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Bird’s Rookie Year — Game 77 vs. the Cavaliers

March 25, 2013 By 2 Comments

Celtics (58-18) vs. Cleveland (34-43)
March 22, 1980
Richfield Coliseum

The Celtics stumbled, 109-105, in front of a sellout crowd of 19,548 in Cleveland against the suddenly hot Cavaliers.

The win marked the eighth straight for the Cavs, a team facing a future of uncertainty.  The only coach and general manager the team had ever known, Bill Fitch, now coached the league-best Boston Celtics, and a new change in ownership had the NBA wondering whether professional basketball could survive in Ohio.  The Boston Globe’s Steve Marantz reported further on the sale:

Bill Fitch-Cavs

[Read more...]

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Bird’s Rookie Year — Game 76 vs. the Pistons

March 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Celtics (57-18) vs. Detroit (16-60)
March 20, 1980
Pontiac Silverdome

The Celtics picked up a fourth straight victory with a beatdown, 124-106, of the Pistons in Detroit.  Combined with two straight losses by the 76ers (54-22), the Celtics were four games ahead of Philadelphia in the Atlantic Division standings with only six games remaining on the schedule.  The magic number for the Celtics to win the division and secure a first-round bye now stood at three.

Pete Maravich

Larry Bird struggled all night, not displaying the offensive prowess he had shown a year earlier in March of 1979.  He shot 4-14 from the field, and though he grabbed seven rebounds and seven assists, Bird also picked up a game-high eight turnovers.  Bill Fitch talked to the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan after the game about a rare lackluster performance:

“Of all the games this season this is the one I’ll remember because Bird proved he was human,” said Fitch.  “It wasn’t his shooting, it was his passes, his decisions on the floor, everything.  Until tonight, I had never seen him play a bad game.  He quit looking at the hoop in the end.”

But Fitch absolutely sees Bird as the NBA’s Rookie of the Year and the Most Valuable Player.  The MVP contest is being hyped as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Bird.

Ryan was able to speak with Bird about the turnovers after the game:

Bird has shrugged off his shooting problems in the Dome.  “I never could get it going here,” he sighed.  “But I’ll come back next year with a good attitude.”  Pressed to comment about his turnovers, which bested his assists by an 8-7 margin, Bird said, “Some passes could have been caught but our concentration wasn’t as good as usual on the break.  And Max (Cedric Maxwell) couldn’t run with his bad ankle, which meant that a few he usually catches went off his fingertips.  I have confidence in those passes and my teammates, and I’ll keep throwing the same passes.”

Dave Cowens and Cedric Maxwell helped pick up the slack, combining for 31 points and 24 rebounds, but the big story for the second straight game was the play of Pistol Pete Maravich.

 

The game was televised as the USA Network’s Thursday Night NBA game, and included a halftime interview with a clairvoyant Bob Ryan, who predicted the Los Angeles Lakers to capture the NBA title.

 

Inserted into the starting lineup again in place of Chris Ford (still on the IR), Maravich led the Celtics with 20 points.

Again Pete Maravich had his shooting shoes on, and he scored 10 points to lead all first-quarter scorers, Bob Ryan wrote.  Included among his four baskets was one in- your-face jumper to the fourth degree.

Ryan also commented on an anomaly on the box score, a three-pointer from Dave Cowens:

The supreme moment in this game came when Dave Cowens took a pass from Rick Robey with 3:09 left and swished a three-pointer from the left corner.  He came downcourt grinning and slapped hands with Pete Maravich.  When he went to the bench for a time out, he was similarly greeted by his teammates.  Such is life with a 58-18 team that had just wrapped up its fourth straight triumph and 25th road conquest of the season.

“It’s great to have a three-pointer under my belt,” said Cowens, semi- seriously.  “But you notice it took a center to get me the ball.”

The Celtics also celebrated Don Chaney’s 34th birthday by placing the Duck back on the active roster.  Chaney openly discussed his disappointment with his role on the team with The Boston Globe’s Walter Haynes:

“Right now I don’t have good feelings about my contribution to the team because I’m not playing.  I feel more like an outsider and not in the swing of things.  Maybe the average person would say I should be content to just sit on the bench,” said Chaney…

“People might call it bitching,’ but I do want to play more,” he continued.  As a player, you feel the game in your whole mind and body, and because you love it, you can’t walk away from it.  For 95 percent of my life, it’s been basketball, and all of it has been learning to play from a competitive standpoint.”

