by Jimmy Patrick

Created on: October 10, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Anyone who knows basketball knows that the game is all about the big men. The Boston Celtics acquired one of the NBA's top big men when they traded for Kevin Garnett this off-season. Suddenly there is a buzz about the Celtics being real contenders after years of mediocrity. Not since Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish roamed the front court for the Celtics have they had such a notable player as Garnett.

Garnett has averaged over 20 points per game and 11 rebounds per game in 12 years of NBA play. These are impressive statistics, but he has yet to translate those into any meaningful runs at an NBA title.

Garnett has never been one to complain, but the media does a good job for him. Their usual cry is that he has never had a good surrounding cast with him in Minnesota. So, the question is: will he have that cast in Boston?

The full depth chart for the Celtics this year is as follows:

Point Guard: Rajon Rondo/ Eddie House/ Gabe Pruitt
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen/ Tony Allen
Small Forward: Paul Pierce/ James Posey
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett/ Leon Powe/ Brian Scalabrine/ Brandon Wallace
Center: Kendrick Perkins/ Scot Pollard/ Glen Davis

Paul Pierce and Ray Allen provide the Celtics with a pair of veteran talents that have proven they can score a lot of points. Both have averaged over 20 points per game throughout their careers. Allen is regarded as on of the best three-point shooters in the game today; his career percentage from beyond the arc is a touch under 40%.

Pierce and Allen will provide the help that Garnett has been looking for. When other teams double team Garnett, he will have two good options to defer to, a luxury he did not have in Minnesota the past couple of years.

Rondo and Perkins are young and unproven, but they can only benefit from the presence of Garnett. Rondo should increase his assist totals because he will be passing to Garnett, and Perkins should increase his rebound and point totals. With all the attention in the paint going to blocking Garnett off the glass, Perkins will get his share of garbage buckets and boards.

In the past, when Garnett did have a good team in Minnesota, he would get knocked out of the playoffs by a better big man, usually in the form of Tim Duncan or Shaquille O'Neal. Duncan is still in the Western Conference, so Garnett won't have to worry about him until the NBA finals, perhaps. O'Neal is playing in the Eastern Conference for Miami, but is at the end of his career and most likely won't be a huge obstacle for Garnett.

Without a doubt, Garnett has the best team around him he has had in years. He is reaching the prime years of his career both physically and mentally. If ever there was a time for Garnett and the storied franchise of the Celtics to put together a run for the title, this year could be the year. As always, the competition will be stiff. We'll see what happens.

Prediction: Loss in the second round of the playoffs

Copyrighted 2007

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