I really hope David Lee doesn't get a chance to play with these guys.

The All-Star game is right around the bend, and the starters have been named.  (Long live AI!) The reserves, though, have yet to be chosen.

Do I have opinions about who should be picked?  Of course.  Am I going to share them with you?  Absolutely.  I’ll go with the East today, the West tomorrow.

And here we go…

Eastern Conference

Guards:

Rajon Rondo – Watching Rondo play every night this season, it should be impossible for him to be left off the team.  Not only is he first in the NBA in steals and third in assists, but he’s a game-changer each night on both ends.  I would even argue Rondo has been the C’s MVP so far.  He’s been that good.

Joe Johnson – Another no-brainer.  Johnson is the best player on the Eastern Conference’s rising contender.  He’s a matchup nightmare and his team’s unquestioned go-to guy.  He makes shots, finds open teammates, and helps his team win games.  Enough said.

Forwards:

Chris Bosh – In a just world, Bosh would be starting the game in Kevin Garnett’s place.  But All-Star voting is anything but just, and Bosh will have to settle for being a reserve.  Bosh could stand to play a little (read: a lot) more defense, but he’s done everything else to help Toronto win games: 23.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 52.4% shooting.

Josh Smith – The difference between Smith this season and Smith last season is what has HASN’T done, rather than what he HAS done.  Smith hasn’t jacked up bad shots, he hasn’t become enamored with the three-point line, and he hasn’t given anyone a good reason to keep him off the All-Star team.  He could always fill up a box score, but Smith is just now beginning to realize that sometimes basketball’s about a lot more than well-rounded statistics.

Gerald Wallace – To average 11.1 rpg as a 6’7″ small forward is simply silly.  That he added 3.3 boards on top of his previous career-high average in his ninth season is nothing short of ludicrous.  But to do all that while spearheading perhaps the top defense in the NBA and leading the Charlotte Bobcats to a surprising 21-21 record?  That’s All-Star worthy.

Paul Pierce – Stats-wise, Pierce hasn’t had his best season.  His numbers are down almost across the board.  But he’s leading the Celtics in scoring and doing it in a cooly efficient manner, including a scorching 47.0% from behind the arc.

Center:

Joakim Noah – You might think I’m nuts for this pick, but hear me out.  There are plenty of centers in discussion to be an East reserve but, really, none is truly worthy.  A lot of people will say David Lee, due to his 19.2 ppg and 11.4 rpg, but I’m here to remind you that there are two sides to the game of basketball.  Of all the centers being talked about in the East, Lee is the worst defensively.  And, in my eyes at least, it’s not even close.  Noah has done everything the Bulls could possibly want from him.  He rebounds, plays ‘D’, is an underrated passer, and can even score a little bit.  Besides Noah, Kendrick Perkins and Al Horford are both viable options to be picked.  Really, as long as Lee doesn’t win it, I’ll be happy.  Please, coaches, value defense and winning above gaudy statistics.

Snubs:

Andre Iguodala, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, Kendrick Perkins, Al Horford, Mo Williams

It’s rare you can look back at one single play and say it determined the outcome of a game.  Even in a game decided by a buzzer-beater, it’s normally tough to single out that one play as the game’s lone turning point. 

But last night, I can honestly look back at one play and say to myself, “That was where the Celtics lost the game.” Read more »

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.

Doc Rivers wasn't too happy last night with the officials.

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “If there is a more challenging foil in this league than the Hawks, the Celtics haven’t played it yet. And still their confidence runs amok. ‘We still feel we’re the better team’ said an exhausted Paul Pierce, who like the rest of a closing unit that included Glen Davis, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins, played the last 19 minutes without a substitution by associate coach Tom Thibodeau, who took over for Rivers. ‘The year we won the (2008) championship, we lost four times to Washington. It definitely bothered us, but we’re a better team, and it will show’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “Atlanta tied the game before the end of the quarter, then pulled ahead in the fourth, making Rivers’ tantrum sting that much more. ‘I told the guys after the game, No. 1, that’s always on me,’ said Rivers. ‘I don’t think I should ever get thrown out. I don’t know when the last time I was thrown out was, actually. I don’t care how bad you think the calls are at the moment, you know, somehow you have to try to rein yourself back in. Honestly, I reacted — I was so shocked at what they were calling. I thought they were talking about whether it was a breakaway or not. The last thing I had in my mind was a flagrant. I didn’t even think that was part of the discussion. So I was so surprised by that I reacted, and I never should have.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “A livid Rivers was called for two techs, and when Hill made a comment (not an abusive one, according to those close by), he got one, as well. With three tech free throws, plus two for the foul and possession of the ball, the Hawks could have done some major damage. But after Jamal Crawford made the three technical free throws, Williams hit 1-of-2 from the line and Kendrick Perkins blocked a Crawford drive. The damage had already been done to the flow, however, according to the Celts. ‘Well I don’t know, the game is full of momentum changes and throughout the course of the game that’s what happens,’ captain Paul Pierce said. ‘I mean, we gave them momentum when we were up (10) and then we got the technical fouls and you know they cut the lead basically in half with the free throws, and it becomes a dogfight after that.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “After Rivers was ejected in the third quarter, the Celtics didn’t utilize a single sub over the final 19 minutes of the game, even as the Hawks rallied ahead. ‘I think with me getting thrown out, it kind of left our staff — it happened so quick,’ said Rivers. ‘It’s almost like Rasheed. So leaving the guys in that were playing well was probably the safe bet. I don’t know.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “That’s pretty much the turning point of this game,’’ said Allen. “Being up 10, we were playing well. You figure three techs and then the flagrant and then the ball back. That’s close to tying the ballgame back up and the momentum swings in their favor.’ Davis, who scored 13 points off the bench for a team that has been shorthanded for weeks, appreciated Rivers’s support. ‘Doc felt it was a bad call and he expressed himself,’ Davis said. ‘He watched out for his players. I’m all with him. I’m not mad at what Doc’s decision was. I just feel like it was a tough call and emotions flare.’”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “And if the Garden faithful didn’t know enough about Joe Johnson, they got their fill last night. He was simply brilliant in the fourth, scoring 12 points, including a back-breaking 3-point counter to Allen’s trey that gave Atlanta a 92-91 lead with 4:25 left. Johnson, who finished with 36, is a quiet assassin. The former Celtic – can you believe he was traded to Phoenix for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers? – is one of the league’s best pure scorers and shows no emotion when he snuffs the confidence of opposing defenses. The Hawks are a young team and Johnson is only 28, but he has a veteran savvy that teammates pick up on.”

