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February 17, 2008
Celtics: Act Two
This looks every bit the three part drama for the Boston Celtics.
Act One ended with the All Star break. The team leaves the stage to a rousing ovation and the best record in the NBA at 41-9. The Celtics pull up for a break, catch their collective breath, get some rest and physical therapy. They return for Act Two - the drive to be a play-off ready team. Get healthy. Get your roles down. Get after it.
32 games remain in their regular season in order to make the team, like the Marines, 'be all they can be'. For what? The '2nd Season' also known as the play-offs.
It is the only season that this team is concerned with. Everything that happens for 82 games is to get ready for a play-off run.
The Celtics assembled a three star team, drew up simple plays, and threw them to the Wolves....and the Raptors...and so on.
Something strange happened. They started to win immediately. 8-0 to start. No chemistry to work out. No getting to know each other. No problems. Or so it has looked...and has been, for
the most part.
But if you have been watching regularly, a number of things occurred in the first half, almost all of them good.
The main thing, and it is subtle, is that the team is more of a team now. Yes, they might have passed more and won by bigger numbers in the first half of the first half. But they may have even passed too much at times. The unselfishness of everyone might have actually been too extreme. Hard to believe, when you are talking about an NBA team, I know. But it was true.
Talent, energy, focus, unselfishness and defensive intensity 'impersonated' team chemistry to start the season. The three stars, starting with Kevin Garnett, drove the team out of the gate with winning the only thing on their minds. They needed to establish that mindset in their own minds, and in the minds of their opponents. All of the major runs in each early season game included at least one of the three stars to catapult the team to sometimes ridiculous leads. They were crushing teams like some intra mural games everyone remembers when they were kids.
Paul Pierce Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen had to see for themselves just what they could do if they put their 'all' into it. It was something spectacular to behold. Yes, their strength of schedule was among the worse, but bear in mind, so was Detroit's. You still have to play and win the games. They were winning in eye opening fashion and were winning with defense, much to the surprise of many observers.
Doc's first goal was to get the three stars comfortable playing with each other. Now his goal is to keep them healthy and to get consistently strong performances from his other players.
Rajon Rondo is growing by leaps and bounds and is becoming one the league's premiere point guards. He leads the team in ways he could only dream of to start the season. While neither played at all, to start the season, Glen Davis and Leon Powe have become important parts of the puzzle, as Brian Scalabrine has slid down the bench (until recent injuries). Eddie House and James Posey are all you could hope they would be. Kendrick Perkins is playing consistently solid defense, and just enough offense to keep teams honest.
With the loss of Kevin Garnett for the most recent 9 games, it actually helped develop team chemistry a little more, and to get a good reading and give valuable court time to Leon Powe and Glen Davis. Rondo has stepped up a huge way with KG out. It is eye opening to see his development.
Ray and Paul have done what you would hope and expect. They are the book-ends of the offense as they get things going and finish them in most games.
I wouldn't let the recent success without KG get me too optimistic. The team is winning, but there are holes in the defense and they are in the middle. The team can ride for a while without KG and Perkins but they will have a tough time duplicating the recent results in the play-offs with out those two guys. But we know that.
As Act Two begins, it is Doc's job to try to keep everyone healthy and rested enough for the second season. Injuries are unpredictable. Doc can do little about those, save keeping his players rested.
Team chemistry still has room for improvement as players solidify their roles. Glen Davis can still be erratic though he will bring energy every night. Leon Powe has some defensive shortcomings. Eddie House must continue contributing in other ways, even if his shot is off.
Paul, Ray and Kevin seem to take turns as a focus of the offense as you can't run picks and back screens for two players at the same very easily, if at all. But they have managed to make it all work. I think you won't see Kevin Garnett working in the post more until nearer the play-offs, unless there is a compelling reason for it, like seeding and home court advantage.
Finding Tony Allen's role is a little more interesting. In addition to his defense, he can bring an offensive dimension to the team that no one else has. He presents a challenge for Doc, though Rivers has managed to find him regular playing time and Tony has responded with strong, if unspectacular showings. Surprising Tony Allen fact: He has the best 3 point shooting pct on the team. Granted he doesn't take a lot from beyond the arc and his shot can look ugly on release. But it is going in.
Some say you can't know what this team will do under play-off pressure. I would add that we don't know how the refs will make calls either. Will Rondo get treated like a 2nd year man against veteran point guards? Will he get 2 quick fouls and sit? I don't think Glen Davis is going to get the benefit of calls against Tim Duncan in the play-offs, his recent notable defense of Duncan notwithstanding. There are a number of things that are unanswered. But they will only be answered by getting there and playing.
So far, the Celtics have met and passed every test thrown at them. I like their chances going forward.
Act Two begins tonight as the curtain opens in Denver against the talented Nuggets.
Glen Davis, Scot Pollard, and Kendrick Perkins are all probable for tonight's game according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Kevin Garnett is also possible. The Cs will need them against Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, and Carmelo Anthony. Allen Iverson will give Rondo or Ray Allen fits, depending on how Doc plays it.
This is the first in an extended 5 game road trip.
Posted by Tom on February 17, 2008 10:51 PM
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