To borrow a phrase from Randy Moss, the Celtics are playing hellified ball these days.
While the Patriots were beating up on the Dolphins, Boston smashed the Raptors 118-103. That’s three straight blowouts, five straight wins overall.
Couple encouraging things from this one: The Celtics shot 61.6 percent. Ray Allen scored 21 points (8 of 12) and Paul Pierce (24) and Kevin Garnett (29) clocked in at less than 30 minutes each.
Yes, they haven’t been as sharp so far as last season. But they’re 13-2. they could very well run off a string of victories. Maybe they’re not 20-2 but they could get pretty close. Look at their schedule. Golden State Wednesday, Philly Friday, at Charlotte Saturday, Orlando, Indiana, Portland, then at Indy and at Washington.
Practice resumes again Tuesday in Waltham.
If you’re a college basketball fan in his or her 20s or 30s, UMass probably brings back a lot of memories. Back in the 1990s, the Celtics stunk, the Patriots were just becoming relevant under Bill Parcells and the Bruins and Red Sox were just OK, making the playoffs once in a while, but not really doing much damage.
The Minutemen were the region’s greatest team, hands down. They had Lou Roe — my brother recently gave me his old Lou Roe Jersey, it’s my dresser somewhere — and Marcus Camby. They made the Elite 8 and Final 4 in 1995 and 1996, respectively. Then it disappeared when John Calipari left for the New Jersey Nets. Obviously it’s not UNC or Kansas, but UMass was at least a temporary powerhouse. Can Dr. J’s alma mater be a player again?
New coach Derek Kellogg, the starting point guard on the ’95 team, hopes so. He knows the odds of getting the program back to where it was when he was in uniform is pretty slim, but he’s willing to try. He’s still forming his own coaching style (If there’s one thing Kellogg and Calipari may share is the same hair product. But I’m not sure.)
“It becomes natural at some point. You played the game; you know how you want the game played,” he said Friday. “If you’re not doing it, then you have to make it happen one way or another.”
If you get a chance, get down to Amherst and see the Mullins Center. A perfect-sized college gym.
And here’s what Kellogg had to say about UMass.