Don Chaney

Chaney did, however, understand why he was not part of the mix of players receiving playing time:

“Hey, I’ve lost a step and some of my stamina,” he admitted.  “But on a good ballclub, guys want to play so badly that when they are on the floor, they try to outplay the starters.  This makes a team stronger.  A player loses it all when he resolves that he can’t beat another player out of a job.

“When I was young, I would think about what it will be like when I have to stop playing.  I don’t think the media can really understand the inner thoughts of a player on something like this.  You can only understand it if you’ve been there yourself.  It’s why even John (Havlicek) will go out and pick up a basketball now.  Just to feel it.”

Chaney scored six points in a dozen minutes against the Pistons.  Regardless of his role, he looked forward to returning to the post-season.

“This team has a very good chance of making it to the finals,” said Chaney, who won a title with the Celtics in 1974.  “It’s a well-balanced team; we have a good attitude, and everyone gets along with each other.  Maybe right now we’re playing a little routinely because of the anticipation of the playoffs.  But the playoffs are like a whole new season, a rebirth.

The Celtics continued the road trip by heading to Cleveland to battle the Cavaliers on Saturday.

 

3_20_80

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Bird’s Rookie Year — Game 75 vs. the Pacers

March 20, 2013 By

Celtics (56-18) vs. Indiana (34-41)
March 18, 1980
Hartford Civic Center

In the midst of legal battles with the Boston Garden, the Celtics returned “home” after a three-game road to the friendly confines of the Hartford Civic Center.  After a career that made stops across Beaver County, Pennsylvania all the way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it really didn’t matter where he played: the only true home for Pete Maravich was the hardwood floor of a basketball court.  Buoyed by a vintage 31-point performance from Pistol Pete, the Celtics avenged a loss from eight days prior and defeated the Indiana Pacers, 114-102. [Read more...]

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Bird’s Rookie Year — Game 74 vs. the Nets

March 19, 2013 By

Celtics (55-18) vs. New Jersey (32-43)
March 17, 1980
Rutgers Athletic Center

For the second straight game, Larry Bird scored another 29 points to lead the Celtics to victory.  Instead of the Knicks, however, Bird and the Celtics moved narrowed their sights onto New Jersey in a 117-92 shellacking of the Nets.

The win put the Celtics in the driver’s seat for the division, as Philadelphia squandered another opportunity to make a final push at the Atlantic by splitting games in Cleveland (a loss) and at home with the Pistons (The Celtics got to watch the Cleveland- Philadelphia game on television Sunday night after Fitch purchased a portable antenna that allowed the hotel TV to pick up the Philadelphia channel, wrote Bob Ryan on March 18, 1979.  There is no reasonable limit to his industriousness.).

The Boston Globe’s Ryan put the game in perspective: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Celtics

Combine Snubs Who Showed ’Em, Part I

March 19, 2013 By

Sometimes finding specific information on the NFL’s website feels like trying to track down some guy named Murph on St. Patrick’s Day: you pretty much know what you’re looking for, but you have no idea how to narrow the search.

One thing NFL.com does get right? Posting Gil Brandt’s oft-entertaining pro day blog. Every football player has a story; for those not invited to the NFL combine, each pro day serves as an introduction.

The NFL’s site also does a pretty good job of explaining such drills as the 20-yard, or short, shuttle (five yards left, 10 yards right, five yards left) and the 3-cone or L drill.

Below, some workout notables who excelled at their early March pro days after missing the NFL combine in February. [Read more...]

Filed Under: BSMW Original Column, Patriots

Bird’s Rookie Year — Game 71 vs. the Rockets

March 15, 2013 By

Celtics (53-17) vs. Rockets (35-37)
March 12, 1980
Boston Garden

Whenever the Celtics were in need of a win, they needed to look no further than the Houston Rockets.

For the sixth consecutive time in the 1979-80 season, the C’s dispatched the Rockets, this time by a final score of 121-105.  Larry Bird had a sensational night, finishing two assists short of a triple-double with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists.  Bird shot 67 percent from the field, hit two of his four 3-pointers, and was nearly perfect (7-8) at the free throw line.  Six months into the season, the Rockets still had no answer for the Larry Bird and the Celtics. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Celtics

Loss Of Welker Hard To Swallow, But Patriots Will Move On

March 14, 2013 By

Let’s be clear about this: The loss of Wes Welker, especially to the Broncos, is very hard to take.

