When Red Auerbach spent the No. 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft on Larry Joe Bird of Indiana State, there were a few eyebrows raised. You see, Bird wouldn’t be actually entering the NBA for another year because under the rules in place in those days, Bird — who had taken a redshirt season when he transfered from Indiana — was eligible to be drafted after his junior season.

But for one full year, the Boston Celtics would not have any benefit from that draft pick.

At the time, there wasn’t a lot of fuss. Nobody was too sure how good Bird was going to be — he hadn’t had a lot of big-time exposure. And oh well, Red usually knew what he was doing.

Did he ever. A year later, of course, Bird was a much hotter property.

But fast forward 30 years and the world isn’t quite as laid back. David Kahn, the new general manager in Minnesota, possibly having to wait two seasons for Ricky Rubio has set off a real fuss. He’s being called an idiot from coast to coast. Look, I’m not comparing Rubio to Bird in any way (or Kahn to Auerbach for that matter), other than to point out the way the world has changed to a results-right-now culture.

Kahn took Rubio in the first round last June, knowing full well how difficult Rubio’s buyout is. Now, with word coming out of Spain that Rubio’s been traded and is probably two seasons away from a cheap buyout, Kahn is still insisting that no deal with any team has been reached.

But really, Kahn has a long-term vision on this thing that most fans and media these days just can’t abide and his worst-case scenario isn’t as bad as it looks right now. He knows his Timberwolves aren’t going to be competing for a playoff berth next season. Or probably even the season after that. Frankly, they’re awful.

The way you build a solid franchise in the NBA isn’t through quick fixes and rapid transformations. You build with solid people, good young talent, astute trades, you do it piece by piece and it takes time. There are no shortcuts, other than getting lucky with the ping-pong balls at the draft.

What Kahn has done is decide that if Ricky Rubio is a pretty good player right now, with two more years of European experience he’s going to be an even better player and even more valuable to an NBA team.  Kahn has already taken a pretty good point guard in this draft and he can afford to be patient with Rubio.

At some point when Rubio buys himself out of Spain, Kahn will be able to better see the long-term needs of the T-Wolves and decide whether to bring Rubio aboard to his team or trade him for a missing piece. And oh yeah, they won’t have him on the salary cap for those years, either.

Either way, Rubio is a very big asset to the Minnesota Timberwolves, no matter where he’s playing.

It’s all a matter of patience. And that’s something in today’s world — not just in sports but everything — that’s really in short supply.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, David Kahn, Dwight Jaynes, Larry Bird, Minnesota Timberwolves, Red Auerbach, Ricky Rubio

As I read all the reports today about Rasheed Wallace heading to the Boston Celtics, I happened to notice the old T-shirt I’d thrown over my head today. It’s my favorite of all time and put out in a limited edition (a very limited edition, I believe) and it arrived shortly after one of Wallace’s special media performances during the playoffs.

You know the story. But if you don’t, suffice it to say he’s a guy who didn’t offer much in post-game interviews. (Clip thanks to”Arthritis” in the comments).

So as Celtic fans await the arrival of a guy who can produce plenty as long as you don’t have to rely on him for it,  enjoy this photo of my favorite shirt.

And by the way, I hope he and KG get along perfectly.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Both teams played hard, Dwight Jaynes, Portland Trail Blazers, Rasheed Wallace

Two disheartening games last night, as far as I was concerned. I know in Orlando they’re saying they got the shaft in Boston last night when officials said an airball hit the rim, allowing the Celtics to retain possession. People are saying for sure it was an airball but I saw three replays where you just couldn’t tell.

But the Magic can’t blame referees for that loss. They imploded in the final four minutes of the game, getting poor shots or no shots and then not stopping the Celts at the other end. “We just quit playing,” Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. “We looked like we were trying to run the clock out.”

That injury to Jameer Nelson, the outstanding Orlando point guard, has really hurt in the playoffs. His replacement, ol’ Skip to my Lou — Rafer Alston — is an “And One” streetball refugee who just isn’t up to this kind of heavy lifting, at least so far.

