Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:16am — Anonymous

NEW YORK — Paul Pierce could not help but laugh.

After the captain scored 16 points and helped the Celtics stay alive with a 92-86 win over the Knicks in Game 5 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, Pierce appeared on with Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell on the WEEI Celtics radio network and was asked if he missed the news that Wednesday was supposed to be the Celtics’ funeral for the season – a suggestion made by Kenyon Martin, who advised his teammates to wear black to the game.

“I guess I didn’t get the memo. I guess this wasn’t the day,” Pierce said laughing.

Before the shootaround Wednesday morning, Pierce said, “No reaction. This is basketball. I’m not going to be dead after the game.”

What was the difference?

“Jeff Green two huge 3-pointers late,” Pierce said. “I just thought it was our execution, the way we moved the ball. Brandon Bass with some huge plays down the stretch. Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett, it has to come collectively and that’s what you saw tongiht. Huge team effort. We settled in on our defense all night long. We were able to contain Melo, was able to contain most of the guys from having a huge night and it was a huge team win.”

Pierce did acknowledge that he was sporting a sore hip after the Knicks banged him around in Game 5.

“This is a physical series,” Pierce said. “They’re allowing them to bump me and bang me. They’re trying to do everything they can to get to me. But that’s what you have to expect. You have to expect the bumps and bruises in a playoff game.”

Pierce knows the TD Garden crowd will be ready on Friday night for Game 6.

“Our crowd is going to be very emotional,” he said. “This is what they wanted – they wanted another home game. I expect them to be the loudest arena in the world [Friday]. There’s going to be so many emotions. We have to have plans to come back here [New York] on Sunday.”

He said he isn’t even thinking about it being his last game in Boston.

“It really doesn’t cross my mind. It’s like I’m still enjoying the ride. It’s like I’m on a roller coaster with my hands up. I’m not really thinking about the ending. I’m going through the loops and going through the drops and I’m just enjoying it, truthfully. Like a roller coaster, when it ends, they lift up the seat belt.”

Blog Author: 
Mike Petraglia
Wed, 05/01/2013 - 11:53pm — Mike Petraglia

NEW YORK — In a series filled with trash talk back and forth, the animosity between the Celtics and Knicks reached a whole new level at the end of Game 5.

As the Celtics were completing a 92-86 win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the Celtics were leaving the court and crossed paths with the Knicks who were heading toward the other end and their locker room.

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 11:51pm — Anonymous

NEW YORK — In a series filled with trash talk back and forth, the animosity between the Celtics and Knicks reached a whole new level at the end of Game 5.

As the Celtics were completing a 92-86 win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the Celtics were leaving the court and crossed paths with the Knicks who were heading toward the other end and their locker room.

Video shows Jordan Crawford yelling at Carmelo Anthony, with DJ White trying to intercede and keep the peace. As the shouting continued, Raymond Felton is seen coming over and yelling at Crawford.

“I’m not thinking about no Jordan Crawford, not at this point in time. I’ll tell you that,” Anthony said afterward at his press conference. “I don’t even think he deserves for you to be typing right now.”

On Jan. 7, Anthony and Kevin Garnett got into a verbal battle that spilled over to the staging area near the Celtics’ bus. The argument allegedly involved comments that Garnett made about Anthony’s wife.

The animosity in the series began in earnest when J.R. Smith elbowed Jason Terry in the face with seven minutes to go in Game 3 and the Knicks leading 19 points. He was suspended for Game 4 and the Celtics won in overtime, 97-90. Smith declared on Tuesday that he’d be golfing instead of practicing had he not been suspended because the Knicks would have swept the series.

Kenyon Martin added fuel to the fire when he suggested all of his teammates should wear black to Wednesday’s game since it would serve as a funeral for the Celtics.

Blog Author: 
Mike Petraglia
Wed, 05/01/2013 - 11:35pm — Anonymous
Doc Rivers postgame press conference - Knicks Game 5

[0:03:23] ... The great defensively and I thought tonight we were. -- -- from New York Times. -- did you vote she would -- between ray Felton some of your guys after the buzzer any sense of what's now ...
[0:04:26] ... better tonight and everybody got their hands and -- -- help out Kevin Garnett we extended his minutes and I don't know what actually. Played. And he was fantastic you know we gave them -- grass ...
[0:05:55] ... A lot of people don't care and doing different. Steve -- at Boston Herald hockey get down eleven nothing. Imagine there were some pleading and begging beyond that but beyond that what got you back from ...





Wed, 05/01/2013 - 10:42pm — Anonymous
Paul Pierce joined Grande & Max after the Celtics' win at Madison Square Garden. The captain said that if this was supposed the be the Celtics' funeral, he didn't get the memo.

