MySports Today

NBA League sources have confirmed that the Boston Celtics are willing to consider trades involving either Ray Allen or Rajon Rondo, 2 of the key stars who helped bring an NBA championship back to Boston in 2008.  Allen has an expiring $20 million contract at the end of the 2009-2010 NBA season, and the Celtics seem reluctant to give Rondo the lucrative, long-term deal that he seeks.  While the 34-year Allen is in the twilight of his career, the 24-year old Rondo has emerged as a big-game player, averaging 11.9 points, 8.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds during the regualr season.  Rondo also had 3 triple-doubles in the playoffs this past season.

While Celtics GM Danny Ainge and Pistons GM Joe Dumars never actually spoke about this proposed trade, NBA league sources have reported that low-level executives from the Celtics and Pistons discussed a trade that would have sent Allen and Rondo to the Celtics for Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey.  The trade makes little sense for the Pistons (unloading 3 of their 4 best players for 1 old guy and 1 young guy), and reports have it that the Pistons exec immediately rejected the deal.

It should be interesting to see if the Celtics make a move this off-season.  Without Kevin Garnett much of the season, the Celtics weaknesses were exposed as the Chicago Bulls took them to the brink of elimination with a grueling 7-game series in the 1st round of the playoffs.  It seems clear that Ainge is trying to make some productive moves now to better his ball club before it’s too late.

Despite finishing the NBA Season with the 2nd best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, the defending champion Boston Celtics were concerned about their chances in the playoffs.  Right before the playoffs started, they got word that Kevin Garnett – their leader and defensive stopper in the middle – would miss at least the 1st round of the NBA playoffs and maybe more.  In the 1st game of the playoffs against the #7 seed Chicago Bulls, rookie guard Derrick Rose burst out onto the NBA playoff scene with an incredible 1st ever playoff game – 36 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds and 1 steal.  The Bulls upset the Celtics in overtime 105-103 behind Rose and a solid team effort that saw 5 Bulls players score in double-digits.

The Celtics struggled to pull out a 118-115 over the Bulls in Game 2 of the series on Monday night.  Ray Allen hit a game-winning 3-point shot with 2 seconds left in the game to prevent the Bulls from taking a 2-0 lead in the best of 7 series .  But the win did not come without a cost.  Rajon Rondo had the game of the night – 19 points, 16 assists, 12 rebounds and 5 steals – but he did injure his left ankle.  Rondo will not practice on Tuesday or Wednesday to rest the sore ankle, but he will play on Thursday night in Chicago.  Leonard Powe, however, is not so fortunate.  Powe injured his knee on a spin move and could only play 3 more minutes on the bum leg.  Tests on Tuesday revealed a torn ACL and Powe will miss the rest of the 2009 playoffs.

All in all, the Celtics are counting their blessings.  Ray Allen came to life in Game 2, scoring 28 of his 30 points in the 2nd half to help the Celtics pull off the win.  Paul Pierce has yet to bust out in the series -23 points and 7 rebounds on Saturday and 18 points and 8 rebounds on Monday.  Eventually a huge night will come for the Celtics, and when that happens, it could mean the end for this spirited Bulls run.