05/17/2008

Same old story: Celtics lose on the road to the Cavaliers, 74-69
Cleveland again takes advantage of its home court, beating Boston and forcing Game Seven tomorrow.

Reynolds: In playoffs or regular season, Celts are the same team
OK, here’s a theory on the Celtics.

Rivers shows frustration with Cavs' parade to foul line
CLEVELAND -- Doc Rivers was an unhappy, frustrated coach last night.

Rondo disappears from Celtics' offense in Game Six
CLEVELAND -- After a magical (20 points, 13 assists) effort in Game Five at home, Rajon Rondo laid an egg last night. He was not an offensive threat and finished with just two points and five assists.

Celtics get set for another Game Seven
CLEVELAND -- The Celtics just played a Game Seven. Or so it seems

Celtics should fear LeBron in decisive Game Seven
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James has clearly settled into a groove in this series.

Rivers turns to House, not Cassell, off the bench
CLEVELAND – The clamor of Celtics fans in some quarters for an Eddie House sighting was answered last night.

05/16/2008

Celtics’ focus is on big picture against Cleveland
“Our focus is to win the series. I think everybody else’s focus is about the road,” says Boston coach Doc Rivers on the eve of Game Six.

Rondo’s stellar Game Five play wins high praise
Let’s call Rajon Rondo’s postseason experience “The Education of a Playoff Point Guard.”

05/15/2008

Celtics 96, Cavaliers 89: Boston claws its way back to win Game Five
BOSTON — At some point in this playoff series, you just knew that LeBron James was going to throw the fear of God into the Boston Celtics. Last night was that night.

Reynolds: Vulnerable Celtics again find salvation at home
BOSTON — Last night was Game Five.

Garnett is unchanging force for the Celtics
BOSTON — The Celtics do not worry about Kevin Garnett. If he’s playing well, they leave their big man alone. If he has an off-game, they do the same.

Rondo shows the way for Celtics this time
BOSTON — There have been several times during the playoffs that Boston coach Doc Rivers has opted to go with 15-year NBA veteran Sam Cassell late in the game instead of starting second-year point guard Rajon Rondo.

Ainge has two reasons to celebrate
BOSTON — A great day, in fact a great season, got even better for Danny Ainge yesterday.

Allen isn’t afraid to lean on mates
BOSTON — LeBron James may be the King, but Boston guard Ray Allen is no peasant. He’s an eight-time NBA All-Star and a former 3-point shootout champion.

05/14/2008

Celts remain upbeat, but wish they could win on road
WALTHAM, Mass. –– Losing all five of their road playoff games has not put the Celtics in a state of panic.

Celts’ Rondo draws Rivers’ praise
WALTHAM, Mass. — He played almost 34 minutes, sank 7 of his 14 shots for 15 points, picked off three rebounds, passed for four assists, made two steals and turned the ball over just three times.

05/13/2008

Mighty Homesick: LeBron does a job on Celtics as Cavs tie series
CLEVELAND — With five minutes to play last night, the Boston Celtics seemed in perfect position to end their baffling road woes in these NBA playoffs.

Reynolds: Why NBA teams can't win on the road
Winning on the road is not easy in basketball.

LeBron carries the load for the Cavaliers
CLEVELAND — LeBron James has won bigger games in his pro basketball career but last night’s playoff win over the Celtics clearly was a fun one for the game’s youngest superstar.

Former Hendricken guard Mike Malone is a Cavaliers assistant
CLEVELAND – A former Bishop Hendricken guard is a key player in the Cavaliers’ quest to topple the Celtics in these NBA playoffs.

05/12/2008

Still Roadkill: Celtics must find a way to elevate play on road
CLEVELAND — The postgame “talk” after Saturday night’s ugly 24-point loss to the Cavaliers was actually a mere sentence out of the mouth of Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

Slow starts fuel Celtics' road doldrums
CLEVELAND –– For starters, the Celtics need to take care of business right out of the gate tonight.

LeBron brings all-around game
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James still isn’t shooting the ball like he’d wish but he doesn’t appear fazed.

Ben Wallace fights off viral infection
CLEVELAND -- Ben Wallace was listed as doubtful before Game Three because of a viral infection of the inner ear and allergies but he started and played well.

05/11/2008

Cavaliers dominate Celtics in Game Three
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers apparently don’t need LeBron James to play like a King in order to win playoff games.

As Rondo struggles, Cassell forced into bigger role for Celtics
CLEVELAND – Sam Cassell insists that of all the big shots he’s swished in his 15-year pro career, not one sticks in his mind.

LeBron remains confident after third poor shooting performance
CLEVELAND – LeBron James still isn’t shooting the ball like he’d wish but he doesn’t appear fazed.

