Spring is Early this Yeat

During the early spring of the last couple of seasons, I've found it appropriate to offer mini-dissertations about continuity, the lack of it, and related implications. In both cases, injuries played a major role in my reasoning. When playing with a different combination of teammates every game or two, it was difficult-to-impossible to approximate anything approaching continuity—to say nothing of the ultimate step—chemistry. Sure enough, they eventually got together and were a Perk injury away from the title two years ago and a Rondo injury from who-knows-what last season.

Well, I guess spring is early this season, because it's more of the same. Discontinuity! The injury factor is still present so far, but it's exacerbated by the early unfamiliarity of so many of these guys with one another. There's been only a smattering of a training season to help the cause, and the almost complete lack of consequential practices really hurts. Even some of the returnees may have changed their games in ways teammates will have to get used to. For example, the early returns suggest that Rondo is becoming a more aggressive shooter, penetrator, and even setter of screens. I sense that KG's trying to accommodate the facts that (1) Bass is a banger and (2) Paul's not available to help space the floor. That could have a lot to do with KG's tendency to play outside more consistently so far on offense. It's quite evident that they miss Pierce's bail-out abilities, which largely explains why other teams are doubling Ray, packing the lane, and otherwise letting the chips fall where they may—all of which helps to explain why the Celtics offense is being forced out to the perimeter (and into outside jumpers) so much of the time.

None of these is intended as an excuse. I see them as simple facts—all of which contribute to uncertainty, hesitancy, and lack of good timing. Sure, it could be argued that other teams have similar disadvantages as far as the lingering impact of the lockout is concerned. I would argue that most of those other teams that are doing well play a lot more iso ball than the Celtics; and those that are also younger focus a lot more than the Celtics on transition ball. Let's face it. The type of halfcourt ball that the Celtics are almost forced to favor depends on the kind of teamwork and timing that doesn't happen overnight, even if a team's at full strength. And they definitely haven't been at full strength.

Frankly, I'm looking at February as a time to take a good look at what we really have here. And even that milestone will be dependent on the continuity factor.

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy watching it come together—however slowly that happens. There are just so many unanswered questions. Should we be thinking up nicknames for Stiesma in case he becomes an important part of the rotation? (I have a copyright on "Stuffer.") What may be the implications of Doc's apparent conclusion that Moore has passed Bradley on the depth chart? Can Johnson's shooting offset his needed development in other areas to help an offense-starved team? Can playing Dooling and Quis together help overcome Dooling's inadequacies as a floor general? Can the bench develop into a transition juggernaut? Can Jermaine be counted upon (when healthy) to be an adequate cog in the starters' machinery; and a related question: Will Danny find another big? In what role(s) can the team best make use of Bass' skills and energy? Can Wilcox learn the system and become another healthy, dependable banger off the bench? Who's going to set picks for Ray? (I believe that one's a real biggie.) What is the optimal usage of Bass's considerable skills? Have we been attributing to fatigue situations that have really been a function of confusion?

There are just so many details of the game in which to be absorbed that I'm going to try to resist agonizing over wins and losses at this juncture, assume they're going to make the playoffs, and focus on factors such as the many I've noted above. The upcoming homestand could be the single most important portion of the year, as it will avoid travel fatigue, pit them against some eminently beatable teams (perhaps facilitating some garbage time for youth development), permit more practices than they'd have on the road, and hopefully unite the entire team (minus Jeff Green, of course).

Go Celtics!

Sam