Delonte West

There always will be a bond and affection between Delonte West and the Celtics. And while the guard's departure after last season was a surprise, he returned to Boston last night all smiles playing with the defending champion Mavericks. He was in the starting lineup and scored Dallas's first 6 points. He finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in the Mavericks' 90-85 win. West had expressed a desire to return to the Celtics this season but was not pleased with the team's minimum offer.

By Tony Massarotti, Boston.com Columnist Sights, sounds and observations while couch-ridden: On those nights the shots are falling, like Sunday, the Celtics look positively unbeatable. There is no one to stop them. From Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to even Mickael Pietrus, Brandon Bass and Greg Stiemsma, the Celtics have a collection of shooters like few other teams in the league. That is why LeBron James, in April, called them the best jump-shooting team in the league.

He finished off the Celtics with a spinning, turning layup, a big shot usually reserved for superstars, not upstart rookies. Kyrie Irving put the Cavaliers ahead with 2.6 seconds left and then immediately ran toward his father for a celebratory moment. Drederick Irving, a guard on the 1988 Boston University NCAA Tournament team, was all smiles and pointed back to his son from his courtside seat. The elder Irving watched the game with a number of teammates from his BU days, and spent the postgame taking pictures and basking in his son's first NBA game-winner.

MIAMI - When the confetti rained down on American Airlines Arena last May, and LeBron James embraced Dwyane Wade as they battled to maintain their poise as the Mavericks celebrated the NBA title on Miami's home court, the Heat truly believed they had ridded themselves of the Boston Celtics. And when the Celtics began the season 5-9, looking well past their prime, unable to compete with the league's elite, the Heat appeared to clear the hurdle of their biggest rival. That was until the Celtics worked into shape, moved Kevin Garnett to center, and unleashed secret weapon Avery Bradley into...

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff For an answer to that question, watch the episode of Globe 10.0 above as Chad Finn and Greg Lee debate where the team goes from here. For a list of free agents the Celtics might be interested in, click here for one man's take and analysis. If you'd prefer not clicking through the slides, the names are below: PG: Delonte West PG: T.J. Ford SG: Jamal Crawford SG: Allen Iverson SG: Jason Richardson SF: Shane Battier SF: Caron Butler SF: Thaddeus Young SF: Al Thornton SF: Jeff Green SF: Grant...

By Gary Washburn, Globe staff Monday was a very newsy day around Waltham as the Celtics had more bodies out there at practice but the missing one is a reason for concern. *Team president Danny Ainge said that Jeff Green is undergoing further tests for a medical issue discovered during his physical and he will be out for a few more days. Ainge did not seem concerned but would not divulge the nature of the issue, citing "doctor-patient privilege. " Ainge said Green should be back in a few days and the team is "just being cautious.

The NBA is considering pushing back the start of training camps from Friday to Monday for team like the Celtics who have just six players under contract. By Julian Benbow, Globe staff WALTHAM -- The NBA is considering pushing the start of training camps from Friday to Monday, according to a Yahoo! Sports report , in order to give teams more time to fill out their rosters. The Celtics currently have six players under contract but president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said whatever the date, he expects to have a team ready.

If a little knowledge is, indeed, a dangerous thing, then, for sure, ignorance is bliss. That's the only way Doc Rivers can approach tonight's Game 5 in terms of what he knows he's going to get from his kids. Just like you and me, he has no clue. Will he get the Al Jefferson from Game 1 (8 points, 7 rebounds in 17 minutes) or the Al Jefferson from Game 3 (4 points, 1 rebound in 19 minutes)? Will he get the Delonte West of Game 4, who looked like a composed John Lucas, or the Delonte West who pitched a shutout in 11 minutes in Game 2?

By Tony Massarotti, Boston.com Columnist Sights, sounds and observations while couch-ridden: On those nights the shots are falling, like Sunday, the Celtics look positively unbeatable. There is no one to stop them. From Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to even Mickael Pietrus, Brandon Bass and Greg Stiemsma, the Celtics have a collection of shooters like few other teams in the league. That is why LeBron James, in April, called them the best jump-shooting team in the league.

