Green Kick Of The Season R1: Rondo Hyperposites v JET Kamikaze II’s

14 May 2013 By Leave a Comment

The 2012/13 NBA season did not pan out the way it was supposed to for the Boston Celtics. One positive we can take away from the season was the shoe game of many Celtics. They stood up in the kick department and showed us some heat.

To celebrate this season’s best kicks, I have selected the best 16 kicks from the weekly Green Kick Of The Week to battle it out. It is now up to you, our readers who will crown the Green Kick of the Season!

Green Kick of the Season 2012/13 brackets

Below is the bracket, showing the matchups. (Click to view a larger version.)

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So let’s get this battle underway!

Round 1

First up, we have these kicks in the ring:

Rajon Rondo‘s Nike Hyperposite’s in the black/volt colourway.

Dallas Mavericks v Boston Celtics

versus

Jason Terry‘s Reebok Kamikaze II’s in the black/green colourway.

Boston Celtics v New York Knicks - Game One

Check back next week for the results of this contest and to see who battles it out next.

Filed Under: Green Kick of the Week Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Celtics-Knicks series: Game 4 recap

29 April 2013 By Leave a Comment

Image

The Boston Celtics managed to outlast the New York Knicks in an OT thriller at the TD Garden.

The Celtics led 54-35 at the half and by as much as 20 with less than 8 minutes to go in the 3rd period. However, as the Celtics have done all series, they struggled again in the 2nd half, scoring 14 points in the 3rd and 16 in the 4th.

Pierce had a chance to win the game in regulation but couldn’t get it to drop. When OT came around, JET was finally ready to play. He dropped 9 of his 18 points in the OT period, in which Boston scored 13 (1 less than 3rd period in 7 less minutes).

Paul Pierce finished with 29-8-6, Green 26-6 and KG with 13-17-6. Kevin played like a mad man and helped win this game with a big shot near end of regulation. Celtics held Carmelo Anthony to 10-35 from the field, who still 16-20 from FT.

The Celtics held on and won 97-90 to force a game 5 back in New York.

Schedule as follows.

Round 1 Game 1: 5am 21/4 in New York (85-78 L)
Round 1 Game 2: 10 am 24/4 in New York (71-87 L)
Round 1 Game 3: 10 am 25/4 in Boston (L 76-90)
Round 1 Game 4: 3 am 29/4 in Boston (W (90-97)
Round 1 Game 5: TBD 2/5 in New York
Round 1 Game 6: TBD 4/5 in Boston *
Round 1 Game 7: TBD 6/4 in New York *

Filed Under: Games, Season 2012/2013 Tagged With: , , , , ,

Green Kick Of The Week feat Jason Terry’s Reebok Kamikaze II

23 April 2013 By 1 Comment

The Playoffs are here! And with that, I hope to see some awesome kicks coming up. This week we saw Jason Terry bring out a great pair of kicks against the Knicks in Game 1.

This weeks winner of KOTW is Jason Terry  and his awesome Reebok Kamikaze II’s.  Terry has been wearing Kamikaze’s for a majority of the season, but this colourway caught my eye.

Boston Celtics v New York Knicks - Game One

Let’s not beat around the bush, Terry had an awful match against the Knicks. He was a non-factor and couldn’t find his range. I hope he can find his 2011 Playoffs form soon, before it’s too late.

His shoe game was much better. These kicks look great. I really like Kamikaze’s and this colourway is one of the best I’ve seen. The green and black outer go together well with the unique design of the shoe.

Boston Celtics v New York Knicks - Game One

Of course, I’d rather be writing about Terry coming into his own in the Playoffs, but for now, his shoe game is better than his shooting game.

I look forward to seeing what the JET can produce in the Playoffs and I’m hoping we see him drain many shots from beyond the arc.

Do you think the JET should keep ‘em or dump ‘em?

Filed Under: Green Kick of the Week Tagged With: , , ,

Green Kick Of The Week feat Jason Terry’s Reebok Sublite Pro Rise

10 March 2013 By Leave a Comment

Let’s face the facts. Jason Terry did exactly what we expect from him in the fantastic OT win over Hawks; hit a game clinching shot! The JET truly took off in OT and helped the Celtics record a much-needed win over a Conference rival.

