My favorite Celtics of the decade

So it's just about the New Year, which means it's just about the end of the decade, which means it's time for everyone and their mother to come up with All-Decade lists. I was thinking about what to write my own All-Decade lists, and couldn't decide what in the hell to do. I thought about writing the Boston Celtics All-Decade team... until I realized I might as well state their starting lineup for this season. I thought about writing about the ten best Celtics plays of the decade... but I'm far too indecisive to choose ten plays. I thought about ranking the top ten players... but that's kind of boring.

So instead of picking the best players, or the best plays, or an All-Decade team (because ANYONE can do that), I chose to write a list of my ten favorite players, mostly because, well, my favorites are probably far different than yours.

And here they are:

10. Walter McCarty - Why Walter McCarty? He was, at best, mediocre. He was a link to one of the worst times in Celtics history. He was Walter McCarty.

To be honest, I love Walter mostly for Tommy Heinsohn's famous call... IIII LOOOVVVEEEE WWWALLLLLLTTTAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!! But it wasn't just that. McCarty gave his all on the court, and he did it during a time when not every Celtic gave a damn. And for that, I love Waltah.

9. Delonte West - You're going to start seeing a theme on this list: My favorite players are normally tough, tough bastards. When Delonte was on the Celtics (and now, too), he was a gritty defender, a hard-nosed rebounder, and he didn't yet carry shotgun-filled guitar cases over his shoulder. (At least so far as we know.)

Plus, he was always good for a goofy interview like this one:




8. Ray Allen - Ray's game is as smooth as silk. From his picture-perfect jumper to his finger-roll finishes at the rim, Ray is the epitome of smooth. On top of the aesthetic pleasure I get while watching Ray, he's been willing to sacrifice his game in order to help the C's win ballgames.

More than any other Celtic, Ray has cut back his own game in order to fill the role Doc asks of him. And that, above anything else, is why Ray Allen has quickly become one of my favorites.

7. Eddie House - You take a more accomplished player, a starter, a point guard who can actually handle the rock.  I'll take Eddie House, shooter extraordinaire, a player who plays every second like it might be his last in the league. (Okay, damn it.  You got me.  I'd still like a point guard who can actually handle the rock.)

Just in case you forgot, Eddie was huge for the Celtics in their run to the '08 championship, then even bigger the following season while establishing a new Celtics single-season three-point percentage record.  Along the way, he's far surpassed what should have been the ceiling for a 6 foot nothing point guard who can barely dribble the ball upcourt.  You've got to appreciate the overacheiver.

6. Al Jefferson - While I love most of the guys on this list for their heart and grit, I admire Al mostly for the way he plays basketball.  Watching him whip out post move after post move, I can't help but lust after his great footwork and soft touch.  If I had a son who played in the post, I would give him tapes of Al Jefferson to help him become a better player; before long, my son would be doing drop-steps, up-and-unders and jump hooks, all with the soft touch of a goddess.  Is there a better compliment you can give a player than saying you wish your son played like him?

5. Rajon Rondo - Selfless on the court, with a mean streak that belies his meek exterior, Rajon Rondo is, quite simply, the best Celtics point guard of my lifetime.  (A short lifetime, indeed.)  He can do it all on the court, fill up box scores with the best of them, and he does it all with a certain flair that he makes seem so effortless.  I love Rondo because he never backs down from any challenge, because he fails to ever believe he might be outmatched.  With an attitude like that and all the athletic ability in the world, the sky is the limit for Mr. Rondo.

4. Antoine Walker - Good ol' Employee Number 8 (or is it Broke ol' Employee Number 8?)  has always been one of the most polarizing Celtics in recent history.  Some people felt his antics, like the Walker wiggle, were played out and unnecessary; others loved to see such joy emanating from a professional basketball player.  Some saw 'Toine as merely an underacheiver, capable of far more than he accomplished; others saw him as one of the more talented all-around players in the league, a player who could handle the basketball, pop out for three, or post up. 