Garnett can't understand why Celtics can't get it done away from Boston
CLEVELAND -- Kevin Garnett, like all Celtics’ fans, can’t put his finger on why the Celtics are dominating at home but struggling on the road in the playoffs.

Cavs' Wallace comes back and contributes to victory
CLEVELAND -- Ben Wallace was listed as doubtful before the game due to a viral infection of the inner ear but he started and played well.

Cavs' Delonte is giving Celtics' Rondo fits
CLEVELAND -- Rajon Rondo struggled early in the game for the second straight contest.

Kevin Garnett, Joe Smith keep Malik Sealy in their hearts
CLEVELAND — Kevin Garnett and Joe Smith share a bond, and painful memories, that literally go skin deep.

05/10/2008

Do Cavs have a shot?
CLEVELAND — One year ago, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers sat in the same uncomfortable position they find themselves in today.

Cavs’ ailing Wallace likely will sit out tonight’s game
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers’ deep frontcourt may be a bit thinner tonight for Game Three of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Celtics.

05/09/2008

Celtics in command of Eastern Conference semifinals
BOSTON –– If only the Boston Celtics could take Lucky the Leprechaun, their dancing girls and Gino the Dancing Guido to Cleveland for the weekend.

Donaldson: The ‘King’ seems to have lost his throne
BOSTON — We knew the emperor had no clothes. But who knew The King had no game?

Boston’s bench runs to rescue lagging starters
BOSTON — The Celtics have been saying all season long that they are a team.

Allen gets back in the flow with second-half breakout in Game Two
BOSTON –– At halftime last night, Doc Rivers had a firm directive for his coaching staff: Get Ray Allen going.

LeBron credits the Celtics for causing his struggles
BOSTON -- Give LeBron James credit for not sugar-coating his horrid effort in the first two games of the series.

All-NBA honors top a great season for Pierce
BOSTON –– Paul Pierce has enjoyed impressive statistical seasons but his best year as a pro is getting better with each passing week.

Ilgauskas has been a big presence for Cavs
BOSTON -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that the overlooked player on Cleveland’s roster is clearly Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Delonte appreciates the cheers from Boston fans
BOSTON -- Delonte West heard cheers when he was introduced at the Garden for the first two games of the series and he’s very appreciative.

Dizzy spell fells Cavs' Ben Wallace
BOSTON -- Cleveland forward Ben Wallace left last night’s game in the first quarter, complaining of dizziness.

05/08/2008

Boston Celtics thrive on fortifying defense at The Garden
Boston will need another stellar defensive performance against Cleveland tonight if it is unable to bounce back on offense.

Rivers wants Ray Allen in the flow for the Celtics
WALTHAM, Mass. — Celtics coach Doc Rivers is expecting All-Star guard Ray Allen to break out of his shooting slump tonight.

Cassell steps up to help Celtics get a win
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Boston guard Sam Cassell sparked the Celtics offense in the fourth quarter in Game One, scoring 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter.

05/07/2008

Up to the task: Garnett stars as Celtics halt LeBron, Cavs
BOSTON - As reporters and locker room attendants stepped over balls of used duct tape and sweaty jerseys, Delonte West looked at a stat sheet late last night and shook his head.

Rondo picked most opportune time to excel
BOSTON — He’s not one of the Celtics’ “Big Three.”

Posey ended up posing a big problem for LeBron
BOSTON — James Posey knew he was going to see an awful lot of Lebron James over the next two weeks but he got more than he bargained for last night.

West may prove a hidden gem in Cavs changeover
BOSTON — There was a lot of buzz in Cleveland when the Cavaliers secured Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, and former Celtic Wally Szczerbiak in a three-team, 11-player trade with Chicago and Seattle on Feb. 21.

Rivers approached Cavs series like a first-time meeting
BOSTON -- The Celtics and Cavaliers matched up against each other four times this season, but the Celts didn't save much of the game film.

05/06/2008

Unstoppable? Celtics must find a way to slow Cavaliers star LeBron James
WALTHAM — Paul Pierce and the rest of the Boston Celtics know what they’re getting into when they tip off an Eastern Conference semifinal series tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Celtics fans will find plenty of familiar faces on Cavaliers
WALTHAM, Mass. — It won’t take long for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ starting backcourt to introduce itself to the Celtics.

Delonte West has been a warrior for the Cavs
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Delonte West averaged a career-high 12.2 points with the Celtics last season when he finally seemed to come around in his transformation from shooting guard at Saint Joseph’s to a point guard in the pros.

05/05/2008

Pride and Joy: Boston crushes Atlanta, moves on to face Cleveland
BOSTON –– Forget Zaza and the rest of the Atlanta Hawks. Bring on King James.

Bill Reynolds: The Celtics really left it all out on the parquet floor
BOSTON — What was the best moment yesterday in an afternoon full of them?

