Le Basketbawl

You truly did not fall for all that retirement talk earlier in the week that came from Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson; did you? When New York Vinnie heard that and the lack of sincerity in “Coach Zen’s” voice when he said it that told me that he would be back on the bench at the Staples Center next season. Thursday the “Los Angeles Times” reported that Jackson would be the bench boss next season for the team he won back to back NBA Titles with the last two years.

Los Angeles released a statement from their bench boss on Thursday. Jackson said “After a couple weeks of deliberation, it is time to get back to the challenge of putting together a team that can defend its title in the 2010-11 season. It’ll be the last stand for me, and I hope a grand one.”

The Lakers head coach will be trying to get his third three-peat in his coaching career. No specific terms of the deal have been announce either on the length of the contract or the amount that Jackson will be getting paid. There had been rumors circulating that Los Angeles Team Owner Jerry Buss wanted his Hall Of Fame coach to take a pay-cut were he to come back to the team.

Now that the NBA Finals have come to an end the focus now switches totally over to next season. We barely have time to catch our breath before next  Thursday night when the 2010 NBA Draft will be held. July 1, is the day that all the madness begins as Free Agents can start listening to offers from teams that want them to become part of their rosters.

The NBA Summer League starts soon after that and this summer we will also have Team USA participating in International play. So we will have plenty of hoops to keep us occupied over the next couple of months. And before you know it October 1, will be here again which means the start of NBA training camps as the whole process starts over again.

However before we can truly say good-bye to the season that officially ended Thursday night as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in the seventh game of the NBA Finals; there are still some loose ends that need tying up. The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers are currently without a head coach. And there could be changes on the bench with the Lakers and Celtics as well.

Los Angeles head coach Phil Jackson or as New York Vinnie likes to call him “Coach Zen“ will soon be without  a contract and there have been rumors that the club would like him to take a pay cut if he wants to continue as the bench boss of the team that he has just won back to back NBA Titles with. So needless to say it is not a lead pipe cinch that he will be back with the franchise next season.

Boston head coach Doc Rivers is signed through the upcoming season but he has a different dilemma. Rivers has three of his children who will hit major milestones starting in the fall. The Celtics head coach has a son and daughter who are graduating college next spring and a younger son who will be graduating high school at the same time. And all three of them are involved in team sports at their respective schools. The Boston bench boss loves his gig but he would regret not being able to travel with his children and watch them perform in the season ahead.

 Now New York Vinnie will say up front that the chances of the scenario I am going to propose will most likely not occur. In fact the chances of it happening are pretty slim; but New York Vinnie has seen too many strange things happen in my time on this Planet to rule it out. If the stars line-up correctly we could have a once in a lifetime situation on our hands that would make things to say the least very interesting next season.

In New York Vinnie’s opinion if the Los Angeles Lakers ask “Coach Zen” to take a pay cut to keep his present position after winning the Finals two straight years they are insulting the man. New York Vinnie has his differences with Phil Jackson but there is no denying he is a great head coach. Let us remember that Jackson and the Lakers have parted company once before as the Shaq and Kobe era came to an end. So “Coach Zen” has been down this road before.

Now if Rivers decides that it is more important for he and his family to spend the year with them and Jackson is low-balled by the Lakers is it possible that “Coach Zen” could be the bench boss for the Boston Celtics next season? If Jax really wants to kick Lakers owner Jerry Buss where it hurts the most it just could happen.

Although Jackson has won more NBA Finals as a head coach than anyone else in the history of the NBA; he is tied in another  category. Both “Coach Zen” and Miami Heat President Pat Riley have won NBA Finals with two different teams. If Jackson takes over for Rivers in Boston he could conceivably break that tie by winning the NBA Finals with the Celtics. If “Coach Zen” is looking for one more mountain to climb before he decides to call it a career Boston could be that challenge he is looking for. They used to say when Bear Bryant was the football coach of the Crimson Tide “He can take his’n and beat your’n, and he can take your’n and beat his’n.” If “Coach Zen” goes to Boston for next season he could actually do that!

Now most likely Jackson will re-sign with the Lakers and New York Vinnie thinks that Rivers will work out something with the Celtics so that he can keep running the team on the floor. But as New York Vinnie pointed out earlier you can never rule anything out; especially in the world of Pro Sports.