In the end, he was all of those things, and that's part of what made me love him.  He was as accessible as any Celtic I've seen, and he behaved as I might if I got to play one game in the NBA... with unbridled enthusiasm and a passion for the game that most NBA players lose sometime down the road.

3. James Posey - If you need a guy to dive on the floor after a loose ball, Posey's your guy. If you need a clutch three, Posey's your guy. If you need a player who can guard three different positions, Posey's your guy. If you need a homo-erotic hug that makes every fan sitting in the first ten rows (at least) slightly uncomfortable, Posey's definitely your guy.

More than anything, Posey's on this list because he did whatever it took to get the C's wins. He fought for every inch, he never stepped outside his role, and I believe 100% that the Celtics wouldn't have won the 2008 championship without James Posey. Posey was only in Celtics green for one year, but he left an indelible mark as a tough competitor and, above all else, a winner.

2. Kevin Garnett - Even before Garnett became a Celtic, he was one of my favorite players.  I loved that he wore his heart on his sleeve, that he couldn't accept losing, and that he played as hard as any human ever has.  I loved him most of all for his interview with John Thompson, when a frustrated Garnett didn't demand a trade or sulk... no, he cried because he hates to lose, he blamed himself for the losses, and he stood by his teammates even as the wheels fell off in Minnesota.

I once wrote I love KG not only because he not only plays the game with unrivaled intensity and plays every play like it might be his last, but also because he demands that same kind of effort from every one of his teammates.  He's the rare leader who inspires his teammates to bigger and better things simply by being himself.

1. Paul Pierce - Who else could it be?  Pierce has been the Celtics' rock, their heart, and their soul since being drafted in the 1998 Draft.  Just like me, Pierce has experienced the Celtics during mediocrity, poverty and prosperity.  Pierce has been through the ups and downs in Boston, and seeing his career validated by winning an NBA championship was made all the sweeter by knowing that, just like me, Pierce has stayed with the C's during tough times and overcome those hardships. 

Knowing what it felt like to root for a team that won only 24 games, I can only imagine what it must have felt like for Pierce to actually play for that team.  He deserves the success as much as anyone in Boston, and will always be the player I remember as my absolute favorite.

The Morning Walkthrough: Kendrick Perkins is a thief... in a good way

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn't mean we have to. Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald - "Watching Perkins roll out an arsenal of moves far more lethal than what he had when Jefferson was around these parts, Jefferson might have been moved to ask, 'Who are you and what have you done with the Perk I knew?' But Al has been paying attention. 'We were just talking about that last night, how well he’s been playing and how his confidence has gone up on the offensive end,' Jefferson said. 'The way he keeps playing, I think he has a chance to make the All-Star Game. I actually do see him a lot because (the Celtics) always play on a day we don’t play and I watch them every chance I get. To me, he had a quiet night, compared to the games I have seen him play.' And some of the Celtic’s moves may seem a bit familiar. 'I stole a lot of stuff from him,' said Perkins, who made 7-of-10 shots while Jefferson was hitting 9-of-18. 'The pump fake I do? That’s from him.'"

Dan Duggan, Boston Herald - "'Actually I kind of surprised myself. I wanted to lay it up, but I saw him running so hard, so I just had to finish,' Allen said. 'I was pretty happy after that. It actually motivated me throughout the game.' It’s the type of play the Celtics have come to expect from Allen, who missed the first 20 games of the season while recovering from offseason surgery on his right ankle. 'Tony was phenomenal,' coach Doc Rivers said. 'He’s been terrific. He’s just doing the things we need him to do. This is the best stretch that we’ve had him, as far as with this group of guys, where he’s playing his role.'"

