I often wonder what opposing teams, their beat reporters and bloggers are saying about the Celtics after playing the Celtics. Here's a dose of 'enemy chatter' from Orlando.
The Magic had seen their antics countless times — the yakety-yak, the ref-baiting, the bullying tactics.
"Extracurricular B.S.," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy called it. "They create it and the other team can't play through it." Photos from another physical Magic-Celtics game
The Magic are not only still falling for these shamrock shenanigans, but falling to the Celtics in the usual manner, helpless at times to do anything about it.
The Magic had seen their antics countless times — the yakety-yak, the ref-baiting, the bullying tactics.
"Extracurricular B.S.," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy called it. "They create it and the other team can't play through it."
The Magic are not only still falling for these shamrock shenanigans, but falling to the Celtics in the usual manner, helpless at times to do anything about it.
As long as Dwight Howard continues his aww-shucks routine, the Magic will be bullied. I've said this before, and I will say it again – Howard is too soft. Sounds crazy as he is the most physically imposing player in the league, but his demeanor needs to change. And this new routine of blowing kisses to the crowd and mocking opposing players pre-game rituals (KG's powder toss) does nothing to help. He needs to be tutored by Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer in the off-season. Howard and his teammates would benefit greatly from this attitude adjustment.
Rondo exerted his will on the game and because Howard isn’t able to be as aggressive on defense as he has been in previous years because the security blanket known as Marcin Gortat is gone, it’s forced him to be more passive with his interior defense. Howard can’t afford to get in foul trouble because he is, more or less, the first and last line of defense for Orlando. Rondo knew this and was relentless in his attack, dribble penetrating into the lane and collapsing the Magic’s defense in the process. Rondo made it easy for his teammates like Allen, Garnett, and Pierce to do their thing on offense and it resulted in an easy win for the Celtics.
Rondo sure is fun to watch when he's attacking the basket.
On Page 2, Gilbert Arenas tops the "dog ate my homework" excuse.
“I haven’t liked the 2 o'clock games in the past because I can’t eat breakfast," Arenas said. "And [Saturday], I slept all day, so I figured I’d put food in my system. So I came into the game a little weary, I guess when I got the offensive rebound, I don’t know who hit me, but I got hit a little hard, was a little dazed.
"I didn’t score today? Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever not scored. Maybe rookie season. Nah, I scored in middle school, this is probably the first, I guess there’s a first for everything."
What in the hell?….
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
