News 10/28 Game Day!

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128290&format=text
It’s worth repeating: Title defense no easy task

By Mark Murphy | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
Seventeen banners now surround the Celtics [team stats] practice court in Waltham, including the old faded originals that once hung in old Boston Garden, and the relics especially represent a bygone NBA era.

The Celtics won a record eight straight titles from the 1958-59 season through 1965-66 under Red Auerbach, and came back with Bill Russell as player/coach for another back-to-back feat in 1967-68 and 1968-69. The last six franchise titles have been won without benefit of a back-to-back run.

John Thompson was Russell’s backup on Auerbach’s last two title teams, in 1964-65 and 1965-66, and paused during a visit to Waltham last week to look at the banners and contemplate the art of repeating.

No team will ever win eight straight again. To nail down two straight is difficult enough. Just ask the San Antonio Spurs, who have won more NBA titles (four) than any other team since the 1998-99 season, but have never repeated.

Though the Celtics are just about everyone’s favorite to return to the NBA Finals next June, few like them as repeaters. You hear a lot about the Lakers or the Spurs winning it all this time.

The job has simply become too onerous, too much of an exercise in maintaining intensity and health to succeed.

Thompson shook his head.

“I don’t know of anything specifically, other than the fact that there is so much parity in this league right now,” he said. “Things really have to fall in place for a team now. (The Celtics) could play BETTER than last year and still have trouble.”

Healthy dose of reality

There are parallels between the two Houston teams that won NBA titles in 1993-94 and 94-95.

The Rockets had Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the two dominant big men of the era (Patrick Ewing being the other), and made a major in-season trade for Clyde Drexler before winning the first title.

A third constant was health.

“Health is the No. 1 thing,” said Sam Cassell, who came in as a rookie with that team and was rewarded with two championship rings.

The Celtics were, indeed, remarkably healthy last season, save for a Kendrick Perkins [stats] shoulder separation in Game 4 of the Finals that led to off-season surgery.

But now the Celtics can only hope that their aging bones don’t come into play.

The Spurs know all about that.

“It’s tough to repeat, man,” said Cassell. “A lot of things just have to go right for you to repeat. Injuries are the No. 1 thing. We have the right formula, though. Another thing is that this team stresses defense instead of the other way around.

“The teams that win, win with defense, so that’s good. But now all of the new guys have to grasp what we’re doing. No nonsense - there can’t be any of that.”

The Celtics now have much to learn from Cassell. James Posey, who signed a free agent contract with New Orleans during the summer, was the only other member of last year’s team who had previously won a championship.

And Posey’s first title team - with the 2006 Heat - may stand as one of the main cautionary tales for what happens when a team’s health deteriorates.

“Miami didn’t have a chance after that,” Celtic coach Doc Rivers said of a situation that was torpedoed especially by a chain of injuries suffered by Dwyane Wade, including chronic shoulder trouble.

Last year’s Spurs offer another example. Most believe the Finals would have featured the Celtics and Spurs if Manu Ginobili had been healthy. Perhaps San Antonio could have even repeated for the first time.

But even beyond the bane of injuries, the minefield that leads up to the Finals is a lot different now than when Bill Russell was playing.

“I don’t want to say it was easier then, but there were less teams. On the other hand, that probably means that there were better players on each team,” said Rivers. “But I think one big thing is that there was less (player) movement back then.

“Now, some teams can change completely,” said the Celtics coach, his own team standing as Exhibit A in that argument, thanks to the franchise-changing trades of two summers ago.

“When you’re playing the Sixers and Lakers with the same rosters every year, things become very familiar,” said Rivers. “Well, we shook things up last year, and this year a team stole one of our best players (Posey). But that’s just the way it is now.”

Taking it as it comes

The Celtics will crash over their share of hurdles this season. No amount of planning will prevent this.

“I’m not sure yet what can get in the way,” said Rivers. “Hunger is always one of them. Are role players willing to be role players again? The quote I always use comes from (Patriots [team stats] linebacker) Tedy Bruschi [stats].

“He says to play within your level. Each guy has to play within his limits. And then there’s always health.”

Among a lot of other challenges.

“We don’t talk about repeating, because we have a whole NBA season ahead of us,” said Ray Allen. To reflect on last year would be to reflect on a championship, and that’s not what we’re facing right now.

“One thing, though, is that we start over with championship habits. But right now it’s the start of a new year, and that’s all.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128282&format=text
No easy opener to Celtics
Party’s over at tipoff

By Steve Bulpett | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Angela Rowlings
The NBA will congratulate the Celtics [team stats] tonight. David Stern will smile as he hands them their rings, and the banner-raising will be a truly stirring moment.

Then the league will hand the Celts the Cleveland Cavaliers as an Opening Night opponent. Not the Knicks or Grizzlies or some other post-ceremony dessert. LeBron James and the Cavaliers, the same guys who took the Celts to seven games in the playoffs and came within a Paul Pierce [stats] explosion and 20-foot P.J. Brown jumper of canceling tonight’s party before it ever was scheduled.

“That shows you how little control we have over the schedule,” C’s boss Danny Ainge said.

Then, partially because he’s a competitor and partially because he doesn’t have to play, Ainge added, “I think it’ll be fun. It should be a fun game.”

The Celtics are well aware they will be facing perhaps their most difficult opponent in the Eastern Conference, but in that, as Ainge noted, they don’t have control of their guest list for the season, they might as well embrace the challenge. It ain’t going away.

“Listen, you’ve got to play them eventually anyway, and we earned the night,” coach Doc Rivers said. “We’ve earned what we’re going to get (tonight). We’re going to go through it, and I’m really looking forward to it.

“You’re always concerned by that (distraction of the ceremony), but hell, there’s not a lot you can do about it. You can talk about it. Two things you’re concerned about obviously is the other team. They’ll be watching and waiting, and this is what they want, as well, and they’ll get fired up over it. And then it’s a festive thing, and you just hope you can keep your focus. But all we can do is talk about it, and then we have to experience it.”

Paul Pierce figures the Celtics will be experiencing a lot of difficult games this season.

“Well, we figure no games are going to be easy,” he said. “I mean, you are talking about Cleveland, a team that took us to seven games last year and who’s a team to be reckoned with with their additions. But no, we’re going to face challenges all year, and why not from Day One?

“Definitely talent-wise they’ve upgraded with (point guard) Mo Williams, in addition to keeping Delonte West with the guys they already have. The guys they have around LeBron can really take a lot of pressure off him. As they play together and get better throughout the season, they’re going to be a team to watch definitely in the Eastern Conference.”

