Cleveland Loses Leon Powe to Knee Injury

By Mary Schmitt Boyer, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers injury list continues to grow.

Leon Powe, the backup center/forward, had surgery on his right knee today to repair a meniscus tear.

Powe had played in Wednesday's game against Toronto, but was on the injury list Thursday with a bruised knee. He underwent an MRI Friday, which revealed the tear.

The Cavs release said is expected to be out approximately six weeks.

The Cavs are already without Daniel Gibson (ankle) on this trip and Joey Graham (quad) is still on the injured list and Anderson Varejao is out indefinitely with an ankle injury. Anthony Parker (back) is questionable for tonight's game at Golden State.

Leon Burns Celtics in Cavs Win

(Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)


Here's a great article written by Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Leon Powe had a great stretch against his old team playing 7 minutes and scoring 6 points (all from the free throw lines) and grabbing four rebounds. Leon out hustled a team that misses his hustle. Glen Davis still is an out of control mess and Rasheed Wallace hasn't lived up to his name. The Celtics sure could use Powe at the 4 right now.

By Steve Bulpett

CLEVELAND - At the end of his time with the Celtics [team stats], Leon Powe was hurt.

Yesterday, he hurt the Celtics.

In just his seventh game back from major left knee surgery, the Cavaliers forward made his first appearance with 4:35 left in the third quarter. Over the next eight minutes, he collected six points (all from the free-throw line) and four rebounds.

Just the kind of stuff he used to do for the C’s.

“To play those spot minutes is a very difficult job,” said LeBron James after Cleveland’s 104-93 win, “and to come in and be ready to do what he did today was huge.”

Powe’s effect went beyond his numbers, as evidenced by the fact the Cavs were a plus-11 with him on the floor.

“Leon was spectacular for us,” said coach Mike Brown. “Antawn (Jamison) picked up his fourth foul, and we put Leon in the game and I thought he was the difference maker.”

Indeed, Cleveland was ahead by two when he came into the game, and up 13 when he left with 8:08 to play.

Powe deflected the praise afterward, and before the game was crediting someone else with a huge assist that he is still in the NBA - and that was a member of the Celtics organization.

Powe was in many ways on his own when he got hurt in the first-round playoff series against Chicago last year. He was heading into a free-agent summer, meaning a successful surgery was critical if he hoped to get another contract. Given a choice, he decided to stick with Celtics physician Brian McKeon.

“I had a few doctors in line and I talked to all of them, and he really sounded like he really had confidence in his work and he could do a real good job,” said Powe. “He just sounded really confident that he could probably have me back on the court. He said it would take some time for me to get back, but he said he could get the job done.”

The Celtics were a bit apprehensive with Powe, so he accepted a one-year deal with Cleveland, which has an option for next season. He’s making $855,139 this year, the minimum for someone of his experience level, but he’s more than appreciative.

“It could have easily went the other way and been a sad day,” Powe said. “I owe a lot to Dr. McKeon. I put the hard work in, but he laid the foundation, which enabled me to get back to the point where I am now on the court.”

Leon makes his return to the court

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Last night against his former team Leon Powe made his return to basketball. Although he only got 3 minutes of playing time it was a step in the right direction. 4 points and 2 rebounds isn't much but it was exciting to see Powe out there with his teammates.

It doesn't look like Leon will be getting much playing time in the near future which is unfortunate. But his long road back to the court is over and now he can focus on improving his game and helping the Cavs win in whatever way he can. Good to see him back!

Leon Powe Making Cavs Debut?

By BOB FINNAN
rfinnan@MorningJournal.com

INDEPENDENCE — Cavaliers forward Leon Powe was forced to “go in the shop” for a few months.

He sustained an ACL and microfracture injury on his left knee in the playoffs last year in Boston.

Powe, who signed with the Cavs in the offseason, has been inactive for the first 54 games of the regular season.

He’s nearing a return to the court. It could happen against Denver tonight, but Cavs coach Mike Brown said Powe has yet to get the medical clearance to play.

