Danny Ainge has rolled the dice numerous times as General Manager of the Boston Celtics coming up a winner every time, however his latest trade may crap out! The trade of center Kendrick Perkins shook the Celtics tightly wound cocoon and left all involved emotionally drained, except for Ainge. Its a general managers job to make the hard decisions and take the heat that comes with those decisions but this one may be hard to sell. Although Perkins has been injured for most of the season dating back to last years NBA finals and recently turned down a four year $30 million extension he is still one in a small class of centers in the league. It has been logged into the history of the NBA that you can’t win a title without a good center and the Celtics just traded one of them for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic.
Look at the last three NBA champions, in 2008 the Celtics won because the Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum was hurt and no one could guard Perkins. In 2009 the Lakers won because they were able to match Bynum against the Superior Dwight Howard and at least slow him down and in 2010 the Lakers won again! Why you ask? They won because Perkins got hurt in game six leaving them without a center for the two crucial games in Los Angeles and the Celtics had no one to replace him. Compile those previous three scenarios with the fact that one of the Celtics biggest threats is the Orlando Magic who have possibly the best center in the league in Howard. Howard is a monster and he abuses most teams with his size and strength, however his worst performances in his career have come against whom you ask? You guessed it…the Celtics!
Yet the biggest issue I have with this trade is that Ainge put all his money on Shaquille O’Neal being the Celtics center for the playoffs. The oft-injured Shaq isn’t able to dominate a game anymore, matter a-fact he isn’t much of a factor at all anymore. Take a look at the last two teams who put there playoff hopes in Shaq’s hands, the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers and check the results…it blew up in there faces. I fear that Ainge and the Celtics have sealed their own fate with this ill-advised trade of Perkins. Again, you need a big man to win titles and the Celtics lack that now. So I ask you this question Mr. Ainge. Why take something that wasn’t broke and try to fix it?

Both O’Neal’s have had lingering injury problems throughout the twilight of their careers and it has once again become a problem with the Celtics. Shaquille O’Neal said that his bruised right knee is in good enough shape to get back on the court for Thursday night’s round two showdown with the Heat after missing the last five games. Jermaine O’Neal, who sat out the second half of Monday’s loss to the Mavericks, said the soreness in his left knee has not subsided so he will sit out, possibly for the remainder of the Celtics four-game road trip.

It is possible that Doc Rivers leans on rookie Semih Erden to start at center if both O’Neals can’t go. Erden is having his own injury pangs with his left shoulder which will apparently require surgery eventually.

Kendrick Perkins could not be more needed right now for the Celtics. Rivers said it himself, this team is merely trying to survive until he gets back. There still is no timetable for his return.

As far as tonight goes, I think the Heat have the upper hand at home. They should learn from their poor offensive performance in their loss on opening night. Dwyane Wade probably won’t have another dud like he did in that game. The Celtics interior defense will be weaker due to the deteriorating health of their frontline. That fact is just one of the things that will be in the Heat’s favor in tonight’s contest.

By Josh Delp of the Sports Fan Blog Network

The Boston Celtics re-signed Paul Pierce to a four-year contract, and look to be the front-runners to re-sign Ray Allen as well. These are questionable moves for a team who might have just mortgaged its future for a couple more playoff exits. Whatever team LeBron James plays for could probably beat Boston. And with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, the Heat probably could too. And now Boston will not have flexibility to sign great players in the upcoming off-seasons. I understand that they were loyal to Pierce, but will it cost them?

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

Tonight marks the start of the NBA Finals. The matchup of the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers is one that we have seen before, twelve times to be exact. The Celtics beat the Lakers in the 2008 finals 4-2. The series was highlighted by a 24 point comeback win in game four to take a 3-1 series lead. The Celtics eventually closed the Lakers out in game six in Boston.

I expect this series to be very highly competitive, much like the one in 2008 was. This time however, I expect the outcome to be different. The main reason I see this series ending differently is due to the fact that Kevin Garnett is no longer a dominant player. In 2008, Garnett was still a very capable offensive player and was armed with many weapons in his offensive repertoire. In 2008, Garnett was able to play above the rim and caused the Lakers front line issues. Now, Garnett is merely a spot up mid range shooter on the offensive end. The Celtics lack of a post up scorer who commands a double team will allow the Lakers length to disrupt the Celtics perimeter offense. The only way that the Celtics can win this series is if Rajon Rondo not only keeps playing well, but actually elevates his game and becomes more of a scorer. Rondo is the one Celtic who does not live by the perimeter shot on the offensive end. If Rondo is able to continuously get to the basket and finish, the Celtics may be able to take this series. I, however, do not see the Celtics being able to match the Lakers athelticism and scoring options. Lakers in 6.

