The Celtics have won themselves a second-round date with the Cavaliers, and they’re hoping that playing against a more accomplished opponent will be good for them.
It was clear the Celtics took Atlanta lightly at times on the way to being pushed to seven games.
“They’re a group that’s the defending champs, and to do anything you’ve got to go through them and deal with that,” said Kevin Garnett, referring to Cleveland. “LeBron (James)’s playing at a high level right now. It’s good that we have home-court advantage, and overall I think it should be a good series. Obviously, they’re trying to figure out some things with their new group, but they’re playing really well and I’m sure they’re playing at a high level. And as we say in our locker room, our gas is high and our confidence is high, too, so it should be a good series.”
The Celtics certainly respect this opponent.
“Well, the Cleveland Cavaliers are the Eastern Conference champs from a year ago, the team that went to The Finals,” said Paul Pierce. “So we know it’s going to be a tough road, and you’ve got to go through the Eastern Conference champs—a team that has a lot of experience, a team that has been to The Finals and that knows what it takes.
“We’re still learning as a group, so this going to be the ultimate test. You have one of the top players in the league coming in, one of the top teams in the league coming in who’s been there and done that, so we’ve definitely got our work cut out for ourselves. We have to be ready, simple and plain.”
Celtics 99, Hawks 65: The Celtics removed any doubts early, taking an 11-point lead after one quarter and cruising to a Game 7 victory over the Hawks Sunday afternoon in Boston.
Taking their home-court advantage seriously, the Celts won their four games in Boston by an average just over 25 points.
Paul Pierce had a game-high 22 points, while Kevin Garnett added 18. Both were able to rest in the last quarter as the rout was completed.
“I just told them after the game that that was the Celtics,” said Doc Rivers. I thought obviously that we played terrific basketball. The defensive energy was off the charts, and the offense was great.”
The Celtics held the Hawks to 29.3 percent shooting from the floor.
Notes, Quotes
• After leading the Celtics to the win, Paul Pierce ended his self-imposed silence. He hadn’t spoken since after Game 4, the night he learned he’d been fined $25,000 for a menacing gesture in the previous game.
“Me and the stuff that was going on with myself, I just didn’t want to be a distraction to what we was trying to accomplish,” he said. “My whole focus was just (on), game in and game out, what we were trying to do.
“I just needed to take a step back to myself and not really be a distraction to others… I just didn’t want to bring that attention back on my team, so we could just focus on playing basketball.”
• Kevin Garnett said he didn’t sleep Saturday night, but Doc Rivers had no problem.
“I told (Garnett) I slept 10 hours,” Rivers said. “I took an Ambien and I was out like a rock. It was great… I told him that when I was a player, I didn’t sleep. It’s a little different.”
Quote To Note: “The performance tonight is very typical of what we have done all year.”—Ray Allen, after Game 7.
Roster Report
Rotation: Point guard Rajon Rondo, Shooting guard Ray Allen, Small forward Paul Pierce, Power forward Kevin Garnett, Center Kendrick Perkins. Bench—Guard Eddie House, Forward James Posey, Guard Tony Allen, Guard Sam Cassell, Forward Leon Powe, Forward Glen Davis, Forward P.J. Brown, Forward Brian Scalabrine, Guard Gabe Pruitt.
Player Notes:
• G Ray Allen made just two of 13 treys in the last two games of the series.
• F Kevin Garnett went to the basket a lot more in Game 7, hitting nine of 13 shots.
• F-C Leon Powe managed 12 points in 20 minutes, combining with Kendrick Perkins for 22 points in the pivot.
• G Rajon Rondo completed the series with 51 assists and just seven turnovers.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Red Sox - Inside Pitch
In a matchup of young left-handers, a visibly confident Jon Lester decisively won the mound battle over Sox-killer Scott Kazmir on Sunday afternoon.
The 24-year-old Lester, working with good tempo and effectively mixing all his pitches, shook aside temporary struggles during the first two innings in securing his second win of the season—and the third straight win for a Sox starting pitcher.
Lester dropped his ERA to 3.94 while limiting the Rays’ offense to four hits and a single earned run in six innings of work, and his only blemish came on a Carlos Pena solo homer.
The Red Sox southpaw was obviously feeling his way through the first two frames and moving at a glacial pace, but quickened things in the third inning and allowed only four baserunners after that point of clarity.
“(Lester) is taking steps,” said Sox catcher Jason Varitek. “He’s continuing to do that. We even added some stuff today to his repertoire and we’re really expanding what he can do.”
Red Sox 7, Rays 3: First baseman Kevin Youkilis collected his fifth three-hit game of the season and tied a career high with four RBIs in leading the Sox to a weekend sweep over the Rays. Right hander Manny Delcarmen ran into trouble in the eighth inning, but lefty Hideki Okajima and right-hander Jonathan Papelbon were able to finish out the last 2 2/3 innings and secured a victory for Jon Lester.
Notes, Quotes
• DH David Ortiz was a last-minute scratch from Sunday’s starting lineup after experiencing tightness in his surgically repaired right knee. Big Papi has been red hot as of late while hitting .301 over his last 17 games, and the lefty slugger collected a season-high three hits on Saturday. The three-hit performance pulled his batting average all the way up to .217, his first day spent over the Mendoza Line this season. Ortiz said after Sunday’s game he doesn’t expect to miss any additional games.
• OF Brandon Moss underwent an emergency appendectomy on Saturday night after complaining of abdominal pain that started during Friday night’s game. The rookie outfielder was out of the hospital on Sunday and resting comfortably at home following the surgery. Moss was placed on the 15-day disabled list and will be out roughly five-to-10 days before commencing a rehab stint in Ft Myers.
• OF Manny Ramirez is the proud owner of an impressive 496 career home runs, but has now gone through a 12-game homer-less drought on his march to 500 career home runs. Ramirez also broke an 11-game RBI drought—one game shy of the longest in his accomplished big league career—with a two-run single in the first inning on Saturday. Man-Ram has also whiffed an eye-opening 14 times during this most recent power outage.
• RHP Craig Hansen was called up from Class AAA Pawtucket to take the roster spot of OF Brandon Moss after he was placed on the disabled list. The 24-year-old power reliever impressed Sox officials with a solid 1 2/3-inning, three-strikeout stint during his last go-round with the Sox on April 23, and could help Boston’s bullpen in a setup role. Hansen put up a 1.62 ERA in 11 games as a setup man for Class AAA Pawtucket this season.
• C Jason Varitek has battled back from a flu that knocked him out of commission for nearly a week, and is hitting .368 during a five-game hitting streak for the Sox. ‘Tek had been 0-for-9 during his previous four games as he battled back from the after-effects of illness, but it seems that the 35-year-old catching Captain is finally back up to full speed.
By The Numbers: 84.4—Stolen-base success rate percentage of OF Coco Crisp during his career with the Red Sox, which ranks highest in club history of any player with at least 50 steal attempts.
Quote To Note: “I told Manny, ‘You’re the closest thing to Yogi Berra in the modern era that we have.’ Manny looked at me and said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘When I hear you talk, every player knows exactly what you mean, but you say it in a manner that’s unique to you.”—Player agent Scott Boras, talking to the Boston Globe about a conversation between himself and OF Manny Ramirez.
Roster Report
Medical Watch:
DH David Ortiz (sore right knee) was scratched from the lineup on May 4. Ortiz is day to day.
OF Brandon Moss (appendectomy) was placed on the disabled list on emergency surgery. If all goes well, he could begin a rehab stint on May 15.
OF J.D. Drew (tightness in left quadriceps) left the April 29 game. He missed three games but returned May 3.
OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) did not play May 1. He played on May 2 against the Rays.
1B Sean Casey (strained right hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 26.
RHP Curt Schilling (right shoulder) began experiencing discomfort during the offseason, and he opened the season on the 60-day disabled list as he undergoes a muscle-strengthening program. Schilling is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break, but may start throwing in mid-May.
INF Alex Cora (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10.
