Serious about Banner 18

The trade deadline came and went last Thursday and the Celtics made no improvements or changes to their roster. I couldn't help to think that Danny Ainge really thought that his team was primed for a deep playoff run. How could they be? With no proven back up for Rondo and Brian Scalabrine as your only replacement center? Combined with the news of Tony Allen being out for eight weeks and Garnett out for 2-3 weeks you had to feel concerned. Although the Celtics went 9-2 in KG's absence last year, there was great concern about this year's group entering the stretch run of the season. In the previous season Boston had James Posey, a healthy Tony Allen and PJ Brown to step up the defensive intensity during the Big Ticket's injury. This current Celtic team lacked depth that they enjoyed last year, and when KG went down I prepared for a fall from grace out of the top seed. Garnett hobbles off the court with an unknown leg injury of some kind and the Celtics lose to the Carlos Boozer-less Utah Jazz. With Garnett's future uncertain, visions of beating out Clevland for home court advantage (in the playoffs) grew hazy. Yet just as the season before, the luck of the Irish would strike once more.

  They say never doubt the heart of a champion; and what I need to remind myself to always say is never doubt Paul Pierce or Ray Allen. It is easy to forget Pierce as a premiere slasher and Allen as a legendary shooter amidst the stalwart Celtic defense and team concept. The greatness of these two players may be temporally forgotten in the allure of the Big Three, but their greatness will cary this team. Ray Allen: A consumate professional, tireless worth ethic, veteran maturity, and one cold blooded three point shot. Paul Pierce: The heart of a lion, good shooter, leader, and a relentless slasher to the basket. These two men will not let their teammates falter and they will hold serve until KG returns. Led by Allen's 57 and Pierce's 48 points in the last two games, the Celtics notched wins of 20 and 38 points over two playoff caliber Western Conference teams. Then the team signs seven foot veteran power forward Mikki Moore and is closing in on a deal with two time all star Stephon Marbury. 

This is all very similar to last year's championship run during which they brought in PJ Brown and Sam Casell. The Celtics did not have such serious injury concerns, but they knew they needed a back up for Rondo at the point and a big man off the bench. When Casell was traded and Brown could not be lured out of retirement two gaping holes in the Celtic's roster were reincarnated. At seven feet tall and 265 pounds Mikki Moore gives the Celtics the size coming off the bench that they lack. Leon Powe and Big Baby play hard on defense, but are undersized at their positions and struggle with larger opponents. On the other hand Stephon Marbury is not a sure upgrade to the team as he is a risk. Marbury is a disgruntled player from a poor relationship with the Knicks and has a reputation of being selfish. The Celtic's believe that their team chemistry is so strong that one player cannot become a team cancer. The Big Three told management that they really wanted to have Stephon on the team and their request was met with positive action as pursuit of  New York's  free agent. Kevin Garnet and Stephon Marbury were very good friends when they played together on the Timberwolves, but Marbury eventually grew jealous of KG's fame and income, demanding a trade. Former teammates Sam Casell and Garnet won a championship when reunited as Celtics in 2008; can Marbury and Garnett create the same result? The main question about Marbury is can he be unselfish? Can he buy in to the Celtic's team first system? His entire career he has only shown interest in money, personal statistics, and never in winning. With a career average of 19.7 points a game how will he handle a back up role on his new team? Stephon has all the talent in the world to be a great player in the NBA even now, but he needs to become a selfless part of a team.Perhaps these new additions are not the caliber of last years veteran new comers, but things are looking enough like last year to be excited. With no moves being made it seemed as though Danny Ainge was settling for one championship, but he has proved to be serious about Banner 18.