NBA Trade Deadline News: 3 Team Trade & More!

There is always a moment that comes before a change, when the risk/benefit ratio is examined very closely by the deciding parties. But the amount of benefit was greater than the risk. And for the Boston Celtics, this meant a great alteration of appearance over their Playoffs-bound roster.

Celtics Receive: Roy Hibbert (C), Charlie Villanueva (PF)
Pacers Receive: Rodney Stuckey (PG), Ben Wallace (C), Draft Picks
Pistons Receive: Paul Millsap (PF), Derek Fisher (PG)

For the Boston Celtics, it was a difficult choice, even an abrupt one, to let go of recent addition Paul Millsap, who has played well for them since arriving in Beantown, but turned in some mediocre performances. Trading him to Detroit (the main interested party before the move was made) was only attractive because of Indiana's promise of budding big man, Roy Hibbert, in exchange for a more pass-first Point Guard than DJ Augustin and George Hill and some draft picks as the Pacers seek to rebuild. who is still raw but showing promise. Learning a few tricks of the trade from Kevin Garnett should speed up the developmental process.

By acquiring Millsap, Detroit gets back to their chippy roots, since Millsap likes to throw the ball down and play some finesse game, a hybrid quality that was missed in sendoff Villanueva, who reportedly impressed Boston's GM when Detroit pulled a stunner over the Celtics, because Villanueva is a better shooter with more range than Millsap.

The main reason this trade went through is because of the improvement on defense for Boston, adding height and raw physique to their roster by exchanging Hibbert for Millsap. After a crushing defeat to the Lakers, courtesy of Gasol & Bynum, the new twin towers in the City of Angels, the Celtics lack of size in the front court was exposed, especially when the shorter Millsap turned in one of those unpopular disappearing acts.

Recently, the stellar play of Kenyon Martin has helped eclipsed that of Millsap. Resulting from this trade, Boston now has two finesse players in Martin & Villanueva and two teeth-gritting skyscrapers like KG & Hibbert. Maybe one day, Hibbert will learn enough from the veteran to take his place and uphold the torch of titles in Boston.

Trade Deadline: The Boston Celtics

The Celtics have yet to find a higher footing this season. Although they were neck and neck with the Miami Heat a couple weeks ago, they are now 5 games behind the defending champions and keep reducing themselves to erratic play, losing against inferior teams like Atlanta, Cleveland and Detroit while continuously choking against the top elite teams.

Although they've accumulated respectable victories against the Clippers, Mavericks, Thunder, Nets and Knicks, Boston still answers to the Heat, Spurs, Lakers and Bulls, leaving themselves with time to mull about their weaknesses and how each one has been abused by those powerful teams and will likely do so again once the win-or-go-home Playoffs begin. The Celtics might've gained better defense and size earlier this year when their GM made a couple of nice moves, acquiring Paul Millsap from Utah, along with Josh Howard from Minnesota, veteran 3-point man Derek Fisher, and signing Kenyon Martin to a contract. Their core (Garnett, Rondo, Pierce) have played well together for the most part, but still suffer through erratic lapses, especially Jason Terry, who can explode one night and vanish the next, most recently against the Lakers, a win Boston definitely needed to prove themselves.

The Celtics tend to fall asleep on defense, but also go on considerable win streaks. Regardless, this barrel of inconsistencies only damages their win/loss record, which will only hurt them more when it comes to having home court in the Playoffs. Because if you haven't guessed it already, the Miami Heat aren't going anywhere soon. They're thinking about a repeat, and if the Celtics truly wants another banner in the rafters of the garden, it's clear who they'll have to chew through to get one. It doesn't help that Miami has clobbered them in every meeting they've had this season, and will look to cap off the season series with one final crushing blow to Boston's Irish Green spirits for Boston's next game.

It's too early to speculate now, and Boston doesn't have many pieces to sell, but if Boston makes a move or two before the trade deadline, especially given that they've received a plethora of exchange offers for their top players, I won't be surprised.

Celtics outlast Wizards

Fresh off their loss at home against the Lakers, the Celtics gave up on rue and stormed back on the road, touching down in the nation's capital to best the Wizards in a one-sided affair, save for a slight scare when Washington cut Boston's lead to 10, courtesy of John Wall, who poured in 30+ points in the loss.

Jason Terry, who has been swept up by trade winds lately, redeemed himself for a terrible performance against the Lakers. The Celtics regained their breezy flow on the court for this game, one led by the reserve unit. Even rookie center Fab Melo scored in double digits, along with an auspicious showing by Rondo's backup PG, Avery Bradley.

Despite this cozy victory, the Celtics still must wonder why they keep letting the anxiety of "big time" showdowns bog them down unlike tonight.

Celtics outplayed by longtime rival, Lakers, 96-103

The Lakers owe their win to one word: proficiency.

