Since it is St. Patrick's Day Weekend, I guess I have to write about the best team in basketball, eh? The Celtics have been otherworldly this season, with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen looking as if they'd been playing together since high school, or at least in the off-season (which they kind of have been doing). I really like seeing the growth of Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, and Big Baby over the course of the season, further proving no one can draft like Danny Ainge.
The real stars who have made the difference with the Celtics have been the role players: Eddie House has been looking like Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson on the court; James Posey is a great defensive player who can take the ball to the hoop if necessary; and Tony Allen has been better than I expected, considering his knee was spaghetti at one point last season.
Say what you will about Doc Rivers, but his test does not start until the post-season. He certainly made the right moves in the past couple of weeks integrating Garnett back into the line-up, resting the starters in blow-outs, and getting Ray Allen pushing the ball to the basket now that he is healthy. Also, that Detroit game was the most exciting game at the Garden since the glory days of the run to the Eastern Conference Finals five years ago.
So, what do I expect? Nothing short of a trip to the finals. I expect Detroit and Cleveland will give them a heck of a fight, considering they both have been there and done that in the playoffs. I cannot guarantee, but I feel good about the playoff possibilities for the Green.
The real stars who have made the difference with the Celtics have been the role players: Eddie House has been looking like Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson on the court; James Posey is a great defensive player who can take the ball to the hoop if necessary; and Tony Allen has been better than I expected, considering his knee was spaghetti at one point last season.
Say what you will about Doc Rivers, but his test does not start until the post-season. He certainly made the right moves in the past couple of weeks integrating Garnett back into the line-up, resting the starters in blow-outs, and getting Ray Allen pushing the ball to the basket now that he is healthy. Also, that Detroit game was the most exciting game at the Garden since the glory days of the run to the Eastern Conference Finals five years ago.
So, what do I expect? Nothing short of a trip to the finals. I expect Detroit and Cleveland will give them a heck of a fight, considering they both have been there and done that in the playoffs. I cannot guarantee, but I feel good about the playoff possibilities for the Green.
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