Ballin’: Boston’s Impressive Texas Sweep
NBA March 21st. 2008, 9:58am
Apropos of nothing – a vicious Al Thornton dunk-back from earlier in the week. And we just realized – back-to-back Boston headlines. Noooooooooo!
Boston 94, Dallas 90: We’re going to need a judges’ ruling here – the Celtics go into Texas without their best shooter, Ray Allen (who played 31 minutes last night and made a clutch three at the end, but missed the first two games), and defeat three of the top seven teams in the West (San Antonio, Houston and Dallas). How are the Boston Celtics, at this very moment, not the best team in the NBA? Of course this label is a fluid one, and likely to change three more times in the next week, but this 3-0 trip, to us, is nearly as impressive as Houston’s 22-game winning streak. Sacramento in 2001 was the last team to pull off this 3-game sweep. The Mavs are now 0-7 against teams with winning records since J Kidd arrived.
San Antonio 102, Chicago 80: The Spurs put an end to a 4-game skid and were able to cruise despite a 1-for-8 performance from Manu, who has cooled considerably after a white-hot February.
Los Angeles Lakers 106, Utah 95: Banged-up Lakers put an end to Utah’s 19-game home winning streak by leaping to a 20-point first quarter lead and never relinquishing it. The good news for the Jazz is that their next four are against non-playoff teams, which means in a week, we could be looking at a new No. 1 seed in the West.
105 Responses to “Ballin’: Boston’s Impressive Texas Sweep”
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March 21st, 2008 at 10:01 am
Why can’t I excited about Boston. I love Boston. I do, but c’mon, there’s no way they’re going to make it to the Finals, let alone beat anybody from the West. Phoenix beat them when they were struggling and I don’t think they have enough offense lately (it’s dropped off a bit since their crazy start). They’re D is pretty good, but I don’t see it.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:01 am
Kobe must have seen Chris Broussard (a LeBron fan boy) say that he had to win games with an inferior supporting cast to get some major MVP cred. How’s winning at Dallas and at Utah, minus Bynum, Gasol, Ariza, Mihm, Smush, Kwame??
March 21st, 2008 at 10:02 am
And anyone here Kobe in the post game say that “it was personal” against Utah because they booed D-Fish last game? He’s so old school it’s ridiculous!
March 21st, 2008 at 10:02 am
The Celtics, at one point, I believe were 12-0 against the West. They just swept, on the road, 3 of the best teams from the West.
Why can’t the Celtics win the title?
March 21st, 2008 at 10:04 am
I don’t see them losing, TBL.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:04 am
I think for the first time all year, I think Boston is good enough not only to make the finals but win them…I had thought that this team was going to get knocked of by Detroit or Cleveland…but the addition of Cassell, Allen coming back…KG playing tough and the team just playing good basketball Has me believing…
March 21st, 2008 at 10:05 am
Karma is on Boston’s side. Pats are great, Sawx are great. Why not the Celtics? oh and they have the best record in the NBA.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:05 am
Hef…agreed. theyre still 1-2 vs the cavs (1 game without KG, 1 without LBJ) and i still think detroit is a bad matchup for them. if every team in the West wasnt so oddly disfunctional right now i’d be more impressed. the spurs win was pretty legit tho.
i dont like the fact that theyre relying on kendrick perkins, big baby and leon powe as key contributors either. theyve been playing better, but god forbid KG gets in foul trouble against detroit or cleveland.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:05 am
or orlando for that matter.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:05 am
cmon Dornoch, where are you
March 21st, 2008 at 10:06 am
Since when is beating Dallas an amazing feat? Dallas hasn’t beaten anyone over .500 since the trade.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:07 am
Spence, the NBA is allowing him to foul out in the playoffs – heck, he’s only committed 5 fouls 4 times this season, and only once in the last three months.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:07 am
He prefers dorncock, irish
March 21st, 2008 at 10:09 am
who came up with that Nick?
