Kevin Garnett battles Lavoy Allen for a board

Two games are in the books from the renewal of a Boston-Philadelphia basketball rivalry and a total of two combined points separates the winner from the loser.

Philadelphia lacks the star power that it had in the past, going back to its days with the Warriors, but the young upstart team does have athleticism and ignorance.  Yes, it is true, ignorance can certainly be bliss.

Game two saw the only true example of NBA basketball relegated to the fourth quarter.  The middle two frames were so atrocious that they would have embarrassed even the most composed of junior varsity coaches.

Lets stop beating around the proverbial bush here.  The underlying question is simply:  Should Celtics fans be worried about this series in the least bit?

The answer is of course:  Yes.

However, there was no chance the young Sixers would be swept.  The reason the answer is yes, is simply because Celtics fans were overconfident going into a series with a starless eighth seed.

For two straight games we’ve seen very similar displays of basketball.  Neither team played an entire four quarters, albeit game two was significantly more sloppy than game one.  Both games came down to the wire and Philly’s lack of a “go-to-guy” came back to bite them in game one and gave them the ability to win in game two.

Fans have now seen Philadelphia’s ability to choke a lead away to inevitably lose in crunch time and, similarly in the second game of the series, choke a lead away only to hit clutch shots down the stretch and knock down key free throws.

Andre Iguodala, to steal a phrase from baseball, is the quintessential 5-tool player.  He consistently tallies numbers in every significant category and plays incredibly underrated perimeter defense.  The second AI is the closest thing the Sixers have to a go-to or star player.  Yet, his offensive scoring ability can be questioned.  He doesn’t like to always be “that guy”, and fact is, he can’t be that player on a consistent basis.  After Iguodala the other potential closers for Philadelphia are, in no specific order, Evan Turner, Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday, and maybe Elton Brand or Jodie Meeks.  Again, none of those players are consistent enough to consider putting the ball in their hands on a regular basis at the end of a tight game.

For the Celtics this means they cannot key in on one specific player defensively.  In fact, all of this inconsistency from the Philly players leads to the unknown for defenses in the final minutes of a game.

Think about it.  In late game scenarios if I say Paul Pierce, do you know what he will likely do?  Absolutely, bump in on the defender, step-back, fall-away jumper from the elbow.  It’s certainly not easy to defend, but you know what’s coming.  Ray Allen?  Comes off of multiple screens for a 3-pointer.  Generally, no one else closes for the Celtics.  Granted this season we’ve seen the ball in Garnett’s hands for a turn-around jumper, or even Rondo finding himself wide open for a 17-footer after coming off of a screen, but neither of these players generally like the ball in their hands for crunch time, they prefer to facilitate for the others.

Now for Philly, do you have any idea who is most likely to get the ball in their hands at the end of the game?  No, and truth be told, I don’t think they know either.  While this adversely effected the Sixers in game one, it came to benefit them in game 2.  The Celtics were forced to stay true to their defensive match ups, rather than shying toward one specific player or play.  Boston was forced to foul to regain possession and Philly knocked down each of their free throws.

While ice ran through their veins in game two, which Sixers team will show up the rest of the series?

No one really knows, including their coach Doug Collins.

Look for the Celtics to put forth an effort to play well in all four quarters from here on out, given the porous 48-minute performance from the first two games.  That effort, however, does not always translate into production.  The 76ers have yet to lose a game in front of their home crowd in the postseason, but I expect a split over the next two games in Philadelphia.

I originally picked the Celtics in six games to take this series.  While I will stick with that pick, I would not be surprised in the least if Philly rides their home crowd in that sixth game and forces a game seven back in Boston.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

Look up the definition of ‘flat’ in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary.  The seventh definition states — lacking in animation, zest, or vigor: dull.

Look even closer and you can see video footage of the Celtics from the first 12 minutes of Game 1 in Atlanta.  For all of the visual learners out there, the Celts first quarter in Atlanta will help clarify what the term ‘flat’ means in this context.

Of course, the video is not actually there.  I have, however, submitted the suggestion already to the company, still waiting for a reply.

The offensive output throughout the entire 48 minutes was lackluster, but it was the defense that looked downright lackadaisical to open the game.  Boston allowed 31 points and looked befuddled by the match-up problems that Atlanta caused on both ends of the floor.

It took halftime for Boston to remember it was no longer the boring, save-your-energy regular season games anymore.  The C’s chipped away at the lead during the second half, getting to within four points with exactly one minute remaining.

Nineteen seconds later the momentum would come to such an abrupt halt that even the father of modern physics himself, Isaac Newton, would not be able to explain the phenomenon.