Pau Gasol & Dwight Howard manhandled the front court, embarrassing Kevin Garnett (20 points, 10 rebounds) and an invisible Paul Millsap (8 points on 3/10 shooting), who failed to be effective. Gasol yanked down 16 rebounds and Dwight got two more, thunderously powering the Lakers with 26 & 28 points respectively.

Rajon Rondo (15 points, 11 assists) had a decent overall game, shouldering a 15 point deficit throughout the game, but his teammates didn't give him much to utilize. Practically nonexistent was Boston's crucial ability to knock down outside shots, which ultimately was the decisive factor, despite Paul Pierce (31 points) nailed a few 3's in the final minutes, burning LA's dominant lead down to merely 3 points. But when the long ball isn't falling from the outset, of course Jason Terry (1 of 8 shooting) is going to miss a wide open corner 3 after a well executed inbound play that was mimicked next by Josh Howard, who also fizzled in the 3 point department, along with Pierce, whose Irish Luck had run out. In hindsight, giving KG the ball inside would've been smarter. It would've only cut LA's lead down to 2, but at least Boston would have made a shot in the final minute that way after giving LA a good scare.

Meanwhile, Kenyon Martin (13 points) tried to weather the storm off the bench due to Millsap's deficient play, but never reached the level he's been playing at, exposing Boston's main problem tonight: a lack of effort overall. Lazy defense in the paint, giving up too many easy points and precious rebounds, not moving without the ball (forcing Rondo to fire up ill-conceived shots). Boston also had trouble weaving their set plays against the Lakers defense. Steve Nash & Kobe Bryant chipped in 36 to make matters worse.

Boston is undoubtedly kicking themselves right now.

Celtics crush wingless Hawks, close season series 3-1

The Hawks barely scored 70 points in an atrocious display of shooting and unacceptable team play. Their opponent, the Boston Celtics, shot obviously better, accumulating more assists and outdoing the home team in the rebound category. Flat, or wingless, would be the perfect definition of ATL's effort, or lack thereof, tonight, and it was obvious by the end of the 1st quarter as they already trailed by 16.

Meanwhile, Jason Terry exploded for 38 points, nailing three-pointer after three-pointer, and the rest of Boston stretched the floor, giving Terry more freedom to run off screens and switch between corners on the wing. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce both contributed sweetly to Boston's crushing victory that bodes well as they host the #1 team in the Western Conference, the LA Lakers.

Boston breeze through Orlando,105-84.

The in-transit Orlando Magic did what they could, but Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, Al Harrington and Arron Affalo simply failed to overpower the visiting Celtics, which saw Kevin Garnett steamroll his way to 20+ points, scoring 18 of them in the 3rd quarter. The veteran's shooting and court vision was quite on track tonight, and so was Rajon Rondo, who finished with 11 points and 13 assists.

Despite lacking the typical flair of outside shooting, Boston rattled in a few from beyond the arc, courtesy of Fisher, Terry, Pierce, Kenyon Martin (who dipped in 20 for the second game in a row) and Josh Howard.

Orlando stayed competitive in the first half, but eventually threw in the towel, ultimately giving up on defense and allowing Boston to stroll into the lane, despite narrowing Boston's lead to single digits in to kick off the 3rd quarter.

Celtics avenge earlier loss against Clippers.

Last time these two teams met, the Clippers blew out Boston. This time? Boston might've failed to blow out the other team from Los Angeles, topping out with a fluctuating 15 point lead at times, but they certainly defeated them at home, 102-87, in front of a supportive crowd.

The Clippers, to their credit, hung around, refusing to give up when Boston's lead broke out to 15 in the 3rd quarter. Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups had led a competitive effort in the first half, and they saw no reason to stop. As the game rolled along, Blake Griffin (on an off night) picked up steam and fought hard on the glass, reeling in some easy put-back shots at the rim. But what would the Clippers be without a lob or two? Chris Paul didn't dare seek to find out, as he threw one to DeAndre Jordan late in the game to keep the Clippers above water.

However, Paul and Billups failed to finish the comeback, never taking the lead again or coming within 5 points, despite a conscious effort to fire away with 3's in the final minute as they trailed 87-96. Meanwhile, Jamaal Crawford was nowhere near as hot from the field as he'd been the last time these teams faced off when he unconscionably poured in the points back in LA.

The Clippers had quite a mountain to cross, the mountain being Kenyon Martin who leaped off the bench with 20 points, and the range being Jason Terry, Derek Fisher and Rajon Rondo (24 points, 12 assists). Picks were set and the ball kept flowing on the court, as KG nearly cashed in 20 points, hitting important free throws. On the luckless side was Paul Pierce, who couldn't make a shot or drive to the rim without getting tackled by Los Angeles' decent defensive line inside. "The Truth" did manage to swish in the final basket for his team, defiantly nailing a 3 on the wing to raise Boston above the 100 point mark. Paul Millsap also struggled to be effective, but when Rajon Rondo is hearing "M-V-P" chants at the free throw line, a couple of players can afford to have some bad performances.