Runnin’ with the Devil - a Van Halen/Celtics Thinkpiece
By Kevin Henkin
Wow. Let’s hear a big fat Teddy-Sarandis-during-a-BC-run wow for the karma gods who decided that a reunited Van Halen should descend upon the Garden in the same week that our Boston Celtics kick off their own rejuvenation tour. The similarities between these two collections of talent are just too striking to let pass without comment. Both groups previously peaked in the mid-80’s before either acrimony or poor health ended their respective runs prematurely. Tragically, Sammy Hagar then replaced David Lee Roth, fronting Van Halen during its decline into a banal synthesizer-laden rock ballad nightmare. Similarly, has-beens and never-weres like Dominique Wilkins and Darren Daye eventually replaced the vaunted Big Three. The respective low points were the M.L. Carr lottery tankers and the brief but hideous Gary Cherone era. But no more! The glory train has pulled back into North Station and it’s time to jump on board. So without further ado, I offer this list of “Things to Watch For” dedicated to the bad boys from L.A. and themed upon a typical Van Halen jukebox collection. Let’s pop in a few spare quarters and let the request list begin:
Everybody Wants Some!!
As Doc Rivers has pointed out repeatedly, this happy kumbaya-singing vibe from the Cetlics thus far is meaningless because they have yet to be tested in any way that would cause stress or acrimony. The issue that looms largest with this group is the limited number of touches available between all the players. Obviously, the focus is on the distribution between the Big Three (or whatever you want to call them because like everyone else, we’ll be testing out some other nicknames for the trio to see if any are catchy enough to stick) but there are other players that factor into the equation as well. Obviously, Eddie House adds the most value by launching bombs so he’ll need some opportunities. James Posey, on the other hand, is not a strong shooter yet during the preseason appeared to never meet a shot he didn’t like. Perhaps he caught a Bad Shot Selection Virus from playing alongside Antoine Walker in Miami. If he suddenly starts wiggling after plays or making no-look passes into the third row, we’ll know for sure. As for the Wicked Awesome Threesome, Garnett and Ray Allen have been so unselfish thus far as to sometimes make a few extra and unnecessary passes. Only Paul Pierce has seemed a bit hesitant in giving up the rock. Stay tuned for developments there but Kevin Garnett’s leadership is likely the best mitigant to any of Paul Pierce’s inevitable bouts of self-interest.
I’ll Wait
Thus far, the chemistry between all of the new players has been better than expected. The offense is far from fluid but there have been moments when these guys have clicked and the “Wow!” light has flashed bright. Regardless, it’s reasonable to expect some bumps along the road and for some time to pass before roles are clearly defined and the players learn the nuances of each other on both ends of the floor. The question remains, of course, whether Doc Rivers can establish a rotation instead of experimenting with small or inexplicable lineups or keeping his players guessing as to what he expects them to do.
Somebody Get Me a Doctor
An impressive collection of talent has been assembled. Now the key of all keys is to keep them healthy. Obviously, it’s unreasonable to expect a season without health issues. However, this team is not so deep that it can shrug off injuries to its key players, especially at point guard and center, where the team is already thin. Most important to the team’s high level goals, however, is the health of Kevin Garnett. He is the proverbial straw that stirs the drink on this squad. If he goes down, be prepared for the Celtics to take a sharp turn on the road to nowhere.
Eruption
Speaking of Tony Allen, he remains one of the more compelling storylines of this season. The extent of his recovery could have a substantial impact on this team’s success. If his explosiveness ever returns to full form, he could easily become the anchor of the second squad, which would allow Doc Rivers to limit the minutes of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, no small feat. In the event that he plays alongside the likes of Garnett, Pierce and Allen, TA could clean up on sneaky passes out of the inevitable double teams. At his best and healthiest, Tony Allen beats defenders off the dribble and attacks the basket with abandon, and with success. Considering the notable absence of a distributing point guard, any other player outside of the Trenchant Trio who is capable of creating his own shot is going to elevate the play of this team.
You’re No Good
This song is officially dedicated to Sebastian Telfair, who makes the team better simply by playing somewhere else. As an aside, remember in the second half of last season when Doc Rivers would play Telfair and Rajon Rondo together? Most of the time, Rondo would handle ball handling duties, which would leave Telfair as the shooting guard, thus further exposing his lack of size and defensive liabilities and confusing his role on the team. Now this preseason, we’ve seen Doc Rivers conducting a similar experiment with Rondo and Eddie House. Let’s hope this senseless experiment doesn’t see the light of day during the regular season. Eddie House should be backing up Rondo at the point while Tony Allen and James Posey serve as the backup swingmen. The team was clearly constructed with this part of the rotation in mind. Obviously, House is a viable offensive threat at the 2, but the team is simply too thin at point guard to unnecessarily expose him to foul trouble against bigger defensive assignments.
Bottoms Up!
Anyone else smell flowers? Must be from all those bouquets that are being thrown at the feet of the Celtics from the recent slew of national media NBA season previews. USA Today had the Three Amigos as the cover story of their preview. Sports Illustrated picked the Celtics to win the East and to closely contend with the best of the West. Although it’s certainly nice to see the boys in green finally receive some attention and recognition, color me at least a little concerned by all the fanfare. Heck, Sports Illustrated also thinks the Knicks are going to be better than Toronto, Washington and New Jersey and that Doc Rivers is the leading candidate for Coach of the Year. I rest my case, Your Honor.
Happy Trails
What a difference a few months can make. In June, fans were punching walls after watching the Celtics lose out on the right to draft either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. They were facing yet another season of marking the progress of youngsters instead of hoping for wins and title contention. Then, within a matter of mere weeks, everything changed. It was like the sudden evaporation of a bad dream, like falling asleep in a Motel 6 and waking up in the Ritz penthouse suite. This sudden and favoarble twist of fate alone is worthy of a permanent smile. The ability to even discuss the Celtics’ chances at title contention remains a privilege of the highest order. In short, who cares about the clouds when the Triumphant Trifecta are together? Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather. Or, just reach down between our legs, ease the seat back and enjoy this inevitable romp of a season.