Brandon Bass would be called for a questionable foul, as he and Josh Smith rolled around on the floor jockeying for the ball.  Rajon Rondo was visibly displeased with the call and was immediately doled a technical foul.  The tech was so quickly given to Rondo that it leads one to believe that:  A) He said one of the few magical words that warrant no hesitation from the referee, or  B) He had been riding the ref all night and the action of throwing his arms in the air was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Nonetheless, the All-Star point guard could have moved on amicably knowing the game was still within reach.  Instead, he furthered the situation by visibly walking up to the referee and puffing his chest out at a very precise time to give the official a bump in the back.  This is an action that every player in the NBA, and fans alike, knows will get you immediately tossed from the game and result in a likely suspension.  Emperor David Stern has made it explicitly clear that whomever you are, you are not to touch an official; rightfully so, I might add.

No, Doc Rivers isn’t right.  The ref didn’t turn into Rondo.

No, Rajon Rondo isn’t right either.  He, who is so incredibly athletic, did not stumble over his own feet or trip on the three-point line and accidentally trip into the referee.

Following the chest bump the Celtics would not score again.  Going from down four to losing by nine.

Rondo made a conscious decision to jeopardize both Game 1 and Game 2 with his actions.

The league will have to suspend him for the next game.  He violated a rule that results in, the very least, a one game suspension.  Thus, likely thrusting the team into a Game 2 on the road without a point guard.

With Rondo likely suspended (word has yet to come down from the Emperors chair), Ray Allen not walking through that door, and Avery Bradley certainly not good enough to handle the ball for 30-40 minutes a game, the Celtics options are Paul Pierce, Keyon Dooling, and if desperate Mickael Pietrus.  None of those are good options when facing a potential two-games-to-none hole for a return trip to Boston.

As a team, and a fan base, you take the good and the bad with Rajon Rondo.  The supremely talented point guard still has the immature label, and will never shake it with actions such as these.

The question remains, can the Celtics win Game 2 without Rondo?

Yes, they can.

It wont be easy, but if Pierce and Kevin Garnett can continue to play at an elite level and do not come out flat in the second game, then yes they can win.

However, if Avery Bradley is handling the ball, expect defensive pressure from the likes of Jeff Teague, and even Kirk Hinrich.  They will try and exploit Bradley’s lack of ball handling skills and his lack of playoff experience, by trying to force turnovers.

As for Ray Allen…

Isn’t it reminiscent of Shaquille O’Neal last year or Kevin Garnett two years ago?

The Celtics brass is insistent that the player will return, yet after each scheduled return date passes he still isn’t back to game action.  I wouldn’t be all that surprised if Allen doesn’t return at all.  Remember both Shaq and KG were supposed to come back the past two years and neither did.  What makes this situation any different?

My pick in this series was the Celtics in six games.  I will stick with that prediction because the Hawks are generally inconsistent and fickle, but Rajon Rondo didn’t make the task any easier by blowing Game 1 and likely forcing Boston to play without a true point guard for Game 2.

**Editor’s note:  Rajon Rondo has officially been suspended for Game 2.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

Doc and Austin Rivers

How fitting it was that Head Coach Doc Rivers led his Boston Celtics team to a victory, and a share of first place in the Atlantic division, in Charlotte the other night.  At that very same time, less than 150 miles away, his second youngest son, Austin, was announcing his intentions to forego the remaining three years of his college eligability at Duke University to enter the NBA draft in June.

The decision, Doc proclaimed after the game, was all Austin’s.  The freshman guard burst onto the scene last year after being dubbed the top recruit of the 2011 high school class.  After committing to Coach K and the Blue Devils, the younger Rivers was named a starting guard and averaged just over 15 points per game this season.

On the hardwood his skills were evident.  An incredibly quick first step and a nose for the hoop prompted Austin to leave many-a-defender in his dust as he attacked the rim with reckless abandon.  No one could knock his “clutch gene” either, as he put that on display in Chapel Hill with a game winning three-pointer at the buzzer with seven-footer Tyler Zeller in his face.

No, the knock on Rivers all season wasn’t that he couldn’t ball, it was simply that he didn’t play the college style of basketball that Duke and Coach K are known for.

The epitome of Blue Devil basketball has always been team oriented, where one player does not stand out, all that much, amongst the rest.  A sharing mentality that has brought Coach K more wins than Bobby Knight and subsequently less NBA superstars as well.

Rivers did not fit that mold.  He needed the ball in his hands to do damage.  Many times it was a thing of beauty; what he could do with that basketball in his hands at the collegiate level seemed unmatched at times.  Yet, the inevitability of what will happen when one player, in particular a ball-handling guard, commands the basketball too much is easily predictable.  The movement would lessen and the team could become stagnant, while they watched their young star dribble to space with no intention of distributing.

Austin Rivers’ maturation level is not yet to a place where he can be an immdiate All-Star point guard in the NBA.  His ceiling is, however, through the roof.

The team that drafts Rivers may be forced to play him at both guard spots, similar to what Golden State did with Monta Ellis and Steph Curry when they were both healthy.  This will likely force a very small backcourt that poses a formidable offensive tandem, but causes a tremendous defensive liability.

Apologies for burying the lead a bit, but the background is significant.

