Celtics are back in their element
January 29th 2009 01:57
It is official. The Boston Celtics have now fully left the ugly memory of their 2-7 slump by the wayside.
The Celtics are now currently on an 8-game winning streak. Of those wins include a 90-80 stoppage of the rampaging Orlando Magic on the road to affirm their return to their old championship form just in time to keep pace with the rest of the elite teams jockeying for position at the top of the NBA standings.
Boston is of course known for their stingy defensive game that has earned them an NBA championship last year. Judging from the looks of how they amassed their last 8 wins, their identity as a great defensive unit has certainly showed itself.
Six of the eight wins saw the Celtics hold down the opposition below 90 points. Only the home games against the Toronto Raptors and the Dallas Mavericks had a Boston opponent hitting the century mark. The Raptors took the Celtics to an overtime duel while the Mavs had a 27-point Jason Terry explosion.
The Celtics never looked slipping on defense in those two high-scoring games though. Kevin Garnett imposed his defensive pressure on Chris Bosh as the latter became a non-factor in overtime while the usually prolific Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas was held to 18 points on only 4 of 17 from the field and 0 of 3 from beyond the arc.
The most impressive defensive performance of the Celtics as of late was their win against the Magic. Boston held Orlando to its worst offensive output this season with only 80 points. Considering that the Magic is the best 3-point shooting team, it was a defining moment for the Celtic defense to prove just how sharp they were in limiting any high-powered offense.
No doubt that the Celtics would be winning when their defense is clicking but what about their offensive performance?
The Celtic offense will always be identified with the Big Three: Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. It has been a no brainer that these three All-Stars will be accountable for offensive production ever since they got together last season. After they won an NBA championship their new goal is to rewrite history by becoming the next Celtics team that wins back-to-back titles after nearly 4 decades.
In that mission this season, the Big Three has been responding in a somewhat balanced attack. Pierce has a team high 19.1 ppg while Allen and Garnett aren't far behind with 18.1 ppg and 16.3 ppg respectively. Somebody has somebody's back in this team as far as points are concerned so no one is monopolizing the scoring load. Sure is a good thing because pressure is much relieved on the stars of this team to produce heavily every game.
Their recent winning run is a fine example of such offensive luxury for the Celtics.
In the home and away series with the Raptors, Allen and Pierce took turns in scoring 30-plus points in each game. There was also the Dallas game wherein Pierce finished with only 8 points but Allen, Garnett and bench player Eddie House all scored 23 points each in the high-scoring win.
The most notable Celtic outside of the Big Three has been 3rd year point guard Rajon Rondo who has been obviously much improved compared to his performance last season.
A lot of rave reviews about the rise of Rondo have cropped up, but honestly, the athletic point guard could only do much but not enough to actually be one of the team's leaders to carry the type of load that the Big Three can carry on their shoulders. He may have improved this season but he cannot be an All-Star just yet. The idea of Boston having something like the Fantasy Four will just stay for now as such, a fantasy.
Not to belittle Rondo's contributions though. He surely took advantage of the position that he is in right now playing for a championship team where he can build all the confidence in his young career and everything is great for him right now. He's now averaging in double-figures in scoring with 10.9 ppg, but most importantly, he's proving to be one of the better playmakers of the league with 8 apg and one of the top defensive guards being 2nd in the league in steals with a 2.2 average. Those numbers outside of scoring shows Rondo's true value to the Celtics.
Kendrick Perkins is also back from an injured right shoulder. His return simply brings inside help in rebounding and inside intimidation. Perk is currently 5th in the league in shot blocks with 1.78 swats per contest. Together with Garnett, they form a defensive-minded frontcourt that gives opposing big men a hard time operating down low.
Celtics 6th man Eddie House also deserved special mention. For a championship team with a lean bench, House surely is a welcome contributor his performances against his former team Miami where he had 25 points on 7 of 11 shooting from downtown and his 23-point output in the high-scoring Dallas game were welcome developments at this point in the season where it’s time to step it up a notch.
As a team, the Celtics are ranked as a top flight defensive team being the best in limiting opponents’ field goal accuracy at 42.2%. Boston is also 2nd in the league in points allowed giving up only 91.3 ppg but it should not surprise us if they finish at number one in this department at seasons end. Boston is also up there in the team rebounding department with 42.7 rpg
Offensively, the Celtics are pretty above average but not as menacing as other high-powered offenses in the league but they are averaging a decent 101.1 ppg good for 9th in the league. Another great attribute of the Celtics is their shooting accuracy from the field with 48.2% which is 2nd best in the league.
February 5th is the next big game day for the Celtics as they get a visit from bitter rival Los Angeles Lakers. But before that, Boston has four more games to go through. Tonight will be against the moribund Sacramento Kings at home and will be in Detroit for their last game of the month against the blow hot blow cold Pistons. Their first two games in February will be against two much improved teams right now. The Celtics will be at home to play rising star Al Jefferson and the rest of the Minnesota Timberwolves and then they will be in Philly to test if Elton Brand’s return to the Philadelphia 76ers will prove interesting.
Best case scenario of course is that Boston sweeps these four games and rack up a 12-game winning streak before facing the Lakers. But then again, the Pistons can pull off a surprise or the Wolves could make another upset win so the Celtics should still be wary as ever.
The Celtics are obviously contenders being the defending champions and all that but the important thing is that they never fall to a horrible slump that they had the last time. Boston is pretty much aware at this point that they cannot afford another meltdown now that the Cleveland Cavaliers are one up on them in the Eastern Conference.
