We've all heard the reasons why the Lakers are the better team and how they're going to dismantle the Celtics with their superior passing, bench depth, and transcendant Zen philosophies.  Kobe Bryant is the best player in the game and the team with the best player always wins the series.  Blah.  Blah.

Blah.

Unfortunately, there are a few things that the so-called "experts" don't know or have chosen to forget about.  Let's review them, yes?

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CSN's Greg Dickerson has a report from shootaround.  He is reporting that Richard Hamilton is expected to play this evening in Game 6. 

This is actually good news for Celtics fans as Hamilton is unlikely to be as effective with an injury to his shooting elbow, and I'd much rather a 50% Hamilton splitting time in the backcourt with a 100% Rodney Stuckey than for Stuckey to simply get all of the playing time.

::Update::

Quotes from Hamilton on playing tonight:

"I have no choice. This is do or die," Hamilton, who suffered a strained right elbow near the conclusion of the Pistons' Game 5 loss in Boston, said after the team's shootaround Friday.

After shooting with the team, Hamilton said he had discomfort in his right elbow, but would play through it.

"Once I get out there and the adrenaline is going, I'll be fine," Hamilton said. "I told my teammates, 'Don't look at me as handicap.' ... I'm fine. I'm ready to roll."

Not exactly confident statements.  "I have no choice"..."Discomfort"..."Don't look at me as a handicap."  

While you never root for injuries, Rip doesn't sound anywhere near full strength.  Hopefully the Celtics can capitalize and move forward to Armageddon versus the Lakers.

-Green17 

After surviving an ugly first half of offensive basketball, the Celtics buckled down and got back to the type of ball movement that has become a staple of the team this year, crusing to a 22 point win over the Nets.  The C's were undoubtedly a little drained from their win in Indiana -- a game that was intense and competitive despite the seemingly comfortable margin of victory.  Boston would be less backup PG and 4th leading scorer "Steady" Eddie House, while the Nets did without the services of Mr. Half-Man/Half-Season, Vince Carter.  Tired legs made this game begin an ugly duckling, but boy, did it ever turn into a beautiful swan... 

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On Tuesday night, the Celtics rolled in to Indiana as the league's only remaining undefeated team.  They left without a blemish, scoring a 101-86 victory and improving to 6-0 in an ugly, foul-plagued battle with a gritty Pacer club.  This game was unlike the others; the gorgeous ball movement on display most of the season was absent, and the Celtics relied on a steady diet of isolation and two man wing play to score the majority of their field goals.  Though they may have left their pretty passing back in New Jersey, the team remembered to pack their trademark defense, (and does it ever feel weird to say that...) holding the Pacers to a stingy 35% from the floor.

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On Tuesday night, the Celtics rolled in to Indiana as the league's only remaining undefeated team.  They left without a blemish, scoring a 101-86 victory and improving to 6-0 in an ugly, foul-plagued battle with a gritty Pacer club.  This game was unlike the others; the gorgeous ball movement on display most of the season was absent and the Celtics relied on a steady diet of isolation and two man wing play to score the majority of their field goals. 

Kevin Garnett is a Boston Celtic.  It feels completely alien to say it, and it felt even more foreign watching his smiling mug hold up the #5 jersey.  But I have to tell you, during the KG introduction / press conference / lovefest yesterday, I did something that I haven't done in a good, long while. 

I went to the cupboard, took out a tall glass, and cupped it in my hands.  I went over to the refrigerator and pressed the button for crushed ice.  I pressed the button for water and it began to flow, filling my cup about three quarters of the way.  I slid open a white drawer, took out a small packet of green powder, and ripped it asunder.  I poured the contents into the crushed ice and water and watched the crystalline powder filter slowly to the bottom.  After staring a minute, I cupped my hand over the top of that glass, swirled the mixture together, and pursed my lips.  Eyes sealed shut, I tilted my head back and took a sip, long and slow.

More after the jump.

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We're not done. 

That's the mantra the Celtics brass keeps putting out there.  Yet, as each day unfolds, more and more available free agents put their name on the dotted line for another team.  I'm not sure if Danny even had his hat in the ring for any of the bigger fish, unless one considers Joe Smith a Sockeye sal-mon.  Ohh, but remember folks, We're Not Done.  They said so.