Added Rivers: “I think they’re a lot better. They are. The No. 1 thing is their best player (James) is so young. He improves a lot every year, so just without making changes he’s better. And that’s scary in it’s own right.

“But then they had a good summer, too, with some of their transactions. You know, Mo Williams, that’s a big pickup for them. It gives them another guy that can create his own shot, and I think that’s important. And the fact that they’re together now . . . we forget last year they made those changes midseason - actually late season (acquiring Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak and West), and this year they get a training camp to get all the guys in. So they’re absolutely a better basketball team.”

And they still have James, who went toe-to-toe with Pierce in Game 7 last May, outscoring him, 45-41.

“You expect LeBron’s best every night,” Pierce said. “He’s been an MVP candidate since he’s come into the league, one of the more consistent players in the league, one of the most feared players in the league. I don’t really get caught up into the mano-a-mano thing. It just turns out to be that way some days. I’m going to try to do my best just to help my team win.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128288&format=text
Focal point? Rajon Rondo
Expectations grow

By Steve Bulpett | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
It was just a throwaway line at a shootaround before a preseason game on the road. No big deal, but instructive nonetheless.

Ray Allen had gathered his belongings and wanted to head back to the hotel. The young teammate was still getting up a few shots after the morning session when Allen said it was time to go.

“Bus ain’t going nowhere without me, man,” the point guard said.

Rajon Rondo [stats] wasn’t being a jerk or anything. He was just having a little fun. But lighthearted though Rondo’s rejoinder may have been, it bespeaks a deep confidence that allowed him to steer a team to a title in just his second season. He knows there are areas he has to improve, but through all that and the doubts of a year ago, Rondo remains intensely confident in his abilities.

And while arrogance is toxic, a certain amount of swagger is necessary to truly succeed in the lion’s den that is the NBA. It can be quiet, but it has to be there.

“At his position, he has to feel that he can command respect out there on the floor, especially with the three of us that do command it,” said Allen, referring to himself, Paul Pierce [stats] and Kevin Garnett. “He’s got to come out there with that same mind-set, and he does. That’s important.

“I think he’s more confident, and he knows where his players are and where his players aren’t. He understands the game and really just knowing how to play.”

Added Garnett: “He’s become more mature and more of a leader, and you need that from your point guard.”

Rondo had no real choice but to step up last season. The rest of the world was saying it was foolish to put such a strong group of veterans in his young hands, and he did what he could to use that as an edge.

“A little bit,” Rondo said, “but I knew going in before it started that people were doubting me. What gave me confidence was - and I’m a confident player anyway - is that Danny (Ainge) and Doc (Rivers) didn’t go out and get a veteran point guard right away. From Day 1 when they got me from Phoenix on draft night, they had confidence in me. Ever since Day 1, they believed in me.”

Rivers believes even more now.

“Oh, I expect him to be a lot better,” he said. “Just better savvy, better at handling the helps off of him (by the defense). You know, that’s not going to change. I think it’ll increase. But I think he’ll be better suited for it with the confidence of knowing he went through it last year. I thought the failures that he had were good for him, as well. He struggled on the road, and that was good for him.”

The struggles were enough to get him back in the gym two days after the Celtics [team stats] poured champagne all over themselves last June. While others were basking in the glow, Rondo was basking in the practice facility.

“I just want to get better, that’s all,” he said. “I’m young and I can get in the gym even after playing 116 games. I’m sure it’ll probably catch up to me eventually, but right now I’m young and my body’s feeling good, so I just want to get better.

“I just want to make plays for my team, and I have to keep my turnovers down. Past that, I just want to learn every day and become a better leader.”

Article URL: www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128288

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128289&format=text
Wyc Grousbeck burns for more banners

By Mark Murphy | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Lisa Hornak
The company name, Banner 17, turned out to reflect a modest goal when current Celtics [team stats] ownership took over five years ago.

There is now a debate to change the number, though probably not as much as you might think.

“Red Auerbach told me that his favorite championship was still his first, and because of that we might keep it there,” Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said. “Or we could change it to Banner 20, so we have a proper goal to shoot for. But no way are we changing it to Banner 18.”

That said, with the average age of Paul Pierce [stats], Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett standing at 32, the prospect of one more foreseeable title probably makes more sense to some.

But Grousbeck is about to pull a page out of the Dave Gavitt playbook here. He wants to keep the new Big Three in green for the rest of their respective careers, just as Gavitt once decided to milk the latter years of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. Only Parish changed uniforms, and Gavitt’s ploy never did produce another title. Bird and McHale were too ravaged by injuries for a last hurrah.

Grousbeck, however, believes this is the way to perpetuate greatness.

“I love the Celtics end of this (business),” he said. “I was a history major in college, and I love the greats. And we have some of them here right now. I want another championship from the Big Three.

“Every minute of watching them can be memorable and historic. There’s no question that we want these guys here. Even before we brought in Ray and Kevin Garnett, I wanted Paul to spend the rest of his career here in a Celtics uniform. The Big Three deserves more than one title between them.”

Asked if the current championship window can remain open for two or three more years, managing partner Steve Pagliuca crossed his fingers.

“I hope so,” he said.

There’s been nothing to discourage Pagliuca’s hopes so far. Based on the C’s 6-2 preseason record, which was fueled primarily by reserve players as the team’s starters logged judicious minutes, he is thinking big about the campaign ahead.

“To me, we’ve already seen the preseason, and the team is working better together - already - than we might have thought,” Pagliuca said. “You have Leon (Powe), (Rajon) Rondo and ‘Baby’ (Glen Davis) all improving from where they were last year. Eddie House is feeling more comfortable within the team. So we’ll see where this goes.”

But the feeling has clearly changed.

Consider how Grousbeck is anticipating his first post-championship game night.

“I used to worry about what we were going to do - what lucky watch or suit to wear,” he said. “But now I can wear what I want. Now, let’s just relax and make it to the game on time.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128305&format=text
Celtic’s counter loss of James Posey with young guns
Energy surge

By Dan Duggan | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Angela Rowlings
One of the luxuries most defending champions enjoy is roster stability.

This season’s Celtics [team stats] are particularly fortunate, as the reigning champions return every impact player except for James Posey (free agent signee with New Orleans) and P.J. Brown (retired).

While the championship core is back, there were some additions to the squad in the offseason.

The most intriguing new face is rookie Bill Walker. The swingman from Kansas State was once one of the top high school prospects in the country, but knee injuries derailed his path to superstardom.

