by Billy Donovan
September 28, 2006
Training camp will open for our Boston Celtics in five days. And although most of the Greater Boston sports fans could really care less, there is an enormous amount of pressure on the Celtics for the 2006-07 season.
Since bringing Danny Ainge in to run the show during the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals with the Nets in 2003 (a 4-0 sweep at the hands of Jason Kidd), the Celtics' VP of Basketball Operations has gone with a youth movement that has promised the few remaining fans of the C's a hope for the return to the Glory Days of the '80s (when Ainge helped the team to two of its' three NBA Titles in the decade), '70s, and '60s -- an era when the team won 16 NBA World Championships from 1957 - 1986. Since winning Banner No. 16 in '86, the Celtics have fallen swiftly, making just one more appearance in the NBA Finals (1987) and only two more trips to the Eastern Conference Finals (1988 and 2002).
Now there are plenty of reasons why the Celtics fell off the NBA map beginning in the late '80s (the physical decline of both Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, the tragic deaths of Lenny Bias and Reggie Lewis, poor management decisions, etc.) but that is for another day. What Ainge has preached since being hired is the building up of on-court assets -- i.e. young, talented, marketable players -- which will give the franchise the felxibility and opportunity to develop their product on the floor to a level that Celtic fans expect.
Well now it is over three years since Ainge has come into the fold. He has been aggressive in adding young and athletic players, a few of which may turn out to help Paul Pierce on the court.
A review of his drafts:
2003: First Round - Marcus Banks, Kendrick Perkins (via Memphis Grizzlies for Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones); Second Round - Brandon Hunter
2004: First Round - Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Tony Allen; Second Round - Justin Reed
2005: First Round - Gerald Green; Second Round - Ryan Gomes, Oriene Greene
2006: First Round - Rajon Rondo (via Phoenix Suns); Second Round - Leon Powe
Ainge has also made many trades and signed many players, a list of acquisitions to long to put down for the intents and purposes of this column. But of the 17 players now on the Celtics official roster, Ainge has added 16. Paul Pierce is the sole member of the team that was here before Ainge.
So, what do the Celtics have to show for all this activity?
A 36-46 record in 2003-04 and First Round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers.
A 45-37 record in 2004-05, which produced the team's first Division Title since the Bird Era, and another First Round playoff loss to the Pacers.
A 33-49 record in 2005-06, the team's first playoff-less season since '00-01.
In total, the Celtics are 114-132 and have not advanced past the First Round of the playoffs.
That isn't what we were promised. Not even close. And that is why there is a huge load of pressure on the team, Ainge, and Celtic ownership for the upcoming season. However, this team may be able to live up to this pressure.
Start with Pierce. Last year was statistically the best year of his career. The Captain averaged 26.8-points per game, 6.7-rebounds, and 4.7-assists. He also showed signs of maturing, both on and off the court, and is finally developing into the leader that this team so desperately needs.
After Pierce there is a solid nucleus. Wally Szczerbiak adds the perimeter shooting that the team needs to stretch out and keep opposing defenses honest; after his mid-season arrival from Minnesota, Pierce saw his driving lanes to the basket open up like a drunk guy's mouth at an open bar. After years of being paired with the shoot-first Antoine Walker and the erratic Ricky Davis, Szczerbiak's presence had an almost soothing effect on Pierce.
Also on the wing are Delonte West, Gerald Green, and Tony Allen. West has been a point guard in his first two years but the additions of Sebastian Telfair and Rajon Rondo should allow him to expand his role off the point which will give him more opportunities to get off his excellent outside shot. Green had an up-and-down rookie year but his athleticism and offensive skills make him a dangerous threat every time he touches the ball. Green came straight out of a Houston high school last year but with time his defense and off-the-ball movement should come along, making him an all-around player. Allen is still a project on offense but he can certainly finish in the open court. Defensively he has few peers on the C's and that is where his main contributions will come from in '06-07.
continued...