Boston Celtics

The season is only 2 games old but I'm started to get excited about the Boston Celtics. They may not be the most talented team in the NBA but man are they young, exciting and they hustle. My hat's off to Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge (and yes I know the season just started).

The Celtics lost to the Pistons last night on a buzzer beater by Richard Hamilton but what a game! The Celtics play 11 of their first 15 games at home and I predict that by the end of that stretch the Celtics will not only be in first place in the East but also that they will have brought the excitement back to Boston.

On a related note - I think its time to give Danny Ainge credit and declare the Antoine Walker and Tony Delk trade to Dallas a clear win for Ainge and the Celtics. The Celtics recieved Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills, Jiri Welsch and a first rounder from the Mavericks. LaFrentz is looking good so far this season (and yes I know he's injury prone). Mills was traded as a part of a three team package for which the Celtics got a draft pick (which turned into Tony Allen). Welsh was traded to Cleveland for a 2007 first rounder.

What really put that trade over the top for the Celtics was the draft pick. With the Mavericks first rounder the Celtics picked point guard Delonte West who is really going to be a player in this league. Last night he more than held his own against Chauncey Billups (16 points / 8 assists for Billups vs. 10 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocked shots for West). The game before West more than held his own against Stephon Marbury (22 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds for Marbury vs. 14 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 blocked shots for West).

Paul Pierce will be an all-star and get his 24 points per game but the player I've really come to enjoy watching is Ricky Davis who was supposed to be a bad apple but has turned into a crowd favorite. One other player to watch is Orien Greene who came out of nowhere almost literally. Check out his player bio on NBA.com. The only thing it really tells you is that he came from Louisiana-Lafayette. He's only played a few minutes in each of the first two games but while he was in he was a hustle machine who also made smart, heady plays. Greene is destined to be a big fan favorite this season.