duncan228
06-20-2008, 11:39 AM
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8263850/Only-time-will-tell-if-Celtics-are-team-for-ages
Only time will tell if Celtics are team for ages
by Mike Kahn
As the consensus underdog, it wasn't so much that the Boston Celtics did win their 17th NBA title and first in 22 years that turned heads.
It was the ease with which they disposed of the Los Angeles Lakers that did it.
With dominating defense and the record-setting 131-92 clinching game, it has become the popular notion to call this championship a "six-game sweep."
And even though it wasn't, the Celtics so embarrassed the favored Lakers, that it causes momentary pause in comparing this Celtics team to the previous champions that have banners hanging in the "new" Boston Garden, and the other teams in recent history that have won titles with exceptional defense.
At first blush, it's way too early to compare them to the other Boston champions, if only because the others won title in clusters, and this one has gained fame with the greatest one-season turnaround in history — going from a 24-win club to 66 wins — and then winning a title. They are also the first team to ever win 13 home games in the playoffs, and the main reason not to jump on the bandwagon of this club as one of historic greatness is because it also required a record 26 games to win the title — going seven games in both of the first two rounds, and six in each of the last two.
However, they are very much comparable to the San Antonio Spurs teams that won three of the past five titles entering this season, predicated on defense but also possessing three explosive scorers. Were their ages a couple of years younger going into next season, the super-trio of Ray Allen (33), Kevin Garnett (32) and Paul Pierce (31) would certainly have the potential to exceed what the Spurs accomplished.
They are deeper and more talented than the Detroit Pistons that won in 2004 and went to Game 7 with the Spurs in 2005; and far superior to the Miami Heat of 2006. It's tough to compare them to the Lakers of Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal that won three consecutive titles between 2000-02 because O'Neal was still in his prime, but they certainly would have given those Lakers a run for their money. The same goes for the Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen Bulls teams that won three straight titles twice in the 1990s, with the second group being much more defensive-oriented. In a lot of ways this Celtics team played with the same team-defense fervor that would have made those series great.
The athleticism of today is just too different to go back any further in comparison to the Pistons of 1989-90, the Lakers of 1987-88 and the last Celtics title of 1986. And even so, it's still a little early to coronate this group in historic proportions.
Had they rolled through sub-.500 Atlanta in the first round and offensively challenged Cleveland in the second round instead of losing all six road games and requiring eight home wins to escape both challengers in seven games, this would be a different story. Instead, this made-over roster designed by Danny Ainge, needed to be challenged in the first two rounds to discover who they are under the extreme duress of playoff elimination.
And that's exactly what happened midway through the conference finals with the Pistons, where they won twice in the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Adding All-Stars Garnett and Allen to languishing incumbent sharpshooter Pierce was the story going into the season, so it isn't surprising that we're talking about them in historic proportions so quickly. They are still the story because of their own ability to buy into coach Doc Rivers' team-defense mentality and stick with it. Although Garnett has always been a great team defensive player, the others have been far from it. But once the brilliant structure of assistant Tom Thibodeau's strong-side shutdown theory sunk in during the preseason, they exploded out of the gates at 11-1, expanded that to 29-3 and were never challenged for the best record in the NBA.
They didn't need to talk about offense because Allen and Pierce are two of the best pure shooters of this generation — Allen is also one of the best of all-time — and Garnett is an extraordinarily multi-dimensional scorer in the post and out to 20 feet.
It wasn't until the playoffs that other teams could focus on their weaknesses and that's why they struggled through the first two rounds — particularly against a superb defensive team like Cleveland — before looking like a great team against the Pistons and Lakers.
Although it would be logical to conclude the record 39-point closeout game distorted the numbers for the six games with the Lakers, the final 8.3-point scoring differential pretty much accurately sums up how close this series was. The Lakers never came close to solving the Celtics' defense, MVP Kobe Bryant became surprisingly less of a factor as the series progressed, and young starters Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins — at the crucial point guard and center positions — were instrumental despite injuries thanks to their speed and size, respectively. The 22-year-old Rondo, in particular, showed a great future is in store with a tenacious approach at both ends of the floor, albeit with the improvement of a dubious jump shot a must. Still, in the final game, he was special with 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and six steals.
The only real question going forward is their bench. Invaluable sixth man James Posey is likely to opt out of the second year of his contract that pays him less than $3.5 million, so if the Celtics don't give him a fat raise, he'll undoubtedly get it from somebody else. Leon Powe and Glen "Big Baby" Davis are under contract and give them quality inside depth, while injured forward Brian Scalabrine is under contract and injured guard Tony Allen is a restricted free agent. That's a decent start, but beyond them is anybody's guess, although nobody expects their soon-to-be 39-year-olds P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell to be back. Eddie House, who came up big at different times — typical of his career as a streaky shooting guard in a point guard's body — could be brought back if he accepts the veteran minimum.
That leaves it in Ainge's now very capable hands. Ainge proved that a team can be turned around immediately if you are willing to accept the financial gamble of three superstars. More underrated was his ability to build a bench of youngsters and oldsters with virtually no cap space. Of course, it helped that several talented players recognized the money comes if you win instead of the other way around.
Indeed, Game 7 was a performance of the ages for this Celtics team, providing redemption for Garnett, Allen and Pierce in the form of championship rings. Give me a couple more titles with this group over the next few years and yes, then we can talk about a team of the ages.
