I’m more neutral about how I reflect about this season. It was frustrating all year to watch the injuries pile up and then in the end for the Celtics to lose to the Magic, who I thought was the inferior team. On the other hand, it was great to see some of the developments of the younger guys. Let’s take a look at both sides of the issue.

The Cons

So when anyone tells you that they have good news and bad news they usually start with the bad news, so I figure I will start with the cons (or letdowns) of this past season. The Celts were heavy favorites coming into 2008-09 to win it all again. Despite the loss of James Posey, they were still a force to be reckoned with. However, they did not live up to that expectation.

Injuries throughout the year to Tony Allen, Leon Powe, Glen Davis, and Brain Scalabrine were very painful to watch, but the most painful of all was the injury to Kevin Garnett. Everyone kept hoping they might see him again at some point and even when he did come back for those few games, Garnett was just not the Garnett of before.

Tony Allen was out for a good chunk of the season with injuries and did not get to develop into the role of the sixth man that he seemed destined for early on. Leon Powe’s injury in the playoffs was just terrible to see happen. Even without Garnett, if Powe was still playing, I am positive that the Celtics would have beaten the Magic.

There were also failures with some of team’s new acquisitions, especially with the ones that would have given them some size. Early on, Darius Miles and Patrick O’Bryant were picked up to give the Celtics some big guys. Neither one of them amounted to anything, with Miles not even making the final cut and O’Bryant fouling his way out of the small amount of playing time he received. Mikki Moore was later added, and really did anyone expect this guy to do much? Sure he was better then O’Bryant, but he was purely brought in as an insurance policy.

So let’s summarize the big letdowns for this year’s Celtics:

• The Celtics were eliminated by an inferior team
• There were injuries left and right throughout the year
• The C’s had a lack of size and failed in their attempts to get more of it

What would have happened with some bigger talent and a healthy team the entire way?

The Pros

The Celtics also had a lot of good things happen this year. They grew much more as a team and we saw the swift development of some of their players. They also have more time to get their health back and be ready to contend again next season.

Eddie House

When the season started, I do not think anyone would have said Eddie House would break a record with the team this year, and sure enough he did. He notched the best three point field goal percentage in a single season for a Celtics player, which is no easy feat. How often does a bench player get great looks at a three pointer? Eddie was able to come into games, and without many good looks, he was still able to nail a record-setting percentage of them.

Ray Allen

Ray Allen, despite his advancing age, had a career year. Say what you will about Ray slumping in the playoffs, which he did, but his numbers for the regular season were great. The amount of games he played in, 79, was the most he had since the 2000-01 season when he played in all 82. He had a career high in free throw percentage at 0.952. He also had matched his career high in field goal percentage from the 2000-01 season with a 0.480. Let’s not forget that most of his stats were also higher than his previous year with the Celtics, and he saved the day for the Celtics on many occasions in typical Ray Allen style. He hit some huge shots for the C’s, including a few clutch threes against those pesky Chicago Bulls in Round 1.

Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins

Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins both had great years. Rondo was even considered by many to be an all-star, and although he was not named to the team, he should definitely be there next year. Rondo improved in nearly every stat category this year as he became one of the premier point guards in the Eastern Conference. Kendrick Perkins also had a great year, improving his rebounding, scoring, and blocking numbers. He has become a force to be reckoned with under the basket and a great defender.

Stephon Marbury

The Celtics also grabbed some talent where most thought it was lost in Stephon Marbury. I expect him to be back next year and a great guy to come in off the bench. He showed some of his old spark at points this season and if he can continue to shake off some of those cobwebs and get back into his old form, he is going to be great off the bench next year.

Glen “Big Baby” Davis

Oh yeah, there is that other guy that really turned heads: Glen “Big Baby” Davis. If you asked me last summer who the team’s biggest star of this postseason would be, I probably would have said Paul Pierce. Yes, Pierce was great as usual, but Glen Davis really turned heads this year. He had a great regular season and helped fill the shoes of Kevin Garnett pretty nicely in the postseason, and those are some pretty big shoes to fill.

Overall, Davis averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in the playoffs, but he had some great shots and was an amazing player the entire way. He even hit the game winning shot in game four against the Orlando Magic in quite a dramatic fashion. I truly hope the Celtics match any deal that is offered to Davis this offseason because when he, combined with Leon Powe, comes off the bench for Garnett next year, the Celtics will barley lose anything when they go to the bench.

