Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Celtics Back Where They Belong

The Boston Celtics, once an NBA dynasty seem to have gotten back to their winning ways.This historic franchise has won 16 world championships which is the most by any franchise in the NBA.The franchise holds the record for most consecutive championships with 8 from the years 1959-1966.The rafters bare numbers of some of the NBA all time greats.From players like Arnold "Red" Auerbach and Bob Cousy to Larry "Legend" Bird and Bill Russell.These numbers stare down at the parquet with promise that one day the Celtics will be atop the NBA once again.

After the 85-86 season, the last year Boston won the championship, the Celtics have been anything but dominant.From the 1986-87 season to the 2006-07 season, the Celtics record was 837-853.They made the playoffs 11 times during those years only advancing to 3 Eastern Conference Finals (87,88,02).They won 5 division championships with the most recent being 2005.In the off-season of the 2003-2004, the now publicly owned team hired ex-Celtic player Danny Ainge as Executive Director of Basketball Operations.Since then Ainge as tried the "youth movement" which wasn't very successful.Many of the players selected have been traded away with the exception of a few.But as we have found out this season, those trades have finally paid dividends.

After suffering their worse season since 98-99, Danny Ainge and the Celtics organization finally said enough is enough.Paul Pierce, the only Celtics player left on the team from before Danny Ainge took over, reportedly told the team "either get me a premier player to play with,or I want to be traded". Ainge must have listened and took Pierce's request very seriously.The first big move was the acquisition of SG Ray Allen from the Seattle Supersonics. The Celtics in my opinion, didn't give up much to get the seven time All-Star and the rights to rookie Glen Davis F/C from LSU by trading PG Delonte West,SG Wally Szczerbiak, and the rights to their First Rd Draft Pick Jeff Green F from Georgetown.Celtics fans were optimistic about the trade but as they learned during the summer, that wasn't the last, nor the biggest trade they would make.After many rumors of Garnett being traded to Boston, the rumors were then turned into reality.Boston shipped Al Jefferson the most successful of the youth movement players, Ryan Gomes,Gerald Green ,Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, their first rd pick as well as Cash considerations for Garnett.Minnesota also received a first rd draft pick back from the Celtics that they had previously traded 2 years before in the Szczerbiak and Ricky Davis deal.Now Pierce had the premier players and talent he wanted around him.Shortly after, Boston signed free agents James Posey and Eddie House to sure up the bench.

So here we are 58 games in to the season and the Celtics have the best record in the NBA (46-12). Although Pierce,Garnett, and Allen's statistics have declined a little, they've continued to flourish as a team.Two year PG Rajon Rondo who was drafted by the Suns in 2006 came to Boston with a draft day trade.He is starting to show signs of being a great PG with the help of the players around him.The person that may have benefited the most by the Garnett trade is C Kendrick Perkins.As the season has progressed, Perkins has become a very solid Center when he stays out of foul trouble. Garnett opens the floor up allowing Perkins to get more rebounds, score more points and play a bit more freely around the defensive rim.He's not a tremendously talented player, but he has grown in leaps and bounds since he has first started for the Celtics and has contributed on both ends of the floor.The team recently signed veterans PJ Brown and Sam Cassell to deepen their bench even further giving the Celtics even more battle tested veterans.Rookie Glen "Big baby" Davis has been a real big surprise using his larger body to do such a great job on the boards.He won't wow you with his statistical line, but it's the little things he does night in and night out that stands out the most.With the "Big 3",Rondo,Perking and a solid bench, the Celtics look to restore their greatness and get the Celtic's Franchise back where it once was before. Atop the NBA and lifting that beautiful golden trophy in late June.