Frank Dell'Apa, Boston Globe - "Rajon Rondo had 13 points and 15 assists in the Celtics’ 122-104 victory over Minnesota last night. But Rondo was regretting one of those assists after being informed that Paul Pierce had a chance to break a team record for 3-pointers without a miss. 'I had no idea, I didn’t know he shot 6 for 6 until I saw him do an interview,' Rondo said. 'You know, I looked him off on one, too. The skip pass to Ray [Allen], Paul said he was open, too. He made sure he told me that right after.' Pierce became the first Celtic to convert six 3-pointers without a miss in a home game. He tied a team record for threes without a miss in any game established by Danny Ainge at Utah Jan. 4, 1988, and Walter McCarty at Toronto Nov. 2, 1999."

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston - "'Well, first of all I didn’t think [House] was athletic enough to get to the ball," said Rivers. "So the fact that he got to the ball, I was shocked. And then he made a play once he got to the ball -- it was pretty spectacular. It was great. I was happy because it was a great defensive play.' Allen, who registered season-highs with 15 points (5-of-8 shooting) and 24 minutes, couldn't believe how the play unfolded, either. 'That was random -- a transition play, Eddie got a tip on the ball, defensively, chased it down to me and I was just running the lane for the fast break and we got the bucket,' explained Allen, who said he initially didn't intend to go for the jam. 'Actually, I kind of surprised myself. I wanted to lay it up and I saw [Brewer] running so hard, so I just finished, had to finish.'"

Frank Dell'Apa, Boston Globe - "'I told him he needs to get back to just playing on his instincts,’ coach Doc Rivers said of Pierce. 'I thought he was trying to get everybody involved, which you want him to do, too. But I think our three really instinctive players are Kevin [Garnett], [Rajon] Rondo, and Paul. You always have to remind them, just be an instinctive player, you have great instincts. Those three guys, you just want them to play. And their instincts do everything for them.’"

Jimmy Toscano, CelticsBlog - "'He's been huge man,' Pierce said of Allen, 'just his energy and what he's been able to bring especially with Marquis [Daniels] out because he's a guy who can come in and slash, score, and also what he's best known for is his defense. He comes in right away and he gets a steal and a fast break layup to start the game off when he gets in the game. Kendrick Perkins was matched up with his old friend Al Jefferson tonight. Perkins finished the night with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Jefferson recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds. 'Perk [Kendrick Perkins] is getting better and better every game,' said the Timberwolves' Al Jefferson. 'If he keeps playing the way he's playing, he's going to get a big contract. He's a great defensive player, always has been... Plus his offensive game is getting better.'"

Have a link I might want to look at? Send it my way by email (jayking@celticstown.com) or Twitter.

Tony Allen and Eddie House combine for play of the year

No words need to be spoken.  Just watch in silence, until you start screaming like a little girl because you're so excited...

Should the Celtics address their backup point guard situation?

A year ago February, the Celtics were so desperate to sign a backup point guard they brought in a certified headcase who hadn't played a basketball game in over a full season. They knew Eddie House couldn't competently fill the role of point guard, and Sam Cassell's role as a player-coach didn't exactly pan out, so the Celtics signed Stephon Marbury off the garbage heap after New York waived him.

So what's the difference this year? Why aren't the C's sifting through that garbage heap one more time? Once again, the Celtics are utilizing Eddie House as their primary point guard. If he was playing in an old man's rec league, House would be fine handling the ball. But in the NBA? Not exactly. So why aren't the C's looking to add another point guard? Why aren't they once again desperately searching for a ball-handler to back up Rajon Rondo?

Here are a few reasons:

Rondo's emergence as a stud
More than anything else, the Celtics aren't so desperate (yet) to find a reliable backup because Rajon Rondo has played so well. He's emerged as perhaps the Celtics most valuable player (yeah, I said it – and it's true) while providing Boston with a nightly, consistent effort. Now that Rondo has proved his value, an elite backup just isn't as pressing an issue.

People forget, but when Marbury was originally signed there was actually some talk he might take Rondo's starting spot. It seems ludicrous now that Rondo is one of the East's top point guards, but at the time Marbury was still seen as a super talent, and Rondo was still finding his way.

