07/03/2008

Celts’ Perkins, Walker have surgery
BOSTON — Celtics center Kendrick Perkins underwent surgery on his left shoulder yesterday to repair an injury that nagged him during the NBA finals and forced him to miss Game Five

07/02/2008

A difficult road for Celt draftees
WALTHAM, Mass. — The last three players to pose for pictures at a news conference while holding Celtics jerseys in front of them were Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

07/01/2008

Investigation launched into death of Celtics fan
BOSTON (AP) - Authorities are investigating the death of a man taken into police custody after the Celtics' NBA Finals win earlier this month, police said.

06/27/2008

New Mexico’s Giddens is Celtics’ first-round pick
Guard J.R. Giddens is an athletic player who turned Boston on with his defense. Later on, the Celts add two second-rounders.

URI’s Will Daniels goes undrafted
The NBA Draft concluded last night without a team calling Will Daniels’ name.

06/26/2008

The NBA Draft: Celtics will have to wait, hope
Danny Ainge, Boston’s director of operations, has a list of 23 players on his board who could fit into pick No. 30.

Reynolds: An inside track on how NBA Draft might unfold
You say you’ve been looking for an NBA Draft preview?

URI's Daniels is hoping to get picked in Draft
Former URI star Will Daniels has spent much of the spring trying to improve his NBA stock.

06/25/2008

Gatorade-stained shirt nets $55,000 for Celtics foundation
BOSTON (AP) - The Gatorade-stained shirt worn by Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers as the team won its first NBA championship in 22 years has been auctioned for $55,000.

06/20/2008

Szostak: New Big Three had a sense of urgency
As the New Big Three celebrated their first NBA championship Tuesday night and into the wee hours of Wednesday, I thought back to the May night in 1981 when the original Big Three celebrated their first NBA title.

Celtics bring another party to city of champions
BOSTON - They descended the escalator at the Providence train station wearing the green and white jerseys of their heroes for the day. They also wore suits and sundresses. Some wore jeans and T-shirts.

06/19/2008

Reynolds: Five things we can learn from the world champion Celtics
You might not be able to dunk like Kevin Garnett, or shoot like Ray Allen, or take the ball to the basket like Paul Pierce, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn some lessons from the Celtics.

McNamara: The Celtics’ title run, up close and behind the scenes
BOSTON — It took 59 days and a record 26 postseason games, but the Boston Celtics are the deserving NBA champions today.

Red Sox' Francona psyched for Celtics
PHILADELPHIA - Red Sox manager Terry Francona watched with a smile on his face as the Celtics destroyed the Lakers in winning the NBA Championship on Tuesday night.

06/18/2008

No doubt about it - Celtics roll to 17th title
BOSTON — When the moment they had all dreamed of finally arrived, the emotion poured from their bodies.

Reynolds: Coronation closes chapter on Celtics’ fairy tale
BOSTON — Raise another banner.

Allen has a big game in honor of his ailing son
BOSTON – Ray Allen was playing with a heavy heart last night.

Garnett secures the title he so craved
BOSTON — Kevin Garnett came to Boston to win an NBA championship.

Rondo stuns the Lakers with offensive production
BOSTON -- Quick. Name the Celtic who took the most shots last night.

Jackson says his Lakers didn't give themselves a chance
BOSTON -- Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said that Boston took away the Lakers' fire midway through the second quarter, when the Celtics used a 26-6 run to break open a 32-29 game and build a 58-35 lead at halftime.

For Celtics players and coach, a moment to give thanks
BOSTON - Doc Rivers has pushed the concept of mental toughness all year.

Rivers helped teach Garnett what it means to be a Celtic
BOSTON - ``This is the reason we came here,'' said Kevin Garnett. ``This is it, right here.''

His son OK, Allen returns in record-setting fashion
BOSTON - The Celtics' Ray Allen was at the Garden and shooting jumpers nearly four hours before last night's game. The Celtics were happy to see him.

Quote board - What the Celtics said about their championship win

Ainge’s perseverance restores Celtics to relevancy
BOSTON — A year ago he derisively was called “Danny Strange.”

06/17/2008

Winning the NBA title is not supposed to be easy
It's been Doc Rivers' mantra to his team throughout these playoffs.

For many reasons, Celtics will win it at home
Had Kevin Garnett made those three free throws instead of clanging the rim, and had Paul Pierce been one step farther from Kobe Bryant before the steal of the series, the Celtics would be getting a duck tour of Boston’s Championship Trail — Boylston Street to Tremont Street to City Hall Plaza — today instead of preparing for Game Six of the NBA Finals.

