5 Things To Watch During The Nba's Stretch Run
EMAIL ME: Devonnba4193@aol.com
With the NBA’s All-Star weekend now in the rearview, we now have the time of year that many analysts, GMs, and others with a high basketball IQ like to call the “NBA stretch-run”.
This is when the fooling around is put to a halt, the charades and antics are all diminished, and when the stars get right to the point, which is proving to the rest of the league that their team belongs in the playoffs. Or even better, deserves to play in the NBA Finals.
Yes people, this time of year may not yet have the magnitude of the playoffs, but it certainly has a higher level of action than we’ve seen prior to the All-Star break.
With that said, here are 5 things to look for during the NBA’s 2010 regular season stretch-run:
1. Can the Celtics recover from their bumpy first-half start?
The Celtics have struggled. Everyone knows it. Not struggled, as to say they are below .500, but they have have lost more games than expected. Others might say this is due to injuries, or age, or what have you. But the main thing is, the Celtics have not lived up to their expectations, which were to take on LA in June. If you ask most folks now, they’ll pretty much agree to the Kobe & LeBron collision course.
The Celtics have already gotten off to a good post-break start, going 7-3 since. But what do they have to do to continue with a winning rhythm?
Well first off, stay healthy! I know, I know. All that is in God’s hands, so the best KG and Pierce can do is pray.
Also, we have to see if Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins have the game to bring it at a high level every night. Rondo has been simply superb since last year’s first round series against Chicago, and has continued it this year. But for Perkins, he needs to realize he’s no longer a young gun. He is a proven NBA champion, and needs to play like it.
To be honest, KG can no longer carry load in the paint, so we need to see more out of Rondo and Perkins. If those two can perform at a high level game after game, the Celtics should be fine.
They do have a few tough games, as they face Cleveland twice, and Dallas, Denver, Utah and San Antonio once in their remaining 22 games.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