The 24-year-old Lester, working with good tempo and effectively mixing all his pitches, shook aside temporary struggles during the first two innings in securing his second win of the season—and the third straight win for a Sox starting pitcher.
Lester dropped his ERA to 3.94 while limiting the Rays’ offense to four hits and a single earned run in six innings of work, and his only blemish came on a Carlos Pena solo homer.
The Red Sox southpaw was obviously feeling his way through the first two frames and moving at a glacial pace, but quickened things in the third inning and allowed only four baserunners after that point of clarity.
“(Lester) is taking steps,” said Sox catcher Jason Varitek. “He’s continuing to do that. We even added some stuff today to his repertoire and we’re really expanding what he can do.”
Red Sox 7, Rays 3: First baseman Kevin Youkilis collected his fifth three-hit game of the season and tied a career high with four RBIs in leading the Sox to a weekend sweep over the Rays. Right hander Manny Delcarmen ran into trouble in the eighth inning, but lefty Hideki Okajima and right-hander Jonathan Papelbon were able to finish out the last 2 2/3 innings and secured a victory for Jon Lester.
Notes, Quotes
• DH David Ortiz was a last-minute scratch from Sunday’s starting lineup after experiencing tightness in his surgically repaired right knee. Big Papi has been red hot as of late while hitting .301 over his last 17 games, and the lefty slugger collected a season-high three hits on Saturday. The three-hit performance pulled his batting average all the way up to .217, his first day spent over the Mendoza Line this season. Ortiz said after Sunday’s game he doesn’t expect to miss any additional games.
• OF Brandon Moss underwent an emergency appendectomy on Saturday night after complaining of abdominal pain that started during Friday night’s game. The rookie outfielder was out of the hospital on Sunday and resting comfortably at home following the surgery. Moss was placed on the 15-day disabled list and will be out roughly five-to-10 days before commencing a rehab stint in Ft Myers.
• OF Manny Ramirez is the proud owner of an impressive 496 career home runs, but has now gone through a 12-game homer-less drought on his march to 500 career home runs. Ramirez also broke an 11-game RBI drought—one game shy of the longest in his accomplished big league career—with a two-run single in the first inning on Saturday. Man-Ram has also whiffed an eye-opening 14 times during this most recent power outage.
• RHP Craig Hansen was called up from Class AAA Pawtucket to take the roster spot of OF Brandon Moss after he was placed on the disabled list. The 24-year-old power reliever impressed Sox officials with a solid 1 2/3-inning, three-strikeout stint during his last go-round with the Sox on April 23, and could help Boston’s bullpen in a setup role. Hansen put up a 1.62 ERA in 11 games as a setup man for Class AAA Pawtucket this season.
• C Jason Varitek has battled back from a flu that knocked him out of commission for nearly a week, and is hitting .368 during a five-game hitting streak for the Sox. ‘Tek had been 0-for-9 during his previous four games as he battled back from the after-effects of illness, but it seems that the 35-year-old catching Captain is finally back up to full speed.
By The Numbers: 84.4—Stolen-base success rate percentage of OF Coco Crisp during his career with the Red Sox, which ranks highest in club history of any player with at least 50 steal attempts.
Quote To Note: “I told Manny, ‘You’re the closest thing to Yogi Berra in the modern era that we have.’ Manny looked at me and said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘When I hear you talk, every player knows exactly what you mean, but you say it in a manner that’s unique to you.”—Player agent Scott Boras, talking to the Boston Globe about a conversation between himself and OF Manny Ramirez.
Roster Report
Medical Watch:
DH David Ortiz (sore right knee) was scratched from the lineup on May 4. Ortiz is day to day.
OF Brandon Moss (appendectomy) was placed on the disabled list on emergency surgery. If all goes well, he could begin a rehab stint on May 15.
OF J.D. Drew (tightness in left quadriceps) left the April 29 game. He missed three games but returned May 3.
OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) did not play May 1. He played on May 2 against the Rays.
1B Sean Casey (strained right hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 26.
RHP Curt Schilling (right shoulder) began experiencing discomfort during the offseason, and he opened the season on the 60-day disabled list as he undergoes a muscle-strengthening program. Schilling is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break, but may start throwing in mid-May.
INF Alex Cora (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Red Sox - Inside Pitch
The Big Schill is almost ready for the big comeback.
Curt Schilling is hoping that—after more than two months of shoulder strengthening and rehab work—he will begin a throwing program with the Red Sox in the next 7-10 days. The 41-year-old righty hasn’t thrown a ball since feeling shoulder and arm discomfort while working this winter, but also hasn’t felt any pain since taking a mid-February cortisone shot in his pitching arm.
“I’m closer to throwing. I don’t know. We’re getting close,” said Schilling. “I would argue that we’re close to throwing in the next week to 10 days probably. It’s a big day. I feel great. I feel strong. I feel everything I’m supposed to feel.”
Schilling has enjoyed watching a Sox starting rotation that has performed well over the first month of the season, and seemed particularly interested in the continued development of young hurlers Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz.
Schilling’s possible role to play this season could very well be linked to the young hurlers on the Sox staff, who will—at some point this season—bump up against innings limits set in place by Boston’s player development staff.
Whatever Schilling’s role is, however, the bloody-socked Sox hero knows he’ll have to be effective to crack a starting rotation that’s put up a 3.82 team ERA thus far.
“I’m not just going to get the ball because I’m a starting pitcher. I’m going to have to be good,” said Schilling. “Last I looked, this rotation didn’t have a hole in it. There are a lot of different scenarios that might come about with an innings limit for guys—but I’ve got to come back and be good.
“I can’t just can’t get healthy and expect to come back and get a spot,” added Schilling. “That’s a challenge. If I didn’t believe, absolutely, that I would have the ball in a World Series game, I wouldn’t be doing this.”
Red Sox 7, Rays 3: Led by a Brandon Moss solo homer and a key, two-out Dustin Pedroia RBI double in the bottom of the third inning, the Sox exploded offensively and finally captured their first win of the season Friday against the pesky Rays. Clay Buchholz pitched in and out of trouble through his 5 1/3 innings of work, and allowed only a single run while collecting his second win of the season.
Notes, Quotes
• OF Coco Crisp is battling knee and hamstring soreness in his right leg and wasn’t healthy enough to crack Friday night’s starting lineup for the Sox. The 28-year-old outfielder has battled through a series of leg problems for the balance of the 2008 season, but had played in six out of seven games heading into Friday night’s game.
• RHP Bartolo Colon will not be making his first rehab appearance in Class AAA Pawtucket, but will instead pitch two innings in extended spring training on Monday against an Orioles team in Sarasota. Colon has been on the minor-league disabled list since April 6 with a right oblique strain, and is facing a recently-negotiated June 1 opt-out clause for his contract. Sox officials asked Colon to make the rehab appearance in Florida to avoid disrupting the PawSox pitching staff.
• OF Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the Sox lineup Friday night after missing three games with groin soreness. Sox Manager Terry Francona indicated before the game that the Sox took the injury as an opportunity to illustrate to Ellsbury the difference between playing hurt and playing injured. “It gives us a chance to talk to him and explain to him every game we play here is a big deal and that’s probably what’s different in the minor leagues, (that) they’re very protective, which they’re supposed to be,” Francona said. “We try to be protective but at the same time, we want guys to understand the responsibility that every game here is really a big deal.”
• OF Brandon Moss belted a home run and earned an assist after throwing a runner out at the plate on Friday night, making Moss the first rookie Sox outfielder to collect a home run and assist in the same game since former OF Trot Nixon turned the same trick in 1999. Moss has reached base safely in five of the six games he’s played this season and has amassed three runs and three RBIs during that span. “I think you can tell that we have no qualms about playing him,” said Sox Manager Terry Francona. “He does a good job, can hit a left-hander, can hit a fastball. Sometimes there’s not a place for a guy to play.”