The JET did all this in an eye-catching pair of Reebok Sublite Pro Rise, which earned him this week’s KOTW. These kicks jumped out at me immediately. They feature a camouflage outer mixed with what looks like fighter jet detailing, which makes perfect sense that the JET would wear them.

Atlanta Hawks v Boston Celtics

To be perfectly honest I’m not much of an expert on Reebook’s and couldn’t figure out what Terry was wearing. I have to thank @Celtkicks from Red’s Army for the heads up!

This is an amazing colourway to say the least. Reebok have done a great job with Terry this season, supplying him with a large array of retro and modern kicks to rock on the court.

Atlanta Hawks Vs. Boston Celtics At TD Garden

The JET has worn many different Reebok’s this season and won KOTW earlier this year with his Reebok Answer IV’s. Whilst the Answer IV’s have much more history and are known for their uniqueness, this colourway of the Sublite Pro Rise gives them a good run for their money.

It will be interesting to see if Terry brings out this colourway again, I sure hope he does! Especially if can continue to knock down huge shots in them.

Atlanta Hawks Vs. Boston Celtics At TD Garden

What are your thoughts on this interesting colourway? Do you think The JET should keep ‘em or dump ‘em?

Filed Under: Green Kick of the Week Tagged With: , , , ,

Celtics Old Guard outlast Nuggets in triple thriller

11 February 2013 By Leave a Comment

The Boston Celtics have capped off a fortnight of fearless basketball with a gutsy triple-overtime win over the Denver Nuggets at TD Garden today; with a winning streak now still alive at 7 games since that pivotal double OT win over Miami that got them out of a similar rut, of equal significance was the resetting of Denver’s own 9-game victory lane.

Jason Terry of the Boston Celtics takes flight.

The Denver Nuggets indeed proved to be every bit the handful they are out West, with a nifty young roster only skewed on average by 36-year old veteran, Andre Miller. Wherever the Celtics threatened to take an unassailable lead in regular game-time, they reeled them right back in.  To the neutral NBA fan, it was a terrific game of basketball and within such an electrified crowd; so much so you’d swear they’d spent the pre-game in one massive snowball fight, courtesy of the weekend dumping from Blizzard Nemo.

(I still don’t understand how the name ‘Nemo’ was allowed).

It is also hard to imagine how a sport with point score variations to go with many stoppages and turnovers can still foresee a certain game having overtime written all over it.  And so was the case here, where two teams relatively well-placed in the standings were just desperate to protect their winning momentum. Naturally, the referees had to have a hand in it per se, when Avery Bradley was ruled out to have touched the ball out last, despite replays likely showing to the contrary. Denver only needed the 0.8 seconds of regulation time from the sideline to tie up the game through eventual top-scorer, Ty Lawson (29pts).

The aforementioned youth of Denver changed the cat-and-mouse game in over-time and the concern was whether Boston had the legs to go with them.  However, in each challenge thrown, they did just that – with the older brigade of Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett and Captain Paul Pierce still getting involved.  Indeed it was fitting that Terry should have the last possession of the game with a steal off Miller and a lethargic dunk to finally seal it.  It is hard to know whether this was a break-out performance from Jason Terry, but his efforts were sensational as much as crucial.  His 3 point prowess returned at important stages.  The Celtics need him to frequently bring this to the fore in the big games going forward to go with the excellent defense of Avery Bradley, who can be counted on to toss in valuable points.

For the big games, they will keep coming no sooner than after backing-up the streak tomorrow down in Charlotte against the Bobcats. They host the Chicago Bulls in the last, right before the All-Star break.  Losing Rajon Rondo is the leveller to the match-up with the Bulls, who have had a whole season to get used to missing their star point-guard.  They look to be well settled too with their superior season-record to the Celtics.  There is then this small matter of a five game West Coast road trip which includes L.A and Denver once the season restarts.

After today though, there is no reason for that to be daunting. Two weeks ago, all the talk in the media was about Finals being too hard, who should the Celtics trade for, heck, even whether it was time for KG or Pierce to retire!  With one roster position still to be filled prior to trade deadline, arguably it should be now about who should join this Boston party.

