STIRRING UP A HORNETS' NEST

JO involved early, then RAY ALLEN FOR THREE,
Can JO handle the pressure? We'll soon see.
Stiemsma with a block, then score, then a block, 
These are words that warm the heart of Doc.

Okafor averaging double double all career,
Thought it should be noted so I mention it here.
Hornets created a "buzz," with an 11-2 run,
Cs down 6 at the end of Q1.

Q2  huge Hornets run, Cs feeling queasy, 
Homecoming for Bass, he's from the Big Easy.
RAY ALLEN FOR THREE, then Rondo a driving two,
Offensive foul on Ray?? What are the refs trying to do?

11 free throws for the Hornets, for the Cs there are none,
Four minutes left in the half, Rondo finally gets one.
Stiemsma comes to life, with blocks so fine, 
At the end of Q2, Cs are down 9.

The young official in the house is ruining the Cs night,
The way he is calling fouls just isn't right.
RAY ALLEN FOR THREE, Belinelli from farther away,
Cs put their heads down and started to play.

Cs kept getting the lead down to nine or eight,
Seems it was--for the third time--too little too late!
Doc's furious with the officiating, easy to see, 
Cs still down 9 at the end of Q3.

Bass strong to the hoop to start Q4,
For the Cs, the appearance of Johnson and Moore.
The Hornets swarmed, they weren't fooling, 
Only bright moment, clock running down, three by Dooling!

Of the three games so far, this is the worst we've seen,
Three games in four nights too tough on The Green?
The Cs will pull it together, stick around for the ride, 
0 and 3?  Never underestimate Celtic pride.

Coach Monty Williams is one of Doc's closest friends,
None of that matters til the basketball game ends.

" IT AIN'T THE HEAT, IT'S THE HUMILITY," Yogi Berra

Q1 Miami kept stealing the ball, 
While the Cs couldn't play without a foul call.
Cs had a smaller line-up so they could score,
Silly fouls and turnovers--let's have no more!

Rondo jawed at the official and got a tech,
Like the Knicks 4th quarter, what the heck!
Then he started scoring and playing large,
As evidenced--from Chalmers he took a charge!

Eight turnovers for the Cs but a 12-4 run,
Cs down only three at the end of Q1.
Then so many turnovers to start Q2,
Doc took an early timeout to see what to do.

RAY ALLEN FOR THREE, RAY ALLEN FOR THREE
RAY ALLEN FOR THREE, RAY ALLEN FOR THREE,
15 Cs turnovers, to 23 points they led,
That's why at the half the Heat's 15 ahead.

Wade and Lebron, those guys can dunk,
While the Cs seem to be in a shooting funk.
RAY ALLEN FOR THREE, can it be enough?
Not while the Heat every shot they can stuff.

The Cs needed a change-up, to set a new tone, 
For the first time ever Doc's guys played zone!
The Heat had to think and change things a bit,
Q3? Cs down 8 at the end of it.

RAY ALLEN FOR THREE, his shots so fine, 
His career total? Twenty-five hundred sixty-nine!
Let's hear it for our new guy, Brandon Bass, 
Who has given us a presence on the offensive glass!

Is it my imagination or does it seem in Q4,
The game's about the refs, not the players any more?
In Q4 the biggest problem who plays for the Heat?
The rookie Cole whom we just did meet.

Tho' perhaps it wasn't Boston's best basketball night, 
You have to admire their "Truth-less" fight.

CHRISTMAS PRESENCE

On Christmas there  was a team in the Garden, 
The Celtics, whose resolve did harden.
Causeway Street? Not there,
It was at Madison Square.
From Ogden Nash I request a pardon.

Doc says "...we're a no-excuse basketball team,"
All in pursuit of the Banner 18 dream.
Rondo's a one man fast break, 
To the hoop the ball he'll take,
Cs are struggling without Pierce it would seem.

Q1 was a tough test for the Cs,
Never thought this would be a breeze,
Our new guys came out, 
Doc wanted to shout,
Let's bring Spike Lee to his knees.

Remember Wilcox was a Knick, 
And so when the action was quick,
To Melo he passed, 
Not thinking too fast,
To his stomach he must have felt sick.

Q2 double techs Toney and Ray,
Several turnovers, so far not Ray's day.
Aggressive are the Knicks, 
The Cs hardly set picks,
Doc says we're "...soft, soft,"  let's play!

All of a sudden in the middle of Q2
Brandon Bass knew what to do, 
Three and a half minutes, points eight, 
He must keep playing great,
While Rondo continues to break through.

First half Rondo and Bass did score,
Without Pierce there was a hole in the core,
The others were slow,
Not much give and go, 
From KG and Ray Cs need more.

7:11 left in Q3-- tied 69,
Rondo took Melo's elbow, he 's fine, 
RAY ALLEN FOR THREE
Been waiting to see,
Of Celtics Basketball a very clear sign!

JO took a charge in Q3,
Alley Oop Ray to JO we did see, 
Rondo's 40 foot pass, 
To Marquis, not Bass, 
Seems a Celtic Rondo really wants to be!

Bass has been putting on quite a show,
As if the Cs system he already does know, 
With help from Ray, 
That JO can play,
It's ok their starting pace was slow.

Ray Allen twenty-five sixty-three, 
Twice today RAY ALLEN FOR THREE,
Q4 Knicks had Melo,
Quite the scoring fellow,
So many fouls on both teams did we see.

Rondo played great, all over the floor, 
He could pass and he could score.
Melo's three the game was tied,
KG scored on the Cs' side, 
It was like a playoff game in Q4!

A hard fought game is what we have seen, 
Last time the Knicks won, 2010, April Sixteen.
KG might be a trash talker, 
But with our former guy, Walker?
We are still heading toward Banner Eighteen!


lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

Still EN-RAPTOR-ED?

Can you imagine how Paul Pierce must feel?
The season hasn't started, he's bothered by that heel.
No appearance tonight, nor Sunday, Tuesday, too
We'll see what Pavlovic and Marquis can do.

Does anyone know what DMarsh did mean
He said we could still trade Rondo by March Fifteen?
(A deal with some "warm" teams,  he wouldn't tell,
Inspiration for Rondo to keep playing well).

KG  "banged his head," then waved at the crowd,
The cheers at The Garden were so very loud.
Cs started on fire, there were blocks all around,
Got to love the energy they seem to have found!

The plan for KG is five, five, five, 
Minutes, that is, so he can survive!
66 games in a hundred twenty-four days,
Doc will mix his rotations in effective ways.

Q2 sees Stiemsma early, with KG on the floor,
Bradley's shots will soon fall, his defense means more.
Ray did his usual, quick turn and shoot,
We had the pleasure of KG's straightaway to boot.

Stiemsma's rebounding, scoring, getting a rhythm, 
Looks like the Cs will want to stay with him.
Preseason Game One he had the winning shot,
Tonight he is showing us what more he's got.

Raptors gathered themselves, then a steal by Bass, 
Eventually  he'll handle Rondo's bounce pass.
The Cs closed out the half, Rondo had the ball,
Fifteen points, made free throws, he answered the call.

KG, Rondo, JO, Pavlovic and Ray,
Started off the second half this way.
JO blocking with his left hand and then his right,
He is showing he's committed and ready to fight!

Halfway thru Q3 things got rocky,
Raptors started to score and they got cocky.
Many mistakes by the new guys, hard for them to gell,
It will take time and experience for them to play well.

Look at the Cs' bench, a glorious sight to see,
A guy shouting about Defense--it was KG!
At the end of Q3 the Cs went on a run, 
And started to look like they were having fun.

Q4 Bradley beat the shot clock, was able to score, 
His defense was awesome, he was all over the floor.
Great experience for the bench, against each Raptor starter,
They can measure their progress and will have to work harder.

DeRozan fouled Bradley because he stole the ball,
Then stepped over him--no taunting call?
Sweetney came in, great offense has he, 
Doc's trying all combos to see what will be.

Sweetney scored, wild cheering from the crowd,
But the Cs on the bench--they clapped most loud.
Lots of steals and energy, the new guys got it done, 
Whether he admits it, Doc must be glad we won!

The season is soon starting, I am so glad,
"I AM A CELTIC," don't you love the new ad?

EN-RAPTOR-ED

211 days since the Cs have played, 
Pierce and Pavlovic--at home they stayed.
First half we saw Wilcox, rebounds had he,
Something the Cs always love to see.

(Active, solid ) above the rim, is where we'll find Bass, 
He'll get used to Rondo's sliding bounce pass.
Ray at quick forward, still sharp as can be,
RAY ALLEN FOR THREE, RAY ALLEN FOR THREE!

