Once in a while, someone else’s article catches my eye. Sometimes, it’s because the article is so spot-on I wish I’d written it myself. Other times, it’s because the article enlightens me with something I never knew. Still other times, it’s because I disagree with whatever’s written. No matter what the reason, I dish it off to another writer to make his/her point. You know, throwing some dimes.

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future.

1. Red’s Army unearthed a sobering piece by J.A. Adande about how the Celtics should blow up the current roster. To which I say, “Yup, it’s gonna have to be done.” BUT they still might have one last shot.

As disappointing as this season has been, it hasn’t been so bad they’re going to take down the 2008 banner. The strategy was worth it. I wish more teams would go all-in for a shot at a championship. But they need to get this over with as quickly as possible because there won’t be any gallant last stand. They don’t have the same ferocious defense or unmistakable camaraderie. Now there are reports that coach Doc Rivers is ready to leave. Rivers called it “old news.” He called it “a non-issue, for me, right now.” He didn’t call it “untrue.” He should move on. Everyone who can should. Call in the crew that handled the old Boston Garden demolition and let them take this roster apart. The painful part is that Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace still have two years remaining on their contracts, worth almost half the salary cap between them. This won’t be enjoyable to watch. Hopefully, there’s as little programming as possible.

2. SB Nation picked Rasheed Wallace, of all players in the NBA, to be the most valuable.

Nothing about what we are seeing now should be considered a surprise. Just looking at his body of work, and in particular the last year or so in Detroit, we should all have known what to expect from Rasheed Wallace (too many 3′s, talented but doesn’t make best use of those talents). So most Celtics fans went into this with eyes wide open.

With that said, his talent and past success was also seen as an opportunity. We hoped that he would be re-energized by the chance to play alongside other veteran stars with a chance at a title. We hoped that he would see the opportunity to finish off his career on an high note and make one final push for the title. Even if we got nothing from him in the last 2 years of his contract, if he worked out well this year, it would all be worth it.

None of that has happened thus far. In fact, there’s a perception (be it fair or not) that the opposite happened. Instead of the team infecting him with a winning attitude, he may have infected the team with a lackadaisical attitude. That’s not really fair to pin on any one person but it explains the angst directed at ‘Sheed.

Of course all will be forgiven if he really can “flip the switch” in the playoffs and justify the Celtics “CTC (cutting the check)” for him. But if he doesn’t, all he’ll be hearing is “ball don’t lie” from the Garden faithful.

3. Jeff Clark writes why people should root for the Celtics in the playoffs.

Root for Paul Pierce to take his place among the greats of Celtic past. Root for Ray Allen to convince the Celtics to let him retire in Boston and break Reggie Miller’s three-point record there. Root for Kevin Garnett to win the title again so he can try to top his “anything’s possiblllllllllllllllllllle” howl with something even more over the top. Root for the Celtics so the new stars can see that defense still does win championships.

A new dawn is ready to break for the NBA. This offseason could usher in some seismic shifts to the balance of power. But before that happens, lets put a cap on this era by watching the old guard go out on top.

4. Celtics Hub reminds us all that if there’s one thing Rasheed Wallace is good for, it’s bricking jumpers.

5. Ball Don’t Lie points out that some people, toddlers even, really love Dwyane Wade. Mayeb those damn toddlers should read Jeff Clark’s piece. For the next couple weeks or so, I say “Eff Dwyane Wade.”

Wanna throw your own dime, and get someone’s article recognized? Email me at jayking@celticstown.com or follow me on Twitter.

Mehmet Okur balled out of his mind tonight.

The Utah Jazz came out of halftime like a midsummer California forest fire: Flaming hot and viciously destructive.

Before you could say Mehmet Okur, a five-point halftime lead for the Boston Celtics had turned into a 10-point deficit, and a very winnable game was suddenly headed to the ‘L’ column.  The final score would be even worse, 110-97.

Just before halftime, the Celtics had seemed headed for their fifth straight impressive win.  A Ray Allen three-bomb put the Celtics up 12, and they were threatening to break the game wide open.  Just when it seemed they might put the Jazz away for good, the Celtics took their foot off the gas and allowed the Jazz right back into the game.  The 12-point lead disintegrated to five by the intermission, and the table was set for Utah’s second-half onslaught.