• RHP Clay Buchholz improved his record to a perfect 4-0 at Fenway Park with a win in Boston on Friday night. The rookie right-hander has gone at least five innings in all five of his career starts at the Fens, and has put up a microscopic 1.39 ERA in 32 1/3 career innings at his home ballpark. It’s plainly apparent that the Sox hurler is the proud owner of a pair of plus-plus pitches in the changeup and curveball, and his big league apprenticeship is progressing nicely.
By The Numbers: 1,701—Total number of consecutive errorless defensive chances by 1B Kevin Youkilis, which broke the record for all defensive positions in the major leagues.
Quote To Note: “I just try to go out there and play the best that I can whenever they put me out there. I wish it were softball, but it’s not so we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, we all continue to play well and give them a tough decision on who to put out there on any given day.”—OF Coco Crisp, on his mind-set while playing the part of a fourth outfielder on the Sox this season.
Roster Report
Medical Watch:
OF J.D. Drew (tightness in left quadriceps) left the April 29 game. He didn’t play April 30 or May 1-2 but might return May 3.
OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) did not play May 1. He played on May 2 against the Rays.
1B Sean Casey (strained right hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 26.
RHP Curt Schilling (right shoulder) began experiencing discomfort during the offseason, and he opened the season on the 60-day disabled list as he undergoes a muscle-strengthening program. Schilling is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break, but may start throwing in mid-May.
INF Alex Cora (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10.
Curt Schilling is hoping that—after more than two months of shoulder strengthening and rehab work—he will begin a throwing program with the Red Sox in the next 7-10 days. The 41-year-old righty hasn’t thrown a ball since feeling shoulder and arm discomfort while working this winter, but also hasn’t felt any pain since taking a mid-February cortisone shot in his pitching arm.
“I’m closer to throwing. I don’t know. We’re getting close,” said Schilling. “I would argue that we’re close to throwing in the next week to 10 days probably. It’s a big day. I feel great. I feel strong. I feel everything I’m supposed to feel.”
Schilling has enjoyed watching a Sox starting rotation that has performed well over the first month of the season, and seemed particularly interested in the continued development of young hurlers Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz.
Schilling’s possible role to play this season could very well be linked to the young hurlers on the Sox staff, who will—at some point this season—bump up against innings limits set in place by Boston’s player development staff.
Whatever Schilling’s role is, however, the bloody-socked Sox hero knows he’ll have to be effective to crack a starting rotation that’s put up a 3.82 team ERA thus far.
“I’m not just going to get the ball because I’m a starting pitcher. I’m going to have to be good,” said Schilling. “Last I looked, this rotation didn’t have a hole in it. There are a lot of different scenarios that might come about with an innings limit for guys—but I’ve got to come back and be good.
“I can’t just can’t get healthy and expect to come back and get a spot,” added Schilling. “That’s a challenge. If I didn’t believe, absolutely, that I would have the ball in a World Series game, I wouldn’t be doing this.”
Red Sox 7, Rays 3: Led by a Brandon Moss solo homer and a key, two-out Dustin Pedroia RBI double in the bottom of the third inning, the Sox exploded offensively and finally captured their first win of the season Friday against the pesky Rays. Clay Buchholz pitched in and out of trouble through his 5 1/3 innings of work, and allowed only a single run while collecting his second win of the season.
Notes, Quotes
• OF Coco Crisp is battling knee and hamstring soreness in his right leg and wasn’t healthy enough to crack Friday night’s starting lineup for the Sox. The 28-year-old outfielder has battled through a series of leg problems for the balance of the 2008 season, but had played in six out of seven games heading into Friday night’s game.
• RHP Bartolo Colon will not be making his first rehab appearance in Class AAA Pawtucket, but will instead pitch two innings in extended spring training on Monday against an Orioles team in Sarasota. Colon has been on the minor-league disabled list since April 6 with a right oblique strain, and is facing a recently-negotiated June 1 opt-out clause for his contract. Sox officials asked Colon to make the rehab appearance in Florida to avoid disrupting the PawSox pitching staff.
• OF Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the Sox lineup Friday night after missing three games with groin soreness. Sox Manager Terry Francona indicated before the game that the Sox took the injury as an opportunity to illustrate to Ellsbury the difference between playing hurt and playing injured. “It gives us a chance to talk to him and explain to him every game we play here is a big deal and that’s probably what’s different in the minor leagues, (that) they’re very protective, which they’re supposed to be,” Francona said. “We try to be protective but at the same time, we want guys to understand the responsibility that every game here is really a big deal.”
• OF Brandon Moss belted a home run and earned an assist after throwing a runner out at the plate on Friday night, making Moss the first rookie Sox outfielder to collect a home run and assist in the same game since former OF Trot Nixon turned the same trick in 1999. Moss has reached base safely in five of the six games he’s played this season and has amassed three runs and three RBIs during that span. “I think you can tell that we have no qualms about playing him,” said Sox Manager Terry Francona. “He does a good job, can hit a left-hander, can hit a fastball. Sometimes there’s not a place for a guy to play.”
• RHP Clay Buchholz improved his record to a perfect 4-0 at Fenway Park with a win in Boston on Friday night. The rookie right-hander has gone at least five innings in all five of his career starts at the Fens, and has put up a microscopic 1.39 ERA in 32 1/3 career innings at his home ballpark. It’s plainly apparent that the Sox hurler is the proud owner of a pair of plus-plus pitches in the changeup and curveball, and his big league apprenticeship is progressing nicely.
By The Numbers: 1,701—Total number of consecutive errorless defensive chances by 1B Kevin Youkilis, which broke the record for all defensive positions in the major leagues.
Quote To Note: “I just try to go out there and play the best that I can whenever they put me out there. I wish it were softball, but it’s not so we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, we all continue to play well and give them a tough decision on who to put out there on any given day.”—OF Coco Crisp, on his mind-set while playing the part of a fourth outfielder on the Sox this season.
Roster Report
Medical Watch:
OF J.D. Drew (tightness in left quadriceps) left the April 29 game. He didn’t play April 30 or May 1-2 but might return May 3.
OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) did not play May 1. He played on May 2 against the Rays.
1B Sean Casey (strained right hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 26.
RHP Curt Schilling (right shoulder) began experiencing discomfort during the offseason, and he opened the season on the 60-day disabled list as he undergoes a muscle-strengthening program. Schilling is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break, but may start throwing in mid-May.
INF Alex Cora (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10.
Celtics - Getting Inside
The Celtics’ director of basketball operations isn’t too worried by his team’s trouble with the Hawks in the first round. Danny Ainge doesn’t think it’ll have an effect down the line.
“No,” he said, “it’s like the NCAA tournament. Sometimes the third seed can barely beat the 14th seed in the first round and then go all the way and win the championship or get to the Final Four.
“The biggest thing I worry about—and I think you saw a little of it with Detroit—is sometimes you just don’t play like yourself,” Ainge said. “You get a little tense. I think that we showed a little bit of that in Game 4 here.”
There is no real formula for dealing with the matter.
“I think sometimes you’ve just got to play through it,” Ainge said. “You know, that’s why the important thing is to just focus on the defense and don’t think about offense. When you struggle from the free throw line, the worst thing to do is to think about it and over-analyze it. Sometimes you’ve just got to get away from it and clear your mind.
“I didn’t think we played great in Game 1 and Game 2 offensively. I thought we played good defense. I thought in Game 3 we really didn’t take our opponent seriously … because we didn’t play well and we won in Boston easily. Then in Game 4, I thought we played hard but we didn’t play well. And their best players really played well and stepped up. Then in Game 5 we put it together. We played with effort AND we made shots.”
However, they couldn’t sustain that effort in Game 6, making a highly surprising Game 7 necessary.
Hawks 103, Celtics 100: The Celtics have taken themselves to the brink of first-round elimination.
Friday night in Atlanta they squandered a 12-point lead and fell to the Hawks for the third time on the road in the series.
The C’s were still leading by three in the last quarter when the Hawks scored 10 straight points. During that run, Paul Pierce fouled out and earned a technical on his way to the bench. That allowed Atlanta a three-point possession.
