The Celtics walked into Cleveland and got waxed. But the way the Cavs conducted themselves will come back to haunt them.
Let’s start with Anderson Varejao, and the play on Ray Allen in that video. Varejao wraps up Ray’s arm, spins him and dumps him to the ground. Unless you hate the Celtics, like Fanhouse’s Brett Pollakoff, it’s pretty clear that Andy meant to dump Ray. You don’t go from behind a guy to in front of him by “getting tangled up.” Ray wasn’t having any of it.
“It was a dirty play,” Allen said. “He threw me to the ground. He wrapped my arm and threw me to the ground, and I wasn’t going to do whatever he wanted.
“I’m not going to lie – I’ll always stand up for myself and anyone on this team. It’s in my nature. They’re not going to just walk all over us. I had to make a stance. It was embarrassing for us to get beat this way – playing on national TV.”
What Varejao did is kinda weak, but it’s no big deal. It’s a technical foul at best. It’s more of a bitch move than a dirty play. It’s aimed at pissing you off, which it did. Ray shouldn’t have thrown elbow to his nuts. What’s funny is that Varejao hits the deck and flops at the slightest contact… yet he stands tall after an elbow to the jewels? Really? You’d think he’d try to get Ray tossed by writhing around in pain there. Weird.
Ray will probably get fined for it, and he deserves it. But that kind of move could come back to haunt the Cavs. It’s one thing to blow out a team you could be facing in the Conference Finals. It’s another to embarrass them with moves like this.
The other thing that the Celtics will remember… the over-the-top celebrations on the Cavs sidelines. The Cavs are toeing the line between “just having fun out there” and “showing up an opponent.” I’m all for celebrating after a nice play… but Mo Williams jumping around like they just won the title… that’s just a little inappropriate. And not inappropriate like “I’m offended.” Inappropriate like “it was just a dunk… relax”. There were other instances, and Ray didn’t like those either.
“I’m always going to remember that,” Ray Allen said. “If I beat a team, as happy as I may be in victory, I’m always going to stay humble and always remember that there’s another day. We play each other too much. Those are great motivational thoughts for me.”
Like I said… the Cavs are right at that line where whether they went too far is up for debate. And that’s fine. I’m not here to complain about it. Nothing they did pissed me off. But it DID piss off the Celtics… and that’s what matters. The Cavs were celebrating like it was a blowout in Game 7… rather than a meaningless regular season game. You don’t want to give a team that feeds off emotion like the Celtics something to get amped up about the next time around.
Herald: Cavs play tune on Celtics | Seeing Stars’ value | C’s not in fighting mood | Globe: Pierce unruffled by romp | Beaten but not bowed | Pressure not really building | KG talks to ESPN | Camerato: Varejao more than just a flopper | Akron Beacon Journal (via Herald): Easy Cavs win just continues celebration
RedsArmy.com: The Voice Of Celtics Fans 
Much to do about nothing…that ‘altercation’ is nothing, but since someone turned it in into a ‘celtics are dirty’ article already boggles my mind….this has nothing to do with the celtics, it has to do with Varejao and Ray Allen, 2 indivduals…the celtics certainly dont practice how to throw elbows to the junk, what are you kidding me?
And just so everyones clear, and to anyone who isnt a fucking anti celtic PEABRAIN…Andy V clearly threw him down intentionally before the elbow, thats the bottom line…why isnt that dirty? why do the cavs have a physical tough defense, but dont get looked down upon because of it? makes no sense..
As for lebrons flexing and mo williams celebrating…It was an epic joke, laughable on such a high level…as much as we got embarrased on national tv, they embarrased themselves with the rechildish, obnoxious antics…I mean, what are they, a middle school team?
