Three championship keys for the C’s
The Celtics have proven a ton through their first 50 games of the season. They’ve shown they’re a true title contender for the first time in two decades. They’ve been Patriot-like against the Western Conference, boasting a 16-0 mark when playing the NBA’s better half. Kevin Garnett has emerged as the leading MVP candidate. And with a few nail-biters against the Pistons and Cavaliers, the Celtics have shown the playoffs should be as unpredictable as Will Ferrell’s character in “Semi-Pro.”
But more than anything, the Celtics have proven they can start an NBA-best 41-9. No one in that locker room had their sights set on February dominance. Rather, they’re looking to hang a 17th championship banner at the TD Banknorth Garden. If the C’s want to prove they can do that, too, here are three things they’ll need to focus on when they open the second half of the season tonight in Denver.
3. Get healthy. This is obviously easier said than done, but Doc Rivers and his coaching staff need to maintain consistency when dealing with their injury issues. They’ve done a great job staying patient with Kevin Garnett’s abdominal strain and Scot Pollard’s sore left ankle (opposite ends of the spectrum, sure, but the philosophy is uniform), and the coaches should do the same for Glen Davis, Kendrick Perkins and any other bumps and bruises that will eventually arise down the line. This season is about winning in May and June, and not before then.
2. Slow down. Consider this: The last team that owned the outright best record in the NBA and won the championship was the 1999-2000 Lakers. While homecourt advantage would be an absolute benefit, and would also signify a strong finish to the regular season, the C’s are an older team. If Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce aren’t fresh for the playoffs, this will all be for naught. After winning a tough game in Detroit on Jan. 5 to improve to 29-3, the Celtics looked burned out, lost three of four and appeared completely out of sync for two weeks. Boston’s intensity has separated it from the rest of the league, but it needs to be used only when appropriate from here on out.
1. Keep it together. All doubts over Rajon Rondo were clearly erased in the first half. Not only can the kid play, but he will be the starting point guard on this team for years to come. The Celtics have very little capability to trade for another point guard, which leaves them with about two choices. The Clippers could buy out of Sam Cassell’s contract, but Cassell is a proven starter and once led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals while playing with Garnett. Cassell would clearly want Rondo’s job, and that’s not what this team needs. Or the C’s could sign a free-agent point guard like Gary Payton, who would definitely take a back seat to Rondo. But considering Payton’s history with the Celtics’ front office, you’d have to think the future Hall of Famer would already be on the roster if the C’s really wanted him. Let this group finish what it started.