Mike Bibby made just one of two free throws with 7.4 seconds left, leaving the Celtics a chance to tie. But Rajon Rondo’s trey at the buzzer wasn’t close.
Kevin Garnett led the Celts with 22 points, while the Hawks had six players in double figures.
Coach Doc Rivers took aim at the 47-25 Atlanta lead in free throw attempts.
“I don’t know how many times we’ve scored 100 points and lost the game with our defense,” he said. “I didn’t think our defense was bad. I just thought they shot 47 free throws.”
Notes, Quotes
• Coach Doc Rivers thinks the confrontations between the players are being overblown. And he blames the players.
“Every time there is a guy that looks at one another, everyone is running in and grabbing each other,” Rivers said. “Sometimes it’s a joke. It really is. I just think we almost draw so much attention to it. One time I was like, nothing is happening … why is everyone going around grabbing each other?”
• Look for bigger things from Sam Cassell. At least that’s what Sam says.
“This is my time of year,” Cassell said. “I love playoff basketball, and I understand what it means. I understand what it takes to be successful this time of year, but I am just trying to get on the court. Rajon (Rondo) is having a hell of a series right now, so he is keeping me on the sideline.”
Quote To Note: “We just put ourselves in this position.”—Backup forward James Posey on being forced to a Game 7.
Roster Report
Rotation: Point guard Rajon Rondo, Shooting guard Ray Allen, Small forward Paul Pierce, Power forward Kevin Garnett, Center Kendrick Perkins. Bench—Guard Eddie House, Forward James Posey, Guard Tony Allen, Guard Sam Cassell, Forward Leon Powe, Forward Glen Davis, Forward P.J. Brown, Forward Brian Scalabrine, Guard Gabe Pruitt.
Player Notes:
• G Ray Allen hit one of eight free throws Friday after making five of eight from the distance in each of his previous two games.
• F Paul Pierce had 11 points in the first quarter and just six the rest of the game.
• G Rajon Rondo had five assists and three turnovers in Game 6. He had 40 assists and four turnovers over the first five games.
• C Kendrick Perkins went 5-for-5 from the floor on the way to 14 points. His scoring is usually a good sign, in that it comes when he gets free off ball movement.
“No,” he said, “it’s like the NCAA tournament. Sometimes the third seed can barely beat the 14th seed in the first round and then go all the way and win the championship or get to the Final Four.
“The biggest thing I worry about—and I think you saw a little of it with Detroit—is sometimes you just don’t play like yourself,” Ainge said. “You get a little tense. I think that we showed a little bit of that in Game 4 here.”
There is no real formula for dealing with the matter.
“I think sometimes you’ve just got to play through it,” Ainge said. “You know, that’s why the important thing is to just focus on the defense and don’t think about offense. When you struggle from the free throw line, the worst thing to do is to think about it and over-analyze it. Sometimes you’ve just got to get away from it and clear your mind.
“I didn’t think we played great in Game 1 and Game 2 offensively. I thought we played good defense. I thought in Game 3 we really didn’t take our opponent seriously … because we didn’t play well and we won in Boston easily. Then in Game 4, I thought we played hard but we didn’t play well. And their best players really played well and stepped up. Then in Game 5 we put it together. We played with effort AND we made shots.”
However, they couldn’t sustain that effort in Game 6, making a highly surprising Game 7 necessary.
Hawks 103, Celtics 100: The Celtics have taken themselves to the brink of first-round elimination.
Friday night in Atlanta they squandered a 12-point lead and fell to the Hawks for the third time on the road in the series.
The C’s were still leading by three in the last quarter when the Hawks scored 10 straight points. During that run, Paul Pierce fouled out and earned a technical on his way to the bench. That allowed Atlanta a three-point possession.
Mike Bibby made just one of two free throws with 7.4 seconds left, leaving the Celtics a chance to tie. But Rajon Rondo’s trey at the buzzer wasn’t close.
Kevin Garnett led the Celts with 22 points, while the Hawks had six players in double figures.
Coach Doc Rivers took aim at the 47-25 Atlanta lead in free throw attempts.
“I don’t know how many times we’ve scored 100 points and lost the game with our defense,” he said. “I didn’t think our defense was bad. I just thought they shot 47 free throws.”
Notes, Quotes
• Coach Doc Rivers thinks the confrontations between the players are being overblown. And he blames the players.
“Every time there is a guy that looks at one another, everyone is running in and grabbing each other,” Rivers said. “Sometimes it’s a joke. It really is. I just think we almost draw so much attention to it. One time I was like, nothing is happening … why is everyone going around grabbing each other?”
• Look for bigger things from Sam Cassell. At least that’s what Sam says.
“This is my time of year,” Cassell said. “I love playoff basketball, and I understand what it means. I understand what it takes to be successful this time of year, but I am just trying to get on the court. Rajon (Rondo) is having a hell of a series right now, so he is keeping me on the sideline.”
Quote To Note: “We just put ourselves in this position.”—Backup forward James Posey on being forced to a Game 7.
Roster Report
Rotation: Point guard Rajon Rondo, Shooting guard Ray Allen, Small forward Paul Pierce, Power forward Kevin Garnett, Center Kendrick Perkins. Bench—Guard Eddie House, Forward James Posey, Guard Tony Allen, Guard Sam Cassell, Forward Leon Powe, Forward Glen Davis, Forward P.J. Brown, Forward Brian Scalabrine, Guard Gabe Pruitt.
Player Notes:
• G Ray Allen hit one of eight free throws Friday after making five of eight from the distance in each of his previous two games.
• F Paul Pierce had 11 points in the first quarter and just six the rest of the game.
• G Rajon Rondo had five assists and three turnovers in Game 6. He had 40 assists and four turnovers over the first five games.
• C Kendrick Perkins went 5-for-5 from the floor on the way to 14 points. His scoring is usually a good sign, in that it comes when he gets free off ball movement.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Red Sox - Inside Pitch
It’s no secret that David Ortiz is still having good days and bad days after undergoing arthroscopic right knee surgery in the offseason.
The questions concerning the overall health of his leg grew louder when the Sox’s designated hitter struggled out of the gate this season and hit .111 as of April 11. The knee hasn’t gotten any worse or better.
It’s probably somewhere in the middle for Ortiz: The knee is hurting as much as people think when the lefty swinger is struggling and it’s not pain-free even when he’s riding one of his patented power surges.
“He’s OK. I think he’s just sore. I know there’s nothing structural,” manager Terry Francona said. “I think he will (deal with pain). He had surgery, he’s a big guy and he’s not 22 years old.
“I think that’s just the way life is as you start to progress in your career. Sometimes we need to give a guy a day off, and he knows it.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Ortiz exacerbated the knee issues when he opted to go for a headfirst slide during a three-game series last weekend. He promptly missed a pair of games with a bruised right knee.
The knee is certainly still aching, and Ortiz is going to have to fight through the pain to try to raise his offensive numbers to his usual levels. Despite the .196 batting average, Ortiz is still among the American League’s leaders in home runs (five) and RBIs (21).
The reappearance of some power has allowed Red Sox fans to relax, but the 32-year-old Ortiz won’t ever be able to relax when it comes to the maintenance of his all-important knees.
“He has to get in on the elliptical and he can’t just come in and play the game,” Francona said. “He doesn’t have that freedom anymore. He knows that. He does a pretty good job with that, and he will continue to.”
Blue Jays 3, Red Sox 0: The Boston offense managed only four hits and has scored a grand total of four runs in the last five games, including a pair of shutouts. Tim Wakefield soldiered through seven innings of work and allowed only three runs but couldn’t avoid his first defeat of the season.
Notes, Quotes
• OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) and OF J.D. Drew (quadriceps tightness) were both on the Fenway Park field prior to the game, testing out their injuries. Neither player appeared in Thursday’s game. Manager Terry Francona hoped that both players would be available for Friday’s opener against the Rays.
• DH David Ortiz ranks ninth on the Red Sox all-time home run list with 213. Hall-of-Famers Jimmie Foxx and Bobby Doerr are next with 222 and 223. Ortiz would move up to sixth place if he manages to hit 18 more homers this season.