But uh, what if we are done? [gulp]

I peeked at Sports Illustrated's list of the ten best remaining free agents and wondered if the Celtics stood a chance at snagging any of them and if each would fill a need.  For those that haven't read the piece, here they are, as ordered by SI:

1.  Anderson Varejao    6'10    PF    Restricted

He's big.  He's Brazilian.  He looks like Sideshow Bob.   He plays solid defense and doesn't need the ball to impact a game.  He's perfect for the Celtics, but comes at too high a price, I'm sure.   Cleveland also holds all the power in trying to sign him.  I don't think Varejao is truly valuable enough to make a run at in a sign and trade, either.  He's offensively limited and might ultimately end up a hairier and more talented version of Scalabrine.  That said, he's still probably one of the better fits of the available players.

2.  Mickeal Pietrus    6'6    SG/SF    Restricted

INTERIOR:  GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE

[AINGE dials a rotary telephone] 

AINGE: Hey Don, it's Danny again.  Hey, we've got this great player, you might have heard his name -- Gerald Green?  Yes, the Slam Dunk Champion Gerald Green!  The very same!  Did you know he can also shoot the three?  Wow, I think he'd be really great in you guys' up and down system.  I bet you can really use another wonderfully athletic player that loves to get up and down the floor and throw down nasty jams --  while also being a capable trailer for the spot up bomb.  You'll absolutely love him, I promise!  [pause]  What do I want? Well, you know I just thought we might do size for size, and you've got that Pietrus kid still to sign, I was thinking we could do an offense for defense kind of thing and maybe throw in a... [click]  Hello?  Hello?  Donnie?  Don?  Oh, dadgummitshuckswillickersgollymcgee!

[AINGE flips through a tattered Rolodex, landing on the tab marked 'Mc'] 

3.  Chris Webber   6'10   PF   Unrestricted

There was a time when I would have drunk a full glass of hemlock before contemplating Chris Webber in Celtic green.  Now, I'm not so sure.  I thought he was Done (with a capital D) before signing with Detroit.  I don't know whether it was because he was energized by playing with a contender, but ole C-Webb put up some impressive numbers before the tank read 'E' in April.  Detroit played Webber waaaay too many minutes, too; he'd be fine for about 20 minutes a night at age 34.  Think before turning up your nose in disgust, please.  He fills the Celtics' need for big man depth.  He's an excellent passer and would be the perfect high post cog in the offense.  He's a veteran and has played in many big games (no timeout jokes).  I don't see anything wrong with throwing a 2 year deal his way.  It's a risk that he might not stay committed to a non contending team, and he's of course a horrible defender -- but that lot has already been cast.  We're going to win games this season by outscoring people with the Three Headed Monster, contrary to what Doc says. I'd really make a run at him.  Outbid Mark Cuban.  Yeah, I can't believe I'm saying it, either.

4.  Andray Blatche  6'10   PF   Restricted

I don't get the fascination with this kid.  He hasn't done a thing in this league and yet he's the fourth best free agent remaining?  Sure, sure, extrapolate his stats out over 48 minutes and you get blah blah blah...  Doing the same thing to Perkins makes him look like Moses Malone, too. 

5.  Matt Barnes   6'7   SF   Unrestricted

I get the sneaking suspicion that the Celts are after this guy.  He's that athletic "power 3" that seems to fascinate ole Danny boy to no end; the knee-jerk signing of Brandon Wallace certainly proved that infatuation.  Barnes isn't likely to leave the friendly confines of Nellieball, and any team that gets him out of Golden State is likely to have overpaid for the privilege.  Barnes is a decent player, but one with a very fixed value.  I'm utterly terrified we're going to throw a 4 year 35 million dollar deal his way.  Let's hope that he's tired of bouncing around (five teams in five seasons) and agrees to a hometown discount.

6.  Ruben Patterson   6'5   SG   Unrestricted

Great stats last season.  A rugged defender.  Certifiably insane and a divisive presence in the locker room.  Also the same size as just about every other player on the Celtics.  Just the type of guy Doc wants around all his impressionable youngsters!  Whatever he's asking for, let's triple it.  [vomit]

7.  Charlie Bell   6'3    PG    Restricted

I would be working overtime to land this guy, but I doubt he wants a role as a backup PG after starting 64 games last year.  No, he's not a true veteran point guard, but Bell would be a good fit for the team and slide in nicely to the "shooting point" role once filled by Delonte West.  I think that role is more valuable to the Celtics this year than it ever has been, due to the amount of potential double-teaming the big three will face.  What's the right price for Charlie?  3 years, 13 million, and a case of Wonka bars ought to do it.