Walker has torn the ACL in each knee (right in 2003, left in ’07) and had minor surgery on his right knee this summer. The injury history scared general managers enough to drop Walker’s draft stock from the lottery to the 47th pick, where Washington selected him before trading him to the Celtics for cash considerations.

Although Walker has been healthy and looked impressive in the preseason, Celtics coach Doc Rivers is keeping things in perspective.

“New guys are new guys. I don’t get too excited about them yet,” coach Doc Rivers said. “I think everyone else does. My coaches laugh because I always say, ‘Everybody loves the backup quarterback.’ They see the new thing, and say, ‘Let’s play him,’ and, ‘Let’s start him.’

“It’s amazing how quickly people forget. They’re new for a reason and they have a lot to learn.”

Walker has brought a swagger to the court from Day 1, something that can’t be said of most second-round picks. He knows it will take time to crack the rotation but believes he’ll be able to contribute when his time comes.

“I’m confident I can go in and do some things and help the club,” Walker said. “You always have to be confident in yourself. I know what I can do out there so I’m always confident. You just have to go out and play hard. A lot of guys come in and coast. You can’t do that. You have to be a pro about it.”

Another fresh face is first-round pick J.R. Giddens. While Giddens could make an impact in the future, the words most commonly used to describe the athletic wing - “raw” and “potential” - typically aren’t applied to players seeing major minutes on title contenders.

By his own admission, Giddens has been slow to pick up the Celtics offense. In all likelihood, the University of New Mexico product could spend at least part of this season in the NBA Development League.

“I wouldn’t want to go down there,” Giddens said, “but anything to help my game, I’m all for it.”

The only other addition of a quiet offseason was Patrick O’Bryant, a Golden State free agent the Celtics signed to a two-year contract in July. O’Bryant could use a fresh start, as he never justified the Warriors’ selection of him with the ninth pick of the 2006 draft.

O’Bryant was limited by a foot injury his rookie season and then buried on Warriors coach Don Nelson’s bench last year.

One thing the new guys have in their favor is they won’t be burdened with unreasonable expectations. “It’s a wait and see,” Rivers said. “I think, for the most part, our new guys have to get used to our culture and how we do things - how we play and how we practice. I think they’re going to get it, but it’s just going to take time.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128287&format=text
Tom Thibodeau: Celts’ Secretary of Defense

By Mark Murphy | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Angela Rowlings
From what his players can tell, Tom Thibodeau celebrates like it’s his birthday when each practice turns to defense.

Be it the 2-9 drill or the hedge drill - both defensive exercises - the Celtics [team stats] assistant’s familiar bark rises like an alarm.

“He just seems to get so excited,” said Leon Powe. “Doc (Rivers) will send us off the floor for a break, and it seems like we’ve just got off the floor when (Thibodeau) runs out there and calls us right back onto the floor. He’s the first one out there. He can’t wait.”

Thibodeau and fellow Celtics assistant Armond Hill were expected to be candidates when other teams started to fill head coaching vacancies last summer. Though both men were given permission to talk to prospective employers as the Celtics played deeper into the postseason, no teams called.

As such, both coaches have returned to the Celtics to work on their resumes - Hill with Rivers’ offense and Thibodeau with the defense, which has become the area these Celtics are best known. In a short period of time, the Celtics have become the best defensive team in the NBA.

One of the reasons for that excellence can be traced to Thibodeau’s obsession with stopping other teams.

“Thibodeau gets into it,” Powe said. “When someone scores on us, he gets (ticked) off. But it’s been proven out there on the court what we can do against other teams.

“Just look at what happens in practice. There’s times when both the white team and the green team have a lot of trouble scoring against each other.”

The rest of the league knows that frustration.

“There’s different methods in the league for getting things done,” Kevin Garnett said. “It’s up to the players, and Tom has a game plan like any other assistant coach. So it’s a 50-50 deal.

“It’s more Doc’s plan, to be honest, and that’s how the players (get) into it,” he said. “Everyone gives Thibs credit for it, but we do have to go out there and execute it the way we do, too.”

It also helps that in Garnett, who was last season’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the Celtics have someone who quite naturally spreads this team’s defensive ethos.

But it also helps to have an assistant specialist who literally sleeps, eats and breathes the job.

“(Thibodeau) is one of those guys who is at his job 24/7, absolutely,” Tony Allen said. “He works hard and he’s driven at it.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128299&format=text
Celtics’ stars eye Big encore
Better things come in Three

By Steve Bulpett | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
They combined to average 55.8 points. They were all selected to play in the All-Star Game. They graced nearly as many magazine covers as Britney.

And - oh, yeah - they won a championship.

So is it possible that Paul Pierce [stats], Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen could be even better this year?

Coach Doc Rivers was willing to add a slice of certainty to that concept.

“I think they all will be better,” Rivers said. “They’re so comfortable with each other. They trust each other. The players trust each other now, and they trust the system. Last year they were learning that trust and this year they start the season with that trust. They’re back again and that’s an improvement. I think that’ll be one of our biggest improvements, not just the Big Three. Our starting five is back, so we should be better than we were last year because we should know each other better than we did last year.”

As good as Pierce, Garnett and Allen were last season, there was a certain feeling-out process as each, the former singular star on his team, moved into proper alignment on a team that had one goal: to win the NBA title.

There were only team prizes at stake for the Celtics [team stats], and Pierce, Garnett and Allen knew that they would have to set the tone. When in doubt, they had to give the ball up. It generally made for beautiful basketball, but there were still some occasions when dealing with the special defenses left them a tad uncertain.

Now they know better what they’ll be facing. They also know each other more completely.

“I think so,” Pierce said when asked if the trio will be more productive. “I think our chemistry is a lot better than it was at this time a year ago. It’s just sort of like we were learning on the fly last year, but I feel like it’s been a lot better in this preseason. And our practices have been a lot better.”

Said Garnett: “I think so. I think in every relationship you have room for improvement. We’re no different from that. The thing about the three of us is we constantly communicate. We constantly talk, whether we’re debating strongly or we’re on common ground, the communication is there. We understand when we come in here that we have to set the tone for what it’s going to be like for that day, and I think we do a good job of that. Can you get better at something? I would say yeah. But the three of us are at a good place.”

That place is preparing to open a season as the No. 1 target in the NBA. The Celts won 66 games a year ago, but opponents are girding for their shots at the champions.

While the Cleveland Cavaliers did a great job messing up the Celtics’ attack by taking Allen out of the picture in the Eastern Conference finals, it is more than reasonable to expect the C’s won’t flinch when they see similar defenses this time around. The Cavs get the first shot at the champs in tonight’s season opener at the Garden.