Ken Sugiura, Atlanta Journal-Constitution – “‘This team has grown,’ Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. ‘I don’t care how you cut it. We don’t have to be considered as one of the elite teams, but we’re a good team in the NBA that’s fighting for something.’ This was the Hawks’ third win over Boston in as many tries and their second in four days. After getting swept by the Celtics (26-10) in the past two seasons, the Hawks (24-13) have a chance to go 4-0 against them Jan. 29 at Philips Arena. The last time the Hawks swept a four-game season series from Boston was the 1995-96 season. It was a considerable departure from the Hawks’ 113-81 surrender to Orlando on Saturday.”

Brendan Jackson, CelticsHub – “When I drew the dubious task of recapping tonight’s Hawks game, certain thoughts came to mind.  Am I going to be recapping another awful loss typified by overall terrible play by the Celtics?  Am I going to waste my words telling a bunch of Celtics fans how much the Jamal Crawford acquisition means for this potential playoff matchup?  Am I going to be swallowing my pride, putting my allegiance to Celtics fandom aside and say the Hawks have the Celtics’ number? I can thankfully say that I won’t be doing any of those things. Never did I think I would be breaking down just how Brian Scalabrine had Josh Smith lock down.  And never did I think I would be explaining how, for a good chunk of the third quarter, I was mentally imploring the Garden crowd to raise their voices in a collective ‘Don-Na-Ghy! Don-Na-Ghy!’”

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

An angry Doc Rivers was ejected from tonight's game against the Hawks.

For the second time in three games, the Atlanta Hawks surged past the Boston Celtics in the second half to steal a win from Boston, 102-96. Correction; tonight , the refs stole the game from the Celtics. And that’s not just sour grapes from a bitter Celtics fan.

Boston led by 10 points midway through the third quarter, but a fast break foul by Glen Davis on Marvin Williams led to a bizarre sequence that included a flagrant foul on Davis, an ejection for Doc Rivers, and another technical foul on assistant coach, Armond Hill. Atlanta was then awarded 5 free throws and the ball, which completely changed the momentum of the game, and gave the Hawks a much-needed burst of energy.

The flagrant foul on Davis was a very weak call, considering Davis made not one, but two attempts to block the shot and clearly had no ill intentions. Rivers angrily protested the call, and was ejected before the Comcast camera could even find him. Doc deserved one technical foul, but the second technical, as well as the third technical on Hill were atrocious and made me believe Tim Donaghy’s claims even more.

After Rivers was ejected, and assistant coach Tom Thibodeau took over, Boston stopped executing offensively and the wheels slowly fell off. Fourth quarter offense consisted of isolations for Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins, with the rest of guys standing around the perimeter. Fatigue also played a role in the late-game letdown, as Thibodeau did not make one substitution after being handed the playbook by Rivers with about 7 minutes left in the third quarter.

Surprise starter Brian Scalabrine gave the Celtics an early boost and got the TD Bank crowd into the game by nailing 3 first half 3-pointers on his way to 9 points, 5 rebounds and a great defensive effort against Josh Smith. Scalabrine did not play after River was ejected.

Paul Pierce (19 pts, 8 rebs, 5 asts) and Rajon Rondo (26 pts, 7 asts) also  had great games, but disappeared in the fourth quarter amidst the poor shot selection and lack of ball movement.

With the Celtics offense struggling mightily, Hawks Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford seized the opportunity by making all the big shots in the fourth quarter. Johnson finished with a game-high 36 points, while Crawford added 17 points and 6 assists.

Atlanta moved to 3-0 against the Boston this season, 24-13 overall.

Boston, plagued with injuries recently, is just 3-5 in their last 8 games, but fortunately  play the NBA bottom-dweller New Jersey Nets next on Wednesday night.

Earlier in the season, the Atlanta Hawks beat the Boston Celtics 97-86, exposing a few of Boston’s flaws.

Read more »