The Celtics will need Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal to step up if Kevin Garnett is out for a significant length of time.
How much will the balance of power in the Eastern Conference change if Boston's Kevin Garnett is out for any significant length of time? Garnett was injured in the loss to the Detroit Pistons and will undergo an MRI when the team returns to Boston. X-Rays were negative but head coach Doc Rivers expressed some concern as the injury was one of non-contact.
It was the first meeting for for Boston and Detroit since the infamous and alleged "cancer patient" controversy between Garnett and Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva.
Following Garnett's injury, a heckler had some words implying that Garnett "deserved" what happened because of his comments directed at Villanueva. Those remarks were met with
a sharp response from Shaquille O'Neal. But it will have to be more than talk from the Big Shamrock and Jermaine O'Neal, if Garnett is out for any length of time, according to Celtics beat writer Gary Washburn.
The O'Neal's as well as Glen (Big Baby) Davis will have to play more significant minutes in KG's absence. And, here are a few interesting numbers to consider. With Garnett in the line-up, Boston has a .745 winning percentage with a 169-58 record, as opposed to a 33-16 (.673) mark without him. It's no coincidence that the opponents' field goal percentage is better by a few percentage points without Boston's defensive anchor on the floor. You have to wonder if this is the opening that Miami needs to overtake Boston in the East.
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One place where the defence isn't improving and frustration is starting to boil over is in Phoenix. Following the Suns latest loss to Philadelphia, it was newcomer Marcin Gortat wondering what was going on with the team's defence.
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How about this ending in Sacramento as the Memphis Grizzlies thought that O.J. Mayo had won the game for them with about a second and a half remaining in the contest? But not so fast as Tyreke Evans' incredible shot beat the buzzer to win it for the Kings.
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It was interesting to hear clubhouse types such as Linas Kleiza talk about watching the game in the locker room following his ejection in Toronto's improbable win in Dallas. Like a baseball pitcher who was pulled, Kleiza sat in his uniform watching the game in the locker room. I was surprised to see him icing down after the game when the locker room was opened to the media. I figured he would've been dressed and ready to explain himself but apparently he sat, watched the big screen TV and cheered by himself as his teammates pulled off the win.
The Raptors road trip continues in Houston on New Years' Eve and once again the undermanned squad will have its hands full. The Rockets are coming off a hard fought home loss to the Miami Heat. It would've been nice for Toronto to go into Houston with the Rockets feeling good after win over the Heat. But now, the Rockets who had a five-game winning streak snapped by Miami, will be looking to get back on track as they sit one game below the .500 mark.
If you're a big man and you play for Rick Adelman, you better be able to pass out of the high post area on the elbow. Think back to his offence in Sacramento with Vlade Divac and Chris Webber making passes to cutters through the lane or the split of players off the elbow after the entry pass. It looked like the Harlem Globetrotters at times with handoffs and the only thing missing was the high pitched screams from (Meadowlark) Lemon.
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Speaking of Miami, the Heat are living up to their name in the month of December. They are 15-1, which is a franchise record for most wins in a single month as the Heat have won 10 straight on the road for only the third time in franchise history.
