Doc Is Finally Taking Our Medicine

Starting this season, the green looked poised to turn heads, sure they didn't pull the trigger on the AI deal, instead we made other deals that seemed resemblant of the 2003 Red Sox. There is one exception, the Sox signings were smart and worked out, adding the likes of Bill Mueller, David Ortiz, and Kevin Millar. The Celtics didn't get that memo pulling off their blockbuster draft day trade of Bassy Telfair for Randy Foye. Oddly enough this deal would have been smart. It relieved cap space with other players leaving (LaFrentz), Bassy's younger, cheaper, has more NBA playing experience, and it fills the dire need at PG the Celtics were searching.
Ainge however, missed a couple of key aspects of Telfair's game, first and foremost he sucks. He's a shoot first point guard with a bad shot. He was a high school sensation that should have gone to college or joined the And 1 Street Ball Tour. They could have called him Da Phailure.

(Note from the editor: I thought this was saved, but it wasn't so this section is rewritten)
(Another note from the editor: I don't have an editor, it just sounds cooler)

Anyways, the Celtics luck immediately took a turn for the worse when numerous starters went down to injury including Pierce, Wally, Delonte. Figures. This is when they became the NBA's lovable losers. They fought hard night in and night out with little success. The young athletes didn't have the experience to step up and lead the team except for a couple players. These players were the same leading pack as the team improved. Al Jefferson progressed nicely and is now looking to be a star in the making, the same could be said about Tony Allen. When the injures ravaged the starting 5, he seemed ready and willing to step in and carry the team. He was a spark plug, defensively and the offensively. Since the day Pierce went out Allen stepped in to average 19 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3 apg, and 2.7 spg in 36 min per game over a 10 game span. This is a small sampling but watching the games, you could see the players respond to him and lead the charge with him, although they were all still young. Then on that fateful night of January 10, God decided to kick the Celtics when they were all ready down and thinking of the draft. Tony Allen was fouled at the top of the key then decided to do a throw a dunk, he lands awkwardly and long story short his knee blew up like Hiroshima. So if you're keeping track FSN was wrong, God isn't a Celtics fan.
Or is he? The team who is all ready thinking about the draft plays hard ball but are losing at a near historic pace, dropping 22 of 23 contests jolting the club to the front of the lottery with Memphis (remember when they were from Vancouver?). Yes times were great, the team was fun to watch and knowing that they would likely be the front runners for either Oden or Durant excited all 12 of us Celtics fans.
As of late however, with Pierce and Wally back (the Wally thing wouldn't last very long as he is out for the season with ankle troubles) the Green have played .500 ball over their last 14 including a win at San Antonio. So again, God has gone from not being a Celtics fan, to being a Celtics fan in disguise, to a non-fan. Sounds to me he is the biggest bandwagon jumper of them all. If this is my last post its because I have been smote (smited?). To make matters worse, the way our team is playing there are 5 games that are definitely wins, add the "hot night" games of 2, not too high it is the Celtics, that means they should go anywhere from 5-8 to 7-6 in their final 13. Yikes. Can they play themselves out of the top spots, yes, especially with teams tanking right and left, and Ray Allen (Seattle's only real threat) out for the season. Will they? No because we forget a key ingredient, Doc Rivers.
A new hope finally spurns for the lovable losers, like a college guy sizing up a hookup and planning for his KOBE! moment later that night. Doc Rivers is turning into being a bargain coach for the 2006-2007 season and you know he can't wait to be the coach that returned the Celtics to glory unleashing his own KOBE! on draft night. The Celtics looked poised for their second victory of the year, the NBA draft, the first being the jaw-dropping artistic display by Gerald Green, returning dunk glory reminiscent of the Dee Brown days. Doc, in a sure-win against Charlotte, sat his starters as Charlotte came back from 18 down to win. When asked if he tanked the game to remain the second worse team in the NBA, he insisted he was teaching his complaining bench players a lesson leaving the game in their hands. Doc, thank you. After this game he also stated that he wants an extension to coach this team. Although I was never a supporter of him, what the hell? He is actively helping the team lose, which is a win. We're only three and a half games back of last place and if Doc has shown me anything, he's going for it all.
