Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo Traded to Dallas Mavericks

Former All-Star guard Rajon Rondo was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday evening December 18. Dallas Mavericks wants to be a contender and have a run at the championship with aging stars Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler. Mavericks will now have an explosive back-court featuring Rondo and Monta Ellis.

The deal will ship Rajon Rondo and rookie forward Dwight Powell to Dallas in exchange for guards Jameer Nelson, Jae Crowder, forward Brandan Wright, 1st-round pick for 2015, and 2nd-round pick for 2016. The 1st-round pick for 2015 has lottery protection, which means it is protected from picks 1-3 and 15-30.

The Dallas Maverics and Boston Celtics will have a scheduled trade call with the NBA office on Thursday night to complete the deal, which includes Boston getting a $13 million trade exception that it has one year to use.

Rondo's numbers is getting to his All-star level after the injury his averaged this season are 8.3 points, 10.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds.

Rondo on his Twitter page thanks Celtics fans and looks forward to Dallas.

I look forward to building something special in Dallas.
— Rajon Rondo (@RajonRondo) December 19, 2014

Years w/ the Celtics, fans and city. The opportunity to play with guys like Dirk, Monta, Tyson and the young talent of Chandler is exciting
— Rajon Rondo (@RajonRondo) December 19, 2014

My time in Boston has meant so much. I've grown up with this city both as a basketball player and person. The love I have for the most loyal
— Rajon Rondo (@RajonRondo) December 19, 2014

Celtics-Nets game brawl

Rajon Rondo, Kris Humphries, and Gerald Wallace all ejected for fighting in Celtics-Nets game.

30 seconds remaining in the first half of the game between Celtics and Nets, Kris Humphries fouled Kevin Garnett on a jumper, hitting KG hard in the shoulder that sent him to the floor along the baseline. Rondo, who was near the hoop, immediately grabbed and shoved Humphries. More players got involved, including the Nets' Gerald Wallace, the Celtics' Brandon Bass, the jet, and a late-arriving Garnett.

Rondo, Humphries, and Wallace were all ejected, and all three, they can expect certain fines and possible suspensions in the next few days. Rondo finished with only three assists in 18 minutes, bringing his streak to an end at 37 games, which ties him at second all-time with John Stockton. Magic Johnson will continue to hold the record at 46 games.

Nets won the game 95-83.

Here is the full recap:

Rajon Rondo, Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, KG, Kevin Garnett, New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics

Nets Beat Rondo-less Celtics

Brooklyn Nets defeated the Boston Celtics 102-97. Rondo did not play due to a sprained right ankle.

Boston trailed by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, but rallied to take the lead, before fading. Kevin Garnett gave the Celtics an 85-80 advantage with 7:57 remaining in the game. But the Celtics then hit a drought, failing to connect in the half-court offense and losing their defensive edge as their transition game disappeared.

Celtics led by Paul Pierce who scored 22 points, 7 Reb, 4 Ast, and 2 Stl while the Nets was led by Brooke Lopez with 24 Pts, 6 Reb, 4 Blk.

Heat win over Celtics opener, 120-107

Wade scored 29 points, James with 26 points and 10 rebounds he missed much of the second half because of cramps in both legs. The reigning NBA champion Heat beat the Boston Celtics 120-107 on Tuesday night in the season opener for both teams.

For Boston Paul Pierce scored 23 points, Rondo finished with 20 points and 13 assists, and Leandro Barbosa scored 16.

Finally Rondo got his revenged on Wade when wade drove to the basket past Rondo, Rondo grabbed Wade around the neck. Oh sweet revenge for injuring Rondo.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Rajon Rondo Boston

FGM-FGA 9-14
Pts 20
Rebs 7
Assists 13

LeBron James Miami

FGM-FGA 10-16
Pts 26
Rebs 10
Assists 3

Celtics Rout Emporio Armani Milano 105-75 on preseason tour

Rajon Rondo scores 17 points and dishes out six assists in the Celtics 105-75 win. Jeff Green also had 17 points off the bench for Boston.