Anybody who knows anything about the history of the National Basketball Association has to give the Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson his propers. After all “Coach Zen” has now won 10 NBA Championships after winning number four with the Lakers last year. However Your Old Pal New York Vinnie has to say that as a human being “Coach Zen” has turned into a Frickin PUD! New York Vinnie is not quite sure when this transformation happened but it has as Jackson in trying to get an edge before a Playoff series starts; says something to try to get the NBA referees on his side.

In the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs Jackson told reporters that Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant was getting “Super-Star Treatment” by NBA officials. In other words “Coach Zen” was insinuating that the third year All-Star was not getting calls on a lot of violations he was committing. Durant who was making his first appearance in the Post Season was upset by the remarks and they may have affected his play during the first round match-up.

The “Los Angeles Times” reported that “Coach Zen” is once again trying to get inside the heads of his opponents before they take on the Boston Celtics Thursday in the NBA Finals. Jackson was trying to point out the differences between the two opponents who will meet at the Staples Center for game one of the best of seven series. The Lakers bench boss told reporters “We don’t have a smack-down mentality. You might have seen that with Garnett on Howard in Game 6 in Boston, where he was smacking Howard’s arm and was finally called for an offensive foul. That’s not our kind of team. We don’t go out there and smack people around.”

If Jackson was hoping to enrage the Celtics  with his comments it did exactly the opposite. Celtics head coach Doc Rivers when told what Jackson had to say laughed and replied “We just thank Phil for the compliment. That’s very nice of him to say. I think he picks the best player on the other team or who he thinks is key. So I think Kevin should put that one right up there with his MVP trophy and everything else. I think Kevin should be excited about that. I think Paul and Ray and Rondo, they’re going to be (ticked off) about this because they were hoping it would be them.”

Garnett responded “I think nothing of it. It’s just Phil playing mind games. I think part of defense is being physical. Definitely being firm. You’re playing physical guys like Shaq, Dwight Howard, Bynum, you’ve got to hold your ground. You’ve got to find some way to absorb it the best way you see fit. Our style is to stay firm, consistent and there’s a lot of communication.”

In New York Vinnie’s opinion “Coach Zen” has not only complimented the Celtics with his remarks but he has denigrated his own team for being too soft. New York Vinnie remembers when Boston forward Kevin McHale threw Lakers forward Kurt Rambis to the ground during the 1984 Finals. That one play turned that whole series around as the “Showtime Lakers’ were then intimidated by the Celtics. Boston would end up winning those Finals and that won display of their toughness was a key factor.

In New York Vinnie’s mind I would rather have my team have a smack-down mentality than to be a bunch of wussies. And New York Vinnie believes most pro-sports fans feel the same way!  You Play Clean, You Play Hard but You Play To Win!

Your Old Pal New York Vinnie believes that one of the reasons that Le Basketbawl has become so popular with you our readers is we bring you a different perspective than all the other guys. They say that some people see the glass as half empty; while others see it as half full. New York Vinnie on the other hand is more concerned with what is in the Frickin glass and is it safe to drink. We all go through life together; what it comes down to is how you react to it.

Now over the past day or so the NBA has been going Frickin nuts about the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers lost game five of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Boston Celtics Tuesday night by a final of 120-88.  Boston now leads the series 3-2 with game six to be played in Boston on Thursday night. From all corners of this great Nation of ours people are in shock over this turn of events. Whether it is the “TV Pretty Boys” or some 15 year old from Idaho who blogs in his parents basement every body has been weighing in on this subject.

There is all sorts of conjecture of what could be causing this outcome in the series so far; all concerning the Cleveland Cavaliers. Some say that Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James is hurt worse than he or the team is admitting. Others say that the team is choking under the expectations and the pressures that they are under. Still more are questioning the heart of James and is he made of the right stuff.

New York Vinnie realized on Wednesday that not one of these “Frickin So-Called Experts” have brought up the fact that the Boston Celtics have been playing some pretty good ball since the Playoffs began. You truly can not compare in any way shape or form the way the Celtics have improved from the team that limped into the NBA Playoffs and the team that is walloping the Cleveland Cavaliers this series.

Here is the bottom Frickin line; the Boston Celtics have been playing better basketball than the  Cleveland Cavaliers in four games of this series. The Cavaliers pulled out a victory in game one that easily could have gone the other way. The only time that Cleveland dominated in this series was in Boston last Friday night in game three of the series.

Isn’t it about time somebody gave some credit to the Boston Celtics for what they are doing rather than what Cleveland is not doing? Has everybody forgotten that this team won the NBA Finals in 2008; and was looked at as a leading contender to win it this season? The Cavaliers are not playing the Frickin New Jersey Nets; the Celtics are one of the elite teams in the NBA.

So instead of blaming Cleveland; how about giving the Celtics credit for rising to the occasion? Because as a wise man once said; “That is why they play the games.”

The man who created the Dynasty that was the Boston Celtics from the late 1950’s until 1969; Red Auerbach stopped coaching the year before New York Vinnie was born. However New York Vinnie has been an NBA fan since I was a little squirt, and have done quite a bit of reading about the early days of the NBA. One of the greatest strengths of the Celtics legendary coach was he knew how to read people; and therefore he knew exactly how to treat them as individuals.

Auerbach knew that the only way he was going to be able to coach Basketball Hall Of Fame Legend Bill Russell was to always treat him with tact and diplomacy and always show him respect. He also knew that he had a player in Boston big man Tommy Heinsohn that he could yell and scream at and that the talented big man would never take offense or get upset. Auerbach later admitted to sending a lot of messages to his entire team as he ripped Heinsohn a new one in front of his teammates.

New York Vinnie believes that may be the skill that is most needed when you are the boss in any profession. You have to know who you have to stroke and who you need to plant your boot up their posterior. Different people respond to situations in different ways; whether you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 Company or a head coach the principal remains the same.

It appears that the current bench boss of the Boston Celtics Doc Rivers has the same talent that Auerbach did during his days on the pine. Celtics veteran big man Rasheed Wallace stunk up the Frickin joint on Saturday in game one of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals in Cleveland as they lost to the Cavaliers 101-93. Wallace in 13 minutes on the hardwood did not produce as he scored 2 points and had 2 rebounds in the loss.

Sunday after the  Boston shoot around Rivers talked to reporters about Wallace and his disappointing game the day before. The “Boston Herald” reported Monday that a member of the media asked the Boston bench boss whether Wallace would see less time on the floor if his numbers did not improve. Rivers responded “It could be. But bottom line is he has to play better, and we’ll give him every opportunity to play well. He has to play better, bottom line. He’s got to play better defense. The offense will come, but he has to be a better defender.”

Your Old Pal New York Vinnie thought that Rivers had done the wrong thing and that Wallace would deal with the chastising as he has in the past by being sullen and moody. It turns out though that Rivers played the situation perfectly as the veteran big man scored 17 points in 18 minutes of play and was a factor in the Celtics holding Cleveland to shooting just 40% (28-70) for the game as Boston won game two Monday by a final of 104-86.

That just goes to show how valuable to the club Rivers is, and why the Celtics have to do everything they can to entice him to stay with the team rather than give up coaching to spend more time with his family. Chances are that Cleveland is still going to win this series; but the Celtics coach got his mission accomplished on Monday. Doc Rivers was just as big a factor as any player in 2008 when Boston won the NBA Title. Coaches like Rivers are hard to come by; the Celtics future may depend on holding onto him as long as they can!

Saturday the Boston Celtics opened up their NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Final series in Cleveland to the Cleveland Cavaliers by a final 0f 101-93. The Celtics played a good game hanging with Cleveland until the Cavaliers broke away in the last two minutes of the game to walk off the court as the victors.

The Celtics who were playing Frickin embarrassing ball for the last few weeks of the regular season have done well so far in the Post Season as they defeated the Miami Heat in four games in the opening round. After the loss to Cleveland on Saturday they are 4-2 in the Playoffs going into game two against the Cavaliers in Cleveland Monday night. However there are cracks starting to show through the Boston Celtics armor; which usually is the first step on the road that leads to an early end of the season.

Back in the beginning of April Boston bench boss Doc Rivers called out the “Fair Weather Fans” who were booing when the Celtics were losing games to inferior teams on their home court. Rivers told reporters at that point “You don’t have to be (sold on the club) because I am. I look at our team, and we played one bad night. We were playing great up until two games ago. Were you optimists three games ago? Either you’re on the bandwagon or you’re off. I tell guys that all the time. That’s the way I think, and that’s how our team should think. I’m not going to spend time trying to convince you to dislike us or like us. Our team just has to keep working. Should I worry about a team where you guys don’t think we can win anymore?”