• RHP Manny Delcarmen is tied for the American League lead with 14 appearances this season. It marks the second-most appearances for a Sox pitcher during April. Tom Gordon appeared in 15 April games in 1998, and Mike Stanton appeared in 14 April games in 1996. Delcarmen has been utilized frequently, but he has allowed runs in each of his last four outings, and his ERA has ballooned to 6.17.
• C Kevin Cash had a personal-best six-game hitting streak snapped when he went 0-for-1 with two walks Thursday. Cash has become the personal catcher for RHP Tim Wakefield this season, and is hitting .333 in the six games he’s caught the knuckleballer this season.
• The Red Sox are reportedly looking into moving their Florida spring training home from its current location in Fort Myers to Sarasota. The Sox moved to Fort Myers from Winter Haven in 1993 and have been in their current spot for the last 15 years. The club’s interest reportedly was piqued when they learned that the Cincinnati Reds were leaving Sarasota for Arizona’s Cactus League.
By The Numbers: 1,701—Total number of consecutive errorless defensive chances by 1B Kevin Youkilis, which broke the record for all defensive positions in the major leagues.
Quote To Note: “I just try to go out there and play the best that I can whenever they put me out there. I wish it were softball, but it’s not so we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, we all continue to play well and give them a tough decision on who to put out there on any given day.”—OF Coco Crisp, on his mind-set while playing the part of a fourth outfielder on the Sox this season.
Roster Report
Medical Watch:
OF J.D. Drew (tightness in left quadriceps) left the April 29 game. He didn’t play April 30 or May 1 but might return May 2.
OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) did not play May 1. He may be available May 2 against the Rays.
INF Alex Cora (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10. He might start making throws across the diamond on May 2.
1B Sean Casey (strained right hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 26.
RHP Curt Schilling (right shoulder) began experiencing discomfort during the offseason, and he opened the season on the 60-day disabled list as he undergoes a muscle-strengthening program. Schilling is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break, and his legendary career might be over.
The questions concerning the overall health of his leg grew louder when the Sox’s designated hitter struggled out of the gate this season and hit .111 as of April 11. The knee hasn’t gotten any worse or better.
It’s probably somewhere in the middle for Ortiz: The knee is hurting as much as people think when the lefty swinger is struggling and it’s not pain-free even when he’s riding one of his patented power surges.
“He’s OK. I think he’s just sore. I know there’s nothing structural,” manager Terry Francona said. “I think he will (deal with pain). He had surgery, he’s a big guy and he’s not 22 years old.
“I think that’s just the way life is as you start to progress in your career. Sometimes we need to give a guy a day off, and he knows it.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Ortiz exacerbated the knee issues when he opted to go for a headfirst slide during a three-game series last weekend. He promptly missed a pair of games with a bruised right knee.
The knee is certainly still aching, and Ortiz is going to have to fight through the pain to try to raise his offensive numbers to his usual levels. Despite the .196 batting average, Ortiz is still among the American League’s leaders in home runs (five) and RBIs (21).
The reappearance of some power has allowed Red Sox fans to relax, but the 32-year-old Ortiz won’t ever be able to relax when it comes to the maintenance of his all-important knees.
“He has to get in on the elliptical and he can’t just come in and play the game,” Francona said. “He doesn’t have that freedom anymore. He knows that. He does a pretty good job with that, and he will continue to.”
Blue Jays 3, Red Sox 0: The Boston offense managed only four hits and has scored a grand total of four runs in the last five games, including a pair of shutouts. Tim Wakefield soldiered through seven innings of work and allowed only three runs but couldn’t avoid his first defeat of the season.
Notes, Quotes
• OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) and OF J.D. Drew (quadriceps tightness) were both on the Fenway Park field prior to the game, testing out their injuries. Neither player appeared in Thursday’s game. Manager Terry Francona hoped that both players would be available for Friday’s opener against the Rays.
• DH David Ortiz ranks ninth on the Red Sox all-time home run list with 213. Hall-of-Famers Jimmie Foxx and Bobby Doerr are next with 222 and 223. Ortiz would move up to sixth place if he manages to hit 18 more homers this season.
• RHP Manny Delcarmen is tied for the American League lead with 14 appearances this season. It marks the second-most appearances for a Sox pitcher during April. Tom Gordon appeared in 15 April games in 1998, and Mike Stanton appeared in 14 April games in 1996. Delcarmen has been utilized frequently, but he has allowed runs in each of his last four outings, and his ERA has ballooned to 6.17.
• C Kevin Cash had a personal-best six-game hitting streak snapped when he went 0-for-1 with two walks Thursday. Cash has become the personal catcher for RHP Tim Wakefield this season, and is hitting .333 in the six games he’s caught the knuckleballer this season.
• The Red Sox are reportedly looking into moving their Florida spring training home from its current location in Fort Myers to Sarasota. The Sox moved to Fort Myers from Winter Haven in 1993 and have been in their current spot for the last 15 years. The club’s interest reportedly was piqued when they learned that the Cincinnati Reds were leaving Sarasota for Arizona’s Cactus League.
By The Numbers: 1,701—Total number of consecutive errorless defensive chances by 1B Kevin Youkilis, which broke the record for all defensive positions in the major leagues.
Quote To Note: “I just try to go out there and play the best that I can whenever they put me out there. I wish it were softball, but it’s not so we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, we all continue to play well and give them a tough decision on who to put out there on any given day.”—OF Coco Crisp, on his mind-set while playing the part of a fourth outfielder on the Sox this season.
Roster Report
Medical Watch:
OF J.D. Drew (tightness in left quadriceps) left the April 29 game. He didn’t play April 30 or May 1 but might return May 2.
OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) did not play May 1. He may be available May 2 against the Rays.
INF Alex Cora (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10. He might start making throws across the diamond on May 2.
1B Sean Casey (strained right hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 26.
RHP Curt Schilling (right shoulder) began experiencing discomfort during the offseason, and he opened the season on the 60-day disabled list as he undergoes a muscle-strengthening program. Schilling is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break, and his legendary career might be over.
Patriots - Inside Slant
After working unsuccessfully to reach a long-term deal in New England, third-year Patriots wide receiver Jabar Gaffney re-signed a one-year pact on March 5. While disappointed that the sides couldn’t hammer out the long-term pact he’d hoped for when he was due to hit free agency this spring, the former second-round pick of the Texans was quite pleased that his football future will be in New England.
“I wanted to stick around,” Gaffney said after a recent team workout. “I knew I wanted to stay here, especially how last season ended. I wanted to come back and give it another run.”
Gaffney finished his second season in New England with 36 receptions for 449 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 16 games with seven starts. Down the stretch he became one of Tom Brady’s favored playmakers in key moments, including a game-winning touchdown against the Ravens during a stretch when he had four touchdowns in five games. He added another four receptions and touchdown in the postseason.
But it was actually Gaffney’s experiences before joining the Patriots as a street free agent in October 2006 that most influenced his desire to remain in New England. After four losing seasons in Houston, Gaffney signed with the Eagles after the 2005 season, but Philly cut the former second-round pick prior to the 2006 campaign.
“Having been at those places and being in Houston, we never had a winning record,” Gaffney said of the days before his career rebirth in New England. “Here I know we are going to be competitive and have a chance at the end.”
That chance at the end—the postseason and a Super Bowl goal—combined with the upside of playing with Brady can mean much more to players than money ever could.
“It’s matters a lot. You want a chance to win. When you are really competitive and just really love the game of football, that’s what it comes down to,” Gaffney said. “All the money stuff, all the other stuff, that’s all fine and dandy. But a real competitor wants to win.”
Gaffney and his teammates will use a devastating season-ending defeat as motivation to yet again push toward the ultimate goal. The team that ran out of gas two years ago in an AFC title loss in Indy used that pain to put together the NFL’s first 16-0 regular season.