The Verdict

So was the Celtics season a letdown? Sure it was if you look purely at the end result of the playoff run, but there is so much more that happened this year even without winning a championship. I wanted the Celtics to win more than anybody, but they did not and now I eagerly await next year’s team to take revenge and get back the title they so rightfully deserved this year.

© Geoff for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments
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The Celtics are definitely just clearing room to sign some veteran free agents. Last week, they sent away Sam Cassell just to free up space on the roster, and it appears they have done it again. Danny Ainge is certainly not done wheeling and dealing this season.

O’Bryant, a former top-10 pick, was really ineffective for the Celtics since coming over from the Warriors. PoB has played in 26 games for the C’s this year, averaging 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in just over four minutes per game. He never turned into the backup center Ainge was looking for…and consequently is still looking for.

Solomon has played a bit more this season for the Raptors, but Toronto felt they needed more size. The guard has made it into 39 games, averaging 4.9 points and 3.2 assists in about 14 minutes per contest. He gives the Kings a guy that can handle the ball, but will probably not make much of an impact on a terrible team.

Trade Analysis

I expect Patrick O’Bryant to remain a poor player with the Raptors. He didn’t seem to show much in the way of converting his talent and skill into a good NBA game. He may be one of those players that was good in college but just can’t translate his game to the pros.

Will Solomon is heading to the Kings…and will make no difference on the team’s record. The Kings will still be bad. Either way, it shows that the Kings and Celtics have quite a good team-to-team relationship. They have helped the Celtics clear away roster space recently after this trade and the one for Sam Cassell.

The Celtics now will probably go after Stephon Marbury if he can negotiate a buyout with the Knicks. Also, look for the Celtics to try and grab another big man. Joe Smith was not traded to the Hornets after all, so he may be available if the Thunder buy out his contract. Smith’s addition would be similar to last year’s signing of P.J. Brown. With Smith on the squad, I’d be pretty confident that the Celtics would repeat as Eastern Conference Champions.

Grades

Kings: They get a point guard basically for free. They trade away a second round pick that will likely not end up going to the Celtics at all. And to top it off, the Kings helped the Celtics for the second time in a week to clear roster space. How nice of them. Grade: B

Raptors: Toronto gets a big man they apparently thought they needed after the departure of Jermaine O’Neal. To be honest, this trade really doesn’t make much sense for the Raptors except to see if O’Bryant can build on his game while getting more playing time. The trade is an A+ for O’Bryant, who will get a chance to play more as he would’ve never seen minutes with the Celts. The trade for the Raptors, however, grades quite different. Grade: C

Celtics: They now have two free roster spots and it appears they’re clearing space to add a few veteran free agents. I bet Danny Ainge has been on the phone with other teams discussing which players may get bought out, and I expect him to make a move in the next few weeks. This is the easiest grade to hand out. Grade: A- (though, it really depends on who the Celtics pick up and how effective they are).

Important Side Note: Apparently, the Kings will waive big man Mikki Moore to make room for Will Solomon, and the Cavs are expected to make a run. They have a good amount of money left from their mid-level exception, so they may throw some or all of that money at Moore. The Celtics may also look at Moore, but won’t have as much money to give.

Basically, assuming Mikki Moore and Joe Smith get bought out, the Celtics and Cavs will quickly snag them up. The Cavs have the money so they have the control of who they want. If both players are dropped, I expect the Celts to make a hard push for one of them. This certainly bears watching…

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | One comment
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Believe it or not, KG is the fastest player to 1,000 games at 32 years, 165 days old. Well, he was drafted out of high school and has been extremely durable in his career, so that would make sense. Kobe Bryant, for instance, is more than two years younger than Garnett, but he has already played in 868 games, so he should be the fastest player to the 1000-game milestone in a couple years.

As far as the game goes, Garnett probably found it easier playing against a smaller front line. The Bulls start Drew Gooden at center (he’s a PF) and Tyrus Thomas at PF, which is a little less imposing than an Game 1, when the Celtics faced Ben Wallace and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

The Celtics bench players combined to have a poor shooting night, but helped out in other ways. Tony Allen led the bench with 24 minutes, and scored just six points on 1-8 shooting. But, he contributed three steals, three rebounds, and a blocked shot. Leon Powe led the bench with 13 points, garnering most of his scoring from the FT line (7-10). He finished six rebounds and a blocked shot in his 18 minutes.

Patrick O’Bryant saw his first action in a Celtics uniform, but was held to just over three minutes. Despite barely playing, POB was productive, as he hauled in two rebounds and also blocked a shot.