Filed Under: Opinions, Season 2012/2013 Tagged With: ,

When Will The JET Soar Once More?

20 January 2013 By Leave a Comment
Avery Bradley and Jordan Crawford

Avery Bradley and Jordan Crawford (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

With the return of Avery Bradley –The Gamechanger, The Saviour and all of a billion other divine titles– there has been a shuffle in the playing rotations. When Danny Ainge put this team together in the off-season, the idea was to have the tenacious backcourt of Rondo and Bradley start. A bench featuring Jason Terry and Courtney Lee would then cover the starters, with the Brazillian Blur, Leandro Barbosa thrown in for good measure.

This has since created a logjam amongst the guards, with a huge chunk of minutes going to Rondo (35.8), Bradley (24.3) and Lee (17.6) over the past fortnight, leaving a potentially scarce 18 minutes for Barbosa and Terry.

The question remains: with very limited action, what will become of Jason Terry’s role on this team?

Lee’s return to form

The early season struggles of Courtney Lee were well-documented as he bounced around from starter to bench player and back, but he has found a definitive role in the rotation since Bradley’s return. When Avery heads for the bench, Lee enters the game to sustain the same ball pressure.

As Bradley told ESPN in a recent intervew:

“We definitely frustrate our opponent, and that’s what we try to do. I start the game off trying to frustrate whoever I’m going up against and Courtney comes in the game and he does the same thing.”

Now that Lee has settled into a role that he can thrive in, he has proven over the last fortnight exactly how valuable he is to the team. His confidence on D has found its way into his shooting, resulting in a much higher shooting percentage. Over the month of January, Lee has shot 54% from the field in 17 minutes of action, averaging 7.6 points a contest.

The Blur, ready to go

Due to the quality of guards in Boston’s squad, Leandro Barbosa has found himself on extremely limited minutes this season through no fault of his own. Since early season, Barbosa has proven his ability to handle the ball, get to the basket in a flash, and finish well on the fast break. He has also surprised Doc Rivers with his ability to defend other guards.

After the win over Oklahoma City in November, Doc praised Barbosa’s defensive gears to ESPN:

“He has that reputation of being an offensive player. What we have found since getting him, he’s a heck of a defensive player. He has the ability to put pressure on the ball. That’s something we didn’t know.”

To have a guard of this quality sitting at the end of the bench adds pressure to Terry, especially with Doc looking to Barbosa down the stretch in the team’s win over the Bobcats last week. The interesting decision to start the Brazilian Blur against the Bulls in Bradley’s absence is also something that should be taken note of.

What is left for JET?

So where does this leave 35 year-old Jason Eugene Terry, who is renowned for knocking down big shots off the bench? The former Sixth Man of the Year seems like a perfect fit for Boston to provide an offensive boost when he enters the game, but his defense leaves a lot to be desired. It is a glaring weakness, and could well be a reason for the drop in recent minutes – Terry logged a combined 31 minutes in the wins against Charlotte and Houston.

#4 Jason Terry

#4 Jason Terry (Photo credit: Girovagando)

Terry returned to his preferred role of coming off the bench since Bradley’s return, but has been in a shooting slump in January. He shot just 37% from the field while averaging just 6 points per game, down from an average of 11.5 for the rest of the season. If he is not scoring, Terry must find other avenues to get involved in the Celtics offense.

When Rondo was out with a two-game suspension, the JET entered the starting line-up as the point guard and proved himself  as an underrated passer. Terry posted 11 assists against the Bucks in December, showing his worth as a distributor of the ball. Terry is especially proficient at drawing the defense in with dribble penetration, which allows him to set his teammates up for open shots on the drive and kick – this was something he did very often during his tenure with Dallas. The Celtics as we all know live and die by the jumpshot, and Terry’s ability to facilitate the shot could very well be a factor on offense.

With the improvement in production from Jeff Green and Courtney Lee, Terry should feel less pressure to carry the bench’s scoring load.This (theoretically, from a fan’s point of view) should enable him to relax and shoot the ball with confidence. We might have caught a glimpse of Terry emerging from his shooting slump against Chicago, hitting some big shots in overtime to almost snatch the win for the C’s. Things are yet uncertain, but it should only be a matter of time until we see the JET taking full flight once again.

