1) Who Won the Cleveland/Boston Trade?

You know. The big one. Semih Erden for Ryan Hollins in a one-year delayed-reaction deal. After taking several weeks to adjust, all of a sudden Ryan is doing a fine Semih imitation of adequately filling minutes while the Celtics win. That's all you can ask.

(Did you see Ryan Hollins last night? OMG, he was adequate! I've never seen a guy be so adequate!)

*

2) Who Won the Milwaukee/Boston Trade?

That was bodyless name Albert Miralles for Keyon Dooling and a nonexistent flash-paper second rounder.

As unexpectedly as the emergence of Hollins, Keyon Dooling is suddenly PJ Brown invaluable. He nailed two crucial threes keeping the Celtics in the game last night, and in his spare time is mentoring Rondo between contests.

Here's a Dooling quote via Chris Forsberg: "We did this for [Rajon Rondo] tonight. This is a tribute to Rondo; we got his back."

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For what it's worth...

As far as consistency, Rondo's bad games are always on the second night of back to backs.

Other than the first game back from the wrist injury, his really bad games were:

Dec. 28 against NO
Jan. 2 against Washington
Jan. 14 against Indy
Feb. 10 against Toronto

All on the second night of back to backs. Three of four against bad teams. Three of four were losses.

I could not find a really bad game that was not on the second night of a back to back, although the OKC game was certainly not a good one for him.


One more thing: Those games listed above are ALL the second night of back to backs that Rondo has played. In other words, ALL his really bad games are 2nd nighters, AND he hasn't had one good game on a 2nd nighter.

There's the problem Doc. Play Bradley and Moore more on the second night of back to backs.


One other last thing: It might be a whole team problem. Rondo is consistently having bad games on second nighters, and aside from his own lack of energy it may in part be due to the other starters running slower on those nights.

On second thought, please play all the young guys more in both ends of back to backs.

1) No Posey

Posey was great.  No Posey no title; but that was last year.   

Last season the Celtics desperately needed veteran championship experience.   James Posey (with some help from Eddie House and later PJ Brown) provided that crucial veteran poise.   This year things are different.  Take a look: Suddenly the Boston Celtics roster is crammed full with bearers of the the one true ring.   They know how to do it now.  

Best of luck to James Posey and the New Orleans Hornets.  The Boston Celtics will be fine without him. 

2)  The Most Important Thing

As it was last year, the fate of the 2008-09 Boston Celtics lies not in the hands of Darius Miles, Patrick O'Bryant or JR Giddens.  Instead the Celtics will fly as high as their stars carry them.  It is Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo (yes he's included in this core group) that will lead the way, with substantial help from the other big minutes players like Kendrick Perkins.

No one should expect any sort of drop-off from the all-stars.  Garnett and Pierce had top seasons last time around. 
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In 2006 the Celtics had the #7 pick.  In 2007 they had the #5.  In those years the lottery and draft were objects of long, passionate anticipation. This year it was different.

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1)  At Last

What an amazing turnaround.  What a season.  What a story.

After 22 years the skies have cleared and the sun shines through.  In the heavens above the stars are once again in proper alignment.  It's been rags to riches and worst to first.  It's the type of tale that Hollywood could make into an all-time epic film... that is if Hollywood wasn't so busy licking their wounds from getting steamrolled by the incredible resurgence of the Boston Celtics.  

Without reason the Lakers came into the Finals as presumptive favorites.  That did not hold.  The Western Conference representatives were drowned in a great green tidal wave.  In the end it was the Celtics easiest series of the playoffs.  This was a thunder clap announcing the return of the Boston Celtics to the place where they once regularly resided- once again on top of the world.  Once again champions.

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1) Trick or Treat?

Sunday June 8th, 2008: the scariest Halloween ever.  The Lakers made a frightening attempt at egging the TD Banknorth Garden before falling just short of an incredible fourth quarter comeback.

This is what LA does.  Remember game 1 of the Western Conference finals?  It was similar with the Spurs holding a 20 point lead when Los Angeles took advantage of a suddenly lackadaisical defense and steamed to an enormous triumph.

This time the lead was bigger and later.  The Lakers ran out of time.  Unlike the Spurs the Celtics held on.

...and the answer is: Treat!  (phew) 

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1) LA's Run

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1) Good Start

It was a fine win in game one.  But only Celtics fans with serious short term memory loss will find the victory excessively gloat-worthy.

We've been here before against the Hawks and Cavs and the Pistons are better than either of those teams.  Though there was a lot to love about Game 1, it was only 1 Game.

2)  Chauncey

There are some encouraging signs though.  The first and biggest is, whether due to rust or the leg strain Chauncey was off.  Shockingly Detroit looked great against Orlando without Mr. Billups.  Stuckey filled in admirably and the Pistons rolled.

The Celtics are not Orlando.  They are much better defensively and Stuckey (though he is very talented) is a bit young to handle lead guard under that sort of  pressure.

At the beginning of the game when Flip put Rip on Rondo you knew something was not right.  If Chauncey remains hampered, Detroit is in for some pain.  Rondo's speed becomes devastating if you're limping.

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Frustrating isn't it?  The Celtics are 0-5 away from Boston in the playoffs.  I have ten theories about why they cannot win a single game on the road. 

