My prediction of a lofty 70 wins for the Celtics this season has proven again to be more of what I wanted to happen, as opposed to what I mostly knew could never happen. If you look at the 2007/2008 Boston Celtic team that won 66 games and compare it to this year's roster, one could understand how I calculated four more wins and four less losses. This year's team on paper is better than the championship roster of 07', yet this team has already lost fifteen games. By adding Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels to the Big Three you're looking at a group that also includes a drastically improved Rondo and Perkins. There is nothing this team's skill set does not match and there is nothing they cannot do on the court. Wallace, Allen, and House are all exceptional three point shooters and Paul Pierce is an above average three shooter. Perkins, KG, and Wallace can play stalwart interior defense and rebound at will and Rondo and Tony Allen can play effective perimeter defense. Rondo and Maquis Daniels can each play the point guard position quite well; along with the fact that Rondo is an excellent rebounder for his size and position. At full strength the Celtics can spread the floor with three point shooting, lock down the paint with interiror defense, rebound, and attack the basket with Pierce slashing in and getting to the line. So why is this team currently sub par to the 07' team? Why is this team struggling if they are "better"? The key words are "full strength".
The 2009/2010 Celtics have not been fully healthy at the same time virtually all season long. Maqruis Daniel's last game was on December 4th, Garnett has missed eleven games, Pierce five, and Wallace four. Without Garnett for eleven games has hurt the team most significantly as the defensive intensity and acountability seems to diminsh in his absence. The bottom line is that the Celtics were 4-6 in the ten consecutive games Kevin missed and when this team has played at full strength they have been ever bit as good as the 2007-2008 Champions. The first twenty games of the season yielded 16 wins and then even after Daniels went out with a thumb injury the team soared to a 23-5 record. It has not been just the lacking of these players, but the stunting in growth of team Chemistry. A team must practice, bond, win, and lose together to be able to truly develop as a unit. Barring any further injuries the Boston Celtics will be at full strength three days after the Super Bowl, February 10th. The game against the Hornets in New Orleans could be a wild one depending on the mood of the crowd; if their city is one of Super Bowl Champions perhaps the fans will be too distracted. However, if the Saints lose than the city may need to rally behind its' basketball team against Boston.
By the end of February 2010 the Celtics will have been practicing, playing, and growing at full strength together. This team may never surpass the 66 wins of 2007, but if they can galvanize at the most opportune time, it wont matter. The winning of a championship easily trumps whatever your regular season record might have been. Boston is not and should not be the favorite to win another title, but when they capture the two or three spot in the Eastern Conference and IF the team stays fully healthy they have as good a chance as anyone.
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