Boston Celtics: Concentration, Will, and a Fast Metabolism

Being a mere two quarters away from the NBA Conference Finals, you may have already asked the following question several times this postseason: How the hell are the Celtics still alive?

Don't worry, you are not alone.  Even Kevin Garnett has mouthed this on the sideline on several occasions in TNT's effort to catch him cursing.

The Boston Celtics are currently down seven heading into halftime of their second Game Seven of the playoffs.  

The Orlando Magic, who are clearly more deep, talented, and athletic once again had Boston down and nearly out. However, after a quick Ray Allen sighting and a few great hustle plays by Rajon Rondo, the Magic find themselves up a mere seven points at halftime. 

Somehow, the Celtics are surviving without Kevin Garnett, the method behind their madness. 

Without KG, Glen Davis finds himself in the starting lineup.  On several occasion,s Doc Rivers fields a lineup of Stephon Marbury, Eddie House, Paul Pierce, Brian Scalabrine, and either Davis or Kendrick Perkins. 

How the Celtics survive with this lineup is astonishing, but explainable.  

You see, there is a formula that allows the Celtics to compete with younger, more talented, and faster teams.  I like to break it down into three categories known as Concentration (the brain), Will (the heart), and a Fast Metabolism (hunger).

It starts with the core of veteran leadership—Doc Rivers, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and goes as far as KG constantly preaching in the ears of teammates on the bench from warm-ups until the players return to their homes to sleep at night.  

If you notice that when the Celtics are down by 14 in the first half (every game this postseason), there is no sense of panic (ask Shaq).  They don't jack threes, Pierce doesn't go into ball-hog mode, and most importantly, everybody touches the ball.  

They stick with their set plays and live with the decision making of Pierce, Allen, and Rondo.  Doc will tell you it will work, it always does.  

And then there is the heart of the Celtics.  The pride, the tradition, the glory of wearing a Celtics uniform.  It cannot actually be proved that any team has more heart in the NBA.

Having heart is surviving a first-round series that the Celtics could have easily folded after being punched in the mouth several times by the fearless Chicago Bulls.

Don't tell me the Mavericks, Magic, Jazz, or Hornets would have survived that series.

Doc Rivers was able to maximize his teams already gigantic heart by not asking anybody to become something they are not.  

Glen Davis was not asked to become Kevin Garnett overnight, Eddie House was not asked to become Manu Ginobli, and Brian Scalabrine was not asked to turn into Robert Horry.  

They were merely asked to grow up, play smart, and play hard: Do the little things right and we'll get our shot.  

So unlike the Magic, the Celtics do not constantly find themselves in foul trouble, turning the ball over, and blowing 15-point, fourth-quarter leads.  

While Glen Davis has not outperformed Dwight Howard, who is averaging a game-altering 20/17/3, the combination of Davis and Perkins has been able to hold that in check with a combined 28/17/3.  

Throw in a couple of momentum shifting threes by Scalabrine in the 21 minutes a game he is playing, and we have ourselves a superstar. But instead, he is in three places on the court instead of one (Dwight Howard).  

By being the role players playing alongside Garnett through last seasons championship run, the trio of Davis, Perkins, and Scalabrine grew together as teammates, gained confidence, and have been able to conquer this challenge together, as a unit, not as one individual trying to replace one of the best big men of our time.  

Finally, there is the everlasting hunger for victory that the Celtics bring to the table night in and night out. 

Looking at the match-ups on paper before this series started, it appeared nearly impossible for the Celtics to advance.

Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and the cast of Alston/Pietrus/Leea growing JJ Reddick and a veteran Anthony Johnson going up against a Paul Pierce that has played nearly 200 games since the start of last season, an 80 percent Ray Allen who notoriously disappears during the playoffs, and the cast of Rondo/Davis,Perkins, and Scalbrine! Brian Scalabrenie! I thought he was Michael Rapport!

But it all spawns back to the 17 banners hanging above the Parquet floor of the Garden, turning careers into legacies, and the desire to be repeat (the dream of every true) champions.  

The point guard having 16 rebounds and four steals in a game, the third-string shooting guard scoring 31 points in a must-win game, and a player who cannot play screaming louder than any fan in the arena.  

I doubt I even have to bring up Paul Pierce.

Or Ray Allen.

Leaving us with this:

The Celtics are going to fall short currently being down by 15 points with 9 minutes left to play and Orlando shooting free-throws.

And that I completely jinxed them by writing this article.  

...Or are they right where they want to be?