Everything Life Has to Offer, Including the Jumbotron

Sometimes we go to a basketball game and nothing happens. Players set picks, coaches scribble lines on a white board and fans crush concessions. Then there's the once-in-a-hundred-years game where just about every emotion one experiences in life seeps through the cracks of an arena and overwhelms us. It  leaves us feeling strange, confused, ecstatic, moved, hopeful, emotional, depressed, perplexed, angry, embarrassed, amazed, drained, grateful, delighted and awkwardly dancing for thousands to see. That was my afternoon on a chilly Sunday in Boston.

No Regard Recap: Four More Years!

One Team We Haven't Watched This Year: Boston Celtics

Record: 2-2

I refuse to bore you with the details of why I haven't been able to watch my favorite team, the Boston Celtics, this year. You've got the Internet: You're familiar with weather, democracy and whatever other dumb excuse I have for not keeping up with Rajon and the gang.

To make up for it, here's a summary of their season so far. I might not have watched the games, but like you, I've got the Internet and I've got some functioning eyeballs. 

No Regard Previews: Brain Burner

One Game We Will Definitely Watch Tonight: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

After one disappointing and three amazing games, the Miami Heat host the Boston Celtics tonight in what has the potential to be a historic battle. An historic, even, if that's how you choose to speak. Then again, as my partner-in-crime, Andrew Abides, noted last night during a conversation we had over the Internet, it could potentially fall flat.

“I have no idea what to expect out of this series anymore,” he typed. Mr. Abides’ astute observation is well-noted. So far, this series has given us just about everything. And with a guaranteed two, potentially three more games, just about anything could happen.

NBA Middle Names: Paul Pierce

We at No Regard spend a lot of time in our NBA knitting circles trying to figure out the human side of these players. Whether it's musing about their commutes to work, how much "Call of Duty" they play, or what their favorite snack food is, we like to remind ourselves that NBA players are nothing more than young men with enviable jobs. What better way to humanize our heroes than look up their middle names?

Paul Anthony Pierce

Celtics-Heat Game 1: Let's Get Physical, Physical

Yesterday's game one matchup in the Eastern semis between Boston and Miami presented what is likely to be the case for seven games: chippy basketball between two teams that so clearly hate each other, it's beyond Romeo and Juliet shit. Here are some (increasingly belligerent) thoughts that I jotted down as I watched in anguish, sipping Bud Light Wheats (or whatever they're called; good though, very good beer) and yelling at my television.

Power Trio

Big-ups to Andrew Abides for finding this picture for me (from Rondo's Twitter feed). The two best players on my favorite soccer team in the world standing next to my favorite point guard in the world. My mind just exploded along with some other parts of my body that may or may not have exploded.

As Andrew and I sat there last night drinking black n' cans (Saranac Black and Tans, in cans), his streaking Nets took it to my first place Celtics with dead-eye three point shooting and passionate defense, which stifled Paulie Walnuts and Rondo.

We bet $5,000 on the game. Neither of us have close to that. I owe him 5k and I don't have it. Celts are now tied with Chicago for first place in the East due to this loss.

None of that matters because of this glorious picture this game produced.

Thank you, Twitter. It's moments like this when you prove why you're the best invention ever.

No Regard Daily Previews: Tortoise and Hare

One Game We Are Definitely Going To Watch Tonight:
Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets


Tonight's featured match up pits a classic run-and-gun high octane offense against a stone-cold, blue-collar defense. It should be great to watch and see if George Karl's hectic style can solve Boston's lockdown D. The key battle will be between Pierce and Anthony: can the Truth handle the jab-step and smile, or will Melo be able to handle the Truth?

Speaking of Melo (can you believe he's still on the Nuggets?), despite a drop in his scoring average, 22.8 down from last season's 28.2, he remains one of the best closers in the league and perhaps the purest scorer of his generation. (I'd love to hear some feedback in the comments section on that debate!) Off the bench, George Karl has found himself a sprightly backup for Billups in the form of former Tar Heel Ty Lawson, whose 8.8 points and four assists per contest have been pivotal in Denver's 13-7 start.

No Regard Daily Recaps: 11-3-10

One Game We Watched Last Night: Sacramento Kings Vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers: 112 Kings: 100
I'm with you buddy, trust me. I feel the pain. No one wanted the Kings to win more than I did last night. Sadly, the Lakers are a well-oiled machine and did what what they always seem to do, dominate basketball games. Sure, Evans was able to get to the rim throughout the game, and Cousins was playing his heart out (chill on fouling so often though, big guy) but Kobe, Pau and the gang were too much for my beloved Kings. It's not all bad though, Kings. You stayed with them in the 1st quarter!

Another Game I Watched Last Night: Boston Celtics Vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Boston: 105 Bucks: 102 (OT)
This might have been the most exciting game of the year. Lots of lead changes, great highlights, and intense basketball being played. The more I watch this season the more I realize how unique it is going to be. Players are moving away from the "best friends" mentality before, during, and after games and really getting after each other each and every night. It's great to watch such serious competition. Congrats to Paul Pierce who joined Boston's 20,000 point club alongside Bird and Johnny H. What more can we say about Rondo this season? His numbers are unprecedented. I can't wait to see how far he goes.

One Game I Absolutely Didn't Come Close To Watching: Utah Jazz Vs. Toronto Raptors


Jazz: 125 Toronto: 108

Hats off to Al Jefferson and his 27 points last night but this game was never really close. For Utah, it was their 11th straight win over Toronto. For Toronto, not much to say really. At least Bargnani put up 26. He looks like he'll score a bunch this year...

Wordapp: Halloween Edition

Halloween is the greatest day of the year. You dress up, go out, get drunk and become instant friends with like-minded people in the streets and on the subways. As a result of this writer's love for Halloween, I did not fully recover from the weekend until this morning. So my Halloween Twitter recap is a day or two late. And for that I apologize. But what this post lacks in timeliness, I assure you it makes up for in holy-shit-I-can't-believe-my-own-eyes awesomeness.

The Celtics were the clear winners this year. First up, Paul Pierce as the Frog Prince:

Prince Pierce was later joined by some friends:

Top 5 Player Tweets of the Week - In Pictures!

From Skillanueva's half-time tweets to Gil's fateful outburst, we're keeping tabs on this whole Twitter thing. Each week we wade through the rants, shout outs and sheer insanity to bring you the best micro-blogging the NBA has to offer.

5. "Damn my grandma text my brother and told him to hit me and tell me she want a lambo...she must be high...how much a lambo cost?"

- Kevin Durant

4. "Yep its official gonna retire a celtic"

- Paul Pierce