Celtics Acquire Championship
June 18, 2008
It’s hard not to root for the Celtics to win the championship every year if we get to see Kevin Garnett go crazy every time they do. Seriously, someone get that guy some sleeping pills. At least he didn’t forget his Adidas plug to precede all his shoutouts. The NBA just isn’t going to be the same anymore without KG having a chip on his shoulder. Oh, and how about Paul Pierce ruining Doc Rivers shirt with the gatorade dump? Major bonus points for some originality in their celebrating.
This championship was a 21st century championship like no other, though (if KG’s “Anything is Possible” take on Adidas slogan didn’t tip you off). Nearly the entire team was put together in one season. There was, first, the Ray Allen deal which was reasonable. Then, the KG deal, which…well, let’s just remember it was Danny Ainge dealing with Kevin McHale. Yes, the Wolves did get some potential and 1st round picks, but they couldn’t find any other team to get a slightly better deal from? Hmm. Then, there were some smart free agent pickups like James Posey. And, Sam Cassell, successfully pulled off the tried and true veteran maneuver of riding coattails. So, Boston made just enough smart moves to put together a team that even Doc Rivers couldn’t screw up.
Danny Ainge is validated as a GM? Kevin Garnett doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder? The NBA just won’t be the same anymore.
Celts PG Issue Could Cost Them
June 12, 2008
What would you do if your Doc Rivers? You can either stick with Rajon Rondo or give more minutes to Eddie House and Sam Cassell. Each of the three come with major liabilities. So, here’s the breakdown:
- Rajon Rondo - He’s the best out of the three at running the offense, but everybody knows he can’t\won’t shoot. It reminds me of Avery Johnson when he was on the Spurs. Eventually Avery hit a few jumpers and the Spurs were able to win the ‘99 Championship. If Rondo can knock down a few shots, the Celts would be on their way, but the smart money says he isn’t going to bother shooting them. The real problem is that the Lakers are putting Kobe on Rondo and just letting Kobe roam on D. Not everyone thinks Kobe is a great defender, but I think most would agree he is great when he has the opportunity to roam. I don’t think the Celts can afford to play Rondo in crunch time.
- Eddie House - House is clearly the best shooter out of the three, but his ballhandling is shaky, very shaky. For good reason, Doc Rivers is uncomfortable having House on the floor as a point. However, Ray Allen is a decent ballhandler and it would make sense to go with a backcourt of House and Allen on occasion. This is a pretty good option when the Lakers start exploiting Rando’s lack of shooting.
- Sam Cassell - Unfortunately for the Celts, Sam is not the man he used to be. It’s a wonder he gets any minutes at all. I’d keep him on the bench.
Conclusion - There’s no good solution here, but I would give House more minutes late in the game and let Allen do some of the ballhandling. Every possession gets so important late in the game and having to play 4 on 5 only amplifies the pressure on The Big 3. House would make their lives a whole lot easier.
What would you do?
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