JO and Marquis, confident and comfy are they,
They have come to win, they want to play!
Let's talk about our new guys who came from Purdue,
They spent four years in college--that really shows through.

First half 14 points, 10 assists, and rebounds 10,
KG/Ray/Rondo combined--our core men.
Q3 there was action at the offensive glass, 
Loads of team energy, and thanks to Bass.

KG got tossed around , landed on the floor, 
I bet tomorrow these guys will be sore.
Q4 saw the debut of the Cs' Gilbert Brown, 
If you know Pitt and The Big East, you've seen him around.

The energy from Bradley, of course, Wilcox and Bass, 
Active JO, Marquis...and KG didn't just pass.
Johnson and Moore played together toward the end
Cool for each of them to play with a friend.

In came Stiemsma, giving a rest to Bass,
(Did I mention I love him on the offensive glass?)
4 left in Q4 we saw the new kids on the block, 
Mostly an experiment, see what they can do, thought Doc.

Johnson was "player" and "defensive player of the year,"
In the Big Ten! We need that around here.
Terrible call against him, with Tommy I agree,
Different rules for the new guys he'll soon see.

Toward the end of Q4 many changes in the lead,
According to Doc, a win we don't need.
He feels during pre-season, doesn't matter if we lose,
Seems only natural this win by one we would choose!

KG, Ray, Rondo, Pierce will have to lead,
Guidance is what the new guys will all need.
Today's combinations, gotta love the pace,
Wait til you hear the crowd when they get to our place!


lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

HO HO HO

"HO HO HO" says not only jolly St. Nick,
But also those guys who can set a pick.
For, at last, early today we did learn, 
Somehow the players are getting along with Stern.

On Durant, On Garnett, On Kobe, On Wade,
Finally you guys are gonna get paid.
Christmas will come this year, make no other plans,
Let's see these guys give their all for the NBA fans.

When I say "Ubuntu," you know what I mean,
Of course, I am thinking, "Go Green, Go Green!"

CLASS ACT

Well, the season has ended, can't help but feel blue, 
These Cs have shown class in all that they do.
Through injuries and setbacks the Cs played with heart
During these playoff games, and from the season's start.

Marquis went down, JO's wrist and back, 
Of course we never had the presence of Shaq.
Delonte was hurt, let's remember the harm
To Rondo's elbow-affected his whole arm.

The question is KG, what happens to him, 
If there's a lockout, he should go to a gym, 
Because KG, Ray, too, only for Doc will play,
Celebrate because Doc says he will stay!

Doc says he's competitive and he loves this team, 
He's a Celtic at heart, they all share a dream.
To give it one more try, on success they are sold,
Doc: "what are we if they say the Lakers are old?"

Let's thank all the guys, some of the bench stays maybe,
He better get it together, I'm talking about Baby.
He wants to be in Boston, but says you never know,
He wants to play ball, if he has to go, he'll go.

No Cs lover is a Miami fan, 
But gotta give it to Wade, he was The Man.
He has many skills we cannot diminish, 
It was his play that allowed Lebron to finish.

Thank you Doc and the coaching staff, 
At least Doc's press conferences provided a laugh.
We have learned with this team as four years did pass,
They play with all heart and have so much class.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

OVERHEATED

It is very hard a poem to write
After such a difficult night.
But we've known with these Celtics from the start
Never underestimate a champion's heart.

The last game provided a wonderful lift,
Wanted this to add to my birthday gift.
We will go to Miami with clear minds all,
And our Celtics will have to answer the call.

No matter what, it must be said,
Of Reggie Ray is now 79 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

UBUNTU

This was Celtics Ball we love to see, 
Happy Birthday to me.

Even in the playoffs it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is 77 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

...THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT

18,000 people the anthem were singin'
Players and fans the words they were wingin'--
KG a notable performance to start Q1,
Rebounds and scoring, getting it done.

Q1 the Cs' turnovers numbered three,
That fueled Lebron, eight straight points had he.
With a left foot strain, an early exit for Pierce, 
He has to come back, we know he is fierce.

By early Q2 Bibby and Miller for three,
All uncontested--not what we should see.
Rondo's first foul not until Q2
Then Delonte, for three, showed what he could do.

Baby, Delonte, Wafer, Krstic, Green,
Scoring by the latter like we've never seen!
The Cs' bench outscoring the bench for the Heat,
Seeing them come together is better than sweet.

JO on the boards, in the first half he had eight,
He is finding his rhythm, his contribution is great.
How we end each quarter is important indeed, 
Clock violation and sloppiness, we don't need.

KG's third foul at the end of Q2,
It was like the Cs forgot what to do.
Pierce talking to Rondo, information he's gettin'
Probably about the shots that Wade was settin'.

The Cs need to play better to stay alive,
No stellar play, Cs at the half down five.
Need Ray, KG, to score, Rondo to the rim,
The Captain knows what's required of him.

Rondo's back is sore, Pierce's foot is a worry,
This might explain why up the floor they didn't hurry.
Cs looked inspired at the start of Q3,
Rondo flying around, good scoring by KG.

Rondo's passing's been grand, he has great vision,
He's finding open guys, each time a good decision.
Lebron was quiet, Q2 into Q3
But then he went off, which we hate to see.

How the quarter ends, a factor indeed,
All we saw was Lebron with incredible speed.
Baby and Delonte Q4 started well,
Ray's got a bruised chest, against Lebron he fell.

One thing we learned watching the Heat tonight,
Gotta make Wade and Lebron go right.
Cs went on a run, tied the game, eighty each,
Sure not a vacation in Miami Beach.

Then Lebron took over, the Heat handled the Cs' run,
The Cs starters can't seem to get it done.
Miami did what they should, took care of their home,
Now the Celtics must...(almost the end of this poem).

Can't give this up, so it must be said,
Of Reggie Ray is now 75 ahead.


lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

WHOA, BABY, HOT, HOT, HOT....

"Defense, defense..." the cry for each team, 
Given the early score, that's how it did seem.
Two Q1 fouls for Rondo, Lebron to stop, 
Then Lebron blocked Rondo, leaping over the top.

Chalmers on the pass to end Q1,
Ray is the only Celtic having any fun.
Rondo's third foul starts Q3,
Delonte gets a tech, for what we couldn't see.

Guess he threw the ball at a guy on the floor, 
Miami shot the tech and added to their score.
Second foul on KG, they are starting to mount,
Also two for Lebron, Bosh, three for Rondo the count.

Cs turnovers too many, must take better care, 
Be patient on offense, wait for the shot to be there.
Q2 Ray Allen for three, KG strong to the hoop,
Delonte and Baby trying to lead the bench group.

Four threes, it's a clinic, who is that guy?
It's James Jones, a Miami native, flying high.
One stat that's horrendous for our Captain so fierce, 
Twice as many turnovers as points first half for Pierce.

Wade came three hours before the game's start,
23 first half points, he is playing with heart.
The Cs seem rusty, they've been off a week,
Celtics Ball, we need defense, then an offensive streak.

Q3 Pierce heated up, Cs a 12-0 run,
Setting up offense, not just one and done.
Turnovers for the Heat, but then they get goin'
Cs need to stay strong, defense shouldn't be slowin'--

Miami "heated" up after a flagrant on JO, 
Flagrant? Really? Announcers thought no.
Pierce rolled the ball up the court, end Q3,
Three! With .1 left on the clock we could see.

Mark Jackson about Rondo, as Heat defense he beats,
"That's the Texas two-step, take 'em to the streets.
Sounds really cool, but what does it mean?
I don't care, Mark Jackson's the Cool Phrase Machine.

Pierce got thrown out, Doc halfway up the court,
Wade initiated contact, all tempers are short.
A seriously bogus call, on Pierce a tech??
The refs must play for the Heat--what the heck!!

22 for 33 threes in the playoffs for Ray, 
Let's hope he inspires the other Cs to play.
In 57 seconds, Q4, Cs 8-0 run,
With Pierce in the locker room, can we get it done?

Wade flew down the court, dove in to row four
On a long pass, the length of the floor.
14 turnovers for the Cs, that's not so bad,
In other games, many more we have had.

38 for Wade, so much energy expended, 
Wish Pierce had been in as this game ended.
The Cs defense started slowly, offense didn't explode,
They say playoffs don't start still someone wins on the road.

With five threes today, it must be said,
Of Reggie, Ray is now 74 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

"A (K)NICKEL AIN'T WORTH A DIME ANYMORE" Yogi Berra

Stoudemire woke up with less pain in his back, 
So his playing mentality was back on track.
JO took a charge first play from Stoudemire,
At the other end he scored, hope it's JO on fire.

Melo's flagrant on Rondo set an early tone,
Walker's kind of feisty, scores only if alone.
Two early fouls on KG, in came Baby,
Will we see his playoff skills? Maybe, just maybe.