Only time will tell if Celtics are team for ages
by Mike Kahn
As the consensus underdog, it wasn't so much that the Boston Celtics did win their 17th NBA title and first in 22 years that turned heads.
It was the ease with which they disposed of the Los Angeles Lakers that did it.
With dominating defense and the record-setting 131-92 clinching game, it has become the popular notion to call this championship a "six-game sweep."
And even though it wasn't, the Celtics so embarrassed the favored Lakers, that it causes momentary pause in comparing this Celtics team to the previous champions that have banners hanging in the "new" Boston Garden, and the other teams in recent history that have won titles with exceptional defense.
At first blush, it's way too early to compare them to the other Boston champions, if only because the others won title in clusters, and this one has gained fame with the greatest one-season turnaround in history — going from a 24-win club to 66 wins — and then winning a title. They are also the first team to ever win 13 home games in the playoffs, and the main reason not to jump on the bandwagon of this club as one of historic greatness is because it also required a record 26 games to win the title — going seven games in both of the first two rounds, and six in each of the last two.
However, they are very much comparable to the San Antonio Spurs teams that won three of the past five titles entering this season, predicated on defense but also possessing three explosive scorers. Were their ages a couple of years younger going into next season, the super-trio of Ray Allen (33), Kevin Garnett (32) and Paul Pierce (31) would certainly have the potential to exceed what the Spurs accomplished.
They are deeper and more talented than the Detroit Pistons that won in 2004 and went to Game 7 with the Spurs in 2005; and far superior to the Miami Heat of 2006. It's tough to compare them to the Lakers of Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal that won three consecutive titles between 2000-02 because O'Neal was still in his prime, but they certainly would have given those Lakers a run for their money. The same goes for the Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen Bulls teams that won three straight titles twice in the 1990s, with the second group being much more defensive-oriented. In a lot of ways this Celtics team played with the same team-defense fervor that would have made those series great.
The athleticism of today is just too different to go back any further in comparison to the Pistons of 1989-90, the Lakers of 1987-88 and the last Celtics title of 1986. And even so, it's still a little early to coronate this group in historic proportions.
Had they rolled through sub-.500 Atlanta in the first round and offensively challenged Cleveland in the second round instead of losing all six road games and requiring eight home wins to escape both challengers in seven games, this would be a different story. Instead, this made-over roster designed by Danny Ainge, needed to be challenged in the first two rounds to discover who they are under the extreme duress of playoff elimination.
And that's exactly what happened midway through the conference finals with the Pistons, where they won twice in the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Adding All-Stars Garnett and Allen to languishing incumbent sharpshooter Pierce was the story going into the season, so it isn't surprising that we're talking about them in historic proportions so quickly. They are still the story because of their own ability to buy into coach Doc Rivers' team-defense mentality and stick with it. Although Garnett has always been a great team defensive player, the others have been far from it. But once the brilliant structure of assistant Tom Thibodeau's strong-side shutdown theory sunk in during the preseason, they exploded out of the gates at 11-1, expanded that to 29-3 and were never challenged for the best record in the NBA.
They didn't need to talk about offense because Allen and Pierce are two of the best pure shooters of this generation — Allen is also one of the best of all-time — and Garnett is an extraordinarily multi-dimensional scorer in the post and out to 20 feet.
It wasn't until the playoffs that other teams could focus on their weaknesses and that's why they struggled through the first two rounds — particularly against a superb defensive team like Cleveland — before looking like a great team against the Pistons and Lakers.
Although it would be logical to conclude the record 39-point closeout game distorted the numbers for the six games with the Lakers, the final 8.3-point scoring differential pretty much accurately sums up how close this series was. The Lakers never came close to solving the Celtics' defense, MVP Kobe Bryant became surprisingly less of a factor as the series progressed, and young starters Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins — at the crucial point guard and center positions — were instrumental despite injuries thanks to their speed and size, respectively. The 22-year-old Rondo, in particular, showed a great future is in store with a tenacious approach at both ends of the floor, albeit with the improvement of a dubious jump shot a must. Still, in the final game, he was special with 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and six steals.
The only real question going forward is their bench. Invaluable sixth man James Posey is likely to opt out of the second year of his contract that pays him less than $3.5 million, so if the Celtics don't give him a fat raise, he'll undoubtedly get it from somebody else. Leon Powe and Glen "Big Baby" Davis are under contract and give them quality inside depth, while injured forward Brian Scalabrine is under contract and injured guard Tony Allen is a restricted free agent. That's a decent start, but beyond them is anybody's guess, although nobody expects their soon-to-be 39-year-olds P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell to be back. Eddie House, who came up big at different times — typical of his career as a streaky shooting guard in a point guard's body — could be brought back if he accepts the veteran minimum.
That leaves it in Ainge's now very capable hands. Ainge proved that a team can be turned around immediately if you are willing to accept the financial gamble of three superstars. More underrated was his ability to build a bench of youngsters and oldsters with virtually no cap space. Of course, it helped that several talented players recognized the money comes if you win instead of the other way around.
Indeed, Game 7 was a performance of the ages for this Celtics team, providing redemption for Garnett, Allen and Pierce in the form of championship rings. Give me a couple more titles with this group over the next few years and yes, then we can talk about a team of the ages.