Wednesday, December 30, 2009
All Decade Celtics Team
Point Guard: Rajon Rondo
I know he's only been here for 3.5 years but he has to be the guy here. His potential has yet to be fully developed and his stats are so much better than the other two I considered in Kenny Anderson and Jiri Welsch, especially his rebounding and assists. And he started 77 games (not to mention 26 more in the playoffs) as a 21-year-old, second-year point guard for a championship-winning team in 2007-08. Despite his short professional career, Rondo already has put together some pretty solid credentials.
Honorable mention: Kenny Anderson, Jiri Welsch
Shooting guard: Ray Allen
I mean who else would you have put here? Ricky Davis, Delonte West? I don't think so. Ray Allen is one of the best pure shooters in NBA history. He has only been here for 2.5 years, but has accomplished quite a lot since being here. Allen was the second piece to form the big three and played a major role in the championship.
Honorable mention: Ricky Davis, Delonte West
Small forward: Paul Pierce
The Truth will never be looked in the same light as Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, but he should. The 12-year veteran is the face and MVP of the decade. He's been extremely reliable playing 79 games or more every season this decade except for one and a terrific scorer averaging 22.7 points per game over the course of his career. He will be close to the top of every Celtics record come the end of his career and that's saying a lot. As his career has progressed, he's even turned himself into an indispensable contributor on the defensive end.
Honorable mention: Wally Szczerbiak, Walter McCarty
Power forward: Antoine Walker
I know a lot of you think KG should be the man here, but let's face it, employee number 8 was here for 7 years. Toine was one of my favorite players growing up and sure he was frustrating, but he was a solid player. In the 2001-2002 season, Walker had his best overall season by helping lead the Celtics to a 49-33 record and their first playoff berth in 7 years. He was second in his team in scoring (22.0 ppg), first in rebounds (9 rpg), and 1st in assists, (5.0 apg). Pierce and Walker took the team all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals where they fell to the New Jersey Nets in 6 games. The next season, Walker made his 3rd All-Star team.
Honorable mention: Kevin Garnett, Al Jefferson
Center: Kendrick Perkins
It's a tough call between Perk and Mark Blount. Both spent about six seasons in the green. Both steadily improved their scoring touch as their careers have gone on. And both served as steady, big bodies down low with more skilled teammates around them on the perimeter. But I hate Mark Blount and Perkins gets the edge in rebounding and in his defensive. He's a better shot-blocker and one-on-one, physical defender than Blount ever was. Plus, he should make the All-Star game this year.
Honorable mention: Mark Blount, Vitaly Potapenko
Coach: Doc Rivers
Why? Because the names Rick Pitino, Jim O'Brien and John Carroll make me cringe.
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