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

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “In his best performance as a Celtic, O’Neal took a little time to bask in the crowd’s vocal appreciation. ‘I think people appreciate my hard work, especially over the last 18 years,’ he said. ‘I think they understand that when I came here for the 1.5 (million dollars), they knew what was on my mind. For them, it’ll be 18 (championships). For the Big Three, it’ll be two (titles). And for me it’ll be Big No. 5. That’s the only thing that I’ll focus on right now.’ O’Neal has also passed an early judgment on his team. ‘This is a great team, the best I’ve been on,’ he said. ‘They’ve got a lot of great weapons on this team, so on any given night anybody can be the leading scorer. . . . Yes, the best team. As far as players, as far as guys being really close. I know we’ve only been at this for two months, but hopefully the outcome will be a good one.’”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “Delonte West spent less than five full games in uniform before bad luck struck the troubled guard again. In the midst of sparking his lethargic team in the second quarter against the Nets, West was knocked off balance by New Jersey’s Travis Outlaw on a drive to the basket, sustaining a broken right wrist. While it’s unclear how long West will be out, the club is preparing for him to miss at least three months. Coach Doc Rivers and team president Danny Ainge both mentioned West being ready for the playoffs in April. ‘It’s broken for sure,’ Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. ‘Don’t know anything else more than that; a compound fracture most likely. But that’s going to be a long time, let’s just put it that way.’ … Ainge said the club will not immediately search for another guard. ‘We like our guys, and Avery [Bradley] is starting to get healthy and Avery and Von are going to have to step up and play,’ Ainge said. ‘In order to make a move we’d have to let someone go and we like our guys. It’s tragic for Delonte. Basketball is a very important part of his life. I hate to see this happen. But Delonte will be able to return late in the season to help us.’”

Jessica Camerato, CSNNE – “On Wednesday night Delonte West broke his wrist on a drive to the basket. Rivers projects West could be sidelined until the playoffs, leaving a gap in the Celtics backcourt. Enter Wafer. Wafer started the fourth quarter and played during a five-minute stretch in which the Celtics went on a critical 9-4 run. Even though his box score reads zeros in every category, he provided a necessary spark off the bench. ‘Von Wafer — his stat line’s going to say he did basically nothing — I thought his defensive energy was phenomenal,’ said Rivers. ‘It was great for Von in the locker room. Everybody was grabbing him . . . because ‘defense’ and ‘Von’ can now go together. And that’s a great thing.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, supported by the 25-point, 11-rebound work of Shaquille O’Neal, took charge down the stretch. But Daniels’ modest numbers (four points, four assists, three rebounds) belied his ability to fill a gaping hole with a series of game-saving plays. ‘I thought he really changed the game,’ Pierce said. ‘I thought his length really bothered the point guards. In the pick-and-roll he was able to get over and under and switch it up. He just showed his versatility – some of the things he can do when he gets in the game. He usually doesn’t guard point guards, but we know he is capable of guarding two, three, four positions,’ he said. ‘They were great in the pick-and-roll in the first half against us, and in the second half, once we got him in the game, it really changed things defensively for us.’”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “On that pass, Allen might as well have been Anfernee Hardaway or Derek Fisher, because it certainly was vintage Shaq. ‘I know I can do [the old stuff], that’s why Danny [Ainge] signed me up and I’m still here,’ he said. ‘That’s why I’ve accomplished so much. At the time I’m not really getting a lot of plays called for me, but guys are dropping it off and I am finishing.’ … ‘He looked like the 2000 Shaq. The ’99 Shaq, the 2001 and 2002 to 2003 to 2004 to 2005 to 2006,’ forward Kevin Garnett joked. ‘He looked fresh tonight. I thought he did a great job of getting us in a bonus early. On this team night in and night out, we are going to have a different guy from [Pierce] to Ray to anybody, and tonight it was Shaq.’”

Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “This was a game for Shaquille O’Neal to shine, Marquis Daniels to provide quality minutes, and Von Wafer to establish his defensive credentials. But when it counted, the ball was in the hands of the Celtics’ Big Three — Allen, Garnett, and Pierce. The Celtic starters were 8 for 11 from the field in the final quarter, Pierce the only one to miss a shot. Allen was 1 for 3 in the opening half but finished with 15 points and a season-high seven assists. Garnett was off (4 for 12) but kept firing away and landed a jumper from the top of the key off an Allen feed late in the third quarter, then played floor-pounding defense to stop Kris Humphries. Pierce playing point is not a long-term solution, though the Celtics might have to use a similar strategy against Toronto tomorrow, unless Rondo recovers enough for trainer Ed Lacerte to OK him to play. ‘I’m probably less likely, the way things are going,’ Rivers said when asked whether he’d use Rondo against the Raptors. ‘I’m serious about that. Unless Eddie says [Rondo’s] feeling great. And I know Rondo, so we’re going to have to really have a long talk for him to play.’”

