The Return of Jesus

Shuttleworth that is. That's right, Ray Allen returned to a sold out Key Arena in Seattle for tonight's game against likely rookie of the year Kevin Durant and the Supersonics.

The Celtics are in the middle of a West Coast swing that will have them playing four back-to-back games in six nights -- so while it is not against the best teams in the West, it should still prove to be a good test. Last night the Cs demolished the Sacramento Kings -- winning there for the first time in Paul Pierce's career.

I understood before the game that old friend Delonte West was not supposed to play tonight due to a foot injury, but it turns out he is playing. Also playing tonight for Seattle is Wally Scerbiaakasksk, who should be launching threes -- right before he goes down for this year's season ending injury. Onto a brief game recap:

1st Quarter

-- TNT, showing the game in high-def (thank God), cut to the game with 2 minutes gone in the first quarter and no score.

-- Soon after, KG takes the lid off and nails a couple top-of-the-key jumpshots, continuing his torrid shooting clip.

-- Unfortunately, I find out there was some pre-game tribute to Ray Allen, but due to the late ending of the previous match-up, it was not shown and I didn't get to see the Seattle faithful praise Jesus.

-- Shocking to find out after an early commercial break that it is a rainy night in Seattle.

-- Celts continue to move the ball unselfishly.

-- Durant is shooting well so far through the first, and Delonte just made his first appearance off the bench and promptly drilled a three in his old team's collective face.

-- End of 1, 24-19, Boston

2nd Quarter

-- I've said it before, I'll say it again, Eddie House is a solid pick up for this team...he can get on unconscious rolls. As long as he doesn't have to bring the ball up against pressure in a close or big game, I think I am going to like the Eddie House Era.

-- Did I mention he loves to shoot?

-- My least favorite trend in the NBA? Players with long hair and ponytails.

-- Once again, Tony Allen just can't finish on a drive in traffic. If I am Doc Rivers, I would drill this over and over and over again in practice. TA driving on one guy, on two guys; TA getting a rebound and going back up with one or two guys on his back. Even with two major knee operations, he can still get to the basket, but he just misses too many in-close shots.

-- Doc Rivers is mic'ed tonight. I can't imagine being a coach and wearing a mic. Then again, with my mouth, I can't imagine wearing a mic anywhere.

-- Kevin Harlan and Doug Collins are tonight's team. Talk about a contrast in styles. What, were Penn and Teller not available? I keep expecting the rambunctious Harlan to say "excuse me? I can't hear you" whenever Collins follows up with color.

-- Delonte seems to be sticking it to the Celtics, running off 9 points in the limited time he has been in..helping the Sonics to tie the game about halfway through the second.

-- Coming out of break, Delonte makes a nice move to blow by the Celts defense, but KG gets back with a solid block -- leading to a fast break three by Ray Allen. A minor momentum turn, as Seattle had been on a run prior getting back in the game.

-- Wally is lighting it up as well -- 4 of 7 so far. However, the ankle clock is ticking.

-- Doug Collins is not only hard to hear...he also has no idea how to talk in short sentences and nail his points. He just talked through two free throws and he never got to his point. And if he did, I have no idea what it was.

-- Delonte just turned the ball over which led to a fast break pass to a streaking KG, but DWest was having none of that and hustled back in the play and made a solid block and follow through foul which sent Garnett tumbling...but there was definitely some acting involved. Good hustle play by West. It is the exact type of play that reminds me why I liked watching him play in Boston.

-- That reminds me of a question, though, that my friend Billy B. once posed to me: "Steve, would you let him babysit your kids?"

-- Final at the half, 47-46, Cs. Story of the half...the spark and scoring of Delonte and just the scoring of Wally. The Cs looked a little tired throughout the half shooting 36 percent. Ray and PP are a combined 5 for 20.

3rd Quarter

-- Celts pick up where they left off missing their first three shots of the half, Seattle meanwhile is one for two and has taken their first lead of the game.

-- Pierce drills a three to break the drought, but Durant answers quickly with a three of his own.

-- Allen and Pierce each hit wide open threes to open up the lead to six and slow the momentum that Seattle was building.

-- Durant just made a pretty drive and finish in traffic for two and a foul. The kid is the real deal. Definitely raw, but definitely the real deal. He looks fearless.

-- Pierce is on fire now, with 13 in the quarter and 24 for the game.

-- Durant is matching him though with 12 in the quarter and 20 for the game.

-- After three 70-67 Cs.

4th Quarter

-- Cs are in desperate need of a run. They are letting Seattle hang around. As I typed that House drilled a deep 2 and was fouled and delivered the free throw. Could this be the start of it?

-- Pierce still on Fire, opens the lead to seven with two quick buckets.

-- House hits a pretty running fade away that would have brought the house down in Boston, brings the lead to nine.