Oh, and I read a bunch of soft, loser celtics fans saying they are dissapoined in ray, and wont look at ray the same anymore…thats the most pathetic thing ive ever heard…grow the fuck up already or Ill elbow you in the head for chrissakes…heat of the moment, it happens, we saw it with pierce in the past, and to anyone who thought ray allen was perfect, now you know …HE ISNT…GET OVER IT
this just proves Varajeo has no balls…must be a vag in those shorts.
People who look at Ray differently now clearly haven’t played any kind of competitive sports.
Ray shouldn’t have thrown that elbow… but I can see how someone gets caught up in the moment. Just about every player does something they’re not proud of on the court at least once in their careers.
If i were ray allen i’d punch vajedick face and body slammed him on the floor.
these fools thought they already won the title…celebrating like shit! banner 18 would be sweet if we crushed these fools and the fakers as well.
it was a bad loss for the celtics but it happens to all great team i think they should learn a lot from this game and use it as a motivation.
those silly antics by the cavs would haunt them in the end and when they do they would see me in their homecourt laughing my ass off!
The Varajackass foul and the Mo Williams retardation reflect badly on Cleveland…ever heard of “acting like you’ve been there before” even if you haven’t? It’s called class…it’s OK to be excited, but the fact they were positively orgasmic about beating the C’s in a REGULAR SEASON GAME, AT HOME, with HOME COOKIN’ OFFICIALS and the NATIONAL MEDIA on their side, against a DEPLETED BY INJURIES Celtics team, says more to me about the Cavs fragile psyche than it does about anything else…
Exactly reds-everyone loses their cool in the heat of battle one time or another-it’s just human nature. I’ll mention again that the Cavs’ little premature ejaculation yesterday was very reminiscent of TMac back in his Orlando days-right down to the muscle flexxing/posing. This WILL come back to bite them in the a$$. No question….
Another thing I like is the media once again writing off the Celtics. What was the result of that in the past? That only motivates them further.
Ray Allen gets frustrated? Ray Allen loses his cool sometimes? Ray Allen ISN’T A CYBORG???
I’m shocked, *shocked*. We should be ashamed to have such an individual on our team. Let’s give back #17, since he was a part of it!
(end sarcasm)
What actually did surprise me a little was the people in Cleveland showing that incident on the jumbotron right away. Don’t they usually try to refrain from instant replay of controversial fouls and precursors to scuffles?
Remember that Celtics Preseason game last year where we beat the Cavs by almost 40?
This game meant less.
This actually makes me like Ray more. I love it.
Nora – who cares if theyre writing off the celtics, dont watch or read the idiots, its that simple, if you believe they will repeat, so be it, but its gonna take a chokejob from cleveland for that to happen…they are better then us this season…period
Whatever, Baron. I disagree, period.
Well, you’re wrong.
The cavs are on the verge of being in the conversation of best home team ever with the 86 celtics, have the best record in the league and the best rated defense in the league..
I dont wanna hear a lick about injuries, because they’ve had their own, and I dont wanna hear how great KG is, because even when he was playing this season he was HAVING HIS WORST SEASON OF HIS CAREER, we still lost to the lakers twice, went 2-7 in a stretch completly HEALTHY…
and to the people who just refuse to be sold on the cavs just need to take there green glasses off immediately, experience, dont wanna hear it, they have plenty of experience themselves, and its just an overrated aspect, people were saying that last season when we had never done anything…fact is you sound like a detroit pistons fan from last year
Baron, that is you opinion. And I am not wrong. Take the Cavs glasses off. They have not done anything yet. Playoffs are what counts and it is yet to be seen. That will determine the best team not a reg season record. If the Cavs win it all then you will have a point but that is yet to be seen.
Relax guys.
The fact of the matter is that the Cavs have been better than the Celtics during the regular season. They haven’t proven themselves in the playoffs yet… although they’re certainly good enough to go in as the favorites.
We don’t know how they’re gonna react in a pressure situation. We don’t know how they’re gonna react if they lose at home.
VARAJAO HAS THE SECOND SMALLEST TESTICLES IN THE WORLD!!!!
