LET ME TELL YA..........

Let me tell ya.... the Celtics are in a league of their own. I guess after watching the Celtics for a long time especially when the Big 3 joined forces, you kind of expected the wins to come. But now with half the team hurt we're still pushing 12 straight wins and the best in the East! Why? Three things, mental toughness, physical conditioning and coaching.

Mental toughness: Ever peer into KG's eyes....he's locked and loaded..........and FOCUSED! This mind set has percolated throughout the team and have made the entire team deadly come crunch time.

Physical conditioning: Hey we do have injuries to too many guys... its not due to the lack of conditioning, but a hard physical game our men in green play! Look at RA, KG, PP they look 10 years younger this year and can run with the best of the herd.

Coaching: Lot to cover here so let's get into it!

Doc had done a great job from 'o8 to now but I think this is his best year. It's the little things that add up to being the best in the NBA. Start with:
1) Player match-ups against opposing players;
2) Time management by milking a minute here, 3 minutes there and rotating personnel through just to buy precious rest time for the starting five with the lack of depth at center, power forward and point guard.
3) Sound game ready plan where the team knows from the get-go what they need to do.
4) Setting the tone where every player knows their place and roll on the team. This leads to game time executions of their assignments .........defensively or offensively............I call it ..................POETRY IN MOTION!
5) Stressing defense as a key element to our offense. Just watch how other players on other teams are trained to guard their opponent using their body...many don't know how. Each Celtic player has been well coached in the proper use of their bodies when guarding their man. They square their hips up to their opponent rather then their feet and legs. This method prevents them from being faked out because they are not committing their feet and legs until necessary. This keeps them in balance at all time. Next time watch how they do it.

Let me tell ya.........watching the Miami - Knick game tonight I was laughing. Miami is a joke. They ran plays where I said...
ok Daniels with another strip and fast break.........ok Rondo with another pick and drive for a layup......ok Bosh or Wade or King Jerk is on the floor on an attempted layup...complements of Mr Shaq a Claus!!! Don't care how many they have won
they'll never make it to the Finals!!!!!!!!!!!!

Red....start lighting that cigar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

112288

112288,

Don't forget the advantage they didn't have in the championship year but have been gaining each season since. Chemistry! In at least three senses:

1. The guys who have been here for a while are fully tuned into the system. And those veterans who are newer to the team are savvy enough to have caught on. Imagine being able to switch defensive coaches so relatively seamlessly.

2. Not only are the starters (when at full strength, whatever that is nowadays) blending very smoothly together. The bench (when at full strength, and I hope we see it again some day) were showing signs of doing the same thing when Delonte went down and two bench players were needed to replace injured starters.

3. A silver lining to these injuries is the fact that the Celtics now have four players (Davis especially, Semih, Quis and Nate to some degree) who are now pretty comfortable playing with the starters. In short, the team may now boast of the interchangeable parts of which I speak so often. Each of these four, when he replaces a starter, doesn't try to duplicate the starter's skills. He brings his own uniqueness to the starting unit: Semih with his energy and low post moves; Quis to his defense and post-up and slashing abilities that I believe may now outstrip those of Pierce; Nate with his shooting potential that presents a different look at the PG position; and Davis (let me count the ways, beginning with his solid defense, dependable perimeter shooting, and mean, mean, mean rebounding and putback skills).

Last season, the most difficult thing for fans to do was to realize that what was important was what happened in April. It was easy to see how many could become disillusioned in the interim, given the team's so-so mid-season record. But I hope a larger number of fans will find it easier to keep April prospects in mind because the team is still achieving with so many players hurt (as you suggest).

If I had to identify the one factor that has most spelled the difference between last year's team and this year's team, it would be that Glen Davis has essentially taken over the role previously occupied (to a large extent) by Sheed. Not to knock Sheed (at least not much), but I believe he became a front-runner whose play became casual when things went downhill. Glen is precisely the opposite; the tougher the grind, the more fiercely he fights. And his arsenal of pro-level weapons has increased dramatically.

And largely because of the elevation in the play of both Glen and KG, this team exudes a sense of persistence that refuses to yield. Since 1950, my #1 motto for the Celtics has always been: "Whatever It Takes." This team seems in perfect synch with that theme, and Doc is operating at a Coach of the Year level in conducting the orchestra minus two bass fiddles, a clarinet, a violin, and a tuba. (Guess who the tuba is.)

Go Celtics!

Sam

I am becoming a huge BB fan. As you mentioned he doesn't hang his head anymore. He just grinds it out when things get tough.

With this kind of team chemistry it's very hard for opposing teams to put this team away. What a ride so far. Let us hope the injuries don't get even more out of hand.

Doc Rivers has done a great job with this MASH unit. I saw Nate lip the words I f'd up at Doc and he gave instructions not concern. The next play I think PP dished to Nate for a long jumper. Teamwork beats skill and Nate is starting to get it. Who knew!

Hoop

Yeah, Hoop, who's more valuable to his team right now? Nate, Eddie House, Bill Walker or Giddens?

Also, I've been thinking how lucky the Celtics are to have Semih Erden rather than someone like Theo Ratliff. I just hope that shoulder holds out at least until we hopefully have all our other centers back. The thumb too.

Sam