How about a little love for Dooling's big shots and play last night

[Tgro]

I know we throw him under the bus every chance we get but I think his 1st 3 was a momentum changer and was the start of our comeback. And overall, I think he played very well.

And I dont know about you guys, but I was amazed we had Daniels on the floor with 2 minutes left to go in a serious playoff game and he played very well too!

Lets show our little underdogs a little love for the way they played last night. We needed them big time and I think they came through....

Just saying...for once!

What makes the Celtics great is they're a team and they get it! And last night was the gutsiest team win I've seen in awhile! I was extremely proud of the whole team.

[letsgoblue86]

TP man.  I was thinking the exact same thing last night.  Even when we were down, I kept noticing Keyon and his energy.  I remember specifically after AB got fouled, Dooling went right up to him and got in his face (in a good way).

It was great seeing his encouragement along with his timely threes.

[scaryjerry]

As bad as Dooling has been this year hes easily likable with how hes meshed in the locker room...so it was nice to see...finally

[Redz]

Yup. It was a huge 3.  In fact any 3 was huge.  A big monkey off the Celtics' back.  Sort of opened the floodgates.

[nickagneta]

And as usual he played some awesome defense.

Has anyone else read some of the articles written about Celtics locker room this year and the effect Dooling has had on it and Rondo?

Yet the most important addition in the locker room appeared to have been point guard Keyon Dooling. His results on the floor have been mixed, but his influence on Rondo as a trusted ally was immeasurable.

It has been well documented that Rondo struggles to coexist, at times, with his more celebrated teammates. He occasionally chafed when the Big Three overshadowed his accomplishments, and brooded when best pal Kendrick Perkins was dealt to Oklahoma City. Rondo needed a new confidant and Dooling, Rondo told me just before Game 1, had become that guy.

"Keyon is one of the best leaders I've ever been around," Rondo declared. "He tells me the truth. If I mess up, he lets me know. He's also very positive, very uplifting.

"Sometimes you play with guys who don't always want to see you do well. When they tell you something, you wonder where they're coming from, what their reasons are.

"But with Keyon, I never worry about that. He's going to give it to me straight, because he cares."

When Rondo drew a two-game suspension for throwing the ball at Wright in February, his veteran teammates went to him demanding a public apology. Feeling cornered, Rondo balked -- and that's when Dooling stepped in.

"I just told him, 'You hurt your family when you do stuff like [throwing the ball at a ref]. The [money lost due to suspension] comes out of your pocket. That's taking money away from the people you love,'" Dooling said.

"He listened because I was coming from a pure place. I want him to grow as a man.

"I set out to get to know him. I didn't listen to any of the other guys and their opinions of Rajon.

"I love the guy. I've made a friend for a lifetime."

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/7874196/2012-nba-playoffs-rajon-rondo-makes-bad-situation-worse

Injuries have kept Dooling from being a big part of that gumbo, as the guard has played in just 31 games this season. But his contribution goes far beyond numbers on the stat sheet. The 11-year NBA veteran has been a silent leader, adding a little spice to that gumbo.

Dooling’s leadership was on display Sunday afternoon before the Celtics beat the Miami Heat 91-72 at the Garden. Along with Marquis Daniels, Dooling made sure to have second-year guard Avery Bradley ready to go with his matchup against Dwayne Wade.

“We were like two big brothers who were hyping their little brother up for his first fist fight,” Dooling said of their pregame pep talk. “I would say one thing to motivate him and then Marquis would chime in. Then I would go and Marquis would go. I think Avery literally could have ran through a wall after that conversation.”

“I just told him; as good as D Wade is offensively, you’re just as good defensively,” said Dooling. “Then Marquis would come in and say something with authority. Then I asked him ‘What’s driving you?’ Then Marquis would come in and say something. We just had his confidence through the roof. It’s great to have young guys like that who has fun with us, respects us, and makes us proud when he goes out on the court and plays the way he is playing.”