From all of us at Celtics Down Under – may the JET soar and let those threes fly!

(And swish of course.)

Filed Under: Opinions, Players, Season 2012/2013 Tagged With: , , , , ,

Green Kick Of The Week feat Jason Terry’s Reebok Answer IV’s

5 January 2013 By 2 Comments

It’s that time of the week again to take a look back at that player who bought out the best pair of kicks on our Green KOTW.

This week’s winner of Kick Of The Weekis none other than our high-flying JET: Jason Terry.

Memphis Grizzliess v Boston Celtics

Jason Terry has worn many different types of Reebok’s over the years. Most recently he has been rocking the Reebok Answer IV’s. These kicks were made famous as the signature shoe of Allen Iverson, and gained Reebok a lot of respect in the sneaker world.

Although Jet has been wearing these for a majority of the season, I thought it was about time he got some recognition for his selection of retro kicks.

ReebokAnswer4_display_image

These sneakers were re-released in August of last year and have been a very popular seller for Reebok.

Terry has chosen the black/white colourway. The shoe also features a unique zip up the front tongue and written on the sole is Allen Iverson’s motto ”Only The Strong Survive”.

Memphis Grizzlies v Boston Celtics

In my opinion these aren’t these are a uniquely awesome pair of kicks and with the history they have you have to respect them.

Do you think Jet should keep rocking these kicks?

Filed Under: Green Kick of the Week Tagged With: , , , ,

Celtics Reloaded: The 20-game picture.

18 December 2012 By 1 Comment

It has been twenty games into the 2012/13 season, a good quarter gone. What have we seen so far of the new C’s roster, and is this enough to get us into the Finals?

Short answer: The Charles Barkley, aka “I could be wrong, but I doubt it.”

Things might change down the road, and our defense could morph into the tenacious, high-pressure system that the KG-era Celtics are known for. Until that really happens though, we are what we are right now.

The real question is: who are the 2012/13 Boston Celtics?

English: Jeff Green עברית: ג'ף גרין

English: Jeff Green עברית: ג’ף גרין (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Scoring boost

Let’s kick off with something positive. Unlike previous seasons, this season’s Celtics are definitely capable of scoring. Last season’s average was 91.8 (26th in the league), this season we are at 97.4 (12th in league) – a massive jump of 14 spots, go figure.

Outside of Pierce/KG/Rondo, the JET (11.7 PPG) and Jeff Green (10.0 PPG) are providing some measure of firepower.

  • After a very slow start, Green is slowly finding his game, expect his scoring average to increase over the coming games.
  • Similarly, Terry will return to his comfortable spot as the scoring 6th man role once Bradley returns to the starting lineup. Look for his PPG to return to the tune of 15.0, which was what he had in recent two seasons with the Mavs (15.8 and 15.1).
  • Brandon Bass’s scoring has suffered as a result of his being shuffled around the start and bench roles, but I’m confident he will return to his usual groove, given enough minutes.
  • Courtney Lee unfortunately is not making a real impact on offense. He has been far too hesitant on driving in, which is one of his strengths. His 3 shots are not falling either (3P% at .286, huge drop compared to past two seasons’ 3P% at .401 and .408), a real dent on offense. In short, he hasn’t been filling the hole left by Ray’s departure and Bradley’s absence.

Comment: Good mixed with the bad. We have got some capable scorers so that’s mild good news. The problem seems to be finding consistency and the right spots. Refer to next point.

2. Offense in the works

Whenever Rondo’s not in the game, everyone seems confused on what to do. Bad spacing ensures, and we invariably end up with a bailout KG jumper or ISO-Pierce when the shot clock’s winding down. Thankfully, the two of them hit the shots often enough for those last minute options to work. But hell, this happens even when Rondo’s in the game at times.

Comment: The new guys are still finding their way in the system, and that’s fine, things take time. It’s got to flow better though, we are leaning heavily on a mix of KG/Rondo/PP (combined 48.3 PPG of the team’s 97.4 PPG) for go to options. The bench needs to score more consistently and find their way more often. Right now, things look plain awful when any two of the Big Three are not on the court.