“I had to go in the shop,” Powe said. “I know how hard I worked, and I knew the hard work was going to pay off sooner or later. Hopefully, it’s about that time.”

The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Powe will have to fight for minutes at power forward with newly acquired Antawn Jamison, J.J Hickson and Anderson Varejao.

“I feel like I could play,” Powe said. “I feel real good. I’ve felt good for the last month, actually, but they’ve been extra conservative with me. Now, they have to communicate with each other and see what they want to do.”

Powe said he’ll wear a knee brace in the games when he returns.

He’s not the only player close to returning to the court. Point guard Mo Williams has missed the last 11 games with a sprained left shoulder. He practiced with the Cavs Wednesday, but isn’t expected to face the Nuggets either.

“(I) didn’t have a good practice today,” Williams said on his Twitter account. “(I’m) a (little) rusty. (It’s going to) take me a few days.”

Powe Possibly Returns for Feb 25th Match Up Against the Celtics?

Nothing is for sure but Leon Powe could be set to return on February 25th in Boston against the Celtics. Although this is not set in stone this is a date I'm sure Leon would love to make his return.

Speaking of the Cavs vs Celtics game in 2 weeks, ''it's in the back of my mind,'' Powe said.

So much depends on how Leon looks and feels in practice. Possibly

''I'm good. I know the first one [repair] didn't really work out that great because I still felt a lot of pain,'' Powe said. ''The second one kept me out on the court for five years.''

''My game hasn't gone anywhere. I have confidence in my game,'' he said. ''When I get out there, I'm just going to play basketball. I'm just going out there rebounding and scoring anytime they put me out there on the floor.''

A return to the game in Boston would be nice. I wouldn't expect Leon to get much playing time if that is when he returns. Maybe just a wave to the crowd and a few chances to run up and down the floor. Either way that would be an exciting night for Powe and the fans that miss him in Boston.

Are the Celtics Missing Leon Powe?

The Boston Celtics sure could use a little Leon Powe in their lives. Yes, I know Leon has been injured and nobody knows how well he's gonna play when he returns to the court. But wouldn't the thought of Powe returning to the Celtics right now be exciting?

The big guys are struggling for Boston right now.

Glen "Big Baby" Davis- (I'll stop calling him that when he acts like a man) Hasn't showed up this year. 5.3 points a game and 3.9 rebounds isn't going to get it done off the bench. I'm sure missing a lot of the season with an injured hand hasn't helped Big Baby's game. But it's his own fault for punching someone in the face. That's the risk Boston took by keeping a "Big Baby". Glen's Contract for 2010: $3 Million

Brian Scalabrine- Scalabrine may be a good role model and a good team guy but he still isn't a good basketball player. 1.8 points and 0.9 rebounds a game isn't much production for a guy that's making $3.4 million in 2010. Nearly 7 times more than it would've cost to keep Powe.

Shelden Williams- It seemed like Williams could've been a nice pick up for Boston but he hasn't done much, 3.9 points per game and 3.4 rebounds. Part of that has to do with the return of Big Baby. I think Williams needs some minutes and he could be ok. But we all know Doc Rivers is in love with Davis so that probably won't happen. Even with extra minutes Boston shouldn't expect much from Shelden. Contract for 2010: $825,497

Rasheed Wallace- Wallace is a good player to have coming off the bench but his production hasn't been what the Celtics had hoped for. 10 points and 4 rebounds a game isn't what Boston thought they were getting. Give Powe the playing time Rasheed is getting and I know Leon would have better numbers than that. Powe also wouldn't be getting a technical foul every game. When Wallace came to Boston I thought he'd be a great defensive presence along with his good offense. I have to say he hasn't exactly impressed me on defense. Wallace is getting older though so he has to slow down at some point I guess. Rasheed's 2010 contract: $5.85 million

Kevin Garnett- KG continues to be the leader of the Celtics. But his knee isn't keeping up with his huge heart. Injuries seem to be what's causing Garnett's worst season since his rookie year(14 points and 7 rebounds a game). KG doesn't have the spring in his step on offense or defense. Garnett can't give the minutes he has in the past. This is why a good back up is critical to the Celtics this season. Garnett's 2010 contract $16.5 million

