The NBA's not back, but it's on the right path for the first time since the early 90s. These playoffs have produced some solidly dramatic, if not terribly memorable moments.
This lack of a defining moment has been especially punctuated by the three game sevens played so far. Each of these clinching games has proven anticlimactic in their lack of competitiveness, and more unfortunately,they have been the worst played games of each respective series. Not exactly the perfect formula for grabbing the casual viewers who tend to tune in for elimination games.
Boston's performance in their two series has been underwhelming. Owners of the best record in the league, as well as the most homers in the media, the Celtics have now been exposed as an extremely limited, if not fatally flawed, offensive team. Their defense on the other hand has held up better in the playoffs, but only at home. Boston has always been the hardest place in the NBA for an opposing team to get a call, and this year is no different. But even the calls at home can't get them easy buckets. I can't remember a favorite that has had to work this hard to score. If they go on to win the title, they will undoubtedly be the most offensively limited team in my lifetime to win the title.
These Celtics remind me a lot of the mid-nineties Knicks; not a championship comparison, but not a slap in the face. Those Knicks are still respected as great, influential teams who played hard and never gave an inch. They could also be viewed as the best team of the nineties not to win it all; topping Barkley's '93 Suns, Brad Daugherty's '92 Cavaliers( the most underrated team of the nineties)Shaq's '95 Magic, Kemp's '96 Supersonics, and Malone's '97 Jazz.
Those Knicks, a better team than these Celtics in my mind, were ultimately betrayed by their inability to get easy baskets. Both teams had young emerging scorers at the point in Starks, and Rondo ( Starks was better), a Hall of Fame post player starting the down side of his career, yet still effective, and a fading All-Star shooter who has suddenly lost his range ( Rolando Blackman, and Ray Allen; basically a push).
Neither team runs well, outside of the one man-Starks, Rondo- break. Both teams' spacing is compromised by their shooter's (Blackman, Allen) post-season inability to knock down open shots. These roster flaws make it imperative for the HOF post player to take over every game, ala Hakeem. But unlike Hakeem(by far the best athlete of the bunch), Garnett and Ewing where 2 years too old to have that kind of domination in the tank anymore.
The Celtics do have Paul Pierce at the 3 whose high end potential is much higher than the Knicks with Anthony Mason( at least scoring wise, Mason was the better rebounder and passer, the defense is a push). But for the Knicks, Charles Oakley is head and shoulders above Kendrick Perkins; it's a country mile comparison.
The Knicks, with Doc Rivers, Greg Anthony, Hubert Davis, and Charles Smith had the much better bench. They also had the better coach, by another wide margin, in Pat Riley over the Celtics with Doc Rivers; no comparison.
If the Celtics want to make it to the finals, they will need Allen or Sam Cassell to knock down open shots. The Pistons will continue to pack it in the paint against Garnett's fade-aways, and Pierce's drives until they prove that they can be hurt by the shooters they're leaving open.
My prediction: Allen never gets it together. Cassell plays, but his minutes make Rondo less effective, resulting in a zero to negative impact. Garnett has his moments, but can't take over. Best chance-make the Finals after a tough game seven.
Worst chance-lose in five games to the Pistons with the final game a blow-out in Boston. Most likely-Lose in six games with the final game being decided by 5 point or less.
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