Boston Celtics: Why Rajon Rondo and Company Will Be Back Next Year
After the Boston Celtics' unceremonious elimination from the Eastern Conference playoffs, it’s easy to believe that we’ve seen the last of the Celtics as a contending team. However, despite their poor showing against Miami, it’s too early to write the obituaries on the Boston dynasty just yet.
Read on for five things that went wrong against the Heat, and the reasons Boston can recover next season.
Rajon Rondo's Injury...
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As the Celtics trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen ages, Rajon Rondo becomes more vital to the Boston offense. After Rondo’s nauseating elbow injury in Game 3, the Miami series was all but over.
Rondo made a valiant effort to play through the injury, but a one-armed point guard is inevitably playing at a disadvantage.
...Was a Short-Term Problem
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Although Rajon Rondo has battled his share of back problems in his young career, he’s still just 25, with all the resiliency that implies. When Boston enters the 2012 postseason, the odds are good that he’ll be healthy.
The elbow injury was gruesome, but it was a fluky play. Rondo will have the Celtics ready to contend again next season.
Ray Allen and Paul Pierce Couldn't Outplay Wade and LeBron...
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Age seems to have caught up with Kevin Garnett more rapidly than his Boston cohorts, leaving Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to carry more than their share of the load. Matched up effectively one-on-one with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the Celtics perimeter stars faced an un-winnable battle.
Even in their primes, Allen and Pierce wouldn’t have been in a position to outplay James and Wade by themselves. Now, the matchup skews even farther in Miami’s favor.
...But They Can Still Put Up a Good Fight
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Even after a combined 28 NBA seasons, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are still more than capable starters. They gave Boston a combined 35 points per game this season, and there’s every reason to believe they’ll be able to perform at a similar level next year.
Allen and Pierce have enough left to keep the Celtics competitive against anyone. They just need more contributions from their teammates.
Kevin Garnett Is No Longer a Superstar...
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In four losses to Miami, Kevin Garnett averaged 11 points per game. At 34 years of age, it’s clear that the number of miles on Garnett’s long legs have taken their toll.
With Garnett unable to exploit a vulnerable Chris Bosh (except in the Game 3 victory), the Celtics lost what could have been a major advantage.
...But Help for KG Is Already Here
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Power forward is the one position where Boston is actually deep. The addition of Jeff Green (perhaps the only good thing to come out of the Kendrick Perkins trade) to stalwart Glen Davis gives Boston two solid young players to supplement Garnett.
With a full season for Green to be worked into the rotation, Boston can increase his workload and let Garnett become more of a part-time player. That should leave the Celtics with fresher legs and more scoring come playoff time.
The Celtics Have No Viable Centers...
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Even without the saga of Shaquille O’Neal and his not-quite-return from injury, the Celtics center position was a mess in the postseason. The Kendrick Perkins trade appears to have been a near-total disaster, with Nenad Krstic utterly incapable of keeping the vaunted Boston defense functioning.
Jermaine O’Neal, thrust into the spotlight by the failings of the other two center options, looked old and out of his depth having to play starter's minutes against playoff competition.
...But This Team Doesn't Need a Star in the Middle
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As Boston’s past success proves, a solid but unspectacular center like Kendrick Perkins is more than enough to win games. Nenad Krstic failed not so much by being a bad player as by being the wrong player for this team.
With most of the roster eligible for free agency, Boston is likely to revamp their collection of centers in the offseason. Another competent, defense-first big man (Samuel Dalembert, perhaps) should be enough to keep Boston near the top of the Eastern Conference.
Boston's Bench Needs More Bodies...
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With Shaq unable to come back (at any useful level) from his injuries and Rajon Rondo playing through his, the Celtics needed a big series from their bench players against Miami. Delonte West (and, to a lesser extent, Jeff Green) answered the call, but Boston never went more than nine deep in the series.
Considering the poor showings by starters Jermaine O’Neal and Kevin Garnett, a bench that short was the last straw for Boston.
...Who Could Easily Be Added Before Next Season
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Boston has a fair amount of roster flexibility this offseason, as most of the team is eligible for free agency. It’s hard to imagine that they won’t look to upgrade their reserve unit, particularly a backcourt where Carlos Arroyo and Von Wafer racked up more DNPs than points against Miami.
With West, Green and Davis, the Celtics have a solid foundation to build on. The key will be adding enough bodies who can actually play when called upon.