Sixth sense: Celtics like their chances to clinch tonight
It’s time to see if the home-court crutch is enough to save the Boston Celtics.

Allen expected to play tonight; Perkins a game-time decision
The Celtics expect Ray Allen to play when they try for a second time to win the NBA championship.

Celtics offer limited tickets for Games Six and Seven
BOSTON (AP) - A lot of perseverance and a bit of luck landed some Boston Celtics fans tickets to Game 6 - and a possible Game 7 - of the NBA Finals.

Staples Center won't show final games in Boston
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Staples Center won’t host an NBA Finals viewing party for Game 6 (or Game 7 if necessary) of the Lakers and Celtics playoff series.

06/16/2008

Lakers 103, Celtics 98 -- L.A. takes the fifth, forces series back to Boston
The Celtics had their chances to nail down banner No. 17 last night at Staples Center but the Los Angeles Lakers weren't ready to die. With their season hanging in the balance, the Lakers made all the tough plays in the final few minutes and gutted out a 103-98 victory in Game Five of the NBA Finals.

Lakers 103, Celtics 98 -- Garnett: "I played like garbage tonight"
Dogged by almost instant foul trouble, Kevin Garnett scored 13 points and grabbed 14 rebounds but was clearly outplayed by Pau Gasol (19 points, 13 boards) during key stretches of the game.

Lakers 103, Celtics 98 -- Ray Allen rushes to airport due to child's illness

Lakers 103, Celtics 98 -- Perkins may not play Tuesday
The Celtics' center is very sore and his return looks doubtful right now

Lakers 103, Celtics 98 -- Bryant's steal was the defensive play of the game
Bryant pokes the ball away from Paul Pierce with just 40 seconds left in a 97-95 game, and Lamar Odom scoops up the loose ball and feeds a breaking Bryant for an easy layup and a four-point lead.

Lakers 103, Celtics 98 -- This time Lakers played with passion, toughness
For the first time in the series, the Lakers matched or exceeded the toughness and energy of the Celtics.

Lakers prove too tough, keep series alive
Boston’s Kevin Garnett is hindered by foul trouble all night, and the Celtics are hurt by a late Paul Pierce turnover.

Five not a lucky number for Celtics
LOS ANGELES — Their failure to close out the NBA Finals in five games was no surprise to anyone familiar with the Celtics’ history.

Final Words
“I just tried to read the play. I got my hands on the ball, got out and got a dunk.”

Paul Pierce looks to ice win for Celts in L.A.
The Celtics forward grew up in Los Angeles and took up basketball against the backdrop of the same classic rivalry of which he is now a major player.

Recent success boosts Boston’s spirits on road
LOS ANGELES — The Celtics had won three of their last five playoff road games entering last night’s Game Five. That’s quite a difference from the six-game road losing streak that built up over the first two rounds of the playoffs.

06/15/2008

The Boston Celtics are only one victory away from winning the NBA Finals
LOS ANGELES — One came from the Nets, another from the Heat and a third from the Clippers.

Bryant gets set to dig Lakers out of 3-1 hole
LOS ANGELES — While Celtics fans from coast to coast are shining the NBA championship trophy for their heroes, there is another team in the mix that is promising not to die quickly.

06/14/2008

Bill Reynolds: The Celtics’ comeback win over the Lakers ranks with the best
Thursday night was the 2008 version of “Havlicek Stole The Ball,” one of those games that will live forever in New England sports history, passed down through the generations like some wonderful family secret.

Anatomy of a Miracle
Sharpshooting by James Posey and Eddie House and a second-half disappearance by the Lakers fueled the Celtics’ comeback.

Extra rest day could be elixir to get injured players on floor
LOS ANGELES — The Celtics woke up with big smiles on their faces yesterday but their bodies are sore.

06/13/2008

Celtics 97, Lakers 91 - A comeback for all time
LOS ANGELES — Now that’s what champions are made of.

Reynolds: Celtics display basketball magic in L.A.
Do you believe in magic?

Celtics can use extra time off to recuperate
LOS ANGELES - The Celtics can certainly use the two days off before Game Five on Sunday.

Allen's crossover move is the dagger to the Lakers' heart
LOS ANGELES -- Big plays always get plenty of cheers, but when someone makes a play that leaves a defender grasping at air, fans remember.

