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Tag: Boston Celtics

  • Rajon Rondo Mentioned in Trade Rumors… Again

    Rajon Rondo Mentioned in Trade Rumors… Again

    When Rajon Rondo entered the NBA in 2006, he did so via a trade. Drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the 21st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Rondo was then traded to the Boston Celtics, where he had played ever since. Despite leading his team to an NBA Championship in 2008 and taking them back to the title game in 2010, trade rumors have circulated around Rondo since the beginning. And, now that all of the “big names” have been signed in the 2014 off-season, Rondo’s name has started making the rounds once again.

    This time, the courting team is the Houston Rockets. Earlier today, it was announced that Miami Heat star Chris Bosh would not leave the Heat and would return, leaving the Rockets empty-handed once again. With Houston trading Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik and allowing Chandler Parsons to be bought by the Dallas Mavericks to clear salary cap space, the Rockets are left with a depleted roster and are desperately seeking options to put next to James Harden and Dwight Howard.

    While Kevin Love’s name has been tossed around by the Rockets quite a lot, the off-season moves they have already made make it nearly impossible for them to construct a deal worthy enough to draw interest from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Considering this, making a move for Rondo is potentially the best opportunity for Houston to land a big-name star before the deadline.

    The move also makes sense for the Boston Celtics. Danny Ainge and company drafted Marcus Smart in this year’s draft and also resigned Avery Bradley, leaving them with a young back-court which can be built around. With no real All-Star caliber players to support Rondo, the Celtics are not likely to see another post-season run in the near future. Which is why it makes sense to get the most they can for Rondo right now.

    Image via Twitter

  • Jason Collins Signs with NBA’s Nets

    Jason Collins became the first openly gay athlete in one of North America’s four major professional sports Sunday, when he signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets in the afternoon and then appeared in uniform hours later against the Lakers, for the first time since announcing he was openly gay last season.

    The N.B.A. center played 11 scoreless minutes in the second quarter at the Staples Center and was met with applause from the crowd.

    “Sometimes in life something happens and there’s an opportunity,” Collins said shortly before taking to the court Sunday night.

    “I’m very thankful for this opportunity. That’s why I work so hard, why I train the way I do so that when I do have an opportunity physically I’m not worried about my conditioning or cardio or anything along those lines,” he said.

    The 35-year-old player announced last spring that he is gay, but he was a free agent and remained unsigned. Sunday marked Collins’ first time appearing on the court since April 17, 2013, when he appeared with the Washington Wizards. He had been training on his own in Los Angeles after failing to receive an offer from any of the basketball league’s 30 teams since his revelation of his sexual orientation to Sports Illustrated last year.

    Until Sunday, no publicly gay participant had played on the court for the N.B.A. North America’s other three major sports leagues – the N.F.L., N.H.L. and Major League Baseball – had never had an openly gay player.

    Collins played 11 minutes in the Nets’ 108-102 win, finishing with no points, two rebounds, a steal and five fouls.

    Collins will wear No. 98 for the Nets, but was unable to wear it Sunday because it was not available in time for the game against the Lakers, so he wore No. 46 instead.

    His choice of the No. 98 is in honor of Matthew Shepard, a University of Wyoming student who died in a notorious anti-gay hate crime in 1998. Collins also wore the jersey number when he played with the Celtics and Wizards.

    The California native said he was ready to be back in the game.

    “I’ve played for 12 years in the league so I know how to play basketball,” Collins said. “It’s just about getting timing back in the NBA game, so I’m ready. Let’s do it.

    Image via Wikipedia Commons

  • Rajon Rondo Will Likely Return To The Celtics By Friday

    Rajon Rondo is finally nearing his return to the Boston Celtics after his injury. He could be ready as soon as Friday, and there is no doubt that he is needed on the floor with him being one of the top point guards in the league.

    The Celtics have struggled without him, and after injuring his right knee about a year ago, he may be ready to return to the lineup.

    The Celtics clearly need Rajon Rondo back after currently being on a nine-game losing streak, and while maintaining a record of 13-26. The loss of their other star players and the inexperience on the team has been hurting the Celtics.

    He tweeted a message on Monday that could suggest that he is ready to return to the lineup on Friday, with the tweet being a number of seconds.

    He posted a number that is equal to about 338 days, and would stretch from the time he was injured, February 13th, to this Friday.

    Rajon Rondo would not give a specific date, but he has previoulsy said that he planned to make it back to the floor before the All-Star break, and the Celtics’ last game before the All-Star break is on February 12th.