This is no time to be slipping.
Photo by AP
The Celtics are now currently on an 8-game winning streak. Of those wins include a 90-80 stoppage of the rampaging Orlando Magic on the road to affirm their return to their old championship form just in time to keep pace with the rest of the elite teams jockeying for position at the top of the NBA standings.
Boston is of course known for their stingy defensive game that has earned them an NBA championship last year. Judging from the looks of how they amassed their last 8 wins, their identity as a great defensive unit has certainly showed itself.
Kevin Garnett and the Celtics are back to their winning ways
Six of the eight wins saw the Celtics hold down the opposition below 90 points. Only the home games against the Toronto Raptors and the Dallas Mavericks had a Boston opponent hitting the century mark. The Raptors took the Celtics to an overtime duel while the Mavs had a 27-point Jason Terry explosion.
The Celtics never looked slipping on defense in those two high-scoring games though. Kevin Garnett imposed his defensive pressure on Chris Bosh as the latter became a non-factor in overtime while the usually prolific Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas was held to 18 points on only 4 of 17 from the field and 0 of 3 from beyond the arc.
The most impressive defensive performance of the Celtics as of late was their win against the Magic. Boston held Orlando to its worst offensive output this season with only 80 points. Considering that the Magic is the best 3-point shooting team, it was a defining moment for the Celtic defense to prove just how sharp they were in limiting any high-powered offense.
No doubt that the Celtics would be winning when their defense is clicking but what about their offensive performance?
The Celtic offense will always be identified with the Big Three: Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. It has been a no brainer that these three All-Stars will be accountable for offensive production ever since they got together last season. After they won an NBA championship their new goal is to rewrite history by becoming the next Celtics team that wins back-to-back titles after nearly 4 decades.
In that mission this season, the Big Three has been responding in a somewhat balanced attack. Pierce has a team high 19.1 ppg while Allen and Garnett aren't far behind with 18.1 ppg and 16.3 ppg respectively. Somebody has somebody's back in this team as far as points are concerned so no one is monopolizing the scoring load. Sure is a good thing because pressure is much relieved on the stars of this team to produce heavily every game.
Their recent winning run is a fine example of such offensive luxury for the Celtics.
In the home and away series with the Raptors, Allen and Pierce took turns in scoring 30-plus points in each game. There was also the Dallas game wherein Pierce finished with only 8 points but Allen, Garnett and bench player Eddie House all scored 23 points each in the high-scoring win.
The most notable Celtic outside of the Big Three has been 3rd year point guard Rajon Rondo who has been obviously much improved compared to his performance last season.
A lot of rave reviews about the rise of Rondo have cropped up, but honestly, the athletic point guard could only do much but not enough to actually be one of the team's leaders to carry the type of load that the Big Three can carry on their shoulders. He may have improved this season but he cannot be an All-Star just yet. The idea of Boston having something like the Fantasy Four will just stay for now as such, a fantasy.
Not to belittle Rondo's contributions though. He surely took advantage of the position that he is in right now playing for a championship team where he can build all the confidence in his young career and everything is great for him right now. He's now averaging in double-figures in scoring with 10.9 ppg, but most importantly, he's proving to be one of the better playmakers of the league with 8 apg and one of the top defensive guards being 2nd in the league in steals with a 2.2 average. Those numbers outside of scoring shows Rondo's true value to the Celtics.
Kendrick Perkins is also back from an injured right shoulder. His return simply brings inside help in rebounding and inside intimidation. Perk is currently 5th in the league in shot blocks with 1.78 swats per contest. Together with Garnett, they form a defensive-minded frontcourt that gives opposing big men a hard time operating down low.
Celtics 6th man Eddie House also deserved special mention. For a championship team with a lean bench, House surely is a welcome contributor his performances against his former team Miami where he had 25 points on 7 of 11 shooting from downtown and his 23-point output in the high-scoring Dallas game were welcome developments at this point in the season where it’s time to step it up a notch.
As a team, the Celtics are ranked as a top flight defensive team being the best in limiting opponents’ field goal accuracy at 42.2%. Boston is also 2nd in the league in points allowed giving up only 91.3 ppg but it should not surprise us if they finish at number one in this department at seasons end. Boston is also up there in the team rebounding department with 42.7 rpg
Offensively, the Celtics are pretty above average but not as menacing as other high-powered offenses in the league but they are averaging a decent 101.1 ppg good for 9th in the league. Another great attribute of the Celtics is their shooting accuracy from the field with 48.2% which is 2nd best in the league.
February 5th is the next big game day for the Celtics as they get a visit from bitter rival Los Angeles Lakers. But before that, Boston has four more games to go through. Tonight will be against the moribund Sacramento Kings at home and will be in Detroit for their last game of the month against the blow hot blow cold Pistons. Their first two games in February will be against two much improved teams right now. The Celtics will be at home to play rising star Al Jefferson and the rest of the Minnesota Timberwolves and then they will be in Philly to test if Elton Brand’s return to the Philadelphia 76ers will prove interesting.
Best case scenario of course is that Boston sweeps these four games and rack up a 12-game winning streak before facing the Lakers. But then again, the Pistons can pull off a surprise or the Wolves could make another upset win so the Celtics should still be wary as ever.
The Celtics are obviously contenders being the defending champions and all that but the important thing is that they never fall to a horrible slump that they had the last time. Boston is pretty much aware at this point that they cannot afford another meltdown now that the Cleveland Cavaliers are one up on them in the Eastern Conference.
This is no time to be slipping.
Photo by AP
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