8.   Sasha Pavlovic   6'7   SF/SG   Restricted

Cleveland should throw a bunch of money at Pavlovic and Varejao so that they'll be doomed to mediocrity for the next 4 years.  Wouldn't that be a fantastic result after their fluke trip to the Finals?  I just don't understand Pavlovic's value, especially in light of his playoff ineptitude.  He's a one dimensional player and would be totally redundant on the Celtics.  I'll even go one step further:  I wouldn't even trade Gerald Green for him straight up.  That should tell you a lot, because after Gerald's summer league stinkbomb, I'm ready to deal him for an alarm clock and a lube job at Meineke. 

9.   Ime Udoka   6'5   SG   Unrestricted

I have to confess that I don't know much about Udoka, nor can I recall seeing him play.  He seems to have some consideration around the league as a solid wing defender, but the Celtics already have Tony Allen for that purpose.  Please get healthy, Tony.  Whether you know it or not, the season might depend on it.

Wait, what's that sound?  Is that a rotary phone?

10.  Earl Boykins    5'nothing    PG    Unrestricted

I'll say this about the little bugger -- he does put up points in a hurry.  But is that what the Celtics need?  He's not really a shooter and he's likely to command a fairly hefty price.  Some team (probably the Knicks, a hunch) will give him a fat contract and carte blanche to hoist up a lot of shots.  There's just not enough basketball left to satisfy this little guy's mean appetite for attempts here in Boston.

Brevin Knight's name is still being bandied about, as is Juan Carlos Navarro's.  I don't know much outside of Weiss' article on Navarro.  Brevin Knight is a known quantity but most feel his reputation will prevent him ever from landing here.  History has shown that if anything, Ainge has always erred on the side of good character. 

In my earlier massive breakdown of the team, I didn't feel that the Celtics were doing to do anything beyond the Allen deal despite their proclamations.  So far, I've been right.  I didn't want to be, but there it is.  Reviewing the list from S.I. made me question whether or not the Celtics had the a) interest or b) ability to sign/sign and trade for any of the leftover scraps.  Sadly, my answer is still a resounding no.  The restricted free agents all require sign and trade, and outside of Chris Webber, there isn't anyone particularly attractive on the unrestricted list.  I think that Webber being the only available guy speaks to the sadness of the situation.  

What about a regular trade?  During the summer, they are rare birds.  Usually teams stand pat going in to training camp and then play out the first half of the season before getting their trade juices flowing again in February.  So uhhh... uhhh...

Yep.

I think we're done.

Author’s note:  Much of the following article was written in the days prior to the draft.  I have amended it in a fashion that retains the information on the players that left Boston in the Ray Allen deal and updated the piece with analysis of the trade. The details of my analysis are contained within spreadsheet I created which you can refer to here. The spreadsheet has been converted to HTML format and will open as a new web page in a new window or tab, depending on your browser settings. Click the "Read More" link below to read this six page article in its entirety!

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In a prior Cheap Seats piece "Celtics Still Defensively Challenged", I noted that the team was placing an awful lot of pressure on Sebastian Telfair to be the guy to put the C's into the echelon of winning basketball teams. Since the Celtics did not address any defensive shortcomings in the offseason, I reasoned that it would fall on the NYC prodigy to be the engine in an up-tempo scoring machine. Telfair would have to turn an already efficient offense into one that added ten to fifteen extra fastbreak points; Celtic games needed to be shooting gallery for the team to have any success. Obviously, Sebastian has failed in this regard. I don't know that he was ever really suited for this role, but I do know that fans have been continually promised one style of play prior to the season and been delivered another when the actual games start.

The search for a true pass-first point guard will continue, right after these important messages from our sponsors...

The overall sentiment on the blog is that this team is finished and should do everything in its power to secure a top pick in the talent rich 2007 NBA draft. Fans don't care so much about the wins and losses, as long as the Celtics continue to develop young players like Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, and Rajon Rondo. Player progression with team regression. If we can't be optimistic about the future of certain players, then the mere process of watching Boston get their collective heads caved in becomes a total soul-crushing excercise. We fans cling to little shreds of hope:

* Hey! Gerald had a good game! You see that dunk he threw down in the 3rd?
* Rondo got more than ten minutes tonight!
* Call me crazy, but I think that Scalabrine's breasts have actually shrank a full cup-size!

