No Kendrick Perkins and Shaq hasn’t played in a month. That is making some Celtics fans uncomfortable.
Dwight Howard on his suspension for getting a 16th technical (which he will serve Monday night): ‘I’ll try not to let the officiating affect the way I play. It’s very tough, but I’ve just got to do it. I think it’s like they want to make an example out of me, but I’ll just stay positive and continue to do all the things that I do to bring fun to the game. That’s all I can do. I’m not a bad guy. I’m not a hothead because I get techs, and I think that’s the message that people want to put across. I guess last year it was I smile too much. Now I don’t smile. And now I’m a hothead.”
Speaking of things that may concern fans of a title contender is this quote from a clearly frustrated Dwyane Wade after Sunday’s loss: ‘I’m used to, of course, coming down in the fourth quarter, having the ball, making mistakes, getting a chance to make up for them. So you’re just trying to get comfortable with whatever role you have to play at the moment, and you try to do your best at it. That’s all you can do. What is pouting going to do? What is not doing it going to do? That was one of the things that we knew we had to do when we all decided to come together. Sacrifices had to be made.’
If you hate the Heat, you’ll enjoy this fan video compilation of them getting beat at the end of games this season.
Great wrap up of links from the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference (where TrueHoop did an amazing job of coverage).
Steve Nash wants to get better at napping. (That is actually a fascinating article on NBA players and their sleep habits.)
Steve Nash moved past Isiah Thomas to sixth on the all-time assists list Sunday.
Martell Webster says he is back and ready to return to the Timberwolves rotation.
The Bucks expect to get Michael Redd back March 21. Not sure what is left in his tank, but at this point he can’t make the Bucks offense any worse.