Allen, who fought off some tough shooting nights, is confident things will be different and more efficient in the coming year.

“There’s a great chance we’ll be better,” he said. “I think individually you know what we’re going to do. You know what our tendencies are. At this stage of the game, we’re not going to change a whole lot as players. What we can do is become more efficient in turning the ball over less, shooting a better percentage for me and Paul. Kevin shot above 50 percent, but there are still so many ways that we can get better and make the team more efficient through our individual performances.”

Allen wound up shooting a reasonable .445 from the floor last season, but he believes he can avoid some of the dry spells that came with a change in role that saw him take seven fewer shots per game than in the previous year with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Each of the three had to tweak his game (Allen more than the other two), but with the experience of a year, a very successful year, things should move even quicker.

“They have the knowledge of each other,” Rivers said. “They know who they are now. Last year they didn’t know each other. Now they do.”

And now they have dealt with the novelty of being the next big things, from magazine covers to ESPN commercials.

“The bond’s stronger,” Rivers said. “That’s why I’m really looking forward to seeing what they do this season.”

He will not be alone.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128293&format=text
Together they stand
NBA champs true definition of team

By Gerry Callahan | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Angela Rowlings
Strange how things work out sometimes: The 2007-08 Celtics [team stats] had the best record in the league and won the NBA championship, but they will always be remembered for what they didn’t do more than what they did.

They didn’t hit the proverbial wall. They didn’t stumble through that brutal Texas swing or fall flat on their faces on either West Coast trip. They didn’t come apart at the seams when they lost their heart and soul, Kevin Garnett, for nine games to injury (they went 7-2). They didn’t fold when Atlanta and then Cleveland pushed them to the brink in the postseason.

They didn’t complain about minutes or touches or plays called in crunch time. They didn’t scrap the whole ubuntu thing the minute they realized their scoring average might slip below the 20-point mark. They didn’t have a Plaxico or a Manny, a Joba or a Josh Howard. They didn’t take a handful of sleeping pills and blame their teenaged daughter.

No, they didn’t flinch, they didn’t fold, they didn’t slow down and they didn’t let up. It was something to behold -- a collection of acclaimed individuals who put the lie to the old cliche about a professional sports season being a marathon not a sprint.

For these Celtics, the 2007-08 season was both. They seemed to sprint for 26 miles while skeptical fans and media just kept asking: How long can they keep this up?

They started off 8-0. Then they went 20-2 and 30-4 and 50-12. They went 31-10 on the road and 25-5 against the Western Conference. In April, when they were supposed to be resting up for the postseason, they went 8-1.

From November to June, it was like watching a basketball version of a furious barrage of punches at the end of the 12th round or a desperate kick from Kenmore to Copley Square. There would be no pacing, no coasting, no pitch counts or pit stops. All out, all the time. Screw it, they said. We’ll rest in July.

The Celtics just kept punching until the night of June 17 when no one had to look at the judges’ scorecards to know the winner. It was a knockout in every sense of the word: Celtics 131, Lakers 92. How long could they keep it up? Oh, about 108 games, including playoffs. Long enough, as it turned out, to earn the 17th banner in franchise history.

“When I got traded here, it was tough to come and say, ‘I’m not going to do training camp. I’m going to ease my way into it,’ ” said Ray Allen, who had surgery on both ankles in April 2007, and was advised to sit out his first training camp with the Celts. “I just came full steam ahead and dealt with what I was working with. The situation we had last year was just too much not to want to be a part of.”

Allen said last week he was in pain all season but sat out just seven games. The Celtics won six of them. He is healthier now, and Paul Pierce [stats] is 10 pounds lighter now, and Garnett, they say, is even more intense now. Is that even possible?

“I didn’t think he could go to another level, but he has,” Pierce said last week. “It’s like we never won anything.”

And not many people are expecting them to win anything this year. An NBA.com survey of general managers found that only 19 percent expect the Celtics to repeat while 46 percent picked the Lakers. James Posey is in New Orleans. Andrew Bynum is back with the Lakers. The Celtics were old last year, and they’re getting older.

So they remain the NBA version of Bob Sanders or Steve Prefontaine or Amy Winehouse. People still look at them and think, ‘Sure, they’re OK now, but how much longer can they do this?’

Garnett is only 32, but as we know, Garnett years are different from normal, human years. He is going into his 14th season and already is second all time among active players in minutes played, trailing only Jason Kidd. And let’s face it: Neither Pierce, 31, nor Allen, 33, has ever been confused with J.D. Drew [stats]. These guys don’t just play, they play until it hurts. Sometimes they jump out of wheelchairs and play.

Of course, we don’t know if these Celtics can maintain this pace for another year. We never know in sports, and just when we think we know, Bernard Pollard comes crawling up the middle and changes everything. The Celtics were great last year but lucky, too: There were many twists and turns in the season, but no Bernard Pollard moment.

Maybe they’ll get lucky again and maybe they’ll just keep rolling through the next 108 games. Maybe it will get easier because they know one another better and they know what it takes to win. Maybe we’re looking at a mini-dynasty -- you know, kind of like every other pro team in town.

But tonight, when they raise the banner and hand out the rings, the 2007-08 Celtics will stand as the ultimate example of unselfishness in pro sports. All athletes say they care only about winning; these guys lived it for eight months. Can they do it again? They’ll try their damnedest. We know they’ll do that.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128284&format=text
Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett in step
A rapport in the paint

By Mark Murphy | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
He is a no-frills player, but Kevin Garnett enjoys making a behind-the-head or behind-the-back pass as much as the next guy.

But the Celtics [team stats] forward really found his groove with this play last season. Kendrick Perkins [stats], rarely anyone’s target for a fancy assist, was now getting treated almost every time he rolled to the basket with Garnett posted on the other side of the lane. Garnett, in turn, only lost his patience when trying to work the play with someone else. No one could catch the ball like Perkins - a stunning development for anyone who followed the Celtics center over the first four seasons of his career.

Amazingly, no one could read Garnett out of the post like his new teammate.

Perkins also emerged as the toughest player to ever have Garnett’s back last season. No one like Perkins existed during his 12 seasons in Minnesota, so Garnett was extra appreciative.

Then came Game 5 of the NBA Finals, which Perkins missed with a dislocated shoulder. Garnett, forced to play more of an inside role on defense, fell into early foul trouble, and the Celtics suffered a 103-98 loss to the Lakers.

Both players - one an all-time great with a rare mix of power and grace and the other a tough guy with a passion for dirty work - had come to need each other in a very short time.

And when Perkins missed the first two weeks of training camp while recovering from shoulder surgery, Garnett felt the void again.

“When I was out he made it easier on me,” Perkins said. “He kept getting on me to put my work in so that I could come back.”

Garnett was working out of self-interest. Perhaps Patrick O’Bryant will develop into a serviceable backup, but he wasn’t going to replace Garnett’s dance partner.

“They’ve taken working together to a level you can’t imagine,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “They need each other, and it’s gone very well. Game 5 in the Finals probably showed Kevin and the rest of the team just exactly how much Perk means to us.

“It’s so good between the two of them that they can communicate silently with each other now. That stands out for them at both ends of the floor, too. Kevin couldn’t make those passes with his back to the basket with anyone else.”

Nor could Garnett count on anyone to be such a great enforcer.

“That’s because Perk does all the dirty work,” Rivers said. “All great players need a guy who wants to fill that kind of role, and that’s what Perk does for Kevin. And I guarantee you that if someone went after Perk, Kevin would be the first one to step up for him.”

The unique part about this partnership is it took very little time to reach this level.

“I’ve always had great chemistry with Perk - since Day 1,” Garnett said. “The communication has been there from the start.”

That communication has come in all forms, too.

“Whatever way,” said Garnett. “Maybe it’s a strong debate, or just shooting the breeze, but we communicate all the time. We’re just very in tune with each other, and we don’t miss a beat. Maybe it’s talking about how (Knicks forwards) Zach Randolph and David Lee try to slip on pick-and-rolls. But the communication is constant.

“(Assistant coach Tom Thibodeau) will use us as the example when he’s trying to point something out to the other guys. Our chemistry is by far the best on our team, especially on defense. We take a lot of pride in shutting the post down, and you can’t do that without great communication.”

Garnett isn’t the only one benefitting from the relationship, however.

There probably isn’t a better tutor on the art of defense in the NBA than Garnett, the reigning defensive player of the year.

“We’re so on the same page with defense and offense,” Perkins said. “I had always heard about how professionally he takes things, and I’ve learned how to take it that way myself.”

Perkins sees no reason why Act II won’t be even better.

“I think we can get even better together,” he said. “There are still ways we can improve.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128286&format=text
Then, and now, Doc Rivers is a winner

By Ron Borges | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
Doc Rivers thinks NBA coaches and U.S. presidents have one thing in common.

“Look at the President’s face when he comes in (to office) and look at it when he leaves,” the leader of the defending NBA champions said a few days before defense of that title was set to begin tonight at the Garden.

“Look at a coach’s face when he comes in. Look at it when he leaves. There’s a miserable joy to both jobs.”

Rivers laughed heartily at that because perhaps no one enjoys his job more, stressful as it often is, than Rivers. Certainly he reveled in it last year when he was finally given a team that could fully compete and produced the Celtics [team stats]’ 17th NBA title and first since 1986.

But if he is to be believed, and there may be no more honest coach in the NBA than Doc Rivers, even the dark days of two years ago, when the C’s finished an embarrassing 24-58 and most of the town was questioning if their coach even knew how the air was put inside the ball, were enjoyable.

Well, maybe miserably enjoyable.

“I love coaching,” said the man whose Internet critics, in particular, made a living for several years insisting almost daily that he couldn’t. They then disappeared when he was given the kind of team that could win and did just that with it.

“Even when it was bad I loved it. I love the winning and I’m miserable when we lost any time, but whether we were good or bad, whether we were the favorite or the underdog, I still convinced myself we would win.

“I thought we’d win every game I’ve coached. You get your heart broken every night when you lose, but to me it’s a joyous job. Miserable joy, but it’s great work.”

Rivers is entering his fifth year here and when he arrived in 2004 he, and the Celtics, did well enough. They won the Atlantic Division but were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. It was then that the critics began their work.

The next two seasons were years of way more misery than joy as the efforts of Rivers and Danny Ainge to rebuild the most storied franchise in basketball stalled out. Well, they stalled and then they crashed to the parquet with a 24-58 record so grim that, “Off with his head” became the normal greeting Rivers received - even at the Garden.

Critics insisted his rotation was wrong, his handling of his players was wrong, what he had for breakfast was wrong. The only thing right, they seemed to feel, was for Rivers to float quietly out of town. But the Celtics stuck with him, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen arrived to play for him and, overnight, he was a genius. So it goes for Presidents and coaches.

Rivers’ critics are still out there lying in the weeds but they are silent now. You hear few questions anymore about if he knew how the ball was inflated or how he handled playing time for the varied parts that made up his championship team. Suddenly he’s a genius, at least until they tap it off again tonight on a new season surely filled with new questions to be answered.

“We understand it’s going to be 82 games of being attacked every night,” Rivers said of defending the title. “That’ll probably in the long run be a good thing for us, but it’s something we’re going to have to get used to.

“I didn’t change two years ago. I’m not going to change now. I don’t laugh or cry about criticism. It’s amusing sometimes but this is the job of second guessing, so do your job to the best of your ability. That’s all you really can do.”

It is all Doc Rivers has done through eight-plus seasons as an NBA head coach and 13 years as a player who made his bones mostly by giving the ball to other people and letting them look good. It’s what he’s tried to do in Boston ever since he arrived in 2004 and it’s what he’ll strive to do again this winter with a team that, like its coach, will believe every night that it can win.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128302&format=text
Top threats to Celtic’s throne

By Steve Bulpett | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone
The Celtics [team stats] didn’t have to fret much about whether they’d have the homecourt advantage in the playoffs last season. With their 66 victories, they finished seven full games ahead of Detroit for that right.

And staying in the Eastern Conference, the next best team was Orlando - 14 games behind the Celts.

Things did get a little dicey in the postseason, with seven games needed to defeat both Atlanta and Cleveland. The Pistons were a bit of a relief at just a six-game series.

In that The Finals are their own special animal, the Celtics will again be focusing on their own conference and the teams they see most often during the interminable 82-game warmup to the playoffs. They will get very familiar with LeBron James and Dwight Howard and Elton Brand and a conference that should be significantly more competitive.

With their health and talent, the Celtics are still the clear leader of the pack as they drive into the season. The rest remain in the rearview mirror.

But as you are well aware, objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear. Here, in no particular order, are the main threats to keep the Celts from The Finals.

Cleveland - The Cavaliers are hoping the biggest offseason acquisition in the league is one of the smallest. Mo Williams stands all of 6-foot-1, but he is expected to be a pressure release valve for a team that, for all its ability, still relies too much on LeBron. Williams is a true playmaker who should allow James to move without the ball, set his man (or men) up and score while expending less energy.