Q1 Knicks have five blocks, Krstic two,
Turns out it's a jump ball he can't do.
Melo has 15, somehow two fouls on Green,
It was Melo initiating contact the refs hadn't seen.

Baby, Baby, Baby, that's all I'm gonna say,
You, Green, Krstic (Delonte?) finally finding your way?
Good block by Delonte, Amar'e gave him a shove, 
A tech on Delonte? A call I don't love.

12 first half points off the bench, the Baby we know,
Then he took a charge from Stoudemire, his offense to slow.
The crowd went silent, where's their team? No clue,
And even the refs the crowd started to boo.

Cs' first half defense looked like '07-'08,
Amar'e, Douglas 2-18, only Melo close to great.
D'Antoni said his guys just weren't right in the mind,
Their body language was off, no offense could they find.

Q3 the Knicks showing of life a sign,
The Celtics' true heart this push will define.
KG is playing as always with heart,
But the Knicks are looking their offense to start.

ESPN magazine, an unnamed source about KG,
Questioned, anonymously, what kind of heart has he.
Neither passion nor emotion qualities he does lack, 
They say, as a teammate, he has your back.

Back to Q3, the Knicks early 6-0 run,
Terrible back to back plays, Doc's not having fun.
All of a sudden Rondo is being challenged by Carter,
You can see why D'Antoni thought he might be a starter.

From 23 to 10 went the Celtics' lead, 
Doc yelling not to relax, it is focus we need.
Four Cs' turnovers in a row to start Q4,
The Madison Square Garden crowd starting to roar.

Stoudemire heated up, Carter brought 'em to within four,
Six minutes no field goals the Cs could score.
Finally a bucket by The Truth, the Captain, our Pierce,
Is this the time to say he is fierce?

Ray Allen's second three halfway through Q4,
Answered by Carter who was able to score.
Of course, as always, there's Pierce looming large,
As he boldly stepped up to take a charge.

That energized Rondo, and then KG,
Back to defense, then the offense we like to see.
The Cs regained their composure, seemed to settle down,
Swept the Knicks in NY, no trip back to Beantown!

At some point this will stop, but now it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 69 ahead.

KNICKKNACK

Q1 was the Captain, The Truth,  Paul Pierce, 
Not too early to say this guy is fierce.
At one point Cs' turnovers and field goals matched, 
Clearly not any plays the coaches hatched.

Ray Allen for three, for three, for three, 
Gotta say what a beautiful sight to see!
He had 16 points first half, 17 for Paul,
Finally Ray got to touch the ball.

Stoudemire was out there, his back seemed okay, 
Though he struggled with his shots, never made a play.
Wish the Cs bench was even close or the same, 
As the Knicks'--they kept 'em in the game.

Ray Allen for three, for three start Q3
Not to be outdone, Pierce same line has he.
Taking charges, some good blocks, points for J O'Neal
He is settling in, starting to get the Celtics' feel.

Remember the "old days," I mean '07-'08,
When our defense was stellar, our third Qs great?
Had that feeling tonight, the starters worked hard,
All the Cs' offense the Knicks couldn't guard.

Knicks' 9-2 run started Q4,
It just seems the Cs' bench cannot score.
Pierce didn't like what he did see, 
So he hit a two and then a three.

15, 11,  20 and 2
Wow, look at what our Rondo did do!
Points, rebounds, assists, more than one steal, 
He is proving, at last, that he's the real deal.

Record assists for Rondo, tying record for Ray,
He had eight threes, but Pierce led the way.
4 of 16 shooting, Melo had a rough night,
The Knicks just couldn't get anything right.

Baby finally scored, under two minutes to go, 
Murphy got his first minutes, Wafer joined the show.
With 1:29 left, the camera found Spike,
He looked miserable, gave up and took a hike!

Right from Q1 the Cs looked alive,
The Knicks never got close, never closer than five.
Combined for 70 points, Pierce and Ray,
Plus Rondo's triple-double, what a glorious day!

Can't give this up today, it must be said, 
With 8 threes, Ray of Reggie is 67 ahead.

KNICKLED AND DIMED

Rondo made his mark, hard push in Q1,
14 points, career high, he must have had fun.
Then in came our bench, thought they'd help--maybe,
That reminds me--what is wrong with Big Baby?

First half Ray for three, but total shots just four,
That's no way to handle our guy who can score?
Rondo was 7 of 12, Pierce mostly missed,
If Rondo has tons of shots, then he's low in assists.

The ball has to move, to Pierce, KG and Ray,
No Stoudemire, no Billups, Cs must lead the way,
In defense first, then scoring, let's go, 
Let us not stand for the "'Melo Show."

Pierce heated up Q3 to start,
'Melo has to defend The Truth who's all heart.
Ray Allen for three, Ray Allen for three,
Aaaaah, always a beautiful sight to see.

At last Jeff Green scores, a lovely three,
Maybe now we know why he came from OKC.
It's the Cs vs. 'Melo, he's alone on the court,
He's got rebounds, and baskets and shots just short.

Fifth foul on Jeff Green, Doc takes it up with the ref,
At least no tech, as the ref played deaf.
Q4 'Melo alone brings the Knicks within two,
Two successive fouls for the hooking he likes to do.

Halfway through Q4 the game is tied,
As 'Melo made his run, I am sure the fans cried.
Turiaf, then Rondo, then KG, then 'Melo,
With so little help, he is quite a fellow.

Rondo is doing it all, highest score in playoffs ever,
He can run, he can shoot, our PG is very clever.
KG is hustling, falling on the ground,
For both teams in these playoffs a new gear is found.

"Let me cover 'Melo..." was KG's cry
"I've got him..." said Pierce, Doc says he's my guy.
KG head's up play, "... time out, time out,"
"Celtics ball, Celtics ball" the refs did shout.

When will this end?? Still it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 59 ahead.

RAY RAY

What more can I say.

Speaking of whom, it must be said,
Of Reggie Ray is now 55 ahead!

IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE HEAT....

Cs started out strong, the way led by Pierce,
Say it early in this poem, this man is fierce.
Early Q1--Ray Allen for three,
A few minutes later, season's first for KG.

A 6-0 run for the Heat ends Q1,
Partly because Baby is not having fun.
Sloppy defense, turnovers, bad shots, air balls,
He has to start listening to the plays Doc calls.

Pierce has two fouls, Bosh on his bench early,
The latter wants back in, the former should be surly.
"Keep the game simple," the constant plea from Doc,
Stop walkin' the ball up, losing time off the clock.

Q2 starts with Bosh getting his shot with some speed, 
Giving the Miami Heat, in this game, their very first lead.
Baby took a charge, for the season forty-five,
Huge guys coming at him, that's hard to survive.

Flagrant foul on JO, gave Lebron a shove,
Pierce and Wade got into it, gotta give 'em some love.
Tech on Lebron, threw the ball--refs could see,
Turns out the voice of reason was none other than KG.

One assist, two turnovers, from Rondo that's all,
Second half the Cs must get Rondo the ball.
Lowest rebounds first half, the Cs just ten,
They need help down low, but from whom and when?

The Heat came out pumped to start Q3
Two shots in the first half all Ray did see.
Doc's not happy with our inconsistent play,
He's grimacing on the bench, just furious today.

Ray ran the floor, incredible block by Wade,
Bosh's three point play, the price the Cs paid.
Whether the pace is fast, whether the pace is slow,
Where, oh where, did the Cs' offense go?

Q4 down hill, 20 point lead for the Heat,
Ray forgot the shot clock, all the Cs off a beat.
Baby can't find the hoop, four fouls on Pierce,
(Still gotta say that man is fierce).

Under 6 minutes left, the Cs showed some life,
A 12-0 run despite their game-long strife.
Til Bibby for three, though he was off all night, 
When it counted he finally got one right.

One bright moment, a loud standing O,
When off the bench came one-time Heat's Arroy-o.
In a game that was chippy and very intense, 
The Heat won today with rebounds and defense.

Wade, Lebron and company having a fabulous time,
But the Cs' off play sets the tone for this rhyme.
This is a statement game perhaps say you,
For the Cs it's just one of eighty-two.

Despite his struggles it still must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 51 ahead.

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WIZARDRY

Krstic came out and he wasn't kidding, 
The Cs only real Big with JO sitting.
In the first half he was high scorer, hardly missed,
And for the half the Cs had 17 assists.

The Cs had 14 against the Bulls, whole game, 
Without them the offense just isn't the same.
Early Q3, KG, great play, thumped chest,
For Passion and Heart, he is the best.