Rookie Derrick Rose led the Bulls with 18 points and four rebounds. He strangely had just one assist as the starting point guard, so maybe he needs to practice more with the team. He had nine assists in his first game against the Bucks (a big Bulls win), so it appears that Rose will have a big impact on team victories (as is the case with most PGs).

The Celtics next play Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers.

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | No comment
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Key Arrivals: Patrick O’Bryant
Key Departures: P.J. Brown
The Cast: Patrick O’Bryant, Leon Powe, and Glen Davis

O’Bryant has some big shoes to fill both literally and figuratively. P.J. Brown was a great (and cheap) pick-up for Boston during the second half of the season. He had key minutes in the NBA Playoffs through the Celtics run to the title and was a veteran leader to a team that was very inexperienced. O’Bryant does not need the leadership quality that Brown had due to all the returning faces, but he does need to prove he can put up some numbers behind the continually developing Kendrick Perkins.

O’Bryant has looked impressive in the preseason and has proved that he can play with the other starters if Perkins gets hurt again. He is a different style of center than Perkins, and Brown for that matter. O’Bryant is very quick and is not afraid to throw up a jump shot whereas Perkins is a force to be reckoned with under the basket due to his size and strength. O’Bryant is also now the tallest player on the team standing at an even 7’0″.

The Celtics finished off their preseason schedule last night with an impressive 101-90 win over the New York Knicks. Next Tuesday the Celtics open up their regular season against the Cavaliers as banner No. 17 gets raised to the rafters.

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© Geoff for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | One comment
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Tom Thibodeau took on coaching duties for the champs while head coach Doc Rivers was tending to some personal matters. Thibodeau must have emphasized passing, as that was the name of the game in the first half with the Celts scoring 18 baskets on 16 assists. They also didn’t miss a free throw in the first two quarters.

New Faces in Green

Veteran Darius Miles moved relatively well, though still appears to be at least weeks away from playing shape. He was 3-3 from the field, including finishing off a fast break on an ally-oop from Eddie House. The Celtics are hopeful that he can return to some semblance of the athletic freak he was coming out of high school eight years ago.

With 73-year-old Sam Cassell wasting ink on the roster, Miles will be forced to earn his spot. Though his signing comes at little or no risk to the Celtics, Miles has more than enough incentive to make the squad: If he competes in ten regular season games, the Portland Trailblazers owe him a cool $18 million. If Miles can’t bribe Doc, he’s going to have to impress him; let’s hope for the latter.

Newcomer Patrick O’Bryant and rookie Bill Walker wasted no time introducing themselves to Celtic fans. In the second quarter in particular, the fresh faces showed fresh legs despite a history of foot and knee problems respectively. Walker had a dunk in the quarter that you’d be sure would have been all over Sportscenter…until you saw his follow up act just seconds later. The entire sequence was easily the climax of the game for the C’s.

The Walker and O’Bryant Show

After (very) old friend Theo Ratliff missed a wide open dunk, Gabe Pruitt looked up court after a perfect outlet pass from O’Bryant. Pruitt then fed Walker with a half-court ally-oop on the money. Walker finished. Hard.

Just seconds later, Walker was blocked by Ratliff. The ball was grabbed by fellow-rookie J.R. Giddens, and he wasted no time getting the ball back down to Walker. The rookie, who lived in the shadow of Michael Beasley at Kansas State, elevated for a dunk that was contested by Ratliff. Again, Walker finished. Harder.

As if the past four seasons of being nothing more than an expiring contract hadn’t embarrassed Old Theo enough, the rookie Walker had just served him a facial sandwich. The C’s bench instantly turned into a mosh-pit. After the first half expired, Walker was greeted with congratulations by his teammates that could’ve been classified as simple assault had it taken place in any other setting.

O’Bryant had a solid game filling in for Kendrick Perkins (shoulder), ripping eight boards while dropping 10 points on 4-6 shooting. He showed that he can get up as well, throwing down a Rajon Rondo ally-oop that was behind him. O’Bryant cocked back and finished with one hand, and the UMass crowd once again eruped like it did in the Camby days.

Leon Powe continued to do what he does. He muscled his way to 12 points on 3-6 shooting from the field and 6-8 at the line. If Powe can continue to get to the line at the rate he did last year, he can really contribute by knocking down the freebies. His form was a promising sign for the humble hustler, as he hopes to play more of a consistent role not only on the defensive end, but crashing boards on the offensive end.

What Do We Know?

