The starting five
A few Rondo-quick observations while wishing the Celts-Cavs tipoff would hurry up and get here . . .
1. Count me in the camp that is giving the Celtics a pass for their inconsistent – and nearly fatal – performance in the Hawks’ series. In retrospect, Atlanta was a terrible matchup for them, a young, live-wire of a team with a nothing-to-lose attitude and a legitimate star, Joe Johnson, who played like he was hungry for vengeance against the franchise that gave up on him 48 games into his rookie season. Obviously, the series never should have gone seven games, but the guess here is that it will act as the wakeup call, and the Celtics team we see in the second round will look much more like the one we came to admire during the 66-win regular season. The prediction: Celtics in 6. You could tell me that LeBron will have a Jordan-in-’86-caliber series, and I still would refuse to believe that the Celtics will lose more than two games against a team that often depends on Wally Szczerbiak as its second option.
2. I suppose you could call me a Paul Pierce apologist, but I’m happy he got his moment of redemption with his steady and determined 22-point performance in Game 7. And frankly, he had to play that well, or he might have sufferered irreparable damage to his reputation. While I think Pierce is somewhat underappreciated around here, a classic case of a great player who becomes so familiar that you begin to emphasize what he can’t do rather than all the things he can, there’s no denying he has had a couple of Rasheed-style meltdowns in the postseason, and such antics are unacceptable from a player of his talent and importance. He’s the captain, he’s supposed to act like it, and I suspect that from Game 7 on, he will.
3. Doc Rivers’s strength as a coach is his people skills – what, you thought I’d say he’s a master tactician? – and it’s imperative for him to take all of the charm and persuasiveness he usually puts toward getting the media in his corner and use it toward convincing World B. Cassell to stop shooting the damn ball so much. Seriously, Doc has to say something, because Cassell’s unconscionable chucking sends the offense into disarray just about every time he is on the court. Even Eddie House, a gunner in a point guard’s clothing, runs the offense better, and I feel bad for him that he’s lost his minutes to a latecomer who seems to have brought an I’ll-get-mine mentality with him to Boston. It’s disappointing, because I respect Cassell’s intelligence and savvy as a player and thought he’d be a perfect fit here, and I’m surprised he’s been unwilling or unable to sacrifice his own game for the betterment of the team. I do know this: if it’s the former, it’s time for the coach to do something about it.
4. The more I see James Posey, the more I appreciate him, and the fact that the Celtics will likely call on him to play a major role in this series – namely, as LeBron’s shadow and chief antagonist – bodes well for their chances. He strikes me as a winning player, someone who plays his best and does whatever it takes when the stakes are the highest, and I think Pat Riley would probably second that assessment. Signing him was Danny Ainge’s best move of the offseason that no one noticed.
5. As for today’s Completely Random Basketball Card:
Cedric Maxwell has been doing the color commentary on the Celtics’ radio broadcast since 1995-96, and darned if I still can’t decide whether I like him in the role or not. He comes across as an affable character with a quick, self-deprecating wit, but he’s also prone to blathering the ridiculous (Nowitzki>Bird) and I sometimes feel like he’s going to say something that will cost him his job (then again, I’ve felt the same way about Tommy Heinsohn for 25 years). I’m curious what you guys think, so feel free to jump in and offer your 2 pennies in the comments (quack, quack).
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