The Boston Celtics recalled forward Kris Joseph from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.
Joseph, a 6’7 forward, averaged 25.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 block in two games while on assignment.
April 2012 Boston Celtics Wiretap
Celtics Recall Kris Joseph From D-League
Rondo Receives Two-Game Suspension
Rajon Rondo has been suspended for two games due to his involvement in Wednesday's altercation with Kris Humphries.
Agent Bill Duffy said there is no additional fine other than the two game of lost pay.
Rondo, Humphries, Wallace Ejected
Rajon Rondo, Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace were ejected in the first half of Wednesday's game between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets.
Rondo responded aggressively to a hard foul by Humphries on Kevin Garnett.
With the ejection, Rondo's streak of double-digit assists ended at 37 games.
Celtics Waive Darko Milicic
The Boston Celtics have waived Darko Milicic.
“Darko has asked us to release him so he could deal with a personal matter,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “The whole Celtics family wishes Darko and his family well.”
Milicic, a 7’0” center, averaged 2.6 points and 4.2 rebounds across five preseason and regular season games with the Celtics this year.
Garnett Improves Celtics' Defense By 19.6 Points
The Boston Celtics are significantly better on defense with Kevin Garnett on the floor.
The Celtics allow 94.6 points per 100 possessions when Garnett plays and 114.2 when he is on the bench.
The 19.6 point gap runs the spectrum from a defense amongst the NBA's best to worst.
Darko Considering Leaving Celtics
Darko Milicic is considering leaving the Boston Celtics to return to Europe for the remainder of the season.
Milicic's mother is reportedly ill.
Celtics Assign Joseph, Melo To D-League
The Boston Celtics have assigned forward Kris Joseph and center Fab Melo to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.
Melo, a 7’0 center, appeared in all eight preseason games for the Celtics and averaged 1.3 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per game.
Joseph, a 6’7 forward, made his NBA debut against the Milwaukee Bucks and recorded one rebound and one assist in three minutes of action on November 2. He had averaged 4.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.8 minutes during the eight preseason games earlier this year.
Celtics Alter Starting Lineup
Doc Rivers changed the Boston Celtics' starting lineup over the weekend, inserting Jason Terry and Brandon Bass for Courtney Lee and Jared Sullinger.
Terry and Bass had been playing well of late for the Celtics.
“It has nothing to do with the starting lineup — I am looking for a team that can play 48 minutes,” Rivers said. “And we’ve yet to find that, so that’s what we’re going to keep searching for. When you think about our games, we have started out pretty well. It’s when we sub out, what we feel like, obviously we take a drop and it’s as much offense as defense.”
Rondo Accepts Responsibility For Celtics' Struggles
Rajon Rondo accepted responsibility for the Boston Celtics’ 0-2 start to the season.
“We have to trust one another defensively,” Rondo said after allowing 21 points and 13 assists to Brandon Jennings in a 99-88 loss to the Bucks on Friday. “It starts with me. I have to do a better job on the ball. We can say we [trust each other], but on the court it shows we’re not pulling in weakside [help]. There’s a lot of things.
“We’ve just got to start somewhere, and that’s the good thing about the league — we can start tomorrow.”
In two games, opponents have shot 50.3 percent against Boston, including 47.1 percent from beyond the arc.
“I’m going to try to come out and set the tone defensively [Saturday night against the Wizards],” Rondo said. “That’s all I can do. We’ve got to each look ourselves in the mirror and find a way to dig down and bring something to what we’ve been doing. Bring a little bit more to the game. I’m the point guard, I’m the first line of defense, I initiate the offense. I’ve got to be better.”
Garnett's Return Dictated Decision To Retool Celtics
Kevin Garnett seriously considered retirement before reaching agreement with the Boston Celtics on a three-year contract.
Instead of rebuilding, the Celtics decided to retool to remain a contender.
“I did give it some real thought,” he said. “With free agency coming up, I obviously didn’t want to think about another team or nothing like that. My retirement would have been a personal decision based on family or any other reasons I had.
“But my No. 1 reason for coming back was Doc, the guys, the city, the fans. I don’t know how Danny [Ainge] talked me into three years, but I’m enjoying my journey here.”
Because the Celtics advanced to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Ainge had very little time to consider the direction of the roster moving forward.
“I was open to anything, but I was prepared for a lot,” said Ainge, the team’s president of basketball operations. “But ultimately when we went through all of the different possibilities and options that we had, the best option for us was to try to get KG, Jeff [Green], Brandon [Bass], and Ray back. And that’s what we set out to do.”
Garnett told Ainge and Rivers that he would make a decision by July 1.
“What made it a little bit easier for us was KG was the main piece,” Ainge said. “For a lot of reasons, but the replacement possibilities for KG were slim. We felt like that was big. If we get KG back, we have a chance of still being a good team.”
“When he signed a three-year contract, I felt like that guaranteed me another two years with the Celtics,” said Pierce. “There’s a domino effect in everything that goes on. If KG doesn’t sign, Ray signs with Miami, they probably look to trade me.”
“KG was the key — not to say KG is more important than other players on our team — but there just aren’t big guys that are as good as KG,” Ainge said. “The replacement of KG is tough and we’re grateful that he wanted to come back and play.
“I think a lot did hinge on KG. We have some good young players but, yeah, we probably would not have been a contender had KG chosen to retire.”
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