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

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

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “They have known each other since the eighth grade, have played together with the Knicks. But after four months with the Celtics, going to the Finals and playing a major role in the team reaching Game 7 against the Lakers, Robinson wasn’t the same player Crawford knew. ‘He’s grown up an awful lot,’ said Crawford. ‘I think that he actually won a couple of games in the playoffs for them with just his energy and his impact on the game. He’s never going to back down. If you’re going to war, that’s somebody you want to be in a foxhole with.’ Some things were the same. For one, Robinson’s decibel level never changes. ‘At 6 in the morning, he’s the same as at 6 at night,’ Crawford said. ‘Seriously, he’s going around, bouncing off the walls. That’s just Nate.’”

Paul Flannery, WEEI – “Back in October it may have seemed like a fool’s errand, or a death wish, to ask the Celtics to keep pace with the Heat and Magic, but now the East seems wide open and with that comes the real possibility of gaining homecourt advantage in multiple rounds. We bring all this up because the Celtics are beginning a three-game stretch of games against the Nets, Raptors and Cavaliers. There’s no reason the Celtics should lose any of these games, but then again two of their four losses have come against Toronto and Cleveland. If they are going to win 60 games and compete for homecourt, these are the games they have to win and it wouldn’t hurt to do it convincingly. They probably don’t even need to be angry. Mildly annoyed should work just fine.”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “When Kevin Garnett has the ball, it’s more of the same. As the Boston Celtics continue to get props for an impressive start, there are a number of players who deserve some of the credit. You can include O’Neal and Garnett, a dynamic big-man duo whose collective efforts are too great to ignore. Statistically speaking, neither is having the kind of off-the-charts season that fans have grown accustomed to. However, both are delivering just what the C’s need at both ends of the floor.”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “Both aging big men are clearly feeding off each other this season. Both have talked about the remarkable decrease in double teams when they get to play in tandem. ‘Perfect,’ said [Shaq] O’Neal. ‘I think it’s a relationship of respect, after our battles over the years. We’ve seen what we can do over the years. We’re basically the same thing to each other, and we can say anything to each other. He can say anything to me and I’ll respect his word, and he’ll respect my word. I knew that it was going to be a good relationship coming in. I’ve played on a lot of other teams where the other team didn’t have to respect the 4 (power forward),’ he said. ‘So being that they have to respect him means that there’s a lot more room for me. It also means there’s a lot more room for him, so we’re going to use each other. I think it’s a good fit.’”

Colin Stephenson, New Jersey Star Ledger – “Troy Murphy will sit out his fourth straight game tonight when the Nets host the Atlanta Hawks at the Prudential Center and Nets coach Avery Johnson said the 6-11 power forward will not make the trip with the team to Boston for Wednesday’s game at the TD Banknorth Garden. ‘We talked this morning, and he feels he’s getting stronger,’ Johnson said of Murphy. ‘He’s not going to go with us to Boston – he’s going to stay back and get some more extra work done in our strength and conditioning program. And in about a week or so, we’ll see where we are with him.’”

Colin Stephenson, New Jersey Star Ledger – “Terrence Williams has been placed on the inactive list for tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks for disciplinary reasons, coach Avery Johnson told reporters in his pregame briefing. ‘Terrence is inactive for repeatedly violating team policy,’ Johnson said. ‘So that’s why he’s inactive tonight and he will not travel with the team to Boston.’ Williams will join Troy Murphy and the injured Quinton Ross (calf) on the list of players not going to Boston for Wednesday’s game against the Celtics.”

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

Stephane Lasme flies past Andrea Bargnani. Nice D, Bargs. You almost came within five feet of getting a block.

On one hand, the Celtics’ final preseason game tonight against the New Jersey Nets means nothing. It’s just one more dry run, followed by five days of preparation. And on Tuesday, six days from today, the Miami Heat come to town. That’s when the real show begins.

