The 1986-87 season was a painful one for me.
It marked the end of the Bird Era, at least as far as the Bird Era is remembered as one in which a dominant team took the floor every night. With the injury to Bill Walton in August of 1986, and subsequent injuries to McHale, Bird, and Parish, most Celtic fans could see the writing on the wall.
How Grandpa Celtic, Bob Ryan, listed this team as one of 10-best Celtics teams of all time is beyond me. That year still represents the low point of my life as a Celtics fan. Having reached the pinnacle of greatness in June of 1986, we had to watch that same team die a slow death over the next nine months, and then get pounded by the Lakers in six games.
It was like reliving the Beatles break-up in extra-slow motion.
Speaking of the Beatles, one chapter of their biography might help bring clarity to the “KG isn’t clutch” debate. As we all know by now, KG rarely takes over games down the stretch on the offensive end. Call him a flawed superstar, call him a team player. I don’t care. The fact remains that the debate has been going on since he entered the league, and a championship in Boston didn’t bring an end to it.
In fact, a number of NBA pundits have now added a new wrinkle to the discussion:
Who is the more valuable Celtic, KG or the Truth?
Beatles fans know very well of a not wholly dissimilar debate involving John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
For most of the 1960s, music fans from around the world debated who was the more original, the more important, and, ultimately, the more talented musician, P-Mac or Mr. Strawberry Fields? No definitive answer was ever agreed upon, but many fans thought that their solo careers would end the debate.
Well, if most observers favored Lennon's contributions before the band broke up, then at least as many fans favored the Walrus when it came time to compare their solo offerings after the break-up.
In the end, the debate was probably best understood by realizing that McCartney and Lennon needed each other to reach the mountain top. Mr. Linda Eastman played ying to Mr. Yoko Ono’s yang.
And so it goes for the Ticket and the Truth.
Neither player enjoyed much success by themselves before the 2007-08 season began. Nor would anyone doubt that the sum of their parts in 2008 surpassed what each brought to the table individually during past campaigns.
KG doesn’t take over games down the stretch, and would prefer to pass out of double-teams and set picks? No problem. We have #34, a true Alpha-Dog.
Paul Pierce is only 6’7”, and can’t wreak havoc on defense inside the paint? Again, no problem. That’s why we have #5.
You say goodbye. I say hello.
The good news is that both of them are Celtics, and while these inane debates will continue as long as they remain Celtics, at least we can take comfort in knowing that the question is about as meaningful as asking peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich eaters which half they like better.
3 comments:
I agree that looking back on the 86-87 season is painful as it was evident with that team that the ride was over. I was a huge Beatles fan... I personally thought Ringo was the better Beatle. Without the beat, the music doesnt go. I was in love with Ringo. I guess that may explain in part why Perk is my favorite Celtic. Without the defense, the Celtics don't go and Perk anchors the defense (see game 5 for proof). Great article. Brings back memories in more ways than one.
Yeah, Ringo nailed his parts time and again, especially from Rubber Soul forward.
He often transitioned the songs from one part to the next.
Ringo definitely underappreciated.
I agree wholeheartedly these players needed each other to reach their true potential. It's like Larry Bird playing his prime years without McHale and Parish, who knows if he would have accomplished the same things?
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