With many of the positives and negatives of Rivers’ game now aired out, I get to my point:  Will the Boston Celtics draft Austin Rivers if they have the chance in the 2012 NBA draft?

Short answer:  no.

Long answer:

With Austin Rivers projected to go in the middle third of the draft, from 10-20, there is an outside chance that he slips to wherever Boston ends up selecting.

Personal assessment:  Rivers goes in the lottery, but likely double digits, anywhere from 10-14.

While the Celtics do need as much young talent as possible moving foward, they cannot overlook any potential in the draft.  If the expected players do come out of college and declare eligible this will likely be one of the deepest drafts we’ve seen in years.

Due to that fact, the Celtics will be able to pass on Rivers, if the time comes, and take a number of other players.

A recent mock draft that I’ve seen had guys like Tyler Zeller, Doron Lamb, Terrence Jones, Mason Plumlee, and Draymond Green all falling outside of the lottery.  There will be, potentially, a plethora of choices.

I also still worry about the defensive liability caused by playing similar sized guards in the backcourt.  This was the main reason I was not in support of the rumored Ray Allen for Monta Ellis deal a couple of years ago.  Who would guard the likes of Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant?  The biggest shooting guards in the league would have a field day with such a small backcourt.

The big talk around the Boston area, however, will be the intrigue of a father-son relationship in the form of coach-player.

This is the precise reason I don’t see it happening, combined with the fact that there will likely be plenty of talent remaining on the board.

Doc Rivers is known for handling big-time NBA personalities.  We’ve seen it before, the way he helped gel a championship contending team from three future hall of famers, all carrying very large egos along with their extreme talent.  Make no mistake about it either, Austin Rivers will enter the Association with a big league personality as well.

As recently as last year Doc Rivers contemplated leaving coaching all together to become closer to his family.  Doc Rivers is a family man, as much as the life of an NBA head coach allows, and coaching his son at the most elite level would be mixing work with pleasure; potentially causing unknown amounts of friction within his family of six (Doc, his wife Kris, and four kids).

Doc has stated that he has never coached his son Austin in a formal setting, and at this rate he never will.

The storylines would write themselves, but the potential cries of nepotism within the team, or worse, behind the scenes family turmoil, are simply not worth it for the veteran coach.

If, by chance, the Celtics do land Rivers though, Boston will quickly become the most popular confluence in the country since the Monongahela and Allegheny formed the Ohio River.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

Celtics

We’ve all heard the hysteric outcries.  The recent calls to sports radio, the comments on blogs and columns throughout New England, all clamoring for the same thing.

“It’s time to blow the Celtics up, do it now and plan for the future!”

These short sighted zealots have yet to see the bigger picture.  Their sentiments, however rational, were heeded two or three years ago when General Manager Danny Ainge scheduled a roster blow-up for the end of this season.

Ainge has managed to manipulate and mold this Celtics roster in ways that could foster jealousy and resentment amongst other front offices throughout the league.  Following the end of the 2011-2012 season, Boston will have four players under contract, with a fifth on a player option.  Creating cap space and freedom to move the franchise in virtually any feasible direction.

Building for the transition into the next era began when Ainge signed Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to contracts that both expired at the end of the 2011-2012 season.  Evidence of Ainge’s intent can be seen in the remaining players on the roster all receiving one or two year deals that expire with Allen and Garnett’s.  Leaving an array of options for Ainge to maneuver when this roster blows up, on schedule, at the end of the season.

So then, with the future of the Celtics in the palm of his hand, what use would Ainge have in trading away any part of this roster?

Don’t miscontrue my words, for the right price ANYONE on this roster can and should be moved (I will refer you back to my Christmas Day preview column when I first mentioned free agency and trade options).

That said, given the climate of the trade market, the liklihood of the Celtics landing a piece to build around for the future is slim to none.  The only viable pieces to trade are the very commodities that Ainge values in the form of expiring contracts.

Ray Allen would be a great piece for a young team looking for an outside shooter and veteran leadership.  The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat would love to have him.  Their tradeable assets, however, are rather slim; and again why trade the freedom of an expiring contract for an unreliable piece?

Garnett’s contract is virtually immovable due to the $21.2 million he is owed this season.  Paul Pierce would be an interesting chip, but that could cause another outcry throughout the Boston area and, to be frank, his contract is not enticing to other teams.  Not many franchises are knocking down the door to obtain an overpaid aging swingman who is losing his first step.

Which brings us to your starting point guard.  Easily a top-5 point guard in the league, under an extremely friendly contract.  Rajon Rondo is a pass-first player who epitomizes his position.  He, like every other player, has his deficiencies, but be forewarned the grass is not always greener on the other side.

I maintain that for the right price there is not one player that is untouchable on this team, but Rondo does come with the largest price tag.  He has been hampered by issues of immaturity throughout his career, which is a large reason he fell to the Celtics late in the first round, but most recently his lack of maturity was evident when he threw the basketball at an official resulting in a disqualification and 2-game suspension.

