SACRAMENTO - On the court, Eddie House's Celtics played against Mike Bibby's Kings at Arco Arena last night. Two days earlier, the relatives by marriage were off the court enjoying Christmas Eve together.
House is married to Bibby's sister, Charlsie, and their families spent Monday night together. Instead of flying here with the Celtics on Christmas Day, the House family got here a day earlier to celebrate the holiday. House also spends about two months here in the offseason in the home he purchased after moving from the Oakland area about six years ago.
"We kicked it on the 24th," said House, who got 25 tickets for family and friends to watch last night's 89-69 victory over the Kings. "I didn't see him [on Christmas]. I had all the family over [Monday]. They had dinner at their house [Christmas night]. We kicked it before that, but the kids all got together."
Bibby has yet to play this season because of a thumb injury. The Kings star reportedly wants out of Sacramento, but House didn't feel comfortable talking about his brother-in-law's situation.
"I hope for the best," said House, who had 9 points last night. "I don't know what his situation is. I know he's not healthy. I hope for a speedy recovery so he can get back on the court. That's what I do wish for him so he can get back and play. I know it's killing him not to play. And sometimes when a team is struggling, he's probably sitting over there like, 'I know I can help this team,' which he can. I just hope for a speedy recovery for him.
"If he's open to talk about it, he will holler at me about it. If he had, I'm not going to divulge that information."
During the offseason, House works out here with Bibby, 76ers guard Andre Miller, Hornets guard Bobby Jackson, and Warriors forward Matt Barnes.
Great reference
Ex-Timberwolves assistant coach Rex Kalamian enjoyed a strong working relationship with Celtics forward Kevin Garnett the last two seasons in Minnesota. And when Kalamian was hoping to land a job as an assistant with the Kings, the 10-time All-Star didn't hesitate to call Sacramento coach Reggie Theus to put in a word for him."I worked closer with him than anyone on the Timberwolves," Kalamian said. "I just said, 'Hey, listen, if you have an opportunity to call Reggie, I'd appreciate it.' And he picked up the phone and he did it. I'm sure it helped.
"I talked to him the other day. He called [Theus] a couple times. But the thought of him doing that? When I interviewed with Reggie, I said, 'Coach, I can have a lot of people call for me, but there is only one person I want to have call, if you don't mind.' He said, 'Who [do] you have in mind?' I said, 'I just want to have KG call.' "
Monster season
When asked if 70 wins was possible for the Celtics, guard Ray Allen said, "That would be a slap at anybody that played in an NBA uniform. Worrying about trying to break a record when we all know, any player and every player in this league knows, 82 games is a monster. Playing, getting ready, back-to-backs, home and away. Everybody playing in the NBA knows that every night you have to prepare for that one game and get ready. That one game is the one game that matters." . . . Sonics guard Delonte West, a former Celtic, is a game-time decision for tonight's game against Boston with plantar fasciitis in his right foot that has caused him to miss nine of the last 10 games . . . Seldom-used Celtics forward Leon Powe had several family members and friends at last night's game. Powe is from Oakland and said his loved ones understand that playing time for him isn't guaranteed. "They've seen us play," Powe said. "They know [coach Doc Rivers] puts me in whenever the timing is right or whatever. Even if he doesn't put me in at all, they know that [it's possible]. They just tell me to keep working and keep my head up. I'm doing to same thing, keeping my head up and trying to keep it above water." . . . Kings guard Dahntay Jones was offered a picture Celtics players and coaches posed for in front of the Colosseum in Rome during training camp in October and hopes to get it soon. The Celtics cut Jones before the season began.
rising
falling 