NOT RONDO'D

No Rondo, broken thumb. Green with the Start,

First time in 361 days, or 10 years as a C, new part.

Why? Brad: "...Length, Athleticism, Versatility, Shooting...."

Horford at the 5, lots of reasons Amir he was booting!

HORFORD FOR THREE! Lopez is still tall.

AB FOR THREE! Cs, great, moving the ball!

AB FOR THREE! Horford, steal! Cs an 11-0 run. 

GREEN FOR THREE! Bulls (Wade) a 6-0 run.

Smart, in, Rozier, early! HORFORD FOR THREE!

Smart, steal! Cs a 7-0 run! Smart, Crowder, D!

CROWDER FOR THREE! CROWDER FOR THREE!

Cs a 21-3 run! Amir, in, shot! Baseline, then strip, AB!

On 57% shooting (vs 32), Cs up 18 start Q2!

Jerebko, in. Smart, blocked Wade! Bulls 11-0 run...boooo!

Cs' Bench? Ouch! Olynyk, D! AB FOR THREE! (3 for 3)!

Cs, missed shots. Bulls finding openings, playing D.

Missed threes, Q2. From up 20, Cs up 3 start Q3!

Cs' confidence is shaky when missed shots they see.

IT FOR THREE! IT FOR THREE! Aggressive AB!

Ugh, slightly rolled ankle, IT. GREEN FOR THREE!

Cs, more like Q1, better pace Q3! Horford, D!

No goal tend called (booo). Shooting, Passing, IT!

Horford, steal! Cs ball movement! ROZIER FOR THREE!

Cs a 25-11 run! No! No! Oh, ok: SMART FOR THREE!

IT THE PLAYMAKER! Cs up 13 end Q3!

(tho too much Jimmy Butler we started to see)

Q4: Olynyk, Smart, Jerebko, Rozier, AB.

Olynyk, 2 quick (cheesy) fouls. OLYNYK FOR THREE! 

Smart mugged by three Bulls, finally a call!

No matter what, he won't let go of the ball ;)

Jerebko, score! score! Olynyk, Rozier, good D!

AB THE PLAYMAKER! AB FOR THREE!

AB (great)/Butler, intense. Halfway thru Q4 til IT.

ROZIER FOR THREE! Alley-oop, Horford, from IT!

IT blowing by Butler! Cs flyin' around, playing D!

Crowder, steal! Rozier, jam! ROZIER FOR THREE!

Jerebko to the hoop! Good for him--

Cs have to maintain this rhythm!

By 17, CELTICS WON--

This is much more fun!

A POEM IN SEARCH OF A "TITLE"

IT is playing, what an ovation from the Crowd--

Man, Brother, Son, Friend, Husband, makes us proud!

Cs (Horford, IT) rebounding! IT FOR THREE! 

Cs a 7-0 run! Lopez shoved IT. (Rescindable?) T on IT?

Bulls a 17-2 run. From Rondo, steal by IT!

Easy shots for the Bulls ;(  Where is our D?

Mirotić fired up. Stutter step, to the hoop, AB!

Rozier, in. (Finally) OLYNYK FOR THREE! 

ROZIER FOR THREE! Rozier, good D!

Butler, missed dunk. AB FOR THREE!

Cs a 10-4 run! Cs within 5 end Q1:

From down 12, mixed Bench, Starters. Interesting one.

T on Portis (who shot 80% FG last game).

Wade is still a punk--forever the same.

Crowder, Smart, Rozier, Olynyk, IT.

Bold Brad. First time this lineup we did see!

Smart! Put back! Cs a 15-4 run! Olynyk, fouls, three.

Bulls a 14-3 run. Crazy, possessed Bulls team we see ;(

CROWDER FOR THREE! Lopez having his way--

Cs can't grow taller no matter how well we play.

Smart! Paint! Playoff Rondo, in control, like we used to see,

Flirting with an early triple double. Cs within 8 start Q3.

Zeller, in, bothering Lopez (size). Horford, dunk's loud!

CROWDER FOR THREE! Need support from the Crowd!

IT! Horford! AB, steal! Cs, Paint! Engaged IT!

Cs ball movement! Ugh, Lopez. AB FOR THREE!

IT, struggling, FTs. Bulls, scoring options galore.

Cs, problems on offense when IT's off the floor.

Smart, IT arguing. Olynyk, hustle! Sweet Floater, IT!

Not much prettier than that back door cut by AB!

Cs a 6-0 run. AB block! Buzzer: Crowder, score!

Random Bulls scoring. Cs TOs. Cs within 11 start Q4.

Cs closer, rebounds. Smart, hustle, jump ball!

IT still struggling to make free throws fall.

Rozier, Olynyk same block ;) OLYNYK FOR THREE!

