Midterm Grade

Doc Rivers will take his entire coaching staff and most of his starting lineup to the All-Star festivities this weekend.  All four Celtic players (Pierce, Allen, Garnett, and Rondo) will be coming off the bench this weekend for Doc.  When asked who would they like to join the four of them on the floor, both Pierce and KG suggested Dwight Howard.  The most exciting part the weekend for Celtic fans may just be the three-point shooting contest.  With defending champ, Paul Pierce, and all time three-point champ, Ray Allen , facing off, it sure seems to be an interesting matchup.  Allen spends hours in the gym before every game working on that silky smooth jump shot.  Pierce was seen practicing his three-point stroke prior the Wednesdays matchup against the Nets.  It's hard to bet against the all-time three-point king, but I'll go out on a limb.  Give me PP 34 in a thrilling shootout to defend and repeat as three point king. (As long as that hand is ok)

The Celtics sit at the top of the Eastern Conference (only percentage points above the Miami Heat) and its not a suprise to Celtics fans.  Coming into this season, the Heat were virtually handed the NBA Championship by "experts."  One problem....they can't beat the defending Eastern Conference Champs.  Depleted by injuries the entire 2010-2011 campaign, the veteran Celtics have managed to compile 40 wins before the break.  Their tremendous size and depth in the backcourt had been the key factor to why the Celtics could fend off the star-studded Heat squad.  With Perkins missing nearly half the season, the Big Shamrock missing significant time, Jermaine O'Neil and Marquis Daniels both out indefinitely, Semih Erden missing time, and Delonte West out for well over a month, the Celtics have defied odds and just keep winning.  They have tremendous leadership and determination.  The depth that the C's have can be matched by no other team in the NBA.  The C's started last season on record-breaking pace, but went the rest of the way with just a .500 mark.  The Celtics got healthy for the playoffs and showed that their poise and team defense was too much for anyone in the Eastern Conference.  With a healthy Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics would have hung banner number 18 in the raptors in the fall.  Expect the same from the championship driven C's.  All in all, the C's have too much talent, experience, and depth to expect anything but another championship. 

Midterm Grade - A


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