The Boston Celtics can probably see the end of their monstrous eight-game road trip. But this is not the time to look ahead. The Celtics have two games remaining on their 13-day trek, which began with a marquee matchup in Los Angeles against the Lakers on March 11. But Thursday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks – and, for that matter, Friday’s trip finale in Philadelphia – are probably the most important games on the trip. The Celtics are 3-3 on the trip
Perhaps it is time to re-examine two beliefs that have mostly gone unquestioned during the first three months of this 66-game NBA season. No. 1: The Los Angeles Clippers are going to the playoffs. No. 2: The Philadelphia 76ers are going to win the Atlantic Division. Don’t be so sure of either one. Let’s start with the Clippers, the darlings of December and January who were surpassed in the Pacific Division standings by the Lakers nearly a month ago. They haven’t won a road
The rollercoaster of a season continues for the New York Knicks. What seemed like a hopelessly lost season just a week ago has turned into a revitalizing one. Since the Mike Woodson era began, Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks (22-24) have displayed the type of defensive effort that was never present when Mike D’Antoni was still around, and the results have been astoundingly good. The Knicks take their renewed energy and a four-game winning streak into the Wells Fargo Center for a revenge game
The other day, I was stuck behind the Boston Celtics on the highway. I was in the left lane and I wanted to go considerably faster than the car in front of me, who was doing about 60. Against my better judgment, I got up on his tail and applied some pressure, but he refused to go any faster or move into the right lane. Somewhat annoyed, I drove right behind him for about a quarter-mile before a gap opened in the
The Denver Nuggets on Sunday waived center Ronny Turiaf, who should attract some interest from playoff contenders. Turiaf began the season with the New York Knicks, who dealt him to the Washington Wizards as part of the Tyson Chandler deal. He played just four games before breaking his hand and was included in Thursday’s three-team deal that landed Nene in Washington. The 6-10 Turiaf has played backup center minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State, New York and Washington in a
Pencils down and papers forward, please. Here are my grades on how teams did at the trading deadline. We aren’t going to evaluate whether Dallas was helped or hindered by Thursday’s wheeling and dealing. The Mavericks – and 13 other teams – didn’t make a deal, so consider their grade to be incomplete. Or a withdrawal, if you prefer. No one got an F, although the Nets came awfully close. At the other end of the scale, the Rockets are officially the teacher’s
The Philadelphia 76ers have had the Atlantic Division lead for much of the season and looked ready to run away with it by taking advantage of an easy early schedule. Since then, they have taken a tumble, and the Boston Celtics may be ready to reclaim the throne as the best team in the division, which has been the case since the arrival of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the 2007-2008 season. The streaking Celtics (20-17) visit the reeling 76ers (22-17)
// csprtContainer(); // ]]> What can people take from the Lakers’ decisive victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday? How about the difference Metta WorldPeace made, both defending LeBron James and putting up one of his better stat lines of the season (17 points, seven rebounds, four steals). It also tells you the Lakers aren’t all that bad, but it also can’t mask the fact that they eventually need to get some younger pieces and some production off the bench — which is