Preseason games in basketball are unlike other sports due the small number of players you have on a team. The starters get a few minutes and the fans get a little show, but as the bench players get more minutes to compete against each other, it really is a good measure of a players potential, deficiencies, and strong points.

Patrick O’Bryant looks primed to make an impact. J.R. Giddens showed a little of what he can do, though don’t be surprised if he and Gabe Pruitt take turns in the D-League.

As for Walker, his athletic ability appears to be in full swing, and he controls his own fate. If he is willing to work to become a legitimate defender, his minutes off the bench will be abundant. If not, he’ll be nothing more than the second coming of Gerald Green.

What’s on Tap

The Celts resume their preseason Friday night in Providence in the first of two preseason matchups against the Cleveland Lebrons. Expect more from the bench players in these first couple of games, with more of a starter presence to be expected as the Celts tune up for the regular season with exhibitions against the Knicks and Nets next weekend at the Garden.

© sean for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | 4 comments
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1. The Celtics officially have held their Media Day, which is an indication that the new season is upon us. New addition Darius Miles is impressing so far in training camp.

• This is a great sign for a no-lose signing. I think Miles could do a lot for this team as a 6th, 7th, or 8th man off the bench. He could fill in valuable minutes for the forwards, if healthy.
• For the moment, the former “Baby KG” says his knees (which have kept him out of 2 straight seasons) are doing just fine, according to the Boston Globe’s Marc J. Spears:

“This is my first training camp in, like, three years. I haven’t played in training camp in so long. I felt good. I tried to stay loose. I’m trying to learn plays real quick. Trying to get things down pat.”

His knees, said Miles, “were no problem. No problem at all. Same ol’ same ol’.”

2. An independent NBA investigation has shut the door on the NBA gambling scandal, saying that Tim Donaghy acted alone and there are no other officials involved. View the report here [pdf].

• Something about this is really fishy. As a journalist, I’m naturally skeptical, but I really do think someone else was involved. While what Donaghy did was disgusting and he should be punished, it annoys me when one guy takes the fall for some/many others. He’s the NBA-equivalent to the White House’s Scooter Libby.
• But, if it’s true that Donaghy acted alone, I’m glad to see the incident over and i’m also glad to know that no games will be fixed in the upcoming season.

3. Kendrick Perkins is still nursing a shoulder injury (sound familiar?) and new signing Patrick O’Bryant could take over the starting duties for the team’s first preseason game next Wednesday against the 76ers.

• O’Bryant is currently practicing with Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo, so he’s getting a nice experience with the big boys. O’Bryant has taken on a big role in the absence of P.J. Brown, who served as the team’s backup center towards the end of last season.
• Doc Rivers seems pleased with O’Bryant’s development, according to Yahoo! Sports:

“Patrick gets to play with the starters and that’s never a bad thing for him. Obviously, we’re going to miss James Posey, but losing P.J. Brown concerns me as much. Patrick has a chance to fill that role. We have Leon [Powe] and [Glen Davis], and they don’t have the length but they have other things they can do.”

4. Ray Allen fought his way to an NBA title, and learned during the Finals that his baby son, Walker, has juvenile diabetes, which is a life-threatening but treatable disease. He’s now fighting against his son’s potentially fatal disease.

• Ray Allen has started the “Walk for Walker” to take place this Saturday, October 4 at 9:30 a.m. at the Hatch Shell. It’s a three-mile walk to raise money for a cure for diabetes.
• Allen and wife Shannon released a message through the Boston Globe’s Marc J. Spears:

A resounding THANK YOU~ for your ALL of your support, incredibly generous donations during this shaky economy and most importantly your commitment to the belief that together we can diaBEAThis terrible disease!! Ray and I are in awe of the response we’ve gotten over the past month from all of you, and we are so happy that with your help we are now $20,000 closer to a CURE for diabetes!

• So if you’re doing nothing this Saturday morning (early I know for a weekend day), then head on over to the Hatch Shell for the walk. Hey, you’ll probably be able to meet Ray Allen and it’s all for a great cause, so it’s well worth it.

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© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | One comment
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After the Garnett and Allen Trades

Most fans view the signings of Allen and Garnett as the best move of the season for Ainge, but I think there is definitely some other acquistions he made that were important as well. Remember that Ainge traded nearly the entire team away for Allen and Garnett and basically had to form a bench out of nothing for the upcoming season. This was not an easy task, but he combed the free agent market and signed veterans James Posey, Eddie House, and Scot Pollard to start the season.

