| Rebounding Celtics Rebound On West Coast Trip Authored by A. Robin McKenna - February 28, 2006 - 11:00 am
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If Boston intends to make a playoff push, they’ll have to form a team identity that is resilient enough to stand up for itself when their fans aren’t around to back them up. After all, the Celtics home record is a respectable 16-12.
Doc Rivers’ task is to juggle Perkins and Jefferson back into the lineup without interrupting what fragile gains the recent Celtics have made towards establishing a team concept. This must be done tactfully in order to maintain the momentum of their recent success.
So how did the Celtics shed their road woes and their tendency to collapse in close games on this undermanned West Coast trip? Here are four reasons:
1.) Ryan Gomes’ Rebounding
The Celtics are 5-2 since rookie Ryan Gomes has begun starting in place of the injured Perkins (separated shoulder). This is not to be taken lightly. 5-2 also happens to be the strongest stretch of the Celtic’s tumultuous season. Gomes has been averaging 8.8 rpg since starting and collected 17 against Portland. This last figure is not to be taken lightly either, as a Celtic has grabbed more rebounds in a game only three times in the past five years. Gomes at an undersized 6-7, appears to have the knack.
He has also been scoring. The all time leader in points scored at the University of Providence, Gomes has averaged over 12.5 ppg since starting and has provided timely contributions in all of the Celtic’s recent wins. Against Los Angeles on Sunday night Gomes came up huge, tipping in an Orien Greene lay up with 56.7 seconds remaining to put the Celtics back up by four.
2) Paul Pierce’s Scoring
Barring an obscenely large scoring flourish from Kobe, “King James”, or AI in their last February game, “The Truth” will have led the National Basketball Association in scoring for the month of February with 33.5 ppg. He has been lights out and yet has managed to keep his teammates involved, creating opportunities for others down the stretch and keeping the Celtics from becoming one dimensional. Pierce, at 28, seems to be recalling his game-winning instincts that played a major part in the Celtics 2001 Eastern Conference Finals appearance. His slashing has been getting him to the rim or the charity stripe, and the natural ease and relentlessness with which he’s been playing the game of basketball have looked impressive against both Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. A player who lives at the line, when Paul Pierce feels good about his game it also seems to help him get calls. Case in point: he got a Jordan call vs. Kobe last night and went to the line to hit the game winning foul shot.
3) Delonte West’s Leadership
Only in his second year and a shooting guard at St. Joe’s, West has been running the point for Boston with increasing poise of late. He hit career highs in scoring and assists on this recent road trip, scoring 30 points in the C’s loss to the Suns and racking up 10 assists in the win over the Lakers. He did run into some trouble late in that game though as Smush Parker stripped him three times and he fouled out. West watched the Celtics pull out a win from his seat, shocked with himself for not contributing and in complete silence. He didn’t slap fives or even look down when the Laker water boy offered a cup. His grave look read “that, will never happen again.” Delonte is not only intense on the bench; it has begun to become clear that while Pierce is the Celtics’ natural scorer and their permanent go-to guy, West leads this team.
4) All Around Team Play:
Quiet scoring from Sczcerbiak, timely slashing from Orien Greene, elevated defense from Lafrentz, and hustle plays by Allen have kept the Celtics close. Even Scalabrine seems to be outweighing (npi) his atrocious offensive blunders by flat-out diving for loose balls on crucial possessions. The Celtics’ ball movement has been excellent as well; ESPN’s Tim Legler commented during the LA game that they were “putting on a clinic.” |
