Celtics rising

It wasn't long ago that this Celtics team was left for dead.  When the team limped to a 16-17 record in the first half of this shortened season, things were looking pretty dim for any reasonable hope of this core pulling together one last title run together.  They looked too old, too tired, too injured and with a roster too thin to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.  Rumors flew as the trade deadline approached that the team was considering breaking up its core by trading away their fading veterans.  With no hope of making a deep playoff run, it seemed the best course of action may be to blow it up and start the inevitable rebuilding process early.

What a difference a few weeks makes.  GM Danny Ainge resisted the urge to shake things up and ended up keeping the team intact as the trade deadline passed.  Since then, the team has been making him look like a genius for believing in them.

In the second half of the season, the Celtics have turned things around.  Thus far they've gone 17-7, including wins in 8 of their past 10 games, to rise to the top of the Atlantic Division.  All this in spite of the fact that their schedule over this stretch has been murderous, with the majority of those games coming on the road against above .500 teams.  Only 10 of their last 23 games have been played in the friendly confines of the TD Garden, while 16 of those 23 games have been against teams in the playoff hunt.

During this run they have proven themselves capable of hanging with the best teams in the league.  They've beaten Miami twice in the past couple of weeks, including a blowout win in Boston, in addition to last nights win in Miami, where the Heat have been nearly invulnerable all season (league's best home record).  They fell a missed buzzer beater jump shot short of knocking off the Spurs (the league's hottest team right now) last week and played the Bulls tough in a close outcome in Chicago the next night.  Granted Derrick Rose missed that game with injury, but he's missed about a third of their season already and that hasn't prevented the Bulls from remaining at the top of the Eastern Conference.  They are still a formidable foe without their star point guard, which gives credit to the notion
I suggested last year that Rose should not have been the MVP given that he was not the primary reason why they were winning.  In the second half of the season the Celtics have matched up against some of the best in the league and either came away with a victory, or at the very least, proved capable of putting up a good fight against any of them.
The primary reason for this drastic turn around has come on the defensive end.  Not surprising for a team that has been amongst the best defensive teams in the league since the Big Three was assembled in 2007.  The Celtics have been able to cover for an inconsistent offense by playing ferocious defense.  They were in the middle of the pack during the first half of the season, but have been on such a role recently that they have risen all the way to the top of the league in defensive efficiency (95.7). 

Boston's front court depth has been depleted with season ending injuries to Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox, but they've made the most of it by allowing their two best big men to share the floor together more often.  Kevin Garnett resisted the move to center at first, but it's been a revelation ever since in rejuvenating his career.  He often looked worn down and washed up earlier in the season, but over the past month he's averaged over 18 points and 8 rebounds, while shooting over 52% from the field.  The move also opens up a spot for Brandon Bass to join the starting lineup, where he has thrived with more minutes (averaging over 13 points, 6 boards in the past month). 

A breakout season for Avery Bradley has also given this team a boost.  The second year guard has always been able to contribute at this level on the defensive end, but his offensive shortcomings made it difficult for him to secure a role with this team.  When Ray Allen was forced to miss 7 games with an ankle injury, Bradley was given the chance to see an increased role as a starter and blossomed with the opportunity.  He isn't much of a shooter, but has found ways to score as a slasher, using quick cuts to the hoop to find open shots at the rim.  His confidence is growing, which has helped his game improve even more.  No longer an offensive liability, it has allowed the team to feel more comfortable with him on the floor, where his defense has been a real asset.

With Bradley flourishing with the starters, it's allowed coach Doc Rivers to ease Ray Allen back into the flow by bringing him off the bench.  The second unit has long been hindered by the lack of a reliable scoring option.  Rivers has said he has toyed with the idea of bringing Ray off the bench for the better part of two years now and finally got the chance to do it.  He gives the team some much needed punch off the bench as it's only reliable go to option.  The transition can't be easy for the proud veteran who has spent nearly his entire career as a starter, but he's handled it with class.  He's also likely to see a lot more shots running with the second unit than he would when sharing more court time with his other future Hall of Fame teammates and of course will still be used in late game clutch situations.  Once he becomes accustomed to his new role as a scoring 6th man, Ray will be able to thrive as well.

When discussing the reasons for Boston's improved play, I'd be remiss not to mention the brilliant play of Rajon Rondo during this stretch.  The All-Star point guard is on a role, collecting double digit assists in each of his past 18 games.  To put that in perspective, it's the longest such streak in the past 20 years.

Oh, plus did I mention that Paul Pierce was recently named Eastern Conference Player of the Month?  The Captain (and The Truth!) averaged 22.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the month of March.  This impressive run would not be possible without the exceptional performance from the heart and soul of this team.

The season isn't over yet, but with a three game lead in the standings over the floundering Sixers, the Celtics seem poised to once again claim another Atlantic Division title and a top four seed in the playoffs.  The third seed isn't out of the question, as Indiana is only 2 games ahead at the moment, which would position them even better for the playoffs. 

If the stars align over the next couple weeks, the Celtics could see Orlando in the first round.  Given the dominant performances they had against the Magic earlier this year and their current dysfunctional state in the wake of the drama between their super star and coach, that may end up being an ideal match up.  After seeing how they have handled the Heat in their last two meetings, is it unfathomable to think they couldn't take down Miami in a seven game second round series?  What about a Bulls team, with an ailing Rose struggling to return from injury?  As unlikely as it seems that the Celtics can get through both of those heavyweights, a run that takes them to the Eastern Finals would be quite an accomplishment given what expectations were as recently as the All-Star break.  Who knows, as well as they are playing right now they could continue to surprise us by getting back to the Finals for the third time in the past 5 years. 

Not bad for a team that most fans wanted to see blown up about a month ago.