THE SMALLEST BELONG TO SASHA VUJACIC
again, you sound like last years piston fan
“celtics havent done anything, they have no experience, the big 3 are career losers”
All that stuff is overrated, and just so ya know, the cavs have done something, they won the eastern conference title 2 years ago when they werent even half as good as they are now, and gave the defending champs there toughest series last year, are on the verge of being the best regular season home team of all time
they have done alot more heading into these playoffs then last years celtics team ever did…fact?
Fact is they have done nothing this year in the playoffs since it has not happened yet. You sound like Cavs fan. Should we just hand the trophy to cleveland based on the reg. season? Don’t think so. They have not won anything. Lets see what happens in the playoffs.
again, you sound like last years piston fan
“celtics havent done anything, they have no experience, the big 3 are career losers”
All that stuff is overrated, and just so ya know, the cavs have done something, they won the eastern conference title 2 years ago when they werent even half as good as they are now, and gave the defending champs there toughest series last year, are on the verge of being one of if not the best regular season home team of all time
they have done alot more heading into these playoffs then last years celtics team ever did, who had never even played a playoff game together before, alot of the cavs core have been battling in the playoffs together for 3 years now
they have homecourt, and the celtics havent shown an ability to even compete in cleveland, nevermind win
Sorry, Redsarmy. I will relax now. LOL
The cavs havent done anything in this years playoffs? lmao…okay…noone has
the cavs have been peaking in the playoffs the last 3 seasons, and they are literally 10x better now man…Im all for having faith, but the cavs are the better team this season…anyone who refutes that is just a blind homer
Why is it that I am a homer because I actually support my team? Whatever. Once again and for the last time I respond to you with the same thing. The playoffs will determine who the best team is. If it is the Cavs, fine but they have to prove it in the playoffs on the basketball court like every other team.
ANYWAYS…looking back to that clip, why is it that ray allen was boxing out anderson vareajo to begin with? and why is it that Kendrick perkins is listed at 6’11 but hes practicallly the same height as Lebron James….its no wonder we struggle against the cavs, theres only one guy in out frontcourt whos legitmately taller then paul pierce, and hes been injured for 24 games..
Oh wait…there is mikki moore, hes just flat out too weak, a total diaster against a team like the cavs
ANYWAYS…looking back to that clip, why is it that ray allen was boxing out anderson vareajo to begin with? and why is it that Kendrick perkins is listed at 6’11 but hes practicallly the same height as Lebron James….its no wonder we struggle against the cavs, theres only one guy in out frontcourt whos legitmately taller then paul pierce, and hes been injured for 24 games..
Oh wait…there is mikki moore, hes just flat out too weak, a total diaster against a team like the cavs, KG actually has a similar problem when healthy against the cavs, hes a finnese offensive player, he hardly ever goes to the basket and lets anderson vaginawow dominate him
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Whatever, Baron. Season series=2-2.
I got fairly pissed off about as soon as LeBron flattened Rondo back in the first quarter on the Cavs fast break. Awesome defense by Rondo; he got into place, set his feet, and prevented LeBron from going straight to the hoop. LeBron, to his credit, thought smart and dished the ball off for the easy layup, but he had to charge over Rondo in the process.
I’m not sure it was a foul, but it was pretty ugly. It would have been nice if LeBron had offered Rondo a hand up.
I don’t need to take off my green glasses. I look good in them!
Nora is correct. The season series is 2-2, including the win without KG Even old, broken KG is better than the majority of NBA players, so I don’t think I need the green glasses to believe that his absence is relevant.
Overall, the Cavs have had the better regular season… but they aren’t so much better that the Celtics CAN’T win absent a Cavs chokejob. The Celtics can win against the Cavs. Sometimes they do.