Delonte was tossed, 2 techs, the ref's new,
If you're unhappy with a call, really nothing you can do!
Proof: no Dwight Howard next game, 18 techs the reason,
An aside: his 1000 rebounds, 100 blocks, sixth season.

Toward the end of Q3, Cs started walkin' up the ball
No time for any play that Doc might call, 
The Wizards have a run, single digits the lead,
An aggressive Q4 is what the Cs need!

Arroyo spells Rondo, after minutes thirty-four,
Here is where we wish we had Delonte on the floor.
The Cs have slowed down, it is energy they lack, 
Oh, no, the second night of a back to back.

Arroyo, Murphy, Davis, Pierce and Green,
Here's a line-up we have never seen.
Then Green sat down, instead we got Ray,
Who, in the last ten games, hasn't really found his way.

Seven minutes left, the Cs only up four, 
Garnett and Rondo back out on the floor.
Many travels, weird dribble calls-the refs in a funk?
Followed by Owens-his monster...wait...missed dunk.

Fumbles on both sides, a contest Rondo and Wall,
Mostly they matched in the frequent turnover of the ball.
The Cs pulled it out, at the end, because of Pierce,
You know what I say, that man is fierce!

Rondo broke loose, played "Rondo" ball,
And KG, in his way, motivated them all.
Hope this game doesn't make the Wizards coach "Flip,"
'Cause Monday we play 'em again, to Washington a trip.

With all of his struggles still it must be said, 
Of Reggie--this is big!!--Ray is FIFTY ahead!

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

PS: the highlight of the pre-game show,
The Red Auerbach award to Doc Rivers it did go!

PREY

PRAY

By the way, it still must be said,
Of Reggie Ray is now 47 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

SPURRED ON

On vacation so for some time there hasn't been a word on
Any of our recent losses but tonight I am Spurred on.
For the first time in a long while we saw Celtics ball,
Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, Baby answered the call.

Jeff Green looks athletic, we got a look at an O'Neal,
Jermaine was good but it'll take time to get the feel.
Every week it's "next week" we'll get a glimpse of Shaq,
The playoffs are close, we must get that O'Neal back.

Ainge says it doesn't look good,talking about Krstic's knee
It seems this season never a full roster we'll see.
But some things don't change: it must be said
Of Reggie Ray is now 45 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

UTNUBU

After such terrible losses, Doc and we fans lack words....
What has happened to our Cs? They have UBUNTU backwards.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

CHARLOTTE'S WEB

Ray Allen for three, Ray Allen for three, 
You know that's a beautiful sight to see.
He had 10 points in Q1 of this game.
Compared to the Griz effort, this team's not the same.

Grateful for that, Cs need to keep going,
So that Celtics swagger soon will be showing.
Jeff Green off the glass to start Q2,
An old-school move that he likes to do.

More turnovers than assists, through Q2 part way,
With Rondo around they shouldn't play that way.
The pace has slowed down, the new guys are in,
We need them to step up to secure a win.

'Cats' White is playing well, eleven is his score,
Diaw, Brown and Henderson are adding more.
The Cs are ahead in rebounds through Q2
But turnovers, and Rondo no assists, that won't do.

The shot clock runs down before the offense does start,
What kind of game's that for a team with such heart?
Setting up offense so slowly is just not wise,
Makes it look like great defense by the other guys.

At the end of Q2 many stats stand out,
Like Pierce took just four shots, what's that about?
To begin Q3 Captain Pierce gets it going,
With him the Cs offense is no longer slowing.

Krstic stopped thinking and just started to play,
Rebounds, some points, but fouls won't go his way.
Baby finally scores, very late in Q3
Cs setting their offense still slow as could be.

Rondo scored to end Q3, coast to coast,
Cs up by 13, in this game that's the most.
Baby started to heat up, to the hoop he was cutting,
He made his free throws, out his jaw it was jutting.

Delonte's hustle plays show that he has some heart,
He can handle the ball, he knows the plays, he's smart.
Things got rough when Cunningham blocked KG,
That led to the first Cats lead we did see.

Baby fouled out, nine points, rebounds three,
Pierce stopped their 16-0 run, how can this be?
Krstic down the stretch brings the Cs within one,
Cs have to go to the hoop to get this game done.

Just under a minute, KG for two,
The Cs take the lead, they know what to do.
Charlotte gets it back, right down to the wire, 
Henderson's one made free throw, the lead's one point higher.

Fifteen seconds left, Ray tries for the three, 
He missed, that was followed by a miss by KG.
The Cs are off, or so it would seem, 
Our first home loss to an east conference team.

Through our tears, of course, it must be said,
Of Reggie Ray is now 42 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com
March 25, 2011     7:09pm

GRIZZLY

They are the league leaders when it come to steals,
Q1 they outrebounded us, we know how that feels.
They have Tony Allen, he's a leader Memphis way,
They are the Grizzlies, and they've come to play.

The Cs had trouble getting the ball to go,
At the end of Q1--ah, still miss Powe.
Q2 the new guys seem out of synch, 
Instead of running plays, they are trying to think.

Leon took a charge, haven't seen that much, 
Then he scored, still has that great touch.
The timing is off, Cs' picks are set late,
Clock keeps running down, the plays aren't great.

A big scorer of the half is Leon Powe,
He misses us for sure and is putting on a show.
Ray Allen for three, Ray Allen for three, 
Still the most beautiful sight to see.

Rondo passes to Baby, and hits the mark, 
Suddenly the Cs seem to have a spark.
Shots finally go in, just what we need,
Q2 under two minutes, Cs take the lead.

In the first half Green and Ray led the way
The usual points in the paint? -- Not today.
In the second half one thing we must do
Is cut down the turnovers from Q1 and Q2.

20th scorer of all time is now our KG,
The great Celtic Robert Parish, 19th is he.
Q3 TAllen scored, did the eagle swoop, 
In celebrations he's in Nate Robinson's group.

Ray Allen for three, Paul Pierce for three, 
Q3 that's the shooting we want to see.
Turnovers continue to mount, Doc is mad,
One of the worst turnover nights we've recently had.

Emphasis for Krstic as they start Q4
He must think offense and try to score.
Looks like the Grizzlies were really hot
They are trying to earn a playoff spot.

Pierce took it over under four to go, 
A basket and a foul, and a three to show.
All our home losses  are to teams from the west,
Doesn't really count, til the final test.

Second chance points, the Grizzlies fourteen,
In comparison, there are none for our beloved Green.
Pierce had no field goals in half one, 
18 points in the second half, he (almost) had fun.

At the end of the game what were they thinkin'?
Rondo's floater, Baby's three, hero ball, it was stinkin'-
Pierce took nine shots, only ten by Ray, 
The Cs can't win a game, four quarters this way.

It's an old habit, it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 40 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

KNICK KNICK--WHO'S THERE?

Ray hugged his Mom before he stepped on the court,
Melo's stay in the game, with two fouls, cut short.
Delonte and Rondo together with Pierce, 
Tonight hope Green and Baby are fierce.

Q1 ends with the Knicks up by three
Looks like a competitive game we'll see.
At the beginning of Q2, from the end of Q1,
The Knicks went on a 10-0 run.

Davis got an elbow right in the face,
No call, of course, not in this place.
Kevin Bacon, DTrump and, as always, Spike Lee,
A Wahlberg or a Damon I'd like to see.

As great as the bench was the other day, 
Tonight not a shot will go their way.
Knicks quicker to the ball, easy to score,
Cs are turning the ball over at their end of the floor.

Even with Billups and Stoudemire, Melo wants the ball,
He'll continue to shoot no matter what the play call.
So 17 points in the first half for him,
Turiaf's chances of getting the ball are really slim.

At the end of the half, Knicks a 14 point lead,
Some stops and some baskets are what the Cs need. 
One thing in the audience I really like
Flo, Ray's Mom, sitting next to Spike.

Q3 when the Cs were in a miserable funk,
KG ran the floor, made a monster dunk!
Cs' attack mentality and some defense, too,
More of this the Cs must do.

Pierce and Melo, four fouls, in Q3 did sit
But the Cs' offense would not quit.
Ray's bleeding on the floor, he and Rondo did fall,
Needless to say--there was no call.

Cs' bigs want to come back, we see their resolve harden,
Shaq's there tonight at Madison Square Garden.
One thing that makes Doc and Cs' fans shout, 
The refs keep bailing Melo out.

Q4 is intense, it's chippy out there,
Heinsohn's Tommy Points are everywhere!
Pierce is angry, KG just possessed,
In crunch time, these Cs are just the best!

Melo on the ground, now bleeding is he,
Then we look at Ray and more blood we see.
KG had a game, he had quite a line,
24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals--so fine!