he was always complaining about how the Celtics weren’t getting any talk on this site. I know how he feels, cause TBL doesnt like my squad either
March 21st, 2008 at 10:09 am
Dallas is 29-6 at home.. Utah is 29-4 at home. I’d say those are quality wins. If Dallas was in the East, they’d be doing just fine.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:09 am
You did, I believe.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:09 am
And beating a San Antonio Team without Tony Parker (or Brent Barry) at home in February in Mid February means very little to me. Especially when they then drop five in a row to the west a week later.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:10 am
Make that three in a row. They, beat Portland after that. My apologies.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:10 am
Spencer, in my opinion, your argument is backwards. By getting key contributions from their role players, it helps the team by giving everyone else a longer rest, and confidence that they can overcome foul trouble if need be.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:10 am
of course, who wouldnt be
March 21st, 2008 at 10:10 am
Don’t go supporting that with stats, Cursed. Instead rely on feel, the opinion of coaches, and will to win.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:11 am
^^^^that was at Curseds comment about being in the east
March 21st, 2008 at 10:12 am
I’ll do my best. I’m trying to quantify my “Kobe is oldschool” argument. Give me some more time.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:12 am
Powe is solid. Boston’s bench is good. I thought Eddie House would eventually fall back to earth, but he hasn’t yet.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:13 am
The rape arrest really helps the Old School Factor (OSF); Kobe must be at least a 9.5 out of 10.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:14 am
Talk on Sports radio the other day in boston was that if you were going to start a team who would take KG or Bird ? It was evenly split on the calls but I think if KG has a great playoff run he would swing the vote his way.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:14 am
I’m a big stat guy, nick, but those don’t tell the story. Those are splits that give only the result and tell nothing else. Plus the majority of those games were played before the trade and no longer have any bearing (sic) on this team.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:14 am
Hef, I’m not saying Dallas is an elite team. But by definition, someone was going to hit the skids in the West. Look at San Antonio and Houston in the last week!
March 21st, 2008 at 10:16 am
I agree that Utah is a quality win. But to sweep the Texas teams right now…Dallas is weak, San Antonio is injured and playing their age, and Houston benefited from a weak schedule. I think San Antonio is the best of the three.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:16 am
Also the C’s just got Sam Cassell to give some good minutes off the bench.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:16 am
I think Boston is a great team, I’m saying I don’t see them coming out of the east.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am
I guess I’d just have to pose the following question to the panel: What would Boston have had to do in the regular season to impress some of you? They’ve been the most consistent team all season. They’ve withstood injuries to two of their Big Three. They’ve disposed of the West pretty mythodically. They’ve gotten solid effort when needed from their bench.
I’d say they’re legit.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am
@Hef: Boston is the best team in the league. They can’t play themselves, so they have to look elsewhere. Going on the road in the West against playoff teams are quality wins.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am
Sam Cassell helps. He’ll take away some minutes from that gas can Eddie House. He can get hot, sure. But he can also blow up your team’s offensive flow by jacking threes (at least in the past).
March 21st, 2008 at 10:19 am
@Nick: which league? The whole league? You mean the eastern league right? It’s a little early for jokes, so I’m pretty sure you meant eastern league.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:20 am
Being the best Regular Season team in the Eastern Conference is very, very important.
–2004 Indiana Pacers
–2005 Miami Heat
–2006 Detroit Pistons
–2007 Detroit Pistons
March 21st, 2008 at 10:20 am
Boston will have its hand full with any east team that match up with them in the playoffs.
i think Doc Rivers will mess it up somehow, someway. i dislike Rivers
March 21st, 2008 at 10:21 am
I’ve been a huge Boston (and KG) doubter all year, but I’m sorry, you beat the Texas 3 in impressive fashion and I’m sold. Cle/Bos in the 2nd round is going to be a great series.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:22 am
@cursed: this is they’re first year doing this and they’ve been doing it without any real pressure. I’m not sold until I see it in the playoffs. Same reason I wasn’t and still am not sold on Houston, it’s a bunch of guys who got into a rhythm at the right time when it means little (other than positioning). I want to see do or die so I’m reserving judgment till then. Yes, they’re a good team. One of the best in the league. But I’m not ready to crown their asses because they are who I think they are.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:22 am
Best record in the Association (55-13), best record versus the West (23-4), best starting lineup, probably 2nd best bench (maybe 3rd).
Truly the only thing holding them back is Doc Rivers, and he’s done okay.
Yeah they’re the best team in the Association.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:24 am
Chelsea: Efficiency differential is more important than record. Boston is #1 there, too.
San Antonio was number 1 last year.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:24 am
Celtics will win the title. If they dont play Phoenix. Amare and Shaq owned KG that game. But we will get to see these two teams play again in a couple days
March 21st, 2008 at 10:26 am
Best Record in the association is padded by playing:
The Knicks 19-48
The Bulls 27-41
The Heat 12-55
The Bucks 23-44
The Pacers 27-41
The Bobcats 24-44
Not too tough to pad a record playing those guys, no?