Kendrick Perkins- Perkins inability to add any offense to the Celtics in the past has frustrated me tremendously. But Kendrick really worked on his game in the offseason and became a guy Boston can trust with the basketball down in the post. So props to him for working hard and improving. 11 points and 8 rebounds a game is good but Perk can't do it all. Some help from the other Bigs on the team sure would be nice. Perkins 2010 contract: $ 4.75 million

It's clear the Celtics could use a little Leon Powe in their lives. As a good human, role model, and great basketball player. Wouldn't it have been worth the risk to keep Leon for $500,000? That would've been a steal in my opinion. It's one sixth of what Big Baby is making this year and one seventh of what Scal is making. But O well, it's too late and now Leon is getting ready to come back to the Cavs. Boston missed out on this one.

Powe on Schedule for February Return

Lisa DeJong, PD


By Rick Noland
The Chronicle-Telegram

CLEVELAND — Slowly but surely, Leon Powe is making his way back from serious knee surgery.

The Cavaliers power forward has begun full-speed running and cutting and is playing one-on-one with assistant coach Melvin Hunt, putting him on pace to meet his goal of returning to action soon after the Feb. 14 NBA All-Star Game.

“I can do all my moves,” Powe said Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena prior to a game against the Houston Rockets. “I just want my finishing moves to be a little more powerful. It’s getting there. Each week, it’s a little better.”

Powe underwent an MRI in Boston in mid-December and his left knee was found to be structurally sound, but there is no target date for him to return to practice.

“We’re trying to get everything right before I go out there,” the 6-foot-8, 240-pounder said. “Once you go out and practice, there’s pretty much no turning back.”

If Powe can make it back by mid-February and round into top form for the playoffs, he could give the Cavaliers a bruising presence under the basket.

That would allow coach Mike Brown the luxury of choosing between the 25-year-old, J.J. Hickson and Anderson Varejao at power forward, but those types of decisions are still a ways away.

“I’m moving and running and doing all types of stuff,” Powe said. “I’m trying to get my in-game situations down.

“It’s frustrating, because I’m a competitor. I want to be out there helping my team.”

http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2009/12/28/cavs-notes-powe-comeback-on-track/

Leon Powe Moving Onto Cleveland

Leon Powe is about to sign a two year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers which will officially end his days with the Boston Celtics.

As a Boston Celtics fan I am very disappointed. I feel management made the wrong decision that's for sure. I've already vented on that issue plenty of times so I won't do it again. B the Boston Celtics will be cursed forever because of this move and it's thanks to Danny Ainge not signing Leon.

While this is bad news for the Celtics, it is great news for Powe. Leon will be getting paid while he is rehabbing his knee and gets a chance to play for what might be the best team in the NBA. Or at least they are the best team now that Leon has signed with them.

Powe and Lebron James do have history together. They played on the same AAU team a few years back so that can't hurt as far as team chemistry goes. On the subject of team chemistry, I remember Shaq saying a couple of years ago that Leon is a tough dude and was real impressed after Powe shut O'neal down in a game against the heat. So I have to imagine that Shaq will be happy with Leon signing.

With the addition of Leon this Cavs team has now become the most physically dominating team in the NBA. Lebron, Shaq, Varejao, Powe, and Ilgauskas will be wearing teams down with their size and strength. The Lakers better bulk up if they want to handle this basketball team.

Leon Powe-tition

Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE/Getty Images


I'm sure most of you that go to this website have heard of the Leon Powe-Tition by now. If you haven't seen or heard of it check it out by clicking here. The good people at CelticsBlog.com have made a petition that both Celtic and Leon Powe fans can sign in order to convince Danny Ainge that he should resign Powe. I think this is a very nice gesture by both Celtics fans and the people at Celtics Blog.

It shows how much of an impact Leon has had on Boston as a player on and off the court. I mean how often does a bench player have a petition formed to try and bring him back to the team? I don't think I've ever seen that. This is a credit to both the great sports fans in Boston and what a great human and player Leon Powe has been.