Flo's hugging Spike, kind of sweet at the end,
The Cs won the game, she could be his friend.
On a 24-4 run, the Cs won tonight,
Pierce, KG led the way, showed incredible fight!

With no threes tonight, it should still be said, 
Of Reggie Ray still is 37 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com
March 21, 2011   10:42pm

THE BUZZ

Once again the Cs were looking out of synch,
Devoted fans don't know what to think.
When the players are asked, calm they seem,
But what has happened to our defensive team?

61% shooting, a 21-6 run,
That's how the Hornets ended Q1.
New Orleans at the buzzer so many a shot,
The Hornets' offense just continued to stay hot.

Q2 the bench tried to bring some verve,
Baby and our DWest showed they had nerve.
As aside that seems important here:
Baby was a football star, LSU, junior year.

At the end of Q2 some things are clear, 
The Cs are settling for jumpers not going in here.
48% shooting but no defense at all,
They start to press, it becomes hero ball.

The Cs are down 11 at the end of Q2.
Keeping the lead not that hard for Hornets to do.
Their DWest led in points, Chris Paul's assists ten,
Rondo (?) the scoring leader for our Boston men.

Doc upset with Belinelli's shots, many threes,
There is no one on him, he is shooting with ease.
Q3 Ray Allen for three, and for three!
Always a beautiful sight to see.

Every time Baby tried to make a play, 
The refs would call a foul, never his way.
But it didn't stop him, he continued to score, 
And jutted out his jaw more and more.

Green with great energy goes right to the hoop
Q3 seeing some heart from this Celtics group.
Our DWest starts to feel it, he burns Chris Paul,
Think he did it on his own, not Doc's call.

27-13 Cs outscore 'em in the third, 
They take a 3 point lead, "defense" is the word.
Plus Ray, our DWest and Baby got it going
The urgent need to win is finally showing!

Our DWest starts Q4 with a block at one end,
Then his three point play the Hornets can't defend.
Baby owns the defensive glass, has energized the team,
The bench has kept the Cs in this game it would seem.

Rondo got hurt some time in Q3,
When he collided hard with his own guy, KG.
So our DWest has been running the show,
With Ray, showing off the give and go.

Something unusual, six left in Q4,
Neither Pierce nor Paul have a field goal score.
Then five and a half left, Paul Pierce for three
Another beautiful sight to see!!

Thanks, Mr. Heinsohn, saying refs out to lunch,
Chintzy fouls on the Cs, they called a bunch.
At the end of Q4 Doc had Rondo not DWest
For team morale though DWest was best.

20 seconds to go, a rebound by Ray,
Pierce got mugged, no foul his way.
Then Ray shoved around, think a foul, maybe?
But, of course, the Hornets rather foul Big Baby.

He made both free throws, tonight he's the man,
Love to see him play like this-we know he can.
Fifteen down, Cs win, officiating couldn't be worse
And the Cs have shaken off that back to back curse.

Ray had threes tonight, so it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 37 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com
March 19, 2011    10:38pm

AND THE ROCKETS RED GLARE... (HARAMBEE)

When asked about the new guys Doc's answer was wise,
That he quoted the Kenyan motto is not really a surprise.
First it was "Ubuntu" which still carries the Cs far,
"I am who I am because we are who we are."

The added Cs mantra is easier to say,
"All pull together" --that's "harambee."
On many levels this is the late season key,
As the Cs unite, Celtics Ball we will see.

Q1 Rondo is penetrating, KG looks fierce,
Though that adjective's usually reserved for Pierce.
Lowry scored lots early, even stopped an alley-oop
Turns out it was the last one we'd see from this group.

The Rockets are focused, seen in Q1 score,
The Cs must keep up while they run the floor.
Solid defense is needed, with offense in the mix.
At the end of Q1 it's the Rockets by six.

Q2 starts with Baby, playing with Green,
Here's an interesting stat recently seen:
In field goal attempts in the league the Cs last
Bet they're on top in number of times the ball's passed.

Q2 from the perimeter it was the Rockets' show,
Lowry and Martin the Cs couldn't slow.
Double tech, then one on Baby, he was thrown to the floor.
Credit Hill for physical play, but officiating was poor.

At the half the Rockets are up by twenty-two
There are so many things the Cs must do.
Q3 starts off rough for our Green boys, 
In this half the Cs must regain their poise.

The lead just keeps mounting, the Cs out of synch,
Rockets can win the game because that's what they think.
Threes rain from all over, at the end of Q3
The Rockets by twenty-five in a game hard to see.

Three starters in single figures, the others 11 and 10
Most shots taken by Rondo, that makes sense? Since when?
Considering the focus the Cs seem to lack. 
Can't help but be worried about this current back to back.

Under thirty minutes for the starting five, 
Expect in tomorrow's game they'll be more alive.
What's wrong with this picture, a very odd game,
When Bradley's and Rondo's points are just the same?

Gotta love Baby's hustle, as into the crowd he fell,
It's a struggle to figure out what else was done well.
A game like this fills avid fans with sorrow,
The Cs will think "harambee" hopefully starting tomorrow.

No threes for Ray so it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is still 35 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com
March 18, 2011     10:56pm

OUTPACED

What a glorious night, we had many a star, 
Krstic and Green, they'll go far.
Murphy, Davis, and, of course, D West,
Of the new guys Arroyo knows the Cs' plays best.

Q1 the starters struggled but had emotion and passion
The bench energized us, playing in the same fashion.
Green stood out, 19 points had he,
And blocked shots? He had a total of three.

The Cs won the game, there should be no complaint,
Except for the lopsided points in the paint.
When we have the O'Neals,the opponents are slower,
As a rule their points in the paint lower.

One thing seemed clear, the reffing was calmer,
Was that because of the ref, Violet Palmer?
Or maybe because it was Mike and Tommy night
For thirty years they have been a comforting sight.

As always, of course, it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 35 ahead!

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com
March 16, 2011   10:43 pm
L

NET GAIN

The Nets started out with a bit of a lead, 
But they couldn't land all the shots they need.
With offense that fills a team with sorrow, 
In and out shots, Petro, Outlaw and Morrow.

Krstic has great hands, plus he runs the floor,
Of a big--new or not--we couldn't ask more.
Then Green and the new guys seemed to have fun,
As they ended Q1 with a 14-0 run.

Q2 the Nets played with much more fire,
The Cs had trouble getting their lead up higher.
In fact the Nets took back the lead,
Calls went their way, plus they showed some speed.

Baby's very efficient, and he knows his role,
From his rebounds and jumpers to the ball he stole.
Ray the Cs high scorer in the first half mix, 
Q2 ends, Cs up 38-36.

Q3 KG, then Pierce hard to the hoop,
What a thrill--Pierce to KG for an alley-oop.
Cs fans all breathed a sigh of relief when
Rondo's ankle just needed to be taped again.

On a 7-0 run the Nets end Q3,
Not the Cs' defense we like to see.
To add to some defense, some offense we need,
The Nets end Q3 with a six point lead.

Q4 the Nets quickly run the lead to ten
Mostly because they're at the foul line again and again.
And because they have made almost half their threes
An insurmountable lead they started to seize.

Then Pierce came back in, tried to get his guys goin'
The reasons he's Captain are always showin'.
Baby's hustle play, then a hoop from Green,
KG's steal--he's just a defensive machine.

Again, it's Baby, offensive rebound we needed,
This Celtics team doesn't want to be defeated.
Nets hang tough, won't let the Cs back in it, 
The Cs are down four, just under a minute.

Williams made a three, of confidence no lack 
Cs still have trouble on second of back to back.
No over analysis, no wild intrigue,
Looks like the Cs suffer from mental fatigue.

You know, as always, it must be said
Of Reggie Ray is now 33 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com
March 14, 2011   9:26 pm

THE BUCKS STOP HERE--ENCORE

The Bucks came to town tho' they didn't really show, 
They had tired legs, nothing would go.
They shot 31.4% from the floor, 
They probably couldn't wait to find the door.

A few things stood out for the Cs tonight:
Krstic's a great addition, doing everything right,
In the last two games, he had rebounds twenty-nine, 
His interior play is fitting in fine.

Then there was Murphy who just needed a hoop, 
To begin to feel like he's part of this group.
Baby came back, no hoops til Q4,
Several rebounds, and 9 his final score.

Arroyo knows our plays, he has learned them already, 
He'll get better and better when his play is more steady.
An aside: number 11 worn by a Buck and a C,
Baby is 6'9, Boykins just over 5'3.

Right from Q1 possessed were the Cs,
They were light on their feet, each shot a breeze.
Fewest points allowed in the half and the game, 
Because tonight, to play basketball, all the Cs came.

