Boston Celtics: 5 Keys to Their Recent Success

Who is playing better than the Celtics right now? Honestly, is any team in the NBA even playing on the same level as the C's over the past few games?

They really are peaking and at the right time, too. The past few seasons, the Celtics have stumbled into the playoffs, but this season it seems that the Celtics will come into the playoffs playing their best basketball probably since the 2010 championship run.

Their great play can be traced all the way back to the All-Star break, but it has been over the past few games where they have really forced their name onto the list of legitimate championship contenders. And that is exactly what the Celtics have looked like—legit contenders. Everything has come together for them and they owe their success to a few key factors.

Rondo's Passing

I just posed the question of who was better than the Celtics right now, but perhaps an even better question is, who can pass the ball better than Rajon Rondo?

Since the All-Star break, the answer should be clear: nobody—not even the great Steve Nash. Rondo has dished out double-digit assists in the past 19 games. That is unheard of. Only Magic Johnson and John Stockton have ever done that, to give you an indication of the kind of company Rondo has.

As a group, the Celtics are the second-best passing team and that is because of Rondo. The offense is clicking better than ever, and it is all with Rondo leading the charge at the point. With Rondo passing the way he is, it may not be the last time we ever hear his name mentioned in the same sentence as Magic Johnson and John Stockton.

Pierce's Increased Level of Play

Pierce started the season out of shape and, honestly, looked a bit lethargic out there on the court. Because of that, he put up sub-par numbers in the first half of the season.

But, like the rest of the team, he really hit his stride in the second half of the season with better conditioning and a renewed sense of purpose.

Since the All-Star break, he has been as reliable as ever to score around 20 points a game, or even more if necessary. They say the truth will set you free, and for the Celtics in the second half of the season, The Truth really has set them free.

Role Players Stepping Up

Doc has tightened the rotation to eight players: Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Bass, Garnett, Bradley, Stiemsma and Pietrus (although Pavlovic has filled the role in the absence of Pietrus). The best part about setting the rotation is that every player knows their exact role and will know it come playoff time, too.

Avery Bradley and Greg Stiemsma have particularly embraced their roles and have helped the Celtics more than it would seem.

For Bradley, his role is simple: wreak havoc on the defensive end and move without the ball on offense to try to create easy baskets. I'm not sure any other player in the league could fill that role better than Bradley. He has absolutely thrived in that role, earning himself the starting spot at shooting guard as a result.

Stiemsma too has thrived in his role of the backup center. He is still blocking shots and his rebounding has improved tremendously. On top of that, he is hitting 15-foot jump shots like they're free throws, providing a whole new dimension to the second unit's offense. And above all, Doc can trust him to give KG much needed rest.

KG's Resurgence

Like Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett did not have a good first half of the year. In fact, many began to write off KG forever. However, Kevin responded to these naysayers with a new found motivation for the second half of the season. And since then, he has done everything to prove those who once doubted him wrong.

There is no doubt that the move to the center position has helped (is it possible that Jermaine O'Neal's greatest contribution as a Celtic was getting hurt so KG could move to center?), because let's be honest, what center wants to stray away from the basket to cover KG on the perimeter?

The tough part for the defending centers is that KG really can't miss from out there as of late. He has also improved his rebounding. The best part though, is that he has been able to make a huge impact in just around thirty minutes a game.

Team Chemistry

Above everything else, the Celtics have some of the best team chemistry I have ever seen. Every player knows their role and trusts the guy next to them.

It all starts with the Big Four of Rondo, Allen, Pierce and Garnett, who have been together since Banner 17 in 2008. From there, the role players in Stiemsma, Bradley, Bass and Pietrus have clicked incredibly well with the Big Four.

This trust and team chemistry has led to great team play—passing on the offensive end and incredible team defense on the other end of the floor, with every player making their proper rotations and trusting that their teammates are doing the same.

Heck, future Hall of Famer—and arguably one of the best shooting guards ever—Ray Allen gave up his starting spot to a young Avery Bradley because he knew it would help the team. It just goes to show you that every player on the Celtics puts the team first, and that goes a long way.

They are a team as united as ever on a mission to raise Banner 18,and because of that, I would never count this team out.

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