Farewell, Leon

I was reading this post by CelticsHub writer Zach Lowe and thought it summed up the feelings Celtics fans had for Leon. It's hard to sum up all the feelings in great moments Powe had as a Celtic but Lowe does a great job.

By Zach Lowe, CelticsHub

Farewell Leon

I really hope Leon Powe knows how much Celtics fans like him and will miss him. We all know why that is–the well-documented childhood difficulties, the never-ending series of knee injuries that seemed to happen right when he was turning a corner, and the way Leon responded to all of it by working even harder. He’s a bit of a cliche fan favorite, actually–the scrappy role player who overcomes personal and professional obstacles to contribute to a championship team.

But let’s talk about basketball. There was something that drew me to Leon Powe from the moment I saw him play: He’s a bit awkward. There are guys who just look beautiful in the post, whether they are fading along the baseline (Olajuwon), stroking the mid-range jumper (KG), juking guys with shoulder fakes before tossing up a soft jump hook (Duncan) or nailing a high-arcing turnaround J (Dirk).

Leon is not pretty to watch. You see–almost feel–every bit of effort it takes him to put the ball on the floor, lower his shoulder into a taller defender and flick a one-handed shot toward the rim. He can’t leap much without a head of steam, and he’s not quick or explosive enough to beat his defenders with spin moves or dribble-drives. He was usually shooting right over a defender’s body, and so he never really seemed to have the time or space to aim his shots, unless he was dunking (and, man, were those dunks ferocious). He often pushed off with his left hand to create the minimal space he had. Every time he attacked the rim, I cringed, expecting an offensive foul.

The shots, once released, look a bit like blind tosses toward something approximating the correct area of the rim or the backboard. And they always seem to bounce around the rim and off the backboard before going down.

And they went down 52 percent of the time, and 57 percent of the time in the ‘08 championship season. And when the shots weren’t going down, Leon was drawing fouls. He led the Celtics–by far–in free throw attempts per 36 minutes in each of the last two seasons, not an easy feat on a team with Paul Pierce.

He is a graceless, below-the-rim player for the most part, and I love him for it. Debilitating knee injuries robbed him of his peak athleticism, and so he adjusted, and he became a relentless wrecking ball who did the best with the body he has now. He made himself into and NBA player even after he lost the athleticism that made him an intriguing NBA prospect to begin with.

(Reminisce about Leon’s greatest Celtic moment, and view some YouTube-age, after the jump).

It all came together in Game 2 of the 2008 NBA Finals, which I think will be the Leon memory most of us will hold closest. You all remember the highlights (included in a YouTube compilation below): the two dunks to end the 3rd quarter, the first a fast break posterization of Luke Walton off a feed from the Truth; the coast-to-coast dunk in the early 4th quarter that drove Phil Jackson crazy and served as the ultimate indictment of that Laker team’s toughness.

But what I like about that game is the fact that Powe’s most important work came in the 2nd quarter, when he scored eight points in a six-minute span that included a game-changing 13-2 Boston run. You know how many field goals Leon made in that stretch? One. His other six points came on free throws, as he used his body and his unconventional game to draw four shooting fouls on LA. Blue-collar Leon at his best at the most important moment.

Powe scored 21 points in the game, and there was no reason to expect such a contribution, because his minutes had been dwindling as the playoffs wore on. Starting with Game 4 of the Cleveland series, Leon barely played. Doc benched him altogether for Game 6 at Cleveland and games 3 and 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Detroit. In between, he played just 1:15 of garbage time in a blowout Game 4 loss.

But Leon stayed ready, and he exploded when his moment game in Game 2. It was great to see.

That sort of thing has actually happened a lot in Leon’s brief career. He didn’t play at all over a seven-game span between Jan. 2 and Jan. 16 of the ‘07-08 season, all of them DNP-CDs save for the game he missed for the birth of his son. But then KG suffered an abdominal strain on Jan. 25th, forcing Doc to play Leon extended minutes.

Powe responded with a career-high (then) 25 points in a January 29th win against Miami (a game Ray Allen also missed), kicking off a stretch of nine games in which Leon averaged 13 points per and hit double-figures seven times.

