Thursday, October 25, 2007

A Quick Word on the Celtics

Before I issue my NBA Preview this weekend, which will start with the Eastern Conference, I couldn't wait any longer to state my feelings on the Boston Celtics. First I'll give the readers the floor. As fast as you can, without looking it up, name one player on the Celtics not named Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen or Paul Pierce. Take a minute. Ok, its been five minutes, time's up. I am a basketball junkie and the only other player I could name, Rajon Rondo, I have followed since he arrived at Kentucky as a college freshman. Fans and analysts all across America are handing the Celtics the Eastern Conference title, and a few too many people are saying the Celtics are going to raise their 17th championship banner next November.

You'll see this weekend just how many teams in the East I feel are better than the Celtics. I'll tell you now that it isn't many, but the fact that there are teams in the East that are better tells you that they won't win the NBA Championship because no one in the East can beat whichever team emerges from blood bath that is the Western Conference Playoffs. Apparently many NBA insiders and analysts haven't seen the ADIDAS "It takes five," ad campaign. Well with respect to ADIDAS, yes it does take a strong starting five. But it also takes a deep bench. And a coach.

Start with the starting five. Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Garnett, and Kendrick Perkins. The middle three, as we know, are great and the teams success hinges on their play. But Rondo, while high on potential, is still an inexperienced second year PG with no jump shot, and who the hell is Kendrick Perkins?

I had to look up their roster to see who is coming off the bench for the Celtics and I'm guessing Tony Allen, James Posey, Eddie House, and everyones favorite red head, Brian Scalabrine, should get some minutes. Aside from Allen, this makes for a very poor bench that sorely lacks in athleticism.

The biggest problem of all in Beantown is the head honcho. Doc Rivers is the coach. Doc Rivers. Could you ever see Doc Rivers talking to Jim Gray while accepting the NBA Championship Trophy? Doc Rivers. The same coach that has notched 58 and 63 loss seasons. That would be a great total in Major League Baseballs 162 game schedule, but it's not so great in an 82 game sked. Doc Rivers!

The Celtics improved themselves greatly this past offseason, but as you can see, it is a bit premature to crown them NBA, or even Eastern Conference champions. If the ADIDAS claim was "It takes 3," and that in fact was true, the Celtics would be set because they have one of the best, if not the best, trio of players in the NBA. Unfortunatly, until the NBA switches to a 3 on 3 floor game, the Celts will remain what they are: a three man team coached by Doc Rivers.

GO ROCKIES,
DTM

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