The Celtics return to Boston on Monday and resume practice Thursday before playing their first U.S. preseason game against the New York Knicks in Hartford, Conn., next weekend.

Kevin Garnett returning with the Celtics

Garnett has decided to re-sign with the Boston Celtics for a three-year, $34 million contract. The NBA's free-agent period begins at 12:01 a.m. ET Sunday and players can officially start signing contracts on July 11.

Kevin Garnett 36, averaged 15.8 points and 8.2 rebounds for the Celtics last season. A lot of team are interested in getting him, but his loyalty to coach Doc Rivers made him likely to return to Boston once he decided to keep playing.

The Celtics have several other free agents in Ray Allen, Brandon Bass, Marquis Daniels, Keyon Dooling, Jeff Green, Ryan Hollins, Sasha Pavlovic and Mickael Pietrus. Allen is expected to be courted by the Phoenix Suns.

Source Yahoo

Miami Heat 101 Boston Celtics 88, Heat will meet OKC in the Finals

LeBron James took over in the fourth quarter to push the Heat past the Celtics and date with the Thunder in the NBA Finals.

LBJ scores 31, Wade 23. Rondo 22 Pts 10 Rebs, 14 Assists for Boston

Celtics beat the Heat 94-90, leads 3-2

Kevin Garnett finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 19 - including a huge 3-pointer over LeBron James' outstretched arm with 52.9 seconds left - and the Celtics beat the Heat 94-90 on Tuesday night, taking a 3-2 lead in the East finals that now shift to Boston for Game 6 on Thursday night.

James finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, though he went 8 minutes without scoring in the final quarter. Dwyane Wade scored 27 for the Heat, who got no more than nine from anyone else.

Pierce's 3 put Boston up 90-86. Miami got within two points twice, and argued that it should have had a steal with 8.8 seconds left. Instead, a foul was called on Udonis Haslem, Garnett made two free throws, and the Celtics knew they had just stolen one on Miami's home floor.

Now all they need is one home win of their own to clinch a trip to either Oklahoma City or San Antonio for Game 1 of the NBA finals. The title series starts June 12.

The Celtics were down by 13 points in the second quarter, then down nine in the third, and answered both times - prevailing on a night where they shot just 41 percent, and got outrebounded 49-39.

Allen and Mickael Pietrus scored 13 apiece for the Celtics, who got 10 from Brandon Bass. Pietrus hit two huge 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for Boston, which remained perfect with this core when facing maybe the most pivotal situation a best-of-seven can offer - a Game 5 with a series tied 2-2.

Pierce, Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen are now 9-0 in that scenario.

NBA West and East Finals are Set!

The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have simply rolled through this postseason. There's the 18-game winning streak that has the Spurs flirting with history. Seventeen combined playoff games and just one loss. The Thunder sending home the last two NBA champions, and no other playoff teams besides these two that can boast a series sweep.

The matchup of Russell Westbrook vs Tony Parker is very interesting.

 Sunday, May 27, 2012

Game 1:
Oklahoma City 47-19 (Road: 21-12)    8:30pm ET
San Antonio 50-16 (Home: 28-5)

Heat-Celtics in East finals

It's a rematch: Miami and Boston will meet in the playoffs again, this time with a spot in the NBA finals at stake.

Boston's 85-75 win in Game 7 over Philadelphia on Saturday night earned the Celtics a trip to Miami, where the reigning East champion Heat will host Game 1 of this year's conference title series Monday night.

Boston took the regular-season series from Miami 3-1, though the last of those meetings was in the final game of the season and came on a night where LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all sat out for Miami, while Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen got the evening off for Boston.

The lineups will look more normal Monday, though Bosh will remain sidelined because of a strained lower abdominal muscle.