This year? His minutes fell in January, when Doc played him fewer than 10 minutes in three straight games for the first time all season. When the minutes jumped up again, his production wasn’t there–until KG hurt his knee on Feb. 19 at Utah. Over the next 11 games, Leon averaged nearly 14 points per game.

Then what happened? He collided knee-to-knee with Ben Gordon on March 17, and missed all but the last two games of the regular season. Another good streak, interrupted.

He came back for the playoffs and did exactly what he was supposed to do in Game 1 against Chicago: Eight points and eight rebounds in 16 super-efficient minutes. He could score against Chicago’s front court.

Then Game 2, and another knee injury, this time a torn ACL. A playoff run in a free agent year, interrupted.

Leon will fight back from this, like he has from every other injury he has suffered. He just won’t be doing it with the Celtics. But I hope he knows that Celtics fans will be watching him, and rooting for him, wherever he goes. A piece of the 2008 title will always belong to Leon.

Celtics Say No On Powe

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images North America)


Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics decided to not offer Leon Powe a qualifying offer on Wednesday morning. That means Powe is officially a free agent. Unfortunately Leon had that bad knee injury during the playoffs so it will cost him money this offseason. This was obviously a bad break for Powe but he's proven to be a guy who doesn't quit. So I expect him to come back as good as ever but apparently the Celtics don't agree with me on this subject matter.

I've been a die hard Celtics fan since I can remember. Quite frankly it's pathetic how much I love the Celtics. But after this move I find it hard to give them the support I've always given them. Powe has been a guy that's given everything he's had to this team every time he's stepped on the court. Whether it was during scrub time in the early days or during the NBA Championship, Leon worked his butt off trying to find a way to make a difference for the Celtics. There wasn't much more you could ask out of the guy as a human or a basketball player.

Despite Doc Rivers riding him 24/7 Powe shut his mouth and played basketball as hard as anyone in this league. He played so hard that he even finished out his time in Boston trying to tough out a torn ACL in his last playoff game against Chicago. So how do you reward an employee that has given you his heart and soul? You don't make him an offer and release him? That's just sad an pathetic especially since the Celtics probably could have gotten Leon for a cheap deal. Brian Scalabrine makes $3.5 million this year. Are you telling me Scalabrine is a better ball player and worth more money? I mean you've got to be kidding me! You cut Brian and offer Leon a decent contract less than Scal is making. Problem solved! I'd expect much more out of a great organization like the Boston Celtics.

I keep hearing from analyst that their is a chance the Celtics still might sign Powe at the end of the free agency period. I find that very unlikely with the lack of respect Leon has gotten from the organization. Despite how well he played, Powe never got the playing time he deserved. Now he's going to sign on with some team that will give him what he's earned.

If I'm Danny Ainge I'm begging for forgiveness and trying to get Leon back on this team. Because if he doesn't then the Celtics could be cursed forever. When Len Bias died it set the team back 10-20 years, same with Reggie Lewis. But releasing Leon Powe will set the Celtics back for an eternity.

It's All Over! Leon Powe Tears ACL

Getty Images


Leon Powe tore his ACL in Tuesday's game against the Chicago Bulls. This is the worst news I have ever heard in my entire life. I am devastated as are many other Celtics fans right now.

Not only will this end Powe's season, it ends Boston's as well. The Celtics have no chance without Leon. This season is hopeless now despite a great game yesterday.

As for Leon I'm concerned for his career. He's already had multiple knee surgery's and multiple torn ligaments in both knees. People already questioned his ability to return and play basketball after his last ACL tear. Now it seems as if his whole career is in jeopardy. Not only does this happen in the playoffs it comes during a contract year for Leon. What could have been a good pay day for this great guy, might at best be a league minimum contract because of the fear for his health.

By the way Leon tore his knee on a spin move but continued to play for another 3 minutes after that. That just shows how tough Powe is. He tears his ACL and continues to try and play basketball. That sums Leon Powe up for me right there.