Now, Celtics can rest a little easier
BOSTON –– Faced with the biggest game of their brief careers with the Celtics, neither Ray Allen nor Kevin Garnett could sleep very much Saturday night.

Hawks' Williams says he wasn't trying to hurt Rajon Rondo, but agrees with ejection
BOSTON -- The scariest play of the game involved a third-quarter breakaway by Rajon Rondo on which he was fouled from behind by Marvin Williams.

Perkins saves his best for series clincher
BOSTON –– Atlanta guard Mike Bibby called Boston center Kendrick Perkins “soft” after Perkins said Bibby had no business calling Boston fans “fair-weather fans” and “bandwagon jumpers” after Game One of their first-round playoff series.

Hawks’ potential fizzles in Boston against Celtics
BOSTON –– For nearly every player on the Atlanta Hawks roster, last night’s playoff elimination game against the Boston Celtics was the biggest of their lives.

05/04/2008

Reynolds: Celts never expected to be fighting for their playoff lives
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, of course.

Defense will be key to Celts win
Coach Doc Rivers wants his team to stay loose and not get too intense in today’s crucial Game Seven at The Garden.

05/03/2008

Hawks again bounce Celtics, force Game Seven in Boston
ATLANTA — A date with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will have to wait. The Atlanta Hawks are still alive.

There’s a big payoff when bench produces
ATLANTA — While the Celtics live and die with the exploits of their Big Three, it’s clear that the team’s unheralded bench corps carries a lot of weight in the playoffs.

05/02/2008

Young Hawks will probably force Celts to prove mastery in Game Six
Boston has looked invincible at home, but the Hawks’ ability to run up the score in Atlanta is disconcerting.

05/01/2008

Celtics soar at home and ground Hawks
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics know the time is at hand to shoot down the Atlanta Hawks. We’ll see if they’re ready to do the job.

Reynolds: Familiar surroundings of Garden put bounce back in Celtics’ step
BOSTON — This is why the home court counts.

Hawks seem to only fly down South
BOSTON — Before the game, Atlanta’s Joe Johnson had said that the Hawks are one team at home, another on the road.

A fired-up Paul Pierce burns the Hawks in Game Five
Boston forward Paul Pierce also says the hand gesture he made in Game Four simply stands for “blood, sweat and tears.”

Playoff failure weighs heavy on coaches, says Rivers
BOSTON — If anyone knew the weight of the stakes riding on last night’s game, it was Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

Pierce, Celtics deny ‘gang’ sign
Boston forward Paul Pierce says the hand gesture he made in Game Four simply stands for ‘blood, sweat and tears.’

04/30/2008

Celts see their lack of defense as the culprit
Boston’s slip in Games Three and Four has allowed Atlanta to get back into the first-round playoff series.

Bullet is dodged: No suspensions for Game Four Celtics-Hawks fracas
WALTHAM, Mass. — The Celtics didn’t think suspensions were warranted for the second-quarter fracas in Atlanta Monday night, but you never know in the NBA.

Celtics insist they have not given up on Cassell
BOSTON - Sam Cassell played only six minutes in Game Four but remains part of Boston’s rotation.

04/29/2008

Fit to be tied: Celtics blow late lead; series now even
ATLANTA — Kevin Garnett. Paul Pierce. Ray Allen. How about Joe Johnson?

Momentum swinging Atlanta’s way
ATLANTA — The series may be four games old and neither team owns a critical victory but right now the Atlanta Hawks seem to have the Celtics back on their heels.

Pierce hit with fine for gesture
ATLANTA — The NBA apparently views its game films very closely in the playoffs.

Stern says game in excellent health
ATLANTA — If nothing else, David Stern is one of the biggest NBA fans in the world. He is, after all, the commissioner.

Hawks Horford, Smith pose big matchup problem for Celtics
The Celtics’ defensive efforts in the series have revolved around one key matchup problem.

04/28/2008

Seeing flaws: Stunned Celtics take a long, hard look at themselves
ATLANTA — A few hours before Game Three of his team’s playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, Kevin Garnett labeled the game the biggest of the season for the Boston Celtics.

Atlanta savors win as Celts vow a potent revival
ATLANTA — The glow from the Atlanta Hawks’ first playoff victory of this century — the last came in May of 1999 — was still burning yesterday.

04/27/2008

It’s no pigeon shoot: Revived Hawks soar past Celtics
Atlanta looks like a totally different team as it clamps down on Boston and cruises in Game Three.

These Celts are road warriors
ATLANTA — Perhaps more than any other sport, home court is a decided advantage in basketball. The Celtics were attempting to defuse that theory last night at Philips Arena.

04/26/2008

Boston coach warns Celts about complacency
Even though the Celtics have looked dominant so far, Doc Rivers says the Hawks will be “more confident in their home arena.”

