10.18.2009

Celtics Amp Up as Pre-season Winds Down

“For us, it’s just getting better with continuity on both ends, working on all the little things. I like where we’re at, honestly. I like our team. The answer to ‘Are you ready to play the first game?’ You don’t know that until you play it. You think you are all the time but I do like where our team is at,” Rivers said. “This group to me, the first unit is playing fantastic. [Rajon] Rondo has been absolutely fantastic and Kevin [Garnett] is coming along and everybody is playing well.”

LINK

Rondo played slow to start last pre-season, and continued the tradition this year. But he's starting to show signs of life, and that's bad news for the rest of the NBA. After a slow start of his own, Glen Davis might be playing the best basketball on the Boston Celtics. He's scoring the rock, blocking shots, and making steals. I think he really has a shot to be in the Sixth Man race. Marquis Daniels has taken the opposite route. He knocked our socks off in game 1, played well in game 2, but has tapered off since.

As usual, the most important questions surround the health of Kevin Garnett. He's passed most of the tests he's taken thus far, but I don't think he's 100% yet. His lateral movement is creaky, his weak-side help defense is a step slow, and shot blocking abilities still need to be dusted off and put on display. Once that happens, and teams are reminded that entering the paint will by costly and often futile, we'll know KG is back . . all the way.

No comments: