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**whiterhino** · 02-28-2005, 01:37 PM

Posted on Mon, Feb. 28, 2005

Walker leads 'sub-par' Celtics past Suns
Charlotte Observer from the
Associated Press

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni called Boston a "sub-par team." The Celtics looked like anything but against the Suns with Antoine Walker back in green and white. Walker scored 33 points - on 32 shots - and grabbed 13 rebounds to help the Celtics ruin the Suns' perfect home record against the Eastern Conference with a 120-113 victory Sunday night.

D'Antoni, who was ejected for the first time as the Suns' coach, was upset with the trash talking on both sides after the teams combined for seven technicals - and he couldn't help taking a slight jab at the visitors.

"We responded, and we shouldn't do it," D'Antoni said. "We're the best team in the league. We have the best record, and we responded to a sub-par team. That's our fault, and that's our lack of focus, a lack of 'Just say what you want.' We just fell into kind of a trap."

While Boston was a game under .500 before Walker's return, the new-look Celtics are 2-0 and hold a two-game lead in the woeful Atlantic Division. Boston's new starting point guard Delonte West scored 19 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime, and Paul Pierce seemed to thrive with his old teammate back, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

The Suns, meanwhile, played their third straight game without point guard Steve Nash, who sat with a sore hamstring. Phoenix had won its first two games without Nash and its first 12 at home against Eastern Conference teams before both streaks ended Sunday.

In other games, it was: Sacramento 110, Washington 108; New Jersey 104, Cleveland 98; Miami 112, Orlando 103; Denver 94, New Orleans 93; Minnesota 91, Portland 83; Toronto 108, the Los Angeles Lakers 102; Milwaukee 99, Seattle 73; Utah 99, Houston 92; Detroit 94, Golden State 88; and the Los Angeles Lakers 111, Atlanta 104.

Amare Stoudemire scored 27 points to lead the Suns before fouling out with 8:47 left in regulation. Still, the Suns had a four-point lead with 2:10 to play when Walker tied the score at 104 with back-to-back baskets.

"The first thing Doc told me when I got here was be aggressive," Walker said. "I missed some chippies in there, but I felt good. I mean, I'm getting the ball in the post. As I continue to play with these guys, we're only going to get better."

Joe Johnson added 21 points for Phoenix, while Shawn Marion had 15 points and a career-high 20 rebounds

I'll give him SUB-PAR, he's lucky he doesn't play us again this season

Richie Rich · 02-28-2005, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiterhino

Posted on Mon, Feb. 28, 2005

Walker leads 'sub-par' Celtics past Suns
Charlotte Observer from the
Associated Press

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni called Boston a "sub-par team." The Celtics looked like anything but against the Suns with Antoine Walker back in green and white. Walker scored 33 points - on 32 shots - and grabbed 13 rebounds to help the Celtics ruin the Suns' perfect home record against the Eastern Conference with a 120-113 victory Sunday night.

D'Antoni, who was ejected for the first time as the Suns' coach, was upset with the trash talking on both sides after the teams combined for seven technicals - and he couldn't help taking a slight jab at the visitors.

"We responded, and we shouldn't do it," D'Antoni said. "We're the best team in the league. We have the best record, and we responded to a sub-par team. That's our fault, and that's our lack of focus, a lack of 'Just say what you want.' We just fell into kind of a trap."

While Boston was a game under .500 before Walker's return, the new-look Celtics are 2-0 and hold a two-game lead in the woeful Atlantic Division. Boston's new starting point guard Delonte West scored 19 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime, and Paul Pierce seemed to thrive with his old teammate back, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

The Suns, meanwhile, played their third straight game without point guard Steve Nash, who sat with a sore hamstring. Phoenix had won its first two games without Nash and its first 12 at home against Eastern Conference teams before both streaks ended Sunday.

In other games, it was: Sacramento 110, Washington 108; New Jersey 104, Cleveland 98; Miami 112, Orlando 103; Denver 94, New Orleans 93; Minnesota 91, Portland 83; Toronto 108, the Los Angeles Lakers 102; Milwaukee 99, Seattle 73; Utah 99, Houston 92; Detroit 94, Golden State 88; and the Los Angeles Lakers 111, Atlanta 104.

Amare Stoudemire scored 27 points to lead the Suns before fouling out with 8:47 left in regulation. Still, the Suns had a four-point lead with 2:10 to play when Walker tied the score at 104 with back-to-back baskets.

"The first thing Doc told me when I got here was be aggressive," Walker said. "I missed some chippies in there, but I felt good. I mean, I'm getting the ball in the post. As I continue to play with these guys, we're only going to get better."

Joe Johnson added 21 points for Phoenix, while Shawn Marion had 15 points and a career-high 20 rebounds

I'll give him SUB-PAR, he's lucky he doesn't play us again this season

f that mofo's COUCH

banner17 · 02-28-2005, 04:19 PM

I took offense to that as well.