Olynyk, steal! Good job, Rozier. Zipser tossed IT.

Ugh, vintage Wade, Rondo. SMART FOR THREE! 

Rondo taking advantage of our porous D.

Brad emphasized finishing strong. Tough night.

Shots weren't falling. Cs just didn't look right ;(

YOUNG FOR THREE!

Gerald Green, where was he?

Don't wanna do the math, Celtics did not win.

Off to Chicago, hope OUR playoffs BEGIN....

.

PRAYERS UP, IT. #BOSTON STRONG

Dedicated to Chyna Thomas. Playing is IT.
Celtics are foremost a Brotherhood--as we'll see.
Moment of tribute to Chyna Thomas, tough on IT--
"Embracing" him emotionally, Coaches, Players, every C.

IT, crying. Poor guy. "National TV Rondo" on IT.
Wade's still a punk ;) AB FOR THREE!
Amir, Crowder, D! IT, steal. AB FOR THREE!
(Hmm, missing a line here I see).

IT FOR THREE! Cs an 8-0 run! All IT and AB!
Cs TOs. IT FOR THREE! Amir! Horford! Good D!
Crowder, Amir two fouls, Rondo also has two.
Smart flyin' in the paint like he's s'posed to do.

How-Does-He-Do-It IT somehow being IT!
Zeller, great hands. FEARLESS BROWN FOR THREE!
Fearless Brown, D on Butler! Crowder, Zeller, Smart, D!
Cs up 5 end Q1, incredible focus, will and skill, IT.

Bulls bench an 11-3 run, lead. Fouls out of control:
On Smart. Third on Crowder. Cs, 5 minute scoring hole.
AB FOR THREE! Amir! Horford-Fearless Brown, alley-oop!
AB, steal. Need more Bigs' contribution, Cs Group.

Wade, missed dunk. Smile! No jinx, please!
Am I imagining calls are the worst against the Cs?
Buzzer! HORFORD FOR THREE. Last 9 points scored he!
On choppy play, poor calls, Cs within 2 start Q3.

More bad calls. Not whining ;) AB FOR THREE!
Bulls, too many put backs. Crowder, engaged is he!
Horford! Portis, a problem. Heart goes out to IT:
Cs wearing black bands. "Chyna," on shoes of IT.

Cs great ball movement! SMART FOR THREE!
Another phantom foul (same ref), this one on IT.
Amir, upfake king! Cs, D! What a charge, Smart!
SMART FOR THREE! Crowder! Cs, all Heart!

Ugh, Butler. Tie, start Q4. Hustling Green!
SMART FOR THREE! Horford's an assist machine ;)
OLYNYK FOR THREE! Brad: rebound, share the ball,
Remember to enjoy playing most of all.

IT pounded, (surprise) no call, T on IT?
Jump ball, Butler in his face made for an angry AB!
Horford, dunk! IT drew Rondo foul number four.
Then five. Not that I mind...still officiating so poor.

Wonder what it is: Cs calling "LA Number Three!"
Wade's still a punk. Surprise! Dirty trip on IT.
Wade's still a punk. Elbow to the neck of IT.
Ugh, Portis, and Butler made life tough for IT.

CROWDER FOR THREE! Smart...Smart.
IT FOR THREE! Cs always showing Heart!
Cs ball, out of bounds, reversed the call!
Cs lined up well, couldn't steal the ball.

Cs within 4 ;( Chicago won Game 1, '08.
We know what happened! That would be great ;)
On adenaline, crying IT (33 points), did all he could do.
Tougher games are the next, starting with Game Two.

CELTICS WON...AND ONE! ☘️

Bucks (6th seed) at the Gahden, reduced cast--
Out: Giannis, Middleton, Snell, Delly this game, the last.
Nets all resting, against the Bulls, a cheesy play?
No playoffs for them. They can rest the next day!

Bucks, tip, first score. Horford to the hoop! Hoop!
Pause: AMIR FOR THREE! In the paint, Bucks group.
55%+ field goals, tenth straight year--
Only DH12, Tyson Chandler, better than Amir!

Yikes! Cs...D? Crowd's quiet. Fouls on Amir, two.
CROWDER FOR THREE! CROWDER FOR THREE! Phew!
Bucks aren't kidding. Gerald Green! Jam! Some life!
Game should be a gimme--too much strife!

I can hardly write this: Cs within 11 start Q2.
Fearless Brown! Smart! Bench not coming through.
Olynyk, three fouls, stuck playing Monroe.
Green is aggressive, the rest are too slow.

Smart, steal! Fearless Brown, dunk...loud!
Ok, where's our D? But where's Our Crowd?
AB! Smart, block! Zeller running the floor!
Zeller, spin! Rookie Brogdon continues to score.