While you've been busy worrying about Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke, new outfield sod, Tom Brady's arm, Tom Brady's GQ picture holding the goat, and if you'll ever be able to drive underneath downtown Boston without worrying about drowning, Danny Ainge has been busy, too. The Celtics' executive director of basketball operations has been trying to buy up every available point guard in the known universe. Well, lots of 'em anyway. Until further notice, the Celtics will go to training camp with five point guards, none of them, unfortunately, named...

By Christopher L. Gasper, Globe columnist T.S. Eliot said April was the cruelest month, but there is a lot to look forward to in the fourth month of the year in the foremost sports city in the country. We have the recharged Bruins ready to defend their Stanley Cup crown in the NHL playoffs, the reconfigured Red Sox, replete with a new general manger, manager and closer, hoping to erase the grease stains of last season's epic collapse, the revitalized Celtics appearing ready to make one last championship run, and everybody's favorite rite of April, the Patriots...

Vince Carter scored 21 points against a Phoenix team that's still paying him, helping the Dallas Mavericks to a 122-99 rout of the Steve Nash-less Suns on Monday night. Nash, the NBA assists leader, was out with a bruised left thigh after taking a knee from Marc Gasol in the final seconds of Phoenix's victory over Memphis on Saturday night. Carter was waived by Phoenix when the lockout ended, but his contract still guaranteed him $4 million. He would have made $18 million had he stayed with Phoenix.

He finished off the Celtics with a spinning, turning layup, a big shot usually reserved for superstars, not upstart rookies. Kyrie Irving put the Cavaliers ahead with 2.6 seconds left and then immediately ran toward his father for a celebratory moment. Drederick Irving , a guard on the 1988 Boston University NCAA Tournament team, was all smiles and pointed back to his son from his courtside seat. The elder Irving watched the game with a number of teammates from his BU days, and spent the postgame taking pictures and basking in his son's first NBA game-winner.

Delonte West dribbled down the clock and then did what a Dallas point guard does: He got the ball to Dirk Nowitzki for the winner. Nowitzki drove past Kevin Garnett for the go-ahead layup with 5.1 seconds left, scoring 16 points Wednesday night to lead the Mavericks to a 90-85 victory over the Boston Celtics. "It's a fun situation to be in," said Nowitzki, who also drew a foul and made the free throw to give Dallas a three-point lead. "Everybody's looking at you and your team really depends on you, so I like to be in the position where I can make something...

There always will be a bond and affection between Delonte West and the Celtics. And while the guard's departure after last season was a surprise, he returned to Boston last night all smiles playing with the defending champion Mavericks. He was in the starting lineup and scored Dallas's first 6 points. He finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in the Mavericks' 90-85 win. West had expressed a desire to return to the Celtics this season but was not pleased with the team's minimum offer.

There always will be a bond and affection between Delonte West and the Celtics. And while the guard's departure after last season was a surprise, he returned to Boston last night all smiles playing with the defending champion Mavericks. He was in the starting lineup and scored Dallas's first 6 points. He finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in the Mavericks' 90-85 win. West had expressed a desire to return to the Celtics this season but was not pleased with the team's minimum offer.

While the rest of the NBA was locked out, the Boston Celtics were locked in. The Big 3 and Rajon Rondo, who led Boston to its unprecedented 17th NBA championship in 2008, were already signed and ready for another run at the title. So while the defending champion Dallas Mavericks were trying to replace Tyson Chandler and Chris Paul was trying to figure out which side of the Staples Center to report to, the Celtics were simply resting up for the season to start. "It does help, having the five guys back," coach Doc Rivers said, throwing center Jermaine O'Neal into the mix with Rondo...

Are we supposed to blame the dancers? Sure, the Celtics have been devastated by injuries and Doc Rivers can put five guys on the floor who were born after Roger Clemens pitched his first game for the Red Sox. But a 4-17 record at home? Nine straight losses on the parquet? Gotta be the dancers, right? The green Green lost their 11th straight overall last night, a 105-91 decision to the Washington Wizards. Boston plays in Indianapolis tomorrow night, then comes home to face the Lakers Wednesday and the Clippers Friday.