Author: katadmin

Garnett’s muscle, Rondo’s grit lead Boston’s win and pace S&Ds

Boston’s big stars had huge games Saturday night to pull the Celtics back into the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Kevin Garnett went for 28 points and 18 rebounds in the Celtics’ 97-81 victory over Miami. Paul Pierce added 27 and Ray Allen chipped in with 15 points.

But the most clutch contribution came from point guard Rajon Rondo, who played through a dislocated left elbow that sidelined him midway through the game.

Rondo scored only six points, but added 11 assists and was plus-19 as he directed the Celtics to the victory and pulled them within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

“I didn’t have to do much scoring—just directing,” Rondo told the Associated Press. “That’s using your mouth, using my legs.”

With his injured left elbow protected in a sleeve and dangling lifelessly at his side, Rondo still came up with some huge plays down the stretch. After he was injured earlier in the third quarter after colliding with Dwyane Wade, Rondo returned to the Celtics’ bench at the end of the third quarter to a standing ovation from the Boston fans. He was back in the game shortly thereafter.

“Once he [Rondo] walked out [of the locker room], it didn’t surprise me,” Boston coach Doc Rivers told reporters after the game. “We got a bunch of guys like that [on this team]. They just play and find a way. And that’s what he did.”

And despite his lack of shooting production because of the injury, Rondo thought he could help the team in other ways.

“I thought I could try to change the game’s momentum by getting to the ball defensively,” Rondo said. ” I only need two legs for that.”

However he was involved, Wade was impressed with the resiliency that Rondo and the rest of the Celtics produced when they most needed it.

“They played with their championship DNA that they have,” Wade told NBA.com. “We can learn a lot by their effort that they put forth tonight.”

Here’s a look at the players who sparkled and others who struggled in Saturday’s two playoff games.

STUDS

Boston F Kevin Garnett: Produced 28 points and 18 rebounds — more than he had in the first two games of the series combined — along with two steals, an assist and was plus-17 in the Celtics’ convincing 97-81 Game 3 victory over Miami.

Boston F Paul Pierce: Went for 27 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and was plus-12 in the Celtics’ victory over the Heat.

Memphis F Zac Randolph: Notched 21 points and a franchise playoff-record 21 rebounds (including eight offensive boards), two assists and a blocked shot in the Grizzlies’ 101-93 Game 3 overtime victory over Oklahoma City.

Memphis G O.J. Mayo: Came off the bench to provide 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, two blocked shots and a team-best plus-23 in the Grizzlies’ triumph over the Thunder.

Memphis G Mike Conley: Went for 18 points, five  rebounds, four assists, two steals, a blocked shot and was plus-7 in the Grizzlies’ victory over the Thunder.

Memphis C Marc Gasol: Tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots, two assists, a steal and was plus-11 in the Grizzlies’ triumph over the Thunder.  

Boston G Rajon Rondo: Bravely played through a dislocated left elbow in the fourth quarter, scoring six points with 11 assists and was plus-19 in the Celtics’ victory over Miami.

Miami G Dwyane Wade: Produced 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a blocked shot in the Heat’s loss at Boston.

Miami G Mario Chalmers: Tallied 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field, had four rebounds, three assists and three steals and was plus-2 in the Heat’s loss at Boston.

Oklahoma City F Serge Ibaka: Produced 14 points, eight rebounds, six blocked shots and was plus-7 in the Thunder’s loss at Memphis.

Miami C Joel Anthony: Scored 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting, grabbed 11 rebounds and was plus-5 in the Heat’s loss to the Celtics.

DUDS

Oklahoma City G Russell Westbrook: Went for 23 points, six rebounds and 12 assists, but was only 5-for-16 from the field after halftime and finished 7-for-22 in his shooting. He also committed five of his seven turnovers after the third quarter before fouling out late in overtime of the Thunder’s loss to the Grizzlies.

Miami F LeBron James: Tallied 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five blocked shots, but also was 6-for-16 from the field with four turnovers and was a team-worst minus-21 in the Heat’s loss at Boston.

Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant: Produced 22 points and 12 rebounds, but hit only 10-for-22 from the field and missed all three shots in overtime of the Thunder’s loss at Memphis.

Miami F Chris Bosh: Limited to six points on 1-for-6 shooting with two turnovers and was minus-16 in the Heat’s loss to Boston. 

Memphis F Sam Young: Went 2-for-6 from the field with two turnovers and was minus-13 in the Grizzlies’ victory over Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma inmate now regrets asking for sentence matching Bird’s number

Oklahoma inmate Eric Torpy’s favorite player always was Larry Bird.

His allegiance to the iconic Boston Hall of Famer led him to ask a judge to tack on three more years to his original 30-year sentence for armed robbery and two counts of shooting with intent to kill to match Bird’s jersey number in 2005.

The judge obliged and Torpy has spent the last six years in a 10-foot-by-15-foot cell at the Davis Correctional Unit in Holdenville, Okla.

“He said if he was going down, he was going to go down in Larry Bird’s jersey,’’ Oklahoma District Judge Ray Elliott told the Associated Press in 2005. “He was just as happy as he could be.’’

Today, Torpy.

“Now that I have to do that time, yes I do,’’ Torpy told the Boston Globe. “I kind of wished that I had 30 instead of 33. Recently, I’ve wisened up.

“That three is a big deal, you know? Three years matters.’’

Torpy’s body is kind of a shrine to Bird and the Celtics. Put his arms together and the tattoos on his elbows read “33.’’ He also has a small green shamrock tattooed near his eye.

The Globe also reports that Torpy will turn 33 later this year and is not eligible for parole until 2033.

Nike planning to sell KD-inspired backpacks

Kevin Durant soon will become one of the most influential basketball players in the world — if he isn’t there already.  

Nike is planning for that day, too. And they would like to see legions of his fans wearing Kevin Durant backpacks with straps buckled in the front – just like he wears at his post-game press conferences.

The Oklahoman reports that the mammoth shoe company as part of Durant’s KD III line.

Nike isn’t saying what the backpack will look like or its cost. Or even if it will have his initials or some neat swoosh-inspired logo — with his initials or not.

We already have a Kobe Bryant backpack that retails for $90.

But it’s not perceived as being that stylish. Heck, Bryant doesn’t even appear at his post-game press conference wearing one.

Durant, on the other hand, is different.

His appearance at the Thunder’s press conferences makes him look only a couple of long jump shots removed from the student who was wandering “The Drag” in Austin headed to English composition class when he briefly attended Texas only four years ago.

And as for what is in Durant’s backpack?

It’s not really that exciting, according to the Oklahoman.

It usually contains his bible, iPad, headphones, three phones and phone chargers.

“I’m a little lazy,” Durant said, “so I don’t like to carry all that stuff in my hands.”