So what then could the Celtics do with such a thin trade market available this season?

There are two perfectly plausible options for this team:

1.  If Ainge does decide to shake up the Celts, knowing full well that this roster will inevitably be blown up at the end of the season, he will make moves that he does not intend on building around for the future.  The Celtics will look for rentals from teams who have high payrolls, aren’t real contenders, and could use contracts coming off the books.  They could try to pry away players with potential who may or may not have fully reached their peak.  In trading for those particular players the Celtics will hope that they can advance their skills and prove their potential to, in turn, move them for more formidable pieces and, for all intents and purposes, dupe another team into thinking a player like Josh Smith is better than he in fact is.

This could happen.  Dwight Howard has no intention of signing with Boston in the offseason and Ainge was able to manipulate a large number of players in a trade for KG and Allen, why cant he do it again?  Realistically, how many people can name more than two players who were dealt in the trades for Allen and Garnett?  What about three?  Yet, at the time those groups of players were sold higher than their value.

2.  Stand pat.  Don’t move anyone.  With all of the money coming off the books why sacrifice maneuverability of the future?  No, don’t expect big off-season acquisitions in the form of free-agents this year, but the ability to mold a franchise like Ainge has the chance to do over the next few years does not come frequently to a general manager, if ever.  As we’ve seen, Ainge can be very creative.

Plenty of questions remain for fans, analysts, insiders, and the front office.  Will Rondo’s stock ever be any higher?  Some say yes, others no.  Should you move any of the expiring contracts?  Do you try and shuffle Pierce out of town, knowing he will likely be the next retired Celtics number?

The options are open for Ainge, but don’t be surprised if he sits on the ticking time bomb that is this Celtics roster and waits for it to blow up on schedule.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

Screw the hype. 

It’s time to weed through the idiocy of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Jason Whitlock.  Pick apart the Walt Clyde Frazier comparisons and frenetic reactions that epitomize a typical New York imbalance. 

As fans of the Boston Celtics you must now look to the city 220 miles (give or take) to the south and begin to understand what this Knicks revitalization really means for your boys in Green.

The last New York Knicks loss was at the hands of your very own Boston Celtics ealier this month.  Since that time the Knickerbockers have reeled off seven straight victories, with a likely eighth on the way against the Hornets Friday night.  Of course the story has been the emergence of Harvard University graduate Jeremy Lin, as the undrafted castoff has been a key cog to those victories.  Despite his Ivy League connection, having spent four years in Cambridge, he is not the story for the Celtics and Celtics fans alike.

Jeremy Lin may be dominating the headlines, but in Boston the Celts are looking down at an advancing Knicks team that now sits at .500 and is making a run in the Atlantic Division. 

With the Celtics playing schizophrenic basketball handing the league leading Chicago Bulls a loss (albeit without Derrick Rose) then falling to the lowly Detroit Pistons, the Knicks have remained steadfast, continually gaining ground in the Eastern Conference.  Boston continues to occupy the seventh seed with the Knicks sitting one game behind them.  This comes with a hellacious second half stretch ahead of the 15-13 Celtics, as 24 of their final 38 games will be on the road including trips of five, eight, and four consecutive games.

The C’s have two games in hand on the Knicks, as New York has played two more total games on the season, but with their emergence the task of knocking off the division leading 76ers just got a lot more difficult. 

Since the beginning of the truncated season the goal has always been to win the division and avoid the young uber-talented teams of Chicago and Miami in the early rounds of the playoffs and hope that the extended rest during the playoff series’ would propel the aging Celtics to another Championship run.  Philadelphia’s exceptional play has deterred the Celts a bit, but the goal has remained the same, with the notion that the inexperience of the Sixers would eventually catch up to them. 

The plan seemed flawless until the new kid on the block showed up.  Possibly one of the most overrated franchises in the history of professional athletics, the New York Knicks have won just two NBA Championships and that came back in the Red Holzman era.  Yet, the city remains to be seen as the epicenter of the basketball world. 

This historically overrated franchise is now being led by a southern california undrafted and cut Harvard grad to hype that has not been legitimate in the Big Apple since Reggie Miller lit up Patrick Ewing and gang for eight points in 8.9 seconds.  As Jeremy Lin breathes life back into the Knicks, his crew now has their eyes set firmly on the 20-10 Philadelphia 76ers. 

The battle for division supremacy has gone from a two team showdown to a three team dogfight.  The Knicks will soon return All-Star Carmelo Anthony, criticized for being a virtual “black hole” where the basketball goes to disappear and never return.  If the ball movement and team play that Lin has forcefully implanted onto this Knicks team can continue to survive with the return of Melo, the Celtics will have to decipher a way to play at a high level consistently. 

