Shaquille O'Neal hangs 'em up

Shaquille O'Neal/Courtesy: askmen.com

And takes his multiple characters with him. We think. And he'll leave as one of the greatest big men in the history of the NBA who left the game battered and worn down.

He made the announcement on a social media site called Tout (never heard of it). He's yet to let the last team he played for, the Boston Celtics, know his plans, he's still on their active roster.

You could almost, but not quite, call O'Neal the reincarnation of Wilt Chamberlain. A guy so big, so strong, that when he demanded the ball near the basket, there wasn't much you could do.

He leaves, we think, the NBA as the 5th all-time leading scorer, 12th in rebounds. Numbers that pretty much guarantee him a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Shaq's story has been chronicled a lot of his career from his upbringing to his time at LSU to the Orlando Magic, LA Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and finally Boston. (Did we miss anyone?). Most of the players in the league loved him for his engaging and witty personality and willingness to share laughs, even if he was the center of the joke.

Ever the TV Personality, Shaq had his own TV show for awhile (Shaq Vs.), and appeared in tons of commercials. He also, on occasion showed up in other venues.

DEVELOPING: Rivers Stays With Celtics

Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers has agreed to a five-year contract extension.

General manager Danny Ainge made the announcement today...

Rivers had said after the Game 5 loss to the Miami Heat that he was "leaning heavily" toward coming back. His contract was supposed to expire after this season.

More when we know more...

Rajon Rondo goes Willis Reed: Celtics beat Heat

The Boston Celtics took care the Miami Heat Saturday night 97-81, their Eastern Conference semi-final now 2 games to 1, Heat advantage.

The Celtics played it physical and clamped down on Miami's big three of Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. But perhaps the biggest story of the night involved Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo.

Rondo briefly dislocated his elbow after being pulled to the ground while stealing the ball from Wade. Rondo went back to the locker room, got taped up put on an elbow pad and came back into the game, helping lead Boston to victory.

Props to Rondo, there are not a lot of guys in the high, priced, prima-donna world that is the NBA who would have done that. Rondo's status for the rest of the series however, remains in question.

Your highlights from SI.com/NBA.com:

Ray Allen Shows Carmelo How It's Done...

((HT: NBA on TNT/youtube))

Here's the last 20 seconds of the Knicks-Celtics game...

The HQ would like to ask you who has been in this situation before and who hasn't...

Celtics Hold Bucks To 56 Points...???

((HT: NBA/NBA.com/youtube))

Okay, this effort was just unacceptable...

22 total points in the entire first half...
38 after three... an NBA record- according to Elias...
56 after that...

Which means the game was OVER and Milwaukee scored 56 effing points...

It was the lowest score against the Celtics since they beat another Milwaukee team ((the-then)) Hawks 62-57 in Providence, Rhode Island on February 27th, 1955. The Bucks, who joined the NBA before the 1968-69 season, set a franchise record for fewest points.

"That's about as humiliating a defeat as you'll ever see," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said. "They got us on our heels and took our competitive fight away from us. We pretty much just gave into it."

FOSG Beau Estes has the highlights... Boston-speaking, of course...


What's worse than "poor...?"

Rivers Confirms West-Wafer Fight

((HT: NECN))

Before the Knicks-Celtics game Friday, Celtics guard Von Wafer denied knowledge of any fight with him and Delonte West at the morning shoot-around.

Doc Rivers, when asked, said something different...

“There was a fight. That's all you need to know,” he said. “I'm not thrilled with it, but it happened. We'll handle it."

HOOPSWORLD.com initially reported West punched Wafer back in the Celts locker room following another over-the-top two-on-two game after practice.

Apparently, it's not the first time... and with both of them having non-guaranteed contracts, they could both get blown out very quickly...

Here's Rivers addressing what Wafer denied...

