Sizing Up the Boston Celtics: What About Teamwork?

Strange things happen to people when things don’t go right. There are extremely high expectations for this group. If they falter for more than 10-15 games coming out of the gate, will they look in the mirror...or at the "other guy"?

5) Inattention to Results

The right results.

I remember one of the early postseasons that McHale and Bird played together. They lost. McHale played a pretty nice series; he was coming into his own as a big-time player.

Someone asked him how he felt after coming up short.

His reply was something like, “I played pretty good. I had a good series. So I’m not hanging my head. I feel good about myself.”

When Bird heard about the remark, he was very "unhappy."

I don’t remember his exact phrasing, but it was something like, “How could you be satisfied with yourself when your team just ended its year on a lost series?”

He couldn’t understand McHale saying that and feeling that way.

Will Garnett, Allen, and Pierce have the same commitment to the same results?

If one player plays well individually but the team falls short of its goal, will he feel like McHale did...or like Bird did?

Teamwork hasn’t been part of the Celtic Internet conversation in any real way—not that I’ve seen. Instead, we expect it all to work on the strength of individual talent alone.

No one doubts that that Celtics just got three of the league’s biggest studs together on the same team. No one doubts they will do well.

Many doubt, though, that they will achieve their goal. Even three big stars don’t make a basketball team.

The feeling in some circles is that these three particular stars don’t have what it takes to carry a lackluster roster to greatness. None has won a title. None has made it to the Finals. None has made his teammates better.

Those are observations by the doubters and the skeptics.

For sure, none of the three will be mistaken for Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, or Michael Jordan in the leadership category. 

Great players—yes. Inspirational—no. 

Who will lead by example, and show that teamwork is the most powerful force of all?

Then there's a question of balance.

But we'll save that for Part Deux...

This article first appeared at Tom's blog on Celtics 17.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?