Boston Celtics Are Once Again NBA Favorites
on Aug.10, 2009, under Gambling
The 2007-2008 Boston Celtics were one of the best NBA teams in recent memory. A powerhouse comprised of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, few teams in recent memory have matched this team in terms of talent and drive. Going into last NBA season, the Celtics were the hands down favorite to repeat as champions, until Kevin Garnett was sidelined due to injury.
Without Garnett, the team simply wasn’t the same. Glen Davis was forced to fill in for Garnett (to make matters worse, Leon Powe was hit with injury too), and simply couldn’t fill the void that Garnett’s absence left.
In Davis’s defense, he did score 15 points per game, pulled down some rebounds, and some blocks, but Garnett’s presence is about a lot more than just the stats. It’s about his drive, it’s about his leadership, and it’s about the way he improves every other player on the floor.
Garnett’s veteran leadership proved that something was amiss without his presence, and the Celtics were no longer the powerhouse that they were at the season’s start.
It even spilled over to players like NBA All-Star Ray Allen. Allen simply couldn’t get it going during the series against Orlando, and many fans blame his ineffectiveness for the fact that the Celtics couldn’t advance to the NBA finals. Regardless, anyone would just about agree that a Kevin Garnett in the lineup would have solved all of these problems instantly.
By no means are the Celtics a lock to win another championship next season, but a healthy Garnett should bring the team back to its elite status.
This year, the Celtics have made sure that they will hopefully have at least two good big men in the playoffs if Garnett gets injured, as they signed Rasheed Wallace.
If the Celtics can stay reasonably healthy throughout the year, I have no doubt the they will be the team everybody will be chasing.