Cleveland will still try to bang you inside, with people like Anderson Varejao a nice X-factor, but the Cavs hope to get out and score a bit more in transition. Williams will be important here as a director of traffic.

As good as Williams can be, however, what he does well coincides with a major Celtics strength. Rajon Rondo [stats] dominated Game 6 against the Lakers with his defense, and there is no reason to believe he will turn into a 3-point launching diva this season.

Philadelphia - Forget about the Lakers. The 76ers have historically been the Celtics’ biggest and most intense rival. And with the arrival of Elton Brand, Philly could be formidable once again.

The Sixers have Andre Miller at the point, young star Andre Iguodala flying on the wing and gangly Samuel Dalembert swatting shots in the middle. Brand gives them a double-double guy and an instant halfcourt game.

This team still needs better outside shooting, but Brand could be a very interesting matchup for Kevin Garnett.

Orlando - The thought of Dwight Howard another year older and wiser and better able to put that muscular frame to work is rather frightening. But the Magic remain wedded to the long ball - perhaps too much.

Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu can fill it up, but they’re going to need to play a more varied game to be successful as the days in May slip off the calendar. Jameer Nelson will be a big key at the point, and newcomer Mickael Pietrus should add important depth that allows Orlando to keep its game going throughout the rotation.

Detroit - As he put coach Flip Saunders out to pasture, president Joe Dumars said there were no sacred cows. But after being unable to pull off any great trades, the Pistons will be trying to milk the same old crew that has been found wanting late in the playoffs.

Rodney Stuckey was a nice addition last year and, yes, he will be even better this time around. It’s just that it’s hard to envision anything fresh out of Rasheed Wallace and friends. Amir Johnson will take on a greater role, but will that amount to enough when they run into the Celtics next spring?

Toronto - Like their baseball brethren, the Blue Jays, the Raptors tend to look very interesting before the season starts and the losses begin to accrue. Both teams have bright GMs and people who can play.

It’s hard not to think both will be factors in their respective races, and the Raptors have certainly made a splash with the acquisition of Jermaine O’Neal. Were he the most important player on this team, then you might be able to forget about it. O’Neal is not the kind of guy you want to rely on as your heart and soul. Ask the Pacers about that one.

But as a complement to Chris Bosh, O’Neal could work just fine - if he understands his place in the operation.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128297&format=text
Celtics at a glance

By Herald staff | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics
Ray Allen

Number: 20

Position: G

HT: 6-5 WT: 205

Age: 33

Skinny: Former UConn star was fifth pick in 1996 draft. ... Played for Milwaukee and Seattle until being traded to Celtics [team stats] on draft night in 2007. ... Selected to eight All-Star teams. ... Sharp-shooter is second all-time in career 3-pointers made (2,100) and seventh all-time in career free-throw percentage (89 percent). ... Career average of 21.1 points per game.

Fun Fact: Allen starred in the 1998 Spike Lee film “He Got Game” as Jesus Shuttlesworth, a New York City high school basketball phenom.

Tony Allen

Number: 42

Position: G

HT: 6-4 WT: 213

Age: 26

Skinny: Former Oklahoma St. standout was drafted by the Celtics with the 25th pick of the 2004 draft. ... Was having a breakout season two years ago, averaging 11.5 points, before tearing his ACL and MCL. ... Worked his way back into the rotation last season, making his impact as a perimeter defender off the bench.

Fun Fact: Played at Crane High in Chicago with Will Bynum, who spent time with the Celtics in the 2005 preseason and is now with the Pistons.

Sam Cassell

Number: 28

Position: G

HT: 6-3 WT: 193

Age: 38

Skinny: A first-round pick out of Florida St. in 1993 draft, he has played for seven teams. ... Has reached the postseason 11 times in 15-year career, winning three titles. ... Developed reputation as clutch shooter early in career, while a member of back-to-back championship teams in Houston. ... Signed with Celtics last March after the Clippers bought out his contract, re-uniting him with former teammates Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

Fun Fact: Cassell is set to join Doc Rivers’ coaching staff when his playing days are over.

Glen Davis

Number: 11

Position: F

HT: 6-9 WT: 289

Age: 22

Skinny: Acquired by the Celtics from Seattle along with Ray Allen in the 2007 draft day trade. ... Led LSU to 2006 NCAA Final Four, winning SEC Player of the Year honors in the process. ... “Big Baby” has become a fan favorite at the Garden for his energetic play. ... Averaged 4.5 points per game off the bench.

Fun Fact: Davis got his nickname while playing peewee league football when he was 9 years old and it stuck.

Kevin Garnett

Number: 5

Position: F

HT: 6-11 WT: 253

Age: 32

Skinny: One of the most successful players ever to make the jump directly from high school to the NBA, he was picked fifth in the 1995 draft. ... Spent first 12 seasons with Minnesota before Celtics traded five players and two draft picks to acquire him July 31, 2007. ... Eleven-time All-Star was named MVP of 2004 season. ... Last season, he became one of four active players to score more than 20,000 career points. ... Career averages of 20.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. ... Named NBA Defensive Player of the Year last season. ... Third in last season’s MVP voting.

Fun Fact: Garnett is on the cover of the video game “NBA 2K9.”

J.R. Giddens

Number: 4

Position: G

HT: 6-5 WT: 215

Age: 23

Skinny: Selected with the 30th pick of the first round by the Celtics in June’s draft. ... Averaged 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds at New Mexico last year. ... Named the Mountain Conference co-player of the year. ... Began his college career at Kansas, but transferred after two tumultuous years.

Fun Fact: Giddens played with current teammates Leon Powe and Kendrick Perkins [stats] in the 2003 McDonald’s High School All-American Game.

Eddie House

Number: 50

Position: G

HT: 6-1 WT: 175

Age: 30

Skinny: Arizona State’s all-time leading scorer, he was drafted in the second round of the 2000 draft by Miami. ... Has been a steady bench contributor throughout his career, enjoying his best season with Phoenix in 2005-06 when he averaged 9.8 points per game. ... Signed with the Celtics August 1, 2007 and averaged 7.5 points per game, matching his career average. ... Signed two-year extension with Celtics this offseason.

Fun Fact: House is married to Charlsie Bibby, the sister of Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby.

Patrick O’Bryant

Number: 26

Position: C

HT: 7-0 WT: 250

Age: 22

Skinny: Signed to a two-year free-agent contract by the Celtics on July 11. ... The ninth overall pick in the 2006 draft by Golden State, O’Bryant was a major disappointment with the Warriors. ... In two seasons with Golden State, played in only 40 games, averaging 1.7 points per game.