Welker is everything you’d want in a football player, talented, hardworking, well-liked, dependable, historically productive and he stays on the field.

Anyone who trashes or attempts to degrade Welker on his way out of town is out of their mind. Welker deserves to be appreciated for all that he did here, and recognized by both the fans and team down the line.

To lose all that he brings is a huge blow. There’s no doubt about that. But spare me the phrases “slap in the face,” “lowballed,” “insulted” and so forth. Welker took what he thought was the best offer for him, and it was 2-years, $12 million. Is it really insulting and lowballing when the offer he takes is “only” a million dollars more per year? Or, another way, $10 millions with incentives to push further is “lowball,” $12 million is “reasonable.” OK.

As for the money in the contracts, I’ll let BSMW member Boda weigh in:

It baffles me how obtuse the media are when it comes to anything financial. Let’s first establish a factual point: from a team’s perspective, an NFL contract that pays $6 million per year for five years with $10 million guaranteed is FAR preferable to a contract that pays $6 million per year for two years with $10 million guaranteed. From the player’s perspective, the exact opposite is true.

Every NFL player would prefer Wes’ deal to Amendola’s deal. Every NFL team would prefer Amendola’s deal to Wes’ deal for a particular player.

What’s debatable is how each player will perform over the next 2-5 years

Clearly the decision had been made to move on from Welker unless they got him at the price they wanted, and they likely knew he wasn’t going to take the price they wanted. If you’re going to use terms to describe this decision, I’m OK with “cold” and “calculating” and even “ruthless.”

Mike Reiss has a good look at how the negotiations went down:

How Wes Welker, Patriots parted

I’ve heard and read from media members all over the country this week, even while the Baltimore Ravens lose half their team (after signing their QB to the biggest contract ever) that Ozzie Newsome has a plan. “Ozzie ALWAYS has a plan.” (Do a search on that phrase on Twitter.)

I believe Ozzie Newsome does have a plan. He’s a damn good GM with a great track record, including the current Super Bowl champions. I have faith that he knows what he’s doing.

But Bill Belichick and the Patriots make the decision to move on from Wes Welker, and it becomes a personality flaw. Belichick’s arrogant. His ego is leading the team. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. In addition, if you even suggest that perhaps Belichick knows what he’s doing, and point their record of success since 2001, you get the sarcastic “In Bill We Trust” usually accompanied by an eyeroll. Or there is the “Belichick toadies” comment, or reminders of Belichick’s infallibility and miscues, of which he’s had plenty, but I’d wager less than most executives around the league.

I just know that since 2001, the exact same people have been saying annually that Belichick’s arrogance is going to come back to bite him.

The Patriots have a record of letting guys go before they start their sharp decline. I fully expect Wes Welker to have a terrific year in Denver, and I’ll even enjoy watching catch passes from Peyton Manning – except of course when the Broncos are playing the Patriots. He’ll be great this year. I have no doubt. But next year? Who knows?

Like death and taxes, you know you can count on Ron Borges to lend his fair and balanced opinion to the matter. Ron brings up the following names to bolster his case that the Patriots cheap out on players:

Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Willie McGinest, Ty Warren, David Givens, David Patten, Damien Woody, Adam Vinatieri and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

OK. So where were they so glaringly wrong there? Vinatieri maybe? He’s a kicker. Asante Samuel played OK, but was he worth the contract he got from the Eagles? Woody had a couple OK years. Green-Ellis was replaced by the more talented Stevan Ridley.

They traded Richard Seymour before he hit free agency. You can argue that he would’ve helped the 2009 Patriots, but that team, in retrospect was in full rebuild-on-the-fly mode. They cut Lawyer Milloy and won back-to-back Super Bowls. They traded Randy Moss and got better.

Generally, these types of decisions have later proven to be correct. I’d say the one move the backfired the most was trading Deion Branch.

The bigger point here is the Patriots offense. Since Welker came on board in 2007, the offense has revolved around him. He’s the guy Tom Brady has looked to the most. By far. The offense has been Welker-centric. It’s been phenomenally successful during the regular season. The postseason, less so. Let’s be clear about this, too, it’s not Welker’s fault.

In their last five playoff losses – Giants, Ravens, Jets, Giants Ravens, they’ve been beaten by the same kind of team and defense. Tough, physical, were able to wall off the underneath and middle of the field, and force Brady into quick decisions with pressure.

