Nate to re-up with Celts

Sam, I started listening to, then watching Celtics basketball during those days - the mid 50s, early 60s - and just assumed the game was played at a blistering pace with guards trapping and pressing and the center making long inbound and outlet passes to streaking teammates. Quick and slick. That's what I thought basketball was supposed to be.

Great point, W. I'd be the first to admit that a lot of my views on NBA basketball in the 50s and 60s are based on my views of Celtics basketball in those days. And one underappreciated element of Celtics lore is that the Russell teams became the envied model of aspiration for their competitors to try to emulate. The funny thing is that the competitors, even with the model laid out before them (just as opponents knew the Celtics playbook cold), still couldn't approximate the Celtics' greatness during the entire Russell run.

I realize now that one important element of my intense appreciation of the game back then was that it was still new enough to spawn innovation. The concept of Frank Ramsey as a sixth man; the idea of the Jones Boys as instant catalysts; the implementation of the full-court press and the weave; Cousy's behind-the-back and other gyrations, including the air dribble; Russell's theories of defense.....all of those things, and many more, created eye-opening waves of wonderment as they were introduced and utilized.

People who criticize basketball of those days because it wasn't a duplicate of today's basketball should figuratively bow down and kiss the feet of all the innovators back then. Those innovators did not benefit from the half a century of trial-and-error and blueprints on which today's coaches and players capitalize. There's more refinement and adjustment to new rules than true innovation today because, at some point, all the good ideas get taken.

I always loved to attend opening games during Cousy's tenure with the Celtics. He made it a point to add to his innovative arsenal every offseason. I couldn't wait to see what he was going to pull next. My favorite will always be his air dribble. The first time I saw it, I couldn't wait to pore through all my books to determine whether it was legal. It was, of course, never mentioned in those books, so I had to assume it was legal because the officials let it go. Then I couldn't wait to attempt it myself in a game. The necessary sequence of events didn't occur for a while, but I finally got a chance to try it. And all I got for my trouble was a couple of sprained fingers because I didn't use the proper mechanics in tipping the ball over the head of the onrushing opponent.

Sam

What an amazing time and what amazing players. I don't want to sound too corny and too fuddy duddy, but one of the things that set that era apart was that the players were extremely well schooled in fundamentals by stickler coachers, many of them from the NYC area. The players had great coaching through four years of high school and four years of college - all the Celtics fit that bill - and really knew how to play defense... Plus they had all read if not memorized Red Auerbach's "Basketball for the Player, Fan, and Coach," written with Marty Glickman, one of the great sportswrites back then. My days of playing basketball were very, very limited, but I had the privilege of being coached at Worcester Academy by Dee Rowe - who later ramped up the UConn program - and by Andy Laska, who was a teammate of Bob Cousy at Holy Cross. One thing that stuck with me is that on defense, square up in front of your opponenet and watch his hips. Don't follow his head or arms - he can fake you out with those feints - but he always must go where his hips go. I carried over that advice in young adulthood to watching Gina Lollabrigida movies.

Red's book is by far the greatest basketball instructional book ever written. Still available on Amazon. Lowest price used (get this) is $98.

As a kid, I used to keep a copy in our garage and, on rainy days, I'd practice stuff from the book. Must have broken at least half a dozen garage windows, but at least my parents knew where I was.

Sam

Sam, I just found several copies on Ebay - $12.00

Basketball For Player,Fan and Coach--by Red Auerbach
Buy It Now
or Best Offer $12.00 Time left:18d

Good find, Worcester.

Sam

Hi,
It's done deal:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Am14X99sH69GdLDj_7E.QfK8vLYF?slug=ap-celtics-robinson

I hope he'll increase his production on both ends after playing whole season.

AK

I'm glad Nate is on board. The guy is fun to watch, brings a certain ballsy flair to the court, and can change a game quickly. Let's hope he brings it consistently.

Plus splitting up Shrek and Donkey would be sad.

I think of Rondo and Nate as Hot Dog and Ketchup. Rondo is a Hot Dog for various reasons, and the oppnents are trying to Ketchup to Nate.