The award for Biggest Surprise goes to Brandon Bass.

Bass came to the Celtics from the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade for Glenn Davis.  He is averaging 11.6 PPG and 6.10 RPG in 25 games played this season.  He missed the last few games with a knee injury, but his impact at the start of the season helped Boston get where they are today.

He provides solid backup off the bench, and also stepped up in starting spots when Jermaine O’Neal missed some games with his injuries.  There have been very few games where Bass didn’t put up at least 10 points, which is a great contribution for the Celtics struggling offense.

» Continue reading “Boston Celtics Midseason Awards: Biggest Surprise”

Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA

Tip-Off: 7:30 P.M.

Projected Starters:

Boston (6-9): Avery Bradley, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O’Neal

Orlando (11-4): Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick, Jason Richardson, Ryan Anderson, Dwight Howard

**Rajon Rondo (wrist) and Ray Allen (ankle) are questionable for tonight’s game.

» Continue reading “Celtics Look For Some Magic Against Orlando”

In a day that sent Glen Davis to the Orlando Magic for Brandon Bass, the Boston Celtics added more players to their roster.

The team signed Chris Wilcox, Marquis Daniels, and Greg Stiemsma before an evening practice.  Coach Doc Rivers also said they signed Jeff Green, whose deal was not completed in time for him to participate.

Other reports say the Celtics are close to completing a sign-and-trade to bring David West to town in exchange for Jermaine O’Neal.

Stay tuned for news on deals in the coming days as Boston prepares for its Christmas Day opener against the New York Knicks.

Sources reported the Boston Celtics sent Glen Davis to the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade for Brandon Bass.  The deal awaits player physicals before it is finalized.

Davis and Bass are similar players, but the deal rids the Celtics of Davis’ poor attitude and work ethic in recent seasons.  Bass averaged 11.2 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game, both career highs.

Bass has one year remaining on his current contract, which is worth $4 million.  He also has a $4 million player option for the 2012-2012 season.

This is a tough one.  Glen Davis shows signs of greatness, but then there are times where it looks like he never played basketball before.

He certainly grew as a player from his rookie season and was a big factor in the Boston Celtics’ 2008 championship and playoff runs in the seasons after.  His energy and spark ignited some big plays from himself and his teammates that were key points in his team’s success.

However, his inconsistency and his attitude are too much.  Shaquille O’Neal revealed problems with Davis, he cried on the bench when Kevin Garnett yelled at him, and he took shots at Doc Rivers and the Celtics organization.

There are plenty of players around the league with the same talent level as Davis that would probably bring a better attitude and work ethic, something the Celtics need if they want another chance to bring home Banner 18.

Davis is a good player, but not the caliber forward/center the Celtics need.  He wants to be a starter, so he should find another team that will let him be one.

Go.

Day 149: The NBA owners and players reached a tentative agreement to end the lockout.

The two sides met for more than 15 hours Friday, and after coming to terms, all that is left is for the owner and players to cross the i’s and dot the t’s.  If everything goes according to plan, the season begins on Dec. 25.

In the past few years, the NBA turned Christmas day into a spectacle, scheduling the top matchups between famed teams and players.  After long and grueling negotiations that predicted no season at all, what better way to bring holiday spirit than with the season opener of the 2011-2012 season.

The Boston Celtics open in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks on Christmas, but there is plenty of work to be done in the 31 days prior to the game.

The Celtics have six players under contract: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O’Neal, and Avery Bradley.  They also have three unsigned rookies: JaJuan Johnson, E’Twaun Moore, and Gilbert Brown (they have no rights).

The biggest challenge for the Celtics in the short off-season is going to be who they decide to re-sign and who they let go to look for better options elsewhere.  Jeff Green is a restricted free agent and has expressed great interest in remaining with the Celtics, and the front office should keep him around and give him another opportunity to showcase what he has to offer.

Then there is Glen Davis, Delonte West, Nenad Krstic, Troy Murphy, Sasha Pavlovic, and Carlos Arroyo, who are all are unrestricted free agents.

The Celtics should look for a better option than Davis, whose play is inconsistent at best.  West should be resigned to come off the bench and provide support to Rondo and the other players in the backcourt.

Krstic signed with a team in Moscow and is not expected to be back in Boston.  Murphy, Pavlovic, and Arroyo probably will not return, and the Celtics can find much better players to fill their sport.

Hold on tight because this training camp period is going to go by very quickly, so stay tuned to see who goes and who stays as we anxiously await Dec. 25.

Rajon Rondo hosts The Boston Charity Classic tonight at Harvard.

Paul Pierce, Glen Davis, and Jeff Green join their Celtics teammate, as well as new draft pick JaJuan Johnson and former players Kendrick Perkins, Marquis Daniels, and Leon Powe.  The roster also includes Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay,  Josh Smith, Kyle Lowry, and former Harvard star Jeremy Lin.

The proceeds to the game support local Boston charities to supply meals during the holiday season.

This game is one of a series of all-star and charity games popping up as a way for players to stay on the court despite the lockout.

Shaquille O’Neal revealed some secrets about the Boston Celtics in his new book set to hit shelves November 15.

“Shaq Uncut,” written with former Boston Globe writer Jackie MacMullan, contains excerpts from his short stint with the C’s.  Overall, he spoke well of the front office and head coach Doc Rivers, as well as players like The Big Three.

But O’Neal did reveal some secrets about his former teammates.  He dwelled more on the Rajon Rondo saga, explaining again the comments made by President Barack Obama that potentially sent Rondo’s season downward.

He did add some interesting tales about a conflict with Glenn Davis.  In a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, O’Neal wanted to “get off,” and despite his good position under the basket, Davis still would not pass the ball.

“‘Big Baby’ Davis kept looking me off and taking it himself.  Doc is shouting at him to go inside, but he won’t…So I go up to him and say, ‘If you ever miss me again I’m going to punch you in the face.’ I was hot.”

Apparently, Davis did not get the memo that O’Neal wanted the ball because two nights later, there was a similar situation.

“I’ve got my man isolated underneath the basket, and Baby ignores me and takes a jump shot.  So the next time we’re in the huddle I let Baby have it.  I tell him, ‘Pass the [expletive] ball inside.’  He comes back at me a little bit and now I’m really heated…I tell Baby, ‘You’re a selfish player.  Everyone on this team knows it.’  Hey, all the fans knew it.”

All I know, if O’Neal threatened to punch me in the face for not giving him the ball, I would not make that mistake again.  But Davis seems to struggle comprehending stuff like that, so it appears he is just lucky that he avoided potential permanent damage to his face.

The conflict regarding the basketball-related income is still the hot topic of the NBA lockout.  The owners want a 50-50 split, but the players do not want to go below 52%.

Today, Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis took to Twitter to plead for an agreement so the season can begin.

Davis may be ready to play, but he needs to be signed by someone first before he can step foot on the court.  He played all four season of his professional career in Boston, and he could be a viable option for the team to resign.

But the lockout needs to end before any of that can happen.

Glen Davis was on hand yesterday to mark the construction of two new basketball courts in East Bayside, Maine.

Davis spoke of the importance of basketball in his life, and how he hopes these public courts will help to play and “express themselves” in a safe and healthy way.  He told the Portland Daily Sun:

“Sports have opened so many doors for me.  I am blessed and fortunate to be here, and I hope everyone enjoys this court.”

Davis was already in town for a Day One event supporting treatment for substance abuse and mental health in Southern Maine.