Hawks need to rise and shine
ATLANTA — After watching the Boston Celtics perform impeccably in the first two games of their NBA playoff series, now it’s the Atlanta Hawks’ turn. Ready or not.

Pierce on his health: ‘Pretty much 100 percent’
WALTHAM, Mass. — Paul Pierce has recovered from the slight injury he suffered to his lower back in Game Two and is ready to go tonight in Atlanta.

04/25/2008

Rondo is hitting on every cylinder
The Celtics’ point guard has been a playoff series standout, while Atlanta’s veteran backcourt leader, Mike Bibby, is struggling.

Pierce fends off back injury
WALTHAM, Mass. - Boston All-Star Paul Pierce left Wednesday night's game in the opening minutes of the first quarter with a lower back strain, only to return and score 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.

Celtics expect more out of Hawks on their home court
The Celtics have won the first two games of the series by an average of 21 points, but Boston is expecting a much stronger effort from Atlanta in Game Three tomorrow in Atlanta at 8 p.m.

04/24/2008

Celtics fly high and put Hawks in 2-0 hole
BOSTON — If it seemed as if the Boston Celtics were trying to send a loud, painful message to the Atlanta Hawks late in last night’s NBA playoff game, you are paying attention.

Paul Pierce is finally realizing the dream as true NBA great
BOSTON –– We have watched Paul Pierce grow up.

Bibby hasn’t responded well as villain in Boston
BOSTON — Most sports figures want to be the heroes for their team and their city.

Rondo a standout when it comes to preparing for games
BOSTON - One player the Celtics aren’t worried about in the game-preparation department is second-year point guard Rajon Rondo.

Garnett’s versatility grounds Hawks’ defense
BOSTON –– Before last night’s playoff game against the Hawks even began, the Celtics showed what’s made their season so special.

04/23/2008

Celts credit Rivers for leading turnaround
BOSTON — Two days ago, Doc Rivers gave a little plug for James Posey and his role as the Celtics’ super sub this season.

Garnett thanks teammates for superior defense
WALTHAM, Mass. — Kevin Garnett has won an MVP award, an Olympic gold medal and been chosen to the NBA’s all-league team three times.

04/22/2008

Kevin Garnett named NBA Defensive Player of the Year
The NBA announced today that the Celtics' Kevin Garnett has been named Defensive Player of the Year.

In Your Face: Celtics’ games more hoopla than hoops
BOSTON — Where to start? Is it with the pounding music, as if a band is playing inside your head?

Subs are far from reserves
WALTHAM, Mass. — While plenty of attention legitimately is showered upon the Celtics’ three leading men, the team’s bench isn’t exactly shabby.

04/21/2008

Game 1 goes to the Celtics, 104 to 81
BOSTON — After watching the rest of the NBA playoffs unfold with a run of upsets and close calls, the Boston Celtics hoped to deliver a message in Game One of their series with the Atlanta Hawks last night. Mission accomplished.

Garnett felt good and Hawks paid the price
It’s been three long years for Kevin Garnett to feel the excitement of playoff basketball once again and the Celtics big man certainly enjoyed it.

Look for the Hawks to change their game Wednesday
Playoff basketball is all about adjustments and match-ups. The Hawks clearly need to make some changes, especially on offense. When they’re out and running, the underdogs can be dangerous. Fighting through Boston’s defense in the halfcourt is posing major challenges, however.

04/19/2008

Rondo’s zip fuels Celts Big Three
WALTHAM, Mass. — Every so often, Rajon Rondo pinches himself and wonders just how far his life has turned over the last 12 months.

04/21/2008

Young Hawks taken under vets’ wings
BOSTON — Perhaps more than anything, last night’s series opener served as a referendum on just how well the youthful Hawks could hang with the Celtics. Needless to say, they passed the test.

04/20/2008

Rolling into the Playoffs
BOSTON — At the time, it seemed like a curse. Today, it clearly is a blessing.

When the Celts last ruled the NBA

Rolling into the Playoffs
BOSTON — At the time, it seemed like a curse. Today, it clearly is a blessing.

04/21/2008

All business
BOSTON — After watching the rest of the NBA playoffs unfold with a run of upsets and close calls, the Boston Celtics hoped to deliver a message in Game One of their series with the Atlanta Hawks. Mission accomplished.

04/18/2008

Celtics parlay team's revival into Green
April 18 (Bloomberg) -- The Boston Celtics had no sooner announced the acquisition of All-Star forward Kevin Garnett last July 31 when the National Basketball Associations club's marketers launched a fast-break.

Celtics prep for Atlanta in light practice
WALTHAM, Mass. — The Celtics had a light practice yesterday at the Sports Authority Training Center.

Celtics start playoff run at home Sunday night against the Hawks
BOSTON — Doc Rivers is getting his wish.