    He recently said “It’s just a feeling. ‘I’ll probably just wake up (one) morning and play.” He may be making the return before fans expected, and would be a great surprise for the Celtics franchise.

    Rondo and the Celtics will be host to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Rajon Rondo’s return to the court is much-anticipated after the team lost him to the injury last year, which ended his season, and the Celtics were later eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

    Following their loss in the playoffs, the Celtics went into the rebuilding stage, and traded away Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets, while also losing Doc Rivers to the Clippers. Brad Stevens took over as the head coach. There were also reports recently of Rondo possibly heading to the Knicks, and being recruited by Carmelo Anthony.

    Rajon Rondo is a four-time All-Star and a four-time All-Defensive selection, and a big contributor to the success that the Celtics have had in recent years. His return has been uncertain ever since the team announced that he would be having season-ending surgery following their win against Miami on January 27, 2013.

    Image via Facebook

  • Rajon Rondo Tweets About Possible Return

    Rajon Rondo Tweets About Possible Return

    If you’ve been wondering exactly how long Rajon Rondo has been out due to injury, he’s already taken care of that for you.

    In a recent tweet, the Boston Celtics point guard calculated the seconds from when he underwent ACL surgery on Feb. 13, 2013, to his anticipated return, which is rumored to be this Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

    Without writing anything else, Rondo tweeted 29,233,380, which equates to 338 days, thanks to the handy mathematics of Boston sports writer Chris Forsberg, who saved a lot of us from pulling out our calculators.

    Since Rondo’s injury, a lot has happened with the Celtics organization. Doc Rivers headed West and took a head coaching job with the Los Angeles Clippers. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce left Boston for Brooklyn, and the Celtics as a whole went from serious playoff contenders to a team just trying to muster up a few consecutive wins.

    But Rondo says all he can do is support his teammates during this tough transition and try to be the same person on the bench that he is on the floor–a team leader. “Just trying to keep guys confident and positive,” he said in an interview with The Boston Globe. “Just keep being a vocal leader out there, what I can do from the sideline.”

    So is Rondo worried about the Celtics not playing well as of late? Not at all he says, because losing is really nothing new to him, considering his team lost 18 games in a row during his rookie season. “I’ve been through 18 of this,” he said, recalling the painful 2006-2007 season.

    But Friday could be the start of a whole new beginning for the green and white, as its offense has been in complete disarray without Rondo’s coach-on-the-floor style of play, so undoubtedly the Celtics will be a better team as soon as number 9 steps on the court, and that’s whether he has a lot of points and assists or not.

    Image via YouTube

  • Rajon Rondo Talks Projected Return, ‘No Timetable’ As of Yet

    It’ll take more than an ACL injury to keep down Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo! However, it will take him some time to re-establish some physical attributes that have been sacrificed due to the injury. With the Celtics current 12-17 record this season, fans have definitely been wondering when the star point guard would be making his return to the court.

    So Rondo decided to address the burning questions on Sunday, following the Celtics 106-79 loss against the Indiana Pacers. For the first time since his injury, Rondo broke his silence reports CBS Boston. His return projection wasn’t as definitive of an answer as fans may have expected. But, at least he was totally honest, offering no false hope to fans or himself. However, the 4-time NBA All-Star did outline the dominant component that would be a determining factor for when he’d play again this season.

    “My endurance is key for me. I don’t want to come back and not be fully 100 percent as far as my health, and me being in shape as well, because the worst thing is me coming back and not being in shape and have another injury, so I want to make sure I’m in basketball condition.”

    It was also reported that Rondo actually returned to full-contact practice this past week. He was also able to partake in 5-on-5 scrimmage drills. The 2-time NBA Assist Leader also gave a quick run-down of what practice currently consists of for him, as he makes great strides to get himself into ‘game-condition’. “I’ve had one practice and a pickup game, that’s about it,” Rondo said.

    When asked of his expected return, Rondo offered an evasive timeline for his return this season. “It might be mid-January, late February,” he said. “I’m going to come back when the time is right and I get my stamina.”

    “I’m just listening to my body,” he added. “If my body told me I was 100 percent, I’d be playing now. I’m not.”

    Rondo also admitted, as an example, that he quite winded and fatigued by the second scrimmage during practice on Friday. So, if practice required great effort, an actual game would prove to be unbearable right now. However, fans can be sure when he does return, he’ll definitely be good as new.