Well according to the “Boston Herald” Monday some of the Celtics players may be jumping off the bandwagon as well. More specifically Boston veteran big man Rasheed Wallace; as the Celtics coach told reporters he is not happy with the results he is seeing from him. Wallace has had a stormy career during his entire in the NBA; but from all outward appearances was a “Model Citizen” this season with Boston. Wallace has not been as productive as in seasons past; but he is getting older and is now coming off the bench as opposed to starting with the Detroit Pistons.  

However after a shoot around on Sunday Rivers was asked if his big man does not improve his production will he see less time on the floor as the series progresses. The Celtics coach replied “It could be. But bottom line is he has to play better, and we’ll give him every opportunity to play well. He has to play better, bottom line. He’s got to play better defense. The offense will come, but he has to be a better defender.”

New York Vinnie does not remember any time that Rivers has ever criticized one of his players in the media. Even with the Frickin Crazy Crappolla Glen Davis pulled this past season Doc never said anything negative. So why at this juncture of the season would the Boston bench boss throw Wallace under the Frickin bus?

New York Vinnie can come up with two possible explanations for Rivers going against the grain on Sunday. Either things have been accumulating for quite a while with Wallace; or else Rivers has already decided that this will be his last year with the Celtics so he can spend more time with his family.

The Celtics head coach last month said that he had not decided at that point whether he would coach again next season as he has three children who will all be going through big events starting in the fall. Rivers said he had no interest in coaching elsewhere but was torn between being with his family next year or on the pine with Boston.

Either way there seems to be something messing with the chemistry of the Boston Celtics right now. They in the best of circumstances would have a tough time beating the Cavaliers. But if that team is not all on the same page this will be a very short series and a very long off-season for the Boston Celtics and their fans.

Your Old Pal New York Vinnie admitted a while back that I was wrong when making a prediction last summer that the Boston Celtics would win the NBA Finals in 2010. However the way that the Celtics have been playing over the last few weeks makes it certainly not out of the question that the team could be eliminated in the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs. Boston has lost to teams that they should have been able to toy with over the last few weeks; including the Nets, the Knicks and on Friday night the Washington Wizards.

The Celtics have looked old and out of sync on both ends of the floor. Their defense is no longer the best in the NBA and they have slipped below scoring 100 points as well. Injuries have hurt the team as Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce both missed some time earlier this year. Ray Allen has not been consistent this season although his scoring has increased over the last quarter of the season. Rajon Rondo has definitely been the team’s rock and fortunately they have him locked up in a long-term contract.

New York Vinnie can certainly not blame Boston head coach Doc Rivers who is one the best young coaches in the NBA. Has this team suddenly gotten old; and no longer to do what they did in 2008? That certainly did not seem the case for the first two months of the season as the Celtics were tied with the Lakers on Christmas Day. However that was when all the injuries started to happen and the Celtics Victory Train was derailed.

The Boston Celtics have been booed in Boston over the last few weeks. Just like the fans in the “Greatest City To Ever Exist On The Planet, New York City” Boston fans are tough. They don’t take Crappolla and they have really high Frickin standards. This was a team that was expected to be standing at the end and unless a miracle occurs that will not happen.

So what is the future of the Celtics after this season ends? Do they stay with the same core; or is it time to re-tool or even rebuild? New York Vinnie believes there could be some major changes coming for the Celtics and Ray Allen most likely is the guy who will be out the door. Allen has a player option for next season which he would be foolish to exercise; but that does not mean the Celtics do not try to trade him.

Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels will not be back with Boston next season and Michael Finley may end up retiring. Nate Robinson becomes an unrestricted Free Agent and he does not seem to have found a home with the Celtics. Glen Davis was signed to a contract extension but it is well known that he is not on the favorites list of the Celtics Team Owners.

Rondo will be back for sure as will Garnett and New York Vinnie believes that Pierce will be back as well. However once you get past those three players most likely anybody on the Boston roster will be available. Can the Celtics surround these three players that they could be legit next season? It is way too early too tell; but Danny Ainge is a pretty sharp guy as he proved when he put together the team that won it all in 2008.