Russell Westbrook dribbling the ball during Ok...

Russell Westbrook dribbling the ball during Oklahoma City Thunder vs Boston Celtics at TD BankNorth Garden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Defensive lapses: Recovering

Last postseason has shown us how vulnerable the C’s are without KG on the court. This season is no different. We have gotten significantly worse on defense, opponents are scoring 89.3 PPG (2nd last season) to 97.9 PPG (16th this season).

(Hell, talk about coincidence: that’s a massive jump of 14 spots too!)

The key to the Celtics defense system lies in trapping/hedging to either force a turnover (or the ball to be swung elsewhere) with the big man then sprinting to recover and everyone else compensating. It is a team thing, and everyone has to make an effort. One missed rotation is all it takes for a baseline shooter to be jacking that open 3.

KG is incredible in this aspect, as his experience and length allows him to recover in double quick time.

How are our other big men doing on this area?

  • Bass is doing his best in the system, but it feels like he is overdoing the show and recover, which breaks the defense down elsewhere.
  • Sully is however coming along nicely, and should get the hang of it eventually. He has a very good grasp of the court spacing, knows where his man is and how far he should be on help defense.
  • Wilcox is very good at creating the double-team and forcing turnovers, and as a result is slower on the recover. Good or bad, you decide.

Comment: Either the guys get their act together, or we need to get a big in who is really good at the show and recover, good enough to be a game changer. Game changer is read as “Tyson Chandler” by the way, but I know it’s obviously not happening so Wilcox/BB/Sully need to improve, period.

A solid rebounding big man would be a plus, but I’m willing to overlook this as a minor concern. So long as everyone makes an effort to grab that defensive board, things should still work.

Avery Bradley and Jordan Crawford

Avery Bradley and Jordan Crawford (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

4. Defensive lapses: Perimeter defense

We all know enough by now not to lie to ourselves. Rondo is not a defensive stopper like Bradley (or Tony Allen), his job more often than not consists of staying in front of his guy, and funneling the dude into the helping big man’s trap, while attempting to poke the ball away from behind. The attempts are unfortunately, not successful all the time.

This in turn forces help defense and rotations all over the place, which leads to open shots on an unselfish team that hits the open man. Refer to the recent Spurs game for examples, we had plenty of those.

Without Bradley, our perimeter defense has been a little lacking. What about the other guys?

  • Jason Terry works hard, but age is age and he simply cannot keep up with some of the younger guards like Jrue Holiday, Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis.
  • Courtney Lee provides energetic defense, but he tends to give a little more space than is necessary at times, which leads a smart attacker into getting the space he wants for shots. Let’s not forget about the last Heat game, when he forgot about Wade and provided several backdoor cut opportunities.
  • Leandro Barbosa is lanky and quick, hustles on defense and goes over the screen on pick and rolls, something I really like. It keeps the pressure up and makes it harder for the opposing ball handler to see the court and make decisions.

Comment: We need a 2 guard who is capable of pressuring the offensive ball handler. The other team gets delayed in running their set, it’s easier for Rondo to defend (and gamble for steals) and the interior defense is hammered less, simply because the inbound passes are harder to make.

Lee is a stop gap solution, Bradley is the real answer to the starting 2 guard role. On the bench, Barbosa would be the ideal stopper/backup 1 guard, while JET or Lee play off the ball.

Does that sound like we have too many guards? Unfortunately, yes. Speculation about Lee being possibly traded is a valid topic these days, most especially with Bradley returning soon.

Rondo!

Rondo! (Photo credit: Lorianne DiSabato)

5. Lack of a backup point guard

Rondo is playing 37.9 minutes per game right now. A worrying trend, because it shows how much his presence is needed right now. The lack of a backup ball handler/playmaker is showing very obviously.

Do we need a trade for Rondo’s load to be lightened?

Comment: I’d say yes, but I’m not sure what the price will be. I’m sure Doc will limit Rondo’s minutes when necessary, it’s just that the rest of the team has got to step up and make things work when Rondo’s not on the court.

