by kibaxx7 on Thu Jan 28, 2010 6:56 am

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2009/10 Boston Celtics Season Preview.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Apologies for telling you what you already know, but the story is the same now as it was on May. Even the opening pangs of training camp haven't changed a thing -- Boston's fortunes ride entirely on Kevin Garnett being healthy. This isn't anything new, nor is it particularly revelatory, especially when you consider that teams 1-30 generally kind of tend to perform as well as their best player is performing. Yet Garnett's a special case. For one, his injury isn't a typical basketball-styled malady. Apparently his tendons had to be stapled back onto his right knee.
Additionally, because Garnett is such a unique player, there's no real telling from game to game just what his teammates need to do in his absence, should there be an absence to make up for. Because he does so much defensively to disrupt a game, alongside the usual all-world stat lines, it's not as simple as looking to run more for Paul Pierce, or letting Rajon Rondo dominate the ball a bit more. Let's deal with the half-full approach. This Celtics team is quite talented, there's a blind dedication to winning from the top on down, and obviously have what it takes to get back to that peak. The team is too good.
Rondo's 23. That's young, and he was a borderline All-Star last year. I don't read too much into his white-hot, first-round stats from the playoffs last spring (19.4 points, 11.6 assists, 9.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game is nothing to sneeze at), but Rondo has a great chance to become the fifth All-Star on Boston's roster. That's up to him, and on a team with this much peer pressure, I don't expect Rondo to fall backward like he did for some stretches last season. Rasheed Wallace and Ray Allen are two former All-Stars and both can play (when Sheed's head is straight and Ray's ankles are in place). Rasheed can't replace what Garnett brings at all angles if the former Timberwolf were to step aside, but he's just about the closest thing there is to that. Ray's 34, but that jumper's not going anywhere.
Kendrick Perkins, assuming he continues to stay in shape, will continue to improve. He's not even 25 yet, and if he is the weak link in your starting lineup, then you're doing pretty well. Depth? Not great. Wallace helps a ton, Marquis Daniels can really play (there's misgivings about his ability as a reserve point man, but he can help this team if the motivation is there), Glen Davis can score, Eddie House can shoot, but... Shelden Williams can sop up minutes and Brian Scalabrine is still on the team. Could be a lot worse.
The rock here is Pierce. He put the Celtics on his back to lead them into the playoffs with Garnett on the pine last year, he carried the team for years with no help, and though he might level off a bit in his 12th season, he should be there again in 2009-10. No matter what's falling or rising around him. Points, points in the fourth quarter, helping the team toward the win. And the team will win. Hope this doesn't come off as flip, but the team is just going to have to try and make it to the playoffs with tendons intact. This group is made for the postseason, and the trick is going to be getting there with everyone on board this time around. You already knew that. Let's see what happens.
Prediction: 59-23
Last edited by
kibaxx7 on Thu Jan 28, 2010 10:31 am, edited 3 times in total.
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