“It’s pretty much the same,” Gaffney said of the similarities between this offseason and last. “We were there and left a little empty handed. We want to get back there and be on the other side of it. A lot of people this offseason have tried to be like, ‘You all were 18-0. You were the first team to go 16-0 and all.’ That’s all fine but we didn’t finish what we set out to do.”
While the team goal—another Lombardi Trophy—is simply stated, the carrot for a New England offense that set endless NFL records last season isn’t quite as easy to pinpoint. But Gaffney, for one, believes there is room for a unit that scored an historic 589 points last season to get better.
“We have pretty much everybody on the offense back, so we should,” Gaffney said with his usual quiet confidence. “And with everybody back, guys that were new last year they are going to be more comfortable in the offense. So we should only get better. It’s just going to take more work.”
A better New England offense in 2008? That may be a scary thought for the rest of the NFL, but it’s just the sort of utopia Gaffney couldn’t walk away from.
Notes, Quotes
• Dom Capers has yet to coach even a single practice in New England, but he clearly already has his supporters in the locker room. Free-agent addition Fernando Bryant has been open in his support for the guy he played under in his time with the Jaguars. Jabar Gaffney has voiced his support, too, having played for Capers with the Texans.
“He brings a great knowledge of the game and defense,” Gaffney said of Capers who will serve as New England’s special assistant/secondary coach this season. “He’s a tremendous mind and coach. He’s going to bring a lot of experience and then another guy that can kind of be like a mentor for players. He helps guys out. He’ll sit down with you one on one and all kinds of stuff.”
• The Patriots released a couple players from the bottom of the roster April 30, parting ways with linebacker T.J. Slaughter and CB Tim Mixon. Slaughter is a seven-year veteran who had joined the team as a free agent Feb. 12 after being out of football last season. Mixon spent the end of last season on New England’s practice squad. Both players became a bit more expendable when the Patriots selected three linebackers and a pair of cornerbacks on draft weekend.
• LB Shawn Crable, one of New England’s third-round picks on draft weekend, compares physically to another Patriots linebacker from the University of Michigan—third-year player Pierre Woods. Crable is 6-5, 243; Woods, who played mostly special teams in two pro seasons, is listed at 6-5, 250.
At least one member of the media tried to liken Crable to another linebacker Bill Belichick coached earlier in his career—Giants great Carl Banks.
“I made a comparison to Pierre Woods. He reminds me a lot more of Pierre Woods than he does Carl Banks,” Belichick said quickly lowering expectations for one of his newest defenders. “Are there some similarities to Carl Banks? I don’t know.”
• LB Junior Seau’s future with the Patriots remains in limbo, but according to a report in the New Bedford (Mass.) Standard Times, the 18-year veteran could be returning for another run in New England. The Times reports the Patriots are bringing Seau in for a physical to check on a surgically repaired shoulder.
• WR Randy Moss is in the process of trying to build a racing team, forming Moss Motorsports with the hopes putting together a group to compete in the Craftsman Truck Series.
“We don’t have all the details in place just yet, but I am very excited about Moss Motorsports becoming a part of NASCAR,” Moss said in a release.
The hope is to have the team in place for a schedule of racing for the 2009 season.
“There are a lot of NASCAR fans in the locker room,” Moss said. “We’ve seen a lot of football players get involved—guys like Dan Marino and Troy Aikman to name a couple. I think it’s a good fit and gives some of the companies I am already working with an additional outlet. It’s a smart move on the marketing side of things but on the personal side of things I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Quote To Note: “Who would have ever thought you would be covering a Bill Belichick draft with no offensive linemen, defensive linemen, or tight ends taken, right?”—Bill Belichick, assessing the Patriots’ draft.
Strategy And Personnel
Franchise Player: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
• WR Troy Brown played just one game in his 15th season after starting the year on PUP. He may retire, but if he doesn’t the team told him that he’s not in its plans moving forward.
• S Mel Mitchell played in 10 games and is a core special teams-type guy. He might choose to go elsewhere as New England only has room for so many one-dimensional special teamers.
• CB Chad Scott didn’t make it through training camp and has been hurt often. He’s a solid veteran backup and could be back with the team in the market for corner depth.
• LB Junior Seau was expected to get his first Super Bowl ring and retire. The Giants messed that little story up. He was healthy all year and made plays. If he doesn’t retire after his 18th season, the only place he’ll be playing is in New England.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
• LB Eric Alexander is a decent though injury prone special teamer although he’s yet to show anything on defense, other than of course his still inexplicable start in the 2006 AFC title loss in Indianapolis.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
• WR Sam Aiken: UFA Bills; $1.555M/2 yrs, $225,000 SB/$40,000 WO; 2008 cap: $757,500.
• CB Fernando Bryant: FA Lions; $776,000/1 yr, $20,000 SB/$20,000 WO; 2008 cap: $491,000.
• LB Victor Hobson: UFA Jets; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: $485,000.
• P Scott Player: FA; terms unknown.
• TE Marcus Pollard: UFA Seahawks; terms unknown.
• CB Lewis Sanders: FA Falcons; $770,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: $491,000.
• CB Jason Webster: UFA Bills; $800,000/1 yr, $130,000 guaranteed/$70,000 WO.
• S Tank Williams: UFA Vikings; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 WO; 2008 cap: $491,000.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
• T Wesley Britt: ERFA; terms unknown.
• LB Tedy Bruschi: Potential UFA; $4.1M/2 yrs, $1.2M SB; 2008 cap: $1.6M.
• WR Jabar Gaffney: UFA; $1.281M/1 yr, $500,000 SB/$75,000 WO.
• LB Larry Izzo: Potential UFA; $870,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: 485,000.
• WR Randy Moss: UFA; $27M/3 yrs, $12M SB/$3M base guarantee; 2008 cap: $6M.
• LS Lonie Paxton: UFA; $880,000/1 yr, $150,000 SB.
• S Ray Ventrone: ERFA; $370,000/1 yr.
• WR Kelley Washington: UFA; $1.855M/2 yrs, $450,000 SB; 2008: $830,000.
• LB Pierre Woods: ERFA; terms unknown.
• DL Mike Wright: RFA; terms unknown (tendered at $1.47M).
PLAYERS LOST
• TE Kyle Brady (released/failed physical).
• LB Rosevelt Colvin (released/failed physical).
• CB Randall Gay: UFA Saints; $12M/4 yrs, $3.75M SB.
• DL Rashad Moore: Not tendered as RFA/Falcons; terms unknown.
• CB Asante Samuel: UFA Eagles; $59.475M/6 yrs, $6M SB/$7M RB 08-09.
• WR Donte Stallworth: UFA Browns; $35M/7 yrs, $10M guaranteed.
• DB Eugene Wilson: UFA Buccaneers; $1.8M/1 yr, $500,000 guaranteed.
“I wanted to stick around,” Gaffney said after a recent team workout. “I knew I wanted to stay here, especially how last season ended. I wanted to come back and give it another run.”
Gaffney finished his second season in New England with 36 receptions for 449 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 16 games with seven starts. Down the stretch he became one of Tom Brady’s favored playmakers in key moments, including a game-winning touchdown against the Ravens during a stretch when he had four touchdowns in five games. He added another four receptions and touchdown in the postseason.
But it was actually Gaffney’s experiences before joining the Patriots as a street free agent in October 2006 that most influenced his desire to remain in New England. After four losing seasons in Houston, Gaffney signed with the Eagles after the 2005 season, but Philly cut the former second-round pick prior to the 2006 campaign.
“Having been at those places and being in Houston, we never had a winning record,” Gaffney said of the days before his career rebirth in New England. “Here I know we are going to be competitive and have a chance at the end.”
That chance at the end—the postseason and a Super Bowl goal—combined with the upside of playing with Brady can mean much more to players than money ever could.
“It’s matters a lot. You want a chance to win. When you are really competitive and just really love the game of football, that’s what it comes down to,” Gaffney said. “All the money stuff, all the other stuff, that’s all fine and dandy. But a real competitor wants to win.”