Fun Fact: O’Bryant played his way into the top-10 of the draft with a strong performance in the 2006 NCAA tournament, leading Bradley to the Sweet 16.

Kendrick Perkins

Number: 43

Position: C

HT: 6-10 WT: 280

Age: 23

Skinny: Texas native was selected with the 27th pick of the 2003 draft by Memphis and then was immediately traded to the Celtics. ... One of only three players (Paul Pierce [stats] and Tony Allen) remaining from 2005 Celtics playoff team. ... Became full-time starter at center for C’s last season, averaging career bests with 6.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Fun Fact: Perkins played on an Oakland AAU team in 2001 with current teammate Leon Powe and Cleveland’s LeBron James.

Paul Pierce

Number: 34

Position: G/F

HT: 6-7 WT: 235

Age: 30

Skinny: By far the longest-tenured Celtic, Pierce was the 10th pick in the 1998 draft and has spent his entire 10-year career in Boston. ... The six-time All Star led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002. ... Career average of 23.1 points per game ranks 21st all-time. ... Named the MVP of last season’s NBA Finals.

Fun Fact: Making light of his speedy return from what appeared to be a serious knee injury in Game 1 of the Finals, Pierce rolled onto the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” set in a wheelchair.

Leon Powe

Number: 0

Position: F

HT: 6-8 WT: 240

Age: 24

Skinny: A second-round pick out of Cal in 2006, he has become a solid role player off the bench. ... Rebounded from a serious knee injury to become a second-team All-American in final season at Cal. ... Averaged 7.9 points in 14.4 minutes per game last season.

Fun Fact: Despite having two major knee surgeries during his college career, Powe plays without a knee brace.

Gabe Pruitt

Number: 13

Position: G

HT: 6-4 WT: 170

Age: 22

Skinny: Was selected by the Celtics with the 32nd pick of the 2007 draft. ... Appeared in only 15 games in his rookie season, spending parts of the year with the Utah Flash of the D-League. ... Averaged 12.5 points and 4.3 assists in his final season at USC.

Fun Fact: Pruitt was selected three spots ahead of teammate Glen Davis in the 2007 draft.

Rajon Rondo [stats]

Number: 9

Position: G

HT: 6-1 WT: 171

Age: 22

Skinny: Acquired by the Celtics in a draft-day trade with Phoenix in 2006. ... Split time at point guard in rookie season with Sebastian Telfair [stats] and Delonte West. ... Started every game he played last year, averaging 10.6 points and 5.1 assists per game. ... Shot 49.2 percent from the floor last season, the seventh best shooting percentage among guards.

Fun Fact: Rondo was an accomplished quarterback in high school before transferring to basketball factory Oak Hill Academy and focusing on hoops.

Brian Scalabrine

Number: 44

Position: F/C

HT: 6-9 WT: 235

Age: 30

Skinny: Selected in the second round of the 2001 draft by New Jersey. ... Scalabrine was primarily a bench player with the Nets. ... Signed a five-year, $15 million contract with Boston in 2005.

Fun Fact: Though he has only averaged 14.6 minutes per game in his career, Scalabrine’s teams have consistently been successful, reaching the playoffs in five of his seven seasons.

Bill Walker

Number: 12

Position: G/F

HT: 6-6 WT: 220

Age: 20

Skinny: Selected with the 47th pick in June’s draft by Washington before being traded to the Celtics for cash considerations. ... Played 1.5 seasons at Kansas State, averaging 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds last year. ... Graduated high school early and enrolled at Kansas State in Dec. 2006, averaging 11.3 points in his first six games before rupturing his ACL in his left knee. ... Walker suffered the same injury to his right knee in high school.

Fun Fact: Walker has played with two of the top three picks in this year’s draft. Walker teamed with third pick O.J. Mayo at North College High (Ohio) and second pick Michael Beasley at Kansas State last year.

Doc Rivers

Age: 47

Coaching Experience: 10th year (fifth with Celtics)

Skinny: Has a 339-328 career coaching record. ... Became the Celtics coach before the 2004-05 season. ... Coached Orlando from 1999-03, leading the Magic to the playoffs three times. ... Named NBA Coach of the Year following 1999-00 season. ... Played for four teams in 14 seasons in the NBA, averaging 10.9 points per game in his career.

Fun Fact: Rivers’ children are following in his footsteps as elite athletes. His son Jeremiah plays basketball at Indiana University, his daughter Callie plays volleyball at the University of Florida and his son Austin, a high school sophomore, has already committed to play basketball at Florida.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128307&format=text
Roster Rotation

By Herald staff | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics
The Celtics [team stats] have three significant roster changes from last year’s NBA title-winning squad. Here’s a look at the turnover as they chase championship No. 18:

COMINGS ...

PATRICK O’BRYANT

Where he comes from: Free agent signed a two-year contract with the Celtics in July after playing his first two seasons with Golden State.

What he brings: The 7-footer adds size to the bench which otherwise features undersized post players. The C’s hope O’Bryant will fortify the frontcourt depth now that P.J. Brown has retired. The former lottery pick is only 22, and has the potential to develop.

What he lacks: As a third-year player, O’Bryant doesn’t possess the experience and leadership of Brown. The ninth pick in the 2006 draft, he was considered a bust in Golden State, scoring just 66 points in 40 games in two seasons. The Celtics have to hope he benefits from practicing and playing alongside Kevin Garnett.

BILL WALKER

Where he comes from: Rookie was a second-round pick out of Kansas State, acquired in a draft-night trade with Washington.

What he brings: Walker plays with the swagger one would expect from a player who was a consensus Top 10 high school recruit. Knee surgeries hurt his draft stock, but Walker is healthy and his athleticism hasn’t been hindered. The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder has good size and strength for a wing.

What he lacks: As a rookie, Walker obviously lacks experience and won’t have an easy time cracking the rotation with a crowd of veteran wings on the roster. Walker won’t bring the defensive presence of James Posey, at least not initially. A strong slasher, Walker needs to develop his ballhandling skills and 3-point shooting.

J.R. GIDDENS

Where he comes from: Rookie was a first-round pick out of New Mexico.

What he brings: Giddens is an explosive athlete who should be able to finish at the rim as he gets more comfortable in the offense. The 6-4, 215-pounder has the tools to become a strong defensive player. In college, Giddens rebounded well for a shooting guard, averaging 8.8 per game last season.