IT, two shots? IT, steal! IT FOR THREE!
57 straight games with at least one three!
IT FOR THREE! Amir! Cs an 18-4 run!
IT, 10 points, 2 minutes, end Q2, Cs up 1!

Amir, three fouls. IT! Ugh, jammed finger, AB.
Amir, Crowder hustle! Coast-to-coast, IT!
Horford! Pause: AMIR FOR THREE!
In 'n Out, like a burger, shots by many a C.

Thon Maker, blocks, also great name--
Amir the highest scoring C in the game!
AB's OK! Fearless Brown! Amir, foul four.
OLYNYK FOR THREE! Cs up 2 start Q4!

Smart, four fouls. SMART FOR THREE!
Olynyk, five fouls. Green! To the hoop, AB!
Green, great D! OLYNYK FOR THREE! AB!
CROWDER FOR THREE! GREEN FOR THREE!

Olynyk--loud! The bounce is real ;) No IT, Q4.
Brad's giving the Bench Guys more time on the floor!
Fearless Brown, dunk! Steal! Green, dunk!
Cs, 28-3 run! GREEN FOR THREE! Cs not in a funk!

Won the Slam Dunk Contest, as a Rookie, Green!
Tonight's high Cs scorer! CELTICS WON BY 18!
CELTICS IN THE EAST ARE NUMBER ONE,
NOT just BECAUSE CAVS LOST...BECAUSE WE WON!

HAWKing OUR...WHERES (WHEREing US OUT)

Cs are in Atlanta, 2nd night of our B2B;

Let's pretend Cs vs Cavs we did not see.

Brad made the Guys watch the game today at brunch--

A reminder of the egg(s) they laid, I have a hunch ;)

Last night Green unis, home, on the road tonight, white.

First score, IT FOR THREE! AB's feeling all right!

Amir! Hard for Crowder and Olynyk to get a call!

Crowd boos every time Horford handles the ball!?

AB FOR THREE! Hard to the hoop, IT!

DH12 on the glass is annoying to see.

WHERE's our Bench? WHERE's our Rebounding?

TOs. Lack of focus, careless with the ball...astounding ;(

SMART FOR THREE! SMART FOR THREE!

Phew! He's been under 20% since the ASB.

Cs within 8 start Q2. A spark? Smart was the C.

CROWDER FOR THREE! CROWDER FOR THREE!

Smart, strip (hooray)! FEARLESS BROWN FOR THREE!

Cs an 11-2 run. CROWDER FOR THREE! 

Amir shaken up, by Prince. Yikes. Call was on Amir.

SMART FOR THREE! Ugh, Hawks playing offense here.

Cs improved some tonight when on the bench was IT--

Someone convinced Smart to believe in his Three!

Millsap/Horford good friends. Horford, foul three.

WHERE's our D? Hawks have more players than we?

WHERE's the help? Getting pounded every play is IT!

Cs, 44% shooting (vs 54), within 16 start Q3.

Horford, huge block! Cs on the floor! IT FOR THREE!

WHERE are our stops? CROWDER FOR THREE!

Horford, five fouls--crowd's booing. IT FOR THREE! 

Smart, D! Jerebko! AB, steal! SMART FOR THREE!

Fearless Brown! Green for offense! Spark, Smart!

Olynyk! Crowder! Cs found some grit and heart.

BUZZER: SMART FOR THREE! Cs within 10 end Q3!

I forget (happily). 20 (?) point Hawks lead we did see?

Crowder, steal! Millsap fouled him hard--review!

Even I knew it wasn't flagrant, didn't you? 

Hawks fouling like crazy! Smart, block! Cs, D!

Fearless Brown, jump ball! Stolen by AB!

Hip bruise, banged up, sitting in a fan's seat, IT ;)

WHERE are our FTs? Smart, strip! Gotta love his D!

Horford, struggling. Smart, steal! LOUD DUNK, AB! 

Bazemore fouled out. Smart, great offense and D!

Crowder landed on his elbow and face! 

Smart, steal, pass...AB! They're all over the place!

Crazy! Cs ball movement! IT FOR THREE!

Bodies everyWHERE! Lots of bleeding, IT.

AB! Smart, Mickey, forced a jump ball.

Intense 2nd half, lucky there was no brawl.

Though tonight's outcome, as last night's was the same,

2nd half (Q4), someWHERE Cs found their game.

Cs have had 17 BRBs, lost both games just one time.

Until tonight: Cs within 7. Again, no more rhyme....

CELTICS...cRANKy

Cavs at the Gahden, not great second of back to back;

Cs, after days of days of rest, good solid wins we lack.

Crowder (elbow) is in, stomach is better, AB.

T. Thompson's out (thumb), 447 straight games had he.

Al Horford won the Red Auerbach Award--

Welcome to Boston, Al, first "prize" you scored!