Gaffney and his teammates will use a devastating season-ending defeat as motivation to yet again push toward the ultimate goal. The team that ran out of gas two years ago in an AFC title loss in Indy used that pain to put together the NFL’s first 16-0 regular season.
“It’s pretty much the same,” Gaffney said of the similarities between this offseason and last. “We were there and left a little empty handed. We want to get back there and be on the other side of it. A lot of people this offseason have tried to be like, ‘You all were 18-0. You were the first team to go 16-0 and all.’ That’s all fine but we didn’t finish what we set out to do.”
While the team goal—another Lombardi Trophy—is simply stated, the carrot for a New England offense that set endless NFL records last season isn’t quite as easy to pinpoint. But Gaffney, for one, believes there is room for a unit that scored an historic 589 points last season to get better.
“We have pretty much everybody on the offense back, so we should,” Gaffney said with his usual quiet confidence. “And with everybody back, guys that were new last year they are going to be more comfortable in the offense. So we should only get better. It’s just going to take more work.”
A better New England offense in 2008? That may be a scary thought for the rest of the NFL, but it’s just the sort of utopia Gaffney couldn’t walk away from.
Notes, Quotes
• Dom Capers has yet to coach even a single practice in New England, but he clearly already has his supporters in the locker room. Free-agent addition Fernando Bryant has been open in his support for the guy he played under in his time with the Jaguars. Jabar Gaffney has voiced his support, too, having played for Capers with the Texans.
“He brings a great knowledge of the game and defense,” Gaffney said of Capers who will serve as New England’s special assistant/secondary coach this season. “He’s a tremendous mind and coach. He’s going to bring a lot of experience and then another guy that can kind of be like a mentor for players. He helps guys out. He’ll sit down with you one on one and all kinds of stuff.”
• The Patriots released a couple players from the bottom of the roster April 30, parting ways with linebacker T.J. Slaughter and CB Tim Mixon. Slaughter is a seven-year veteran who had joined the team as a free agent Feb. 12 after being out of football last season. Mixon spent the end of last season on New England’s practice squad. Both players became a bit more expendable when the Patriots selected three linebackers and a pair of cornerbacks on draft weekend.
• LB Shawn Crable, one of New England’s third-round picks on draft weekend, compares physically to another Patriots linebacker from the University of Michigan—third-year player Pierre Woods. Crable is 6-5, 243; Woods, who played mostly special teams in two pro seasons, is listed at 6-5, 250.
At least one member of the media tried to liken Crable to another linebacker Bill Belichick coached earlier in his career—Giants great Carl Banks.
“I made a comparison to Pierre Woods. He reminds me a lot more of Pierre Woods than he does Carl Banks,” Belichick said quickly lowering expectations for one of his newest defenders. “Are there some similarities to Carl Banks? I don’t know.”
• LB Junior Seau’s future with the Patriots remains in limbo, but according to a report in the New Bedford (Mass.) Standard Times, the 18-year veteran could be returning for another run in New England. The Times reports the Patriots are bringing Seau in for a physical to check on a surgically repaired shoulder.
• WR Randy Moss is in the process of trying to build a racing team, forming Moss Motorsports with the hopes putting together a group to compete in the Craftsman Truck Series.
“We don’t have all the details in place just yet, but I am very excited about Moss Motorsports becoming a part of NASCAR,” Moss said in a release.
The hope is to have the team in place for a schedule of racing for the 2009 season.
“There are a lot of NASCAR fans in the locker room,” Moss said. “We’ve seen a lot of football players get involved—guys like Dan Marino and Troy Aikman to name a couple. I think it’s a good fit and gives some of the companies I am already working with an additional outlet. It’s a smart move on the marketing side of things but on the personal side of things I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Quote To Note: “Who would have ever thought you would be covering a Bill Belichick draft with no offensive linemen, defensive linemen, or tight ends taken, right?”—Bill Belichick, assessing the Patriots’ draft.
Strategy And Personnel
Franchise Player: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
• WR Troy Brown played just one game in his 15th season after starting the year on PUP. He may retire, but if he doesn’t the team told him that he’s not in its plans moving forward.
• S Mel Mitchell played in 10 games and is a core special teams-type guy. He might choose to go elsewhere as New England only has room for so many one-dimensional special teamers.
• CB Chad Scott didn’t make it through training camp and has been hurt often. He’s a solid veteran backup and could be back with the team in the market for corner depth.
• LB Junior Seau was expected to get his first Super Bowl ring and retire. The Giants messed that little story up. He was healthy all year and made plays. If he doesn’t retire after his 18th season, the only place he’ll be playing is in New England.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
• LB Eric Alexander is a decent though injury prone special teamer although he’s yet to show anything on defense, other than of course his still inexplicable start in the 2006 AFC title loss in Indianapolis.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
• WR Sam Aiken: UFA Bills; $1.555M/2 yrs, $225,000 SB/$40,000 WO; 2008 cap: $757,500.
• CB Fernando Bryant: FA Lions; $776,000/1 yr, $20,000 SB/$20,000 WO; 2008 cap: $491,000.
• LB Victor Hobson: UFA Jets; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: $485,000.
• P Scott Player: FA; terms unknown.
• TE Marcus Pollard: UFA Seahawks; terms unknown.
• CB Lewis Sanders: FA Falcons; $770,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: $491,000.
• CB Jason Webster: UFA Bills; $800,000/1 yr, $130,000 guaranteed/$70,000 WO.
• S Tank Williams: UFA Vikings; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 WO; 2008 cap: $491,000.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
• T Wesley Britt: ERFA; terms unknown.
• LB Tedy Bruschi: Potential UFA; $4.1M/2 yrs, $1.2M SB; 2008 cap: $1.6M.
• WR Jabar Gaffney: UFA; $1.281M/1 yr, $500,000 SB/$75,000 WO.
• LB Larry Izzo: Potential UFA; $870,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: 485,000.
• WR Randy Moss: UFA; $27M/3 yrs, $12M SB/$3M base guarantee; 2008 cap: $6M.
• LS Lonie Paxton: UFA; $880,000/1 yr, $150,000 SB.
• S Ray Ventrone: ERFA; $370,000/1 yr.
• WR Kelley Washington: UFA; $1.855M/2 yrs, $450,000 SB; 2008: $830,000.
• LB Pierre Woods: ERFA; terms unknown.
• DL Mike Wright: RFA; terms unknown (tendered at $1.47M).
PLAYERS LOST
• TE Kyle Brady (released/failed physical).
• LB Rosevelt Colvin (released/failed physical).
• CB Randall Gay: UFA Saints; $12M/4 yrs, $3.75M SB.
• DL Rashad Moore: Not tendered as RFA/Falcons; terms unknown.
• CB Asante Samuel: UFA Eagles; $59.475M/6 yrs, $6M SB/$7M RB 08-09.
• WR Donte Stallworth: UFA Browns; $35M/7 yrs, $10M guaranteed.
• DB Eugene Wilson: UFA Buccaneers; $1.8M/1 yr, $500,000 guaranteed.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Celtics - Getting Inside
Dominique Wilkins likes the way his Hawks battled back in their series against the Celtics. But Atlanta director of basketball also thinks the Celtics deserve some of the credit.
The Hawks trail the series, 3-2, with Game 6 Friday. But the Celtics have had trouble in Atlanta recently, and the Hawks hope they’re looking ahead to the second round.
“I think teams sometimes take other teams for granted,” Wilkins told the Boston Herald before Game 5 Wednesday. “You get an eighth-seed team that’s kind of limped into the playoffs, and you tend to let your guard down a little. You know, you win the first two games and all of a sudden you say, ‘OK, we’ll cruise through the rest of this.’
“And I think that’s what happened. But our young guys didn’t read the same newspaper about quitting. They came out and they just played hard. They played hard and they played together. The only thing I told them is they just have to win one game—the one they’re playing.”
The fact the Celtics won 66 games this season—29 more than the Hawks—would seem to be an issue.
“You know what? From a regular season standpoint, you’re absolutely right,” Wilkins said. “That’s a team that’s better record-wise, on paper and everything else. But the playoffs is a different animal. Anything can happen, and we’ve seen that over the years—especially last year with the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors, where (the Mavericks) took them for granted.