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/04/03/dooling-celtics-leadership-makes-a-good-gumbo/

Dooling is as modest a professional as they come, but it would be a travesty to downplay the impact that his leadership played in Boston capitalizing on that opportunity to win. Without his on-ball defense and constant positivity, it’s very possible that the Celtics would be in an 0-2 hole right now.

“Keyon is a veteran,” Rivers said in his first statement to the press after the conclusion of the game. “That’s why you want guys like that on the team. No situation is going to be too big for him.”

...

“We’re professionals,” Dooling said after the win. “Throughout the season we were in the rotation, out of the rotation, not playing that often. But you focus. You give yourself to the team. You never let yourself get out of shape. You never let yourself get in a funk mentally. You stay in tune with the game plan, the schemes. And when your number’s called, you’ve got to be ready.”

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar/050112-dooling-delivers-up.html

For all the vitriolic HATE that has been thrown this guy's way this year, it appears he's a lot more important to this team than most realize and why we as fans, who only get to see the on the court stuff, really and truly don't understand what goes into the decisions to play certain guys and not play others.

[Emmette Bryant]

And as usual he played some awesome defense.

Has anyone else read some of the articles written about Celtics locker room this year and the effect Dooling has had on it and Rondo?

Yet the most important addition in the locker room appeared to have been point guard Keyon Dooling. His results on the floor have been mixed, but his influence on Rondo as a trusted ally was immeasurable.

It has been well documented that Rondo struggles to coexist, at times, with his more celebrated teammates. He occasionally chafed when the Big Three overshadowed his accomplishments, and brooded when best pal Kendrick Perkins was dealt to Oklahoma City. Rondo needed a new confidant and Dooling, Rondo told me just before Game 1, had become that guy.

"Keyon is one of the best leaders I've ever been around," Rondo declared. "He tells me the truth. If I mess up, he lets me know. He's also very positive, very uplifting.

"Sometimes you play with guys who don't always want to see you do well. When they tell you something, you wonder where they're coming from, what their reasons are.

"But with Keyon, I never worry about that. He's going to give it to me straight, because he cares."

When Rondo drew a two-game suspension for throwing the ball at Wright in February, his veteran teammates went to him demanding a public apology. Feeling cornered, Rondo balked -- and that's when Dooling stepped in.

"I just told him, 'You hurt your family when you do stuff like [throwing the ball at a ref]. The [money lost due to suspension] comes out of your pocket. That's taking money away from the people you love,'" Dooling said.

"He listened because I was coming from a pure place. I want him to grow as a man.

"I set out to get to know him. I didn't listen to any of the other guys and their opinions of Rajon.

"I love the guy. I've made a friend for a lifetime."

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/7874196/2012-nba-playoffs-rajon-rondo-makes-bad-situation-worse

Injuries have kept Dooling from being a big part of that gumbo, as the guard has played in just 31 games this season. But his contribution goes far beyond numbers on the stat sheet. The 11-year NBA veteran has been a silent leader, adding a little spice to that gumbo.

Dooling’s leadership was on display Sunday afternoon before the Celtics beat the Miami Heat 91-72 at the Garden. Along with Marquis Daniels, Dooling made sure to have second-year guard Avery Bradley ready to go with his matchup against Dwayne Wade.

“We were like two big brothers who were hyping their little brother up for his first fist fight,” Dooling said of their pregame pep talk. “I would say one thing to motivate him and then Marquis would chime in. Then I would go and Marquis would go. I think Avery literally could have ran through a wall after that conversation.”

“I just told him; as good as D Wade is offensively, you’re just as good defensively,” said Dooling. “Then Marquis would come in and say something with authority. Then I asked him ‘What’s driving you?’ Then Marquis would come in and say something. We just had his confidence through the roof. It’s great to have young guys like that who has fun with us, respects us, and makes us proud when he goes out on the court and plays the way he is playing.”

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/04/03/dooling-celtics-leadership-makes-a-good-gumbo/

Dooling is as modest a professional as they come, but it would be a travesty to downplay the impact that his leadership played in Boston capitalizing on that opportunity to win. Without his on-ball defense and constant positivity, it’s very possible that the Celtics would be in an 0-2 hole right now.

