Quick thoughts on Celtics vs. Knicks – Christmas Day, 2011

Here are some quick thoughts on the Opening Game of the new NBA Season:

• When did Stoudemire start shooting (and hitting) threes?
• Wanna guard Melo this year? Good luck with that!
• Yes, you saw that right: Brandon Bass has a jumpshot. I didn’t know that…shame on me.
• I really do like Chris Wilcox. Too bad the big fella is not in Detroit anymore. He brings effort and energy every game!
• Boston will miss Big Baby Davis more than they probably think…
• Melo made this his team in a heartbeat. Stoudemire is doing a really good job and those guys look like a good team with no alpha dog issues. This is huge. I was always afraid that they would break because they have two big time stars.
• The 1st quarter looked really good for the Knicks. Boston looked kind of unprepared and sometimes even confused on offense. Without Rondo doing his thing this team really would be in big trouble – “Big Three”? How about “Great One and his Three Amigos”?
• It’s been a long time since I have seen the Knicks have any kind of ballmovement, not even a good one. Now they look really good (at least for their standard from the last couple of years).
• B. Diddy looking sharp on the bench! He looks trim and fit – this could be a comeback year for him. I’d really like to see him get back to his all-star-self. He is a very good point guard (when he feels like it).
• Douglas is the spark of the bench for the Knicks that every team needs in the league today.
• We’ll see Spike Lee even more often on TV this year than we are used to.
• Brandon Bass has moves! He has way more skill than I thought…maybe Big baby won’t be missed that much. Bass played a big part (maybe even the biggest) in the little comeback from the Celtics in the 2nd quarter. He will get way more minutes ’til the end of the season.
• It was very cute to watch Pavlovic try to guard Carmelo…like a puppy trying to guard a T-Rex…or a baby trying to fight Brock Lesnar……or me trying to guard Melo…I guess you get my point…
• It’s scary how easy Melo can take over a game.
• Shaq to TNT – YEAH!!! 🙂 I was really looking forward to this. He didn’t look that comfortable, but it was his first appearance – he’ll be good. BTW: Did Barkley slim down or is it Shaq making him look thinner?
• What happened to Paul Pierce’ face? He looks like he has lost a lot of weight.
• When Carmelo went down in the 3rd quarter while trying to block a Jermaine O’Neal lay-up, his teammate rushed to him to help him up. That’s what I want to see! Keep that up!
• The 4th foul by Melo was really unneccesary and dumb, but those things happen. Sure wasn’t on purpose, but keep those elbows to yourself, Melo. Don’t swing them around.
• C’mon N.Y., leaving Ray Allen open in the corner? Twice in a row? Really? Don’t you get League Pass in New York? When Allen gets going, it usually gives Boston a spark and the whole team starts to play better. Don’t let Allen take over.
• The Knicks left all their skills in the locker room during half-time. Hope they can back into the game after looking so good in the 1st half. Douglas and Stoudemire got the crowd back into the game. You can feel the crowd being scared that the Knicks are self-combusting…not these Knicks, tho!
• Celtics up by 10 with a little less than 11 minutes to go. You know what this is going to be called in N.Y. from now on? Melo-Time! He is starting to take over! Big three pointer to bring the lead down to his jersey number.
• Brandon Bass got some big rebounds for the Celtics. He knows where the ball is going to be – you can’t teach that.
• Another shot by Melo. Making it look really easy.
• Spike Lee trying to work the officials. Always fun to watch. 😀
• Nice alley-oop from Melo to Chandler after the time-out. Well done!
• As much as I like you, T. Douglas, please pass the ball to Melo and get out of the way when he is feeling it and stop shooting three pointers…
• I don’t know what to call the “thing” Jermaine O’Neal did, but I’m going with “Reverse-Jordan-Effect“. You know when Jordan flew through the air and it looked like he spent an eternity up there? Jermaine O’Neal can do the same thing, but just the opposite way: Dude just jumped in slow motion, I swear! Check it out, 6:38 to go in the 4th quarter. He was up there for an hour without moving…that’s against the laws of physics!
• 2 point game with 6 minutes to go. Yes, sir! 🙂
• When, exactly, did Rondo get a jumper? Why hasn’t anybody told me that? Can you spell u-n-s-t-o-p-p-a-b-l-e? I, obviously, can’t…
• Big three by Douglas! That’s what happens when you double-team Carmelo.
• Melo ties it up with a three of his own! This guy is a weapon!
• KG is used to these moments…hits a shot like he is warming up…no emotion what-so-ever…
• It feels so good to see the Madison Square Garden rockin’ again! 🙂
• Don’t forget: No Paul Pierce – with their best scorer, the game would have played out differently…maybe still not with a W, but differently…