From least plausible to most plausible:

1) Malevolent Force

Since the 80's there is a great body of evidence supporting the malevolent force theory.  The Celtics have been derailed by incompetence, hideous luck, ping pong pox, and tragedy.  It's happened so frequently that one can only assume a huge unseen force really has it in for the team.

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1)  Cassell

Sam did good last night.  In fact Sam did good in the first Cleveland game as well.

Still, on the subject of the point guard rotation that did not stop panic and wild accusations from many corners of the great green nation:  "Why isn't Eddie House playing!?"  "Rondo should play 43 minutes!"  "I tell you there's no reason for Sam Cassell to be playing extended minutes!"

From a little nugget of truth --The-offense-is-sometimes-slower-when-Sam-runs-the-show-- came a tsunami of silliness.

Down 10, Mr. Sam with his close personal associates Leon Powe and James Posey, flat out won that game last night.  Rondo uncharacteristically struggled early with two turnovers, two shots blocked, and a few missteps on defense. 

Cassell entered and saved the day.   No Sam, maybe no win. 

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10 things about the playoffs so far, by Gant. 

1)  Yelling At Electronics

Have you gotten mad at your television set recently?   Have you raised your voice to it?  Swore at it?  Shut it off and left the room only to return moments later to turn it back on and yell at it again? 

Did you momentarily (or even permanently) lose your faith in this team's ability to win? 

Are you hoarse?  Furious?  Relieved?  Confused?  Do you love/hate/love/hate/love what's going on?  Did the coach do a great job, then a horrible job, then a great job?

Are you having fun?

Welcome to playoff basketball.   It's only the first round.

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1)  Seeds Of Springtime

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1) Chris Wallace

What's the worst transaction of Chris Wallace's career?  There's no quick answer to that one is there?  You have to think about it.

Here's some of his more colorful Rolaids moments (via Hoopshype.com):

"Traded guards Kenny Anderson and Joseph Forte and center Vitaly Potapenko to the Seattle SuperSonics for forward Vin Baker and guard Shammond Williams.

Traded guards Randy Brown, Joe Johnson, Milt Palacio and a first-round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns for guard Tony Delk and forward Rodney Rogers.

Selected guard Joe Johnson (10th overall pick), forward Kedrick Brown (11th overall pick) and guard Joseph Forte (21st overall pick).

Traded center Andrew DeClercq and a 1999 first-round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for center Vitaly Potapenko."  (The pick would have been used on Shawn Marion.)
 
"Traded guards Chauncey Billups and Dee Brown and forwards John Thomas and Roy Rogers to the Toronto Raptors for guard Kenny Anderson, forward Popeye Jones and center Zan Tabak."

...and then there's my personal favorite: 

"Announced they will exercise the option on the Denver Nuggets' first-round pick, 11th overall, in the 2001 draft." 

ARRRGH!  All he had to do was be patient that year!  Denver stunk.  The Celtics were already bringing in two first rounders.  If they just rolled that pick over a few seasons Boston could have ended up with Amare Stoudemire.  Ugh.

Mr. Wallace has on moved to Memphis and look:  

"Traded forward Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers for guards Aaron McKie and Javaris Crittenton, forward Kwame Brown, the draft rights to center Marc Gasol and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 to the Memphis Grizzlies for forward Pau Gasol." 

Wow.

Ok, so mean old Rick Pitino made him do some of those bad things, and miserly Paul Gaston made him do others, and now Michael Heisley the 380th richest American, is taking some credit for the latest debacle.  I have ask though, if you know anything about this game wouldn't you make at least an occasional good trade?   Wouldn't you draft well once in a while?  And most recently wouldn't you call around the league to force higher offers after talking to the Lakers?   Wouldn't you?  I need to know.  I'm asking here.  I'm desperate.  This really bothers me.

All I can say is, thank each and every angel in heaven that Chris Wallace runs a different franchise now.

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1) Miami Game

First off, Who kidnapped Bob Cousy and replaced him with Barney?  "I love you.  You love me.  We're a Happ-ee fam-a-lee."  What happened to the acid spitting Cous whose disposition resembled the monster from Alien?  Winning changes everything.

2) Miami Game Again

It was nice to see Mark Blount giving his all for another team in a 30 point loss.  Let's face it: You can't stop Mark Blount.  You can only hope to trade him.

Speaking of Mr. Blount, my brilliant and beautiful wife made the following observation:  She pointed out that after scoring Blount goes completely rigid when he runs to the other end, whereas Tony Allen does just the opposite; after he scores he goes totally loose and floppy as he goes the other way.  I don't think it means anything, but it's funny.

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1) Big Baby

An NBA record was set Saturday night:  Never before have so many people simultaneously  pointed at their TVs and screamed the word, "Baby!"

Taking a page from the Kendrick Perkins We-Shall-Not-Be-Moved school of defense, Glen Davis stymied Rasheed Wallace on one end of the floor while decimating the Pistons on the offensive side.  With seven all stars sharing the court it was rookie Davis who stole the evening.  His fast feet (also known as baby steps), superb hands and great use of bulk stunned the Pistons. 

Time and again Paul Pierce drove the lane and dished to the rookie.  Detroit, not believing what they were seeing, made no adjustments, continuing to over-cover the big three while leaving Glen Davis free to position himself under the basket.

The beautiful thing is: let the Pistons adjust.  Next time the teams play they'll pay full attention to Big Baby, and when they do Garnett or Pierce or Allen will be left in single coverage.

Now it's Detroit that's uncertain.

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1)  The Answer

Up until now there have been lingering doubts.  Around the country people were skeptical.  They kept questioning different aspects of the new Celtics: The defense, the bench, Perkins and Rondo, chemistry, willingness to share the ball, the coaching, and lastly the schedule.  One by one those questions have been dispensed with as resoundingly as the hapless Lakers.

Even within the great green nation people doubted, and why not?  No one had seen this team before.  No one was prepared for what would happen.  No one, not even the most optimistic voices could have foreseen just how quickly and powerfully this team would come together. 

This west coast sweep has done it.  For the first time since the legendary squad of 1986, the Celtics returned from a west coast swing undefeated.  Four games in five nights.  They were pounded on, scratched, worn down, even tackled; but they passed every test.

The question is: "Is this a bonafide championship contender?"

The answer is yes. 

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Traditional Power rankings need a jump start. Let's face it, the parameters are old and tired: An esteemed journalist ranks the teams from 1-30, fans argue, repeat. Snooze. So I'm going to experiment here and rank teams according to strength on the one hand as everyone else does; but unlike everyone else, I'll actually admit I'm completely biased and put teams where I want them.

Here we go:

1) Boston Celtics. 20-2. Last week (first): The Celtics are the best defensive team in the league. They have the best record in the league. They are morally and ethically superior. Their basketball prowess is unmatched. Everyone in the organization is witty, handsome, and warm-hearted. Every decent human being loves them. They have great broadcasters. They have the best GM and coach in the league. Their trainer walks through the snow for pizza. Like the team, their fans are uniformly attractive, intelligent, and innately good.

2) Nobody. I just wanted to put some distance between Boston and the next team.

3) San Antonio. 18-5. Last week (unranked): The Duncan swipers parlayed one little bit of luck into four titles. Despite having some talented likable players and a great recent history, there's very little chance of them rising above the #3 position in these rankings regardless of the outcome of any future games.

4) Detroit. 17-7. Last week (unranked): They rank extra high because these guys dismantled the Laker title run a few years back. They're skilled, poised and professional. They can beat any team on a given night, but are henceforth doomed to fall short of any pending finals appearances due to the awesome irresistible might of the reborn Boston Celtics.

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Less Griping, Less Typing

There's a strange counterintuitive phenomenon taking place.  Before the season started I expected activity on Celtic boards to grow with the team's winning percentage.  If anything the opposite seems to be happening.

Take a look at Celtic forums around the web.  With the team great again, you'd anticipate a fury of activity; thousands of new voices being heard; an avalanche of green-tinted posts and opinions.  Unexpectedly just the opposite appears to be taking place.  So far the busiest Celtic discussion groups seem slower.  The team's phenomenal early season success has had a deadening effect on online banter. 

This is all very unscientific and is based only on my own foggy perception, but it sure seems real... 

You may well ask -- How come? Read more

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1) Orlando

Have you been reading the Orlando box scores?  The faint of heart should probably move to the next paragraph because what I'm about to tell you is something so disturbing that it may cause irreversible trauma: Stan Van Gundy has recently been playing his main guys close to 40 minutes per game!  Shocking but true. 

This is the most outrageously reckless act I have ever heard of.  Is he insane?  Doesn't the Magic coach realize that playing key players long minutes in consecutive games is incredibly dangerous?  Doesn't Coach Van Gundy realize that playing starters for (gasp!) 39 minutes can cause an explosive chain reaction that could obliterate virtually all life from the face of the Earth? 

It's happened before.  Remember Vincent Price?  Remember Charlton Heston?

Please Stan Van Gundy.  Keep us safe.  Rest your starters.  Play Pat Garrity.  (Oh yeah, the Magic DID win those two games against top teams.

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1) Garnett

I'm no Phi Beta Cappuccino. 

I thought I knew something about this game.  I was wrong.  I did not even come close to realizing how great Kevin Garnett is.

All through the summer Sean Grande TOLD us how great Garnett was.  He TOLD us we didn't understand, that we had to watch him play day in and day out.  He TOLD us about the metahuman intensity.  But did we listen?  No we did not.  We were too busy watching the Red Sox, drinking delicious icy beverages, going on picnics, and partaking of other carefree warm weather frivolities.  I shake my head. 

Back to the point— I've watched plenty of Garnett over his career, but apparently not enough to realize just how furiously he plays, how well he passes, or even how dominant a rebounder he is.

I'm dumb.  I'm no Magna Cum Latte.

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Whoa what a performance that was.  3-0 baby.  You don't usually see a game decided that early, but the Nuggets just got skewered.  When the normally skeptical Bob Cousy is all sunshine and flower petals you know it was a great night.

This is just going to be a fantastic year.  Anyway, here's 10 things to ponder:

1) The Nutmeg Jinx

Now that the team is good again, do you ever wonder why they were so bad for so long?  It could have been due to more than just mismanagement— likely all that losing was directly caused by the greatly underpublicized Nutmeg Jinx.  Well, here and now I'm lifting the information blackout on this pernicious curse.

