Celtics sparked by 'sign of disrespect' by Rockets

technical details

is_video => false
alias => "boston\/\/boston-celtics\/celtics-sparked-sign-disrespect-rockets"
nid => "473386"
title => "Celtics sparked by 'sign of disrespect' by Rockets"
is_chrome_page => false
article_body => "The Boston Celtics are a pretty motivated team these days.<\/p>\nDisrespect one of their own?<\/p>\nOh, it\u2019s on now.<\/p>\nThe Houston Rockets found this out the hard way on Monday as the Celtics used what they saw as disrespect to one of their own (Amir Johnson) as added incentive to not just win but to do so in a convincing fashion.<\/p>\nThe end result was a 111-95 Celtics victory, a game that for most of the second half wasn\u2019t even that close.<\/p>\nAnd it all started with 6:45 to play in the third quarter and the Celtics in transition.<\/p>\nJohnson was filling the lane when Marcus Smart threw him a pass. The ball sailed off Johnson\u2019s hands and went out of bounds, with Houston\u2019s Terrence Jones trailing Johnson (he fell to the court out of bounds) on the play.<\/p>\nJohnson was on the floor with the ball underneath his left arm. Jones, standing over Johnson, reached for the ball before Johnson could get to his feet.<\/p>\nMoments later, players from both teams were surrounding Jones and Johnson, which is when the officials stepped in with their whistles.<\/p>\nAfter the play was reviewed, Isaiah Thomas, James Harden and Jones were whistled for technical fouls.<\/p>\nBoston led 61-60 at the time of the play.<\/p>\nThey followed that with a 26-8 run that put the game well out of Houston\u2019s reach.<\/p>\nAfter the game, Boston\u2019s Jae Crowder explained why he and his teammates were upset about the incident.<\/p>\n\u201cWe had a guy down and their guy (Jones) kind of straddled (Johnson) and wouldn\u2019t let our guy up,\u201d Crowder said. \u201cWe saw it as a sign of disrespect. We just came to his rescue, and we weren\u2019t having it. That\u2019s what sparked it.\u201d<\/p>\nThomas had similar thoughts on the incident.<\/p>\n\u201cI just went to go protect my teammate,\u201d Thomas told reporters after the game. \u201cIt was very disrespectful to stand over somebody.\u201d<\/p>\nAs for his role and the technical foul he was whistled for, Thomas said he was surprised when the refs T\u2019d him up.<\/p>\n\u201cMe, I don\u2019t know how me and Harden got one; we weren\u2019t even talking,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cWe\u2019re pretty good friends. I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\nWhat is known is that the Celtics were a different, more dominant team from that moment on.<\/p>\nAnd it now has the Celtics (6-4) riding a three-game winning streak, with all three wins (Atlanta, Oklahoma City and Houston) over teams that are expected to make deep playoff runs this season.<\/p>\nCeltics head coach Brad Stevens, who is now two games over-.500 for the first time as Boston\u2019s head coach, was asked about knocking off a trio of playoff-caliber foes.<\/p>\n\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter now,\u201d Stevens said. \u201cWe\u2019ve played 10 games. If we\u2019re in a good position after 65 or 70, maybe we\u2019ll look at it differently. Everyone is trying to find themselves now. We\u2019ve got to get better too.\u201d <\/p>\n"
author => "A. Sherrod Blakely"
mps => {"author":"A. Sherrod Blakely","league":"","sport":"","sponsor":""}
published => "1447737300"
created => "1447738681"
changed => "1447760186"
status => "1"
section => "Celtics"
team => "Boston Celtics"
chrome_data => "{\"league\":\"\",\"sport\":\"\",\"sponsor\":\"\"}"
image => {"uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/boston\/2015\/11\/17\/celtics_111615.jpg","alt":"celtics_111615.jpg","title":"Celtics sparked by 'sign of disrespect' by Rockets"}
sponsor => ""
region => "boston"
fb_url => "https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=318214485357680&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fboston-celtics%2Fceltics-sparked-sign-disrespect-rockets&display=popup"
tw_url => "https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Celtics%20sparked%20by%20%27sign%20of%20disrespect%27%20by%20Rockets&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fboston-celtics%2Fceltics-sparked-sign-disrespect-rockets&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fboston-celtics%2Fceltics-sparked-sign-disrespect-rockets"
mailto => "mailto:?subject=Celtics%20sparked%20by%20%27sign%20of%20disrespect%27%20by%20Rockets&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fboston-celtics%2Fceltics-sparked-sign-disrespect-rockets"
tags => []
tags_hide => []
type => "article"
meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/boston\/boston-celtics\/celtics-sparked-sign-disrespect-rockets.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/boston\/2015\/11\/17\/celtics_111615.jpg"]}
orig_image => {"uri":"public:\/\/2016\/03\/29\/celtics_111615.jpg","alt":"celtics_111615.jpg","title":"Celtics sparked by 'sign of disrespect' by Rockets"}
article_type => "article"

Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a pretty motivated team these days.

Disrespect one of their own?

Oh, it’s on now.

The Houston Rockets found this out the hard way on Monday as the Celtics used what they saw as disrespect to one of their own (Amir Johnson) as added incentive to not just win but to do so in a convincing fashion.

The end result was a 111-95 Celtics victory, a game that for most of the second half wasn’t even that close.

And it all started with 6:45 to play in the third quarter and the Celtics in transition.

Johnson was filling the lane when Marcus Smart threw him a pass. The ball sailed off Johnson’s hands and went out of bounds, with Houston’s Terrence Jones trailing Johnson (he fell to the court out of bounds) on the play.

Johnson was on the floor with the ball underneath his left arm. Jones, standing over Johnson, reached for the ball before Johnson could get to his feet.

Moments later, players from both teams were surrounding Jones and Johnson, which is when the officials stepped in with their whistles.

After the play was reviewed, Isaiah Thomas, James Harden and Jones were whistled for technical fouls.

Boston led 61-60 at the time of the play.

They followed that with a 26-8 run that put the game well out of Houston’s reach.

After the game, Boston’s Jae Crowder explained why he and his teammates were upset about the incident.

“We had a guy down and their guy (Jones) kind of straddled (Johnson) and wouldn’t let our guy up,” Crowder said. “We saw it as a sign of disrespect. We just came to his rescue, and we weren’t having it. That’s what sparked it.”

Thomas had similar thoughts on the incident.

“I just went to go protect my teammate,” Thomas told reporters after the game. “It was very disrespectful to stand over somebody.”

As for his role and the technical foul he was whistled for, Thomas said he was surprised when the refs T’d him up.

“Me, I don’t know how me and Harden got one; we weren’t even talking,” Thomas said. “We’re pretty good friends. I don’t know.”

What is known is that the Celtics were a different, more dominant team from that moment on.

And it now has the Celtics (6-4) riding a three-game winning streak, with all three wins (Atlanta, Oklahoma City and Houston) over teams that are expected to make deep playoff runs this season.

Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, who is now two games over-.500 for the first time as Boston’s head coach, was asked about knocking off a trio of playoff-caliber foes.

“It doesn’t matter now,” Stevens said. “We’ve played 10 games. If we’re in a good position after 65 or 70, maybe we’ll look at it differently. Everyone is trying to find themselves now. We’ve got to get better too.”