Welker has performed well in those games. He missed the wildcard game against the Ravens after the 2009 season (more on that later) but in the other four games he had 11/103, 7/57, 7/60, 8/117. With the exception of last season’s Super Bowl loss to the Giants, Welker has had the most receptions of any Patriot in each game, and in that one Aaron Hernandez had one more catch than Welker.

The problem was not Welker, but in order to take the next step, they needed to change. They recognized it, experimenting early in the season with being less reliant on Welker. They struggled, and went back to Welker when Hernandez and Julian Edelman got hurt, and the results were familiar.

Greg A Bedard explains why they need to make a change, and does so far better than I could:

Welker move is about evolving the offense

People like Borges and Michael Silver are focused in the wrong areas. They’re all about the players while this is about the team, and the offense.

Now we come to Danny Amendola, and he is in a tough spot. Right now most people are scoffing at the idea that he is going to “replace” Welker, and I saw people making the suggestion that this is Belichick’s arrogance, thinking he can just plug another guy in and get the same production.

I’ll say it now, Amendola will not give you same production you got from Wes Welker. And that’s a good thing. (Read Bedard’s post, please.)

He’s here to fill Welker’s position, but not his production. He’s similar but different. I see these polls about “Who will catch more passes next year, Welker or Amendola?” It’s easy, Welker will.

You hear over and over about Amendola missing 20 games the last two seasons. This is cited as evidence that he is injury-prone, and not as tough as Welker.

Amendola dislocated his elbow on the opening day of the 2011 season, and the next month reinjured it and tore his triceps in practice, which landed him on IR.

Timing is the unfortunate thing here. Welker is lauded as durable, which is certainly is, but he also suffered a season-ending injury, but his just happened to take place during the final game of the regular season, when he tore his ACL. Had he injured it on opening day, and Amendola injured his in week 17 what would the discussion be like? The only game Welker missed was the playoff loss to the Ravens. To his credit, he was back for the opening game of the following season.

Last season, Amendola dislocated his clavicle, but in a way that almost killed him.  He was back in four weeks. I think he’s tough enough. Whether he can avoid these types of freak injuries remains to be seen. Between he, Hernandez, Gronkowski and (if he returns) Edelman, you’ve got four guys with a recent history of difficulty staying on the field. Health is going to be critical.

Wes Welker is going to be missed in New England. It might take Tom Brady awhile to get over not having his favorite outlet. But in the end, the offense (and the team) might be better for it. That’s The Belichick Way.

Filed Under: Patriots

Pats Draft Strategies: Post-Combine Review

March 11, 2013 By

In our previous draft strategies column, we discussed various methods of going about the selection process. After the NFL scouting combine and an early pro day, it’s time to review our prospects for each strategy.

Heights and weights have been edited to show changes from pre-combine listings.

PLAY IT STRAIGHT

(Based on New England picking in their allotted slots)

FIRST ROUND: John Jenkins, Georgia DL (6-4, 359 346).

[Read more...]

Filed Under: BSMW Original Column, Patriots

Bird’s Rookie Year — Game 69 vs. the Bullets

March 10, 2013 By

Celtics (53-15) vs. Washington (32-36)
March 9, 1980
Boston Garden

All good runs come to an end.  The nine game winning streak for the Boston Celtics came to an end in overtime against the Washington Bullets, while the Bullets’ run of being the elite team in the Eastern Conference was also coming to an abrupt end.  The Bullets ended the Celtics streak by defeating the Green Team, 133-128, after dropping 18 points in OT.

Dave Cowens_Hoop Magazine

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Celtics

Bird’s Rookie Year — Game 68 vs. the 76ers

March 9, 2013 By

Celtics (52-15) vs. Philadelphia (50-17)
March 7, 1980
Boston Garden

The Celtics took a monumental step to locking up the Atlantic Division by thrashing Philadelphia in front of a capacity crowd at the Garden, 111-92.

“Boston is a very good team,” said Doug Collins, speaking to The Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan in his typical articulate manner after the game.  “They’re good in every facet of the game. They rebound, press and pass well.  They have no weaknesses.  They came up with a plus in Rick Robey.  It looks as if (Dave) Cowens getting hurt was a blessing in disguise. It gave Robey the confidence and now Cowens can work his way back gradually.”

Doug Collins SI cover

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Celtics
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