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Box and 2: Inside Celtics, Bucks and Wizards, oh my 11.05.12 at 2:39 pm ET
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Friday: Bucks 99, Celtics 88; Saturday: Celtics 89, Wizards 86: Observations about the box scores from Games 2 & 3 of the C’s (1-2) 2012-13 NBA season.

– Called upon by Doc Rivers Friday night to protect the paint against the Bucks, when smaller lineups weren’t working, Darko Milicic played 4:30 of the first quarter. He missed his only shot — an air-balled baby left hook — and committed more turnovers (2) than he totaled rebounds (1) or blocks (0). Then, he didn’t play Saturday.

Kevin Garnett: “We’re still playing with the chemistry. We have different lineups in which Doc is playing with simultaneously, and we’re still working. No one said this was going to be an easy process.”

Translation: “The Darko Experiment is called that for a reason. Let’s just hope it doesn’t blow up in our face.”

– Over the weekend, Brandon Bass finished a minus-11 in 40:52 without Jared Sullinger on the floor. The Celtics outscored the opponent in just two of his 10 stints sans Sullinger — by one in the final 3:53 of the first quarter against the Wizards and by two Terry free throws in the final 1:35 of that game. Without Bass on the floor, Sullinger finished a plus-14 in 33:29, and the C’s outscored opponents in five of those eight stints. (In case you were wondering, the two played 14:40 together, finished a minus-9 and only outscored opponents once in six stints.)

Rivers (via the Herald): “[Sullinger] brings a different component, more importantly rebounding. He knows how to play without the ball. He’s a great passer. He blends well with our starting group.”

Translation: “Sorry Brandon, but you’re going to see a lot more Sullinger in the starting lineup.”

Rookie Jared Sullinger continues to earn minutes. (AP)

– In eight minutes against the Wizards, Chris Wilcox had zero points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks while committing two personal fouls. Whether it’s the back injury or his recovery from heart surgery, this isn’t the same Wilcox who averaged 7.2 points and 6.0 boards in his final full month last season. Given the failure of Wilcox, Milicic and the Sullinger/Bass combo to contribute without Kevin Garnett on the floor, there’s no solution in sight. This weekend, the Celtics were 42.2 points better per 36 minutes with Garnett as opposed to without.

Rivers (via the Herald): “We’ve just got to find the right group of guys. I’m actually not as concerned with the starters. I’m actually not as concerned with the starters. I’m far more concerned with the second unit. We’ve got to find a consistent second group.”

Translation: “If anything happens to Garnett, Paul Pierce or Rajon Rondo, we’re totally screwed.”

– Milwaukee’s 52 points in the paint are one thing. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis combining for 13 shots at the rim is another. The C’s backcourt couldn’t keep their counterparts out of the key, and the frontcourt couldn’t make them pay when they got there. While that points in the paint number improved to 32 against the Wizards, don’t forget their starting backcourt, A.J. Price and Bradley Beal, has three years NBA experience between them.

Jeff Green: “We’ve just gotta come together a little bit more and figure out a way. These games are going to be tough. Teams are no longer scared. We’ve just gotta go out there, make plays and start it off on the defensive end.”

Translation: “Not even the Bucks are scared of our defense right now. That’s a problem.”

– At 6-foot-8, 226 pounds, Bucks starter Tobias Harris is on the larger side of NBA wings, and he torched both Pierce and Green on Friday night. He scored 18 points on 11 shots, making six of his eight buckets in the paint. Not a good sign when they face bigger wings with more athleticism than Harris (see: James, LeBron).

Pierce: “We have to have guys ready to step up. It really wasn’t about me, it was about the way our team played tonight, which was disappointing on offense and on defense. Both sides of the ball, we just didn’t play well.”

Translation: “Wasn’t Jeff Green supposed to take some pressure off me on both ends of the floor?”

– Even last season, when Jason Terry shot 43 percent from 16-23 feet — his worst since Hoopdata started tracking shot locations in 2007 — he ranked among the top 20 guards who played 20-plus minutes a night. This weekend? He shot 1-for-7 from mid-range (22.2% for the season; 50% from everywhere else on the floor).

Terry (via ESPN.com): “I’m still trying to get comfortable within the structure of the team. I’m a work in progress. I’m very optimistic. … We have to continue to grow and there are going to be some speed bumps along the way.”

Translation: “You haven’t seen anything from the JET yet, but I’m about to arrive. Hopefully.”

