First off, read Bill Simmons' column from today (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/110128&sportCat=nba) which backs up reasons to love Ray and Pierce. The Celtics this year are playing well. We have a few people to thank for that, namely, Semih Erden, Shaquille O'neal, Von Wafer, and the rest of the Celtics rotation outside of Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and Allen. Why do I thank them and not the big 4? Because we expect them to perform. And they have.
When Garnett has been healthy he's made a case for himself as the best power forward on the east coast. He rebounds, he scores, he makes players like Charlie Villanueva cry. He is everything Boston is embodied in a person. He's pissed off, like Boston usually is, because if we aren't winning championships all the time than nobody should be. Aside from Stoudemire, there is no one who holds a candle to him. If Bosh had half the winning drive that Garnett has he might be in the conversation but for now he seems content to just be a subheading to the Lebron/Wade show.
Now the bench, and it's wondrous glory. Won Wafer came out of nowhere. Erden came out of Turkey. Luke Harrangody came out of South Bend. Somehow we managed to put together a team that not only plays well, but makes it look like they have been doing it for awhile. Through injuries to both the relevant O'Neal and the other one, Kendrick Perkins, Garnett, and Rondo this team has maintained it's spot on top of the league. The bench is deep, the starters play like a championship is inevitable not just an option, and Nate Robinson keeps flapping his arms the entire time.
Defense wins championships. If I had a quarter for every time I heard that growing up. This team plays defense. They are 2nd in opponent PPG and 4th in opponent FG %. That could win a championship this year.
Honestly there are many reasons to love the Celtics. Historically there have been some of the best players in league history grace the parquet floor in both the former Boston Garden and now the TD Banknorth Garden. From Bird and Parish to Garnett an Pierce the fortune of being a Boston Sports fan is unparalleled. Other places have won championships but in the past 10 years nowhere can say 3 teams hailing from their city have won it all. Aside from the Bruins who have been good but not good enough and the Revolution that no one watches, Boston is a City of winners.
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