In the 1989-90 season the Boston Celtics played their final regular season game in Hartford, Connecticut.  For many years the Celtics had used Hartford as a satellite home site, hosting a few games there each year.  After that season the team pulled out, never to return again.  Little did they realize that in doing so they awakened powerful and angry spirits from their neighboring state, because from that time forward the Celtics played consistently bad basketball.  That is until now.

So what happened to diffuse the hex?  Actually it was very simple: this June the Celtics traded for UCONN luminary Ray Allen, and in a single moment the great jinx of Connecticut vanished.  The Seattle deal served as an instant exorcism.  Since the draft day trade nothing has gone wrong for the team.  It opened the door for Kevin Garnett...

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A Trade Too Far 

There's virtually no chance of Boston trading for Kobe, but recent rumors have vaguely connected the Celtics to the temperamental one.  That's one wacky notion.  I mean who came up with this idea, Salvador Dali?  Even though it's far-fetched, the mind has been sent spinning so here we go:

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With all the exhibition games done, the Celtics final preseason record is 4 wins, 3 losses, and one Worcester.  The general sense of euphoria that recently saturated the great nation of Greenistan was moderated briefly after the visit to Gotham and Jersey.  Many Greenistanis became restless.  They questioned themselves:  "How is my depth?  What happens if the other team presses my vulnerable back up point guard?  My chest is pounding.  I’m having trouble breathing.  Where is my back up big man? Will help be coming soon?"

All good topics for thought, especially difficulty breathing. 

Read the rest after the break. 

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One of the best ways to size up a team is to look at the different phases of the game and see where the strengths and weaknesses are.  Since this is pretty much a whole new roster, stats from last season don't mean anything.  Still I'll throw some of last year's differentials in to give this some foundation and to indicate just how far the Celtics have come during the enchanted summer of 2007.

Rebounding:
The boards have been a recent team weakness for the Celtics (which tends to happen when you play Mark Blount at center and Walter McCarty at power forward) so I was a bit surprised to see that last season's inexperienced and injured group actually held their own on the glass.  They were 14th in the league at -.01, virtually getting the same number of rebounds as the opponent.

Oddly, rebounding differential is not a great indicator of success.  The best at it from last year were Utah at +5.5 and the Knicks at +4.4.  San Antonio was down the list a ways at +1.6 and Phoenix was near the bottom at -2.3.

This year's team is going to play the main men a lot.  They have big plus rebounders in Garnett, Pierce, and Rondo at three positions, and the new healthier leaner Perkins should also come out ahead.   As long as Garnett and Perkins can stay on the floor the team should do very well here.  Leon Powe and Hisbabyness will also chip in.

More after the break
 

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1)  Just a few months ago we were mourning our crummy ping pong karma.  We thought we had done everything right:  We'd ardently prayed to the Hoop Gods.  Many Celtic fans had meticulously faked morally sound behavior in hopes of gaining divine favor.  Covering all bases, we even went coldly rational and sacrificed games in order to increase lottery percentages.  By season's end plenty of greenophiles cheered hard for tactical losses and mourned unnecessary wins.

When those fickle little white balls were finally counted, it seemed to have all been for nothing.  The Celtics ended up with the worst possible 5th pick.  Ugh.  Man did that ever hurt.

As the draft approached I was wishing for skinny raw Yi.  Here it is only four months later and I'm sizing up San Antonio for exploitable matchups.  This is beyond amazing.  Not to take away from Danny Ainge's skill, but I think that phony morally-upright scheme we had going really helped a lot.   The Hoop Gods appreciate all heartfelt efforts, even karmic fakery.

It's beseeching time.  Please bow your heads and pray with me now:  "Thank you almighty Hoop Gods.  Every one of us will be unusually good this season.  We will eat our vegetables and turn out the lights when we leave the room.  We promise.  One more thing: omnipotent Ones, if you must use your terrible swift swords, please continue to smite others and not us.  You Guys are the best.  Amen."

2)  On the subject of luck— winners earn their status but every one of them is also fortunate.  Look around the league.  This has been THE summer for bad luck and bad news:  The ref scandal.  The Knicks scandal.  Major injuries in LA, Charlotte, and especially Portland.  The Blazers were soaring on draft day, supercharged by two years of bold moves and even better good fortune.  Now there's nothing but question marks in the great northwest.

The point is, something fundamental seems to have changed.  The Celtics have brought in formidable talent but just as importantly they've gotten their enchanted mojo working again for the first time in many years.  The bad luck is everywhere but here.  Welcome back to the leprechaun!  Where the heck have you been for the past two decades, you feisty little emerald slacker?

3)  The games in Europe have created an unusual preseason schedule:  Two games overseas, then a long break to recuperate.  There's a week in between London and the next contest.  That's followed by five games in seven nights. (Hah!  Nights!  In your face Aristotle!)  
I believe Sean Grande pointed this out on the last CSL podcast: 5 games in 7 nights means this is when the final roster spots will be won.  Pierce, Garnett, and Allen will need rest and the bubble players will get their chance.  Everyone knows there are four bubblers battling for two jobs.  Big Batista will have to look really bad to not make it.  Manuel has practically no shot at staying, so the last spot comes down to Wallace or Jones.  I'm a card carrying Wallace guy but may the best man win.

