Celtics Mid-Season
By. KC
Kevin Garnett (KG) going down last year right before the playoffs delivered a huge blow to the foundation of the Boston Celtics team: but the great thing about America is you can put insurance on anything or anyone to help cover the cost of any damages. The Celtics insurance for KG came in the form of a 6’ 11 / 230 pound forward name Rasheed Wallace, who was brought in to the C’s "just in case." It also doesn’t hurt that he has a silky smooth jumper from 3-point range, plays solid team D, and is considered a "great teammate" by coach Doc Rivers. So far this season he has shown Celtics fans that he was worth the 5.6 Million. Wallace is 3rd on the team in rebounding this season...trailing only Kevin Garnett (30mpg) and Kendrick Perkins (28mpg) who average more playing time. Wallace is also 6th in points per game on the team and 4th in free throw percentage. I don’t know about you but these numbers are pretty impressive for a guy who comes off the bench as the 6th man and averages just 21 minutes a game.
Moving away from Boston’s newest player and towards a more familiar face that has finally begun to reach his full potential...yes ladies and Gentlemen, I am referring to the 23 year old point guard, Louisville, Kentucky native Rajon Rondo. This year marks his third year in the NBA, and he is playing like a true vet. During an up-and-down sophomore season last year he was criticized for not being a complete point guard...largely due to his inability to score at times and his unsteady defense. He must have taken the criticism very personally, as he seems to have entered the 2009-2010 season with a chip on his shoulder. Wanting to put all that negative talk to rest, Rondo is having a phenomenal season averaging 14 points, 10 assists and 3 rebounds per game which is a considerable improvement from last year when he averaged 11 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds per game. This young man is playing outstanding basketball and has converted a lot of people into Rondo fans this year.
If the boys in green stay healthy and the "big 3" can simply perform up to the standards they’ve set throughout their careers, then "Banner 18" will be well within reach for the C’s this spring.