Rasheed Wallace makes Boston Celtics Favorites
Mon, Jul 13, 2009 by Patrick Mauro
The 2008-09 Boston Celtics–whose season ended in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals–were not a young team last year.
Rondo could use more of Garnett's maturity. (Credit: picapp.com)
33-year-old Kevin Garnett’s right knee sprain kept him out of the post-season as the then-defending champs came up just short to Orlando, the eventual conference winners. Paul Pierce will be 32 years old when next season begins and played more minutes per game last year than he did the previous season. Same minutes-story with Ray Allen, who turns 34 July 20.
So what does a rapidly aging team do to the roster in preparation for next season? Get older of course. This seems to be a trend. But are they old? With all the methods used to keep a body young–massage, relaxation chambers, disc decompression–maybe is 33 the new 27.
Wallace is a unknown risk level this season. (Credit: picapp.com)
Rasheed Wallace–who will turn 35 before the season begins–is the newest old addition to an already aging squad.
Wallace gives them another experienced veteran–known for his often negative antics–who will fit right in playing the aggressive hard-nosed defense Doc Rivers’ team is known for.
Only the Spurs and Cavs gave up fewer points last year.
Garnet needs to get healthy for the Celtics to have a chance (Credit: picapp.com)
Rajon Rondo was rumored to be on the trading block earlier this off-season, but that seems to have died down. He needs to harness his aggression instead of letting it get the better of him (duel with Kirk Hinrich). Could be a job for a good shrink. Rondo is only 23 (the new 16?) and the “guys in green” need young legs.
This team will also need Big Baby Davis to contribute and Kendrick Perkins to accept what will likely be minutes off the bench.
STARTERS/RESERVES
Rajon Rondo/Lester Hudson
Ray Allen/Eddie House
Paul Pierce/Brian Scalabrine
Kevin Garnett/Glen Davis
Rasheed Wallace/Kendrick Perkins
Rookie Hudson–who hasn’t signed a contract–did break a finger last week in Orlando Summer League action on his non-shooting hand possibly diminishing his chances to make the squad. Being a second round draft choice sounds kind of cool, but guarantees you nothing. Don’t know–because of the Hudson injury–if continuing the Steph Marbury-experiment is an option, but most Boston fans would hope not.
The Celtics need another ball handler and another shooter. They overused Pierce and Allen last year. These guys at this age should see their minutes diminishing, in hopes of fresher legs come playoff time. Coach Doc Rivers and President Danny Ainge know this and will address the issue before the off-season concludes.
When you compare the Celtics off-season moves, up to this point, to what the other Eastern Conference contenders have done–Shaq to Cleveland, Vinsanity to Orlando–Boston clearly improved on the roster that fell a game short of facing LeBron James in the conference finals. It’s up for debate how much LeBron’s Cavs or the Magic improved their chances.
If this teams stays healthy–and that may be a considerable “if”–bet your next disc decompression session on the Celtics versus the vastly-improved Spurs for the 2009-10 NBA Title.
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The C’s came up this summer, that’s for sure, but the King is still king with the addition of the big jester. Great NBA centers can win titles in their late 30’s and Shaq is a great NBA center, one of the 5 greatest to ever play. He is one of the most determined players to win a title in the NBA and NOBODY playing right now knows what it takes more than he does.
Shaq will definitely be more motivated now that Kobe won his 4th. Remember how in shape and motivated he was when he went to Miami?
He’ll turn 37 during the season. Kareem was 41 when he won his last.
Shaq got in the way in Phoenix. Wonder if things might have been different there if Terry Porter never got that gig?
The Cavs will be fun to watch. Don’t think there’s any debating that.
Beyond the big three how “special” is the rest of the team? But I guess Kobe and Gosol proved you don’t need too much depth.
Wallace will make a difference. But I can hear the cries of “plagued by injuries” from Boston already.
I can hear that too.
Will be interesting to see how many technical fouls Sheed, Rondo, and Perkins rack up.
I’d say Rasheed’s well worth the technical shots he’s bringing. He’s got championship experience, an amazing 3 point shot for a big man, heart (although sometimes a little to much) and is a hard nosed defender. Nice fit for boston.
Good points. He definitely brings more than Lamar Odom would have.
There is a old saying, it is not how you look or in this case how old you are because it is just a number.It is how you perform.
Taking illegal drugs that most athletes do take (believe it or not), it allows them to play a few extra years without pain or realizing they are punishing their bodies.
Just take a look at some former atheltes.
Hello Lyle Alzado.Hello Joe Gilliam.Hello Mark Gastineau.Hello sugarman: Michael Ray Richardson.The sugarman played many of years in the NBA,CBA,and over seas.How many years was he sober from drugs? You can listen to him talk and he the slurs and poises in his speech.He must have potent drugs for all those years.I always wondered how the sugarman ALWAYS undressed the altar boy=Isiah Thomas.It must have been those drugs.
The beat goes on…….