[…] team that feeds off emotion like the Celtics something to get amped up about the next time around. [Red’s Army] Now, did Ray’s reaction look pretty dirty? Yeah, it looked pretty bad. Here’s the […]
I know the season series is 2-2
I know the cavs have homecourt advantage in the playoffs, and we havent shown the ability to win there. just facts.
Im not handing them the title now, because even if they get by us, they wont get by the lakers, but I am giving them credit for being better then us this regular season, with no injuries as an excuse. deal with it
Apparently Baron must have gotten the wrong web address because this is a Celtics blog and he’s no Celtics fan!
Yo Baron I know you are trying to keep it “Real” and you are honest about your feelings but damn man… I partially agree with your comments but we can’t give the Cavs so much credit yet. Don’t throw in the towel yet brother and try to stay positive.
Baron– no, you didn’t hand the Cavs the title, but you did hand them the EC championship when you said:
“if you believe they will repeat, so be it, but its gonna take a chokejob from cleveland for that to happen…”
The Cavs had a better regular season and have homecourt. The Celtics haven’t won in Cleveland. I grant you all of that.
But I don’t grant that the Cavs are SO MUCH better that they would have to choke for the Celtics to repeat.
I was reading through the comments and it seems like a consensus agreement that you guys think KG is old and shattered. WHat is this garbage, yeah the guys numbers are down but his MPG are also way down as well. Ok he has been fighting an injury but I don’t care what anyone says, in the playoffs KG in the lineup makes us a MUCH better team. It seems like you guys are missing the fact that KG healthy in the lineup transforms our team defensively and emotionally. and to Baron -> if KG had been healthy in the lineup for more of the year you have to believe we would have homecourt throughout the playoffs, we would absolutely have won atleast 4 more games with him being in. So for as much dick sucking as your giving the cavs, remember, the winner is decided in the playoffs, not on a sunday afternoon. It’s not even like the cavs kicked our ass all year, they CANNOT win in boston and are a HORRIBLE road team, so if we take one in their building the series is over IMO.
I said it a week ago and I’ll say it again. The Cavs will choke in the playoffs, maybe before they meet boston. When you have to play the same team a minmum of 4 games in a week, adjustments are made, and experience will pay off for the C’s. The Atlanta series was the best thing that ever happened to us.
I did think the Magic would at least make it to the playoffs before they choked though.
first off i want to thank baron for standing up against the grain. you make me so proud i shared you comments with a bunch of fellow cavs fans. the celtics have no shot at the title this year contrary to jon berry on ESPN he still has you as the favorite. even if KG comes back the intensity and drive to perfection is missing in this years team.
as for the events that transpired yesterday, i am slightly troubled by all the celebration by the cavs. not too long ago they were doing pregame routines until they got blown out by orlando. now we have to earn our celebrations mid game. fact is, excessive or not, you have to admire the team chemistry and togetherness. basketball is about having fun in the end of the day regardless of what level you are on…
as for the cavs in the playoffs well i don think i need to tell anyone here that bron has a special playoff gear. he played a career low in minutes this season and is primed for an unprecedented run in the 09 playoffs. but if i were a boston fan, id be more worried about round 2 with orlando than anything right now. none of this will come back to bite us in the ass haha if you think that will keep your hopes up then u better pray for a miracle…. see u in the efc!! (maybe)
/tips hat
Baron is always trying to start fights around here. Maybe you need more attention at work/home.
Oh please, Varejao and Ray got tangled up while they were both going for the ball and Ray Ray lost his balance and went to the floor. There was nothing remotely dirty about that play. UNTIL Ray Ray cheap shots Varejao in the nuts because he was pissed about his team getting shown up by a superior team.
anyone else seen this site?
It was being promoted on the cav’s homepage
http://lebronisreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallygood.com/
Sideshow bob is gay anyway.
^ HAH! Didnt even notice that until you mentioned it
Simply put….
CELTICS<CAVS<LAKERS!!!!
Just deal with it……besides, you’ll probably win it again in another 20 years, just like the last time!!