Big Baby works Rasheed out of the rotation

44Thrilla · Apr 21, 2010

The playoff fate of the 2009-10 Boston Celtics remains very much in doubt.

But after Tuesday, two things seem to be clear when you consider how the rest of this postseason will play out for the Celtics.

Glen Davis will play a major role.

And Rasheed Wallace will not.

It kind of seems hard to believe that "Which guy should start for KG?" was ever even a debate, doesn't it? With apologies to Ray Allen (who put on a shooting display in the third quarter that rivals any I can remember from a Celtics player in the playoffs), it was Davis that earned First Star honors in the 106-77 humiliation of the Miami Heat in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

Just how big (forgive the pun) a factor was he?

Well, with 8:37 left in the third quarter he had 17 points, or as many as Dwyane Wade, Jermaine O'Neal and Quentin Richardson-Laimbeer combined.

Big Baby threw a circa 2008 Garnett 23-8 line at the Heat, while shutting down Michael Beasley when it mattered (Beasley was 6-of-14 from the field, with most of his points coming during Geno Time.) And he brought his usual law firm of Energy, Energy and Energy to the court, simply out-hustling the front line of the Heat.

OK, O'Neal blocked four of Davis' shots in the first quarter (Davis was on pace for the rarest of triple-doubles at halftime -- 28 points, 12 boards and having 10 of his shots rejected) but, like Duke once said about Rocky, the man just kept coming after him. So what? Is he going to pout? You think Davis isn't used to having his shot sent back in his face? He doesn't care. Just puts his head down and gets to the basket.

"One man impacted the game with just his effort," said Heat coach Eric Spoelstra of Davis after the game. "I'd be shocked if they have one play for him in the playbook."

He has plenty of faults as a player but one thing can be written with certainty about Glen Davis. When he's on the court, he never stops working.

And I'm not sure that Rasheed Wallace, as a member of the Celtics, ever started to work.

(Oh, and this isn't just a working hard vs. coasting issue. On April 21 2010 Glen Davis is a better basketball player than Rasheed Wallace. Now if both put forward the same amount of effort I think things would be different. But you and I know that isn't going to happen. When I watch Davis I'm reminded of an old Pat Riley quote. He was talking about what Kurt Rambis brought to the Lakers and said "Hustle. And hustle is a talent." It's true. Guys, for the most part, either fall into the "hustle" or "coast" groups. Not often you see someone go back and forth.)

I feel like an absolute dope -- I actually bought into the idea that Rasheed would look at this game as his chance to salvage a lost year and help a franchise that he has stolen $6 million from this season.
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http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/b...010/04/21/big-baby-works-wallace-out-rotation

CelticKing · Apr 21, 2010

I wonder how Rasheed is feeling about this whole issue.

huevonkiller · Apr 22, 2010

Big baby is a better name.

HookInMouth · Apr 22, 2010

Good thing there could be plenty of picks up for auction for this draft, we'll need one to package with Rasheed to hopefully dupe somebody into taking him off our hands.

CelticKing · Apr 22, 2010

HookInMouth said: ↑

Good thing there could be plenty of picks up for auction for this draft, we'll need one to package with Rasheed to hopefully dupe somebody into taking him off our hands.
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Yeah we gotta trade him, he's been really bad the last half of the season.

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Big Baby works Rasheed out of the rotation

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Big Baby works Rasheed out of the rotation

44Thrilla cuatro cuatro

CelticKing The Green Monster

huevonkiller Change (Deftones)

HookInMouth suuuuucks

CelticKing The Green Monster

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