The Mighty Atlantic

With the Olympics over, tumbleweeds are blowing through the NBA. The Celtics “officially” signed J.R. Giddens yesterday, but that’s something we knew a week ago. Fortunately, Marty Burns over at SI.com threw together some off-season report cards for the teams in the much-improved Atlantic Division. He gives the defending champs credit for resigning Eddie House & Tony Allen, keeping defensive guru Tommy T., and for the fact KG, PP and Ray did not expend any energy in Beijing.

What went wrong:

Posey no longer in their pockets.
Posey, the veteran forward who hit some big three-pointers and played such a key defensive role opposite Kobe Bryant in last year’s Finals, signed with the Hornets. The Celtics hope Tony Allen can fill the void, but that remains to be seen. Allen is coming off a knee injury, and lacks Posey’s size and experience.

P.J. went back home.
After finally nabbing a long-sought NBA championship ring, veteran forward P.J. Brown has decided to hang ‘em up again — at least for now. Though not as big a contributor as Posey, Brown played key minutes down the stretch after joining the Celtics late in the season. If Brown, 38, indeed stays retired (or goes elsewhere), Glen “Big Baby” Davis will have to step up.

They got a year older.
If only Ainge could do something about Father Time. Even though the Big Three got rest, Garnett (32), Allen (33) and Pierce (31 in October) all have logged a lot of minutes over their careers and are at an age where many begin to slow down. It will be interesting to see how much they have left in the tank late in the season.

Grade: C

The defending champs didn’t need to make many changes. But will the loss of Posey hurt them come playoff time?

Fair criticism. But whose to say PJ doesn’t rejoin the team come March? And the Big 3 maybe be getting older, but the other 2 - Perk and Rondo - should be better (in Rondo’s case, much better). Philly and Toronto are going to be trendy picks to beat the C’s this year. And don’t be surprised if the national media bias against the Celtics resurfaces come October. It’s way too early for predictions, but I expect the Celtics to coast to near 60 wins and another appearance in the Finals.

Excuses Excuses

I hate people who make excuses.  Now we’re hearing them from a couple of guys who felt the need to make them after the US won gold in Beijing.

First up:  Larry Brown explaining why HIS team didn’t win gold.

“The thing is they got guys that are willing to make a three-year commitment, which I think is tremendous,” Brown said of this current Team USA. “We had guys that committed (for 2004) and then all of a sudden 9/11 happened, and then there were injuries.”

Here’s a thought.  Maybe everyone involved gave a half-assed effort.  That seems much more likely

Next:  Jose Calderon explaining why Spain would have won… if only….

“This is not the time to speak of officiating, but I think with the FIBA rules we would have won. That is why we are a little annoyed, because we were right there at the finish line and we have just missed out.”

Why Jose… did you guys get a different set of rules before the tournament?  The rules seem to suit you fine on your way to the gold medal game.  Ya got beat.  Live with it.  Don’t you have any other races or an ethnicity to openly mock?

Idiots… the both of them.

Jason Kidd Going Overseas

"I came for the gold medal, I stayed for the shoes made by cheap sweatshop labor."

Ok… so he’s not playing overseas… but he IS hawking Chinese shoes.  The Sporting News brings us word that Jason Kidd has dumped Nike to wear Peak shoes.  If you want to see more photos… including close ups of his shoes and a lot of things you can’t read… go here.

So Kidd joins Shane Battier on the Peak roster.  Hmmm… a role player and washed up star.  Way to build that roster.  Meanwhile… Yao Ming is wearing Reebok.  The hottest American star in China, Kobe Bryant, (and most of the league) is decked out in Nike.   I’ve got KG and Dwight Howard selling me Addidas… Dwyane Wade hawking Converse (a Nike brand). 

Do really think a role player and washed-up spousal abuser are going to make your big splash?  Only if you buy me off with a LOT of free stuff.

RedsArmy.com Team Photo

The thing about being a blogger… you tend to be anonymous.  Well.. Chuck and I just got our new team picture done… and I wanted to share. 

I’m the hot one with the mustache.

"Mmmmm... those shoulders seem tense. Let me get those for you"

Questions… Questions… Questions…

Welcome to the part of the off-season where we forget the Celtics are defending champions and those seeds of doubt and anxiety start creeping in.  It kinda goes something like this:

“OH MY GOD!!! THE ROSTER IS FULL AND I STILL DON’T REALLY KNOW WHO’LL REPLACE JAMES POSEY!!!  AAAAARRRRRGH!!!!!”

To that I say… relax Chuck.  (It’s also the part of the off-season where Chuck and I take gratuitous, unwarranted shots at one another just to keep things interesting).  Jessica Camerato is already trying to answer those questions.

Rather than focusing on who the Celtics signed, the better assessment is looking at who the Celtics are bringing back. Despite losing Posey, they have kept their starting five in tact. Big men Leon Powe and Glen “Big Baby” Davis will be back with championship-winning experience under their belts and veteran guard Eddie House (and his clutch long-range shooting) is returning as well. The Celtics are not looking for Giddens, Miles, O’Bryant, and Walker to be game changers. The core of the championship team was built last summer and now it is up to these newcomers to uphold the Celtics’ winning ways.

She makes a good point.  It’s easy to sit there and sweat over who we lost.  But its who we didn’t lose that’s really big.  For those of you who are still on the fence about Darius Miles… here’s just about everything there is to know about him.

