SawxBlog

Beat LA Again T-Shirts Now On-Sale!

Beat LA T-Shirts now on sale. (SawxBlog Illustration)

Since the Celtics and Lakers 2010 NBA Finals showdown became solidified, the City of Boston has been buzzing with all things Celtics. Shoot, I haven't even been able to properly focus on the Red Sox since the C's playoff run began, and the recent posts reflect that. So in an effort to help get my fellow Celtic fans in the proper gear, I designed a simple "Beat LA Again" T-Shirt for myself to help cheer on KG and the boys to banner number 18. If you want one too click on the below link. Can't wait for Thursday! Go Celtics!!!

• Buy Beat LA Again T-Shirt

The Boston Celtics Prove ESPN Experts Wrong Again #celtics

ESPN Experts......wrong again. (ESPN Webshot) I'm just hoping that they pick LA/Phoenix for the Finals.

Watch it and WEEP - Celtics on way to Finals!

Video of Dirty Dwight Howard & his Cheap Shots in 2010 Eastern Conference Finals

If you've had any doubt that Dwight Howard is a dirty ass player, whose smiling and joking is a facade to the cheap player he is - let the below be all the proof you need. The Celtics need to make him pay, as The Dude said best:  

"I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man."

  

Game #1 - Dirty Dwight Howard elbows Big Baby square in the face, offensive foul called.

Game #2 - Pierce gets jersey pulled, elbowed by Dirty Dwight Howard then rakes his fingers across Pierce's face. Flagrant called.
 

Game #3 - Dirty Dwight Howard fouls Perk hard and throws him, following through again, to the ground.
 

 Game #4 - KG gets elbowed directly in the face by Dirty Dwight Howard, pushes him back - only he gets called for the T.
 

Game #5 - Dirty Dwight Howard elbows Pierce and follows through hard making him land awkward. Foul called.
 

Game #5 - Dirty Dwight Howard elbows Big Baby, knocks out teeth, gives him concussion.
 

And just for the heck of it, here's video of Dirty Dwight Howard in the 2009 Playoffs, just last year, where he was suspended for a game for throwing a vicious elbow at Samuel Dalembert. Dirty Dwight Howard is a punk, plain and simple.
 

Dwight Howard is a Mercenary & Cheap Shot Artist

Dwight Howard's play has been dirty & cheap. But where's the league been? (ESPN Screenshot)

Let me start this off with an apology to you, the loyal Red Sox fan. I will get to the Sox resurgent play, which culminated last night with a very impressive sweep of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, however - it's going to have to wait another day, for all I see is red after witnessing the gang rape performed by the black & white on our green last night. Watching the Celtic's in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic has left me in a wayward trance, and I can't get the frustrated stench of crookedness away from my mind.

My Father and Tommy Heinsohn may be the only two other people on this planet who are as biased with the Celtics as I. That said - the officiating of the "refs" in last nights game went past the line of atrocious, and entered into a pathetic realm of gross mis-justice that only Somali Warlords and Boston politicians could possibly understand. It wasn't even laughable, and has made me all but lose my sense of humor with the NBA. Rooting for the Celtics in the 2010 NBA Playoffs has been a rewarding experience, however, it's also been a path strewn with nasty disgruntlement.

 The Heat series is where the biasness towards the Boston Celtics began. We had to sustain an innumerable amount of "superstar" calls that were received by Dwyane Wade, but in general that's not what sticks out to me in that series. What does is the one game suspension KG received for throwing a half-hearted elbow at Quentin Richardson, which didn't even really connect with his ugly mess of a face. In David Stern's new NBA, playoff basketball is no longer allowed to be physical and fun like it was in the 80's. You must protect the superstars of the league at all costs, they're going GLOBAL afterall! Kevin MChale would have been banned from the league and fined $17,000,000 for his foul on Kurt Rambis under Stern's sentient watch. A technical at best should have been given to KG in that instance, especially with his veteran/superstar status. But here's where the crux lies, KG - Paul Pierce - and Ray Allen are not part of David Stern's plan for global domination. They're not the future of the NBA - where everyone does fun dances before a game and are constantly smiling. Plainly put, they're no longer marketable, all they want to do is win, which is good for nothing in this brave new world.

