Your Morning Dump... Where Sheeds talkin' 'bout Iverson

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline.  Because there's nothing quite as satisfying a good morning dump.

"I haven't talked to (Iverson) since the summer and I don't want to give my opinion because I don't know the whole story on what's going on down there," he said. "But I'm pretty sure it's tough for him. That's part of it. I guess he didn't like the situations that he was put in."

... "I've already accepted that I can't jump no more," he said. "I'm not as fast as I used to be. I accepted that already. That's where you become more smart, make that first step or two before that first player could get there. Or I got make this jump shot; give him a little pump fake because he can jump higher than me. So to me, once you lose that step or two, that's when you pick up a step or two with your head."

Globe - Rasheed discusses Iverson

Like Sheed says in the story... some guys can handle it, some guys can't.  Let's just be thankful we got the guy who could and move on, ok? 

After the jump, Page 2 where Doc's OK with 3's, but not the free throws

Photo: REUTERS/Tim Shaffer

“I don’t mind the amount of 3’s we’re taking at all,” Rivers said. “What I don’t want is at the end of the game, is settling for them. I think we thought that we needed 3’s to get back in the game and we didn’t. We just needed to play. As far as the amount of 3’s we’re taking, I’m fine with that. They’re good shots for us.”

“I have no problem with it,” Rivers said. “We’re 7-1 and Rasheed is a big reason for that. Even when he misses, he’s taking a [center] and making them stand out by the 3-point line when Paul and Ray are working down low, or Kevin or [Kendrick Perkins] or someone else. Obviously, we want to keep mixing it up and get him on the post and get Kevin on the post. His shooting is a big factor for us.

WEEI Celtics gret back to business

“We’re causing other teams incredible problems,” Rivers, who continues to endorse the added 3-pointers, said of the Celtics’ increased shooting range. “But I do agree that we need to get to the line more. Whoever is struggling, they just don’t have a rhythm at the line.

“We just have to get better at it. A lot of that is fatigue, too, but some of it has to do with no practice. You just have to work on it. Your free throw average is what it is, but it also depends on who is getting fouled.

Herald - Green light on free throw issues

Those two things are obviously intertwined... and Doc is dead on with the end of game 3's.  Of course, I only say that because it's the exact same thing I said after the Suns game. 

It's easy to fall in love with the 3, but it's also easy to forget that the Celtics offense... when run properly... actually results in a lot of open looks at the 3.  The C's don't need to rush the long ball because they'll get better look at one later in the shot clock.  Trust the offense... trust your teammates... and you'll get plenty of chances from everywhere on the floor.

The rest of the links:

Globe: Rondo - A rested development  |  Clicking on, off court  |  Celtics step up for Pagliuca campaign  |  Herald: Bill Walker tests legs  |  Kareem Abdul Jabbar has rare form of leukemia  |  ESPN: Nash drops 20/20 on Philly