I often wonder what opposing teams, their beat reporters and bloggers
are saying about the Celtics after playing the Celtics. Here's a dose
of 'enemy chatter' from Orlando.
The Boston Celtics stuffed a chunk full of kryptonite into Dwight Howard's Christmas stocking.
On an afternoon when all 17,461 fans inside Amway Arena received a free Superman t-shirt and cape in Howard's honor, the Celtics made the Orlando Magic center look like Clark Kent.
Josh Robbins – Orlando Sentinel
If anything told the story, it was Van Gundy chatting with Dwight Howard in a near-empty lockeroom, patting him on the back after wishing him Merry Christmas.
Howard needed some cheering up after scoring just five points, missing
6-of-7 shots and committing seven turnovers. Denied the ball, he didn't
look so super despite the fact a sell-out crowd received promotional Superman shirts (with cape) bearing Howard's No. 12. It looked like a bad joke.
Howard playfully zipped his lip when asked if he got the ball enough.
Brian Schmitz – Orlando Sentinel
I'll leave you with this much, though: in terms of efficiency, Orlando
played its 7th-best defensive game of the year; in effective field goal
percentage defense, their 9th-best; and in turnover rate forced, their
very best. Yet the Celtics still managed to walk out with a win on the
strength of their own otherworldly defense.
played its 7th-best defensive game of the year; in effective field goal
percentage defense, their 9th-best; and in turnover rate forced, their
very best. Yet the Celtics still managed to walk out with a win on the
strength of their own otherworldly defense.
Ben Q Rock – Orlando Pinstriped Post
“Our game plan was to make them play defense for a couple more seconds
than they did. We only made them play defense for one pass. Most of
those shots were good looks but that just wasn’t our game plan.”
than they did. We only made them play defense for one pass. Most of
those shots were good looks but that just wasn’t our game plan.”
Jameer Nelson – NBA.com
(On the Celtics defense) “They have a lot of athleticism, they move
well and they take up a lot of the paint, so they make it tough. They
do a great job and believe in each other on the defensive end. That is
always a mark of a good team when you never have to look over your
shoulder and I think they do a great job of that.”
well and they take up a lot of the paint, so they make it tough. They
do a great job and believe in each other on the defensive end. That is
always a mark of a good team when you never have to look over your
shoulder and I think they do a great job of that.”
Vince Carter – NBA.com
(On their play in the second quarter of the game) “Well we played very, very poorly. They played well defensively, you
know when I go back to watch that on the film I’m going to see that we
played very poorly. Everybody was just trying to go one-on-one and beat
their guy, taking contested shots. There were at least five possessions
in that quarter with no passes whatsoever."
know when I go back to watch that on the film I’m going to see that we
played very poorly. Everybody was just trying to go one-on-one and beat
their guy, taking contested shots. There were at least five possessions
in that quarter with no passes whatsoever."
Stan Van Gundy – NBA.com