Powe is an amazing person and a great basketball player. It's tough to watch a good guy like Leon fight through so much adversity only to brought back down again.

May your prayers be with him!

Have No Fear, Leon Powe is Here!

With all the drama going on people are forgetting one thing... The Boston Celtics have Leon Powe.

If Doc Rivers and the Celtics use Leon the way he should be used, which is by playing him a lot, They will be successful. My biggest fear is we see 40 minutes of Glen Davis and 20 of Leon Powe. If that happens then this will be a short playoff run for Boston.

My prediction for the first round is the Celtics win. But if Davis gets more minutes than Powe things could end up being a lot tougher than it should be. Powe has shown over and over again that he is more productive on the court than Big Baby but Davis continues to get less playing time.

But lets see how things go in the playoffs.

Leon Out 2-3 Weeks

Leon Powe hurt his knee during the Chicago Bulls game the other day and the news is tragic. Leon will be out 2-3 weeks.

This is truly devastating and is going to hurt an already depleted Celtics roster. Hopefully Leon will be back and healthy for the playoffs where he will be needed. Where is Mr. Miyagi when you need him.

Career High 30 Points for the Great Leon Powe!

(AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)


March 13th 2009 will go down as one of the most memorable days in Boston Celtics history. It should be known in Boston as "Leon Powe Day" for his amazing performance in the 102-92 victory of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Powe had 30 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 assist, and one steal. The 30 points were a career high as were the 5 blocks and 3 assist. But it wasn't just the great stats that made Leon amazing tonight. His hustle and toughness to fight through a calf injury were huge for this struggling Celtics team.

Hopefully Powe will start to see more minutes now that he's showed what he can do when you actually give him some playing time. He is clearly the best option off the bench for the Celtics. If Doc decides to keep sitting him behind Big Baby then Leon is going to be playing for another team next year.

I'm glad Leon got his opporunity to show what he can do. He was given a chance and he performaned like the clutch player he is. Great job Leon!!

Powe's Great Game Not Enough In Miami

For the first time in his NBA career Leon Powe played over 40 minutes in a game. Powe made the most of his opportunity scoring 23 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the 107-99 loss to the Miami Heat. Leon was able to do all that with a calf injury, and while being in foul trouble thanks to some weak calls by the refs.

Powe has gone 20/10 two out of his last three games which is not bad for a guy that usually gets stuck being the 9th or 10th guy off the bench for some reason. Leon is the best guy coming off the bench for the Celtics but Doc Rivers still doesn't know that. Unfortunately for the Celtics it might end up costing them Leon for next year. Powe is probably going to get some money and playing time offered to him on another team and I'd imagine he'd take it since he doesn't get opportunities like he got tonight very often. I'm still praying he somehow stays in Boston though.

I'm very impressed with Leon's game and how he's improving despite being stuck behind some guys. Powe always keeps his head up and is a very positive person and it's really going to continue to pay off for him. Rivers needs to start giving him more minutes down the stretch so Powe can be confident and ready for the playoffs.

I'll keep an eye out on Leon's calf injury. Hopefully it's something mild and not too serious. He will have a day to rest it so that should help out.

Despite the team being undermanned tonight they fought hard giving themselves a chance to win a game against a very hot team. The Celtics didn't even play their best game and still had a chance so I think that's something positive to look at especially with the players they had on the court. Lets see if they can get the win on Friday against Memphis.

Powe Gets Season High In Celtics Win

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)


Leon Powe had his best game of the season tonight in a 105-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Leon scored a season high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his 26 minutes of play. Powe finally got a chance to play when Glen "Big Baby" Davis was ejected. I don't think Davis should have been rejected but it benefited Leon and the Celtics.

This game was bigger than your average regular season game. If the Celtics loss they'd be 3 losses behind the Cavs and that would put them in a position to most likely get the #2 seed in the playoffs instead of the #1. A win tonight without their leader Kevin Garnett was huge for the Celtics record and their psyche. Boston played great defense on Lebron holding him to 21 points and that really was the difference. Paul Pierce who had 29 points out played James in this game clearly. Nice job Paul!