Is this extremely biased writer supporting his team's tank job, absolutely, sue me. Since Pierce came back I have been offering money to anyone that will give him the Tonya Harding treatment, thinking about it I should have just gave her a ring. Honestly, I'm surprised they haven't shelved him yet like the Red Sox did when they forced Jeremy Giambi to have shoulder surgery when they found out Ortiz was nasty during the 2003 season. I'm sure Pierce is banged up why wouldn't he go for free medical treatment. Just let him know O.J. is just a call away. In summary, this draft is stacked, especially in the 1 and 2 spots, and I will do and wish anything to ensure the completion of this season long mission, (if you are not from Boston or don't follow the NBA there are 82 games in a season and Celtics fans have pleaded for the tank since game 20-ish). The Celts will rise again in what I call the summer of the Green.
Quick note, if you watch the Celtics you might be able to help me out. At what time in the fourth does Heinsohn start comparing the Celtics to whatever team they're playing and calling both of them up and coming and future contenders. Tommy, buddy, I have confidence in the Celtics too, but is every other team going to be a contender? And do we really need to hear about it every night? Do us a favor have someone type it out before hand and have it scrolling along the bottom, save us the time, and then it will open up time for interesting conversation. Or at least it opens up time for you to get angry and throw those awesome hissy fits you throw. Moreover, whatever happened to the "I LOVE WALTA!"? I know he's not on the team, but there isn't another bench guy you can adopt as your own so you can keep yelling that magical phrase. Last thing Tommy, because I am writing this as if you are reading this, cool it on the Tommy Point. It used to be a special occurrence that would happen once in a while, but you've turned it into a cruel drinking game. I decided to play one game and had to be carted off the hospital by the end of the half, don't do this to me anymore.
Now, onto the draft. The Oden-Durant debate has escalated to the Tiger or the field status. Since everyone else has given their two cents on who should be the number 1 pick (or as I call it the Glory Pick) I figured I could take a crack at the million dollar question. Assuming it is the Celtics that are to pick, they have to take Oden. He's a solid big man. He's better defensively than offensively, which is important in basketball, it is much easier to teach the offensive game then the defensive instinct (3.3 blocks per game). You can't pass up the opportunity to draft a seven-footer that looks like he's all ready an NBA player; by the way, he's 19. If you could draft either Shaq or Kobe (as rookies) which do you take; Shaq because star shooting guards are easier to find then dominant centers, and that's what Oden is. Watch him play, and he is still playing, he doesn't even look like he is out of second gear, which could be a knock at him, but it personally scares me. I think he is waiting for the competition to come and knows he shouldn't be playing with children. My only question about him is, 19? Really? I have a feeling that is his kid's age, he looks more like Mutumbo then Howard. 19? But that's it, he's as close to a sure thing as you can get these days.
This draft however has two sure things, the other being Durant, who along with Oden would look great in Green. He's a great player, Gaudy numbers, AP All-American (along with Oden), easily the anchor on his squad. My beef with Durant is his size. Right now he is a SG/SF, even at 6'10". He needs to bulk up and that isn't an easy task, many careers have fizzled because of an inability to bulk up. Durant will shine but unless he puts on weight and becomes the Kevin Garnett player he should become I don't see him as much use to the Celtics who have a log jam at the SG and SF positions. If he bulks up though, watch out, we may be seeing one of the best modern players we have ever seen. And like Oden, he's young, 18. To have either kid at this point that's simply frightening. Either way, if the Celts have this opportunity to steal either of these, they have to take it, I just would say Oden has less risk where Durant, if you're looking at him to be a potential PF (which his size suggests), possesses slightly higher risk. Either way, the Celtics can't screw up the sure thing and must make up some ground on Memphis. Worst team or Bust!

Side note: Celtics beat the Raptors, and they say Pierce will not sit out the rest of the season, they really want half our fan base, 6, to have heart attacks before this season ends. Tonya we may need you.