Coming off two tough losses, no defense per se,
They had to change that starting today.
In all of Q4 the starters got a rest, 
Watching them cheer the new guys is the best.

We have Baby, then Delonte, maybe Wafer soon,
With a full roster the coaches will be over the moon.
You know, as always, it must be said
Of Reggie Ray is now 31 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

DEEP SIX-ER

Q1 what a start, how both teams ran, 
The Cs must keep it up because the Sixers can.
For him no plays does Doc really call, 
But Krstic is so thrilled when he gets the ball.

Easy shots for the Sixers on pick and roll play
Cs must move their feet for it to go their way.
Phillie plays with confidence-the coach should get credit,
They're an athletic team, because of Collins they get it.

To start Q2 no cohesive unit yet
Let's just say that Bradley was the vet.
For Celtics fans a brief moment of joy, 
When a first basket-in green-was scored by Troy.

Before the game Doc made it clear, 
Using all the new guys he would show no fear
Because the starters need rest, especially Rondo and Ray,
No matter what the score, the new guys will play.

The first half belonged to Krstic and Hawes,
A guy for each team playing with few flaws.
Q3 Cs slowed it down, the new guys fit in,
They'll have to if we want that championship win.

No "Holiday" for Phillie, but we saw their "Brand"
How much more of this can you stand?
Some of the Sixers are "Young," Meeks rather meek,
Though with made free throws he was on a streak.

(That was hard work)--at the end of Q3,
The Sixers the same 4 point lead we did see.
To start Q4 finally points for Ray
Other than that it has not been his day.

With the stats in this game Danny seems smart,
As Krstic's game is a work of art.
The contribution off the bench by Arroyo and Green
Is some of the best stuff we have recently seen.

To end of Q4 the Cs missed each big shot, 
A way to win a game this is not.
Taking free throws, being booed, that was KG, 
30 seconds to go, brought the lead down to three.

But Iguodala scored, just 12 seconds left, 
We'll leave Philadelphia but not bereft.
We lost the game, we will not cry,
The new guys gave it a really good try.

With the new guys for practice, there's been no time,
That is almost the end of tonight's rhyme.
I can't help myself, it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 29 ahead.

lovemyceltics.blogspot.com
March 11, 2011. 9:26pm

CLIPPED

A man named Jordan lit up Q one, 
DeAndre for the Clippers, he's no fun.
Clippers shot 68%, led by thirteen, 
At the end of Q one, where's our Cs machine?

No offense for the Cs, not much defense, too true, 
Doc will have to figure out what to do.
Q2 starts with all guys we don't know, 
Because none of them were Celtics two weeks ago.

Pavlovic two quick steals, that's a good start
Sweet to watch these new guys playing with heart.
In comes Pierce to get the offense going,
But the  inexperience of the new guys is really showing.

Somehow he got loose--Williams, that's Mo,
Every shot of his seemed guaranteed to go.
The half ends--thankfully for the Cs tonight 
As their offense is bad, their defense a fright.

Q3 Cs climb back, but we're not there yet,
Since Q1 only two assists did Rondo get.
Twenty-eight minutes passed before assist three
Clippers' lead down to 10 led by Captain P.

RAY ALLEN FOR THREE early, two more in Q4
Since early Q1 the Cs' closest score.
Great hustle for Krstic and he's having a blast
He is finding a home on this team real fast.

Cs couldn't get stops, Clippers couldn't miss,
Best to just forget a game like this.
Away from this game one thing we can take, 
At least it wasn't a  highlight reel for their guy Blake.

Can't help myself, it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 28 ahead.


lovemyceltics.blogspot.com

THE BUCKS STOP HERE

The Cs had only 9 players to take the floor, 
So many missing because something is sore.
No Jermaine, no Baby, no Wafer, no Shaq, 
When will we ever get our whole team back?

Q1 the Cs' defense was little or none, 
Til Doc called time out to stop the Bucks' run.
Mbah a Moute, Mbah a Moute, he was their man-
Say his name out loud, it's fun if you can.

Krstic had 12 points then none in Q2,
That kind of offense will not do-
Just 2 points in the half were made by Ray,
And Rondo five times threw the ball away.

Pierce led the charge but there was too much to fix,
Which explains why at the half the Bucks were up six.
Q3 Pierce got the Cs out of their funk,
And set the tone with a monster dunk.

Ray finally had a three point play and then
The Cs outscored the Bucks in Q3 by 10. 
Pavlovic, Bradley, Murphy, Green,
With Ray, a line-up we've not seen.

Pavlovic in Q4 made a beautiful three, 
That's what our veterans like to see.
An aside: 641 games for Murphy, that's Troy,
And he's never been to a playoff game-oh, boy!

Jennings picked it up, with shots and swagger,
Just hoping it would be the final dagger.
Pierce called earlier for a walk, then a carry,
This game was really getting hairy.

Game was tied, 2:52 to go,
Both teams' play anything but slow.
Delfino defended Pierce, he got no shot,
But the Bucks' offense was no longer hot.

Under 20 seconds left a huge block by KG,
Rondo to Pierce--shot and free throw for three.
An up and down game, the basketball gods we should thank.
BTW, think Scott Skiles looks like Lawrence Frank?

Tough night with 13, still it must be said,
Ray, with 2 threes, is 25 ahead.

GOLDEN PARACHUTE

Q1 was led by Krstic and Ray,
Can't rhyme Krystic (mystic?) or Nenad-no way.
Cs played hard, a good offensive show, 
These Golden State Warriors can be trouble, we know.

We had Johnson, Murphy, Wafer and Green
With more touches than any of these guys have seen.
Q2 Wafer went out, looks like his knee,
Another injury?? It just can't be.

Green's feeling the joy of playing with this group,
Great passes from Rondo, one an alley-oop.
After each made basket I am especially fond o'
Seeing the new guys high-fiving Rondo.

Five times we heard RAY ALLEN FOR THREE
Yes, that UConn man's a sight to see.
Plus KG, Krstic, Rondo and Pierce, 
The last guy mentioned always proves to be "fierce."

Q3 with low energy the Cs not the same, 
Doc said before the 4th, "...now it's a game."
With 21 in the game Green was a star,
On this Celtics roster he'll go far.

Q4 the Warriors gave a real push
Our usual tough defense turned to mush.
For the Warriors Ellis, Lee, a little Wright,
It would turn out not to be the Warriors' night.

With Pierce taking the lead, Cs wouldn't be denied,
After a 16 point lead, the fans would have cried.
How much longer must this be said,
Ray, with five threes, is now 23 ahead.


P.S. Nate had knee surgery, out weeks, at least four,
Perk's a little longer, he's still sore.
Maybe with all the trades Danny was so right,
Because otherwise we'd have just 6 players tonight.

SUNBURNT

I am on vacation...the Suns were to start,
They played the fourth quarter with a little more heart.


Even so it must be said
Ray is now 18 ahead.

ALL JAZZED UP

            

Early foul trouble started the Cs night
As if we were already on our return flight.
Delonte is out, an ankle sprain,
Injuries have become a seriously huge drain.

Rondo blows by Harris, then Harris does it back,
It is not energy that these guys lack.
Ray Allen for three...for three...for three,
That UConn man a beautiful sight to see!

Rondo wonders about Krstic, what he can do
So he sends him an alley-oop, at the hoop right through.
Wafer, Bradley, Baby, Krstic, Green, 
This is a group the world's never seen.

Bradley scores, then he scores again,
He is learning to play with the veteran men.
Q2 Cs played loose, Utah made their move,
They started to play, the Cs lost their groove.

Q2 ends, the Cs are up three,
Three Cs in double figures, one surprise you'll agree, 
Of course there was Pierce, and, you could guess, Ray,
The third was Krstic, that guy can play!

There was a big moment part way through Q3
When his 23,000th point was scored by KG.
Both teams are just running up and down the floor, 
Neither team playing defense to prevent a score.

Millsap runs over Baby, 43rd charge of the year,
After his early questions, Baby's role is now clear.
The Cs are up by four at the end of Q3
The starters in double figures, as it should be.

Q4 is painful, trading hoops, that's all,
This is not really Cs basketball.
Halfway through the Cs are up one,
Watching this game is not that much fun.

What a night for KG, his legacy resounds, 
He is third all-time in defensive rebounds.
Ray Allen for three...and again for three...
Did I mention he is a beautiful sight to see?

The whole second half no score Captain P
Til under two minutes Pierce for three!
On the road trip out west we are 3 and 1
(The Denver game on trade day should not have been done).

How much longer must this be said, 
Ray, with 5 threes, is now 14 ahead.

CLIP JOINT

                  
It's an interesting game, Krstic gets the start,
He scores first and plays with all heart,
First two and a half minutes fouls he has two,
And Doc needs to turn to his bench crew.