Note: “Make things work” does not equate to Pierce taking the ball and launching a three bomb. He is shooting .299 at 3P%, which means he is making one of three shots. That’s bad.

The ball needs to be moved around for an easier option, much the same way the Spurs execute on offense. An inside/outside rhythm, pushing it into the rolling man who kicks it out, the defense has to be forced to collapse inward so that easier shots can be taken. Incidentally, this is what Rondo’s court vision and speed does for the Celtics. His drive forces help defense, which allows him to find open shooters.

Summary: Defense is down, offense is up. Will things improve? Yes. Will a trade be happening? Very likely, but no one knows what Danny ever has in mind. It is clear enough that two main needs are to be addressed, in a defensive-minded big man and a backup point guard. The real concern is, what do we have to give up for the trade(s) to happen?

In Danny we trust, and that is what us fans have got to do – stay patient, watch the team and hope for the best.

Filed Under: Opinions, Season 2012/2013 Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The green season so far: Overexpectations, underperformance and adjustments.

8 November 2012 By Leave a Comment

The offseason/preseason had Celtics fans all over clamouring in excitement about the quality of offense, our lineup depth and how chemistry was being built during the Europe trip. Well now, it’s been 4 games into the season so far. With a 2-2 record, things aren’t looking too shabby.

However, there is a slight cause for concern if we looked closer at the games.


(via Red’s Army gallery – Celtics v Bucks)

  • v Miami (road): 107-120 (L)
  • v Milwaukee (home): 88-99 (L)
  • v Washington (road): 89-86 (W)
  • v Washington (home): 100-94 (W) (OT)

The wins so far have come against the same team, the Washington Wizards who are missing two key players hampered by injuries, namely John Wall (left patella) and Nene Hilario (sprained foot). The victories however have not been easy ones, the latest win being a home game that was secured only in overtime. What exactly is wrong?

These four games played thus far, are showing up areas that could be legitimate concerns later in the season.

Here is a look at some of them.

Lack of backup point, Rondo’s minutes
Rondo has been playing a minimum of 40 minutes in each game so far (43, 40, 40, 44), something that could wear him down in the year long grind. The original solution (i.e. taking turns to bring the ball up) has not proven to be the answer; we can see Rondo’s scoring and creativity are needed on the court right now.

Time could quite possibly sort this problem out, but Rondo’s minutes should be limited regardless, if we want Rondo to perform at an All-Star level in the playoffs. That being said, Doc and his coaches would know when Rondo should be reined in.

Teething issues: new players
Preseason is what it is, and the games so far have shown the new Celtics to be in the process of adjustment. The Celtics’ offensive style takes time to learn, the defensive schemes even more so.

Some examples:

  • The JET is clearly not comfortable running off screens and making shots the way Ray did, and is used taking his shots either in rhythm off the dribble, or as a set shot. On defense, he has proven to have slower legs, something the team defense will have to learn to compensate for when guarding Terry is matched up against quicker guards.
  • After a preseason scoring barrage, Green is once again finding his way on offense. It feels like a lack of aggressiveness at this point. Also, he appears to be showing too hard on pick and roll defense. This results in his man getting open while he recovers from the hedge.
  • Lee is somehow resigned to being a spot up 3 shooter at the baselines, when he has shown us that he can be so much more. The tenacious energy and hustle that was so impressive in the preseason somehow vanished. He seems to be struggling with the defense so far as well, which became very obvious when he was matched up against Wade, who resorted to backdoor cuts for the easy basket.

Note: I’m not saying the new guys are complete failures, but rather the fact that the sky high expectations we all had, should be adjusted. The entire process is definitely going to take some time. While this adjustment is happening, expect more of the above scenarios to happen. I am hoping that everyone gets onto the same page by the time All-Star weekend is over though.

Related: check out CelticsLife – It’s not easy wearing the green and 4 reasons JET is still taxiing.

Big Three shouldering the load
After that shaky loss to the Heat on season opener, the Celtics have gone back to the proven formula: namely, utilising the new Big Three of KG, Pierce and Rondo. In the past three games, the trio have account for half or more of the team’s scoring (40 of 88pts, 54 of 89pts, 53 of 100pts).