This is a direct assault on Boston.  No, the attack is not coming at risk of civil liberties, nor does the imcumbent battle involve redcoats, but if your Boston Celtics cannot fight and claw their way up the standings they are in danger of occupying one of the bottom two seeds come playoff time.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

Pierce passes Bird with a 3

Paul Pierce has officially made his mark permanent amongst the legends of the parquet.  This past Tuesday night, in front of a Boston crowd desperate for a therapeutic sporting event following the latest Super Bowl folly, Pierce moved past Larry Bird as the second all-time scorer in Celtics history.

Love him or hate him, he is now only looking up at a virtually untouchable John Havlicek who ranks 12th in NBA history in points scored with 26,395.

Pierce, however, can boast something that few modern NBA players can.  He has scored all of his points wearing one uniform.

Yes, he looks up at his teammates Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen on the all-time scoring list, but they have clearly done their scoring for multiple franchises.  The Truth will likely make his way into the top 25 in career scoring, as he is less than 400 points away from Clyde Drexler who currently holds the 25th slot.

So, with a championship, a Finals MVP, nine time All-Star, All-NBA second team, three time All-NBA third team, All-NBA rookie team, and for good measure a 3-point shootout trophy, where does Paul Pierce stand on the all-time Celtics greats list?

Now lists are gimmicky, yes, and can be slightly “easy” as anyone can do them, but isn’t that the fun of it?

Now the question remains, does Paul Pierce even crack the top five of the most fabled franchise in NBA history?

My answer:  probably not.

Lets first define “greatness” in context of “all-time lists.”  This does not mean Tommy Heinsohn would beat Kevin Garnett one-on-one.  Greatness in the context of history is the player’s greatness in his own era.  No one disputes that athletes now are bigger, stronger, and quicker.  What you need to look at is the impact a given player had on his team and his era.  Was Babe Ruth the most athletic person?  No, but he is still considered the greatest hitter by the way he dominated the competition like no one else ever has.

With that said, here is the Celtics all-time top five:

1.  Bill Russell - Clear cut answer, 11 championships in 13 years, some would argue the best player ever (most of those arguments come from the Boston area, but still).  He transformed the image of the NBA and put defense in the forefront.  It would be ludicrous to try and go through all of Russell’s achievements, but to name a few:  five time NBA MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, three time All-NBA first team (not sure how you win five MVP’s but only get three All-NBA first team selections), and eight time All-NBA second team.  There is little chance that anyone will ever surpass the Great Bill Russell on any all-time Celtics list.

2.  Larry Bird – With Havlicek having just left, the Celtics, and the NBA for that matter, were in dire need of their next great player.  Bird came in and rocked the NBA world.  What he lacked in athleticism he made up in knowledge, anticipation, skills, and dedication.  Bird’s passing ability was unparalleled by other forwards, and even many point guards, yet he was just as good at scoring the ball as he was at sharing it.  He knew when to take over a game, and the other team knew when he was going to do it, yet no one could seem to stop him.  The three time league MVP has even more achievements than Russell, but the most crucial are his three championships, two Finals MVP’s, 12-time All-Star, and of course the Rookie of the Year award over rival Magic Johnson.  Oh, and just for good measure, Bird averaged 24.3 ppg, 6.3 apg, and 10.0 rpg for his career.  Although Pierce has passed Bird on the Celtics scoring list, he will never surpass him on the greatness scale.

3.  John Havlicek – This one was difficult, as numbers three and four are virtually interchangeable when it comes to Celtic greats.  Best known for his steal on Hal Greer’s inbounds pass in the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals (moreso because of the Johnny Most call) Havlicek was virtually the first star 6th Man in the NBA.  Coming off the bench behind Sam Jones and Bob Cousy his rookie season Hondo still saw plenty of floor time and, in many cases, would remain on the hardwood in crunchtime as well.  Havlicek remains the Celtics all-time leading scorer after playing in Boston for 16 seasons.  Some of his career highlights consist of:  eight time NBA Champion, Finals MVP, 13-time All-Star, four time All-NBA first team, and seven time All-NBA second team.  Havlicek’s franchise scoring record will be extremely difficult for any future Celts player to match.

4.  Bob Cousy – Younger generations may not know enough about Cousy.  He was one of the very first NBA stars, along with George Mikan.  Yet, Cooz transformed the game his own way.  Along with coach Red Auerbach, Cousy gave more life to the basketball world by injecting it with perimeter play and a fastbreak game.  He was known for a style of play that was viewed as streetball at the time.  Fancy dribbling and around the back passes had never been seen at the highest level of play and fans began to flock because of the style Cousy brought to the floor.  Playing defense on the Celtics, and in particular Cousy, was not easy as much of basketball was post play at the time.  Cousy finished his career (not known as a scorer) averaging 18.4 ppg and 7.5 apg.  He is a six time Champion, won the league MVP in 1957, 13-time All-Star, and 10-time All-NBA first team player.