“Keyon is a veteran,” Rivers said in his first statement to the press after the conclusion of the game. “That’s why you want guys like that on the team. No situation is going to be too big for him.”

...

“We’re professionals,” Dooling said after the win. “Throughout the season we were in the rotation, out of the rotation, not playing that often. But you focus. You give yourself to the team. You never let yourself get out of shape. You never let yourself get in a funk mentally. You stay in tune with the game plan, the schemes. And when your number’s called, you’ve got to be ready.”

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar/050112-dooling-delivers-up.html

For all the vitriolic HATE that has been thrown this guy's way this year, it appears he's a lot more important to this team than most realize and why we as fans, who only get to see the on the court stuff, really and truly don't understand what goes into the decisions to play certain guys and not play others.

Nice post.  Thanks for helping me understand what's going on.
TP for you.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I've always liked Marquis, and I've had a heart for Dooling ever since he joined the Cs and I began to get familiar with him, so I always want to see them succeed. I think they're both professionals in the best sense of the word—putting team first, but always being ready to play when called upon, and helping teammates (especially the youngsters), and showing loyalty to the organization (Quis keeps coming back, and I like that).

It was nice to see Keyon show some fire on defense, and his and Quis's performances last night are the type of thing any championship team needs—contributions that may not show up in the box score but are nonetheless crucial for the team's success. Plus they both seem like really nice guys.

[Potapenko Boxout]

Keyon has had a great career compared to a number of guys who are much better basketball players. God, I love this team. How can you not love this team right now?!??

[j804]

TP was going to make a Dooling shout out thread

all indications are he has just been a class act and great in the locker room mentoring all the young guys, and showing leadership that's just as big as on the court.

[RajonRondOWNED]

You are exaggerating with the "vitriolic hate" comment. Has Keyon received dislike posts here? Of course. But guess what, so has ever single player on this Celtics team at one point or another. You aren't going to see people doing 180s on their Keyon comments, because he doesn't come back the next night and throw up 36 points and win us a game. It's just the nature of the business.

Remember how much people didn't care about Marbury? And then Marbury almost single handedly won us a game against Orlando.

[Mr October]

Dooling has been ripped endlessly in the forums. The guy's got experience, energy and moxie. I was really happy he hit those 3s. Keep it coming.

[Senninsage]

I've been advocating for keeping the guy all season long. I've even made 2 or 3 threads about this. This guy will be important for this team, very important.

[RajonRondOWNED]

Dooling has been ripped endlessly in the forums. The guy's got experience, energy and moxie. I was really happy he hit those 3s. Keep it coming.

And you would think these this was a heat website with the amount of hate that Rondo has received. After game 1 we had "F*** this guy ship his a** out of here" posts.

I'll apologize for Dooling hate when I see the Rondo haters carve his name into their forearm.

[nickagneta]

You are exaggerating with the "vitriolic hate" comment. Has Keyon received dislike posts here? Of course. But guess what, so has ever single player on this Celtics team at one point or another. You aren't going to see people doing 180s on their Keyon comments, because he doesn't come back the next night and throw up 36 points and win us a game. It's just the nature of the business.

Remember how much people didn't care about Marbury? And then Marbury almost single handedly won us a game against Orlando.

Not exaggerating. Go read some of the game threads mid season or better yet do a search on threads about Dooling and read through them. Vitriolic hate might be soft peddling what was going on here at times.

[Mr October]

Dooling has been ripped endlessly in the forums. The guy's got experience, energy and moxie. I was really happy he hit those 3s. Keep it coming.

And you would think these this was a heat website with the amount of hate that Rondo has received. After game 1 we had "F*** this guy ship his a** out of here" posts.

I'll apologize for Dooling hate when I see the Rondo haters carve his name into their forearm.

Count me in the "i'll only trade Rondo for a top 15 player in the NBA" camp. Other than finding a golden upgrade, I want to see Rondo play his entire career in Boston. He's amazing. I dont' mind the hot headed moments. He's young. He's passionate. I'll take that.

And I expect Rondo to bring it on Friday.