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With the Celtics up 3-0 in the NBA Eastern Conference Championship, a return to the NBA Finals after a one-year hiatus looks imminent. However, Boston needs to give it their all to win this year. Rajon Rondo has played great all season long, but how much better can he get? Clearly he will never be a primary scorer, and he already does everything else well. So to think he will get a lot better is pretty foolish. Kevin Garnett is playing better in the postseason than he did during the regular season, but clearly age has caught up with him. Paul Pierce seems to be a Celtic for life. Ray Allen will be a free agent, and considering Boston was possibly shopping him earlier in the season, who knows if he will be brought back. And Kendrick Perkins is one temper tantrum away from getting himself into trouble.

Coming into the season, I would have said that Boston’s run in 2008 would be their only one with this core. But these playoffs have proved me, and many other people wrong. But as the years go on, their window closes. That is why the Celtics need to win it all in 2010 for their sake.

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

Too slow? Too old?

Indeed, the Boston Celtics look like they saved their best this season for when it mattered most.

“I know,” Boston’s Paul Pierce said. “It’s starting to look that way.”

Pierce scored 28 points, Rajon Rondo had 25 and the revived Celtics again avoided a late collapse to take a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference finals with a 95-92 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

Boston bullied and bruised its way to a 2-0 series lead on the road against a Magic team that had won 14 straight until this series.

After being hampered by injuries for much of the season, often showing their age, the Celtics are now just two wins away from their second finals appearance in three seasons.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPNBoston.com

The Boston Celtics sent LeBron James and the Cavaliers back to Cleveland to admire all of their regular-season accomplishments and ponder their future.

It’s the Celtics who are still in the chase for an NBA title.

Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and added 12 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 12 assists to beat Cleveland 94-85 in Game 6 on Thursday night and advance to the Eastern Conference finals. They’ll play the Orlando Magic, who are undefeated in the playoffs.

“Winning is gratifying,” Garnett said. “You’re playing the best team in basketball; the challenge is there; you don’t have to dress it up. One thing we don’t lack is confidence. We’re a veteran team and we understand when it’s time to lock in as a group. I think we did just that. I think the experience is taking over.”

Despite his sixth career playoff triple-double, James is headed for another early offseason after winning a second MVP award and leading the Cavs to an NBA-best 61 wins and a home-court advantage they never got to use.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPNBoston.com

Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce understands it’s only natural for some to question whether he’s completely healthy given his offensive struggles against the Cleveland Cavaliers so far this series, but he stressed Monday he’s in good condition and reaffirmed that his production doesn’t matter so long as his team wins.

Averaging 11.8 points per game on 32 percent shooting through four games, Pierce is under the microscope for a dip in his typical offensive production. On Monday, repeating what he said after Game 4, Pierce stressed that his focus in this Eastern Conference semifinal series is more on the defensive end.

“I do whatever I gotta do to help this team win,” said Pierce. “Guarding LeBron [James] is no easy task. He’s the two-time MVP and a lot of their offense goes through him — pretty much all of it. I know I have to focus on that end, more so than the offense. I knew that coming into the series.”

Celtics coach Doc Rivers echoed everything Pierce stated, suggesting he’s healthy and doing his part defensively.

Click here to read the full article – By Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com

The Boston Celtics have a few days off to prepare for the second round of the NBA playoffs and a matchup with LeBron James.

Dwyane Wade has all summer to recruit him.
Ray Allen scored 24 points, making five 3-pointers in the second half to help Boston beat Miami 96-86 on Tuesday night and eliminate the Heat in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. The Celtics will play James and the Cavaliers in a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series that will open Saturday in Cleveland.
“I think it’s a great matchup. It’s great for basketball — such a classic series,” said Paul Pierce, who scored 21 points on Tuesday. “They’re the team to beat right now. They showed it through the course of the season the way they played. We know this is going to be a tough series, another really, really tough series.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPNBoston.com