 I'm not going to even get started on recanting the Eastern Conference Semifinal match-up against the Cleveland Lebron's. But that too is a large (the largest?) part of this equation, and is a big factor behind the referees screwing the Celtics harder then a skinny kid in jail. I think the rope-a-dope move we pulled on the league during the regular season left Stern and his cronies George Foreman stunned. The efficiency with which the Celtics were playing in the playoffs was majestic, and watching Rondo elevate to elite status has been a joy. Still, I've been using that suspension on KG as a watermark for how physical you're allowed to be in the 2010 NBA Playoffs. There were some shady calls and physical play in the Cleveland series for sure, but there was no stench of dirty play, the Celtics just broke the Cavs will and kicked their asses. This Magic series has turned into something wholly different and foul though - an ugly brand of basketball with no justice.

 Which leads us to the third player in David Sterns holy trinity of players whom are destined to lead the way in the NBA's global push, and that's Mr. Dwight David Howard. Earlier in this series I dubbed him with the name of "Smiley Jokey Fun Man" - and since then he's shown that his good guy image is just a front. This fraud is the biggest cheap shot artist in the NBA. In this series alone he's elbowed and forcibly smacked in the face every Celtic starter except for Ray Allen. He pushes players down (hard) after the play, and follows through with his fouls with a calculated intention to harm. He's undeniably the strongest player in the league, and these cheap shots aren't just a result of that, they're consciously being done by him. He's not an untrained pit-bull, viciously attacking opponents blind. He's a trained pit bull who's heard the kill phrase muttered from his owners mouth, and he's going for blood. Based on the plethora of cheap shots prior to him KNOCKING OUT Big Baby, that chicken wing of an elbow cannot be considered incidental contact. You also can't use the old adage of it's just "Playoff Basketball" - because we've already seen in the Heat series that you're not allowed to be overtly physical in the 2010 playoffs, just ask KG.

So here's the question:

After the Celtics got up 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals did Stern slam his palms on his New York City desk and scream, "Enough!" Was there then a memo sent down to the refs asking them to call it tight one way, and not so much the other? Was there also a nod and a wink given to the Magic that they could "open it up" a bit?

 Is this really that far fetched to think? Am I just another crazy conspiracy theorist Boston fan? I am a fiercely loyal and biased man as I've already stated, but I mean Jesus Christ man, they already have Van Gundy's brother in the ESPN/ABC booth - why not put the full court press on both the Celtics and their fans. Think about it - how much money does the league make with each playoff game that's played? If a Boston Celtic player did any of the "hard fouls" (actually, often a foul isn't even called...) that Howard's been heaping down on the Celtics the outcry and swift action from the league would be immediate. But no, Superman is marketable, and therefore there's nothing but crickets from the league. Meanwhile last night, Kendrick Perkins gets a foul called on him when he touched no one, and as he's walking away, with his   back turned completely to the ref, he complains in a very non-intrusive manner - Then BAM - he gets his second technical foul of the night called on him, which will also now lead to a one game suspension for Game 6. And Baby, I wouldn't expect to see him on the court either. So that's the league taking away two of our big men. Are you <bleeping> kidding me? The Celtics need to put a tape together of Howard's extra curricular activities in this Series and hand it to the league, and also give that tape to the Media, because we know neither ESPN nor ABC is going to show it. I want equal justice if nothing else.

So in conclusion, it sucks to be a fan and watch your team lose a playoff game. But the problem I have is that the Celtics didn't lose a playoff game to the Orlando Magic last night. They lost a playoff game to the league, and now possibly two with Game 6 looming sans our big men - where Howard will be allowed to maul whomever he pleases like some drunken werewolf. I fear there may be nothing we can do about it. Hear this though, the series is about to get a whole lot bloodier - the Magic can't concuss two players and foul as hard as they have without repercussions. Oh yes, it's about to get bloody, and the Magic are going to see what it's like, when the Champ starts swinging back.

