Well, not really. He’s already got like 50 of them.
But if you caught sports at 11, you heard Lynchie put out the call for new nicknames for the newest Celtic Shaquille O’Neal. Dowling is pitching “The Big Hub-Ub.” I am partial to “The Big Leprechaun.”
Do you guys have any ideas? Comment here, or email us at wcvbsports@thebostonchannel.com.
We may use your nickname on the air tomorrow at 6. If we find “the one” we’ll mention it to Shaq when he’s introduced Tuesday.
Shaquille O’Neal and the Celtics have come to an agreement on terms for a contract to bring “The Diesel or Shaq-Diesel here to Boston.
Shaq has been known as “The Big Aristotle”, “The Big Maravich”, and “The Big Cactus” but now that Shaq is coming to the Hub, he should now be known as “The Big Hub-ub”, though our sports producer Scott Isaacs’ nomination of “The Big Leprechaun” is a pretty good one as well.
Shaq averaged 12 pts and 7 rebounds in the 23 minutes per game he played last year. He played 53 games last year. Next season all that would be needed from the 350 pound 18 year veteran is 8-10 pts and 5-6 rebounds/gm. And then there is the off the court activities!?
Shaq and Big Baby! and Nate Robinson! It could be the highest rated sitcom going. Shaq can’t get here soon enough. And oh by the way yes, he will help this team win too. A better show than even those young cocky upstarts playing in Miami. Opening night against the Heat is less than 3 months away.
-MD
Just in case you haven’t been following – you can get live updates from the NBA Finals, including pictures and video, a Twitter.com – just follow @SportsCenter5. We’re also chatting online during the games on Twitter and our Facebook page. Don’t miss Game 7 Thursday night right here on Channel 5 at 9 o’clock!
Lynchie with Marines Mark and Matt Lupisella of Marlborough before Celtics-Cavs Game 6 at the Garden. We helped them get tickets through the Celtics (special thanks to Heather Walker and Chris Neil) and they got to stop by our live shot location before the game. Matt returned safely after serving in Iraq. His brother Mark is on leave from Afghanistan and heads back for a year on May 22. We appreciate your service to your country – and we hope you had fun at the game! Go Celtics!
The NBA 3-Point Shootout during All-Star Weekend will feature some green. Sources tell SportsCenter 5 that captain Paul Pierce will take part in the event, which is set for Saturday, February 13 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The NBA will release the full list of participants later tonight. Phoenix Suns center Channing Frye has said he will be taking part.
One name fans will not see on that list is reserve guard Eddie House. Fans rallied behind him after the team released a series of humorous House videos, one of which featured him shoveling off an outdoor court to practice.
For the record, Pierce is the better shooter THIS SEASON (46.7% for Pierce, 36.7% for House), but House holds the career edge, 39.3% to Pierce’s 37.0%. House also has an extremely quick release that would seemingly give him an edge in a competition like this, as opposed to Pierce’s more deliberate motion.
UPDATE: The Celtics just released the following statement:
“The Boston Celtics announced today that forward Paul Pierce suffered a strained left mid-foot during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards on February 1. He is currently listed as day-to-day.”
As we first reported earlier, Pierce is only expected to miss a couple of games. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him back out there for the Orlando game Sunday.
There are a number of reports that Celtics captain Paul Pierce suffered a broken foot last night against the Wizards and will miss significant time.
But sources are telling SportsCenter 5 that while a final diagnosis has not yet been made, the team does not believe Pierce’s injury is serious. It’s most likely a sprain or a strain. He may even be able to suit up tomorrow night against the Heat, but the reality is that the team (wisely) may force him to take a couple of games off, perhaps Miami and lowly New Jersey before coming back for Sunday’s game against Orlando (2:30 on Channel 5).
This has to be the best case scenario for the Celtics considering how nasty Pierce’s fall looked at the time. Pierce is still the Celtics’ best go-to-guy, even if Rajon Rondo has emerged as the one guy they can’t live without.