4) The Celtics played really well in Rome. The team turned over 3/5 of their roster, so it was a group of guys playing together for the first time.  As the players get more accustomed to one another, they will dramatically improve, and that shouldn't take long.  We're not waiting for skill development to see positive change anymore; all that has to happen is veterans getting used to each other.

5)  Media coverage of this preseason has been fantastic.  Newspaper beat reporters are doing a good job while travelling with the team in Europe.  There's extended broadcasts on Comcast on the TV side.  On radio WEEI is on board now that they're airing the games.  On top of all that, there's been groundbreaking blog coverage with great behind the scenes reports from both Fabio Anderle on Celticsblog and Peter Stringer on his own Euroblog.
This buzz is taking place at the same time the local baseball club is favored to win it all, and the local football team appears invincible.  

6)  Do you think this season will see the largest cumulative rise ever in wins for the previous year's three worst teams?  Milwaukee, Memphis, and Boston look good, good, and damn good respectively.  

7)  Conversely in the upper left corner, Sacramento, Seattle and Portland look bad, bad, and damn unlucky (all of a sudden).  Minnesota's going to struggle too, but I don't feel right saying anything negative about the Wolves.

8)  After two preseason games the Udonis Haslem Effect is squarely showing itself in the newly lean and leaping Kendrick Perkins. (The U.H.E.: when a decent player is effective beyond all expectations because the opposition is too busy covering his superstar teammates.)  Perk was wide open time and again.  He shot perfectly against Toronto and had his own mini dunkathon in London as the Wolves interior defense kept leaving him to double Garnett.

9)  As for Mr. Rondo, he led the team in assists for the first two games.  That modest accomplishment wouldn't normally be worth mentioning, but a real passing point has not been seen in Boston for many years.  Get this: The point guard has been leading the team in passing.  The big guys have been leading in rebounding.  And the wings have been leading in scoring.  Why that's just the way it's supposed to be!  
Paul Pierce must be in heaven.  He can concentrate his considerable skills towards what is required for each contest.  He no longer has to lead the team in everything all the time.

10)  Mike Gorman mentioned at the end of the London telecast that he thought Celtics fans could get excited about this club.  I think we're already way there.  We've all done more than enough waiting.  The leprechaun is back.  The Hoop Gods are wearing green again.  All eyes are focused on the Celtics.  

Our time is now.

Pitchforks

As you know, there exists a highly motivated subculture of Celtic diehards who live for one purpose only.   They regularly meet in the basements of eerie castles during thunderstorms and practice dark rituals, hoping to bring about Doc Rivers' demise.  I've never attended.  Have you?

I like Doc.  He's a good coach (that statement just made a hundred werewolves howl in unison).  Down.  Slowly place your pitchfork down on to the floor.  Gently, gently; that's it.  Please hear me out.

Remember the AntiDanny Battalion and the Wyc Is Cheap Squadron?  They've virtually disbanded.  Is it possible the Doc Must Go Society is also endangered?  At first glance that seems unlikely:  Membership is at an all-time high.  Torches are lit.  Feathers are stored right next to the tar for easy access.  The cauldron oil is bubbling. 

Everyone has practiced their angry mob expressions until they've gotten them just right:  "There he is!  Get him!  He won't escape us this time!  Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité!  To the Bastille!"

I would NOT characterize members of the Doc Must Go Society as "seething."  Not at all.  It's simply that after much calm discussion and thoughtful reflection, they feel replacing the coach would be a beneficial move for the Celtics.  Hey, the DMGSers are my fellow greenhearts.  We just happen to disagree on this one little detail...

I've been wrong before.  In fact if I were to recount all my past wrong assumptions it would use up way too much bandwidth and cause techno-mayhem, so I'll just leave it at that, but I think there's an excellent possibilty that Doc Rivers is going to be this team's biggest positive surprise.

Here's a list of things I like about Doc:

1. He's a truly decent person and is great with the press, which is crucial in sports-crazy Boston.
2. He knows Celtic history, reveres it, uses it, and doesn't run away from the team's illustrious past like a certain former coach Who Shall Not Be Named.
3. He teaches young guys constantly during games, pulling them aside during timeouts, instructing them as to what they did right and wrong.
4. A lot of young players individually have come a long way in a short time under his tutelage, raising their trade value exponentially.
5. He's a plus when it comes to attracting free agents (the team had to become good for this to be evident).
6. Last year he held the most injury riddled team in the league together spiritually.  That group stayed uniformly positive, which is remarkable.
7. He risked his own career last season, creatively increasing ping pong probabilities even though it publicly opened him up to ridicule.
8. He's confident, does not cave in to pressure, and never embarrasses the franchise.
9. He keeps all negative stories in house, never making them public.
10. He *bluntly* plays guys he otherwise would not want to in order to showcase them for a trade.

In other words he has sacrificed his own reputation and even his short term win-loss record for the long term good of the team.