It'll be a quick turnaround for Boston, with Game 1 in Miami starting about 46 hours after Game 7 against the 76ers ended. The Heat finished off their East semifinal series against Indiana on Thursday night, took Friday off and held a light practice Saturday - focusing on themselves and not starting to work in details either the Celtics or the 76ers.

New Big 3 vs Old Big 3 + Rondo

Game 1: May 28 8:30pm EDT @MIA (TV: ESPN)

Rondo leads Celtics to 85-75 Game 7 win over 76ers

Rajon Rondo leads the Celtics with 18 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in Game 7 against the 76ers to to an 85-75 victory and into an Eastern Conference finals matchup with the Miami Heat.

The Celtics will open the third round of the NBA playoffs in Miami on Monday night.

Bouncing back from his worst game of the playoffs and snapping out of a 32-minute slump in which he had just two assists and five points - Rondo scored nine straight Boston points after Paul Pierce fouled out to help the Celtics turn a three-point edge into a double-digit lead.

Rondo had 11 points in the fourth quarter, including his first 3-pointer in five games, made all four of his free throws down the stretch and grabbed his 10th rebound in the final minute - chucking it over his head and into the frontcourt to help the Celtics dribble down the clock.

Andre Iguodala scored 18 points, and Holiday and Elton Brand had 15 apiece for the 76ers, who eliminated the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round but couldn't do the same with the Celtics.

Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 13 rebounds for Boston, and Ray Allen hit a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers after missing his first five attempts.

The Celtics will now face the actual NBA MVP LeBron James along with Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Heat. Miami advanced to the conference finals by eliminating the Indiana Pacers in six games.

Miami beat Boston in five games in the conference semifinals last year. In 2010, the Celtics eliminated the Heat in the first round and then knocked James and the Cavaliers out in the second - his final game with Cleveland before defecting to Miami.

This will be an interesting matchup!

Boston Celtics 101-85 win over Philadelphia

In the East, Brandon Bass scored 27 points to spark the Boston Celtics to a 101-85 win over Philadelphia and move within one victory of a place in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

Bass found his shooting touch in the third quarter, where he scored 18 points to net a playoff career high and help the Celtics pull away from the 76ers.

"When you're on a team with a point guard like Rajon Rondo, the ball just happens to find you," Bass said. "We have to come out (in Game Six) with the same defensive approach."

The Game Five win gave Boston a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven second-round series.

Kevin Garnett added 20, while Rajon Rondo tallied 13 points and 14 assists for Boston, who trailed early but outscored the 76ers 54-35 in the final two quarters.

Elton Brand lead Philadelphia with 19 points. Game Six is tomorrow in Philadelphia.

All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo has been suspended for Game 2 of the Boston Celtics' first-round playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks after bumping an official in Sunday's loss. Rondo was protesting a call with 41 seconds left in Game 1 loss when he bumped referee Marc Davis with his chest. The Celtics had made a frantic comeback to cut a 19-point Hawks lead to four when Rondo lost his composure after Davis called a foul on Boston forward Brandon Bass. Rondo's absence further complicates the Celtics' predicament. They're also likely to be without shooting guard Ray Allen, who still hasn't recovered from an ankle injury. Boston will play Game 2 in Atlanta on Tuesday before returning to Boston for Friday's Game 3. Rondo insisted he didn't intentionally bump Davis, but NBA rules allow little leeway when a player makes contact with an official.

Rondo says he tripped

"Obviously I was upset about the call," Rondo said. "I said some words to Marc. I deserved the first tech. As I was walking, I thought he stopped. My momentum carried me into him. I even think I tripped on his foot. I didn’t intentionally chest-bump him. But that’s what it appears to be."

Rondo ejected as Celtics lost Game 1

Upset with a loose ball foul on Brandon Bass, Rajon Rondo screamed in the face of referee Marc Davis. Immediately upon receiving a technical foul, Rondo intentionally bumped his chest into Davis' back.