by Ben Barker
Since then, the Celtics have been inconsistent at best, winning only 6 of their last 17 games. So what does this mean for Boston’s green machine? Is it time to hit the panic button in Bean-town?
Not so fast. The Celtics certainly have some reason for concern, but a few minor adjustments may be all the Boston boys need to get back to their winning ways.
Go to the Hoop
Early on in the season, the Celtics looked like they couldn’t miss a shot from behind the arc. With the addition of Rasheed Wallace, the C’s were able to keep KG under the hoop, knowing ‘Sheed could knock down he 3-ball when teams would double Garnett.
However, after a red-hot start from behind the line, teams are adjusting, and the Celtics are feeling it. Of course the injury to Garnett made a difference, but not all of the blame can rest there. The best teams are able to overcome injuries and rise above the competition, and to this point, the Celtics aren’t one of those teams.
In order to make up for the drop in 3-point production, the Celtics simply have to take it to the hoop more often. Pierce and Rondo have showed all year that they are two of the best at getting to the hoop when it matters, but the real difference will have to come from the bench.
One guy who can really help the Green when used correctly is Tony Allen. When you talk about pure athletes, Tony’s face pops right into your head. When Allen gets going he simply cannot be stopped, his quickness makes teams back off, allowing him to find the open man, pull up for the jumper or force the issue and end up at the free throw line. If the Celtics can bump Allen’s minutes up from the current 18.5 to around 25, they should see a real improvement in their scoring, not to mention the help they’ll get from his defensive abilities.
The last things the Celtics need right now are distractions. In fact, more than ever, they need to bear down and focus.
This can prove very difficult when Glen Davis’ name appears in the paper every other week, and Kendrick Perkins is racking up the technical fouls. Yes, they are clearly frustrated with the team’s production, but the behavior has clearly been detrimental, especially in Davis’ case.
Big Baby sure does a lot of talking for a guy who started the season hurt, and since then has only averaged 5.5 points per game. If Glen ever wants to detach himself from the “big baby” label, he needs to drop the antics, because now more than ever, the nickname seems very appropriate.
Pass the Torch
When the Celtics brought Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett into Boston, the idea was for them (along with Paul Pierce) to help the younger players mature and develop.
Well, they’ve done just that, and it’s time for the results to start showing up. Rajon Rondo has led the Celtics in scoring in ten games throughout the season. But more often than not, these games will come when one of the “big three” are either hurt or having an off night. This needs to change. Rondo has the ability to take over a game at any given time, and this needs to start happening regardless of how Pierce, Garnett, and Allen are performing.
If Rondo and Perkins can stop seeing themselves as “fill ins” for the big guys, the Celtics are going to see a drastic change in the production from the starting five as a whole.
Be Healthy When it counts
No Celtic fan (or Magic fan for that matter) can deny that things may have ended a little different last season if Kevin Garnett had been healthy for the playoffs. However, he wasn’t, and the Celtics lost.
It’s no secret that the injury bug has bitten the Celtics once again this season. Rondo, Pierce, and Garnett have all struggled to stay on the court, and believe it or not, this is a good thing. Why?
Because it is only February. The Celtics would much rather struggle through the mid point of the season and head into the playoffs healthy than have it the other way around.
Of course, Boston will be expecting all five starters on the court come playoff time. However, the guy that is going to make the difference hasn’t seen much action this year at all. Marquis Daniels has played in only 19 games for Boston this season, and during that time, averaged only 5.7 points.
When Daniels makes his return to the court, it is almost certain these numbers will see a drastic increase. Daniels is coming off of a season in which he started 43 games and averaged 13.6 points per game. If Daniels can come back from his injury with the same kind of production that he showed with the Pacers last season, it will be like a mid-season acquisition that should boost the Celtic bench back to one of the best.
But until these things happen, the Celtics will continue to tread in mediocrity, as they drip down the Eastern standings, currently sitting at fourth place, 6.5 games back on King James and the Cavs.
And as their most recent one-point loss to the Lakers proves – to be the best you’ve got to beat the best. And right now, the Celtics aren’t, and they need to.
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