Marquis can do it
From day one of the Marquis Daniels signing, both Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers have been convinced that Marquis Daniels can run the PG spot.

Me? I'm still not convinced. Daniels' game seems to be more fit to slashing from the wing and finishing at the hoop. Yes, he's a good passer and yes, he's unselfish, but I prefer Daniels on the wing. Even when Daniels was playing, Eddie House was getting a lot of the reps handling the ball; I know Doc has blamed Daniels' injury with not allowing him to handle the ball, but if he was that hurt all along, what the hell was he doing playing?

The C's seem to like Lester Hudson
Any time a 58th draft pick gets signed to a contract, the team likes him. It's not normal for a draft pick that low to get signed, but then again, Hudson isn't a normal guy.

Everyone seems to rave about Hudson. Rondo credits him with helping him to prepare for games, Doc always has glowing words, and Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen have sung his praises too. So why has he played zero meaningful minutes, when the team is badly in need of a point guard, and why was he just sent down to the D-League? Either Hudson has some rough edges to his game the C's want him to iron out, or they aren't as high on him as they show publicly. He DID, though, score 25 points with 7 rebounds and 6 dimes in his D-League debut.

Boston's handy-dandy assistant coach
The ace up the Celtics' sleeve could come from someone who doesn't even suit up for practice, isn't on either the active or inactive roster, and still gets paid by the team. How? He's their assistant coach, Tyronn Lue. Most of you will remember Lue for being disrespectfully stepped over by Allen Iverson, but I personally remember him for a lesser-known event: When he was in college at Nebraska, Lue was in a tight game (I forget against who) with less than a minute to go, and took so much time dribbling the ball up the court he was slapped with a ten-second violation and his team ended up losing. That one hurts even more than getting stepped over, even though being stepped over is probably going to haunt him for longer; how many times in his life do you think he'll have to see the replay of that play? A million? Two million? More?

Anyways, despite the two humiliating skeletons in his closet, ESPNBoston's Chris Forsberg is convinced Lue will be signed as a player later in the season, and says Lue has stayed in tip-top shape and looks good scrimmaging against the guys. Lue wouldn't be a bad option; he's been solid throughout his career, and if he's still in good shape would be able to handle the ball and hit open shots.

Conclusion
It seems like decades ago that Stephon Marbury was last relevant. Strangely, it was only last season... at least to Celtics fans. (And no, I don't count being all over the news this summer as "relevant." Not when the newsworthy things he did were eating vaseline, smoking pot on camera, and getting in a televised car accident.)

You see, Starbury didn't live up to my expectations last season, but he still did a few things to help the Celtics win basketball games. (Note: Can you still call him Starbury if he's not even close to being a star anymore? I say yes... but only because it's merely a combination of his first and last names. In no way does the "Star" part fit him anymore.)

It's strange to say, for a guy who averaged a measly 3.8 points and 3.3 assists, but Marbury was a difference-maker. Sure, he shot only 34.2%, and 24.0% from behind the arc. Yeah, he looked every bit the rusty player who'd missed a full year of basketball before being signed to the Celtics. But Steph's own stats weren't where he helped the Celts. He helped by being a pure point guard off the bench, someone who could penetrate and make plays for his teammates. He helped by drawing defenders, using his speed and quickness to be a threat, and handling the ball against full-court pressure.

Eddie House, the one player most affected by the C's lack of a point guard, played unbelievable basketball when Marbury was around. With Steph in tow, House was able to do what he does best: float around off the ball, find open spots, and release that blindingly-quick jumper that often goes "splash." This season, forced into the unnatural role of being a ballhandler, House has failed to score with the proficiency he did last year.

It's weird, but the Celtics have nobody to step into Marbury's (cheap, poorly-made) shoes as a backup point guard. So far, they've had Daniels and House masquerading as PGs, despite both being better-suited to play other positions.

Will they make a play at bringing in a reliable backup point guard? It's possible, but I'm not going to hold my breath for it. So far, they seem content to hope Daniels can do the job, as Lue possibly lies in waiting if Daniels doesn't work out. I'd rather see them pick up a new PG, but with an 11-game winning streak I don't quite think it's time to complain.