On the other hand, the Celtics’ final preseason game holds more significance than the NBA Finals. Just ask Von Wafer, who will likely play in China if the Celtics cut him following tonight’s game. Just ask Stephane Lasme, who has no Plan B  for when, or if, he gets cut. Lasme just wants to be close to his family, which happens to live in Massachusetts. The NBA only permits teams to carry 15 players on a roster. The Celtics have 16 players worthy of inclusion. One will be sent home, likely tonight.

The importance of tonight’s game, at least to Wafer and Lasme, is life-altering. But most fans just can’t stop thinking about opening night, six days from now.

“There’s never been an opening game that has been more heavily anticipated,” Ray Allen told WEEI.

“I think with the anticipation [after] our exiting the finals last year and then with the new additions to Miami, they overly hyped the game,” Kevin Garnett added. “Yeah, I can see this has a lot of episodes, a lot of drama, if you will. It will have a lot of soap opera feel to it. Days of Our Lives, Another World, Santa Barbara.

“My grandmother was a big, big soap opera fan so it was either go outside or sit in there with her so I know that schedule quite well.”

Once you can get over the shock of Garnett watching soap operas, his message resonates. Before the Celtics and new-look Heat have met even once, a rivalry has been forged. The public has wanted a Heat-Celtics matchup since Lebron took his talents to South Beach, and so have the players.

The Celtics ran their mouths this summer, saying they aren’t afraid of the Heat. They’re the defending Eastern Conference champions, and until someone takes that title away the Celtics will consider themselves the East’s best. The Heat, meanwhile, have said all the right things. They’re still chasing the Celtics, they say. They haven’t won anything yet. But somewhere under that thin layer of humility rests a team that believes itself to be the greatest, not only in the Eastern Conference but the entire NBA. And they want to start proving it on opening night.

Coaches beg players not to overlook an opponent all the time. If I had a dime for every time my high school coach told me to “focus only on the task at hand,” I’d be living in my dream house, wearing Armani suits and eating nothing but caviar and steak. But tonight’s game is especially easy to overlook, especially because the W or L won’t show up on the Celtics’ record, especially because the NBA’s paper champions stand menacingly in the on-deck circle. Easy to overlook, that is, unless you’re Von Wafer or Stephane Lasme. Then, tonight’s game is the Super Bowl come early.

On a completely unrelated note, I now know why Garnett plays with so much rage. I’d have a lot of pent-up anger, too, if I spent my childhood watching Days of Our Lives.

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.

(Yup, that’s Dwight Howard who Fernandez just wrecked.)

The only downside to Rudy? He's Olympic teammates with Pau Gasol.

Rudy Fernandez has submitted a wish list to the Portland Trail Blazers consisting of five places he wouldn’t mind being traded. The Celtics are on that list. (Frank Isola, New York Daily News)

The Knicks and Nets are among the five teams on the wish list Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez has submitted to Portland management in the hopes of being traded.

According to a Blazers source, the club is looking to get draft picks in return for Fernandez, who no longer wants to serve as Brandon Roy’s backup. For the Knicks to acquire Fernandez, Wilson Chandler would also certainly have to be included in a trade.

Rudy Fernandez’ list of teams isn’t four but cinco: Knicks, Nets, Bulls, Celtics and that awful team in South Florida featuring LeCon.

What would it take to secure Fernandez? I really have no idea. But his contract only calls for him to be paid $1.246 million next year, with a team option for the following year and a qualifying offer (whatever the hell that means) for the third. Unfortunately, if it’s draft picks the Blazers want the C’s can’t give the most valuable ones.

But if the Celtics can somehow get Fernandez? Man, I would love that. He’s instant energy off the bench, can shoot the rock from outside, runs the wing on the break and is a lady killer at the same time. He had a down year last year, but has been stifled in a halfcourt Portland offense. Get Fernandez running the wing for Rondo and he’d certainly be a better player than he was last season.

There have been some rumors that Fernandez is so disgruntled he might end up back overseas, but this wish list is a sign he wants to remain in the NBA. Let’s hope he gets his wish, as long as it’s in Boston.

Lawrence Frank, the pasty-skinned former Indiana University team manager (and, later, the Nets head coach), has been hired to fill Tom Thibodeau’s spot on Doc Rivers’ staff.

Frank was fired after his Nets opened this past season 0-16, but is still a good hire – not even Jesus Christ himself could have coached that bunch of underacheiving misfits. He (Frank, not Jesus) is a no-nonsense, defensive-minded coach who should be able to step right in where Thibodeau left off. He’s got some big shoes to fill, though.