I think that fans have gotten too complacent in this regard. It's great that Al Jefferson is having a breakout season and that Gerald Green is turning into a factor on offense. Tony Allen, prior to his potentially career-limiting knee injury, was really taking off, too. Yet even with the individual growth of these players, the _team_ is still the same rudderless ship. Eventually, Paul, Wally, Delonte, and Perk will all be healthy. When they are, the production of certain players that are currently getting minutes due to other injuries has to drop. For example, Green is not going to score twenty a night with Pierce and Szczerbiak taking the bulk of the perimeter shots. Rondo's minutes will probably drop from sporadic to near nil, as Doc is clearly more comfortable with West as his starting point. Jefferson will probably get fewer touches too, although he is the one player that can truly make a difference in how the Celtic team plays offensive basketball. Right now, the net result just a substitution of similar cogs, amounting to a team that plays in the exact same way with different names on the jerseys.

The Celtics need to do two things to become successful:

1) Replace players with redundant skill sets with ones that fill a need.
2) Establish an identity of any kind on the basketball court.

The first responsibility falls on Danny and Doc. It's on the GM to recognize what the team's needs are, and it's on the coach to make sure that players are being utilized in the proper role. Unfortunately, both have failed in some capacity (Danny with the Telfair trade, Doc's offenses too numerous to detail). I'll save the who's redundant/who's not breakdown for another article. The second is on the coach to design and the players to implement. Tony Barone's job in Memphis is a perfect example. Within ONE GAME of taking over for Fratello, Barone turned the plodding pace of the Grizzlies into a clone of the Doug Moe era Denver Nuggets. The Grizz are now averaging 111.5 PPG with a roster most scouts would agree is inferior to Boston's from top to bottom. Memphis isn't winning many more games yet, but they have a much better chance to win playing Barone's style than Fratello's style, that much is certain. Therein lies the power of establishing a team identity that players believe in; Memphis is now known as a high-scoring fastbreak team, and it didn't take them much time.

Why can't the Celtics do the same thing? Al Jefferson can't run as well as Pau Gasol? Mike Miller is just that much better than Paul Pierce? Chucky Atkins is a better open court point guard than Rajon Rondo? I don't get it.

To look at the other extreme, let's say the Celtics are fortunate enough to land Greg Oden. Forget the fact that Oden is the consensus number one pick, he is also the best fit for the team because of the impact he makes on the defensive end. Wouldn't then the natural inclination be to model the team on the deadly inside-outside game of the championship era San Antonio Spurs with Oden and Jefferson masquerading as Duncan and Robinson and Pierce/Szczerbiak/Green filling the Manu Ginobili/Sean Elliott/Robert Horry roles? It's a pretty nice dream, I admit.

The Celtics have some talented youngsters, but individual player progression alone isn't going to turn this franchise into a winner. A style of play that fits with the team's personnel has to be implemented, and there's no time like the present to do it. Right now, the C's seem to be a high post / cross screening / jumpshooting team on offense and a rotation missing / penetration allowing / absolute turnstile on defense.

What would I do? Well, if I couldn't turn the Celtics into Memphis east...

In the halfcourt I'd be in favor of a simple binary pick and roll defense system like the old Dick Harter blitzing schemes, because the current one implemented during training camp is definitely not working (which was the case even before all of the injuries). Play Rondo upwards of thirty minutes a night and have him pressure in the backcourt on every made basket. Do not double team the low post except on players that truly command one.

On offense, once Paul and Wally are healthy, do a total conversion to a low post oriented offense and run everything through Jefferson in the halfcourt. Opposing teams will have to pick their poison: either double Big Al and two passes later have
Pierce/Szczerbiak/Green/West get a wide open shot, or single cover Jefferson and have him score more than 50% of the time. Take transition buckets when available, and look to score more on the break with the proper units on the floor (smallball has really struggled in the halfcourt of late).

That's just one sensible man's opinion, and we all know that Doc is anything but. Rivers has had his hands tied recently, to be fair, but he too seems content with the idea of player progression / team regression, and that just isn't something that I can tolerate from the head coach.

This team needs a basketball identity, and it needs one now.