With the preseason winding down, the Celts and Knicks go at it.
With the Yanks playing Game four of their ALCS series tonight, the Garden was relatively quiet and buzz-free. The Celts were in town, however, and any chance you get to watch a group of Hall of Famers play is a must–even if it’s only a preseason contest. So along with Lang, I made my way over to MSG. Nothing out of the ordinary happened–but it almost did.
Here’s what you may have missed:
Pregame
-Before heading to MSG, decided to catch up on my reading. Happened to find one of the best articles I’ve seen in a minute. Buzz Bissinger—author of the Lebron’s new book—breaks down the fallacy that is “Moneyball.” If you have even a minor interest in baseball, it’s worth a read.
-Also happened to see this: Al Harrington, drafted straight out of high school in ’98, is giving the same opportunity to an aspiring marketing agent, employing the recent HS grad to work with him on some projects.
-While walking down 34th and 7th, almost literally bumped into Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers walking towards the Garden. Pretty sure they were grabbing an early dinner.
-Ray Allen, self-proclaimed “borderline” sufferer of OCD, had his meticulous pregame ritual altered tonight. Somehow his warmup shirt was misplaced and not where it was supposed to be in the locker room. They found him a new one, and he didn’t appear visibly upset. But he only took seven shots tonight in 31 minutes, and was -11 in +/-.
First Half
-Kendrick Perkins takes the opening tip, knocking it back to Ray Allen. Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are all in the lineup, alongside Perk and Rajon Rondo. After the game, Doc said the “Big Three” will probably sit the preseason finale against the Cavs.
-Jared Jeffries gets the ball and goes coast-to-coast for the Knicks. Unfortunately for him, he airballed the layup. Fortunately for the Knicks, David Lee cleans up, smashing it home.
-Rajon Rondo is so, so fast. Someone nearby just yelled: “I think I’m watching the best PG in the game.” That’s an incorrect statement, but not by that much.
-Lang points out: “Rasheed’s getting a vigorous massage on the sideline.” Indeed.
-If one we’re to term Mike D’Antoni’s offense, “Organized Chaos,” the Knicks so far are running “Disorganized Chaos.”
-Mike Sweetney’s not playing tonight; he’s out wi
th the flu.
-The Yanks are on the monitor in front of me. Jeter just got picked off of first base, I think.
-Sometime in the last few days, Sheed braided his hair.
-Speaking of Wallace, after Rondo got knocked down under the basket, Sheed raced over to help Rajon to his feet.
-Knicks took 11 threes in the first quarter. They’re on pace to take 44 of them.
-Eddie House hits a three. He has the quickest release I’ve ever seen in person.
-Danilo Gallinari just hit a three. Kid can really shoot. He may not have been the guy to draft at the six spot last year, but he still has a chance to be a solid pro.
-The Celtics are moving the ball extremely well. Crisp movement is leading to open looks for House and Sheed from the wings and corners.
-Sheed fouls David Lee and put his hand up, acknowledging his guilt. No argument, Sheed? That may be a first.
-Rondo just got bumped into and lost his balance. He ended up flipping into the stands. He’s risking way too many injuries tonight, as that’s the third time he’s went down hard.
-The Knicks have already put up 59 points. That was their final point total at a game I attended in Boston in ’07.
Second Half
-The Celts have an early fastbreak, but Wilson Chandler ends it by absolutely crushing a dunk attempt by K. Perkins.
-Garnett just got some air, finish an oop. He did kind of limp upon returning to earth. Probably nothing to worry about in the long run. Probably.
-Rondo and Garnett are working that two-man game, working another oop.
-In one of the more bizarre plays of the preaseason, after Rasheed misses the second of a pair of free throws, Kevin Garnett, in an attempt to control the board, smashed the ball into the hardwood. It caromed back up and rolled around the rim before deciding not drop through. Would’ve been an unbeatable H-O-R-S-E shot.
-Nate Robinson is one of the fastest moving guards in the League. If he was even only 6-2, he could average 25 a game.
-Marquis Daniels is doing his thing, posting up a smaller Nate Robinson.
-Danilo just
hit another J. He has 14. Fans are loving it.
-The Knicks are outhustling the Cs. Sure seems like they want this preseason win more. Beantown faithful probably shouldn’t be too worried.
-Danilo is showing some inside game now, shaking ‘Quis with an up-and-under move.
-Wilson Chandler just nailed a 20-footer. Otherwise, he can’t hit anything.
-Sheed steps inside the paint—seven of his 10 shots are from beyond the arc—floating a little hook over everybody. Knicks up six.
-According to reports, NBA officials may have reached a deal. If so, the “scabs” are doing a fine job on one of their last nights working.
-Eddie House is a top-of-the-line shooter. Begs the question: Why hasn’t he had a better career?
-Chris Duhon turns the rock over…again. That’s his fifth of the night, leading to a Cs bucket and a tie game. Scratch what I said about the Knicks wanting to win this game.
-Al Harrington hits a big-time three, putting the Knicks up three with 1:23 to go.
-Sheed misses a pair of threes. Celts lose, 108-103.
-Brian Scalabrine says he tripped on a camera man’s foot at the end of the game and sprained his ankle. He claims to never have sprained an ankle before. Painful injury for the big man. Situation is worth monitoring.
-Boston is flying to Ohio for their last preseason game. Strangely, their last preseason game and first regular season game are against Cleveland. Who arranged the schedule?
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