Monday, June 11, 2012

Few Thoughts on NBA Playoff (part 2)


Well, my beloved Boston Celtics lost Game 7 to Miami Heat over the weekend. Here are some further thoughts about that and beyond.

Heat vs. Thunder will be the showcase of the primary battle of NBA’s next generation of rivalry. Heat’s 3 stars are in their prime while Thunder’s duo are as good as them be at even younger age. As long as these two teams are healthy, it will be their first but certainly not their last NBA final battle. Personally, I’m not a ‘Heat-hater’, but I like Thunder, particularly Kevin Durant more. So, I will root for Thunder. My prediction is Thunder in 6.

Regarding Celtics’ future, I think it will be fine. The Truth will stay for 2 more years, and Rondo is about the hit his prime. They can lead younger players to become a decent playoff team. Of course, our dream would be KG and Ray Allen to be back for less money and stay on the team. Honestly, in spite of the high NBA mileages, their performance this year have shown that they still can play 2 more quality years before their skills decline enough to become role players on the bench, provided that they are healthy. KG is certainly is healthy now, and Ray would need surgery. It’s too hard to predict what they will do.

For KG to leave Boston, the reason may be that KG has never played cheap for the last 15 yrs, if he is asked to stay and perform at his current level for a cheaper price. I’m not sure if he can accept that. Given his age, I doubt other teams will play a high price to get him. So, he may simply retire for good. On the contrary, KG may stay in Boston because of his good relationship with Doc River and his teammates, and his character of being loyal to a team unless the team wants him to go. Also, if he can sacrifice and put his ego aside in 2007 to work with PP and Ray Allen, he may be able to put his ego on $ aside this time to stay with the team to make it work again. Who knows?

For Ray Allen, he is older, but as a 3 point sniper, that doesn’t matter. Given his work ethic and his way of taking good care of his conditioning, as long as he can recover from surgery this summer, he will still be a very formidable player on the court. I think fans in Boston love him and he likes Boston as well. However, it is all business, I would say it is only 50-50 that he will stay in Boston, what a shame if Danny Ainge lets him go!

Thank God for Rondo to stay this year without being traded. I dare Celtics to trade him in the next few years. Where else can you find someone better than Rondo? CP3 will stay in LA. Derrick Rose will stay in Chicago. Deron William? What makes people think that he is any better than Rondo who has developed his mid-ranged jumper this year? Rondo has almost a complete game with tons of triple-doubles and his competitive strength can take over a game and it showed. Consistency would be an issue only if you want to may it into one. He is about to hit his prime, it will be a fool to let him go. So, given Doc River will stay as well, Rondo and Doc would be attractive enough to get good players to play for Celtics. Would D. Howards consider to join the Cs? It would be a sweet dream for Cs fans if it comes true. Cuz, if D. Howards join Rondo, it would be good enough to go against Heat and Bulls (provided D. Rose becomes healthy again) in the East. Otherwise, Cs would only be good enough to be in playoff, but would be hard to reach Conference final.

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