Acquisitions During the 2007-08 Season

Midway through the season, Ainge acquired two more veteran players in Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown, both for virtually nothing. He constructed a team that went from nothing to everything in just one season. Now Ainge has his sights set on repeating the same success for the upcoming 08-09 season.

2008 NBA Draft

There have already been some great acquisitions this summer for the Celtics. Ainge did well on draft night by grabbing J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker, both whom look to provide more depth and young talent. Personally I see Walker having a big impact if he can stay healthy throughout his career.

Ainge also drafted center Semih Erden out of Turkey. However, Erden will remain in Europe and will probably not have an effect on the team for a long time.

Strong Signings Before 2008-09 Season

Ainge also managed to acquire some more free agent talent and height in Patrick O’Bryant from Golden State, who will become another back-up center to Kendrick Perkins. What is great about O’Bryant is his 7’0″ height. He is now the tallest player on the team.

Darius Miles also signed. If healthy, Miles can be a great ball player like he was in Portland. The risk here is that Miles has not played since the 05-06 season due to injuries. Sam Cassell also appears to be returning to Celtics again for another season and will compete with Gabe Pruitt and Eddie House for the back-up point guard job to Rajon Rondo.

Final Thoughts

I am confident in all of the moves that Ainge is making, because a team can never have too many tools or too much talent. I had my doubts in the past about Ainge especially after he broke up the team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002, but he proved me wrong this past season and so far he has continued to do just that for this upcoming season.

The tough part will be getting the roster down to its final version. Training camp is coming up and we will soon see if Ainge has any more tricks up his sleeve.

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© Geoff for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | One comment
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According to the Boston Herald, The Celtics worked out the 7-footer, but reports from the workout were not good. Still, the Celtics pounced on the young center and gave him a two-year deal. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but one would have to assume that O’Bryant was signed for the league minimum.

In 40 games over the course of his career, O’Bryant has averaged just 1.7 points and 1.3 rebounds.

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | One comment
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1. Corey Magette did not wait long as free agency began at 12 a.m. EST Wednesday, singing a reported 5-year, $50-million deal with….the Golden State Warriors?!?

• So, instead of taking full mid-level exception offers from contenders who are over the cap (like the Celtics, Spurs, Cavs, Pistons, etc.), Maggette looked to cash in with a young and talented team that now has a gigantic hole at point guard (with Baron Davis gone).
• What will the Celtics do now? James Posey? Well…you’ll have to read on to find out!
• For you folks looking for a steal in the middle rounds of your Fantasy draft next year, pick Corey Maggette because if he can stay healthy, he is a lock for 25 points per game in Golden State.

2. James Posey is now officially a free agent and can sign anywhere without giving the Celtics a chance to match an offer.

• The Celtics have denied it, but NBA sources confirmed to Marc Spears of the Boston Globe that the C’s offered Posey a 3-year, $12-million deal. Sources confirmed that now with Maggette off the market, the Celtics have improved their offer by perhaps adding a fourth year.
• It is imperative that the Celtics sign Posey. They desperately need his defensive presence off the bench, especially considering the Celts aren’t interested in re-signing Tony Allen.

3. The next Tracy McGrady is back on an NBA roster, signing a one-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

• Of course, I’m talking about Gerald Green here, who drew comparisons to Tracy McGrady when he was drafted in the first round of the 2005 draft by the Celtics.
• Green is a great three-point shooter (career 36.6%) but can’t play defense and has to learn to play smarter. He has an all-star skill set but the basketball-IQ of a third grader, which surely makes for an interesting combination.

4. According to Yahoo! Sports, the Celtics are still searching for a big man this summer, working out Patrick O’Bryant.

• I’d be perfectly happy if the Celtics could just convince P.J. Brown to avoid retiring…especially after looking at the list of big men to replace Brown and Scot Pollard: Chris Andersen, David Harrison, O’Bryant, and Kirk Snyder.
• Of that bunch, I’m familiar with Andersen but primarily because he once was a drug abuser. I’m not very familiar with O’Bryant or Harrison, except to say that they’re both young 7-footers and would be welcome at the bottom of my NBA roster (if I were GM).
• On a little side note…Snyder is 6’6″ and is just another swingman to add to the mix…so I don’t see how Snyder fits into the mix of big men Yahoo mentioned.
• My suggestion for a big man: why not look at veteran center Jamaal Magloire? He’s only 30 and is capable of rebounding and blocking shots. Take a look Danny!

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© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | One comment
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