Q1 the Clippers keep turning over the ball,
While at the other end the Cs' shots won't fall.
Rondo took a charge, his fourth of the year,
The Cs seem off, but why is not clear.

Griffin's one-handed slam is one of his best,
KG looks winded, this is a tough test.
Jeff Green got his first Cs point at the line,
We want to accept him, we just need a sign.

The Cs in the first half look not quite right, 
34% shooting means a really off night.
47-40 Clips as the half does end, 
In the second half we'll need energy to expend.

The Cs look better to start Q3,
Pierce's offense is carrying them, as it should be.
KG on Griffin, that's keeping him busy,
Not too many dunks making us dizzy.

Rondo to KG for a right handed slam, 
Hope they caught that on the Jumbotron cam.
Q3 Clippers' turnovers are killing their game,
The Cs start playing, living up to their name.

Green gets his first rebound, Krstic has six,
These two are getting into the mix.
Baby is hustling, and Delonte looks fine, 
Cs' biggest comeback of the season-not by design.

We fans feel-at first-can't live without Perk, 
We trust that Danny has some plans that will work.
We'll get to know the new guys, we'll see what Danny's seen,
Doesn't it help that Jeff's last name is GREEN?

How much longer must it be said?
Of Reggie Ray is now 9 ahead.

KNOCK KNOCK--WHO'S THERE?

          

Thought the Melo-(-less)drama would be in Denver tonight
Instead it's the Celtics not invited on the flight.
Gone are Semih, Marquis, Harangody... but wait, 
Also gone are Perkins and number four Nate.

The D League's Chris Johnson did his best, 
His debut he scored on a feed from DWest.
The Nuggets had so many Knicks on the floor,
Tho' we had more Cs who'd been shown the door.

Q1 ended with the Cs up five,
With only 9 on the roster we must survive.
The Cs had foul trouble, especially Pierce with three,
The second quarter--Cs down one--was ugly to see.

Q3 Gallinari as a Nugget his first point,
That really electrified the Mile High joint.
Followed by KMart giving a shove to KG,
That started the chippiness we expected to see.

The Cs couldn't maintain their dent in the score,
The Nuggets up one to start Q4.
Rondo to Johnson for the alley-oop,
Looks like he's a good addition for our new group.

Seemed Q4 belonged to Delonte and Pierce, 
The latter for whom the rhyme's always "fierce."
Then the Nuggets took off, on Chandler's third three,
They started that running game their coach wanted to see.

The Cs looked upset, or was it just shock, 
No one even knew Perk was on the block.
We now have to regroup, get back to Cs ball, 
Hope these new guys can answer the call.

After all these trades there's a lot the Cs need, 
How about Leon Powe, or even Rasheed?
How much longer to end these poems must it be said?
Well, now of Reggie Ray is 8 ahead.

"EACH MAN IS A HERO AND AN ORACLE TO SOMEBODY"~Emerson

                 

Oracle Arena is a place that haunts
The Cs because of losses on their last 6 jaunts.
The only place in the league that since '07-'08'
The Cs record has been way, way less than great
    (0 for 6, put that in the mix).

Q1 started great, it was Celtics Ball,
Rondo, KG, a little from Paul.
Then the bench came in and things got rough
The Warriors showed why they are so tough.

Q2 belonged to the Warriors, well, up to a point, 
Til they left Ray open and he rocked that joint.
But, oh, those Warriors, their push wouldn't subside, 
At the end of the half the game was tied.

Q3 the Cs had stellar play indeed, 
A few days off was what they did need.
Their defense was truly a sight to behold, 
Creating offense -- who says they're old?

Rondo at the buzzer to end the third, 
The Cs fans in the crowd could clearly be heard.
With so many injuries, a full roster we lack, 
Great Erden and especially Delonte are back.

Q4 KG, Paul and Ray had to sit,
The Warriors had to only take advantage of it.
And so they did, Curry led the way,
To the bench Doc must have had plenty to say.

Our heroes came back in and off they went,
This game turned into a memorable event,
Because Oracle Arena will no longer haunt,
The Cs turned tonight into a successful jaunt.

A scary thing I just heard,
Perk bruised his knee early in the third.
He has worked so hard, that is for sure, 
Hope for his sore knee there's an easy cure.

Now to end these poems it must be said
Of Reggie Ray is now 7 ahead.

DO ME NO FAVORS

Pierce started off tough right from the start, 
Shook off the flu and played with all heart.
His hand and foot injuries were held at bay,
It was an up and down game that went the Cs' way.

There were tricky moments when the Nets came to life, 
The Celtics bench couldn't handle the strife.
In Q2 we had no defense and ten Nets scored,
The crowd was quiet, but surely not bored.

Lopez tired out Perk, he got Davis instead,
Though still for a while the Nets were ahead.
Then in Q4 Nate really lit up the Garden,
Back to back twos, his resolve did harden.

Q4 the Cs played defense so inspired,
And got the pre all-star win desired.
Wafer got good minutes, a few for Bradley and Luke,
All three were pretty solid, hard work, no fluke.

After the win against the Heat we could have just rested,
Instead in this game our character was tested.
We didn't want the night the Lakers did have,
They couldn't get a win against any Cav.

Now to end these poems it must be said
Of Reggie Ray is now 5 ahead.

MIAMI VICE

Lebron's talents in South Beach, he left them today,
One of two huge free throws  didn't go his way,
Then Baby got fouled and he was able to show,
How those important free throws ought to go.

Things got a little chippy, that's NBA ball, 
Rondo got banged by Big Z, boy did he fall, 
So KG set a hard pick sending Miller to the floor,
Then Wade's flagrant against KG-6 points the Cs score.

There were whistles, then more whistles, a huddle for the Heat, 
Where Rondo hung with Miami til Ray made him retreat.
When Lebron tried to dribble up the floor with his pace,
There was Rondo--everywhere-- right in his face.

Pierce has a sore foot to go with a hand sprain,
0 for 10 isn't right, that flu is a drain.
Bosh said this game was for the East's crowned best,
Rondo, with his triple double, head and shoulders above the rest.

Now to end these poems it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 4 ahead.

Oops again

Turns out I was right the first time,
Ray's 2 ahead of Reggie, an easy rhyme.

Oops

So excited for Ray, I should have said
Of Reggie Ray is now just one ahead!

SUGAR RAY

SUGAR RAY
Let's start with the special news of the day,
From Reggie's record Ray's no longer away.
He went over to Reggie, an announcer tonight,
Gave each other hugs- what a beautiful sight.

Just in case the great moment you missed, 
Rajon Rondo got the assist.
A sweet thing after the shot they did show,
"That's my baby," said a very proud Flo.

In Q2 the Celtics showed lots of spunk,
Wafer with a block, Ray with a dunk!
Then the Lakers went on a 10-0 run
Only three attempts in the half, Kobe made one.

Q3 the Lakers came alive indeed, 
And started getting the aggressive offense they need.
Last game Gasol's elbow hit Garnett's head, 
Tonight his jaw hit Odom instead.

Q4 KG tried to encourage the crowd,
After the Lakers run, they stopped being loud.
There were foul troubles for the Cs and injuries galore,
We hardly had a full team to put on the floor.

After all the excitement of the record for Ray, 
The Celtics in this game just could not stay.
A big win for the Lakers, we are tied for the season,
Like Doc, we'll make no excuses or try to give a reason.

Just for a moment I have digressed,
Those "Where Amazing Happens" ads are the best.
A surprise commercial that was really nice, 
We saw the cool guy advertising Old Spice.

Now to end these poems it must be said, 
Of Reggie Ray is now 2 ahead.

WALTER RAY ALLEN

The joy of breaking the record will be the same,
But Thursday against the Lakers Reggie's calling the game.
That would make the moment extra sweet,
Or how about Sunday against the Heat?
Doesn't matter when, we can wait, 
This ride with Ray has been really great.

SOME 'CATS GOT IT....

SOME 'CATS GOT IT....

Delonte after the All-Star break, Shaq, too,
Oh, Semih, your thigh? What did you do?
Marquis, we know, bruised his spine, 
Don't know if he'll play again, tho' they say he's fine.

Wafer, Baby, Harangody, Rondo, Paul,
Those guys from the bench had to answer the call.
With the help of a few starters in quarter one,
The game was tight but they got the job done.

Jackson got a tech, then another, he got tossed
He asked what he did-the fight with the ref he lost.
Wallace, Livingston, Henderson lit up the 'Cats' joint, 
At the end of quarter two, the Cs by a point.

Nice moment for Wafer, he knocked down a three,
That's what he's known for, we've been waiting to see.
The score got close on an offensive move from Kwame,
As who looked on? Michael Jordan, his Swami?

