Defense Is Key As Boston Celtics Look To Slay the Bulls

In 2007, the Celtics were almost a perfect team. Familiar fan favorite Paul Pierce was joined by newcomers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. The title-hungry Boston Celtics, deprived of a trophy in recent years, were a force to be reckoned with.

Despite going to either six or seven games in every playoff series last year, ultimately no team (or no man named LeBron or Kobe), could match up with, and beat the Boston Celtics, led by their big three.

This was a great offensive team, but what they really prided themselves on was their stellar defense. The Celtics scored an average of 100.5 points per game, only giving up 90.3 on the defensive side of the court.

The big three were the pride of the NBA, and seemed impossible to beat because of Kevin Garnett's unrivaled intensity, Paul Pierce's incredibly clutch shot, and Ray Allen's magic touch from the perimeter.

Add in up-and-comer Rajon Rondo, with big man Kendrick Perkins, sharpshooters Eddie House, and James Posey on the bench, and the Celtics become that much tougher to beat.

This year, the Celtics, going from hunter to hunted, appeared even hungrier for a championship than they were last year. The C's ultimately finished 62-20, four less wins than the year before, only good for second place in the Eastern Conference.

That can be attributed, though, to the loss of Kevin Garnett. After Garnett went down with a right knee problem, that has turned out to be much worse than originally thought by coach Doc Rivers, the Celtics have fishtailed.

Garnett hasn't played over 30 minutes in a game since February 12, and his absence has shown on the defensive game, which has all but collapsed for the Celtics at this point.

Since February 19, the Celtics have allowed a whopping 103.96 points per game. Despite this atrocious defense, the Celtics went 18-7, mostly thanks to playing some weak teams in that stretch.

The seven losses came at the hands of Utah, the LA Clippers, Detroit, Orlando (twice), Miami, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Cleveland.

In the playoffs, the Chicago Bulls have given some trouble to the defending champs, due mostly to some dynamic scoring by the Chicago Bulls' young studs and failure to shut them down by the Celtics.

In Game One, rookie point guard Derrick Rose tied the record for most points in a playoff debut, dropping 36 on the C's on their own court, adding 11 assists.

Rose wasn't alone in the scoring effort though, as all afternoon long the Celtics exposed an inability to shut down Rose as well as Ben Gordon, who finished with 20 points.

Also, Joakim Noah contributed 11 points and 17 rebounds as the Celtics were downed 105-103 in overtime, dominated by the eighth-seeded Chicago Bulls.

Offense was a part of why the Celtics lost that game, but defense was the key. Despite forcing 12 turnovers and collecting 35 defensive rebounds, nobody could slow down Chicago's hot shooters, and it didn't help that Ray Allen went 1-for-12 from the floor.

Game Two was a little bit different for the Celtics, who barely managed to scrape out a 118-115 victory.

Derrick Rose didn't come back with the hot shot he boasted in Game One, sinking five baskets for ten points. Ben Gordon, however, was the driving force on offense for Chicago, scoring 42 en route to a near victory.

Offense wasn't a problem at all for the Celtics, who got a triple double (19 points, 12 rebounds, 16 assists) from Rajon Rondo, 30 points (including 6-10 from beyond the arc) from Ray Allen, who also hit the game-winner with two seconds left, plus 26 points and 9 rebounds from Big Baby Davis.

However, the Celtics still allowed the Bulls to shoot 50% (40-80) on the game, while also giving away 21 personal fouls. The Bulls took advantage of all the trips to the line, sinking 26 of 29 free throws.

The outlook for the Celtics looks bleak if their defense doesn't manage to put together some sort of miraculous turnaround.

With last year's Atlanta Hawks and now this year's Chicago Bulls showing the Celtics that a playoff series victory is never a given, the Celtics can't help but dread playing in the latter rounds, if they even get so far.

Most experts have the Celtics winning this series, the Celtics have an incredibly tough road to the finals, and unless they catch every possible break they can, they've got a minuscule chance at winning it all again without the defense they played last year.

If the Celtics move on to the next round, they play the winner of the Philly/Orlando series, and then either Cleveland, Detroit, Atlanta, or Miami.

The Orlando Magic boast the top defensive player in the league in Dwight Howard, and if they can manage to get past Orlando, they most likely play the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Hawks and Heat as sleepers.

If the Celtics are to collect their 18th championship as they so much desire, they are going to have to pull together and play defense like never before, and that's the bottom line.