The Magic Finally Show Up for the Playoffs

Jameer Nelson drives to the hoop in Game 4. (AP Photo)  I can't say I'm surprised. I mean, they are playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, after all. Why the Orlando Magic decided to wait until Game 4, when they were facing elimination, to show up and play basketball is beyond me. Nor is it my job to ponder why they couldn't string together a better performance prior this weeks overtime nail-biter. My task is to report on the Celtics, to muse why they're still playing in the ECF, and not resting up for their opponent in the next round. No small task it appears...

As Doc Rivers put it in his post-game press conference, the Celtics played a pretty terrible game, by their standards, and still almost pulled out the win. Yesterday morning's backlash and subsequent bandwagon-jumping comes as no surprise. After all, the Cees shouldn't have even made it out of the second round, much less shut down Orlando and Dwight Howard the way they did in the first three games. But to say Orlando will fight back from being down 3-to-1 and advance to the Finals is ludicrous. Now I'm not saying it is impossible. Even in my scant 33 years on this planet, I've learned well enough that nothing is impossible. After all, no Major League baseball team had come back from a 3-game deficit prior to 2004, and I imagine it'll be a long time before it happens again. And while no hockey team had done it in several decades, hockey is its own unique animal, full of eccentricities not prevalent in baseball or basketball. I'm not making excuses for the Bruins; they fucking choked, pardon my French. I'm saying the odds are slightly better in hockey for such a comeback, than in either the NBA or MLB.

It was bound to happen. The Celtics had been en fuego the past six games, going back to when they were down 2-1 to Cleveland. It certainly appeared as though they'd make a clean sweep of the Magic. But, the Magic were the second-best team in the East, and were bound to step it up. Especially in the face of going home so soon after sweeping their first two series. However, I pin as much blame on the Celtics' lack of execution as I give credit to Orlando for finally figuring out how to shoot and rebound, and not turn the ball over. The Cees did not look sharp Monday night, and it was especially evident in the first half. Orlando turned the ball over all of four times in the first 24 minutes. And I can't believe they suddenly learned how to protect the ball. It was the Celtic defense, so claustrophobic in the first three matches, that took the early part of the evening off. Just look at the second half: the Magic committed ten turnovers in the third quarter alone, the result of a focus from the Cees D not seen prior. Too little, too late, as the Celtics shooting troubles kept them from maintaining the lead.

In my mind, it doesn't matter who was at fault. The basis of the Celtics approach is team basketball. This ensures that, no matter which player is struggling on a particular night, there are plenty of bodies to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, when you have Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson finally awake from their respective comas, and Magic bench players finally showing some skill, that slack can be too much to take up. What I envision for Game 5 is a resurgence from Rajon Rondo, and a much tighter defensive scheme. The Celtics just have to make a few key adjustments, and they'll be sitting pretty come the end of the 4th quarter. However, if they allow Nelson to roam out beyond the 3-point line, and Howard to have his way in the paint, they'll only have themselves to blame if they fall. As much as I'd like them to close out at home, the Cees need to continue to be the great road team they were for the better part of the season, and end the Magic's hopes of advancing. The Lakers did the Cees a favor by dropping Game 3 to the Suns, and they shouldn't squander the opportunity to close out tonight and get an extra day of rest before the Finals start.

And to all the neigh-sayers who've already written the Celtics off (due in large part to the Bruins' failure in the NHL Playoffs), I have just one thing to say: Go find another team to root for. If you honestly believe Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo are done winning games in these playoffs, I have a lovely piece of swampland I'll sell you for a great price.

GO CELTICS!

Our Economy's Based on LeBron James

CELTICS!!!!