Celtics focused on closing series out in L.A.
LOS ANGELES - The Celtics are one win away from the ultimate goal, the NBA championship.

Boston bench comes through again, led by Posey and House
LOS ANGELES - The Celtics’ bench has enjoyed big games throughout the playoffs, and last night was no different.

Odom has someone watching his back
LOS ANGELES — If anyone can sympathize with Lamar Odom’s struggles in the first three games of the NBA Finals, it’s Jerry DeGregorio.

Reynolds - Donaghy plays a major role in NBA’s sad story
Disgraced NBA ref Tim Donaghy has been the smoking gun ever since last summer when the news broke that he had bet on games.

06/12/2008

Preparation of Ray Allen is anything but routine
He’s the first Celtic to step on the floor, launching his jump shot three hours before games, getting a feel for the court, the background, everything.

Rondo's ankle is Celtics' latest cause for concern
LOS ANGELES - Don't expect any of the drama afforded Paul Pierce and his knee sprain, but the Celtics have another injury concern in the NBA Finals.

Kobe's response to Schilling: Go Yankees!
LOS ANGELES -- The Red Sox have an all-encompassing impact in the sports world and Curt Schilling's unfavorable musings about Kobe Bryant's treatment of his teammates in Game Two was still gaining reaction yesterday.

Vujacic: 'No doubt' series will return to Boston
LOS ANGELES -- You have to love unabashed confidence, and that's what Lakers shooter Sasha Vujacic owns, in spades.

Fatigue caught up with Celtics in Game Three
LOS ANGELES -- The Lakers' Phil Jackson said he thought Kevin Garnett looked a bit gassed late in Game Three, and Paul Pierce was so winded at one point that he used a timeout for his own recovery.

06/11/2008

Lakers 87, Celtics 81: Way too many holes in this Boston performance
LOS ANGELES — For much of last night’s Game Three of the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics seemed to play as if they were wondering just how badly they could perform and still win a huge basketball game.

Reynolds: The Kobe of legend finally rises to occasion for Lakers
He is supposed to be the best player in the world.

Rivers declines to blame officials
LOS ANGELES -- Doc Rivers kept looking up at the scoreboard and wondering just how his team was staying in last night’s game.

Rondo's ankle should be fine; Garnett disappointed in himself
LOS ANGELES -- Rajon Rondo turned his ankle early in the third quarter leading a fast break and had to leave the game.

Odom continues to struggle through Finals
LOS ANGELES - Lamar Odom still hasn’t played well in the NBA Finals, but he insists he’s not getting frustrated.

Familiar turf: Pierce feels right at home in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES — When Paul Pierce was blossoming into a high school All-American, wearing the green and white uniform of the Inglewood (Calif.) Sentinels, he dreamed of nights like last night.

Reynolds: It’s high time the Celtics’ Rivers finally gets his due
Maybe it’s time to give Doc Rivers a little love.

Odom falling short of expectations
LOS ANGELES — Phil Jackson certainly has lofty expectations for Lamar Odom.

06/10/2008

Reynolds: Everything will go the Lakers' way tonight
OK, here's a preview of tonight's game. Hey, anyone can tell you what happened after it happened, right?

The Celtics’ concern is to keep L.A. from turning the tables on them
The Lakers are undefeated at home in the playoffs, and the next three games of the Finals are set for the Staples Center.

These friends close despite different loyalties
Steve Lewinstein, an owner of the Boston Celtics, and Steve Lombardo, team doctor for the Los Angeles Lakers, have been buddies for a half-century.

06/09/2008

Celtics 108, Lakers 102: Boston survives L.A. run to take 2-0 series lead
BOSTON – It’s tough not to give the Los Angeles Lakers plenty of credit after last night’s Game Two of the NBA Finals.

Reynolds: Garden's angels were looking after Paul Pierce
BOSTON -- In the first game, he had hurt his knee in the third quarter, got carried off the court as if his season was in jeopardy, then came back a few minutes later like John Wayne rushing up Iwo Jima in some old Hollywood movie.

Powe comes up huge for Celtics
BOSTON — Leon Powe. Remember him?

Analysis: Championship looking unlikely for Lakers
It really was a blowout game, the Celtics in total control in the fourth quarter, up 20 with about seven minutes remaining, and the Lakers playing liked they couldn't wait to get on the plane and go back to Marina Del Ray.

Bryant was less than dominant again
BOSTON -- He finished with 30, a better night than he had in the first game, but once again Kobe Bryant was something less than Superman.

