There might not be an NBA player more detested by Bulls fans than Celtics forward James Posey. That's because of three incidents in which he was involved while playing with the Heat. Tonight Posey and the Celtics visit the Bulls at the United Center.
The first incident occurred during Game 3 of a first-round playoff series in 2006 when Posey was ejected after knocking Kirk Hinrich to the floor with a hard shoulder block that drew a flagrant-2 foul. In last season's opener, Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas sustained a broken nose when he was hit by Posey. And on Dec. 27, 2006, Posey was ejected for a flagrant-2 foul after hitting Luol Deng hard in midair. Deng underwent wrist surgery afterward.
"It really doesn't bother me for the most part," Posey said. "It's kind of funny. I guess I'm sort of famous in the building. I don't care, really."
Wallace ailing
With his boss in attendance and his contract status up in the air, an injury kept rookie forward Brandon Wallace sidelined in Utah last night.Wallace did not play for the Celtics' NBA Development League affiliate, the Utah Flash, against the Los Angeles D-Fenders because of a sprained right wrist but could play tonight when the teams meet again in Orem, Utah.
Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge attended last night's Flash game to evaluate Wallace and rookie guard Gabe Pruitt. Ainge must decide by Dec. 20 whether to guarantee Wallace's contract for the rest of the season.
"I'm just taking my situation the same way as training camp, give it my all," said Wallace in a telephone interview. "I'm taking it as the same exact situation. I'm not even nervous about it."
Wallace will make $427,163 if his contract is guaranteed. Ainge hoped to have a better idea about Wallace after the games this weekend. "I wanted to watch Brandon and Gabe to see where they are and how they are progressing," he said.
Wallace is averaging 12.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks in six games. The 6-foot-9-inch, 206-pounder said he injured his wrist when he was undercut while taking a shot against Anaheim Wednesday. Wallace had an MRI yesterday, but the results have yet to be released. Even so, the former University of South Carolina star says his wrist is fine. "I think it will be all right. It might be a sprain," he said.
At the mike
Beginning this week, NBA coaches must wear microphones and do TV interviews during nationally televised games on ESPN and TNT. There are also robotic cameras in locker rooms 45 minutes before games, at halftime, and after games.Players are being asked to be miked during nationally televised games but can decline. Had the NBA started miking coaches and players last week, the Celtics would have been involved because they played in back-to-back nationally televised games against New York and Miami.
Doc Rivers joined the list of coaches who are concerned about being miked, but he doesn't plan to fight it.
"It's not something I like, but I'm OK with it," Rivers said. "But we want our league to improve, and if this is going to help the league, then it's going to be all right. It scares me, quite honestly."
Rivers visiting home
Rivers, a Chicago native, said the Celtics will have tomorrow off and he plans to stay tonight in Chicago so he can spend time with his mother, family, and friends tomorrow. Rivers's father, Grady, recently died . . . Kevin Garnett felt better about his offense after scoring a game-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 5-of-6 accuracy at the line in the 112-84 win over Toronto last night. "I haven't been happy with my last week of play or last couple weeks of play and I've been watching film of myself and I'm hesitating a lot," Garnett said. "Tonight I wanted to be a lot more aggressive with moves and having my head up and finishing around the basket."
