Maybe you have missed the big news about the economy? It is becoming more apparent that the whole crash thing with the banks and the stock market was all a hoax or maybe it has run its course, because money is floating around everywhere. Boston just floated a whole boat load of money over to Rajon Rondo to keep him from becoming a restricted free agent in the upcoming blockbuster free agent market of next year.

League sources said the extension is for five years and guarantees Rondo at least $55 million. With the two sides facing a Monday deadline to get a deal done, Duffy said he called Celtics president Danny Ainge on Sunday to inform him Rondo was prepared to play out his contract and become a restricted free agent next summer because they weren’t satisfied with the team’s previous offers. Ainge, however, surprised Duffy by responding that Rondo’s contract hopes would be met.

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Rajon is on an old Boston team where the 4 All Star players are all over 30. That would include Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and the newly picked up Rasheed Wallace. Rajon is not only young, but gives the speed to a team that needs speed.

Rajon is rich!

The money is also being floated to other players and hopefully you will get your share, but you have to have a jump shot or something.

Rondo’s new deal averages $11 million a season, the same amount San Antonio Spurs All-Star point guard Tony Parker(notes) earned when he signed a six-year, $66 million extension to his rookie contract in 2004. Among members of Rondo’s 2006 rookie class, Portland Trail Blazers All-Star guard Brandon Roy received a five-year, $80 million contract extension. The Blazers also gave forward LaMarcus Aldridge a five-year, $65 million extension.

You have to wonder how expensive seats will have to stay at the NBA games to support these salaries, while the rest of us are taking layoffs, furlough days, and pay cuts.

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Now it is time to play who makes more in the NBA as provided by Hoopsworld. The answers will be at the bottom of the blog.

Are you ready?

A) Who makes more Boston Celtics… Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, or Kevin Garnett?

B) Who makes more Cleveland Cavaliers… LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neil, or Mo Williams?

C) Who makes more Denver Nuggets… Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, or Kenyon Martin?

D) Who makes more Los Angeles Lakers… Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, or Ron Artest?

E) Who makes more New Orleans Hornets… Chris Paul, Emeka Okafor, or Peja Stojakovic?

F) Who makes more San Antonio Spurs… Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, or Richard Jefferson?

G) Who makes more Dallas Mavericks… Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, or Dirk Nowitzki?

H) Who makes more Orlando Magic… Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, or Vince Carter?

I) Who makes more Miami Heat… Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley, or Jermaine O’Neal?

J) Who makes more Detroit Pistons… Ben Gordon, Charlie Villenueva, or Rip Hamilton?

Tim Duncan makes a lot of cash!

Answers from Hoopsworld:
A) Paul Pierce $19,795,712.
B) Shaquille O’Neal $21,000,000.
C) Kenyon Martin $15,613,636.
D) Kobe Bryant $23,034,375.
E) Peja Stojakovic $13,392,000.
F) Tim Duncan $22,183,220.
G) Dirk Nowitzki $19,795,714.
H) Rashard Lewis $18,010,791.
I) Jermaine O’Neal $23,016,000.
J) Rip Hamilton $11,625,000.

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This is it for all the marbles, the opener for Boston and Cleveland and a matchup that may well decide the Eastern Conference Championship. Not that this particular game will settle anything except, the losing team will not go undefeated. Still the NBA, in its usual sharp marketing way, decided to match the two super powers up right away.

Many NBA fans do not even pay attention until the NFL has reached playoff time in January making it difficult if not impossible to pull in a full contingent of fans this soon in the season, let alone to get those same fans to even care to any degree.

LeBron is on a roll with 4 minutes to go he already has 31 points. Shaq is checking in with 10 points and 7 boards, but it is not enough as the 3 amigos are all in double figures for scoring and Boston leads 83 – 79.

The key for Boston this year may well be the play of rabbit fast Rajon Rondo and how well he can direct the team and still provide scoring when any of the big 3 has an off night.

Rajon Rondo is one of the Celtic keys

The key to Cleveland winning may well be how well Shaq meshes into the offensive schemes of Cleveland and whether he can draw double teams to take any pressure off of LeBron.

Two minutes left Boston 87 – 82.

The game is being played in Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, although lately they have not been making a lot of loans.

Final 95 – 89

LeBron 38 points 8 assists 4 rebounds. Shaq 10 and 10. Pierce 23 and 11. Rondo 16 points.
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If you go back in time to the 2006 – 07 season for the Boston Celtics and you have a team in disarray struggling to gain 24 victories. They had a team of individuals with such players as Michael Olowokandi and Sebastion Telfair. They were headed nowhere. There was even an Allen Ray, instead of a Ray Allen.

Paul Pierce was moody and despondent to say the least and often took his seat at the far end of the bench to be alone with his thoughts.

Now fast forward to today and envision a team with probably the strongest lineup from top to bottom in the NBA. Now you have Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace, Rajon Rondo, a grown up Kendrick Perkins, Marquise Daniels and more.

Paul Pierce is ready to battle!

Paul Pierce now finds himself with a perpetual smile.

So he’s drinking up every second now.

“When you get to play on this kind of team, you cherish it,” he recently said. “You don’t take these moments for granted, playing with guys like Kevin (Garnett) and Rasheed (Wallace), future Hall of Famers. You know, I cherish these moments because not a lot of people get that opportunity. I thought I’d never get that opportunity.

“It’s always disappointing when you lose a lot of ballgames. You wake up in the morning, and you know your team is 15 games out of the playoffs. The thing about me is that I’m always motivated because I love the game of basketball.

