Sports Redux: If They Pounded Memphis, That'd Be Cool

A year ago, the Celtics and the Memphis Grizzlies were nervously eyeing one another for ping-pong balls. Neither team was going anywhere, and both were playing out the string fully aware that getting too good would kill their lottery chances. As it turned out, neither team had a lottery chance, as the Fates punished both franchises by withholding Oden and Durant.

The Celtics, as you may have heard, took the blow as a chance to shuffle all their young talent around the league and assemble a blue-chip team of superstars. We know how that's gone. Memphis, without the stockpile of young talent, had no such option. And the results last night weren't pretty. For Memphis.

For the C's, it was a passing/defensive/3-point shooting extravaganza, as they put on a basketball clinic and rolled the Grizzlies by 30. And it was a 20+ lead from almost the first second. We've seen the Washington Generals hang around in games longer than Memphis.

The only drama was waiting for two of the Boston 3 Party to reach personal milestones, which they did. Kevin Garnett scored his 20,000th career point on a breakaway in the second quarter, while Ray Allen reached the 18K mark just before being pulled as part of the Mercy Rule. "It just shows those guys never pass the ball," said Paul Pierce. Pot, kettle...who cares; they're 48-12.

Everyone got in the act; everyone scored except Scalabrine, who shaved his head for a new look that we're not at all sure about.

Maybe the Capitals felt bad about not invoking the Mercy Rule last week. It would explain why they gift-wrapped yesterday's game to the Bruins. Donald Brashear's freakout caused a power play bonanza for the B's when he slugged Shane Hnidy right in the puss. The B's took advantage, scoring twice (Chara and Sturm) in the 5-on-3 to get the 2-1 win.

We don't want to get overanxious about any news coming out of Florida. So the fact that Josh Beckett had back spasms and had to miss his Grapefruit League start against the Marlins doesn't panic us at all. Nope. Not a bit. We almost convinced ourselves there for a second.

(AP photo of Rajon Rondo, who might officially be our favorite right now, by Lance Murphey)