-- The captain hits another one, increasing his game high points to 30, followed by a deep three by House.

-- Yet again, Pierce hits a long-distance three and gets a phantom foul called on the shot. However, justice is served as PP misses the free throw.

-- Posey joins in with a three of his own, extending the lead to 14.

-- Delonte hits two in a row to cut the lead to nine. He has 19 and has been real impressive tonight. Without him, Seattle is losing by 20.

-- That does it...Final 104-96. Cs had five turnovers and PP finished with 37 points.

Silent Night -- An Hour Late

Granted, it is actually Dec. 26, but it is only 90 minutes in. So, let me take this time to wish you and yours the best this holiday season.

More this week during the West Coast swing.

Yet Again

Another day off, another foot of snow. Another day of shoveling. I think you can probably guess my mood tonight.

The snow is bad enough, but when it is coupled with a complete give-away by the Celtics last night, it only frustrates me more. As for the game -- The Cs dictated the pace of the game throughout the first half, pushing the ball and not letting the very good Piston defense get established -- and they took a lead into the locker room after two.

However they came out and went away from what got them the lead and continuously walked the ball up and never put any pressure on the Pistons. Say what you want, but this game was not lost on the last play of the game with the bad foul by TA, it was lost throughout the third and fourth with the stagnant offense and the poor free throw shooting.

Don't get me wrong. It was a good game, and the Celtics played with and showed they belong with the class of the East, but it also showed they don't have the chemistry yet to close out big games against good teams. I know it sounds crazy saying that about a team that is 22-3, but they have lost to Cleveland, Orlando and Detroit -- who, along with the Celtics, could be (in no particular order) 1,2,3,4 in the east come May.

That being said, it was a 2-point loss against a team that has played together for years. I think it bodes well for the Celtics, and as long as they learn from their mistakes -- they should be able to turn the tables and start to learn to play with each other more successfully down the stretch against good teams.

More this weekend after the Bulls game.

White Wash

Well...Before I get into some thoughts on the Celtics, Pats and the Mitchell Report...let me clear the air for anyone who doesn't know me well and share with you my feelings on something I am extremely passionate about:

There is nothing good about winter. I hate it.

I had a long weekend that kicked off Thursday afternoon in the middle of a snowstorm. It was great. I took off from work early, about 1:00...all seemed well as I ran from the office trying to get home before the traffic crush kicked in that always seems to happen when a major snowfall occurs in Massachusetts.

Five and a half hours later I made it home. 43 miles, five hours and thirty minutes. GOOD TIMES! You do the math. That's about 7.5 miles each hour for the entire trek. I spent one hour inside of the South Station Tunnel, which was a blast -- and then I watched people abandoning their cars on the highway directly in front of me near 128 either because they couldn't make it up a slight incline or because they ran out of gas. I get home and then find out that I can't get in my driveway without jumping from the car, running through the snow and shoveling myself a path...and then, later that night, I fell down a set of concrete stairs after slipping on ice while shoveling. Nice. Why do I do it? Who in their right mind wants this to be a part of their life? Well, I guess therein lies the problem. I must be crazy...or at least an ass.

What happens next? Well nothing except another foot of snow overnight Saturday night. Makes me want to puke. I spent another 3 hours shoveling today. I can barely stand up straight at this point...and you want to know what is the best part? It's not even officially Winter yet.

So, if you are one of those people who insist on telling me you love winter. That this is your favorite season. Do me a favor and save it. I am not buying it. You're either lying, or crazier than me. And....you are definitely an ass too.

Ok, on to the more important stuff. Mitchell Report had no real surprises besides probably Pettite. Everyone else was a no-brainer to me. I know, talking to Leo G., that having Pettite's name on the list stung, but he later came out with a very believable statement.

As for Roger...what else do you need to know? He was losing a little something in his last year with the Sox, and when Dan Duquette made his famous "twilight of his career" statement, Rog needed to react. So what did he do? He went up to Toronto, and shot himself in the ass, and rejuvenated his career.

It is what it is. I am not on a moral high horse. I am not even sure how much it bothers me. That being said...he is still a Fat Bastard.

The Pat's game was a grind it out affair in the aforementioned shitty weather up here today. Nothing too exciting...14-0 with two left to go.

-- Did you happen to see the hit Samuel laid out today? It was pretty nasty...If I can find a link to it, I'll throw it up.

The Celtics today took on the Raptors...a team they demolished last time they met -- granted without Chris Bosh in the lineup for Toronto. Today, the Celts went up to Toronto and the first half story was the Cs defense. Boston's defense held the Raptors to 36 points in the first half -- contesting everything. So much so that Mike Gorman, the Cs play-by-play announcer of 27 years said that this is the best defensive Celtics team he has ever watched.

