Showing posts with label Celtics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celtics. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Celtics must deal with more injuries

Celtics, Powe out for rest of playoffs with torn ACL

It looks like Kevin Garnett will have some company on the sideline as backup forward Leon Powe will be out for the remainder of the postseason.

Powe tore his ACL in his left knee in the second quarter in last nights win against the Chicago Bulls. Powe who was out for almost all of March due to a right knee problem will now have sit out to rehab his other knee now.

The Celtics were able to still beat the Bulls 118-115 last night to even the series at 1-1. They were led behind Ray Allen who scored 27 points in the second half. The Celtics were depending on Powe and Glen Davis to fill the void with Garnett being out. Now they will have to rely even more on Davis and rarely used Mikki Moore.

The Bulls who have surprised a lot of people by keeping games close with the defending champions have a lot of people thinking that the baby Bulls can actually win this series. With Powe going down the Bulls should be able to win the rebounding battle which can give them a realistic shot at winning the series.

Additional Headlines:

He Got Game: Allen hits game winner against Bulls

Parker and Spurs even series 1-1, beat Mavs

Dampier to Parker, "I'm putting him on his back"

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Cavs and Magic battle for best in the East, Magic dominate 116-87

If I were to tell you the Cleveland Cavilers and the Orlando Magic were playing and the final score was 116-87 you would probably guess the Cavs won, right? That was not the case last night.

The third seed Magic crushed the top seeded Cavilers 116-87 last night in Orlando. It was the first time in LeBron James's career where he has ever been down by 40 points. The Magic were on fire shooting 53 percent from the field. The Magic were led by Dwight Howard who had 20 points and 11 rebounds in the victory.

""We did not have a guy who didn't play well tonight, not a guy," said Stan Van Gundy, head coach of the Orlando Magic.

The goal for any team in the eastern conference in the playoffs is to try and stay away from Cleveland for as long as possible. However, for the Magic this win might have given them the confidence to really believe they could beat Cleveland in seven game series.

Additional Headlines:

Suns win seventh straight at home, makes Sunday match-up against Mavs HUGE

Celtics beat Hawks, maintain number two spot in the East

Wade and Heat clinch playoff spot with 97-92 over the Bobcats

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Suns Struggle

Suns continue to slip away from playoff contention, lose to Spurs 103-98

The Phoenix Suns are in a position where they cannot afford to lose a lot of games coming down the home stretch of the regular season if they want to make the playoffs. They did not help their cause tonight.

The Suns lost their fourth straight game today losing to the San Antonio Spurs 103-98. The Suns, who are still without Amare Stoudemire, had everyone else available but they still were not able to pull out a win against their arch rivals the Spurs.

"We're in desperate position," said Steve Nash "Let's do our best, not panic."

The Suns are now four games out of the eighth seed in the western conference with only 19 games left to play. The Suns have a huge match-up against the Dallas Mavericks next week who currently control the eighth seed.

Additional Headlines:

Howard and Magic beat Celtics as the beast of the Easts collide

Utah increases win streak to 11, climb up the western conference standings

Rockets extend home game winning streak to 12, move to third in the west

Friday, March 6, 2009

Potential Playoff Match-Ups

Mavs beat Spurs in potential first round match-up

In what is arguably the best rivalry in the entire league the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs battled once again to show who was the superior in the Lone Star State.

The Mavs were able to beat the Spurs by a score of 107-102. This match-up is a potential first round match-up between the two playoff experienced teams. The Spurs are currently in second place in the Western Conference and the Mavs are in the seventh seed.

"If we play hard every possession like we did tonight, we can beat a really good team," said Mark Cuban, owner of the Mavericks, "Now it's up to the guys to keep on doing it. ... I knew what we were capable of."

The Mavericks who have struggled all season needed to prove to themselves and their fans that they are still capable of beating good teams. Will they be able to continue there strong play in the last third of the season. Only time will tell.
Additional Headlines:

Top two teams battle in Eastern Conference as C's beat Cavs

Stoudemire done for season, playoffs included

Hornets on a roll after Chandler's return, fighting for home court advantage in playoffs

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Rip for Iverson

Pistons stop skid, beat Magic in possible playoff match-up

The Detroit Pistons have been locks in the playoff since 2002, now the boys from Motown are wondering what has happened to their team.

