed some help. Not just one or two games, but some consistent help. When you have that, it takes a little bit of pressure off the superstar.’”

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