For the Celtics, it was a disappointing loss, but far from the end of the world.  A 3-0 road trip would have been delicious, but 2-1 is nothing to be ashamed of.  Beating the Jazz in Utah is exceedingly tough, but beating them in Utah when Okur plays like Reggie Miller, Hakeem Olajuwon and Dennis Rodman all rolled into one is next to impossible.  Ohkur was everywhere, blocking shots, snatching rebounds, and draining three-pointers from all angles. 

The Celtics looked like a team ready to fly home and embark on a six-game homestand, while the Jazz looked like a team thirstily trying to defend its homecourt.  In the end, that was the difference.  It wasn’t that Utah was a better team, or that they have more talent, but simply that they wanted it more.  It was that simple.  Had Boston kept the turnovers to a minimum in a sloppy first half, Utah might have faced an insurmountable halftime deficit.  But they didn’t, and they didn’t. 

I’ve spent half a season urging Boston to find the heart to exert effort throughout every play of each game, but tonight was the most excusable loss Boston has had in awhile.  I don’t want to let them off the hook after another second-half meltdown, but this one was understandable.  On the last leg of a road trip, playing a very good Utah team in a hostile environment, with a six-game road trip waiting on the horizon, it all added up to a second half devoid of any energy.  I don’t condone it, but I can see why it happened.

If the Celtics don’t bring their hardhats and lunchpails on Wednesday, though, there’s something wrong.  Playing a Nuggets team that all but bent the Celtics over and spanked them last time the two teams met, the Celtics should be out for blood.  It should help that it’s in the Garden, but playing at home hasn’t always been a good sign this season. 

After seeing the Jazz play the Celtics like a fiddle in the final 24 minutes of tonight’s game, spectators might think this was another night the Celtics got overrun by a better opponent.  I wouldn’t read too much into the loss, though.  It was one game, and one game only.  Really, it was one half and one half only.  The Celtics live to play another day.

The next time the Celtics take the court, they should thank their lucky stars they don’t have to play Mehmet Miller Olajuwon Rodman Okur.  He’s a killer.

*****

• Doc Rivers was tossed out of the game with a minute or so left after receiving his second technical foul, and mockingly applauded the referee after his dismissal.
• Ray Allen led the Celtics with 15 points.  Paul Pierce, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, scored only 11 on 3-13 shooting.

Box Score

“We choked,” Flip Saunders told the Boston Globe. “We got young guys, they don’t know what it’s like to be in a situation. We start talking to Garnett, start talking trash and everything else. Got Garnett and those guys juiced up and we just pissed down our leg the last six minutes. Read more »

Wouldn't you rather see Larry Bird in the HORSE competition than Omri Casspi or Rajon Rondo?

You weren’t the only one. An unnamed league exec bashed the NBA’s HORSE competition and the players it selects, and suggested some changes to make it better.

Via TrueHoop:

The league selects the absolute worst H.O.R.S.E. competitors.

Rajon Rondo???

Here’s how you make H.O.R.S.E. good:

You gotta have the guy who hits crazy impossible shots. Steve Nash would have been perfect.

You gotta have guys with OVERSIZED trash talking personalities. A guy like Eddie House or Rasheed Wallace or even Brandon Jennings. Just an all-round talker.

Nash, Nate Robinson, Rasheed, and Baron Davis. Now that’s a HORSE competition worth watching.

Omri Casspi should be interesting. He looks like he has some off-the-wall stuff.

Not Kevin Durant’s boring a–! And definitely not Rondo! Knock him out making five consecutive free throws!!

I say take it one step farther: have Larry Bird and Reggie Miller participate in the HORSE competition. Can you imagine Bird, mic’ed up, trying to eliminate Reggie? Trash-talking the whole time? Would either of them ever miss a clutch shot to end the game?

Someone on one of the million NBA telecasts I watched over the last week suggested that Bird and Miller be asked to join the three-point contest, but HORSE seems like an even better fit.