[0:00:00] ... Thank you every time we have Paul Pierce -- regardless of circumstance it begins with him some kind of guttural noises or some kind of soreness or injury or whatever ...
[0:01:11] ... grange to Houston reporters like I just photos I institutionally -- ball Brandon Bass with some huge plays down strategize and tear. Kevin Garnett you know as the best -- collectively in Massachusetts on and I -- team effort we we. So settlement settled in on ...




Wed, 05/01/2013 - 9:45pm — Mike Petraglia

NEW YORK — The Celtics are halfway home to history.

Jason Terry drilled 5-of-7 from 3-point range and finished with 17 points while Paul Pierce was 4-of-8 from long distance and added 16 as the Celtics overcame an early 11-point hole and stunned the Knicks, 92-86, Wednesday night in Game 5 at TD Garden. Game 6 is now set for Friday night at TD Garden, with the Celtics trailing, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series.

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 9:41pm — Anonymous
Jeff Green and the Celtics took it to the Knicks after a slow start. (AP)

Jeff Green and the Celtics took it to the Knicks after a slow start. (AP)

NEW YORK — The Celtics are halfway home to history.

Jason Terry drilled 5-of-7 from 3-point range and finished with 17 points while Paul Pierce was 4-of-8 from long distance and added 16 as the Celtics overcame an early 11-point hole and stunned the Knicks, 92-86, Wednesday night in Game 5 at TD Garden. Game 6 is now set for Friday night at TD Garden, with the Celtics trailing, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series.

Jeff Green scored 18, Brandon Bass added 17 and Kevin Garnett hauled in 18 rebounds and hit a key jumper with under a minute left, as the Celtics became the 11th team in NBA history to force a Game 6 after falling into a 3-0 hole. Only three have ever forced a Game 7 and none have ever come all the way back and won the series.

Boston finished 11-for-20 from 3-point range while the Knicks were 5-for-20 from distance.

Kenyon Martin and several Knicks arrived at Madison Square Garden wearing all black, making good on a promise to dress for what they predicted was a Celtics’ funeral. J.R. Smith, who announced the Knicks would’ve won Game 4 and swept the series if he weren’t suspended, missed his first 11 shots and picked up a double-technical with Terry midway through the fourth quarter. The game ended with a heated exchange between Jordan Crawford and Raymond Felton as the two teams walked off the court.

But early on, things couldn’t have started much worse for the Celtics. They missed their first five jumpers from the floor while the Knicks raced out to an 11-0 lead.

Bass was the only Celtics player holding things together. Bass hit his first three shots while the rest of the Celtics started 0-for-8.

Trailing 15-6, Bass’ layup started a 14-7 Celtics run to end the first quarter and Boston trailed by just two, 22-20, with Bass tallying nine points.

The Knicks were clearly frustrated and borderline shaken by Boston’s ability to fight back. Kenyon Martin picked up his third foul with 9:10 left in the second quarter when he delivered a tomahawk chop to Kevin Garnett. The call was initially ruled ‘Flagrant 1′ but was rescinded after video review.

The Knicks appeared to right the ship somewhat after that, opening a 32-26 lead on a Raymond Felton layup with 7:26 left. But the Celtics again responded with a fury. Paul Pierce hit a pair of threes that sparked a 19-7 run to end the second quarter, as Boston silenced a very nervous Madison Square Garden crowd and took a 45-39 halftime lead. Garnett was big on the glass in the first half, with nine rebounds and 10 points.

Terrence Williams was an unsung hero off the bench for the Celtics as he and Jason Terry were the only Celtics to sub in during the first half. The only bit of bad news in the second quarter came with 2:29 left when Bass picked up his third personal foul.

The Celtics continued their aggressive play early in the third as Garnett grabbed two quick rebounds in the first minute and Jeff Green gave Boston its biggest lead, 47-39 before Iman Shumpert connected on a three. 8:41 Pierce 3 52-44 7:50 dunk Chandler oop from Felton. It was Felton again at the heart of New York’s attack when his layup with 6:01 left cut Boston’s lead to two, 56-54.

But the Celtics countered. Pierce nailed a long straightaway three re-established Boston’s biggest lead, 66-58, with 3:37 left in the third. As was the case late in the second quarter, the Knicks went ice cold while Celtics got a big boost from Jason Terry. His fourth three of the night with 41.9 seconds left in the third gave Boston its biggest lead, 69-60, a lead they would take into the fourth quarter.

With just over 11 minutes left, Anthony appeared to get tangled with Garnett in the paint and came away holding his left shoulder. After a brief timeout 10:30 fallaway shot by Garnett and Celtics were up, 71-60. Two Bass free throws and a one-handed tomahawk jam by Green gave Boston its biggest lead, 75-60 with 9:04 left.