Maybe Marbury would want to come out of retirement?...

Just kidding.

Marquis Daniels Or Eddie House: Can Either Back Up Rajon Rondo?

The season is inching closer and closer to finally being underway, which means I’m inching closer and closer to regaining my sanity, stolen annually by the NBA offseason.

Sadly, it also means the Celtics look more and more like a team that will enter the season with no truly reliable backup point guard. Out of the top two choices to win the job, one is a shooting guard and the other a small forward. Yikes.

Can either out-of-position backup PG help the Celtics win ballgames? Let’s take a look.

Eddie House:

Eddie House has been Rondo’s primary backup to begin each of the last two years but, each year, the Celtics decide to go a different route when other players have been bought out (first Sam Cassell, then Stephon Marbury). By the end of the playoffs, though, it’s been House getting minutes rather than the new, more highly-regarded PGs.

During the ’08 championship run, Doc Rivers’ switch to House over Cassell was an underrated aspect of the Celtics’ NBA Finals victory. It was Doc’s insertion of Eddie into the lineup that solidified the offense, helping Boston to pull away from LA and win the series in six.

With House on the floor, the C’s offense tends to run smoothly. He hits open shots (and sometimes unopen shots, too), spreads the floor, and never forces passes or penetration.

Despite his lack of elite ball-handling skills or NBA-level quickness, House can run an offense. The only times he truly struggles are against quick, pesky defenders willing to defend him in the full-court – guards like Lindsey Hunter. In the face of such intense pressure, House’s inability to handle the ball as well as other point guards comes back to haunt him, and he sometimes floats passes in an attempt to get rid of the ball more quickly than a true PG would have to.

All in all, the Celtics could do a lot worse than Eddie House, and I feel comfortable with the ball in his hands – unless he’s got a good defender hounding him for the full 94 feet.

Marquis Daniels:

Expecting Marquis Daniels to play any more than spot minutes at point guard is, in my eyes, a stretch. I know he’s versatile, and that’s a big reason why I’m excited about the Daniels addition, but he hasn’t played enough point guard in his career for me to feel confident with him there. Daniels has been forced into point guard duty by injuries, and also played a little PG for the experimental Don Nelson, but has never had extended time at the point and has always, admittedly, felt more comfortable at the small forward position.

Marquis’ former coach, Jim O’Brien, had this to say in 2008 (the last time Daniels played point guard) about Daniels at the point guard position…

On Offense:

“Here's a guy when you think about it was a power forward in college. Now all of a sudden he's playing point guard at 6-7 out of necessity because we have Jamaal down. I would say he's never really been able to get into a groove there.”

On Defense:

“I have enormous confidence in his ability to defend. The difference between, as an example, how we are defensively with Travis on the court at the point and Marquis, we're a much better defensive team right now with Marquis at the point guard spot.”

Clearly, O’Brien did not feel comfortable with Daniels running the helm at offense, but thought he was very good defensively (then again, his example was pretty bad – my twelve year-old brother is a better defender than Travis Diener).

I tend to agree with O’Brien. Daniels will be fine defensively no matter what position he plays but, with his skill set, Marquis is more suited to playing from the wing and slashing to the bucket. I’d rather have him finish plays than begin them.

Conclusion:

If the Celtics go into this season with Eddie House and Marquis Daniels as their backup point guards, I’d prefer House (in a close race) to get the nod. Both players are better off playing different positions, but the offense has run efficiently in the past with House manning the PG spot, and I think it would once more if he’s again forced into that role.

Either way, look for Rajon Rondo to play the overwhelming majority of the minutes. He’s young, ever-improving, and poised to take a step to the next level. One could even make the argument that Rondo might be the Celtics’ most important player in ’09-’10.

But we’ll save that argument for another day. For now, let’s just stick to his capable, but out-of-position, backups.