Hooped Up

A team-by-team preview of all 30 NBA teams heading into the 2008 - 2009 season, Hooped Up style. 

Boston Celtics
Coming off a championship and the best record in the NBA last season, there is not much change needed to the Celtics formula heading into the 08 / 09 season. The calling card of the Celtics success was team defense anchored by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett and a bench that swarmed the opposition (just ask Kobe Bryant) and they might be even better. 

Projected Starters: PG - Rajon Rondo / SG - Ray Allen / SF - Paul Pierce / PF - Kevin Garnett / C -  Kendrick Perkins

Additions: Bill Walker, Darius Miles, Patrick O’Bryant, Darius Miles, J.R. Giddens

Losses: James Posey, PJ Brown, Scot Pollard

Projected Wins: 60+

Team Theme Song:  Blahzay Blahzay- Danger
The Celtics are still the most dangerous team in the East!  

Overall
Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett will dominate the headlines but their measure of success relies on the bench. The Celtics added much needed young legs to their bench and will be scary despite the lose of James Posey and PJ Brown. Especially if J.R. Giddens, Darius Miles and rookie  Bill Walker can provide that same defensive spark off the bench as a platoon.  

At the very least the Celtics are poised to make the conference finals and the chances of a repeat looks good, if team defense is the straw that stirs the drink once again.

The Boston Celtics look good as the team to beat heading into this season and Paul Pierce is optimistic about his teams chances.

“Captain Paul Pierce’s evaluation of the Celtics’ offseason additions, including draft choices J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker: “We lost Posey [to New Orleans], and he was definitely a key to what we were doing last year. “But there are a number of guys ready to step in, who can take on a bigger role. Leon Powe, Big Baby [Glen Davis], Tony Allen, Perk [Kendrick Perkins], and the rookies might surprise you. Rajon Rondo is getting better - people forget he is only in his second year. Darius Miles has been looking pretty good; he had a devastating knee injury, but he has been looking good and only time will tell.”

Boston Globe

The Boston Celtics visited the White House and got their presidential props from George Bush aka Kendrick Perkins. This clip is awesome because it’s the last time that this will ever happen…and I don’t mean for the Celtics if you get my drift.

Yes we Can…have a real baller for president!

“The team’s players, owners and coaches presented the president with a green Celtics jersey emblazoned with “43,” a nod to Bush’s standing as the 43rd president, and an autographed basketball. The team also said it would send a $100,000 check to the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Ike.”

Associated Press

Have you seen all the NBA jerseys in the stands at the Beijing Olympics?  Chances are you have and here are the top 10 jerseys you are likely to see continuously throughout the Olympic games. Please don’t say that you can’t believe Yao Ming is 10th on the list in his own country.  

Players are players and jerseys are jerseys.  

2007-08 Top Selling Jerseys in China:

1. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
2. Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
3. Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
4. Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
5. Allen Iverson, Denver Nuggets
6. Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards
7. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
8. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
9. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
10. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets

Paul Pierce said it. He meant it. And he still means it. The Boston Celtics small forward/guard recently was asked by a Spanish publication whether he thought Kobe Bryant was the best player in the world.

Pierce said no. The NBA Finals MVP called himself the “best player.”

He added, “There’s a line that separates having confidence and being conceited. I don’t cross that line, but I have a lot of confidence in myself.”

On Thursday, Pierce stood by his comments, saying he is entitled to his opinion.

“That’s what I said. I am a confident player and a lot of people might look at it like ’Oh, another cocky attitude,’ but I don’t look at it that way,” said Pierce, who is in Hawthorne for his annual youth basketball camp at Hangar Athletic Xchange.

“I have an opinion, I have a right to have one and that’s the way I feel. I felt I’ve played against the best over the years and felt right now that I’m the best player in the world.”

Boston Herald

 This week the 2008 ESPY awards took place and a bunch of winners won stuff.  The only requirement to win an ESPY is to have won crap prior to getting there that season or last.  Other than that, it’s really a big highlight show with celebrities and red carpet.  Pretty boring stuff.

So in this edition of 5ives, Hooped Up ranks the Top 5 Hottest NBA WAG’s in attendance at the 2008 ESPY awards.

Read the rest of this entry »

The wheelchair bit  was a little overboard but, Pierce was kinda funny.  

Jeff Van Gundy should never coach again and just call games.  Dude is hilarious! Even better than his humour is that he’s not Tom Tolbert.

Did anybody get the license plate number of that green and white Peterbilt with Shamrocks on it?

In a game the Lakers needed and the Celtics wanted the Celtics crushed the Lakers for the 2008 NBA Championship 92 - 131 in Game 6. It took 6 games to lower the Lakers to their plot and tonights game makes it look like the Celtics played rope a dope with the Lakers to celebrate in Boston.

The “Big Three” had a big night with Kevin Garnett scoring 22 with 14 boards, Ray Allen scoring 26 and finals MVP Paul Pierce scored 17 with 10 dimes. While firmly keeping their collective foot on the Lakers neck.

Rajon Rondo also had a big game with 21 points and 8 assist to contribute to the slaughter.

Kobe Bryant finished with 22 but looked like he accepted his fate late in the third quarter as did the rest of the Lakers.

This is the 17th time the Celtics have been crowned kings of the NBA and their first title since 1986. Snapping a 22 year drought for the franchise.

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