“I think the thing that Dallas did that was wrong was that they changed their game plan. They changed their game plan to matchup up to them instead of making them matchup to the Mavericks. You know, you can’t change what’s been working all year for you. You can’t do that.”
Celtics 110, Hawks 85: The Celtics continued to dominate at home in this series, although winning in Boston by an average of 22.3 points has given them just a 3-2 lead over the Hawks in the first round matchup.
Wednesday night at the Garden, the Celtics ran off six straight points after falling behind 8-7 and never looked back. Stumbling momentarily only in the third quarter, they blitzed the Hawks, shooting 53.6 percent from the floor and holding their guests to 40.6 percent marksmanship.
Paul Pierce has a game-high 22 points, while Kevin Garnett added 20 to go with five rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.
Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 21 points.
“Well, obviously a better game,” said Doc Rivers. “The execution was as crisp and as sound as we’ve had in a month and the defense was terrific. We were trapping, smothering and we didn’t make a lot of adjustments. We just did what we should do and we did it well.”
Notes, Quotes
• After refusing to comment for two days, Paul Pierce finally issued a statement regarding the $25,000 fine he was assessed by the league for making a “menacing gesture” in Game 3. The league evidently interpreted his signal as being gang-related.
This is the text of Pierce’s statement:
“I don’t want to take the focus away from the playoffs. In sports, emotions run high. After playing for 10 years in Boston, I think the Celtics fans know that I am a passionate player.
“I—100 percent—do not in any way promote gang violence or anything close to it. I am sorry if it was misinterpreted that way in Saturday’s game.
“In fact, through my Truth Foundation, I am committed to giving back to youth groups and making sure young people have the opportunities to succeed in life. I am extremely proud of the work I have done through the foundation to provide positive influences and safe havens for inner-city kids.”
• Doc Rivers had a message for fans who were seeking out space on Boston-area bridges after his team lost two straight in Atlanta.
“Don’t jump,” he said. “Please don’t jump. I ain’t going to save you, but don’t jump. That’s what I would tell them.”
Rivers also told his players not to rely on homecourt advantage.
“I told our guys this,” Rivers said, “because I could hear them in the locker room, saying, ‘Hey, guys, don’t worry. We go back home. Everything will be OK.’ And I said, ‘Listen, you’ve got to go make it OK. Don’t just rely on going home. You’ve got to go make it OK.’
“And I think we will, but I don’t just want to rely on that.”
Quote To Note: “We showed him a different look here and there.”—James Posey, on defending Joe Johnson, who had gone for 35 points in Game 4 but made just six field goals Wednesday.
Roster Report
Rotation: Point guard Rajon Rondo, Shooting guard Ray Allen, Small forward Paul Pierce, Power forward Kevin Garnett, Center Kendrick Perkins. Bench—Guard Eddie House, Forward James Posey, Guard Tony Allen, Guard Sam Cassell, Forward Leon Powe, Forward Glen Davis, Forward P.J. Brown, Forward Brian Scalabrine, Guard Gabe Pruitt.
Player Notes:
• F Leon Powe was back in prime-time off the bench, going for 10 points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes after Kendrick Perkins got in early foul trouble.
• G Sam Cassell made eight of 22 shots in the first four games, but he canned six of eight Wednesday on the way to 13 points.
• F James Posey did well in his defensive stints on Joe Johnson, and he made two of three treys.
• G Ray Allen hit just one of six shots from inside the arc, but he made five of his eight three-pointers Wednesday.
The Hawks trail the series, 3-2, with Game 6 Friday. But the Celtics have had trouble in Atlanta recently, and the Hawks hope they’re looking ahead to the second round.
“I think teams sometimes take other teams for granted,” Wilkins told the Boston Herald before Game 5 Wednesday. “You get an eighth-seed team that’s kind of limped into the playoffs, and you tend to let your guard down a little. You know, you win the first two games and all of a sudden you say, ‘OK, we’ll cruise through the rest of this.’
“And I think that’s what happened. But our young guys didn’t read the same newspaper about quitting. They came out and they just played hard. They played hard and they played together. The only thing I told them is they just have to win one game—the one they’re playing.”
The fact the Celtics won 66 games this season—29 more than the Hawks—would seem to be an issue.
“You know what? From a regular season standpoint, you’re absolutely right,” Wilkins said. “That’s a team that’s better record-wise, on paper and everything else. But the playoffs is a different animal. Anything can happen, and we’ve seen that over the years—especially last year with the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors, where (the Mavericks) took them for granted.
“I think the thing that Dallas did that was wrong was that they changed their game plan. They changed their game plan to matchup up to them instead of making them matchup to the Mavericks. You know, you can’t change what’s been working all year for you. You can’t do that.”
Celtics 110, Hawks 85: The Celtics continued to dominate at home in this series, although winning in Boston by an average of 22.3 points has given them just a 3-2 lead over the Hawks in the first round matchup.
Wednesday night at the Garden, the Celtics ran off six straight points after falling behind 8-7 and never looked back. Stumbling momentarily only in the third quarter, they blitzed the Hawks, shooting 53.6 percent from the floor and holding their guests to 40.6 percent marksmanship.
Paul Pierce has a game-high 22 points, while Kevin Garnett added 20 to go with five rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.
Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 21 points.
“Well, obviously a better game,” said Doc Rivers. “The execution was as crisp and as sound as we’ve had in a month and the defense was terrific. We were trapping, smothering and we didn’t make a lot of adjustments. We just did what we should do and we did it well.”
Notes, Quotes
• After refusing to comment for two days, Paul Pierce finally issued a statement regarding the $25,000 fine he was assessed by the league for making a “menacing gesture” in Game 3. The league evidently interpreted his signal as being gang-related.
This is the text of Pierce’s statement:
“I don’t want to take the focus away from the playoffs. In sports, emotions run high. After playing for 10 years in Boston, I think the Celtics fans know that I am a passionate player.
“I—100 percent—do not in any way promote gang violence or anything close to it. I am sorry if it was misinterpreted that way in Saturday’s game.
“In fact, through my Truth Foundation, I am committed to giving back to youth groups and making sure young people have the opportunities to succeed in life. I am extremely proud of the work I have done through the foundation to provide positive influences and safe havens for inner-city kids.”
• Doc Rivers had a message for fans who were seeking out space on Boston-area bridges after his team lost two straight in Atlanta.
“Don’t jump,” he said. “Please don’t jump. I ain’t going to save you, but don’t jump. That’s what I would tell them.”
Rivers also told his players not to rely on homecourt advantage.
“I told our guys this,” Rivers said, “because I could hear them in the locker room, saying, ‘Hey, guys, don’t worry. We go back home. Everything will be OK.’ And I said, ‘Listen, you’ve got to go make it OK. Don’t just rely on going home. You’ve got to go make it OK.’
“And I think we will, but I don’t just want to rely on that.”
Quote To Note: “We showed him a different look here and there.”—James Posey, on defending Joe Johnson, who had gone for 35 points in Game 4 but made just six field goals Wednesday.
Roster Report
Rotation: Point guard Rajon Rondo, Shooting guard Ray Allen, Small forward Paul Pierce, Power forward Kevin Garnett, Center Kendrick Perkins. Bench—Guard Eddie House, Forward James Posey, Guard Tony Allen, Guard Sam Cassell, Forward Leon Powe, Forward Glen Davis, Forward P.J. Brown, Forward Brian Scalabrine, Guard Gabe Pruitt.
Player Notes:
• F Leon Powe was back in prime-time off the bench, going for 10 points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes after Kendrick Perkins got in early foul trouble.
• G Sam Cassell made eight of 22 shots in the first four games, but he canned six of eight Wednesday on the way to 13 points.
• F James Posey did well in his defensive stints on Joe Johnson, and he made two of three treys.
• G Ray Allen hit just one of six shots from inside the arc, but he made five of his eight three-pointers Wednesday.
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