This game was another reason to why Leon needs more minutes. He has been producing when he plays he just doesn't get the opportunities Big Baby gets. Powe averages more points and rebounds a game than Davis but continues to get less playing time. I hope this is what Boston wants because the writing is on the wall. Powe is a free agent and will get offers from other teams to get some real playing time. Davis is going to stay and be the guy off the bench for the Celtics. I'm not happy about it but it's going to happen unfortunately.

Great game Leon Powe and great game Celtics. Even with all the injuries and missing players the Celtics are still showing they're still the team to beat in the NBA.

More Leon = More Wins

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images


The Boston Celtics have gone from looking like the 86 Celtics to looking like the 2006 Celtics in just two weeks. I think there is a couple factors involved with this. One is the starters are just too inconsistent. Rondo is really slumping and Perk isn't playing his best ball. KG is not the statistical force he once one and Ray Allen doesn't always show up. Paul Pierce has been playing pretty well but that won't cut it.

I think Doc Rivers needs to start the bench the next game. I'm not saying play them all 40 minutes I just think it would be a good wake up call for a lot of the starters. Right now the energy is low and playing the bench can sometimes spark a team. Especially when you have a great energy guy like Leon Powe. I keep hearing Doc talk about the lack of energy and lack of strength on the team. Then he brings in Brian Scalabrine like that will do something. The answer of course is more Leon! Let KG get his head together and put Leon in. Don't just put Leon in and say give us some good defense either. He is going to play his defense. Powe needs more shots to bring a spark to the bench and himself. Less Tony Allen shots and more Leon Powe.

The Celtics are 12-0 when Leon shoots over 5 shots in a game this year. They're 17-8 when he doesn't. The Celtics have also won 23 of their last 24 games when Leon scores double digits.

The Celtics are facing adversity right now. Why don't you let the guy who's lived his life facing adversity help get this team out of it. Give him 20+ minutes and lets see what he can do.

More Leon Powe = More Wins!

Celtics Looking To Get Back On Track

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)


The Boston Celtics have lost two consecutive games after winning their previous 19. I think the challenge of playing a great team away from home on Christmas day has a lot to do with that. I think the Celtics are a burnt out and need a couple days to collect themselves.

I didn't get to watch the Warriors game last night but maybe that's a good thing. From what I heard, Leon got to start and play 25 minutes. With that he scored 12 points grabbed 7 rebounds and had 2 blocked shots. Seems like he had a pretty good game and that's what everyone I talked to told me. They also told me that the Warriors went on a huge run to seal the game after Doc took Powe out. Apparently there was no good reason to pull Leon but Rivers did it and it was costly. Leon was +3 for the game while he was in there. Every other Celtic player was a negative for the game. I think that says something about Leon.

This was a homecoming game for Leon being back in Oakland. I'm glad Powe got a chance to start and show all his buddies what he's up to. The Celtics are playing Portland next, I'm excited to see Leon own Greg Oden like he did in the summer league two years ago.

A Christmas Update on Leon Powe

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)


Well Christmas is here and so are the Boston Celtics. The win streak has reached 19 games and the Boston Celtics are off to the best start in NBA history thanks to a 110-91 victory against Philadelphia.

During that 19th consecutive win, Leon Powe went for a season high 15 points along with 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals, and one assist in just 15 minutes of play. This just shows what Leon is able to do if you give him the minutes to produce. Powe has been averaging 13 minutes a game this year which isn't enough in my opinion. I know Leon is playing the 4 and Glen Davis is the 5, but Leon is fine playing the 5 as long as they have KG in there. Even though there isn't a lot to complain about right now as a Celtics fan, I'd like Powe to get about 4 or 5 extra minutes and Davis to lose 4 to 5. I think that would only improve an already strong bench.

The Boston Celtics have won the last 22 games that Leon has scored 10 or more points going back to last season. they're 32-2 when Powe scores 10 or more if you go all the way back to the beggining of last season. That itself is an amazing record and is something Leon should use to convince Doc Rivers to get him more shots.

Things look great! Big game against the Lakers on Christmas. I'll be getting back to everyone sometime around then.