By: Dan Podheiser, YawkeyTalkies Assistant Editor
In case you haven’t heard, the Boston Celtics have the greatest team ever assembled.
That is, if it were 2003.
In light of the Miami Heat signing three of the best players in the game this offseason, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge decided to go a different route. He signed the best players in the game – from seven years ago.
So let’s take a trip back to the 2002-03 season, shall we?
At center, we have Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq played just 67 games that year, but averaged 27.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. He was in the prime of a career that made him the most dominant center ever to play the game.
At forward, the C’s are rocking Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O’Neal.
KG, then a Minnesota Timberwolves superstar, was seventh in the league in scoring with 23 points per game, in addition to his 13.4 rebounds (second) .
O’Neal had a breakout season in 2002-03, his second year with the Indiana Pacers after coming over from Portland. O’Neal averaged 20.8 points and finished fourth in the NBA with 10.3 boards. His 178 blocks also ranked him fifth in the NBA.
As strong as the C’s are (or, [...]

By Dan Massar: YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
If only it was 2000.
Not because that was the summer of the first  season of “Survivor.”  Not because it gave us the epic drama that was Bush vs. Gore.  And not because it gave us Julia Roberts showing off her goods in Erin Brockovich.
Too bad it’s not 2000 for the sake of the Boston Celtics because they just signed NBA icon and future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal to a two year contract.  He’s 38 years old now and has played 18 NBA seasons.  Ten years ago he was in the middle of his prime and was the best player on the planet.
Now he is a serviceable big man who gives the Celtics another big body to fill in for the injured Kendrick Perkins.  If his first name wasn’t Shaq, this move would be seen as a smart and safe move by Danny Ainge.  Last year he averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds in 23 minutes per game which are respectable numbers.  But when you know these are Shaq’s numbers you begin to reminisce about his dominant days in the 90’s and most of the 2000’s when he dominated the NBA.
Everyone knows Shaq is a [...]

By: Jess Lander, YawkeyTalkies editor
Shaquille O’Neal might be heading to Boston. I’ve heard mixed reactions from Boston fans on this, but here is mine. NO. GOD NO. WHY?!?!?!
Six Reasons Shaq should go away, even if they are a bit of a stretch:
1. While I was raised a die-hard Boston fan, I grew up in Orlando, and spent much of my formative years hearing one thing about Shaquille O’Neal.  He can’t hit a free throw. This was true, and as I watched the man hurt more than help LeBron James last season, I realized he still can’t. He’s averaged .527% over career, and in 2009 was at .496% Even if these numbers aren’t horrendous, nobody that tall should frequently miss a set shot like that, right?
2. Having two O’Neal’s will be too confusing. Just like two Allen’s were. There apparently wasn’t room enough for Tony and Ray, and neither of them are as huge as Shaq…see what I’m getting at?
3. He’s 38. Our team is old enough. ‘Nuff said.
4. He didn’t help LeBron win a championship, so who’s to say he’ll help us win one?
5. He played for the Lakers. And Orlando. And Cleveland. All Rivals of the Celts.
6. This picture [...]

Boston fans are all over the world. Sarah Lee Marks, former Bostonian and current Vegasian (I have NO IDEA what Las Vegas dwellers call themselves, but that just sounds weird), is excited to announce that Rondo is coming to town. As someone who lives in a sports city that’s known to be pretty lacking in sports culture, the USA Basketball Team’s arrival is a pretty big deal. However, not as big of a deal as Rondo, fighting for a spot. We all know he deserves it, just as much as he deserved that MVP this year, had those damn Lakers not won. (Yep, still not over it. Are you?)
Read her post here, (http://www.mycarlady.com/2010/07/18/celtics-rondo-to-las-vegas-for-team-usa/) and stay tuned for more coverage of training camp and possible photos.

By: Dan Massar, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
I was wrong.
With the 4th Quarter beginning I turned to a few of my esteemed colleagues who were with me at The Garden and I said, “I don’t like this lineup for the Celtics to start the 4th.” The lineup consisted of Nate Robinson, Tony Allen, Ray Allen, Glen Davis and Rasheed Wallace.  Woops, I’ll take a mulligan on that one.
This unit turned the tide of the game and maybe the series as the Celtics tied up the NBA Finals at 2-2.  Down 62-60 to start the quarter, the Celts jumped on the Lakers with a 10-2 run to go up 72-64.  The heart and hustle of this unit was unbelievable.  Big Baby was in his words after the game, “a beast.”  He poured in 18 points, 9 coming in the 4th.  Robinson is instant offense scoring 12 points but he also played strong defense and made a great steal and called a timeout before he could be tied up for a jump ball.  Tony Allen played ferocious defense on Kobe Bryant and even chipped in some gritty offense.  And Rasheed Wallace nailed a 3 that caused The Garden roof to almost blow off.
And lets [...]

By: Dan Massar, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
Celtics vs. Lakers, it just rolls off the tongue doesn’t it? The signature basketball event will again have its signature matchup.  It’s east coast vs. west coast.  Defensive toughness vs. offensive firepower.  Blue collar vs. Hollywood.  The two greatest franchises in basketball are facing off again in the NBA Finals. The Celtics have won 17 titles to the Lakers’ 15.  Both teams have had countless Hall of Famers and memorable moments to savor in their histories.  Another chapter is about to be written in the saga that is Celtics vs. Lakers.
Historically this has been a one sided rivalry. This is the 12th time they have met up with the NBA Championship on the line.  The Celtics are 9-2 against the Lakers in their previous 11 Finals matchups.  The Lakers finally broke through against the Celtics in the 1985 NBA Finals; a year after Boston beat LA in a tough 7 game series.  They also beat Bird’s Celtics in the 1987 Finals.  The Celtics dominated the Lakers in the 60’s, went 1-2 against them in the 80’s and are now 1-0 against them in the New Big Three vs. Kobe era.  So much more then the [...]

By: Dan Massar, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
Believe in Green.  The most successful franchise in NBA history is back in the NBA Finals.  Was there ever any doubt? In fact there was and you can put all the blame on the Bruins.  The B’s choke job against the Flyers caused the media to start a déjà vu narrative for Boston sports fans.  They should have known better.  The Celtics are not the Bruins.  They deliver the goods.  The Celtics are a championship team with gritty, gutsy players that thrive under playoff pressure.  So while the sports world was talking about the possibility of the Celtics coughing up a 3-0 series to the Magic, the Celtics remained calm and handled their business.
This postseason run has been utterly remarkable.  The Celtics were a .500 team the final 54 games of the season.  They were terribly inconsistent.  Boston won 50 games, which gave them the 4th seed in the East.  They would only be assured home court advantage in the first round.  Well guess what? None of that mattered.
Here’s what does matter and why the Celtics are just four wins away from Banner 18.  The Celtics have never lost a playoff series with a healthy [...]