The sky is the limit for Paul Pierce and the CelticsThe Celtics are on a real tear right now and are currently the first team to reach 20 wins. Right now they are beating opponents by a ridiculous average of just over 14 points per game. They have looked flat-out dominant from day one, playing like a team that has been together for years instead of months. Expectations have been high for the Celtics and their big three of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce from the day KG was traded to Boston. Few would have predicted this much success so soon though.
Most experts agreed that if one of the big 3 went down Boston would be in real trouble. Beyond Garnett, Allen, and Pierce their just wasn’t a whole lot else on the Celtics roster. As such, it was going to take a gargantuan effort from the aging trio in order to make any real noise. In the end, all those minutes would inevitably add up, the wheels would fall off, and the Celtics would fall short of their potential. At least, that’s what we thought.
The C’s have played their past two games without shooter extraordinaire Ray Allen who is out with an ankle injury. Somehow, they haven’t looked any less dominant. So how are they doing it?
The schedule can’t be overlooked, as they have had a home-heavy schedule loaded with weak opponents for them to feast on. Beyond that though, the Celtics role players are really stepping up and gelling. With Pierce, KG, and Allen attracting much of the attention of the opposition’s defense, guys are getting (and knocking down) the open looks. Case in point: Rajon Rondo, whose biggest question mark in his game was his jump shot, is shooting 53% for the season so far.
But the biggest impact that the role players are making is on the defensive side of the ball. The Celtics are giving up just 86.5 points per game, nearly 5 points less than the next-most stingy team in the league, the Detroit Pistons. Defense requires a mental commitment from every member of the team, and it’s clear that the role players have bought in to a defense-first philosophy. Check out what KG had to say about defense: "We do so many defensive drills in practice, I come home and I'm putting the press on my woman, denying her the ball. Y'all are laughing, but it's sad. I go home and deny the wing." Possibly the best KG quote ever.
So does all this mean smooth sailing all the way to the title for Bean Town? Far from it. The Celtics still have to prove that they can hang with the top teams in the league. Until they blow out Phoenix, Dallas, San Antonio, and the rest they will have question marks hanging over their heads. We should get a great idea of how good they can be when they take on the Pistons Wednesday night.
We also have to keep in mind that we are only a quarter of the way through a brutal 82 game season. Battling injuries and peaking at the right time is an art that only San Antonio seems to have mastered, and it clearly can make a big difference in the playoffs. Just look at last season’s fast starting Dallas Mavericks, who were infamously bounced in the first round by the Warriors.
There is no question that the Celtics have been the best team in the league thus far, but only time will tell if they can live up to the expectations that are growing every day.
-unposs
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The sky is the limit for Paul Pierce and the Celtics