And then there is the Laker-Rocket series. Houston has done a great job of putting together meticulous preparation and monster effort but is way too overmatched. I love how hard the Rockets play but seriously — they’re just not good enough at this point. At the same time, the Lakers have been very inconsistent.

So far, Los Angeles does not look like a team capable of winning an NBA title. The Lakers are just out of sync right now and out of rhythm.

And for all you people who think Ron Artest is the answer for the Blazers, come on. This is a guy who looks great on the odd night when his shot is falling. Or when, for some reason, he decides just not to take any shots. But for the most part he’s a guy who thinks he’s a scorer who will rattle off 20 shots, hit four of them and then shake his head and wonder why everyone is mad at him.

I wouldn’t touch him.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Dwight Jaynes, Houston Rockets, Jameer Nelson, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Rafer Alston, Ron Artest

Yes, Tyson Chandler is on his way back to New Orleans because he couldn’t pass the physical at OKC. A tough thing to go back to a team that tried to trade you.

A lot of Portland fans may not remember that same thing happened here, in 1987. My Fourth of July barbecue (oh well, it was raining that day, anyway) was interrupted when the Blazers traded Jim Paxson to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Keith Lee. But Lee had knee problems and the Blazer doctors wouldn’t pass him.

So Paxson stayed here, had a foot surgery that caused him to miss the start of the season and then played a few games before being traded to the Boston Celtics for Jerry Sichting, whose career would end here because of chronic foot problems.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dwight Jaynes, Jerry Sichting, Jim Paxson, Keith Lee, Portland Trail Blazers, rescinded trades, Tyson Chandler

Over at ESPN, Chad Ford is saying that the Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings are involved in talks that would send Cassell to the Kings for a draft pick and some cash. And nobody thinks the Kings want Cassell.

Could the Kings be acquiring him for the Trail Blazers? Cassell hasn’t played in a game all season and fancies himself a veteran leader who someday will be an NBA head coach. He’s created a unique niche for himself in that role. Could the Blazers, who reportedly also have an interest in the Kings’ John Salmons, be looking to bring Cassell in to mentor their point guards? Or just to provide some locker room savvy prior to the playoffs?

It’s an intriguing thought.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Dwight Jaynes, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Sam Cassell

Yes, Portland had six players on the court. Yes, you’re right — that basket with six players on the court should NEVER have counted. Stupidity ruled. But come on, Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics — that thing cost you one lousy point!!!!

You get four or five points every game from the referees just for BEING the Boston Celtics. And you got at least that many in the fourth quarter alone during that game against the Blazers, who, by the way, were playing without Brandon Roy.

I’d usually tell a team to just let it go, but for some reason it makes me smile to think the Boston Celtics are still stewing over it. Yeah, you really got the shaft, Celts. Too bad. It’s a damn shame.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Dwight Jaynes, NBA, six men on the court

I believe this is one of the most promising games in the last couple of seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers. And no, not just because it was won with Brandon Roy on the sidelines. It was much more than that:

• Portland was tough. Tough. All night long. When they got an elbow in the chops, the Blazers gave one right back. They made several subtle physical statements, right from the first Boston possession of the game, that they would take no crap Tuesday night. That’s a huge step forward for the Trail Blazers — a quantum leap, really, because it was a step many thought they couldn’t make. They’ve been soft at times in the past — and may again be soft. But Tuesday they showed that they CAN play tough, too.
• I don’t even know where to start with Greg Oden. He met the physical challenge and became a huge factor in the game. Boston does not have anyone big enough to guard him. He keeps offensive rebounds alive and he seals the middle on defense. Every game he shows you something more on offense. He hit a face-up jumper and a FINGER ROLL(!!!!) Tuesday night. Sorry, but executed perfectly, there’s no prettier shot in basketball than the finger roll. You probably grew up watching George Gervin drop them in from the middle of the lane, like in the greatest Nike commercial EVER (“The one thing I could do was finger roll.”) Beautiful stuff. But I can still remember Wilt Chamberlain, when he wasn’t close enough to dunk, could finger roll with incredible accuracy. It’s a great shot because a tall guy with long arms can get the ball past a defender and make a shot almost unblockable by using it — and draw a lot of fouls in the process. If you’re still not on the Oden Express, that’s fine. Just be careful what you say about him because at some point, you’re likely to look pretty foolish (SIDEBAR TIME!!!! — Once there was a sportscaster at KGW (8), a legendary pioneer in Portland, named Doug LaMear. Doug was a good guy, but back in the day when most of Portland was frustrated by Bill Walton’s politics and his inability to play many games without getting hurt, LaMear suggested the Blazers ought to trade Walton for “(noted naturalist) Euell Gibbons and a six-pack of carrot juice.” It was funny stuff and ended up in Time Magazine, even. Except a year or two later when Walton was leading Portland to its only NBA title, nobody thought it was too funny then — by that time good ol’ Bill had become Portland’s favorite hippie center. Careful what you say now, folks — if he doesn’t get seriously hurt, this guy Oden is going to be a monster. END SIDEBAR)
• Steve Blake made huge shots and defended some very tough guys.
• Joel Przybilla and Oden played together for a few minutes and it was VERY effective. I liked the look of Oden with the ball on one side of the lane and Przybilla crashing the rim from the weakside. In the playoffs, I’d be tempted to use the two centers with Aldridge in a tight, three-man, two-position rotation.
• Playoffs? You better believe it.
• I think Nate McMillan, deep down, must have loved this game. Finally, his team captured some of the coach’s physical toughness. It will be interesting to see if it was a one-night wonder or a long-term addition.

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Tags: Bill Walton, Boston Celtics, Brandon Roy, Doug LaMear, Dwight Jaynes, George Gervin, Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla, Nate McMillan

Kevin Garnett has been troublesome to the Trail Blazers, both with his play on the court and his talking. Or shall we say taunting. In fact, the last time the Blazers played the Celtics, in Boston, Garnett got down on all fours and mocked Jerryd Bayless late in the game.

I’m not sure this is the game when it’s going to happen, but at some point, somebody with a Trail Blazer shirt on is going to respond to this guy. And in a physical way. I can just feel it. At the very least, someone is going to have to send him a message, even if it’s just in the form of a very hard, but clean, foul.

(By the way, Anthony Peeler was once a teammate of Garnett and knew exactly how to handle him when his team met the Timberwolves in the playoffs one year. Remember this? Garnett didn’t know whether to spit or go blind.)

Portland coach Nate McMillan isn’t the kind of guy who will tell his players to go lay one on Garnett. What he’d rather have is for his players to stick it to Garnett where it hurts the most — on the scoreboard. But don’t take that to mean he’s told his players not to respond to Garnett in some way — with words or actions.

“I won’t tell them not to respond,” he said. ” You can’t put your tail between your legs. But the important thing is to just play. Talking is one thing, but you’ve got to play.”

People always talk about teams taking on the personality of their head coach and I think that’s happened in Portland, where the Trail Blazers don’t complain, they play hard and do things the right way — just as McMillan did as a player. But one thing is missing and that’s McMillan’s physical toughness. Trust me on this, as a guy who watched him play a lot of times, Nate McMillan took no guff from anybody.

And at some point, his players are going to have to pick up that physical toughness trait. When they do, they’re going to be a better team, not only against Kevin Garnett but against everyone else.

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Tags: Anthony Peeler, Boston Celtics, Dwight Jaynes, Kevin Garnett, Nate McMillan, Portland Trail Blazers

Here, thanks to commenter Larry, is proof. At least partial proof, but you can’t see much of it. So a guy can get down on all fours and crawl at a Portland player like a dog, then get in the same guy’s face after a hard foul and taunt him — and not be fined? Exactly what is that about, NBA?