5.  Sam Jones – This was by far the most difficult selection.  Jones belongs here because, next to Russell, he may have been the most clutch winner in Celtics history.  Known as one of the best shooting guards of his generation Jones won 10 championships with the Celtics and, according to Russell, was the most clutch player he’d ever played with.  He perfected a jump shot when many players at the time were still learning to use it rather than the set shot.  Jones led the C’s in scoring in three of their championship seasons.  He also boasts five All-Star selections and a three time All-NBA second team.

The players that could have slipped into this fifth spot (and were incredibly difficult to omit):  Robert Parish, Dave Cowens, Kevin McHale, and Paul Pierce.

With apologies to:   Tommy Heinsohn, Bill Sharman, K.C. Jones, Satch Sanders, Jo Jo White, and Dennis Johnson.

No, Dino Radja does not make the list.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

Pierce will be the last to wear the green 34

Amid Super Bowl hype, and subsequently debilitating loss, Paul Pierce has quietly crept toward eternal Celtics lore.  One of the greatest individual achievements in recent Celtic history will inevitably happen Tuesday night when the Bobcats visit the TD Garden.  The Celtics captain is a mere nine points shy of tying Larry “Legend” Bird himself for second all-time on the Celtics career scoring list with 21,791.

Pierce was drafted amid arguably the worst stretch in Boston’s storied professional basketball history.  He slipped to the Celts at 10th overall in the 1998 draft, with notable busts Michael Olowokandi, Raef LaFrentz, the late Robert “Tractor” Traylor, and Larry Hughes all drafted ahead of him.  In fact, in the eyes of history, the only player that likely should have been drafted ahead of Pierce (and was by one slot) was Dirk Nowitzki.

The eventual captain was teamed up with Antoine Walker and pegged as the two saviors of the acclaimed Celtics franchise.  As a rookie in the lockout shortened 50 game season of 1998-1999 (which was really just 1999 with the season beginning in February), Pierce missed just two games and started in all but three.  He led the team in total points scored as a rookie with 791, but the team finished with a 19-31 record.

By 2002 the Celtics made the playoffs and Pierce, combined with Walker, dragged a Celtics team that had no business winning 49 games to losing in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals.  Pierce was third in points per game that season averaging 26.1, but first in total points scored with 2,144.  The reason he trailed both Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal in ppg was simply because he was a warrior and did not miss a single game, including the 16 in the playoffs.

Pierce’s scoring prowess was undeniable from the beginning.  Scoring over 2,000 points in a season four times and always wanting the ball in crunch time when it mattered most (sometimes to a fault).

His ability to carry a team as their leader and top scorer made people question whether he was the right fit when General Manager Danny Ainge pulled off two of the biggest moves in NBA history in acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.  The acquisitions vaulted Boston back to the top of the NBA, but was Pierce going to be willing to acquiesce to two other future Hall of Famers?

Not only did Pierce answer the call, he remained as one of the team’s leaders and did it, for the first time, on both ends of the floor.  His defensive prowess, which he always had the capability of, was paramount in the C’s success as he virtually shut down young star LeBron James in the playoffs during the 2007-2008 season.  Following the Celtics 17th NBA championship the image of Paul Pierce would now forever be in a positive light.

In passing Larry Bird, whom many would put on their “Mount Rushmore of Boston Sports,” Pierce may cause some fits for those who watched both Bird’s and Pierce’s entire careers.

Pierce did not win over the local fans from day one as Bird did in 1979 (heck people were begging him to come to Boston in 1978 when they originally drafted him).  Bird’s game was beautiful (sans his lack of athleticism).  The Legend’s scoring prowess and sweet passing was fun from the beginning, but Pierce played a modern style of basketball.  The Truth relied on his athleticism and could not hold a light to the passing ability of Bird.  His shoot first, “me” approach to the sport epitomized the style of streetball that is rampant throughout much of the country and was, at times, infuriating.

His attitude and approach to life did not connect with Boston fans.  Pierce brought his Inglewood, California attitude to a parquet flooring that once held such greats as Cousy, Russell, Jones, Havlicek, Bird, Parish, and McHale.  These were the stars who had helped to bring 16 combined championships to Boston and Pierce was not near as charismatic, charming, or engaging as they were as a collective group.

It is no coincidence that Boston fans (known throughout the NBA world as some of the most knowledgeable) would forever support Pierce following the 2008 Championship when he exuded ultimate team play combined with his leadership skills.

Following Tuesday’s game Paul Pierce will be that much closer to the next Celtic great to enter the Hall of Fame and watch his 34 get hoisted to the rafters.

No he’s not Larry Bird.  He is his own player that we as a fan base were fortunate enough to watch grow and blossom into a star over the past 14 years.  The younger generation may not have been able to watch Bird from the beginning, but they now have a Celtics player whom they will talk to their grandchildren about, and reminisce about the good old days when Pierce was the floor general.