The Pistons were able to get back on track last night as they beat Eastern Conference elite, the Orlando Magic. The Pistons changed their starting line-up once again last night as they started guard Richard Hamilton and benched former MVP Allen Iverson.

"We want to get back into being aggressive, getting in passing lanes and pressing," Hamilton said. "We did a great job of that tonight."

The Pistons have been less than stellar since trading Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets for Iverson a few months back. The Pistons have lost seven in row coming into last nights game and are currently in the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.

Will the Pistons be able to get back on the winning track and be serious playoff contenders like they have been in previous years? Or could this be the end of an era in Detroit?

Additional Headlines:

Dirk scores 41 as Mavs beat OKC to hold on to final playoff spot in the west

No Amare, no Nash, no problem, Suns stay alive in playoff hunt

Marbury shines in debut with Celtics

Friday, February 27, 2009

Marbury signs with Celtics, strengthen bench play

The Boston Celtics might have just added the final piece to their roster to help solidify them as the favored team when the playoffs start in a couple of months.

The defending champs have just signed ex-knick Stephon Marbury to their team after he passed a physical earlier this afternoon. Marbury finally agreed to let the New York Knicks buyout the remainder of his 20.8 million dollar contract and is expected to receive a veteran minimum while playing with Boston for the remainder of the year.

"We are very excited to have a player of Stephon's caliber joining our team," Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said in a statement. "Our entire organization is confident in the belief that Stephon can play an important role in helping us to win another championship."

The Celtics where desperately looking for help off the bench after losing Forwards James Posey and PJ Brown during the off season. Marbury should help fill that void, he has averaged 19.7 points and 7.8 assist per game over his 12 year career, even though he has been on the decline while playing in New York since 2004.


Additional Stories:

Pistons continue to struggle, struggle to find new identity after years of domination

Kobe ruins Shaq's return to LA, as Lakers rout Suns

Rockets improve to 6-0 without Superstar McGrady, move to 3rd seed in Western Conference

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Amare-less Suns come up short against Celtics in much needed win

Amare-less Suns come up short against Celtics in much needed win

Earlier in the week it seemed that the Phoenix Suns were back and could make a run for a championship after a coaching change and a change of style. Then after an injury to Superstar Amare Stoudemire it seems that those championship dreams have faded.

The Suns lost to the Boston Celtics this afternoon in what was a "measuring stick game." The Suns came up short losing 128-108. This was the first time in three games that the Suns failed to score at least 140 points, and was the first game without Amare Stoudemire who had surgery on his eye on Friday.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Suns point guard Steve Nash said.

Nash had a double-double of 19 points and 11 assists but it was not enough to overcome the defending champs. Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics scored a career high 32 points and added 10 assists and 6 rebounds as well.

The lost now puts the Suns a game and a half back of Utah for the eight and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix will have to step up next week if they want to remain in playoff contention, they will play the defending Western Conference Champs the Los Angeles Lakers next Thursday at the Staples Center.


Additional Headlines:
Wade scores career high but lose to Magic in potential playoff match-up

LeBron and Cavs reign supreme over Pistons take control of Eastern Conference lead

Ginobili out 2-3 weeks with ankle injury as Spurs try to maintain home court advantage in West

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Stoudemire to miss remainder of regular season with eye injury

Stoudemire to miss remainder of regular season with eye injury

A couple of weeks ago Amare Stoudemire was the biggest name on the trade market and ended up going nowhere. Now the Suns have essentially traded him for nothing in return.

Doctors have said that Stoudemire is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after suffering a detached retina in a game earlier in the week against the Los Angeles Clippers.

"I was having problems with blurriness from sweat and getting a good fit," Stoudemire said at the time. "Enough was enough."

Yesterday, Stoudemire had surgery to repair the retina, and he is expected to have a 100 percent recovery, but at what cost? The Suns are currently in the 9th seed in the Western Conference and they are now losing their best player who scores on average 25 points per game.

The Western Conference has nine playoff caliber teams and only eight chairs at the table. Who will be on the outside looking in? If the Suns are not able to rally and have certain players step up to fill the void the Suns will be having a long off-season, something that is not acceptable in Phoenix.

Additional Headlines:

KG out for 2-3 weeks with injury, home-court advantage in question

LeBron scores season high 55, takes advantage of openings in Eastern Conference

Alston solidifies point guard spot for Magic for championship run