“I love the game so much that it rarely got me down when I was out there playing on the court. I take pride in that. I’m a competitor. I play this game to win. If you don’t play to win, then what are you playing for? Some guys play for the lifestyle, and a lot of those guys don’t last. Me, I’ve always played to try to win.
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Paul is loving it and so are his teammates, so much so that they showed up early for practice this year even though Coach Rivers told them to take it easy. Everyone is having so much fun, because winning is fun and they know they are going to win. The only question is how much will they win. They have set their sights on the NBA championship and anything less will not be satisfying.

It has been 12 years, 12 long years for Paul Pierce, but it could not be any better, now it is a battle for the NBA Championship every year. It might be a while before that smile leaves Paul’s face.

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Just how many old guys can the Celtics stock up on? Let’s see they have Grandpa Kevin Garnett, age 33 with 14 years in the league. Then there is Grandpa Paul Pierce, age 32 with 11 years in the league. Then there is Grandpa Ray Allen, whom they shopped around this winter, but nobody wanted a 3 point shooter that used a walker, soon to be age 34 with 13 years in the league. (Stats from NBA.com)

Now they reach for the geritol and sign Rasheed ‘Technical waiting to happen’ Wallace, age 35 in September with 14 years in the league.

Sure the Celtics won a title two years ago, because for some unknown reason nobody got injured. Last year was more reality than fantasy as Kevin Garnett was injured.

Unfortunately it is a fact of life for Hoop Stars in the NBA that age limits your jumping ability, your quickness, your hops (ability to jump fast), and leaves you more injury prone. Good Luck Boston on picking up an aging brooding Rasheed Wallace.

How will Rasheed Wallace get along in Boston?

Rasheed will always be remembered affectionately in Detroit for being a great teammate and delivering the 2004 title. Thank You, Rasheed.

And with Rasheed Wallace severing ties with the Pistons on Sunday by giving an oral commitment to sign with Eastern Conference rival Boston, the soul has left the building as well.
Multiple media outlets reported that Wallace, 35, agreed to the mid-level exception for $5.8 million per season, and it’s believed to be for two seasons.
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With a minute left in the 4th quarter and the scored tied, Derrick Rose took Rajon Rondo to the hole and drew a suspect foul, but it was not a shooting foul. On the ensuing play, Derrick Rose slipped going to his left and the ball rolled out of bounds. Interesting, the Bulls go to their rookie point guard with the game on the line.

A blurb on the TV showed that there had been 80 lead changes in the 5 game series. 3 of these games have gone to overtime.

Rajon misses after Marbury turns down a shot and Ben Gordon shoots an afterthought jumper at the other end for the lead.

Paul Pierce goes one on one and shoots a turnaround jumper at the foul line to tie it up.

Pierce and Allen try to carry on without Garnett

Chicago goes to Gordon to win the game and he misses a step back jumper. Odd shot selection.

We go to OT. Paul Pierce knocks down a step back jumper from the right side of the top of the key to give the Celtics a three point lead with 36 seconds left.

Will the Bulls go for the 2 for 1? Yes, Ben Gordon forces a 3 on a quick shot and Tony Allen fouls him. Bad foul.

Gordon makes the first, the second, and the third. Tie score. Time out Boston with 27 seconds left.

Will Boston go to Paul Pierce one last time? Yes, Paul Pierce makes a face up jumper just inside the free throw line, right side of the top of the key. The defense by Salmons was good, but Pierce was better. 3.4 seconds left.

One more chance for Ben Gordon? What an incredible play as Miller sets a high screen for the sideline out of bounds play. The defenders go with Ben Gordon rounding the pick and leave Miller wide open. He takes the ball at the top of the key and drives slowly, oh so slowly to the hole. Rondo hits him in the mouth for a foul and Miller air balls.

Miller stops the blood, but bricks the first free throw. Celtics by two with 2 seconds to go. Miller misses on purpose on the second free throw, but misses rim. Ball to Boston. Game to Boston.

Chicago fouls Pierce on the inbounds. He misses a free throw. 1.3 seconds left. He hits rim and that is the game.
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The Chicago Bulls have no illusions about this series. They only see the opportunity to win this opening series and move on. Kevin Garnett, the Celtics leader, is hurt and out of the playoffs. The Celtics miss him, but are not using it as an excuse.

It is Derrick Rose vs. Rajon Rondo

The real battle in this series has been a surprise. It is all Derrick Rose against Rajon Rondo and once again, both players were brilliant.

Rose (11 rebounds, nine assists) scored 10 points in the first half, before going scoreless in the third. The NBA Rookie of the Year then took over in the fourth making five of his six shots. His lone miss was a last-second shot that would have won it for the Bulls.

“My team is looking for me to be aggressive,” Rose said. “I was looking to push the ball and get my teammates involved.”

Rondo, Rose’s counterpart, was an absolute force again for the Celtics, finishing with 25 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and two steals. Paul Pierce had a team-high 29 points — 11 in the two overtime periods.

“[Rondo is] a good point guard,” Rose said. “He does everything you need to get done on the court. It’s fun out there when we are playing against each other.”

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Rose ruled the 4th quarter and Ben Gordon made a great shot to move the game to the second overtime, where John Salmons performed some heroics to win the game. John Salmons not only had 20 points, but he sealed the game with two free throws and then blocked Paul Pierce’s last second attempt to win the game.

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