    Image via Twitter | Rajon Rondo

  • Rajon Rondo Could Be Joining The Knicks

    After the Boston Celtics continue to struggle, and continue to work on rebuilding the team, it looks like Rajon Rondo may be switching teams after this season. Rondo has been injured for part of the season, preventing him from contributing to the team and having a presence as the star player that he is.

    Both the Celtics and the Knicks, along with most of the Eastern Conference have had trouble winning games this season. Recently, Carmelo Anthony has been in talks with Rajon Rondo in order to recruit him as a member of the New York Knicks starting in 2015.

    Rajon Rondo will be forced to undergo ACL surgery, and his return to the court as of right now is unknown. However, Rondo has been injured before, and is one of the tougher players in the NBA, especially for his size. Whether he will remain in Boston will is to be determined in the future, but his contract is set to expire after the 2014-2015 season, making him a free agent during that season.

    Steve Smith, who coached both Carmelo Anthony and Rajon Rondo at Oak Hill Academy, said of the situation, “Whether he stays in Boston or not who knows. I know, talking to Melo, he’s recruiting Rajon to come to New York. Melo thinks he’ll come too. You never know about that stuff though. I think either way, Rajon will be fine.”

    After 18 games, the Knicks are only 5-13, and could certainly use some improvement on their roster. The 2014-2015 season may be a rebuilding year, since only five players on the roster have been signed for the next season.

    In addition to the idea of recruiting Rajon Rondo to join the team, Carmelo Anthony’s contract will also be coming up soon, and after 10 years in the league without playing for a national championship, Anthony wants to make sure he is in the right place.

    He came into the league at the same time as Dwayne Wade and Lebron James, and everyone knows the success that they have had. Due to their success, Anthony has received a lot of criticism about not being able to win in the playoffs. After next season, there is no doubt that the rumors will resurface and with New York’s available salary cap space, Rondo could be the best option to turn to.

    Bringing Rajon Rondo into the Knicks roster may be a healthy addition for the team, and Anthony’s shot at a national championship. It certainly couldn’t hurt, considering the success that Rondo has had with Boston, and his experience winning a championship already.

    Image via Facebook

  • Jared Sullinger Arrested In Domestic Dispute

    Jared Sullinger, the Celtics forward, has been arrested for domestic-violence related charges, after a dispute with his girlfriend. It was alleged that he repeatedly pinned his girlfriend to a bed and then the floor. Officers were called to Sullinger’s residence on Saturday night by his girlfriend, Deann Smith. She told the police that he had assaulted her earlier in the day after accusing her of cheating on him and then started to pack her things. This just escalated things more and he continued to get more aggressive.

    After losing Sullinger to an injury at the end of last season, they need to have him around in this season, and preferably free of drama. Sullinger is certainly a key piece in the rebuilding stage of the Celtics franchise, after trading away their all-star players Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. He is only 21 years old and just enjoyed success as a rookie with the Celtics, before injuring his back near the end of the season. The team released a statement on Tuesday afternoon, following his arrest. According to ESPN, the statement said “The Celtics were disappointed to learn of the allegations against Jared and are currently gathering more information on the situation, which we are taking very seriously.”

    Sports Illustrated stated that Sullinger took a pre-scheduled flight to Ohio shortly after the incident. The warrant for his arrest came shortly after, and he was forced to return. Waltham, Massachussets police issued a warrant for his arrest, and he decided to turn himself in on Tuesday morning. Later that day, he appeared in court and pleaded not guilty. Bail was set at 5,000 and he paid the plea and is a free man already. He appeared in Waltham District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery, destruction of property and the obstruction of a witness. He is scheduled to appear in court again on September 19.

    Sullinger did issue an apology on behalf of the team, where he discussed the sorrow and embarrassment that incident brought on himself as well as his girlfriend and the Boston Celtics organization. An incident like this will not looked in the eyes of his teammates or his fans in the off-season. He has spent much of this off-season in rehab already, and needs to be in good physical and mental shape as he prepares for the 2013-2014 season.

    Image via Twitter

  • Jason Terry To Sign With The Boston Celtics, Twitter Doesn’t Miss Out

    Jason Terry will no longer be a familiar face in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, well, except when the Boston Celtics come to town to play the Dallas Mavericks, Terry’s now-previous team. While the deal has not been finalized, the imminent signing is being reported in just about every legitimate sports outlet there is, including the sports section for Boston.com.