I know...  Some say he can't manage games, he can't draw up a play, his teams can't defend the pick and roll, he doesn't set a fixed rotation, and he didn't give (insert name here) a chance.  I don't believe any of that is true or without reason:

• His teams have often been near the top of the league in scoring out of timeouts.
• He does draw up plays, but young players can't always execute properly.
• Likewise the pick and roll can only be defended by proper personnel.  That personnel is here now; it wasn't before. The pick and roll is impossible to defend anyway when it's run perfectly like Stockton and Malone used to.  To stop it consistently you need a long agile big man who can cover space quickly, and it helps to have veterans who've seen it countless times.
• Doc could have set a fixed rotation before, but it wouldn't have helped with wins and would have hurt player development and morale.  His recent rosters had too many guys of similar skill and not enough surefire top talent.  This has been discussed elsewhere:  on good teams the starting lineup is mostly obvious.  The Celtics of the past few seasons had multiple guys at nearly every position who were dead even in ability.
• As for not giving (insert name here) a chance— every single player under Rivers has gotten a fair chance.  If Insert Name Here wanted to stay in the rotation, Insert Name Here should have played better basketball.

Now everything's changed.  Now there ARE right answers.  The starters are obvious.  So are most of the rotation players.  As for Insert Name Here—this season he's been to the all star game numerous times.

Maybe I'm mistaken and Doc will flop this season.  If he does he'll be gone; the Celtics don't have the luxury to be patient with this group.  On the other hand don't be surprised if they look really good and Doc all of a sudden seems to have added dozens of IQ points.  Doc will make the same decisions in the same way he always has; only now with better players, those decisions will work.

This year is not last year.  Last year's roster found ways to lose.  This year's roster will find ways to win.

If I'm right by January hundreds of pitchforks will have been responsibly recycled into pom poms.

Point Guards

I love Rondo and think he's going to have a tremendous year, but a look at the past reveals that a pure point is not necessary to win championships.  Peeking back at Celtic champions, only the Cousy teams had a great pure point guard.  After Cousy left it was Sam and KC at guard (there used to be two Joneses, now there are two Allens).  The 70s champs had Jo Jo White and Don Chaney; the 80's team had Danny Ainge and DJ.   They were all formidable players but none was anything close to a pure point guard.  The same goes for Jordan's Bulls and the successful but decidedly evil recent Laker titleists.

In other words there are lots of ways to win.  You can go out there with two plain old talented guards, some really good passers in the frontcourt, and still kick everybody's butts.

One last word:  It's OK if the team goes 3-5 in the preseason.  The games don't count.  (The league office has confirmed this.)

1) Since the Garnett trade, you've heard statements like: 
"The Celtics traded away their future."
"The Celtics will be right back where they were in a few years."
"They threw away everything for stars on the downside."

Mmmm.  Questionable words, don't you think?

Last week's article was partly about a door; this week's is mostly about windows.   I'm here to talk about the ghosts of championship windows past, present and future:

2) The Ghost Of Windows Past:
What we are about to witness is the 4th window of potential Celtic championships. 

Window #3 was the Bird era.  Perceived window (the number of seasons people thought the Celtics could contend for the title): around 8 years.  Actual window (the time between their first and last titles): 1981 through 1986; 6 years.

Window #2 was the Havlicek/Cowens era.  Perceived window: around 5 years.  Actual window: 1974 through 1976; 3 years.

Window #1— the Crystal Cathedral of NBA championship windows: 13 years.  Actual window: 1957 through 1969; also 13.  Russell and company won coming in and won going out; none of this "waiting to gel" stuff, and no long painful decline on the back end.  Just wall to wall winning.  Amazing. 
Listen... angels are singing.  Can you hear them?

3) The Ghost of Windows Future:
What am I the danged Oracle of freakin' Delphi?  How should I know what will happen next?  It doesn't matter right now.  Que double-sera.

There's a lot more to say on that subject but for the moment let's concentrate on...

4) The Ghost of Windows Present:
The actual window of the first three green empires was 13, 3, and 6 years respectively.  I'm talking about real championships with those numbers, not maybe-could've championships.  So here we are after being locked in a dark dungeon for two decades with no windows and a busted door.  Suddenly we're looking at a team with a chance to win everything again.

5) How Long Will This 4th Window Last?:
No one knows its duration.  When this window closes it might turn out to be surprisingly big or might not ever have been there at all, just an illusion of that deranged prisoner in the dungeon.  Right now though it looks very real and very wonderful. 

To guess its extent let's realize that the 4th window is not being opened by a rookie like Russell's and Bird's were.  Instead look at what Bill Walton calls "The MIddle Dynasty," the Tommy Heinsohn coached blazingly-fast champions of the 1970's.  They did have great young players but John Havlicek -the cornerstone of that team's success- was of similar vintage to the current Big Three.  The 70s team won two titles in three years.  Only a Havlicek shoulder injury in the playoffs kept them from hanging a third banner.  As windows go it was fairly short. 
But TWO titles... What would TWO titles make you feel like right now?

It's very possible the 4th window could become comparable to the 2nd— easily enough time to win long-sought banner #17 and maybe more.

6) Back To The Future:
"The Celtics Traded Away Their Future."  You've heard that statement.  It came from the same people who repeatedly said the Celtics youth was overrated, not worth anything, and that the team HAD no future.  ...Until they were traded; then suddenly the same players somehow become indispensible. 