Fans will witness history Tuesday night when Pierce scores his 10th point with only the untouchable John Havlicek ahead of him.  This could be the perfect remedy for a Super Bowl hangover.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

Celtic frustrations

An historic start for the NBA’s most storied franchise, as this year’s version of the Boston Celtics goes 0-3 for the fourth time in the past 40 years.  In 2006 the slow start led to a grand total of 27 wins by the season’s end (it has been argued that the team milked Pierce’s injury at the end of the season to get the coveted number one pick to potentially select Kevin Durant) leading to a complete facelift and the acquisitions of Ray Allen then Kevin Garnett.  In 1994 the 0-3 start led the Celts to finish with 35 wins and a grand prize of being dominated in the first round of the playoffs by Shaquille O’Neal and the Orlando Magic.  The next season led to the firing of Chris Ford and M.L. Carr hiring himself (yeah, that worked out well) and a move from The Garden to the Fleet Center, which they didn’t have much of a choice about either way.  In 1977 the Celtics slow start came to a close with a total of 32 wins and the ability to draft Larry Bird with the 6th overall selection. 

The slow starts in franchise history have not ended well for the Celtics.  Two complete overhauls and one season of playoff embarrassment amid a 22 year championship lull that Boston fans would rather purge from their memory regarding their hallowed basketball team. 

Optimistically, if this team makes the playoffs as currently constituted and has a season similar to that of the 1994-1995 Celtics, they will finish with 28 or 29 wins. 

Is that really what fans have to look foward to with this team however?  Does that past necessarily translate to the present and future? 

I’ve never personally believed that the distant past effects the present, due to the simple fact that it is a completely different team, it doesn’t matter what former players did.  Yet, realistically this Celtics team could easily hover around a .500 record when entering the playoffs, and is that really what fans want?

With an average age of just over 30 for players averaging ten or more minutes played, the Celtics seem to be at a disadvantage.  However, when looking at the shortened season of 1999, both the Knicks and Spurs average age was 30 for players with similar criteria.  The Knicks leaned heavily on 36 year old Patrick Ewing in the playoffs, as they finished 3 games over .500 and made the NBA Finals as the 8th seed.  Ewing played in just 38 games during the regular season, but led the team in minutes played per game. 

The biggest difference between the Knicks of 1999 and the current Celtics, however, is the Celtics average age of their stars.  After Ewing, the next six players in average minutes per game were between the age of 24 and 29.  For the Celts only Rajon Rondo and Brandon Bass are under 31 and that doesn’t include Paul Pierce who has yet to play this season.

Optimism is becoming increasingly more difficult to rationalize when addressing the potential of this Celtics team.  The roster lacks depth and youth.  By ridding itself of immature players such as Glen Davis (which I agreed with letting go) and Delonte West (whom I thought should have been the first re-signed) it sacrificed youth.  Keyon Dooling and Marquis Daniels are two of the first players off of Boston’s bench and both are 31 years old. 

Will the addition of Pierce help this Celtics squad?  Of course, but his absence is certainly not the sole reason the Celtics are off to such a slow start. 

For those who are searching for something to be positive about, try to ignore the game in New Orleans and focus on the first two of the season.  With Rondo being the only Celtic player who realized the lockout was over in the first half, he carried the Celtics from a 17-point deficit to a 10-point lead in the 4th quarter before falling to the Knicks 106-104 in the most exciting game the league could have asked for to open the season.  The Celts followed that performance with a 20-point deficit cut down to 3 with 1:22 left to play in Miami only to fall to the Heat 115-107.

Two games where Rondo looked as though he is beginning to step up and become more of a leader, leading his team back from huge holes against two very good teams. 

That being said, the Celtics are allowing too many points, an average of 106 in their first three games, to the point where they had no choice but to imploy a zone defense against the Miami Heat (which worked well in the 4th).  This Celtics squad had prided itself in man-to-man help defense, allowing minimal points to their opponents and thus far we have not seen that team. 

I cannot honestly remember the last time I saw the Celtics throw a 2-3 zone on the floor, prior to the game Tuesday night against the Heat.

Boston cannot continue to dig itself out of holes.  This style of play will catch up with them and it was evident when they lost to the lowly Hornets without budding star Eric Gordon.

Rondo has been exciting to watch, and to be honest the first two games had some exciting basketball, but this team is squaring off with history and the battle will inevitably come to a disappointing end.  The question is will it be an end full of bright future like the ’06 and ’77 starts or are we in the midst of a stretch that should be stricken from the history books like ’94? 

Only time will tell and Danny Ainge has a tough job ahead of him.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

For the fourth year in a row the Boston Celtics will play on Christmas Day, opening the truncated NBA season with a nationally televised game from Madison Square Garden.  The likelihood of a fifth consecutive Christmas Day game, however, is looking increasingly less feasible. 