– After struggling from 3-point range in the preseason (7-of-21), Courtney Lee is shooting just 2-of-8 beyond the arc through three games (1-7 over the weekend). That’s a total of 31.0 percent in a Celtics uniform — a far cry from his career 38.6 percent average. Note that both his triples this season have come from the corner, where he shot almost 50 percent last year (50-103). (He shot 33% from above the break in 2011-12 and is 0-3 so far this year).

Lee: “The last thing we’re going to worry about is our offense, because you look at our roster, you have people on our team that can go out and get 20 or 30 every night.”

Translation: “Keep leaving me open in the corner. Seriously.”

– Unsurprisingly, Rondo tied John Stockton for the NBA’s fourth-longest streak of games with 10-plus assists (27) over the weekend. Here’s the shocker: Against the Wizards, Rondo made a pair of 3-pointers for only the eighth time in his career, equaling the number of times he accomplished that feat all of last season. In fact, he made almost as many corner treys against Washington (1) as he did all of last year (2). Actually, both his mid-range (54.6%) and 3-point (40.0%) shooting stats are up from last year (39.3%, 23.8%).

Rondo: “We’ve got to each look ourselves in the mirror and just try to find a way to dig down and bring something to what we’ve been doing, bring a little bit more to the game.”

Translation: “Hey, in case you haven’t noticed, I can shoot now.”

Read More: Boston Celtics, Courtney Lee, Jared Sullinger, Jason Terry Print  |  Email  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • jj

    What it comes down to is that E. Manning has playmakers on his team and Brady doesnt.

  • Rogereric_vt

    Giselle is just realizing that the game her Tommy has to leave L.A. for six months out of the year is a much bigger deal than she realizes.  Bad news in the fashion world is kept hidden, but in major league sports, models just aren’t used to fans shouting “you suck.”  They are told they are washed up behind closed doors.  Welcome to a different big league, cream puff. 

  • Bruno

    For a professional players wife, she should have kept her comments to herself…..why cause animosity amongst her husband and the players and give fuel to the media??

  • Corey

    She should probably just mind her business and not rip anyone for not catching the ball. Had Tom put the ball between Welker’s numbers, he would have had the first down and them some, and would have sealed the game, and we would be celebrating a championship.

  • zzflash44

    For the wife of a professional player, she should have NEVER made that comment! This could make it tough for Brady and the players in the locker room. All she accomplished was that she gave the media more fuel. (just what they need?)

  • CTM

    What a foolish article.  Brady’s wife is from another country and probably can’t relate to the moron sports fans in America (look at most of the posts in this forum- I rest my case). 

    Greco, you know anything about football?  You think the first play cost the Pats ‘a chance’ to win last night?   You’re an idiot… 

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  • Snake bit

    Not the same but game was in their grasp. Drop balls and and 12 men.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1006555092 Jim Christian

    We’ll see them again–this side or the other..

  • Mcintoshc12

    Tom Coughlin is such a class act. I obviously wanted the Patriots to win, but for some reason they were the better team on this particular night. We’ll get’em next time, and there will be a next time. We have a few things to work on in the off season, as does every other team, but we have nothing to be ashamed of, at least we made it to the Super Bowl. I’m sure that doesn’t mean much right now, but only 2 teams make it that far, so it’s not like we can’t do it. It’s not how hard you fall down, it’s all about getting back up, so LET’S GET BACK UP!!! I appreciate Tom Coughlin being gracioius in winning and NOT being a jerk about it. That’s how you should act when you win. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_R2CWRXTSQARQ56R3PH34IW5IDQ Fair

    The patriots have been blessed with a fantastic quarterback, the changing of the rules that favor the passing game and above all, for the most part during the life of Belichick and Brady’s time, the division in which they play has been plagued by terrible teams that have been turned into hamburger by their own doing. The Dolphins have been plagued by horror from the time that Jimmy Johnson convinced Huizenga to give the keys to his pal Dave Wannstedt who refused to draft any quarterback, then the Buffalo Bills and the Jets… all very bad teams for the most part with the exception of the Jets in 2009 and 2010.