These gloomy analysts were wrong then and they're wrong now.   As it turned out the Celtics young guys were worth a lot, and the future is yet to be written.  Over time great teams make their own destiny. 

7) Look West:
What are the championship prospects of the Dallas Mavericks and of the Phoenix Suns?  (Does it even matter?)  Those teams have won as many titles as the Celtics in the last two decades: zero.  They're touted as great and successful franchises.  Everyone said they had huge windows.  Well, maybe they'll win something yet... 
The reality of their situation is this: To this point their perceived windows have amounted to nothing.  
The only thing that matters is actually winning, and this Celtics team has a chance to do just that right now, this very season.  They have the every bit the same chance as the Suns or Mavs.

8) In closing the discussion I have one last thought that sums everything up:  "It's not the size of your window.  It's how you use it."

--Final notes--
9)  Tommy Heinsohn is loved.  He's slowing down a little bit physically, and reports have implied that he's been dealing with medical problems within his family.  While respecting his privacy, I want to wish Tommy and those close to him all the best through whatever it is that's going on.  Tommy Heinsohn has meant so much to so many for so long.  He's the one man who deserves to be in all three branches of the hall of fame as a player, a coach, AND a broadcaster.  Best wishes Tommy, to you and to yours.

10) Swagger Update:
A few weeks back I wrote an article about swagger.  Mike Gorman brought up the same subject again a few days ago.  Here he is quoted in Mike Fine's article in the Patriot Ledger on September 22nd:

‘‘It’s much easier to broadcast a good team than a bad team,’’ Gorman said. ‘‘I’m to the point of my career now where I’m not an objective journalist. I’m the Celtics play-by-play guy. Now to be able to walk into a building and inwardly having a little bit of a swagger, and to go on the air with a little bit of a swagger - I can’t wait.’’

...That goes for all of us.

1) Architecture:
You might recall a certain former Celtic coach/GM/president/emperor.  Then again acute traumatic stress might have mercifully stricken all memories of this individual from your mind.  Anyway this person who shall be referred to here as He Who Shall Not Be Named, once spoke about a door.

On March 1, 2000, He Who Shall Not Be Named told us all about a problem we were having with our collective door, saying, "Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door..."

"Oh no!" we thought. "Our precious door is busted!"

It certainly seemed that way as the only players who used the damaged portal during He-Who's time were guys like Chris Mills, Travis Knight, and Vitaly Potapenko.  We said, "What a lousy door! How did we get stuck with an entryway that spews out only crappy players?"

Actually the story ends well.  Here it is seven years later and as it turns out the problem wasn't with the door at all. Look: James Posey walked through it. Ray Allen walked through it. So did Kevin Garnett.

2) Together We Can:
I'm going off topic. I can't help myself.
When Deval Patrick ran for Governor of Massachusetts, his campaign slogan Together We Can seemed like the first half of a promise yet to be written. It seemed so bright and hopeful.  It left everyone wondering— What was the second half of the phrase?

Was it:
"Together We Can build a great state?"
"Together We Can construct a society that is fair, honest and principled?"

Those certainly would have been really good answers, but unfortunately neither is correct.
Mr. Patrick revealed this week that the full sentence actually reads: "Together We Can shoot craps."

3) Another thing about the casino gambling proposal:
How can people be so culturally insensitive?  I believe we need to stop and reflect on how this affects the Mashantucket Pequots.  This could have negative consequences that will impact their simple time-honored tribal custom of emptying peoples pockets with traditional native American devices such as roulette wheels and slot machines.

4) Confusion:
Remember the bewildering March 13th game in Chicago where the Bulls wore kelly green uniforms and the entire contest seemed completely screwy because of it?  Every time the Bulls ran on the break I got excited and then had to immediately reverse my emotions.  It got so confusing I think I blacked out twice before halftime.
I expect the game in London against Minnesota will be greatly disorienting too, but for a different reason.  One contest in Rome will not be enough to make me forget that Al Jefferson, Gerald Green and Ryan Gomes aren't Celtics anymore.  Hold on, I getting misty here...  Feeeelings, Wo Wo Wo... ...sniff sniff... ...you too Delonte out there in Seattle... ...You are the winnnnd beneath my wiiiinnngs... ...sniff.
I'm alright. I'm alright.  I'll be ok by opening day.

5) Not Everybody Plays:
There are 15 roster guys.  Only 12 at a time are active.  Only 9 can get significant, regular minutes.  The easiest way to figure who those 9 are is by guessing the bottom 6.  Here's a stab at it (I don't expect to be right):

Barring the unexpected, the least experienced players are also least likely to play.  That probably eliminates Manuel, Wallace, Pruitt, and Davis. Now we're at 11.  (The Celtics first priority this season is something other than developing youth.)

Despite tentatively encouraging news from tonyallenland, I would think he'd be brought along very cautiously.  This will change as the year progresses and Tony gains confidence.  That makes 10, at least to start the season.

The last rotation spot seems to come down to Powe or Pollard (yes Scalabrine IS in the rotation, more on that next).  So here's the projected 9 on opening day: Garnett, Pierce, Ray Allen, Perkins and Rondo start.  Then Posey plays a lot, followed in no particular order by House, Scalabrine, and either Pollard or Powe.

