NBA Playoffs 2012: Why the Boston Celtics Are True NBA Finals Contenders
I would've been the first person to tell you that the Celtics are too old to win a title this year—until Tuesday night.
Right now, Boston is doing the same thing all great teams do as the playoffs approach: They are starting to play like a team, and they are starting to win big down the stretch.
When this strike-shortened season began, the Celtics didn't look good. They looked tired and sloppy, and it was only the first day. They looked worse during an early January streak in which they went 1-6, and though they looked like they were starting to come together as a team later in the month—they went 9-1 from January 22 to February 7—they followed it up with another ugly 1-7 stretch.
Since then, however, the Celtics have looked different. They've looked good, even against some of the top teams in the league.
They may be old, but maybe that age will serve them well in the playoffs, when the calm, collected, experienced teams are the ones that make deep runs.
Tuesday night's 115-107 win at Miami was only the latest indication that this Boston team isn't quite done yet. It was Boston's second win over the Heat in just over a week, and the Celtics managed to get this one despite a 36-point performance from LeBron James.
The most encouraging part of Boston's win was the fact that everyone contributed. Paul Pierce had 27 points and seven rebounds. Kevin Garnett had 24 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. Rajon Rondo had 15 helpers and 18 points, posting double-digit assists for the 18th straight game. Brandon Bass had 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.
Everyone did his job, and that is exactly what the Celtics are going to need to do in the postseason. The fact that they're doing it now, against one of the highest-caliber teams in the Eastern Conference, is the most encouraging sign they've showed so far this season.
After Thursday's game, Rondo told the Associated Press, "It took a while, but we're peaking at the right time."
Boston, aside from Rondo, is old. It has a very short bench. It's going to be a challenge for the Celtics to get throughout he playoffs without wearing thin.
But Pierce, Rondo, Allen and Garnett have been down this road before. Knowing this is more than likely the last year they have together, they will want to go out with a bang, and by all indication, they're putting in the work to make sure they can give themselves a shot.
If the Celtics keep playing the way they have over the last 13 games, they have just as good a shot as anybody.
