Boston Celtics: Final 2011 Report Cards for Paul Pierce, Garnett and All Celtics
After stunning the Carmelo Anthony-led New York Knicks in a four-game sweep, the Boston Celtics found themselves at the mercy of the Miami Heat, losing the series 4-1.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade played integral roles in getting the job done in the fourth quarter, as more than anything this series showed the Celtics had trouble closing out basketball games. With fourth-quarter leads in both Game 4 and Game 5, the Heat were able to come back and take both games.
Finishing third in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics would end the regular season 56-26 and win five of their nine games this postseason.The last two losses to the Heat came with an injured Rajon Rondo, who had not fully recovered from his elbow injury.
Given the ups and downs, the transactions and injuries, the Boston Celtics had one of the more successful seasons of any team in the league.
Join B/R and me in grading each Celtics player based on their performances and contributions over the course of the 2010-11 season.
Ray Allen: B+
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The Boston Celtics got what most would consider a "mediocre" regular-season showing from potential Hall-of-Famer Ray Allen.
Over the course of the regular season, Allen averaged 16.5 points per game, shot 49.1 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from long-range. To his credit he also passed Reggie Miller with the most three-pointers made in NBA history, making his case as one of the best three-point shooters to ever grace the game.
The playoffs is where Allen rose to the occasion.
During the playoffs Allen would average 18.9 points per game, shoot just over 52 percent from the field, and hit 57 percent of his three-pointers.
If there was a reason in particular the Celtics lost this series to the Miami Heat, the play of Ray Allen was certainly far from it.
Jeff Green: C
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Brought in at the trade deadline after giving away Kendrick Perkins, Jeff Green was able to contribute effectively in the postseason defensively.
During the regular season, Green had a problem fitting in to the Boston Celtics game plan, as also noted by head coach Doc Rivers. In an interview with ESPN two weeks after the trade, Rivers would admit that he didn't really have a place for Green in the lineup just yet.
Green would soon find his place, playing effective defense in the postseason run and slowly finding his groove offensively. Given his late blooming, Green gets the C.
Paul Pierce: B+
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Paul Pierce looks pretty angry here, don't think he'll be too pleased with the grade either.
Despite being the go-to-guy for the Celtics throughout the regular season and postseason, Pierce was unable to keep his cool against the Miami Heat when the team needed him most, picking up two technical fouls and receiving an ejection in a loss to the Heat early in the series.
For the most part Pierce was as effective as any Celtics player has been all season for the team, leafing the team in scoring averaging 18.9 points per game in the regular season and 20.8 a contest in the postseason.
Rajon Rondo: A-
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With arguably his best season in the league, Rajon Rondo proved his worth this season as the Boston Celtics point guard.
Rondo would finish second in both assists and steals during the regular season, dishing out 11.2 dimes a contest and grabbing 2.25 steals a game. In assists Rondo would finish second to Steve Nash and in steals second to Chris Paul.
Rondo also set the record for most assists in a playoff game against the New York Knicks, recording a whopping 20 in a Game 3 win at Madison Square Garden.
Despite playing injured throughout most of the series against the Miami Heat, Rondo still boasts a promising future with the Boston Celtics at the point guard position.
Nenad Krstic and Shaquille O'Neal: F
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The Boston Celtics were left helpless at the center position after dealing away Kendrick Perkins, as health and consistent play were issues for both Nenad Krstic and Shaquille O'Neal throughout the course of the season.
Krstic was traded to the Celtics in the Perkins deal in February of this year. In the regular season Krstic would score just over eight points and grab 4.7 rebounds in 22 minutes of play. When the Celtics needed his contributions the most, Krstic failed to deliver, scoring just 1.7 points and grabbing 1.7 rebounds a game in the playoffs.
Shaquille O'Neal was arguably the biggest disappointment this season for the Boston Celtics, playing unable to make an appearance in the postseason until Game 3 of the Miami Heat series in the second round due to injury.
If the Celtics look to make another run next season, it's more than likely that neither Krstic or O'Neal will be on the Celtics roster next season.
Delonte West: B
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Delonte West was key for the Boston Celtics in their run in the postseason, posting 6.6 points per game in 18 minutes of play per contest.
Outside of the stat line, West was able to stretch the floor and manage the Celtics offense in the late stretches of basketball games. Unlike Rajon Rondo, West forces defenders to play tight defense on the perimeter, as he has a jump-shot that can make defenses pay.
A veteran point guard that has a plethora of experience in the league, don't be surprised if head coach Doc Rivers and the front office consider keeping West for several seasons to come.
Jermaine O'Neal: C-
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Boston Celtics front court veteran Jermaine O'Neal had a season to forget, playing in just 24 games in the regular season.
This postseason O'Neal began to show signs of improvement physically, grabbing important rebounds and key defensive stops for the Celtics in his limited minutes. O'Neal averaged 1.8 blocks which would lead the team in blocked shots. O'Neal would record the 1.7 blocks in just 21.9 minutes per game in the postseason.
Due to a plethora of missed action, O'Neal gets the C-.
Glen "Big Baby" Davis: D
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As you can see, Glen Davis was not pleased with his play over the course of the postseason.
In the regular season Davis was as good a player as any for the Boston Celtics coming off the bench, scoring 11.7 points and grabbing 5.4 rebounds in just over 29 minutes of play.
It was as if come postseason time, Davis was back to being a rookie with the team. Davis averaged 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 21 minutes of play. He would also shoot 39 percent from the field, marking the worst percentage of any Celtics player during this postseason stretch for the team.
Kevin Garnett: A
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Without the assistance of the traded Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett had big shoes to fill on the defensive end. The one anchor left for the Celtics defense, Garnett stepped up and played effective minutes for the Celtics in both the regular season and postseason.
In the postseason Garnett would average 14.9 points and 10.9 rebounds a contest. In the regular season he would average 14.9 points and just 8.9 rebounds a game.
Garnett had key performances in the postseason as well, including a 28 point, 18 rebound performance that would give the Celtics their only win of the series against the Miami Heat.
Arguably the best Boston Celtics player this season, Garnett easily earns the "A" for the Celtics, as his play defensively and key offensive contributions made him one of the more effective starters in their postseason run.
