Celtics preview: Don't bank your hopes on this season

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Celtics preview: Don't bank your hopes on this season  

Oct. 22, 2007
By _Tony Mejia_ (http://sportsline.com/columns/writers/mejia) 
CBSSports.com Staff Writer
_Tell Tony your opinion!_ (http://sportsline.com/columns/writers/mejia) 
    
Although it definitely feels like it has been a lot longer, Boston has only 
been out of the playoffs for the past two seasons, losing 107 games. They 
actually won a playoff series back in 2003 and reached the conference finals the 
previous season.  
To say they haven't been relevant would be a misconception. However, the days 
of fearing the green ended long ago, probably around the time Robert Parish 
wound up winning a ring with the Chicago Bulls.  
Larry Bird and Kevin McHale run other basketball teams, the Red Sox and 
Patriots have upstaged the _Celtics_ (http://sportsline.com/nba/teams/page/BOS)  as 
the winners in town and the mystique has gone the way of the once-famed 
parquet floor. You can try and recreate the Boston Garden, but you're not going to 
have much success.  
Red Auerbach and Dennis Johnson passed away last year, adding to the gloom. 
There was talk of tanking. Taking all that into consideration, you can 
understand why Boston hoopheads are so stoked over what's sure to be this season's 
renaissance.  
First, _Ray Allen_ (http://sportsline.com/nba/players/playerpage/6457)  came. 
As a result, _Kevin Garnett_ 
(http://sportsline.com/nba/players/playerpage/6581)  signed up. Yep, Boston had fallen so low that Garnett originally refused 
a trade there, citing the simple reason that he was done playing in places 
where he had no chance to win. Once he saw the Allen deal take place, he knew the 
Celtics were serious.  
Take the following as a giant wet blanket if you will, but odds are good that 
the Celtics aren't going to win an NBA championship this season. Although 
many want to crown them, I'll put on my Dennis Green hat and stop you short of 
that. The Celtics probably won't even make the Finals. That's no crime, though 
right now, it would seem to be.  
Because of the high-profile additions of a pair of All-Stars who will likely 
be Hall of Famers, people have temporarily forgotten how difficult it is to 
win in this league and are setting Boston up with unrealistic expectations. I 
refuse to let that happen, because this season shouldn't be deemed as a failure. 
It's a beginning, not an end.  
Barring unforeseen events, Garnett is not retiring when the season is done. 
Neither is Allen. _Paul Pierce_ 
(http://sportsline.com/nba/players/playerpage/20626)  has stuck around for all of the atrocities of the past few seasons, and 
rescinded his trade demand once his two new amigos came aboard. He's not 
going anywhere, either. This is not Boston's only window of opportunity and it's 
about time people stop acting like it is.  
The Celtics have looked great during the preseason. Garnett, Allen and Pierce 
are performing like they have been teammates for years instead of weeks. 
Still, reality has to set in and you might as well accept this as your dose. Step 
up and open wide. Boston's point guard is going to be _Rajon Rondo_ 
(http://sportsline.com/nba/players/playerpage/1113178) , who won't be 22 years old until 
after the All-Star break. He will probably lead the league in steals for the 
next five seasons, but he still has to learn the intricacies of playing the 1 
in the NBA, especially given his teammates.  
_Kendrick Perkins_ (http://sportsline.com/nba/players/playerpage/400566)  
will turn 23 during the regular season's second week. He looks great next to 
Garnett, taking full advantage of the attention his frontcourt mate commands. 
Every time you look up, it seems like he's going up to finish another uncontested 
dunk. That won't last all season. Teams are going to find ways to match up, 
and though they will still make Perkins and Rondo beat them, it won't be as easy 
as it has looked during the preseason.  
Another thing to consider is how thin Boston's bench is. The Celtics lack a 
legitimate backup to Rondo and are still working out backups for Perkins. 
_James Posey_ (http://sportsline.com/nba/players/playerpage/139089) , who will be a 
player they can rely on, is also a new acquisition. _Tony Allen_ 
(http://sportsline.com/nba/players/playerpage/498270) , who will likely get the bulk of 
the playing time as the third guard, is coming off a major knee injury.  
There are so many questions, the Celtics might as well be playing Jeopardy. 
Still, people want to crown them and hand them something they haven't earned.  
I'm here to tell you to calm expectations, to curb your enthusiasm, if you 
will. The Celtics don't have to win this season. Odds are very good that with a 
year of established chemistry under their belt, including the continued 
development of Rondo and Perkins, they'll be virtually unstoppable next season. 
Deeper, too.  
Just remember, there is a next season. Given Boston's anticipated sense of 
urgency, it seems like that has been forgotten. Garnett has been patient 
throughout his career. He can wait one more year if he must. 



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