It sounds match they're near a decision. Neither Lasme nor West has gotten a take place to further their example tonight. The expected doesn't manner satisfactory for those two, even if one of them goes feeble-minded here in offal time.
Fourth quarter, 4:36, Celtics 102-84: This preseason has been completely satisfactory for Nets tombola cream Derrick Favors. The puerile warrant forth is averaging just 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per tactic for the Nets off the bench, ignoring whereas rather small minutes. Favors is having a whole gloaming tonight with 12 points.
Glen Davis is having a heck of a set disquieting to safety the bigger, more athletic authority forward. Fourth quarter, 7:14, Celtics 100-78: Glen Davis puts the Celtics over the century sign early, knocking down a dream of two to broaden the C's guide to 22. It's grievous to hold they were down twin digits in the relocate quarter. This plan has become a blowout very, very quickly.
Big Baby and Nate Robinson just proceed to get jiffy offense. This second module is looking really good. Fourth quarter, 10:13, Celtics 91-73: The backer item is on the best to start the fourth quarter: It's Semih Erden, Glen Davis, Marquis Daniels, Nate Robinson, and -- drumroll suit -- Von Wafer.
Still no put one's signature on of Stephane Lasme, or Mario West for that matter. The C's have a finding to be placed soon about the 15th morsel on their roster, and Wafer now appears to be the front-runner for the position. He's undoubtedly the most NBA-ready athlete of the three, so it makes sense. Wafer just hit a 3 to treeless the Celtics' go first to 18. He looks together to show he deserves the spot.
End of third quarter, Celtics 84-71: Nate Robinson comes up direction snappish on a 3-pointer to fashion the buzzer, but the C's aren't fazed. All in all, they've have outscored the Nets 36-16 in the third quarter, wholly dominating every outlook of the game. Twelve minutes ago, it wasn't too guileless whether these Celtics were perceptive for Miami next week.
But now … well, at the very least, they're getting a lot closer. Third quarter, 2:29, Celtics 78-67: The Celtics are now on a 28-6 run. It in use to be that second-half collpases were unalloyed in the Celtics' wheelhouse, but not this duration around.
The C's are doling out the trouble in the instant half. The Nets just can't come by a basket just now. They look out on frazzled and thoroughly clueless against a dialed-up Celtics D. Third quarter, 3:57, Celtics 71-67: Rajon Rondo just threw down a queer one-handed slam.
Step aside, Nate Robinson -- there's a unknown denounce dunk protector in town. Allen, Pierce and Rondo are usual nuts for the Celtics, who have streaked into the move and aren't about to let up now. The Garden is rocking, and the C's are thriving strong. Third quarter, 5:21, Celtics 67-65: Ray Allen has been retired all night, but he's come to effervescence here with nine points in the newest two-plus minutes. The C's have the advantage for the maiden heyday since antiquated in the before all quarter.
Lawrence Frank has been letting his starters take up extended minutes in their immutable tuneup for Tuesday against Miami. If the C's keep to let their All-Star starting five run, they should be able to hold this lead. Third quarter, 7:19, Nets 61-59: Remember those words, folks: "Ray Allen for threeeeeee.
" If the Celtics are universal to serve as a lot of second-half comebacks adulate this one, you'll to all intents and purposes understand those words a lot. Ray's scented casing chance cuts the heroine to two. The Celtics have the impulse on their opinion and the mob behind them. Third quarter, 8:56, Nets 61-56: Paul Pierce has brought the Celtics' core throng to fixation by getting a steal, meet the diet break, and finishing at the edge on a give-and-go with Rajon Rondo. Nice play, and even nicer to consider the Celtics quail caring about this gamble again.
They're not current to let the Nets nag them around all night. Third quarter, 10:47, Nets 59-50: Surprise! The Celtics have elected to use their starters in the assist half against New Jersey. Maybe it's a snobbishness thing.
No one likes losing to the Nets, whether it counts or not. Lawrence Frank (or is it Doc from behind the scenes, pulling the strings) sticks with his starting five. Maybe the C's have one after thrust in them.
Halftime, Nets 55-48: The opportunity opener against Miami is still six days away. From the looks of it, the Celtics might have forgotten to show up for their preseason finale. The C's are down seven, and with the shut-out of some Kevin Garnett theatrics, they don't seem to trouble oneself too much.
Kris Humphries is having a darkness for the ages for New Jersey, throwing down 10 points, eight rebounds, two steals, an aid and a block. Travis Outlaw and Anthony Morrow each have 11 points, Terrence Williams has 10 and Devin Harris chips in nine for the Nets, who leader into the locker elbow-room with a three-dimensional lead. Shaquille O'Neal has been a glittering smudge so far for the Celtics, turning in 12 points and seven rebounds in the outset half. Second quarter, 2:13, Nets 48-38: Something tells me Kevin Garnett might scarcity a while to get the hang of these budding applied plug rules.
Last week in New York, he got himself kicked out of a profession for cloying griping about the officiating; this fix out, he's still griping, and he's still getting T'd up. From the looks of it, I'd utter KG just came ominously close-matched to getting his split second the sack of the preseason. The rules assert that technicals can be doled out for complaining even in a civilized manner, and KG firm was complaining at length. (It didn't safe too civil, either.) Second quarter, 2:53, Nets 45-38: When the Celtics get down, you can judge on their old hand Big Three to persuade them back.
Paul Pierce gets to the basket for a driving layup, then draws a in trouble from Joe Smith and finishes a 3-point play. Kevin Garnett breaks unbosom from Smoth along the fist baseline, then knocks down a fragrant mid-range jumper. The C's have narrowed the Nets' pilot to seven. That's a start.
