Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
“We don’t have a smackdown mentality,’’ he said. “You might have seen that with [Kevin] Garnett on [Orlando’s Dwight] Howard in Game 6 in Boston, where he was smacking Howard’s arm and was finally called for an offensive foul. That’s not our kind of team. We don’t go out there to smack people around.
“I call it more resiliency. We’re a more resilient ball club. We try to stay strong and play hard. But we’re going to have to withstand some of that. We’re going to have to play through it. We have some guys who are capable of playing to that style in [Derek] Fisher and Ron [Artest] and obviously Kobe [Bryant]. But our big guys are going to have to stand up because that’s basically what got the Celtics through Orlando.’’
Globe - Jackson already talking smack
Phil Jackson planted a 'seed' like this one before the OKC and Phoenix series. He said Kevin Durant gets all the calls. He said Steve Nash carries the ball.
I don't believe this 'smackdown' comment is geared towards the referees. Jackson is speaking to his own team. He knows the Celtics will try to bully the Lakers (Rumor has it, Pau Gasol asked the league office to let him wear a helmet), and he doesn't want them a) respond by playing too physical (you listening Ron?) and b) cower in the corner (you listening Pau?).
Meanwhile, there are no hidden messages from Doc:
“We’re just going to be us,” Rivers said following Monday’s practice. “I don’t know if that’s with any particular person. We’re going to be us and if that’s physical, that’s what we’re going to be.”
WEEI - Doc says Cs are just going to be us
On Page 2, updates on the injuries.
Rivers noted that Marquis Daniels, who suffered a concussion in Game 5 against Orlando, will remain sidelined indefinitely. That means Brian Scalabrine, who ran through drills with the second team at the end of Monday's practice, will likely be active for at least the start of the Finals and possibly the entire series.
"Marquis is out," said Rivers. "I don't know if it's the whole Finals, but right now he's out."
Center Kendrick Perkins was still sporting tape over his sprained right wrist, but participated fully, as did Tony Allen, who continues to nurse a sore ankle after twisting it in Game 2 against the Magic.
ESPN Boston - Rivers: Rondo felt pretty good
The rest of the links:
Globe - Better chalk it up | Past is perfect, present is tense | Herald - Callahan predicts Cs win | LA gives rivalry a shrug | LA brings out Truth | Kobe offers new issues | WEEI - What Papi sees in Baby | Ted Green apologizes for stabbing line | 5 Questions for the Finals | ESPN Boston - Pierce vs Artest | Celtics - Lakers History | Celtics Blog - Who will step up? |