This strategy is definitely a step in the right direction, but the bench unit needs to step up and contribute much more in the way of offense. With KG’s limited minutes in the season, do not expect him to come out with 20 points every night. Pierce and Rondo are going to have nights when they struggle to score. Bass has been the quiet and steady performer, putting up numbers (10.2 PPG. 7.2 RPG) both as a starter and off the bench.

All that is left is for guys like JET, Green and Lee to step up.

Stay calm folks, let’s keep faith in our guys in green and keep on cheering for that banner #18!

What do you think of the season so far? Feel free to share your thoughts too.

Filed Under: Opinions, Players, Season 2012/2013 Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Green Ubuntu feat Wade respecting the C’s and more

29 October 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Green Ubuntu is a collection of Celtics-related news and columns from around the intarwebs, just so that you keep in touch with our favourite green team.

Follow us on Twitter at @CelticsDownUnd and like us on Facebook too! There will be a contest for the season opening game, so join us on the Facebook page, have fun together and win a prize if you’re a lucky at game stats.

Today’s edition features talk about the Celtics’ open practice, Dwyane Wade showing respect for the C’s and more.

Practice highlights

Celtics open practice: One fabulous Rondo jacket and some offensive drills – Red’s Army

Videos of the open practice, courtesy Chuck from Red’s Army:

Observations from the Celtics “open practice” – Lucid Sports Fan

Mark Vandeusen writes about the open practice as well, check out his post with some videos and snaps of the session. It must be fun to be able to attend stuff like this, something we blokes in Australia miss out on. I like the part where JET was getting the crowd involved:

Jason Terry is a lot of fun. Before they started scrimmaging he told one side of the building to root for the green team, and the other to cheer for the white team. This got the fans much more involved. I was sitting on the “white” side, and the crowd around me chanted “de-fense” and jokingly booed Pierce on the free throw line at the end of the game

Player features

Heat’s Wade has great respect for Celtics – Boston Herald

“I understand what he was saying at that standpoint and we look forward to the challenge every year. Boston is always the team that’s going to make us point fingers (at each other) in the game sometimes. They mess with your mind a little bit. It’s a great challenge for us and by the time you get to the playoffs, we look forward it. You have to be aware and focused on everything that they’re doing because they can beat you any given night.”

Wade at least is acknowledging that the Celtics will prove to be a handful this season, rather than sitting easy in arrogance or overconfidence. He also recognises the fact that adding younger legs around KG will only serve to preserve him (and Pierce) for the games that matter.

“When you got great players, no matter how old they are, you’re a great player,” Wade said. “KG (Kevin Garnett) is playing phenomenal, like he’s found a fountain of youth. Why break it up? You do the San Antonio (plan), you just add players around the great players. San Antonio has been very successful and it seems like Tim Duncan has been in the league 38 years. Why change that? And Boston has kind of did the same thing. They felt they needed a facelift but they kept three of their core four to come back and still make another push at it. Their just as good. It’s a different dynamic than having Ray but they got other guys that brings something different to the team that will be challenging.”

I like the way Wade thinks, now if only he wasn’t a Heat player.

Stronger case for Sixth Man of the Year: Terry or Green? – CelticsLife

Interesting argument, and I would put my bets on defense being the key that swings the vote. Should Green be capable of good defense in the season ahead plus consistent scoring, he’s a definite shoo-in over the JET for me.

Rajon Rondo’s roadmap to greatness starts with Paul Pierce – CelticsBlog

Jeff Clark contrasts Rondo’s career with Pierce’s, which interestingly seem to be have similar bumps along the way. You can never judge until one’s journey is done, but here’s hoping Rondo rises to greater heights in the years ahead.

Injury watch

Darko Milicic

“I have some pain and it’s going to come back,” he said. “The only way I’m going to heal is not doing anything. Not lifting or anything. But I just can’t do it right now. I can’t let it go. I have to keep lifting and working out. The pain is going to be there for some time, but it is what it is. The tape gives me some support and that will be on it as long as I feel some pain.” – via WEEI

Something to worry about? At least it’s not his master hand, but the season is 82 games after all, and getting sufficient rest doesn’t seem to be an option.

That’s all for today folks, have fun and I’ll see you soon.

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