Ray Allen: Celtics will have to be better finishers in L.A.
BOSTON -- Ray Allen put on another strong performance last night in Game Two, scoring 17 points while knocking down 50 percent of his 3-pointers (3 for 6).

Celtics Journal: P.J. Brown proves he can still play
BOSTON - When the Celtics added P.J. Brown on Feb. 27 as a free agent, they weren't really sure what they were getting. On the floor, anyway.

Lakers Journal: New Garden has given Finals foe a cool reception
BOSTON — The old Boston Garden didn’t have air conditioning, so it could be a sweat box at times, especially during the NBA Finals in late spring.

Benches play big roles for Celtics, Lakers
BOSTON — Everybody knows about Boston’s Big Three — Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

Lakers forced to respect the Celts
BOSTON — There are a lot of reasons for longtime Lakers fans to loathe the Celtics, not the least of which are the eight championships Boston won in the teams’ first eight matchups in the NBA Finals.

06/08/2008

Pierce, Perkins say they will shake off injuries
Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins, hurt in Game One of the NBA Finals, will play against the Lakers tonight.

Lakers realize they must bang the boards
BOSTON –– The Celtics expect the Lakers to be more physical tonight in Game Two.

Celtics have done a good job on Kobe all season
BOSTON -- Boston has certainly had Kobe Bryant’s number in the three games against the Lakers this season.

2-3-2 format is a tough test for both teams
BOSTON -- While Celtics coach Doc Rivers doesn’t like the NBA Finals format of 2-3-2 (two home, three away and two home), Phil Jackson doesn’t believe the Lakers have an advantage.

Late ‘Gino’ lives on at Garden
If you’ve been to a Celtics game, you know the phenomenon that is Gino.

06/07/2008

Truth or Fiction? Phil Jackson questions severity of Pierce's injury
BOSTON –– At full, New Big Three strength, the Boston Celtics like their chances against any basketball quintet on the planet. With a key missing piece or two, however, things get a bit murky.

Format puts press on Boston
BOSTON –– The late, great Red Auerbach had many battles with the NBA offices in his career but few upset the Celtics’ patriarch more than the change in format of the league’s championship series.

06/06/2008

Celtics 98, Lakers 88: East Coast grit triumphs in Game One
BOSTON – As Kobe Bryant saw one jump shot after another fall off the rim last night, his frustration level grew along with the heat inside the hearts of the Boston Celtics’ defenders.

Pierce on his injury: I had to get back out there
BOSTON -- Paul Pierce came to Boston's rescue last night in more ways than one.

Reynolds: Celtics highjack Bryant’s spotlight
BOSTON — Can the Celtics contain Kobe?

Odom: Lakers lost their edge in second half
BOSTON -- Lamar Odom, the former URI star, felt the Lakers might have gotten too comfortable in the second half last night.

NBA title would complete final goal
BOSTON — When Boston’s Big Three — Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen — look back on their sensational careers after they retire, they’ll know they can be proud of their Hall of Fame-worthy performances.

Garnett changed direction of Celtics
BOSTON — It’s time to give a public thank you to Kevin Garnett.

Celtics Journal: Team's history never fazed Doc
BOSTON - Doc Rivers never feared trying to live up to the Celtics' mystique and demand for excellence. In fact, he welcomed it.

Lakers Journal: No escort needed now for Jabbar
BOSTON — There once was a time when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would have received a police escort into TD Banknorth Garden . . . or its predecessor, the old Boston Garden.

Quiz Time: How much do you really know about the Celtics-Lakers rivalry?
OK, folks. Time to pick up those No. 2 pencils, because today’s quiz will test how much you really know about the Lakers-Celtics rivalry:

06/05/2008

For Kobe, it's been a season to remember
One year ago, the mercurial leader of the Los Angeles Lakers was asking to be traded. Now, he finds himself four victories away from basketball’s ultimate prize.

Reynolds: Culture clash is gone, but Celts-Lakers is timeless
The last time the Celtics and Lakers really were a cultural clash?

Lakers’ Odom has pleasant memories of season at URI
BOSTON — It’s not Kingston or Keaney Gymnasium, but Lamar Odon says his return to New England for the NBA Finals has him thinking about Rhode Island.

The eyes of the world turn to Boston, and how the Big Three need rings
BOSTON - The international media has descended on Boston for the Finals.

Players remember growing up with Larry Bird
BOSTON - Lots of Larry Bird-Magic Johnson talk on both sides of this matchup.