“I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” Mark Jackson said on the ESPN commentary.

And seriously, the next time the Blazers play Boston, somebody’s got to make some sort of statement with a hard foul on Garnett. It’s great to say you’re going to laugh it off or ignore him but the guy’s not showing you any respect at all and someone’s got to get his attention. At some point, doesn’t an elbow have to be thrown? Or can’t you at least hammer him on a shot attempt? This is enough to make you appreciate hockey, where you can take care of things like this.

Yeah – I’m old school. But come on — the guy’s just begging for it. You wouldn’t let that stuff go unanswered at any level in any sport. In baseball, acting that way toward an opponent would get you a fastball in the ribs, if not the noggin. In football, you’re taking a chance on receiving a nasty crackback.

If Garnett doesn’t get fined for it, the league has no balls. And I’m not talking about Spauldings.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Dwight Jaynes, Kevin Garnett, NBA, Portland Trail Blazers

Because Friday night’s Trail Blazer game was monumentally over-hyped, now we have to sit through all the hand-wringing and attempts at explanations. Folks, because Portland lost I’m going to say the same thing I would have said if it had won: it doesn’t mean squat.

Yes, the Blazers got hammered. Embarrassed. But the important thing now is that because of the overemphasis, it doesn’t have a carryover affect on the season. Perspective is your best friend. This game has very little to do with the outcome of the season, other than what you can learn from it. Portland didn’t lose because it’s mentally weak or because it is poorly coached. I’m not even sure it lost because the Celtics have better players.

It lost because Boston is a much better team. Much better. And the good thing about playing better teams is that it teaches you where you need to improve. Let me suggest a few things:

• Portland got exploited in its transition defense through much of the game. Plainly, the Blazers didn’t get back. Boston got way too many leak-out, fast-break points. It seemed really bad when the Blazers tried to play without a point guard. When Rudy and Roy were on the floor together, nobody was getting back. And when the point guard penetrated, nobody rotated back. This was sending Jeff Van Gundy, the ESPN commentator, into fits of wide-eyed disbelief and really, it’s understandable. This is one thing that’s pretty easily remedied.
• Portland’s usual offense of pick-and-rolls all over the floor, leading to one-on-one opportunities, was rendered totally ineffective. You can’t expect – even if you’re the best player in the league — to have the chance of playing one-on-one against Boston. Kobe Bryant got killed trying to do it last year in the Finals. The Celtics just won’t let it happen. You play one-on-five. Clearouts for Brandon Roy? Forget about it. Not going to work. Against Boston, like all good defensive teams, you have to move the ball and MOVE BODIES. It’s the only way.
• Along with that, Van Gundy made another point that had merit: the Portland “bigs” have to run the floor. Once he made the point of saying something about being sick of seeing them trotting back down on defense instead of running. Greg Oden still hasn’t found that high gear after his injury and just doesn’t seem to push himself in going end-to-end. But LaMarcus Aldridge is guilty of the same thing. They do have to pick it up at times in getting back and defending the basket.
• I think there are so few really good defensive teams in the league the last few years that it’s very difficult to score when you run up against one of them. It takes time to adjust. And by then, you’re down by 20. Portland must learn to accelerate its own defense to meet this challenge. In the halfcourt, it wasn’t too bad Friday . . . but the transition defense, yikes!
• When Brandon Roy can’t get to the hoop the Blazers don’t have much of an inside game. They’re going to have to get Aldridge and Oden going on a regular basis at the post in the long run. On the nights when the long ball isn’t going in, you’ve got to have that post game. This is really not an insurmountable problem, either. The talent is there.

I would again plead for people to not worry much about the outcome of the game. This team learned some lessons the hard way and that’s the best way to learn them, in many cases. Just one more time I will remind you, it was just one game.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Brandon Roy, Dwight Jaynes, Greg Oden, LeMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers, Rudy Fernandez