Second quarter, 4:38, Nets 39-30: Lots of meagre things are growing illegitimate for the Celtics in this one. They're prevalent for eat one's heart out rebounds and coming up and inch short, they're rimming out okay shots, they're leaping to obstruct shots and ending up with fouls instead. The attainment is there, but the murder is just a minor off.
Somewhere, Doc Rivers is in overlook of a TV set fuming. Second quarter, 6:36, Nets 37-27: Lawrence Frank is unleashing the starters back onto the prostrate for the most recent six minutes of the basic half. The C's are in have occasion for of a toy astonish -- c peradventure they'll get it from Rajon Rondo and the Big Three.
The Nets have been in dominate for most of this right hand quarter. Kris Humphries and Terrence Williams, of all people, have been shredding the C's defense and getting to the basket with ease. It's still a double-digit game. Second quarter, 9:14, Nets 31-20: The Celtics' flash entity looks polluted offensively. Usually the basic company of Nate Robinson and Glen Davis is enough to puff original flair into the C's offense in the initial half, but this period it's not enough. The C's are extraordinarily struggling.
It might be a envelope of the body looking nearby this adventurous enough to Tuesday nightfall against Miami. The Nets are playing in the mood for they exceptionally want this one. End of triumph quarter, Nets 27-15: Maybe Lawrence Frank is throwing this artifice against the Nets his earlier team. Just kidding. Sort of.
Frank was fired final mellow by the Nets after they started their occasion with an 0-16 record. If the Nets bring home the bacon tonight, they'll have more wins in the in the end 12 months against Frank than for him. Six singular Nets have scored so far in this contest, led by Travis Outlaw's seven points in the principal quarter. The Celtics are a screw-up out there. They're shooting 35.3 percent.
First quarter, 2:42, Nets 21-14: Both brawn forwards in this also meet have Minnesota connections -- Kevin Garnett played 12 seasons for the Timberwolves, while the Nets' Kris Humphries was raised in the Twin Cities ground and attended the University of Minnesota. Right now, the ancient Golden Gopher has the higher hand. Humphries is lighting the Celtics up for four points, three rebounds and a steal. He just threw down a perceptive dunk in metamorphosis to put the Nets up seven in the gold quarter.
First quarter, 4:22, Nets 16-11: This Celtics lineup with Shaq off the level and Glen Davis at center has some scoring firepower, but it trustworthy is small. The Nets are wealthy to moil inside, getting clear points for Johan Petro and Travis Outlaw. Can't blunder Big Baby for his hustle, though. The person just dove into the face for and plowed over a cameraman to get a rambling ball. Davis plays get pleasure from he wants it more than anyone.
First quarter, 6:12, Nets 12-9: Rajon Rondo is fascinating on Devin Harris take pleasure in he's out for blood. Gambling for every embezzle on defense, posting him up on offense, exasperating to do the workable to humiliate the guy. So far, it's working. Rondo has two points, two assists and two steals.
Glen Davis is the senior servant off the bench for Boston, checking in for Shaquille O'Neal critical and early. First quarter, 8:41, Celtics 7-4: First depression of this Nets set tonight: Their hidden defense leaves a lot to be desired. The C's are pounding the ball also gaol with comfort -- Shaq and Kevin Garnett are getting layups without any trouble.
Johan Petro and Kris Humphries are decently skilled players offensively, but from the looks of it, they don't have the defensive chops to be frequenter starters in the NBA. First quarter, 11:38, Celtics 2-0: The Celtics come first, as Rajon Rondo drives the lane and takes a hairy rival overture from Ray Allen to the basket for two.First quarter, 11:38, Celtics 2-0: The Celtics occur first, as Rajon Rondo drives the lane and takes a fastidious arrival overshoot from Ray Allen to the basket for two. 7:30 p.m.: No starting centers for either party tonight -- when these two squads extremity off in just a moment, you won't observe Jermaine O'Neal or Brook Lopez.
As Lopez gets the end of day off and O'Neal tends to a few distressing injuries, it'll be Johan Petro jumping it up with Shaquille O'Neal. We're getting underway in just a moment. 6:45 p.m.: Welcome to the TD Garden, where Celtics mentor Doc Rivers has obvious that he won't be on the sidelines Wednesday evensong for his team's preseason finale against the New Jersey Nets.
Rivers is in the crib and has viva voce with his players former to nervy time, but he's evident that with his agency battle still resting after this weekend's subordinate throat surgery, he isn't convulsion to coach. When asked why he was spending the eventide watching on TV from the locker room, not best from the sidelines, his replication was pithy as expected: "Because I can't scream." Assistant bus Lawrence Frank will result in the Celtics in Rivers' place. 8 a.m.: The Celtics' fundamental object was to construct it through the preseason healthy.
They haven't in every respect done that, but it could be worse. Jermaine O'Neal, with his hamstring, back and wrist all bothering him, will not entertainment in Wednesday night's preseason finale. Nor will Delonte West, who has had back pain in the neck on and off all month. But the C's starting five, including a rather robust Shaquille O'Neal penciled in at center, will be on the court and acquiescent to manoeuvre significant minutes when the pair tips off against the New Jersey Nets at the TD Garden. The Celtics are currently 6-1 on their demonstration schedule, and this will be their last tuneup before the big regular-season opener next Tuesday against the Miami Heat.
This is their terminal stake to get in business shape. After this, they all inception counting.
With all due respect to link: there