    And it is almost guaranteed that the Patriots will make the playoffs again based on this because they are surrounded by division turkeys and the Patriots have the key QB which is essential under the current passing rules. ( I wonder how many thousands of miles would Fouts, Marino, Elway, Kelly, Montana and others would have thrown for if they got to play under present rules, where the QB can not be touched and the receivers can not be chucked or bumped and run)

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_R2CWRXTSQARQ56R3PH34IW5IDQ Fair

    Having said all that, we have to admit that since Belichick was caught with the VIDEO TAPE and he has not been able to use it, HE HAS NOT WON A SUPERBOWL and worse yet, he had not won a playoff game until this year without the forbidden Video Tape technology. Also, I was listening to the comments today at WEEI radio how everyone was saying that just one more play and the Pats would have won this game. Well, it turns out that one more play here or there makes big differences in every big close game and everyone of the SuperBowls for the Pats have been very close, it is not as if they have blown away the opposition. Adam Vinatieri will attest to that, had he been Scott Norwood, the Pats would have lost. 

    Then there is that ugly drop by Lee Evans in end zone and the hooked field goal by The Raven kicker and the tuck rule game in the snow and other countless of things that have taken place that if you start comparing you will see that the Patriots were not exactly the Chicago Bears of 1985 or other dominant teams. And there was something about that video tape business because NFL players would say… “GEE, it seems that the Patriots were in our huddle, they knew every play that we were throwing at them.”

    • DAPATS

      PHUCK YOU TOO – GO PATS

  • heading off the 1 and 15 cliff

    Question is how long of a window do the Patriots have to groom a successor.
    Hoyer, Mallet or someone in the next 2 drafts better step up or the drop off could be jaw-dropping.

  • Monty Mack

    This may have been his last shot. It will be even  tougher next season. The regular season in which we face the NFC West is a good sign seeing as though the only good team of that group is the 49ers. But the playoffs will see a more potent Texans team as well as a better Steeler and Ravens team not to mention a more dangerous Charger team.

  • DDxmas

    My concern is that there is much more of a “hangover” for teams that lose the Superbowl, so hopefully this team stays focused, drafts well, and gets some fresh key free agents.
    It was a great game and a tough loss, but this team was killed all year for having the worst defense and poorest draft choices & somehow made it all the way to the big dance. I did not think they were Superbowl bound this year either.
    I think they make the playoffs next year but I don’t see a (unfortunately final) Superbowl appearance for at least two more years.

  • Gray

    There aren’t any ‘stats’ or ‘logical reasons’ for my thoughts.. I simply ‘think’ Brady will win one more within the next 3 years and retire 4-2 in the super bowl. 

  • freemanfornow

    He is done…it is time to move on to a new arm and new approach. 

  • pobrepaco

    If the PATS don’t draft a top line pass rusher or defensive back this, I will be done with them—– the going for “VALUE” has thing has run it’s course and I am sick of it!!!!!! NO MORE SIGNING RE-THREADS OR PLAYERS THAT OTHER TEAMS AREN’T INTERESTED IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
       ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

    • mikepatriot

      And what’s wrong with the way Andre Carter turned out? If he can stay healthy, i think we’ve got a top pass rusher who can compliment Anderson, all w/o going ionto the treasury. The top need on d i see as getting one elite, established corner and one corner better than the ones we have now (should’nt be hard). The second big need would come on offense, get a ginormous, powerful, punishing running back 260 lbs (like Giants) to give teams something else to worry about and develop the 3 headed monster; Ellis, Ridley and the bruiser. This would take some pressure off an aging, HURT Brady and give the Pats a new look. All 32 some odd teams are gonna compete to have thier needs met so you may not get everything we want. Shoot for the moon, but target the critical needs and Prioritize;  1) corners, 2) running back. 3) elite pass rusher) 4) proven wideout…….

  • elvis

    dumb…

  • Kern

    The Patriots draft for now and for later, but Belichick is not stupid. Of course he knows Brady is another year older and his stockpile strategy was to get young players to be groomed in the system….He doesn’t have the same currency this year as he did in years past, so I believe (hope) the Patriots draft five solid contributors this year with an eye towards the now. I am interested in seeing a three tight-end set with the third end being a Crumpler type, with Welker in the slot and a Graham type wide-out (so yeah on Jeffery), also Hernandez can line up in the backfield on some downs to really give an opposing defence fits. We have the players to comprise a solid complimentary run game….converting third downs with explosive runs (Ridley), or power (healthy Benny), or screen (Woody), or slant (Vereen) or play action (respect the run game) would be too sweet.

    I think McCourty improves next year, Dowling plays the other side, Arrington stays with his strength in the slot, with Molden and Moore doing a great job on special teams and in dime packages. We nail down a safety via free agency because we need experience in the middle to complement Chung’s talent, but Barron in the second would be too good to pass on. Two play-makers on both levels of the front seven would be awesome, but I would take Cam Johnson with the versatility argument.

