Sam Smith - see, ma, no pills

[Eggcentric at aol.com]

Expert: Garnett will make it work in Boston
 
Look for KG to defer late in game, with Allen, Pierce taking over for Celtics
 
ASK THE NBA EXPERT
By Sam Smith

I know, I know, Rajon Rondo can’t shoot. At least he was smart enough to try 
fewer than 30 threes in his rookie season as he made about 20 percent of them. 
And, no, despite what they say, Ray Allen is no point guard. He handled the 
ball some, especially when he arrived in Seattle. But he usually makes plays 
for himself. No shame there. He’s a scorer. And Tony Allen averages about as 
many assists as Eddy Curry. And the depth is spelled S-c-a-l-a-b-r-i-n-e.

But this is going to work in Boston. It’s going to work because of Kevin 
Garnett.

Yes, he has missed the playoffs the last three seasons, and yes, some have 
wondered why he never seemed all that upset about it and never demanded to get 
somewhere he could have a chance to go deep in the playoffs. This was the 
league MVP, and for the next three years his team missed the playoffs and he wasn’t 
injured. It’s unprecedented.

But when Garnett had two players not as good as Allen and Paul Pierce — Sam 
Cassell and Latrell Sprewell — the Minnesota Timberwolves were in the 
conference finals. And that was in the Western Conference.

They basically didn’t have another player on the team averaging in double 
figures. Wally Szczerbiak did, but he was injured for much of the season.

Yes, they did have a point guard in Cassell, which makes some difference. But 
Garnett is like a point center. He’s unselfish and you don’t have to worry 
with him about the star getting his points. The problem with Garnett has been 
he doesn’t want to score more. He’s content to let someone else be the star. I’
ve often considered Garnett the best three-quarter player in NBA history. 
Perhaps that’s not the greatest compliment. But he’s the kind of player who gets 
you there. He doesn’t bring you home those last six minutes, at least not 
with his offense.

Which is why Stephon Marbury forcing his way out of Minnesota was a career 
decision to rank with MacLean Stevenson leaving M*A*S*H after the first season. 
Marbury was the perfect complement to Garnett, a scoring guard who wanted to 
take the last shot. It’s often considered a failing in pro basketball not to 
want that. But Garnett is so good we should excuse him that.

Now he’s got finishers in Allen and Pierce. They want that last shot and can 
make it. Garnett can help get it for them.

Most big shots or last shots come from half-court offenses, which you can run 
through Garnett.

Another knock on Garnett is he doesn’t particularly like the contact and will 
fade outside when there is too much. There may be some truth, but he’s not 
built with a massive lower body and can get bumped off the block. But he’s so 
quick and agile that he makes up for it. And he’s a great passer.

And it’s not like you need Magic Johnson to make the playoffs in the Eastern 
Conference.

Eric Snow started the majority of games at point guard for the Cleveland 
Cavaliers and he is a career 21 percent three-point shooter, about the same as 
Rondo as a rookie. T.J. Ford is barely above 30 percent on threes and Andre 
Miller is barely above 20 percent, in Snow range. Heck, who really guards Jason 
Kidd on jumpers? Perhaps the Celtics will get another point guard. It’s not a big 
issue.

One intriguing issue is whether they play Garnett like Bill Russell. Because 
that is who Garnett can be like on defense. He can block and outlet and while 
the Celtics don’t have K.C. Jones or Bob Cousy, no one is exactly saying this 
is a championship team.

OK, maybe on TV in Boston. But the big thing is basketball is finally 
relevant again in Boston.

I don’t quite have Boston No. 1 or No. 2 in the East, but it is the East, and 
they could be. Any of perhaps a half-dozen teams can be.

Look, this was a 24-win team last season and now with virtually an entirely 
new roster: A good thing.

Yes, they had lots of injuries, but they didn’t defend even when they were 
healthy. So it will take some time to mesh, though it helps to have one of the 
best team defenders in the league in Garnett.

The formula for success in the NBA was once three stars. In this luxury-tax 
era, it’s basically been reduced to two stars. The Cavs made the finals out of 
the East last season with one star, and no one else even close to being an 
all-star.

There now are two former MVPs in the Eastern Conference. One is Shaquille O’
Neal, and he just seems to play part-time anymore. The other is Garnett. You 
put him with two other All-Star players and no matter who else is on the roster, 
that team ought to be very successful and a contender in its conference. Now 
the pressure is on again in Boston. They have the talent to compete. So let’s 
see if they do.



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