With the expiring contracts of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, General Manager Danny Ainge has set the Celtics up to take a run at virtually any free agent next summer, filling in the remaining roster spots with a majority of one-year deals this season.  Big names such as Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and Deron Williams were all scheduled to become free agents, but it is becoming less likely that they will infact be on the open market.  Paul has since said he will remain with the Clippers for at least two years and Dwight Howard is looking to be traded to either the Nets or Lakers at some point this season, two teams which he intends on signing longterm with.  Williams’ future seems to be contingent upon the ability of the Nets to trade for Howard, if they are able to, Williams and Howard will be the cornerstones to the Nets future in Brooklyn.  If not, Williams will likely be the only big name free agent on the market next season.

There are two major problems in relying solely on luring free agents to Boston following this season.

1.  A core group of players must be in place in which free agents will want to be with and play around.  Kevin Garnett was only convinced to allow a trade to Boston when the Celtics traded for Ray Allen to play alongside Paul Pierce.  If those pieces weren’t in place Garnett would have never come to Boston.  Why then would Deron Williams, a point guard, choose Boston in free agency to play with an aging Pierce and another star point guard in Rajon Rondo?  The only way to lure a guy like that, or any other star for that matter, to Boston is to have more pieces in place for the future.

2.  With the new collect bargaining agreement a player can make up to $40 million more in salary by re-signing with the team they currently play for, which is part of the reason for the CP3 trade and the future Howard trade (I know I’m pontificating a bit here, but lets face facts).  The league is trying to make it more difficult for players to leave their current teams with monetary incentives.

The only rational way for the Celtics to move into a new era, without a similar 20 year lull that they experienced following the original Big 3, is to break-up the current roster. 

There should be no player on the current roster that is untouchable, from Rondo to Pierce, the Celtics need to blow up the roster now before they make a playoff push that once again comes up short.  Undoubtedly the Celtics will have games this season where they will look unbeatable, but the inevitability of going up against younger, healthier rosters will be their downfall. 

I am in no way saying that the Celtics as currently constituted have no chance at a championship, in fact I will go as high as 6% or so.  Based on the new CBA and the lack of resources to lure big name free agents, the Celtics need to make moves with more than one eye toward the future.  Organizations desire expiring contracts and the Celtics have a plethora of them. 

Ray Allen’s skill set, leadership, and expiring contract will make him the most attractive chip in the trade market.  Team’s that need that extra push for the playoffs will inquire with Boston and for the right price Ainge should pull the trigger. 

Pierce and Garnett will likely be the most difficult to move.  Pierce is signed for the next three years with just over $45 million left on his contract, but a team looking for that same kind of leadership as they move into the playoffs may inquire with Ainge on the price of his services. Garnett’s gaudy $21 million owed this season will make him difficult to move and the Celtics are looking forward to having the cap space when his contract is up.  Again, however, for the right deal Ainge should not hesitate to pull the trigger.

Fortunately, Danny has proven that he can be an aggressive GM.  Trading for Allen and Garnett were bold moves in 2007, but worked out well.  It will be tough to see the Big 3 broken up, and even tougher for Ainge to pull the trigger, but for the betterment of the franchise and the future of the Celtics I expect the general manager’s telephone bills to be through the roof with calls both to and from other GM’s.

Enjoy this year’s Christmas cheering because without a few bold moves it may be the last time in awhile the Celtics play with Yuletide spirit.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter

With the beginning of the season rapidly approaching it’s that time to document predictions that will likely look foolish come June.

Eastern Conference Finals:  Heat over Bulls

Western Conference Finals:  Thunder over San Antonio

Finals:  Heat over Thunder

Best lottery number (a.k.a. worst team in the league):  Charlotte, Toronto, Cleveland

MVP:  Kevin Durant – This is contingent upon Russell Westbrook’s willingness to allow Durant to do what he was clearly born to do.  Westbrook is a great player, but there’s no shame in being second best to a once in a lifetime player like Durant.

Rookie of the Year:  Derrick Williams – I’m hesitant here for fear that he’ll be stuck behind Michael Beasley, but Williams was the most NBA ready entering the draft and will show it if he gets the chance

Coach of the Year:  Rick Carlisle – I just want to see this due to how he outcoached EVERYONE in the playoffs last year

Sixth Man of the Year:  Taj Gibson – If the Bulls hope to beat the Heat in the conference finals they will need a great season from their back-ups lead by Gibson in the frontcourt

Defensive Player of the Year:  Dwight Howard – self-explanatory

Most Improved Player:  DeMar DeRozan – Poised for a break-out season on a team that will be battling for the most ping-pong balls

Biggest Storylines of the Season:  The battle for Los Angeles supremacy between the high flying Clippers and aging Lakers:  edge for me still goes to the established Lakers…baretly.  The Dwight Howard sweepstakes:  Originally I gave my edge to the Nets, but with the Brook Lopez injury Howard is likely bound for Hollywood with Kobe.  Locally, the potential break-up of the Big 3.

BOOK IT!  It’s all documented and bound to change for my end of the season awards piece.

Editor’s Note — It looks like Bob Ryan of The Boston Globe must have read this piece as he has the same Eastern Conference Finals, Finals, MVP, and RoY picks.

Sean Sendall – follow me on Twitter