When you have a trifecta of toine', pierce and ricky on the floor at the same time and and excellent core of youngsters that can ball, you are capable of beating anyone - maybe not in a seven games series, but in one game yes. I don't think anyone will be taking this squad lightly for the rest of the year.

Fenway · 02-28-2005, 05:04 PM

How can you take offense to what he said? What have the Celtics done this year, winning two games doesn't mean they erase the pitaful performances of the last 4 months. The only one exempt from that is Walker who wasn't here.

Richie Rich · 02-28-2005, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenway

How can you take offense to what he said? What have the Celtics done this year, winning two games doesn't mean they erase the pitaful performances of the last 4 months. The only one exempt from that is Walker who wasn't here.

Because the Suns havent been good up until this year that;s why we can take offense to that.

banner17 · 02-28-2005, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenway

How can you take offense to what he said? What have the Celtics done this year, winning two games doesn't mean they erase the pitaful performances of the last 4 months. The only one exempt from that is Walker who wasn't here.

Because for the majority of the season, we have been hovering around 500 with essentially a brand new team. If he said we were average, I wouldn't take offense to it, but saying that we are subpar is a bit of a slight if you ask me.

LX · 02-28-2005, 07:01 PM

We are anything but a subpar team. Surprise team would be a better word for it. We weren't even expected to be hanging around .500. This was supposed to be a year of rebuilding. Who woulda thought our rookies would have been as good as they have? Who woulda thought Ricky Davis would adjust to coming off the bench. Who woulda thought Pierce could change? Subpar my ***.

SamIam · 03-01-2005, 07:14 AM

How about sub-par Suns. Suns started out 31-4. However they are only 12-10 since then. For the record, the Celtics are 13-9 in that same span. In Boston we know its not how you start but how you finish. Phoenix is starting to look an awful lot like the Miami Dolphins - start out like world beaters and then wilt when the playoffs approach.

vandyke · 03-01-2005, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenway

How can you take offense to what he said? What have the Celtics done this year, winning two games doesn't mean they erase the pitaful performances of the last 4 months. The only one exempt from that is Walker who wasn't here.

Yes we can take offense to that the Suns have had one good season out of there last 10 and now they think they are the king sh**s of the NBA give me a break, everything was all well and good when they came to Boston and kicked our a** by 30 or 40 or whatever the hell it was, but when we come to their home turf and beat them then everybody on their team wants to cry, because Pierce mocked Richardson's gay horn bump or whatever the hell that is, f D'Antoni.

Al Jefferson · 03-01-2005, 08:05 AM

You've got to be kidding me.
Anything to lower ones self esteem huh ?
Thinks maybe this will lower the C's confidence.
Hate to tell em.. But the C's are playing their best ball of the year.
I think with the group they have right now.. If they fight like they fought in PhX.. They'll make a nice playoff Push..
Only time will tell.

PdP

**MJG** · 03-01-2005, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lanteri

We are anything but a subpar team. Surprise team would be a better word for it. We weren't even expected to be hanging around .500. This was supposed to be a year of rebuilding. Who woulda thought our rookies would have been as good as they have? Who woulda thought Ricky Davis would adjust to coming off the bench. Who woulda thought Pierce could change? Subpar my ***.

You sure about that? I saw some major sites that had Boston winning the division, and I personally had them finishing just barely in second and still fifth in the conference. I'm sure not everyone shared that high opinion, but I'd say more thought they'd be in the playoffs than out.

I personally wouldn't take too much offense at this guy's comment. He was obviously just sore over losing a game I'm sure he expected to win, so he made himself feel better by getting in the jab. You'd think he'd let his team's record in the big picture do the speaking, but if he must take this path, simply shake your head, roll your eyes, and move on.

**whiterhino** · 03-01-2005, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJG

You sure about that? I saw some major sites that had Boston winning the division, and I personally had them finishing just barely in second and still fifth in the conference. I'm sure not everyone shared that high opinion, but I'd say more thought they'd be in the playoffs than out.

I personally wouldn't take too much offense at this guy's comment. He was obviously just sore over losing a game I'm sure he expected to win, so he made himself feel better by getting in the jab. You'd think he'd let his team's record in the big picture do the speaking, but if he must take this path, simply shake your head, roll your eyes, and move on.

I thought we'd finish well too MJG but I bought every freaking magazine with pre-season previews and rankings and read every internet sight and ALMOST everyone had the Celts picked to finish last or next to last in the Atlantic and out of the playoffs. I have no idea why, I never thought we'd be that bad but they all did...so now to be playing well and have such promising young players and hear a coach say that after we just beat his team on his home floor ticks me off! What he should have said is that the Celtics were hungrier and wanted it more and maybe his team needs to dig deeper!

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