After 3 the Celtics had a 15 point lead...and the Celtics have not lost a game that they have been leading entering the fourth. However a 16-2 run from the end of the third to the first few minutes of the fourth made things interesting. The Celtics weathered the storm, however with too much team defense and even distribution of the ball. Final score 90-77. Onto a big-game Eastern Conference matchup between the Cs and the Pistons on Wednesday.

On a closing note...check out Getty's Link today. I went back and found an old clip from SNL of a segment called "Really" and this one was on Michael Vick right after he got caught trying to bring pot on to a plane, and long before the dog stuff. Very funny stuff.

Another Busy Week

Quick notes for a late night...

Well -- I worked to late to catch much of the Celts game tonight, but I caught enough to know that, even while they won, it wasn't a work of art. Here is the game story. Turns out Big Baby got his first start of his career and finished with 16 and 9. Not bad. Keep in mind he came with the Ray Allen...

The Mitchell Report comes out tomorrow at 2, and it sounds like it is going to be a doozie. This story says MVPs and All Stars are all named.

I'll have more tomorrow after the report comes out...and I am going to update all the other stuff soon as well...turns out I'll have plenty of time to do it too, as the weather is going to horrid here. That's right. Bad times all around this weekend as those of us in Ma. are about to get nailed by back to back storms.

Tears Everywhere

Not much happened this week besides the lack of a Santana deal and the Celtics continue to steamroll along, but this morning I saw that people will be crying all across the Nation as this news hit the wires. You can forget about repeating....

On a happier note, it is good to see Al Jefferson playing well, even though the poor guy is stuck on a team that has won two or three times all year.

More later when I have some time tonight to catch up on what has been happening in the world.

No News Yet

Busy Week again...but keeping an eye on the negotiations that may bring Santana to Boston...Here is tonight's ESPN story...You really get the feel that something is going to happen here soon -- and the thought of a 1-2-3 punch of Beckett, Santana and Dice-K is enough to make me giggle.

Also, here is the latest from The Globe's Buzz section:

The Santana Watch is on
From the Globe's Gordon Edes (6:30 p.m.): "Theo Epstein took just
enough time to present Terry Francona Baseball America's
Manager of the Year award, then left the premises before he could be intercepted
by any inquisitive types. His session with Boston beat reporters tonight has
been pushed back until at least 7 o'clock Eastern time. Will Carroll, who is so
often dead-on in his medical info on Baseball Prospectus, is saying the
Sox/Twins deal is all but done. My sources aren't willing to go that far
yet."

From the Globe's Gordon Edes(6:08 p.m.): "Angels GM Tony Reagins just
told reporters that there was no truth to Angels being involved in Johan Santana
negotiations. Said he never talked to Twins"

From ESPN's Jayson Stark (4:49 p.m.): "The Twins and Angels continue to talk about a Johan Santana trade. Many of the same players mentioned in the Miguel Cabrera sweepstakes -- Howie
Kendrick, Brandan Wood, Nick Adenhart, and possibly Jeff Mathis or Reggie
Willits -- would be included in a package for Santana."

From the Globe's Gordon Edes (4:39 p.m.): "The Newark Star Ledger just reported that the Yankees are out of the running for Johan Santana. One Sox source said he was skeptical
that was the case. The Twins, meanwhile, have outrighted a player off their
40-man roster, the kind of move that often takes place before a trade, as they
try to create roster space. The Commissioner, Peter Gammons, says a fifth player
may be in the package that the Sox would give the Twins for Santana, minor
league outfielder Ryan Kalish, but my Sox sources could not confirm that. The
Sox people I'm talking to say they're still waiting."

From the Herald's Rob Bradford (4:01 p.m.): "According to a source familiar with the negotiations the Twins have told the Red Sox they want to complete the Johan Santana deal by the
end of today."

From the Globe's Nick Cafardo (3:37 p.m.): "We've said here
all along that the Los Angeles Angels have the ability to make any deal they
desire because they have the chips to make it happen. If they have jumped into
the Johan Santana hunt, they pose a real threat to the Red Sox and Yankees for
Santana's services. The Angels have extra pitching, so they're able to offer a
major league-ready starting pitcher like Ervin Santanta or Jered Weaver as well
as a host of positional players - anyone from Howie Kendrick to catcher Jeff
Mathis, infielder Brandon Wood, outfielder Reggie Willits, and even Gary Mathews
Jr." "I do not believe the Yankees are out of the Santana hunt yet."

From ESPN's Peter Gammons (3:28 p.m.): "The Twins and Red Sox are getting closer to
finalizing a Johan Santana deal. Boston has sweetened its offer by adding a
fifth player to the the offer -- outfield prospect Ryan Kalish, a ninth-round
draft pick in" 2006.

More as it comes....