March 21st, 2008 at 10:26 am
Some of the general public iand radio people at WEEI are questioning whether KG can take it to another level come the play off time ? He plays hard all the time, very intense and wonder if there is another gear…also people in the boston area have not seen KG play on a regular basis until this are very impressed with his play
March 21st, 2008 at 10:27 am
They’re bench is good, but how much of a bench is used in the playoffs. Not the best starting lineup, sorry.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:28 am
Fair point, hef…but the West has Seattle, Sacto, LAC, and Minny. Pretty easy to pad there, too, eh?
March 21st, 2008 at 10:28 am
The following teams have better starting lineups when healthy:
The Spurs
The Lakers
The Suns
The Jazz
The Pistons
March 21st, 2008 at 10:28 am
Nick P…what’s the efficiency diff? And is it sponsored at Cavalier games?
March 21st, 2008 at 10:28 am
Have you seen Minny play lately. They’re going to be above average next year. Al Jefferson is good.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:30 am
The 10th best team in the West is 2 games above .500. The Blazers would be a five/six seed in the East.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:30 am
I’ll bet you $1000 they won’t be above average next year.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:30 am
Sacramento is a playoff team in the East
March 21st, 2008 at 10:30 am
$1000 virtual dollars?
March 21st, 2008 at 10:31 am
I give Minny 38 wins next year. I will double their current win total and add 4.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:31 am
You know, just because Boston is done in Texas doesn’t mean that their road trip is over. They’re in New Orleans tomorrow night, and they are leading that division and all.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:31 am
@cursed: Offensive efficiency (points scored per 100 possessions) – Defensive efficiency (points given up per 100 possessions)
Boston is like +11.8
March 21st, 2008 at 10:32 am
/NickP is checking is bank account
March 21st, 2008 at 10:33 am
I think the Timberwolves may actually be a younger team than that BYU team that played yesterday.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:33 am
Boston is very good but lets not talk like they beat the #1-3 Seed in the West. San Antonio and Dallas are in danger of missing the playoffs.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:33 am
Forgot about Memphis and their 16 wins. The West bottom is worse than the East bottom. The West middle is far superior to the East middle.
Still it’s not worth as much as you think.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:34 am
Hef: 38 wins isn’t above average. I’ll still take the under. I give them 32 next year.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:34 am
Actually, no: I’ll take under 32 as well. Minny is going to blow balls.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:35 am
The West bottom has to play the west top every night (that sounds really, really hot). They’re probably as good as the East bottom but with tougher competition. I would take Memphis over New York, or Minnesota over Milwaukee any day.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:35 am
YYSA…I laughed (if you were indeed joking, and I’m assuming you were).
March 21st, 2008 at 10:36 am
*fixed
March 21st, 2008 at 10:37 am
It’s still not above average.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:37 am
I exaggerate once and I’m on the hook for $1000 virtual dollars. I don’t know how my reputation will hold up around here.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:38 am
you exaggerated a ton, Hef. I’ll have my muscle on you next June to collect that fee. His name is irish. Watch out.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:39 am
Hef, I’m gonna send the big boys over there to collect that virtual debt. Irishmafia and Nick Papageorgio.
Pay up buddy.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:39 am
Im not sold on the Celtics just by beating three west teams. im sold on them having the best record with back to back games. That shows me that they can handle back to back games. In the playoffs, thats what counts
March 21st, 2008 at 10:40 am
Irish – I’m worried that your avatar being like the Celtics logo will bring them good luck and hurt the Magic come playoff time. Can we get a temporary switch? Maybe a D Howard icon or Mickey Mouse or something Orlando-ish? Even Tiger Woods – doesn’t he live there?
March 21st, 2008 at 10:41 am
In the playoffs, no one plays back to backs.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:43 am
Ever see that Simpsons where Homer is head of the Union:
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Goons.
Goons?
Hired Goons.
I didn’t hire any goons.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:43 am
so they change cities every game now
March 21st, 2008 at 10:45 am
Hef…of course they back to backs in the playoffs…back to back weeks.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:45 am
There’s always a day off in between games in the playoffs.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:55 am
Hef..joke..back to back weeks…I know they don’t play back to back nights…Hell they are still playing last years playoffs
March 21st, 2008 at 10:57 am
true, they sure dont. But wins like that adds confidence to your team. it shows you that you can still compete after traveling and fatigue sets in. with boston, fatigue has been brought up all year because people think Rivers is playing the big three too much.
i know you try and prove me wrong on a daily occasion, next time i will word it better for you so you can analyze it completely
March 21st, 2008 at 11:04 am
I got you Roman. I was replying to Irish. In fact, I found your joke to be funny and smiled on the inside.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:05 am
I wasn’t trying to prove you wrong, Irish. Please don’t take it personally. I was correcting the record. THere is no bad blood. It’s all in the past.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:07 am
Devil’s Advocate/Magic fan:
Magic split season series with Pistons (and one of those games was the second game of the season, before this team gelled), won series with Boston 2-1, and lead Cleveland 2-1 with game in Cleveland remaining.