The Knicks then came to life, scoring seven straight points to cut the Celtics’ lead to 10 with 7:01 remaining. Anthony drove to the basket and was fouled. After a long timeout, he drained two free throws with 5:57 left and the lead was down to eight. Bass ended the run with a bank shot, putting Boston up, 77-67. Terry’s three with five minutes left gave Boston an 80-67 lead. Green hit a pair of huge threes, including one with 2:23 left to put Boston up, 88-76.

The Knicks scored the next seven points, capped by three from Smith with 1:05 left to cut Boston’s lead to five, 88-83. Garnett’s jumper with 48.3 put Boston ahead, 90-83.

For complete coverage from Mike Petraglia on the scene at Madison Square Garden, visit the Celtics team page at weei.com/celtics.

Blog Author: 
Mike Petraglia
Wed, 05/01/2013 - 7:02pm — Mike Petraglia

NEW YORK — Doc Rivers had a prediction of his own Wednesday night, less than an hour before Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. Reminded that the Celtics have erased historic deficits in the past, such as being down 2-0 and 3-1. But neither they nor any NBA team in history has come all the way back from 3-0 down to win an NBA playoff series.

How appropriated would it be for the Celtics to be the first?

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 6:58pm — Anonymous
Doc talked to Sean Grande before Game 5 in New York. Doc said the team can't afford to have a bad quarter like in the previous games.

[0:00:00] ... five edition of the Celtics that I represented by Lexus continues. From Madison Square Garden are probably citizens is our conversation with that coach Doc Rivers. It is always -- for the healthcare Harvard health care. Austin that's conversation. At times you know if you win this game ...
[0:01:03] ... is building -- year thirsting it's been forever since they won a playoff series what beyond Texas knows characterizes. A win like this that he's the ultimate don't let go of the rope at any time ...
[0:02:24] ... sort of speak it's been two days now. We have yet -- Jason Collins made the announcement we've always know what's coming from someone still. Does it make you smile to an -- later. And even ...





Wed, 05/01/2013 - 5:53pm — Anonymous
Doc Rivers will urge his team to focus possession by possession in Game 5. (AP)

Doc Rivers will urge his team to focus possession by possession in Game 5. (AP)

NEW YORK — Now is not a time for excuses. Just execution.

Doc Rivers knows this better than anyone. He knows when teams talk like the Knicks did after Game 4, that’s usually a sign of immaturity and sometimes panic.

So, when asked if he thinks at all about what the series would be like if the Celtics had Rajon Rondo, Rivers used the chance to jab back at the Knicks.

“I don’t think that,” Rivers said of Rondo’s absence and the role in the series. “I don’t use that as a reason. Just like the Knicks probably shouldn’t use that the reason we won was because J.R. Smith didn’t play. But they did.

“That’s what they should do. I hope they expend it all. I don’t really care. We just have to come out ready to play. They’re at home, they’re going to try and feed off their crowd and all that but at the end of the day, it’s going to be between the lines. It’s not going to be what anybody out in the crowd says or does. It’s going to be between the lines.”

Reminded of his one-game-at-a-time mentality heading into another elimination game, Rivers added, “We have no choice. We need to go one possession at a time, really. It’s what you really need to do in the playoffs. To be really great, you need to be one possession at a time.”

More from Rivers shootaround and pregame:

On Jeff Green‘s emergence as a go-to scorer: “I’ve got a feeling they probably went to Durant in Oklahoma City. At Georgetown, he was the guy. He got them to the Final Four. He’s been there before.”

“If he plays well, he will. If he doesn’t, then he’ll do it again next year. If he plays well [next year], then that will be. I don’t try to put too much on any one game or one series. He’s so young, he has a long career. The sooner he gets it going, the better for everybody.”

On whether Green is back to full strength after heart surgery: “I don’t know about this surgery. It’s usually ankles, knees and things like that. I don’t know is the answer. I would say usually in that case but it’s not anything I’m thinking about right now, to be honest. It’s not my concern or thought.”

On what experience in playoffs means: “The playoffs are the best tool of teaching you can use for all the players. Even the veterans learn in the playoffs because you really do understand that every possession matters in a game and not the last possession when you decide to focus on that and then you realize it’s too late.

I think everybody, even the guys who aren’t playing a lot, they see it, they see the intensity that if you want to be great, that you have to play at, consistently.

On Avery Bradley, his struggles and his matchup this series with Raymond Felton: “I think it spills over to the defense at times. You’re human. If you’re not making shots and you’re getting down on that, that takes away energy from you, on both ends. I think overall, he’s fighting through it. I think he’s coming out of it. He made his first shot the other night [in Game 4] and didn’t make another one. But he made his first shot. More importantly, I didn’t think he hesitated on any of the other shots. That’s all we want him to do. For us, he’s our defensive player. The offense will come.”

Blog Author: 
Mike Petraglia