An Embarrassment of Riches

This picture typifies the Celtics as a singular unit - a singular team. Truth be told, I thought it would be a little closer than that. I honestly thought that after the last game, a game in which the Cleveland Lebrons were essentially outplayed by the Celtics guards, His Majesty  would come out firing on all cylinders and make it a close game. And, at first, it looked to be going that way. The Cavs were up after the first twelve minutes, 23-20, even though James' only points were from the free throw line. What I saw told me he was trying to emulate Rondo's performance in Game 4, spreading the ball around, rebounding, but not running the offense solely through himself. It looked to be going their way, until the Celtics decided he was going to have to win this game all by himself.

Over the next three quarters, the Cees scored 30, 30, and 40 points, respectively. Let those numbers sink in for a minute. The Cavaliers were one of the best defensive teams in basketball this season, and the Celtics ripped through that defense like a wet paper towel. 40 points in the 4th quarter? Absolutely ridiculous. Mind you, Rajon Rondo didn't even get his first assist until the ninth minute of the second quarter. What the Celtics did was play team basketball. Each and every player who logged minutes in this game had an impact. Five players hit double figures in scoring. Ray Allen buried three-pointers from every spot beyond the arc. Kevin Garnett simply owned Antawn Jamison, for a tidy 18 points and 6 boards. Even Perk managed to break double-digits and block two shots to go along with seven rebounds. And then the Truth shown through, as he was meant to do all series long. It wasn't a dominant performance by any stretch. But after averaging an anemic 12 points in the first four games of the series, Prince Paul let off for 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. And it couldn't have come at a better time.

Going into this series, I was more than a little nervous. The Celtics were outplayed in stretches by the Heat, and facing King James and his court was giving me nightmares. After splitting the first two games, that Game 3 ass-kicking really sent me on the downward spiral. But, having put up two amazing performances in Games 4 and 5, my faith in the Celtics has been renewed. They are playing championship-caliber ball right now, and I just don't see how the Cavs can overcome them. This series is by no means decided, but the Cees have a distinct advantage over the Cavs: they're playing at home, they're playing better than they played all season long, and Cleveland has all but lost its identity. I fully expect the Celtics to win Game 6 in Boston tomorrow night, and go on to face the Magic Sunday in Orlando. It might be close, but once the Celts went up by 20 last night, somewhere near the end of the third period, this series was essentially decided.

Some things I think the Celtics must do to ensure a win, and continued success in the next round:

• Keep playing team basketball. Keep every single player involved on both ends of the floor. Glen Davis and Tony Allen have been indispensable, keeping the frenetic pace up, grabbing rebounds, and forcing turnovers. If Heinsohn were calling these games, it would be nothing but Tommy Points for everyone.
• Keep talking. KG said it in the post-game interview: keep talking, especially on defense. One of the key things I noticed last night was how few wide-open plays the Celtics allowed. Lebron's first bucket was a lob pass all the way down the court for an easy dunk. That was in the 3rd quarter. The Celtics held him in check by keeping the defensive schemes tight, and not letting the Cavs exploit any holes for easy twos. Not enough credit is given to Tom Thibodeau for the job he's done preparing the Celtics for Cleveland's potent offense. The pained look on his face when the Cees finally did give up that easy basket says it all.
• Keep Paul Pierce involved. We know Rondo can go off for a triple-double pretty much whenever he wants. We know that if Ray Allen gets a couple of shots to go down early, he's going to be raining twos and threes all night. We know if the defense can limit their foul trouble, the bigs can stay in the game and be effective. Paul Pierce really is the X-factor. As he goes, so go the Celtics. I fully expect him to make up for his somewhat lackluster performances in Games 1 through 4 by scoring more, getting hot early, and really taking control at the right moments.

Game 6 is certainly not in the bag. Lebron James doesn't want what could be his last game in a Cavs uniform to be a 32-point drubbing. He'll want to bring his team back home to clinch an Eastern Conference Finals berth, and a chance to play in the Championship. I foresee an average LBJ night: 30+ points, 10 rebounds, 6 or 7 assists. But I also see a Celtics team that has no desire to go back to Cleveland, a team that wants to celebrate at home with a deciding victory. A team that knows how deadly Lebron and Co. can be, especially at home. The only real question is, which of the Celtics will have the nastiest night? Rondo? RayRay? Prince Paul? It doesn't really matter, since the main tenant of Doc Rivers' coaching can be summed up in one word:

Ubuntu.