What he lacks: On a veteran squad with plenty of wings, Giddens will likely do a lot of watching. If he’s shipped to the D-League, that chould benefit him. He has struggled to grasp the team’s offensive schemes and hasn’t displayed the same decisiveness as fellow rookie Walker.

GOINGS ...

JAMES POSEY

Where he went: Free agent signed a four-year contract with New Orleans in July.

What he brought: Posey was one of only two players (Sam Cassell) on last year’s team with previous championship experience, having won a title with the Heat in 2006. That experience helped Posey become the leader of the second unit. The sixth man brought value as a clutch 3-point shooter and versatile defender.

P.J. BROWN

Where he went: Retired.

What he brought: One of the most respected players in the league, Brown was talked out of retirement by Paul Pierce [stats] and Ray Allen last season, joining the team in late February. In addition to his steadying presence, Brown contributed strong post defense and rebounding. Brown also was a capable offensive player, knocking down a crucial jump shot late in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

SCOT POLLARD

Where he went: Free agent.

What he brought: Pollard was signed before last season with the expectation he would provide frontcourt depth. Ankle injuries prevented him from ever making an impact, as he only appeared in 22 games before having season-ending surgery in March.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128283&format=text
Paul Pierce sees Red in quest to repeat

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics
In a physical sense, Red Auerbach will be part of the scene at the Garden tonight only in his autograph on the court and his designated No. 2 hanging with the retired numerals in the rafters. But the franchise patriarch will be in the Celtics [team stats]’ thoughts as they raise their banner this evening.

“I think about Red all the time,” said Paul Pierce [stats], “especially during all this . . . just wishing that he was here during the time when we won the championship.

“He’s in my mind every time Opening Night is there because I’m always used to him being there handing me a cigar before the game and sitting in the front. Definitely he’ll be in my thoughts.”

And Pierce knows the redhead would be talking about an 18th banner if he was here. The Celtics haven’t repeated as NBA champions since winning in 1968 and ’69 - Bill Russell’s last two years. And even though the John Havlicek-Dave Cowens teams of the ’70s and the Larry Bird teams of the ’80s never won consecutively, multiplicity still is the key to Celtics greatness.

“If we want to be talked about when our careers are long gone as one of the greatest Celtics teams, it’s definitely an accomplishment that we have to get,” Pierce said.

A familiar ring

Tonight will be just the second ring ceremony Pierce has even seen.

“I remember watching the Miami ring ceremony (after the Heat won in 2005-06),” he said. “That’s probably the only one I’ve ever watched. You dream of having that happen to you, and finally that day has come. Hopefully we don’t get blown out like they did that day. I remember that like it was yesterday.”

In the next season’s opener, Miami got blitzed by the Bulls, 108-66.

Houston had better luck after getting rings for the ’94 and ’95 wins. With Sam Cassell in tow, the Rockets beat New Jersey (90-86) and Golden State (110-92) in home openers.

Looking to this evening, Cassell said, “It’ll be a fun time for guys like Ray (Allen), Paul and Kevin (Garnett) - guys who took so long to get the ring. Just to have the announcer call their name off and greet the commissioner and get that box with the ring in it, that will be a special moment for those guys. A special moment for me, too.

“When I first got in the league, I won. I didn’t know too much about the NBA game. Just my first two years I won the NBA championship, so it’s been a 13-year stint where I didn’t win, and I understand the importance of reaching that goal of winning the championship.”

Doc’s OK with this

Doc Rivers on the hoopla: “It’s a tough night in a lot of ways as far as focus. We know that. But I’d rather have this distraction. This is the best distraction that I can come up with for this team. I hope we keep having distractions like this on the first game every year. It’d be terrific.” . . .

The Celtics and the State Lottery have partnered on a new $5 instant ticket with nearly $40 million in prizes, team merchandise and the chance to win $1 million on the floor during a game.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1128294&format=text
Words from the wise

By Steve Bulpett | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

It was a long road for the Celtics [team stats] in 2007-08. There were the requisite 82 games in the regular season and 26 more in the playoffs before they could secure the 17th championship in franchise history. Along the way there were 82 victories, including the 16 needed for the NBA title.

Now all they have to do is retrace those same steps.

In an NBA that hasn’t seen a repeat winner since the 2001-02 Lakers, it has become a difficult proposition. The Herald therefore decided to consult with some experts on the subject.

“It’s obviously a mental thing once you’ve gotten to the top of the hill as opposed to trying to stay there,” said Bob Cousy, six times a champion with the Celts, including his last five seasons in the NBA. “We’re dealing with such a different generation, with the player of today having all these distractions and agendas. We could continue to focus, and we had Arnold (Auerbach). Hopefully Doc (Rivers) can function in the same capacity, because it’s just a question of getting them to sustain an effort.”

According to one of the more erudite men to even don the Green, the question will largely be answered above the shoulders.

“So much of it is a matter of mindset,” said Tom “Satch” Sanders, who won titles his first six years with the Celtics and twice more in ’68 and ’69. “Clearly you know you have the ability. You’ve done it once. There isn’t any reason why you can’t do it again.

“The good thing about winning a championship and the team remaining intact is that you all know what you can do and you can do it again. You know what your abilities are. So why not repeat it? See, once you have the taste, you say to yourself, ‘Now that wasn’t a bad taste. In fact, it was good. Let’s do it again.’ ”

KC Jones, who won eight championships as a player with the Celtics and two more as head coach (and one more as an assistant coach), pointed to the community aspect of the game.

“The important thing is that the players are out there playing for each other,” he said. “That’s what you have to have. Guys have to understand where they fit in and be willing to accept that. They have to want to be a part of something bigger. If I was open and Sam (Jones) was open, I knew he was going to get the ball because he was a better shooter than I was. I was good with that because I knew it would help the team.”

One of the most helpful aspects to a winning program is defense - the less glamorous end of the floor. It is there that Cousy believes the Celts have set themselves apart.

“I thought the most beautiful thing about last year was that defensively it had been a long time - if ever - that I’d seen a team sustain a defensive effort for as long as they seemed to be able to do it,” Cousy said. “In what I’ve seen of the exhibition games, they seem to have the same mindset now. When I talk to people about this, they all point to (Kevin) Garnett.

“If one of your top guys is that intense, and they tell me he’s the same way in practice, screaming all the right things and getting on people, that’s got to be a huge force,” Cousy added. “I don’t see any changes so far in their mental approach.

“I’ve said so often that today’s athlete will work every bit as hard to get to the top of the hill as we did. But there’s no question in my mind they won’t work anywhere near as hard to stay at the top of the hill. So this will be a good test case this year, and hopefully they’ve got enough new blood to keep the old timers excited about it.”