    Hold your heads up Patriots. I am proud of this season and I think the near future will be even more fulfilling. GO PATS!!!!!

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  • Where’s the beef?

    There is a gunner on Rutgers that I bet Bill has his eye on.  Maybe a WR out of a running school that has never caught a pass, or an injury prone cornerback, something like that.  One thing is for sure – the Patriots will not use both first round picks, they’ll trade down and after the draft everyone will be scratching their head about why the needs in the secondary or WR weren’t addressed.

  • CTM

    I didn’t know Brady’s wife was a stripper… another idiot poster…

  • Barcelo

    Right on the Money! Bellichick has to take serious criticism. This Patriot Way stuff is officially dead in the water. Someone needs to Challenge this Idiot. Thats right Bellichick is an idiot and is overated. He’s now Marv Leavy Bellichick proud coach of the New England Bills. 0-2 in Super Bowls to the most Goofiest Tandem in Football Tom Coughlin and E-Coli Manning. You lost to these dupes twice and for all the planning and preparation they wiped the floor with you. WOW! This team pisses me off.

     ITS NOT ABOUT GETTING TO THE SUPERBOWL, IT IS NOT……YOU HAVE TO WIN THE SUPERBOWL. ALL THIS TALK IM HEARING..WELL WE WERENT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE…NO. THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. YOU WERE THERE, YOU GOTTA CLOSE THE DEAL. WELKER DID NOT CLOSE THE DEAL. HE IS A CHOKE ARTIST. HE IS NOT MENTALLY TOUGH. BY THE WAY, WELKER DID THE SAME THING IN 2007 DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF  GAME AGAINST JACKSONVILLE.

    WOW. this team should just retire..every last one of them and start over with Ryan Mallett because now Brady is a joke, Welker is a choker, the defense is soft, the only ones who showed up was the offensive line. Ninkenvich is a clown….McCourty is the dumbest conerback/safety ever. Mayo is just plain horrible and spikes is slow. Sterling Moore is getting better and Patrick Chung knocked the stuffing out of Hicks..but you how does Manningham make that catch? I guarantee he is a bum but anybody can do the impossible on the Patriots…ANYBODY. You can hire a streetsweeper and he can suit up and make a big catch against the Patriots. Outside of Boston, any patriot seen in public will be ridiculed or snickered at. Until training camp these guys need to hide their head in the sand. Welker needs to go on a Safari and never come back. WES WELKER YOU BLEW THE GAME YOU LITTLE COWARD

    Im sorry but the defense sux eggs. The Giants just pushed them around all night. no PRIDE. Bill Bellichick’s situational football is a tired act.

  • DAPATS

    PHUCK YOU JACKARSE- GO PATS

  • mikepatriot

    please, please reveal yourself as a Giants fan. If you masquerade as a disgruntled pats fan, you are the stupidest and most disloyal pats poster i’ve ever read! Bill B morphing into Marv Levy? I’ll share with you (providing you’re genuine pats fan), the loss su*ked and hurt.  If you think there are a handful of coaches around the league as good as BB, you don’t know football. Perhaps sexie Rexie? Brady can’t be blamed for dropped balls to Hernandez, Welker and at least one attempt to Branch. Welker makes that catch, almost everyone but you is putting Brady in the pantheon at least equal to Montana. Yes. Mccourty took a GIANT step backwards this year, truly baffling and hard to know if it’s a temporary software jinx, he can’t turn on the ball. Mayo is overrated as some say and never seems to be able to attack the ball. Granted, Welker’s drop, because it was the last on the table that could have realistically iced the deal, blew the game, he had it in both hands.To call Welker, a guy who gets hit and sandwiched between two defenders almost twice as big as him a “little coward”, is not just unfair, but as good as a lie, you just aint watching the hits he takes while he maintains posession. Maybe if we lured Sperrano here you’d be happy, eh?

  • hooah12

    I thought the Patriots were much more physical than the Giants…go back to sleep..they were lucky to eek out another win…why a sore winner?  Your life is meaningless

  • Bhdyer20

    Yes you are right because the drafts have been awful lately I mean they only got Solder, Gronkowski, Hernandez, Chung out of the draft recently and those guys have had no impact on the team.  Bill has no idea what he is doing right?  I mean getting the team to the Super Bowl (the team he built his way) what a joke.

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