Its close to playoff time, and mysteriously Sam Cassell forgets he's 38 years old. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280412001 Cassell rules 4th quarter, keeps Hawks from clinching berth ATLANTA (AP) -- Sam Cassell, the star of the postgame interviews, was the last player in the Celtics' locker room. As Cassell entered, his teammates responded with cheers and applause that could be heard behind closed doors. Cassell and Boston's backups outplayed Atlanta's starters in the fourth quarter, and the Celtics prevented the Hawks from clinching their first playoff berth since 1999 with a 99-89 victory Saturday night. Atlanta would have ended the NBA's longest playoff drought with a victory, because Indiana lost to Charlotte earlier Saturday. The Hawks remained two games ahead of the Pacers with two to play, lowering their magic number to one for the right to face the Celtics in a first-round series. Cassell, 38, scored 20 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, as the Celtics outscored the Hawks 21-5 down the stretch. "Sam's performance was vintage Sam," said Boston's Paul Pierce. "He's been playing really well as of late ... and he's going to be big for us in the postseason." The Hawks scored only 15 points in the final period, including nine on three 3-pointers by Mike Bibby. Cassell began the season with the Clippers before joining Boston as a free agent on March 4. He downplayed setting his scoring high since joining the Celtics. "Just doing my job," said Cassell. "It ain't easy at my age. But I'm getting a nice little rhythm right now. I'm understanding where I can fit in on this team offensively. Defensively, it's still a challenge for me." Each team was playing for the second straight night, but Boston, which has secured the home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, had the luxury of relying on its bench. "At halftime I told our coaches I thought we honestly had a better chance to win tonight with our second unit than our starters," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "You could just see it, in that third quarter, that their energy was low. "I said, 'Listen guys, I don't know if we're going to win or lose, but we're not going to play this way.' " The Hawks rallied from a 55-44 halftime deficit for a 74-74 tie after three quarters. Al Horford and Josh Smith combined for 23 points as the Hawks outscored the Celtics 30-19 in the third period. Atlanta also opened the final quarter strong, taking an 84-78 lead on two 3-pointers by Bibby before Cassell took over. "I wouldn't say it was their second unit that beat us," Smith said. "It was Sam Cassell. He was pretty much the only player on the court who could score points." Cassell shot 6-of-9, making two 3-pointers, while playing the full final quarter. "It was fun, but it was also demanding," Cassell said.
DAMMIT! i want the hawks in the playoffs so that they can screw over the suns with that pick that is unprotected this year... hurry up and clinch!
Yea i dont want them do get it either.....But they will make it......They have to play the magic and the heat.........WONDER which one they will win
I told people Cassell was a huge addition for the Celtics. Everyone said he was washed up. Must not have seen him play much this year I guess...
if they win it this year and sam shines, then history will rewrite clutch city 1 rockets were a team of big time clutch players.
Crazy about Cassell By Steve Bulpett | Monday, April 14, 2008 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics NEW YORK - The Celtics [team stats] still aren’t quite sure what to make of Sam Cassell. “Oh, Sam’s crazy,” coach Doc Rivers said. “No,” Paul Pierce [stats] said through a wide smile, “he’s only borderline crazy.” Watching the 38-year-old point guard strut and gesture - and score 15 of his 20 points - in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win in Atlanta, the rest of the C’s were laughing with Cassell, not at him. The regulars were howling on the bench when he drilled a pair of late 3-pointers to humble the Hawks. They doubled over when he signaled toward his lower region to emphasize his massive . . . uh, courage. “Sam got caught up in it, man,” Kendrick Perkins [stats] said. “He was feeling it. Hey, I was feeling it, too, just watching him from the bench. “It’s fun to be around Sam, period. Whether he’s in the game playing like that or just anywhere. It’s fun to be around him.” And with the current group of Celtics, Cassell may have found his match. “Sam’s just a fun-loving guy who loves the situation he’s in,” said Ray Allen, who’s familiar with Cassell from their days together in Milwaukee. “I think he enjoys this team and the guys on it, and I think his enthusiasm is contagious.” Perhaps even more important, Cassell’s 30 points in 42 weekend minutes (he had 10 points Friday against the Bucks) showed he can be an asset as the club heads into the postseason. “He’s getting it,” Rivers said. “He’s not going to get our whole offense, because that’s impossible now. So what we’ve done is narrow down what we think he’s great at in our offense, and that’s all we’re going to run when he’s in. That’s made him free again. He’s comfortable and he’s free.” Free to pick his spots in pressure situations, a trait that has defined Cassell’s career. “He’s very comfortable in those situations and he wants the ball,” Rivers said. “Some guys don’t; some guys do. He does.” That Cassell’s ability comes in an entertaining package only adds to his value. “He’s nuts,” Rivers said. “That’s why he’s good. You have to be a little nuts to be a good player.” Cassell hasn’t been routinely good since he joined the Celts. He’s clearly been out of sync at times on offense, and back spasms kept him out of two games last week. But nothing can take away his willingness to put himself on the line. “I don’t mind being a goat,” Cassell said. “You make some shots and miss some shots, but I don’t mind being the goat. Somebody’s got to be the goat.” Looking at his moment in the spotlight Saturday, he added, “Yeah, I was doing it, but that could have been Eddie House doing it. It can be anyone. We’ve got a lot of talent here, man. Whoever’s got the hot hand, he’s going to get the damn ball . . . all day. “It’s unbelievable. We’re so tight as a group. Guys challenge each other and guys stay on each other, but at the end of the day we’re a team. That’s why we’re so successful. Guys support each other.” And at his age, Cassell knows he needs all the support he can get. Cassell can still carry a team, like he did Saturday in Atlanta. He just can’t do it all the time anymore. “Sam is just Sam,” James Posey said. “That (Atlanta) game was a reminder for some people who may have forgot or some of the young guys on the team who maybe haven’t seen Sam play. Now they know what he’s capable of doing.” Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1086971
Cassell TORCHED the Knicks for 22 points include 2-3 pointers in the 4th.. Sound familiar?? Clutch City 1 !!!
he's taking the lessons of Clutch City with him wherever he goes. He always talks about what he's learned from his rookie year from Vernon Maxwell and Rudy T. He's also mentored Steve Nash. Steve has mentioned this before. You can see the Sam in Steve. A deadly shooter and passer. And Vernon mentored Allen Iverson when Max was in Philly. you DEFINETLY can see that. you don't see any of the the Bulls besides Jordan mentoring Rip Hamilton do that.
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/04/15/celtics_dont_miss_a_beat/ The teams traded hoops until it was 88-86 Boston, when Cassell (7 of 18) knocked down a 3-pointer. Following a Randolph Morris hoop, Davis made a free throw and Cassell connected again from international waters, making it 95-88 with 56.4 seconds left. Both Cassell threes came on feeds from Rondo, who also had 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Asked why he didn't get a career high in points, Rondo said, "Sam was taking all the shots." Indeed. Ten of Cassell's 18 shots came in the fourth quarter. He played 31 minutes as the Celtics try to get him playoff-ready. "It was very important to get Sam as many minutes as possible," Rivers said.
