The NBA All-Star game is fast approaching, which brings the Celtics season to somewhere near the half-way point, and about 10 games off the pace of 72 wins, sorry Rasheed. In Heinsight, all of those pre-season prognosticatons may seem silly now, but there were some discussions of this club flirting with that mark held by the '96 Bulls. A couple of months, and a plethora of injuries later and this year's edition of the Green Team are virtually limping into the break. Big Baby misses the first two months, Marquis Daniels hardly played at all, and KG racked up the DNP's with (oh no, don't tell me) another leg injury. These unfortunate setbacks, coupled with the teams seeming inability to play well at home, and we should probably be content with holding the 2nd best record in the conference.
Despite the injuries and the occasional lack of chemistry, there is a silver-lining; the fact that it is January, not April. This team has ample time to get healthy, reel off some wins, and officially put LeBron, Kobe, and the rest of the association on notice, that the C's are on mission to regain the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June. The Celtics have one major advantage over other teams in the league; they understand that if the play defense, they will win. It sounds simple, but most teams in the NBA really haven't figured that whole concept out. Every team in the league can put up points, which is why on any given night, any team can win. However, the teams that consistently play defense give themselves a chance to win every night, regardless of how they are playing offensively. With one of the best defensive big men of all time, Kevin Garnett, along with Rondo's speed and ability to get into passing lanes, the Celtics already have some of the essential components of a great defensive team. When you add in a defensive minded coach, a great interior presence in Perkins, and a couple of future hall of famers in Pierce and Allen who have completely bought into the defensive mindset, the Celtics have little excuse for not reaching their final destination.
Interestingly there is even more incentive for the guys to play great 'D', it ultimately leads to fast-break points, transition threes, and 12-20 point runs that can instantly break your opponents will. When KG and Perk are blocking shots, and Rondo's causing havoc with his long arms and speed, this team is at it's best. There is nothing more demoralizing than losing the ball on a few possesions and watching your opponent score 6, 10, or even 15 unanswered points. It's not only basketball at it's best, but it's Celtics basketball at it's best, and it's our only chance at another championship.