Wallace's three gave the Bobcats a mid Q4 lead,
Organized Cs defense, then offense we did need.
Pierce took out Wallace, a hard foul was the call,
Then the Bobcats really started to play basketball.

Pierce drew the foul, under a minute to go,
The offense of the Bobcats' bench did not slow.
Though there were more Cs fans in the Bobcats' place,
There was a huge grin on Michael Jordan's face.

One statistic that won't be missed
Is when Ray breaks the record who'll have the assist?
You know these poems always end the same way,
From breaking Reggie's record Ray is 2 away!

ABRACADABRA

Super Ball Sunday, a conference game in the east,
Celtics against the Magic with Dwight Howard, the beast, 
First half he played well, led all players with 22,
Celtics up 3 at the half, what more could he do?

Howard got poked in the face, Baby fell hard on his head,
Then Marquis was scary hurt, a neck injury they said.
The game was chippy, for Howard tech one four
Turkoglu shoved KG hard, he went flying to the floor.

Pierce started strong in the second half,
Howard got Rondo in the thigh not the calf.
Howard 0-5 in the third, free throws two,
That's what great Celtics defense can do.

Cs defense was still intense in quarter four,
That made it hard for the Magic to score.
Bodies were flying, aaah, that dunk by Pierce,
A sight to behold, these Cs are fierce.

Rondo had it going, whether assist or drive,
He kept the Celtics' enthusiasm alive.
Howard finally scored with a minute left,
He couldn't help his team despite his heft!

When Ray shoots the ball, he is smooth as silk, 
There have never been many players-ever-of his ilk.
These poems always end the same way,
Ray is now just 4 away!

One more thing at the end of this piece,
Think good thoughts for our Marquis.

BIG D

Big "D" little "a" double "l" "a" "s"
From beginning to end this game was a mess.
I guess our defense hurt us the most, 
Did we ever come back from the other coast.

There were moments of greatness, notably KG and    
                    Perk,
Then Pierce, Allen, Rondo went to work.
Hard for visitors but the Mavs knocked down threes,
Jason Kidd at the end won the game--geez.

Ray played well, 9 for 18 for 24,
You can see how confident he feels on the floor,
But the Cs were just off, Rondo was slow,
In the last two minutes is when that did show.

KG got in trouble, the ref he did touch, 
But only when the ref tried to subdue him too much.
First Frye in Phoenix, then tonight, we'll see,
Hope it's not time for a lesson with suspension for
                      KG.

Now a last word about the O'Neals--JO and Shaq,
Not sure when either guy will be back,
JO had knee surgery, 6 to 8 weeks
And Shaq has yet another of his hip tweaks.

On to the Magic, the Lakers, the Heat,
Three great games, get a front row seat!
These poems always end the same way,
Ray is now just 6 away.

GO GREEN
anvildr@aol.com

THE ROYAL WE...

THE ROYAL WE....

The Cs were in Sacramento for their road trip game four,
Hoping only the Phoenix game would be the one that was 
                              poor.
Sure enough they succeeded, they beat the Kings by 
                              five,
But throughout the game the Kings were alive.

Turnovers for both teams were really tough,
Til the Celtics decided they had had enough.
They beat the Kings at the game off the glass, 
And by the fourth quarter the ball they did pass.

The Kings' Cousins did well, they all played with heart,
They even had a lead after the Cs great start.
They have young guys who play hard, together, too,
That's what a young team has to do.

KG was pumped up, Pierce and Rondo played well,
The bench was off, early on you could tell.
The fourth quarter Cs had Rondo, Pierce, Allen, Perk
(He's the guy with the torn ACL who put in hard work).

Nate's energy was huge in the fourth toward the end,
We started passing the ball and decided to defend.
With this win tonight Doc gets the prize, 
He'll coach the East All-Stars, that's no surprise.

These poems always end the same way,
Ray is now just 9 away.

KING ME....

It's the 36-11 Celtics vs. the 12-33 Kings,

Here are a few important things:

The Kings beat the Lakers, the Hornets the next night,

They are on a roll and ready to fight.

Jan. 12, against the Cs, off the bench, Dalembert, 

Tonight in the starting line-up? He'll be there.

Though the Kings lost that game, good minutes had he,

For both offense and defense, he has shown he is key.

Evans and Thompson both have ankle sprains,

Evans is back tonight, or so he maintains.

DeMarcus Cousins ( love his name) really learned

To be a major contributor in a spot he has earned.

On the other side, all dressed in Green,

There's Kevin Garnett, a defensive machine.

Pair him with Rondo, Shaq, Allen and Pierce,

This is a championship team that is more than fierce.

Tonight at Arco when the buzzer does sound,

Make sure to take a look around,

At the men on this court, before their attack,

Because both teams beat the Lakers-- back to back.

PURE GOLD

Sometimes things just work out right,
The New Jersey Nets beat the Nuggets last night.

oops

Oh no, what can I say?
Looks like Ray is THIRTEEN away.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO....

Shaq started, but dressed in Green,
The crowd applauded, they could have been mean.
But he brought his Mom, Lucille, she was smirking,
When she said that Green is fine, as long as he's working.

So much history, each team played with heart,
Ray on Kobe right from the start.
Each two early fouls, the refs not restraining,
Crawford told both teams to stop complaining.

KG the warrior with a patch on his head,
Later he'll have to have stitches instead.
Kobe lit it up, first half hardly missed,
When they got down nine, he had no assists.

Pierce in the third, get out of his way,
He wants to win this game today!
Fisher The Flopper, don't the refs know,
He's a Hollywood guy-it's a flopping show!

Nate came in, he did his thing,
After his threes, is that a bird wing?
Baby underneath, have you ever heard his "ayyyyyy?"
When he shoots or gets a rebound, that's what he'll say.

Alley-oop, Spectacular, Rondo to KG,
That's the Celtics Ball that we want to see.
It's a thing of beauty, the CELTICS are back,
You can't handle THE TRUTH, Jack!

One more thing you need to know,
When we've 25 plus assists we're 25-0!
These poems always end the same way,
Ray is now 12 away.

The Lakers lost to the Kings and I must confess,
That makes the sting of tonight hurt a little less.

AIN'T NO SUNSHINE....

AIN'T NO SUNSHINE....
What a struggle, can you call it a game?
Our first half performance, who is to blame?
Maybe Gortat, Nash, and Frye,
It's enough to make a grown man "crye."

Doc got tossed, was that malarkey?
By the way, didn't Walton seem snarky?
Then Baby got hurt, a hamstring strain,
Our injury record has been insane.

It started raining threes at the end of the third.
The groans of the Cs fans were all that one heard.
During the whole game we hardly ever led,
Should've skipped the US Air Center, gone to the terminal instead.

KG fouled Frye--what was the call?
Certainly not a foul AWAY from the ball.
Two techs on KG, he is out of this place,
Techs on Perk and Nate, did you see KG's face?

Six free throws were taken, of which they made four,
After that we seemed to forget how to score.
We have to figure we can't get worse,
Gotta shake off that back to back...to back curse.

At the end of this poem you know what I'll say,
Ray is now only 16 away!

FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT

Fan appreciation night--last home game of the year, 
Is something about which you hardly hear.
The star players all sit, the play-offs are near.
The fans are not happy, and unappreciated I fear.


So here's a plan, a suggestion I'd make, 
Let appreciate the fans after the All-Star break.
The first game at each home is the one I'd take,
Appreciation would be real--not so fake!

I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN

We have just come off a long home stand
And now we are almost fully manned.
Friday in Phoenix we may have Shaq,
Tonight from personal matters Marquis was back.


We have extra defensive efforts every game,
From tip-off to final buzzer always the same,
Play-offs or just January that's Celtics Ball.
Starters or Bench, Ubuntu one and all.


It's all about tempo, some call it pace,
Whether at home or at the enemy's place.
We have to try to control it the entire time
(This makes for a very easy rhyme).


The Blazers were pushing and shoving a lot
Finesse players they are not.
Doc can't believe the refs really care,
Of terrible calls we have more than our share.


We got even sloppier in quarter three
So many turnovers--that shouldn't be.
The Bench started the fourth, with Rondo, too,
We saw what this combination of players can do.


Ray got smacked right in the face, 
What do you have to do to get a foul in this place?
We took it in stride, we had no choice,
But I'm pretty sure Doc lost his voice.


No matter what the score each guy does his part,
To win the game--sometimes it's all heart.
So tonight in the Garden--the one in the west--
Our guys got the W, they did their best!


Just an aside, it's about KG, 
His own record high nine assists had he.
These poems always end the same way.
Ray is now 18 away.