Go Celtics!

Victor-y! Red Sox Sweep Angels Away - Sox to Sign Billy Ray "Rojo" Johnson to Bullpen?

Victor Martinez led the way going 2/4 with 2 runs scored & 4 RBI last night. (AP Photo)

The Red Sox completed their four-game sweep of the Angels at Fenway Park last night, the first time this has happened since the miracle year of 1967, winning the game 11-6. This series was exactly what the Sox needed as they seem to have a new found confidence after their early season low in Baltimore last weekend. That's the good news.

The bad news is that every team in the East above them has hit an equally hot streak. Both the Rays and Yankees have four-game winning streaks of their own, and the Blue Jays, who are a game and a half in front of the Sox, have a streak of five games and counting. The Yankees come into town tonight for what's shaped up (is this really a surprise?) to be a very interesting series. However, as New York proved last season, you can't put too much stock in these early season games, but still - momentum is never anything that you want to quell. I'll be attending on Saturday, and am hoping the Sox can keep the line moving - but it'll honestly be hard to concentrate tonight with the competition of both the Celtics and Bruins for TV time. Boston Sports Orgy.

In other news, via Yahoo! Sports, Krazy Kris found this hilarious article on new Venezuelan pitching phenom Billy Ray "Rojo" Johnson (AKA - Will Ferrell) who made his one pitch debut for the triple A Round Rock Express last night. With the way Delcarmen has been pitching, maybe we could use a guy like Billy Ray. Absolutely hilarious - all hail Will.

On Cinco de Nomar Night - Sox Win Third in a Row

Nomar Garciaparra throws his patent side arm home to Jason Varitek. (AP Photo)

On a night dedicated to Nomar Garciaparra - the Red Sox honored their former Superstar by continuing their recent winning (schizophrenic?) ways, as they beat the Angels 3-1. Despite what other Sox sites may want you to believe (ruff, ruff) - Nomar deserved this night more than anyone, and he's a large reason why the Red Sox fan base is as rabid as it is today. Nomar and Pedro paved the way for what the Red Sox are today, and despite things ending rather sad and tumultuously, you can't erase the impact he had on the city, franchise, and fan-base. He's one of my favorite ever to don the Sox cap, and if you're that bitter at him despite us winning it all the year we traded him, then I don't really know what to say you. Some people prefer to breathe bitter I guess, your loss.

Starting pitching stole the headlines again though, as John Lackey pitched for the first time against his former team, and he pitched very well - going seven innings strong while only allowing two hits. The last two nights are typical to how we expected the season to begin, with our starters going deep in back-to-back nights. I'm optimistic that this is more then a trend, and think the Sox have the urgency (there's that word again) needed to compete in the East. We'll see how Dice-K reacts tonight, who's the J.D. Drew of our pitching staff - a player with half-way decent overall numbers, who the fans love to hate. He's only had one start though, so give him a little breathing room, I believe the man still can pitch, and we'll see where he's at tonight.

Some unexpected offense was also generated by the man formerly known as Big Papi, with Ortiz going 2/3 with an RBI and run scored. This isn't necessarily reason to believe David's back to full form, however, he doesn't need an HR every time up at the plate, he just needs good productive AB's. You just hope something's finally brewing with Ortiz - and speaking of Bruins...

...there certainly seems to be something about this playoff run huh? Their 4-1 win over the Flyers last night basically cemented their spot in the East Finals, which will be the first time they've skated this late in the year since 1992. I think it's safe to say this team has entered the realm of "special" now - and it's been a joy watching them make this historic run. The picture on the right was discovered via Universal Hub by Matthew Cote - and is probably the best billboard I've ever seen, get whoever is doing the marketing for the B's a raise STAT.