The 2007-2008 Boston Celtics: A Mea Culpa

Way back last summer, it was assumed by many basketball scribes and fanatics that the acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen automatically placed the Boston Celtics ahead of every other team in the NBA.

After all, with so much talent, how can any team match up with them?

Most fans tended to overlook that simply having talent doesn’t always result in postseason successes.

The Phoenix Suns, both with Shawn Marion and Shaquille O’Neal, have oozed athleticism and talent, but the unwillingness as an organization to commit to defense has held them back.

The Detroit Pistons have one of the finest starting five’s in the NBA with multiple All-Stars, but arrogance, a departure from stingy attention to detail, and the fact that Rasheed Wallace has played up to his potential exactly four months out of his NBA career have contributed to Detroit’s status as a second tier team.

The San Antonio Spurs have the greatest power forward of all-time and two of the best postseason performers in recent memory, and even they haven’t been able to reach the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons.

Heck, even the Wizards and Nuggets are loaded with talent.

No, winning a championship takes more than talent and I wondered if the Celtics had what it took to put the pieces together.

Consider:

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen were all on the plus-side of 30 years old and all had suffered serious, or chronic injuries the season before, ranging from a right quadriceps injury for KG, bone spurs and chronic ankle injuries for Ray Allen, and left feet and left ankle injuries for Paul Pierce.

In his time in Minnesota, Garnett’s penchant of not playing in the post, of not wanting the ball in his hands, of poor performances in crunch time, and of lacking the mentality to take it upon himself to win basketball games had resulted in spectacular postseason failures.

Ray Allen had never been accused of being more than an adequate defensive player and his ankle injuries could have undermined his sharp cuts off the ball that free himself for open looks.

Paul Pierce took games off on the defensive end and wasn’t a particularly adept playmaking wing.

Further questions surrounded the supporting cast.

Kendrick Perkins was big and slow, had no offensive game, and was in perpetual foul trouble.

Rajon Rondo, likewise, had no offensive skills besides his jet-like speed and he would compromise his defensive talents by too-often gambling for steals. Plus, his apprenticeship in running an offense needed to accelerate into flat-out mastery.

James Posey was perpetually out of shape in Miami and appeared washed up at the end of last season.

Eddie House was nothing more than a shoot-em-up gunner.

Leon Powe and Glen Davis were too short and inexperienced to be trusted.

Scot Pollard was a banger and a fouler, nothing more.

Brian Scalabrine was a shooting 12th man, nothing more.

Tony Allen had NBA-athleticism, but was mistake prone and had no basketball IQ.

Doc Rivers had never gotten out of the first round and had presided over a 17-game losing streak the previous season.

Needless to say, this wasn’t a collection of immaculate superstars and well-rounded role players that had understood what it took to achieve big-time success.

Many voices even voiced their concern that there wouldn’t be enough touches to go around, but I never looked at selfishness as an issue. Garnett, Allen, and Pierce were always known as high-character guys and unselfish stars. That unselfishness played a huge role in Boston’s success.

However, as the 2007-2008 season started, right off the bat it was clear that the Celtics had legit championship aspirations. This wasn’t simply because of the fact that Boston was winning (Dallas won a lot last year and I never believed them to be an elite team), or even winning big, but how they were doing it.

Their defense was exceptional from the opening tip. Whichever five guys were on the court had a hive mind-like awareness of what their specific defensive objectives were, which players they should help double team, who they should leave to rotate, exactly who their rotations would cover, defending screen/rolls, etc.

Most elite teams pay meticulous attention to detail and it was clear early on that Doc Rivers, Tom Thibodeau, Clifford Ray, Kevin Eastman, and Armond Hill made sure to give the Celtics players their best chance to succeed, both on defense and on offense.

With Doc Rivers being a former point guard and a great teacher, he was able to develop a relationship with Rajon Rondo where Rivers could earn the trust and accelerate the development of Rondo’s athleticism and mentality.

Also, with Rivers and Garnett such great motivating forces, the Celtics young big men were all hungry to learn and put into practice what they’d been taught.

In fact, every Celtic was given clear-cut roles early in the season and followed those roles perfectly.

Garnett’s energy and passion inspired his teammates to work hard all the time, and his defense, hard screens (be they legal or illegal), and unselfishness set a tone.

Ray Allen was professional and hit the big jumpers Boston needed him to hit.

James Posey stayed in shape and didn’t take short cuts, becoming the clutch shooter and nasty street fighter that gave the Celtics an edge.

Eddie House worked hard so he wouldn’t be a defensive liability and was able to provide instant offense when Boston needed it.

The Celtic bigs provided raw muscle and pulverized weaker opponents.

P.J. Brown hit some jumpers, played some defense, and didn’t make mistakes.

Sam Cassell contributed some offense, some of the time.

The key to the season, however, was Paul Pierce, who performed all the major roles needed for the Celtics to become an elite team.

Because of Garnett’s unwillingness to accept the spotlight, and Allen’s relatively limited offensive game compared to more creative superstars, Pierce was the guy with the ball in his hands when the Celtics absolutely needed a score or an assist.

Pierce was physical all year long and set the tone to his teammates that physicality was to be encouraged, not shielded away from.

Pierce was the player most responsible for shutting down an opponent’s best wing. Not only did Pierce score and pass well, but he was the best defensive superstar in the game; better than Kobe Bryant.

Pierce saved his best performances for big games, especially against teams with great opposing defensive wings (San Antonio, Houston), great opposing offensive wings (Cleveland, Los Angeles), and teams with opposing MVP candidates (Phoenix, New Orleans, Los Angeles).

And in numerous big games in the regular season and playoffs (Atlanta-Game Seven, Cleveland-Game Seven, Detroit-Game Six, the entire NBA Finals minus Game Three), Pierce did exactly what he needed to deliver victories to the Celtics.

Pierce’s desire to lead his team allowed Garnett to be a tertiary player, a role he thrived in, and Allen to be a tremendous third option.

And Doc Rivers always kept his team’s spirit up, in regular season games against lesser but hungry opponents, in the playoffs after surprising losses, and in big games against tremendously talented opponents.

Rivers found the way to get the most out of everybody in his roster, while minimizing his team’s flaws.

An inspiring job by Rivers and an inspiring season by the Celtics to prove me, and the other critics dead wrong.

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics, clearly the best team the 2007-2008 NBA season had to offer.