    Once finalized, Terry’s deal with the Celtics will be for three years. According to reports, Terry will be receiving the Celtics’ midlevel exception rate; however, Boston.com was quick to issue a “not so fast” to Celtics fans lathering themselves up in anticipation:

    One caveat to all this is that no deal is done. Free agents can’t be signed until the end of the NBA’s moratorium on July 11. ESPN’s Marc Stein confirmed the Yahoo! report but added a source told him Terry could go back to the Mavericks and use his deal with Boston as leverage.

    As you might expect, Twitter was quick to react to the NBA news, something one should expect when one of the most-talked about teams signs a popular NBA player. Bonus: the Twitter trend brought the following gif of Jason Terry back to the forefront:

    (image)

    So, are people feeling the (potential) Jason Terry signing or was this a reach by Danny Ainge? Does this mean the Celtics won’t re-sign Ray Allen? Inquiring minds want to know:

    Considering the source of the last tweet, it’s something that deserves your attention, regardless of how badly you want Ray Allen in Miami.

  • Lebron James Gets a Beer Shower From an Unruly Fan

    Lebron James, whose 45-point performance during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals helped the Miami Heat make an astounding comeback against the Boston Celtics, was riding pretty high after the showdown. Many would argue that he’s essentially the reason they’re headed to Game 7, and I’m sure he was looking forward to the accolades that were sure to be showered upon him in the press. You can practically see it on his face as he walks off-court.

    In the stands above, someone was apparently a little peeved about the Heat’s unexpected comeback. In order to express his or her frustrations, this individual decided to dump what was left of their alcoholic beverage onto the controversial baller. It was a prime example of extreme bad taste, of poor sportsmanship, and of old-fashioned rudeness. Regardless of how you feel about James, the Heat, or the Celtics loss, tossing beer on someone is pretty much the lowest of the low. It’s what a friend of mine would have called a “bitch move”.

    If, like me, you missed Game 6, you can see the incident in question by taking a look at the video below. Although the beer shower only lasted a second, the clip lets you view it at a number of different speeds. Once you’ve finished there, take a look at the four-minute “supercut” of James’ performance. It’s impressive, regardless of whether or not you’re a fan.

  • Boston Celtics Tie Playoff Series, Paul Pierce Tebows

    Although they were playing without the point guard, Rajon Rondo, the Boston Celtics tied their playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks at 1-1, thanks in large part to a huge game by Paul Pierce, who finished with 36 points and 14 rebounds. Pierce got the Celtics rolling by scoring his team’s first nine points of the game; and while Pierce’s statistical dominance deserves all of the praise it is getting, when he busted out the Tim Tebow pose at midcourt, Pierce’s in-game dominance took a back seat.

    As you can see in the lead image, there’s no mistaking Pierce’s pose. There is, of course, video of Pierce Tebowing, just in case the image isn’t enough for you:


    As is the case with anything sports related, especially the NBA, Twitter has been on fire with reaction, with many following the theme of “Tebow is so last year.” Others, who are apparently still mad at Pierce for beating the Lakers in 2008, took the opportunity to remind us they are unwilling to let the past go, right Jim Rome?

    (image)@jimrome
    Jim Rome    Paul Pierce was Tebowing? Oh. I thought he was waiting for his wheelchair pick up.(image) 9 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Haters still wanna hate, apparently.

    (image)@Mr_iKeepitreal
    No Hablo Basic Bitch    Celtics best the Hawks but the headline is about Paul Pierce tebowing. They won’t get off dudes nuts smh.(image) 33 minutes ago via Seesmic ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    You can blame Pierce for that.

    (image)@UnDeseanJackson
    Not Desean Jackson    It’s nice that Paul Pierce pay tribute by “Tebowing” during the game. A guy who makes bounce passes, respected a guy who makes bounce passes(image) 11 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Is that a burn?

    (image)@FauxJohnMadden
    Faux John Madden    Paul Pierce “Tebowed” during playoff game tonight, now plans to take Mark Sanchez’s job in September.(image) 11 hours ago via HootSuite ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Poor Sanchize. It’s all over for him the moment he throws his first interception, at least he will be in the eyes of Jets fans.

    (image)@PeytonsHead
    Peyton’s Head    Paul Pierce “Tebowed” during a game. So what? I can’t wait until Metta World Ron Artest Peace comes back and “Amare’s” someone.(image) 11 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Does everything have to become a meme? As for Pierce, he’s just tired.

    (image)@paulpierce34
    Paul Pierce    44 mins tonite to old for this I need a bed right now !!!(image) 11 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@paulpierce34
    Paul Pierce    Finally found a bed goodnight twitter world(image) 7 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Did he Tebow before he got into bed?