If they can beat the East (and, even though they haven’t seen Boston with Cassell, they’ve proven they can match up with anyone), doesn’t Dwight Howard stand to bully anyone from the West in the Finals? His only abuser seems to be Chris Bosh.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:08 am
im not saying nothing man. its all good hef, its all good.
no bad blood, you just caught me in a bad mood on a bad day
March 21st, 2008 at 11:08 am
uh oh 2nd Magic fan in the house
March 21st, 2008 at 11:09 am
So going 3-0 on a road trip through Texas is nearly as impressive as winning 22 straight games, some without you’re star center?
WTF
March 21st, 2008 at 11:09 am
Are you working today. Don’t all Irish people get Good Friday off work and school?
March 21st, 2008 at 11:11 am
stuck at work with tickets to the ncaa Tampa games. so trust me, im fucking livid right now. im leaving at 2 though
March 21st, 2008 at 11:15 am
Hakeem: Yeah that was pretty stupid, eh?
March 21st, 2008 at 11:20 am
Right now, Hakeem, everyone on the boards think that both Houston and Boston are frauds. There was nothing but agreement all day. Even TBL chimed in to talk about how both will be 1 and done (like Arizona–go wildcats, goddam bracket busters).
March 21st, 2008 at 11:21 am
@rockabye- there is no one in the league that can match up with our boy down low. i have been telling everyone on this message board about our record against the top teams in the East. they dont care, people want to continue to sleep on our team
March 21st, 2008 at 11:22 am
Irish, I’m a Magic fan by proximity (I live in Brevard; if you’re in Orlando, you know where that is), but I’m developing an affinity for the Hornets.
And I sort of want Chris Paul to be paired with Dwight Howard at a time other than the All-Star Game.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:25 am
@rockabye- im closer to Tampa than Orlando. im in Sarasota County
March 21st, 2008 at 11:27 am
I look forward to Irish’s twenty daily posts on the Orlando Magic. The first one always says how good they are doing or how well they played the night before. Followed by 19 more defending Dwight Howard from everyone else on the board.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:32 am
[Hef quickly exits this thread so as not to be guilty by association.]
[Sound of slamming door]
March 21st, 2008 at 11:32 am
yeah, its like that Hakeem. only if you were still playing, than i would def have to say
hakeem > d howard
what do you think of him hakeem, you know bigs?
March 21st, 2008 at 11:36 am
I saw him play last year in Houston, Yao got the better of him that night but he is absolutely crazy down low. Doesn’t he lead the league in Dunks??
March 21st, 2008 at 11:37 am
I’m out for the weekend, boyzzzz.
Go Cavs
March 21st, 2008 at 11:40 am
Later, nick.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:40 am
by a mile, also leads the league in boards. He had a shitty night the last time out, only 3 points. i could blame it on his foul trouble, but the Wiz did a great job that night of tripling him down low.
the scary thing is with him hakeem, he is only 22. This kid will have an impact on this league for the next 15 years.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:40 am
alright nick
see ya next week
CAVS BLOW
March 21st, 2008 at 11:45 am
Yeah I know, I realized that last year while I was watching him. How is his midrange jumper though?
March 21st, 2008 at 11:52 am
why would you need a midrange jumper when there is no one close to the basket that can guard you. it takes teams 3 guys to stop him
March 21st, 2008 at 11:56 am
Haha, I mean if he had one though it would just make him that much better
March 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
yeah i know. Remember Amare was the same way unitl he hurt his knee. lets just pray howard doesnt get hurt. at least he can hit his free throws now
March 21st, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Hurting his knee was the best thing to ever happen to Amare. He’s better now than he ever has been because he had to develop the outside shot. He’s still dominant inside but now he can also shoot the ball well from 18 feet (he can even knock down the three every now and again).
March 21st, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Yeah Amare has been pretty nasty this year. There’s no way to guard him when he steps out like that.