Boston Celtics News and Links: Back To Reality Edition
Is if safe to come out yet, Celtics nation?
I was tempted to lay low and let someone else serve up this edition of Celtics News and Links, due to my over-confidence regarding last night’s game between the Cs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Should have followed my own advice when I said that the Thunder were a desperate, and a dangerous, team.
Let’s start the day, then, with a look at Boston’s loss, which is the definition of a lost opportunity:
"The final score was bad enough. Losing always is.But while no one with a right mind would believe the Celtics are on par with Oklahoma City, it still shouldn’t have gone down like this.Not only was the Thunder playing without injured stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook last night, but the visitors were also on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four days.It was therefore a bit unseemly to watch the Celtics, off since a win in Chicago last Saturday, get out-hustled, out-executed and out-passioned down the stretch of a 109-94 loss."
Seriously: no KD. No Westbrook. An exhausted team short on manpower. If you can’t win games like that, you’re not going to make the playoffs. End of story.
Man: Derrick Rose sure opened up a can of worms, didn’t he? In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, this is what D-Rose had to say about why he is sitting out games to open to the 2014-2015 NBA season:
"A lot of people don’t understand that when I sit out it’s not because of this year — I’m thinking long term. I’m thinking about after I’m done with basketball, having graduations to go to, having meetings to go to. I don’t want to be in my meetings all sore or be at my son’s graduation all sore just because of something I did in the past. Just learning and being smart."
My man Michael Dunlap over at FanSided’s Hoops Habit feels Rose is a disgrace. Meanwhile, Sean Highkin at Bleacher Report claims D-Rose has no reason to apologize for his remarks. Who you gonna believe? Honestly, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Here’s a powerful story from SI.com that I feel compelled to share: the story of New Orleans’ Ryan Anderson, and his attempts to move forward after his girlfriend’s suicide.
Finally, I leave you with what I consider good news, indeed: Rajon Rondo wants to stay in Boston folks. It’s as simple as that:
"The topic arose again Wednesday night when close friend Kendrick Perkins said he believes Rondo wants to stay with the Celtics. Perkins explained a list of benefits the team offers, including a good young coach, a crop of improving young talent and a city in Boston that Rondo loves.“He should (stay),” Perkins said before his Thunder toppled the Celtics, 109-94. “I think this is a great place for him. I think he wants to stay here. We talk on the regular. I think he should stay. If I was him, I’d stay.”After the Celtics’ loss, Rondo was partially briefed on his buddy’s comments.“That’s about accurate,” Rondo replied. “From media day and the beginning, that’s what I said initially. Regardless of what’s going on in the season, my perspective hasn’t changed. I love being a Celtic.”"
Enjoy!