Green Team's in Green (not white); glad not gray;

The tip-off (not the early rebounds) went the Cs' way.

On the cover of Slam Magazine, a proud IT!

Brad, mad, early timeout; CROWDER FOR THREE!

(No Zeller, personal). AB on Irving, great D! More D!

Flopping, whiny LeBaby....Amir! IT FOR THREE! 

Horford! IT in the paint!

Where our other Cs ain't.

On 38% shooting (vs 26), Cs up 1 start Q2!

LeBaby cryin', Olynyk rebounding. Cs Bench, boo hoo.

Jefferson, alone. Cavs, I mean LeBaby, a 24-4 run. 

Green, great D! Crowder, dunk--a little more fun!

HORFORD FOR THREE! "Lucky" we have IT!

For grading Olynyk's shorts, foul on a disbelievin' LeBaby.

Cs (awful Bench) vs. LeBaby, Cs within 15 start Q3.

Crowder, 3 fouls. Amir! CROWDER FOR THREE!

Cs waaaay outrebounded, one of problems galore.

TOs, porous D, few Cs aggressive on the floor.

Amir! IT! AB, D! 3rd foul, Irving, on Amir's D!

Expected the Cavs offense, but not their D.

IT keeps getting pounded, LeBaby keeps whinin'--

With all his skills, that's "character" definin'!

Cs Bench? Just Olynyk. Fearless Brown scored, at last.

OLYNYK FOR THREE! All that rest, Cs look gassed ;(

Mumbling to himself all night is Marcus Smart, 

As his offense doesn't cooperate, his D falls apart.

Can hardly do the math, Cs within 24 end Q3.

Jerebko! Jefferson...again? phew, SMART FOR THREE!

Cs missing free throws. Looking a little draggy is AB.

Fearless Brown, block! Olynyk! Good strip, IT.

23 point Cavs lead, Brad put The Bench in. 

4:37 left. Why's LeBaby playin'? They got the the win.

Games like this happen, let's take a step back:

Too much to list, what tonight's Cs lack.

As Brad always says, "One game at a time."

Hawks tomorrow (better, no rest). I'm out of rhyme....

MAMA SAID...KNICK YOU OUT 🎶 🎵 (apologies to LL Cool J, NY Native)

Cs in NY (their Garden), 27th game no AB--

His stomach illness is back. Fearless Brown we'll see.

Knicks: No Melo, No DRose. Cs need a forceful start.

Raising their games, more minutes, Olynyk and Smart?

Olynyk vs Zeller, I mean Gonzaga vs UNC.

The latter the one team not that surprised to see!

Cs score first: pause, AMIR FOR THREE!

Fearless Brown subbed first minute--Brad, angry was he!

Horford, one-on-one, a sight to behold--

His direct line attack seems pretty bold!

Cs, 2 delays of game, T! Interesting fact about Amir:

Last, right from high school before the rule changes here.

IT, steal! Horford dunk! Aggressive, each C. 

DRose, torn meniscus, out for the (short) season is he.

Fearless Brown must have learned his lesson--back in.

FEARLESS BROWN FOR THREE! Let his education begin!

Always great hands, IQ, Zeller. IT FOR THREE!

OLYNYK FOR THREE! Smart, steal! What's with IT?

Looks like he's icing an ab muscle--scary to see.

Cs up 11 start Q2 (after buzzer beater, Courtney Lee)!

FEARLESS BROWN FOR THREE! CROWDER FOR THREE!

Olynyk, Rozier, aggressive! Crowder, steal! Some rest, IT.

IT FOR THREE! Jerebko, hustle! Smart, offense and D!

On 60% shooting, Cs up 13 start Q3!

33 seconds into Q3, timeout by Mad Brad;

On the MVP/Best Coaches Lists, where are IT/Brad?

IT FOR THREE! Knicks better offense and D.

Fearless Brown, 4 fouls. HORFORD FOR THREE!

Amir, hustle! Horford, loud dunk! 14th T on IT (?).

IT FOR THREE! Phantom calls...Smart, T? 

Olynyk! Smart to Fearless Brown, alley-oop!

Cs up 17 start Q4! 59% shooting Our Group!

No...don't take it...oh, ok: SMART FOR THREE! 

Rozier, bold! Rozier to Smart, alley-oop! Rest for IT.

4 1/2 minutes went by before Knicks scored Q4.

They had 5 of their 6 undrafted players on the floor.

Fearless Brown, so athletic! Enjoying from the bench, IT!

For Mindaugas Kuzminskas, no autocorrect do we see ;)

Young, eh. Green, spark! Rozier! Cs Bench Guys in.

OUR FIFTIETH! By 16 points, CELTICS WIN!