Of course all this is based on no more trades or signings, Tony Allen coming along slowly, and no injuries.  In other words it won't happen this way.

6) Scalabrine:
He's playing.  He is.  He did well with a veteran team in New Jersey.  He'll do well with a veteran team in Boston.

7) Pick and Roll:
You want to know why the Celtics couldn't defend it before?  Because they had the wrong personnel.  That's all it was.  Nothing more.  You need an agile, long big man who can instantly cover a wide amount of space.  It also helps to have veterans.  Done, double done.

8) Speaking of defense:
I believe this Celtics team will be really good defensively.  Every weakness they've had in the past just got fortified.  Garnett, Rondo, Posey, Perkins, Tony Allen later- those guys can play guard dog D.  Also many will be pleasantly surprised at Pierce's effectiveness on the other end now that he doesn't have to expend all his energy on offense.

9) Rebounding too:
Throw away any Perkins rebounding stats from last season. The foot did him in.  With Perkins and Garnett up front, Pierce at the 3 and Rondo at point all garnering above average rebounds for their positions, this will be the best rebounding Celtics team since the guys who-aren't-walking-through-that-door were here.

10) The Udonis Haslem Effect:
Players who do just what they're good at when surrounded by superstars look great and often win titles. Haslem is ok, but when he's playing with healthy Shaq and Wade he gets left alone, does his thing, and just kills you.  Starting in November the Celtics are going to benefit from this same situation.

The list of players looking fabulous next to megastars goes on forever, such as: Happy Hairston and Jim McMillian; Horace Grant and Craig Hodges; Bruce Bowen and Robert Horry; and now just maybe Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo.

All Perkins and Rondo have to do is concentrate on their strengths and people across the nation will say, "Wow how about that? Perkins and Rondo are really good.  I was mistaken.  I plainly didn't know.  Celtic fans said this would happen, and as always those dashing handsome devils were right."

ka thump, Ka Thump, KA THUMP.  Two weeks to Rome.  The drumbeat of the approaching season is steadily building.  Can you hear it?

1)  In mid September a lot of people say there's not much to talk about.  Not true!  I have a huge Celtic-related issue to bring up; something that really makes me mad and has not been discussed one bit–  It's the physical shape of planet Earth.  I REALLY don't like it being spherical.
Here's why:  The Boston Celtics open the exhibition season in Rome against Toronto.  Everybody reading this is looking forward to that game to get an idea of what the team looks like, how they move together, to see Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in green.  This will be as highly anticipated as any regular season contest in recent years.  Don't you just want to watch as the starting five walks on the court for the first time?  That will be thrilling.

2)  Anyway before we get to the big issue, I have a few other items to go over:  First, are they sending Mike and Tommy to Europe?   Will they be ok?  Will big enough air holes be cut in their crate?  Will there be soft enough packing material to protect them?   Is there a special customs form for shipping broadcasters?  I worry about this stuff.  Someone has to.

3)  Does anyone know if this game will even be televised?  I assume it will but does anyone know? 

4)  Another side note (nonItalians DO NOT READ): Italian Celtic fans, I'm glad for you.  You get to host the first exhibition.  Please don't take anything I say as a criticism of the wonderful city of Rome or of your beautiful country.

5)  OK let's get down to it:  The shape of the Earth has made me mad before, but now I'm furious.  This whole spherical-planet-circling-the-sun idea seemed fine when they introduced it centuries ago, but I don't think they had much foresight— because now it's causing a grave problem for all of us, one that cannot be ignored.  

6)  I know no one else has brought the subject up, not the Boston Herald, not the Globe; not one local newspaper, radio reporter or television broadcaster.  I think they've been scared off.  Gagged.  Muffled.  Told in no uncertain terms what talking about this issue will cost them.  Well let me say right here and now, I will speak!  I will not be silenced!!

7)  As everyone knows, a few thousand years ago the Earth was flat.  It was perfect.  Sun in the sky.  Land below.  Nobody falling off.  Everybody happy.  Then Artistotle and his gang of thugs got together and changed everything.  When no one was looking, those slimy philosophers made the planet round. The cutthroats!  This has created nothing but problems ever since, the greatest of which we face on October 6th 2007, the day of the first exhibition game of the rest of our lives.

8)  I know what you're thinking: That's not true.  Aristotle's a giant.  He's one of our finest philosophers.  
Is he?  Is he really?  When you finish the next few paragraphs I'm sure you'll agree with me that he's history's second greatest monster, right behind Kenny G.

9)  Why couldn't they have left well enough alone?    A flat world would have been ideal in this situation.  Instead here's what we Celtic fans face:  Due to the nefarious subterfuge of the diabolical Aristotle and his legion of doom, Earth is now a sphere.  Because of this fiendish restructuring, there now exist time zones.  Are you starting to understand where this is going?  Is the hideous truth now dawning on you?

10)  Because the Earth is round and the game is being played in Rome, there's a time zone difference.  Rome is five hours away!  This game -this most precious game- will be played at 2:30 in the afternoon our time!  Even if the contest is broadcast, even if Mike Tommy survive their perilous trip in the broadcaster shipping crate, the game will either be done on tape delay or shown in the afternoon.  NOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Aristotle, you demon-spawn, what have you done?  WHAT HAVE YOU DONE???