Danny Ainge pulled out blockbuster deal after blockbuster deal to change his team from lottery-bound losers to the NBA Champions with no signs of slowing down in the immediate future.
There are many reasons that the Celtics defied the odds, even after the preseason doubts about team chemistry and depth.
1. Kevin Garnett
Two words that mean everything for the Celtics.
Paul Pierce provides all-around play, focusing on his clutch scoring and his ability to get his shot up whenever and wherever he wants. Ray Allen is one of the top shooters in NBA history but is quick and strong enough to take it to the rack when the occasion calls for it.
These two are the icing on the cake, but the foundation itself, on which the team's philosophy, defensive mindset, and unity is built upon, is Kevin Garnett.
Kevin Garnett is a once-in-a-lifetime player. His intensity, tenacity in all aspects of his game, and loyalty is unmatched by any player in NBA history.
I mean, what other player would feel even slightly wounded to leave his cellar dwelling team to come to a championship contender?
If Zach Randolph or Carmelo Anthony was traded to a championship contender, do you think they'd look back?
Garnett is fiercely loyal and emotional, and it translates onto the court. You slack off on D? He'll be on your case quicker than quicksand. You make an amazing play on offense? He'll be roaring your name and singing your praises.
Kevin Garnett is as intimidating as he is loyal. Opposing players shudder to think of what would happen should they venture into the Garnett-guarded paint area.
Garnett's passion is like a radiating aura that affects both teams. The Celtics become more tenacious and take on his mean streak, while opposing teams quiver when faced with his fury.
Garnett is also, like Paul Pierce, a great all-around player with an amazing low post game. He can shoot the mid range J and if left wide open, an occasional three.
It's in the low block, however, where Garnett gets his due. His variation of the "Dream Shake" is among the many moves Garnett employs in his vast arsenal of offensive weapons.
2. Tom Thibodeau/Doc Rivers
Many people think that, given three All-Stars, any coach could mold a team into contenders. That is not the case. First, let's look at an example:
Isiah Thomas
The Knicks were expected to have a decent record (hovering around .500) and perhaps make the playoffs in the 2007-2008 season with the acquisition of Zach Randolph.
Zach gave the Knicks what was presumed to be one of the most fearsome front courts in the East with Curry, Randolph, and Lee in the rotation. Stephon Marbury was due for a "rebirthing" season and Jamal Crawford, though he plays no D, can knock down his shot.
But Isiah wasn't able to help the team build chemistry and ultimately lost his job.
Doc Rivers, on the other hand, was able to make an exceptional bond among the players on the team and lead them to the greatest single-season turn around in NBA history with his poise and coaching savvy.
He does not have a reputation as an exceptional X's and O's coach but he, like Phil Jackson, is an exceptional locker room coach who was able to build a championship team because he had the ability to finish his jigsaw puzzle.
Tom Thibodeau also gets a lot of credit for this championship because he was able to formulate the best overall defense in the NBA.
He was able to create a defensive system that was effective because Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen all bought into it and were the forerunners of the system.
3. Depth
At the beginning of the preseason, many people (including me) had doubts about the depth of the Boston Celtics.
Besides the big three, who else did the Celtics have? They traded away key players, most notably Al Jefferson, to obtain three pieces to a puzzle that was still missing many key jigsaws.
Boy, did they prove me wrong.
All of their bench players stepped up, and a few mid-season acquisitions made them one of the deeper teams in the Eastern Conference.
Here is a list of the key role players on the team.
- Rajon Rondo: Expected to be the weakest player in the starting lineup and probably even weaker than some of the bench players, this young man stepped up his game and proved he is a starter in this league.
- Kendrick Perkins: Kendrick proved his worth by becoming an enforcer and a bully in the paint. He is an invaluable member of the Celtics team and starting lineup.
- Tony Allen/Eddie House: Expected to be the backup guards, the drop off was expected to be massive once Ray Allen hit the bench. But these two players proved their worth by being productive in the limited minutes they played.
- James Posey: Nobody questioned this man's worth. A September acquisition, Posey proved to be a glue man that held the team together with his solid outside shooting and perimeter defense.
- Leon Powe: While not used too much during the season, Leon Powe showed flashes of greatness, especially in his explosive playoff performance against the Lakers.
4. The Big Three Factor
Last but not least, the acquisitions of KG and Ray Allen helped make Paul Pierce's Celtics into the best team in the NBA.
All three players would be the stars of their respective teams should they be traded to any other team in the NBA. A combination of three of the best players in the NBA with complimenting skills equals the best team in the NBA (see Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker in 2006-2007).
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22 days ago
Nice. Liked it.
21 days ago
I love RAY ALLEN <3
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