I am a lifelong Boston Celtics fan, have followed them closely since the 93 season (the year after Bird retired), when I started to really get into basketball. I mentioned in a previous post that I interned for Senator Kennedy in the spring of 93 and, pre-internet, I had a wealth of Celtics info every day because Kennedy's office always had multiple Boston Globes circulating. The 93 Celtics were a fan's delight; not a lot of talent, but great heart and teamwork, led by Reggie Lewis, who had his best year as a pro. Sherman Douglas and Dee Brown traded off at the point; Reggie had the two, always locking up the opposing team's guard; Kevin Gamble and Rick Fox at the three; Xavier McDaniel (until KG arrived, the most intense player we have had in the last 14 years) and Kevin McHale (in his final season) at the four; Robert Parish holding down the five spot. Defense was the staple. In the first game of the playoffs, 6'1" Dee Brown (my favorite player on that year's team) had a spectacular block/spike against the Charlotte Hornets' Kendall Gill where Dee's head almost hit the rim. Doug Collins, doing commentary for TNT, called it the most spectacular block he had ever seen. They actually made a commercial out of it for the next season. I couldn't find a clip, but it looked something like this:
The Celtics destroyed the Hornets in Game One, led by Reggie Lewis who scored 17 points in 13 minutes. Alas, during the game, in the second quarter, Lewis collapsed. He never played another NBA game and died several months later of heart failure while shooting around at a gym. The Celtics, without their captain, did not win another game in the series, which ended with a famous Alonzo Mouring shot at the end of Game Four.
Since then the Celtics' seasons have been a series of few peaks (beating the Magic in Game One during the 95 season; the 02 team that made it all the way to the conference finals) and lots of valleys (the lowest of which were the twin reigns of Carr and Pitino. I have a running argument with my best friend about which was worse).
And now, with two incredible moves in the off-season, Danny Ainge turned the number 5 pick in the draft, Al Jefferson (native of Prentiss, MS), Delonte West (my favorite player on last year's team), and assorted parts into Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett (my favorite player on this year's team, although I like ray Allen a lot, as well). Old friend Kevin Mchale, currently the GM of the Timberwolves, traded Garnett to us. Some blogger promptly wrote that we should retire McHale's number twice.
So excited am I about the season, I promptly ordered the NBA League Pass so I could watch all 82 games (of the regular season). I had, of course, already ordered the NFL Sunday Ticket so I could watch all of the
Patriots' games.
So, in what may become a recurring segment, here are my thoughts after
Game Three of the regular season (going into the game the C's are 2 and 0):
The C's beat the Nuggets of Denver by a score of 119 to 93. The score does not reprsent the ass-kicking we gave the Nugs. We were up 38 at the half and 45 in the third.
Rondo destroyed AI, picking his pocket cleanly several times, and disrupting his famed crossover, the one he
ripped Jordan on, twice, all those years ago...
Garnett is the ultimate team player.
Ray Allen does not look like someone who just had off-season surgery on both ankles.
Eddie House gives us a great spark off the bench.
Doc Rivers is a fool for playing KG 36 minutes in a blowout. Garnett played 38 in the first game, a 20 point shellacking of the Wizards and 44 minutes in an OT win over the Raptors. I'd rather play some close games or even, god forbid, take some L's in the regular season, and play Garnett 30 to 32 minutes a night in the regular season. Same for Pierce and Allen. Not only would this drastically reduce the risk of injury and keep our stars rested for what will hopefully be a long playoff run, but it would force the bench to learn to play together and, hopefully, develop. Or, better yet, sign
Jamal Sampson...
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