BREAKING NEWS: Lakers Repeat As NBA Champs

Sasha Vujacic's two free throws with 11.7 seconds left in regulation gave the Los Angeles Lakers an 83-79 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

The Lakers, winning the series four games to three, give Phil Jackson his 11th title as a head coach...

The 25-year-old Slovenian guard gave the Lakers a 25-for-37 night from the line... it is the 16th World Championship for the team.

More when we know more...

Catch local coverage ((and, probably, some crimes happening on live television)) here...

CBS2/KCAL9
KABC-TV/ABC7
Fox11-KTTV

In the meantime, enjoy a chance meeting between Kevin Garnett and some guy named Nicholson who, for some reason, always ends up at Laker games...
((HT: NBA/ABC))

Lakers Take Game One Over Celtics

((HT: NBA.com/ABC))

Here's your abbreviated look at Game 1...
The HQ has no idea who's voicing the highlights, it's not FOSG Beau Estes...

That much we do know... unless he's channeling Robert Downey, Jr.'s character in "Tropic Thunder..."

Losing Does Not Suit Jason Williams Well

((HT: Brooks))

No, not that Jason Williams... the one in Orlando whose season is over...

This is what happens when players with touchiness levels left on "stun" lose in the playoffs rather quickly...

He has a mighty fine locker, too...


Unless Bissinger was in the building, the HQ still has no idea who "Buzz" was...

Big Ticket Punched Out For Game 2 Of Miami Series

((HT: ESPN/NBA))

Celtics forward Kevin Garnett has been suspended for Game 2 of Boston's first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat for landing an elbow to the face of Miami's Quentin Richardson in Saturday's Game 1.

Richardson was fined $25,000 for his role in the altercation.

After Saturday's game, Richardson sounded off on both Garnett and teammate Paul Pierce, calling Garnett and Pierce "actresses" and noting that, "I don't like them, and they know it."

Game Two should be interesting...

Here's the fracas... Mike Tirico and Hubie Brown are witnesses...
((HT: SSWIHipHop))

Big Ticket, Small Fine...

For calling Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant "Michael F'n Jordan" the Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett was fined $25,000 for criticizing officials...

"Michael Foxtrot Jordan..."
Good work on live television... and the HQ is sure that Garnett had the money laying around in his locker...

Enjoy, but since it's not bleeped, Garnett is NSFW...

((HT: CSNNE/NBA))

Celtics Shopping Rondo & Allen?

How about this little ditty from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.com.

The Boston Celtics appear willing to make major roster changes to balance a chance for a championship run and future financial flexibility.

The Celtics offered Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo to the Detroit Pistons for a package that included Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Boston general manager Danny Ainge and Detroit’s Joe Dumars never spoke, but rather the Celtics had a lower-level executive make the pitch to a Pistons official over the past weekend, league sources said. Detroit immediately rejected the idea, and it never advanced to the two top executives speaking about particulars.

This isn’t an uncommon occurrence for a GM like Ainge to dispatch an underling to make that kind of a call, if for no other reason to give the top executive some level of deniability that he’s shopping his stars.

How about that Celtic fans.

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge added his take to the situation Tuesday morning on the trade rumor.

“We love Rajon and I’m not going to comment on which rumors are true or not true," Ainge said. "We love this kid and I don’t anticipate trading anyone from our core."

Ainge added, "I've had many conversations. But a rumor that said lower-level executives are talking about a trade rumor pretty much means it doesn't really have any merit or any value, if it's not being discussed at the top."

According to Ainge, no player is untradeable but he most likely will retain the core players while looking for a veteran or two.

Photo Courtesy: Elsa/Getty Images

Ainge Suffers Heart Attack

((HT:Boston Herald))

The Celtics have confirmed that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge suffered a mild heart attack early this morning. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Here is the team's official statement:
Danny Ainge is recovering at Massachusetts General Hospital after having a minor heart attack. He is recovering nicely. Mr. Ainge is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days.