Well… That’s Over. Now What?

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

This one wasn’t easy, but the US got the job done… beating Spain 118-107 to win the gold medal.  DWade had 27, Kobe had 20.  Spain had the game to 4 with a few minutes left.  But the US held on… and now we’re out of actual basketball to talk about.  For the next month or so… it’s going to be a lot of me and Chuck looking at the Celtics roster and asking “what if…. ?”

As in… What if Darius Miles looks REALLY good in the preseason… will Kevin Pritchard hire a sniper to take him out? 

And how the hell is that roster going to shake out anyway?  We know Ray, KG, Paul, Rondo and Perk are starting.  We know House and Tony Allen will get minutes on the perimeter.  We know Glen Davis/Leon Powe will get some run down low… presumably along with Patrick O’Bryant.  That’s 5 guys.  We can’t be going 10 deep on a daily basis… and we haven’t even considered the “Posey” role yet.  And we haven’t mentioned JR Giddens yet.  

As for Miles, Marc Spears asks today if he has any mileage left.  Scott Souza writes about Eddie House being happy with how things worked out.  And here’s Leon Powe teaching kids to play ball… and presumably… how to kill someone with a simple, icy glare.

One last thing I learned at the Olympics:  I still dig Sue Bird.  Maybe I’m just drawn to anyone named Bird who’s really good at basketball.  Hey… don’t judge me.

Blazers Rooting Against Miles

We all know the signing of Darius Miles carries very little risk with the potential of a huge reward. But if the following is true, the Portland Trail Blazers management has 18 million reasons to hope he fails:

The signing has little monetary risk for the Celtics, given that Miles is already assured of making $18 million over the next two seasons from his guaranteed contract with Portland. According to reports, if Miles plays 10 games for the C’s, the remaining $18 million of his six-year, $48 million salary goes back on Trail Blazers’ books.

Miles gets his money whether he plays or not. But because his injury was deemed career-ending by an independent medical examiner, the Blazers got a special cap waver. Now I’m sure Danny and Doc have watched this guy work out many times, but Danny wouldn’t say Miles is completely healthy:

Asked if Miles is completely healthy, Ainge replied, “Time will tell. He’ll have the next two months to get ready. He’ll work out with our guys and we’ll see. He’s played real well.”

To all those optimists out there (yes, I’m talking about you Danno) here’s something to keep in mind regarding Miles: No player has made it back to the NBA after receiving that “career-ending injury” designation.

And one other thing about Miles character, courtesy of Blazers broadcaster Mike Barrett:

Does he do the right thing always? Obviously not. Is he a guy who I am glad that is gone from this group of players?  Probably.  Just because of his off-the-court habits.  His recreational habits of what he likes to do.  I would prefer our young guys weren’t around somebody like that.

Bill Walker Signs

Danny Ainge is a busy guy.  He signed Bill Walker today… terms, of course, undisclosed.

“Bill’s hard work and skill development this summer has given us the belief that he can be in our short-term plans as well as our long-term plans.” Celtics GM Danny Ainge said in a press release.

A lot of people think this guy can do a lot for this team.  He’s been called a Posey clone… and he could fall into the ‘Leon Powe’ category of ‘2nd round guy with injuries that makes a big contribution.’ 

If Giddens and Walker pan out… don’t you think this is the draft that turns Danny Ainge into “draft genius?”

Other notes tonight:  Rajon Rondo has spent the last week putting himself through 2-a-days here in Boston.  And Dre in LA passes along a couple of trailers for NBA 2K9.  This one features NBA rookies playing the game (and a shot of KG in game action.)  This one is Andre Iquodala going up for a slow-motion alley oop.

But this is the money trailer: Paul Pierce up-faking Lamar Odom and then going in for the up and under finish.

Welcome Darius Miles

Courtesy: NBA.com

According to the Globe’s Marc Spears, the C’s have signed Darius Miles to a non-guaranteed contract. Yes, he’s never played to his potential, spent the last two years with major problems and will reportedly be suspended 10-games for violating the league’s drug policy but when you are the world champs, you can take a flyer on these types of guys. And he really, really wants to be here:

“I’ve watched the Boston Celtics play a lot last year and loved what I saw in their teamwork and chemistry on the court and it’s the team that I want to try to resume my career with.” Miles said in a press release. “I am excited about having an opportunity to play on a team that I feel my personality fits with and a team that can have great success on the court.”

Maybe, just maybe, he can fill the James Posey role.

If my memory serves me right, John predicted this signing earlier this summer.

One Mo’ to Go

Courtesy: Getty Images

Team USA is on the verge of its first Olympic Gold Medal in 8 years, thanks to their 101-81 victory over Argentina. Popovich and Duncan must have been thrilled watch Manu Ginobli re-injure his ankle. Up next: The Spaniards - a team we annihilated by 37 points. Should these guys gag on Sunday, the Golden State Examiner has a suggestion for future Olympiads: Send the champs.

Team USA has been working out all summer … for what? To figure out offensive pecking orders, defensive schemes, overall strategy, etc. But if you sent the NBA champions - the Boston Celtics, this year - all that would automatically take care of itself.  Yeah, it stinks that they’d have to practice a couple of times a week in June and July of your championship season, but then again, it was nice for everybody on the squad to get that $2 million Olympic bonus written into the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.

Kinda makes sense if you ask me. They could take several weeks off after the finals and then regroup two weeks before the games start.