Chemistry test
I’m fifty percent intrigued about the oncoming Stephon Marbury era in Boston, 42 percent concerned, and eight percent just glad the whole episode is finally evolving.
By pretty much everyone’s account, after he clears waivers some time tomorrow, the NBA’s version of Randy Moss will become this town’s version of Randy Moss; a universally despised player who, you know, doesn’t turn out to be such a bad guy once he’s adorning parochial colors.
At least, we’ll see. To be fair, there does appear to be a great amount of trepidation amongst Boston fans when it comes to the inevitability of Marbury. They’re not exactly flocking like sheep to the altar of Danny Ainge on this one. With Rajon Rondo emerging as one of the game’s best point men, what does the addition of the NBA’s biggest headache mean once Marbury takes a look at the incumbent’s game and decides he deserves more playing time?
Ubuntu?
That’s the grand hope in all this, of course, that Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen take the man under their wings in the hope of preaching sacrifice for team and the common good. Then again, does anything in that phrase make one think of Marbury?
The most selfish player in the game is going to come on board, accept a backup role, and play choir boy all the while? Good luck with that. All the work that Doc Rivers and company have done in building team unity is about to receive a major test: If it can survive taking on the NBA equivalent of Marilyn Manson joining Up With People.
Marbury’s attitude aside, he hasn’t played in an NBA game in over a year, putting him not only behind the eight-ball when it comes to the Celtics’ on-court approach, but far behind schedule in just being game-ready. He hasn’t sniffed the playoffs in five seasons, and leaves behind a snarled line of train cars at his every destination.
But at the price, the Celtics can’t go wrong, right?
Maybe. CNNSI.com’s Steve Aschburner writes:
“The prospect of this headstrong, overpaid and selfish player (look, we already granted the “talented” part) shouting out, Garnett-like, “What can you say now?! What can you say NOW?!” with his fingerprints smeared onto the Larry O’Brien trophy sometime in June seems enough to click off televisions throughout this sporting land, perhaps for good relative to the NBA. No longer will Rosie Ruiz reign as the biggest fraud taking a shortcut to glory in Boston.
Anything less than that, of course, will mean that Marbury slammed a fifth franchise into reverse.
It is for that reason that the New York Daily News’ Mitch Lawrence calls Marbury, “the most unlikely player to ever wear Celtics green.” He’ll certainly be the most difficult player for the Garden to root for.
There is indeed some parallel (and irony) to Marbury arriving seven months after Manny Ramirez was shipped out of town after quitting on the Red Sox last summer. But no matter how well Marbury fits in, it’s difficult to see him surrendering his pride fully for a backup role here. At best, he’s Sam Cassell. At worst, he’s…well, Stephon Marbury.
Foxsports.com’s Ian O’Connor writes:
This is a marriage of inconvenience. While the Celtics are playing for a ring, Marbury is playing for a contract. He doesn’t have one for next season, and Boston is merely the forum for his audition, his chance to hook the next sucker GM.
Marbury won’t have his eye on the one-for-all, all-for-one prize, and the smart money says that will manifest itself in a poor decision on the court, or off it, at the worst possible time.
Or, they could win it all. I think we now know how badly the Celtics want that to happen, willing to sell their soul to get to the pinnacle once again.
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