Here’s a sneak peak at the cover of the upcoming issue of the Improper Bostonian, hitting the streets on Sunday, January 17. Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo looks like he just walked out of a GQ shoot. Dapper!
So I received the first round of voting results from the NBA this week, and needless to say, the results are a bit surprising. If you’ve watched enough Celtics games this year, you’d think Kendrick Perkins has really taken a big leap forward, becoming a Rick Mahorn-like intimidating presence in the paint, while improving his low post game (season averages: 12 PPG, 8 RPG, 2 BPG, 65% FG Pct). It’s very noticeable that when he’s not in the game, the Celtics turn into a jump shooting squad that if cold, can give up a lead in a hurry. You could even say he’s become the top “enforcer” in the East. That said, take a look at the early returns:
Centers:
1. Dwight Howard (Orl) 625,279
2. Shaquille O’Neal (Cle) 206,657
3. Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 67,310
4. Al Horford (Atl) 52,747
5. Andrew Bogut (Mil) 45,920
6. Brook Lopez (NJ) 39,420
7. Jermaine O’Neal (Mia) 38,956
8. Rasheed Wallace (Bos) 36,855
9. Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 19,408
10. Brad Miller (Chi) 17,188
Nevermind that Horford and Jermaine O’Neal aren’t exactly traditional centers, Perk’s own backup, Rasheed Wallace, has nearly TWICE the votes! As a basketball fan, this offends me greatly. Perkins may not have the gaudy offensive stats, but his defense is such that he can control Howard, and definitely O’Neal, in the paint. Bargnani is clearly benefitting from the overseas vote, but at this point in his career, he, Bogut, and Lopez aren’t even close.
Yes, I know this is mostly because the hard-working Perk toils in obscurity behind the Big Three, “it guard” of the moment Rajon Rondo, even ‘Sheed, who is coasting on past glory. So SportsCenter 5 is calling for a special election – get out and do your part. There’s even a handy website set up called, appropriately enough, VOTE FOR PERK!. Check it out and cast your ballot.
-SI
Thursday night the 3 local teams will try to make it 3 times in a row that they have won 3 games on the same night.
The Bruins 7th game against Carolina tops the list. There is nothing like the anticipation and excitement of a deciding 7th game and when it is at the Garden-you’ve got to like the home team especially when they come in with the momentum and knowledge of having outplayed the Hurricanes the last 2 games. –The Eastern conference Finals against Pittsburgh will probably start on Monday night at the Garden.
The Celtics game #6 task is much tougher playing in Orlando, but if the C’s can pull it off they will start the Eastern Conference Finals Monday night in Cleveland with game 2 on wednesday night and games 3 and 4 back here in Boston on Friday and Sunday nights.
If the Celtics-Orlando series goes to a 7th game on Sunday night, the Eastern Conference Finals will begin in Cleveland with games 1 & 2 on Wednesday and Friday nights with games 3 and 4 back here in Boston next Sunday and Tuesday nights.
And last but 1st on the schedule this day- the Red Sox sending Brad Penney to the mound Thursday afternoon in Anaheim trying to start off the 3rd straight Hat Trick of wins for Boston’s teams in one calender day.
Led the madness begin with the Celtics at 7pm followed by the Bruins at 8pm and the Red Sox at 10pm eastern time.
-MD
He’s already overcome so much adversity in his life, now Leon Powe is going to have to work even harder. In a press release announcing the successful repair of the torn ACL he suffered in Game 2 against Chicago (seems like weeks ago), the Celtics also revealed Powe had MICROFRACTURE surgery on his knee as well.
Basketball fans know most players never regain their form (Amare Stoudamire is the only one that comes to mind that remained a top-level star) after the dreaded procedure.
It couldn’t come at a worse time for him, either. The Celtics probably couldn’t afford to keep both Leon and Glen Davis. With the way Davis has established himself as a starting-caliber player in the playoffs, the decision is an easy one for the team. But given how hard he’s worked, and what a genuinely good guy he is, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team find a way to bring Leon back and let him work his way back into shape.
–SI