Channel 5, which broke the story earlier this evening, reported that the 50-year-old Ainge woke up this morning suffering chest pains and was immediately taken to the hospital, where doctors inserted a stent in heart to clear an artery that was completely clogged.

Ainge did not attend the Celtics' regular-season finale Wednesday night against the Wizards because he was feeling ill.

A guard who played on two championship teams during his 7 1/2 seasons with the Celtics, Ainge returned to the franchise in 2003 when he was named executive director of basketball operations.

His bold trades for All-Stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were major reasons the Celtics won their first NBA championship last season since 1985-86, when Ainge was a member of the starting backcourt.

K.G. Might Be K.Oed For NBA Playoffs

It appears Kevin Garnett's strained knee is not progressing as anticipated and his availability to the Boston Celtics for the NBA playoffs appears to be in doubt.

Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said on WEEI Radio in Boston Thursday morning that K.G. was not ready to play and may miss the entire NBA Playoffs.

“I don’t see it. I just don’t,” Rivers said. “I’ve flipped completely, because I was watching him move (before) and he looked great."

Rivers told Garnett who shall we say was not real thrilled.

"He was frustrated. He was mad at me, mad at everybody. Then he understood," Rivers said. "He put up a fight. He's really frustrated, but that's Kevin. That's why we got him, because he cares so much."

Boston begins their playoff run Saturday against the Chicago Bulls.

Here's the Doc Rivers Interview on the Dennis & Callahan Morning Show from our friends at WEEI Radio on Boston.

Watch this at WEEI

Photo Courtesy: Matt Stone/Boston Herald

Super Friends Press Conference in Boston

Here's a little bit of Kevin Garnett breaking out in song...
This is what happens when your teammate goes for 39 in a win...
In the spirit of that show on that TV network that's about to start up AGAIN with a fourth judge this time... I don't think they have anything to worry about.

Garnett would have been shown in the first episode or two and voted off the island...
((HT:CSN/the youtube))

Celtics/Lakers Rivalry Renewed

All is right now in the NBA. The league’s two cornerstone franchises, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are facing each other in the NBA Finals. The old-timers will recall the battles between Bob Cousy and Elgin Baylor then later Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin. Those from my generation remember the great rivalry in the 80’s with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson continuing a battle that began in college.

While it’s great to see Celtics and the Lakers back on the big stage playing in prime time for the NBA Championship but to me it’s just not the same.The 2 teams back in the 80’s were polar opposites.Boston was blue collar, tough and physical.The L.A. Lakers were flash and style, it was Showtime.The Celtics played in the Boston Garden. Built in the 1920’s it was small, uncomfortable and unaccommodating for the opposition.The Lakers played at The Forum, The Fabulous Forum with the courtside seats aligned with Hollywood Stars.Each building, like their teams, was unique.

Today the Celtics play in the T.D. Bankworth Garden and the Lakers play in the Staples Center. If it weren’t for the floor with the teams colors you could not tell the buildings apart. They are cookie cutters.

Those games in the 1980’s were a turf war. Remember when Ray Williams threw down Kurt Rambis after a hard foul or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Larry Bird shouting out each other. The Lakers wanted to out run the Celtics while Boston wanted to play a physical half court game to slow down Showtime. I don’t see Paul Pierce and Lamar Odom shoving each other on the floor or Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett wrestling after the play is over. That’s not today’s NBA.

There are some things similar to the ‘80’s first and foremost is star power.Back then it was Bird and Magic.Now it’s Kobe and Garnett.Second Boston again has the Big 3.Then it was Bird, Parrish and McHale, now it’s Garnett, Allen and Pierce.Third the Celtics still were green and the Lakers still were purple and gold.

I’m sure the NBA is thrilled for this match up. It might bring the older fans back to the league who remember the hey day of the NBA in the 80’s to rediscover and reinvest in the league. I will be watching because it is Lakers vs Celtics and they are the best teams in the league and the NBA’s gold standard franchises. Still, it’s just not the same.

--John Wilkerson