Last week we looked into the many many ways the Boston Celtics can blow it come Saturday, when the playoffs kick into full swing. This week we'll look at the slightly shorter list of reasons the Celts can win. New England takes great pride in its pessimism. This optimistic stuff is hard.
• The Ascension of Rondo — Rajon Rondo has gone from manageable hardwood quarterback to arguably the second-best point guard in the NBA. Chris Paul is #1, there's no question there. After that, arguments can be made. Deron Williams is thought to be second-best by many, but with all that talent around him and the loudest fans in the league, he can still only manage to get that team as high as a seven-seed. Steve Nash and Jason Kidd have seen much better days. Tony Parker and Devin Harris are more shoot-first/defend-later PGs. And unlike everybody I just listed above (besides Tony), Rondo's got a ring on his resume. Oh, and that behind-the-back fake he does? Nuts.
• Baby, Powe, and Perk — The development of Boston's young bigs over the past year has been incredible. Kendrick Perkins has developed into one of the best young centers in a center-hungry league; and Glen Davis and Leon Powe are forces off the bench. There's no question Kevin Garnett's tutelage has been the main reason behind these kids' fantastic production.
• The acquisitions of Mikki and Steph — With the losses of PJ, Sam, and Posey, the Celtics needed some new old blood. Mikki Moore and Stephon Marbury aren't necessarily AARP members but they have received their fair share of battle scars over the years. Moore jumps around the floor like a cracked-out kangaroo, providing some much-needed bench enthusiasm (I call it benchthusiasm!). Starbury has come in and quietly (emphasis on quietly) filled the Sam Cassell veteran point guard role and given Rondo some crucial rest minutes.
• Kobe — The next three reasons were listed in the "Why We Can't" section, but they can also be listed here as well. Boston shut Kobe down in last year's Finals. The Black Mamba was not nearly as foreboding as he had been throughout the regular season. Posey and Pierce clamped down and Kobe bricked his way through an embarrassing Game Six loss. Now granted, we don't have Posey the Kobe-Killer this year; but this year he's got a hundred-game season, a summer facing the world's best, and (by the time the Finals roll around) another hundred-game season. By June, he's still gonna be Kobe. But he's gonna be one tired Kobe. Of course, in order to face Tired Kobe, we're gonna have to go through...
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