To kick off our NBA season preview, we talked about the Atlantic Division, home of the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics. With the Big Three finally getting rings, will we see Boston rule the Eastern Conference again? Or can the Raptors and 76ers, backed by big-time acquisitions, chase them in the division? Also, we talk about the New York Knicks and Mike D’Antoni’s impact on the team.

 

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Paul Pierce has something to say and we all better stop and listen. Unfortnately, what Pierce told a Spanish reporter this past week can’t be taken seriously. In fact it might be the best lie I have ever heard. Pierce, who was attending a basketball camp overseas, was asked if he thought Kobe Bryant was best player in the world. The interview went a little something like this:

Q: Is Kobe really the best player in the world?

Pierce: I don’t think Kobe is the best player. I’m the best player. There’s a line that separates having confidence and being conceited. I don’t cross that line but I have a lot of confidence in myself.

Q: Who are your top five favorite players in the NBA today?

Pierce: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Paul Pierce.

Unbelievable. Funny thing is, there was a kid watching the interview live and this was his reaction.

Getting back to a more serious note, it blows my mind for Pierce to even cross this line. Kobe and Lebron stand head and shoulders above the Celtic forward and it’s not even close. Pierce isn’t even the best player on his own team. In fact, I can name a group of other players, including the likes of Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul to name a few.

I love how Pierce names his teammates as the next four best players in the league, also. Just because Boston took home the ultimate prize doesn’t mean we have to go through them first before analyzing the rest of the league. Pierce needs to check himself. Hard.

Hosts: Sonny, Ryan, Rich and Kevin

In this episode, the entire Sportable staff discussed the dream NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, which tips off tonight in Beantown. Can Kobe Bryant complete his MVP season with his first ring without Shaquille O’Neal. Or will Boston’s Big Three win their first ring? Also, how in the world is Doc Rivers going to outcoach Phil Jackson?

 

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The Lakers and the Celtics will both have golden opportunities to oust their opponents and advance to the conference finals tonight in their respective game six’s. Given that the the home team has now run a record of 20-1 in this round of the playoffs, however, we should probably just be praying that the C’s or the Lakers don’t get shanked by double digits.

It’s entirely possible that the Celtics could run the table and win the NBA title sans a road victory in the playoffs. Doesn’t that bother you? I’m not suggesting a rule change or anything because trying to think of something like that would make my head explode, but don’t you expect a little more from a champion? Lets face it, there’s been a handful of games in this round of the playoffs that have been close while most of the games have turned out like the 99-80 smack down that the Spurs laid on the Hornets last night.

Predictability is the name of the game in this round of the playoffs. Give me an attempt at a road victory. That’s all I ask. Quicken Loans isn’t like Cameron Indoor, the Cavs (not LeBron) are beatable there. The Jazz have created a fortress at Energy Solutions Arena, I get that. The Lakers, however, are one of four teams that have beat the Jazz at home. Lets see it happen again tonight. Someone step up and prove that they’re worthy of being called a true champion.

Tomorrow marks the end of the first week of basketball post-All Star game and, over the span of this past week, the Boston Celtics failed to record a win. 0-3. Heartbreaking losses to the Nuggets and Warriors along with a sloppy defeat at the hands of the Suns last night have given the Celtics their first three game skid of the 2007/2008 season and I’m beginning to question the strength of this team.

I understand Kevin Garnett has been hurt and he’s still not completely 100%. I get that. The Celtics problem the last three games, however, hasn’t been Garnett. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce shot a combined 5-25 last night. Not going to cut it. Garnett, meanwhile, got his with 19 points and 5 boards.

I don’t think my sentiment that the Pistons are a better team has rang any more true. This team is exactly what everyone thought they’d be, three players. Outside of the big three, the production simply isn’t good enough to consistently win games. So when teams shut down Pierce and Allen, the Celtics become one dimensional.

Boston still has the best record in the NBA, something that we can’t forget about. But as this season has wore on, this team has looked more and more beatable.

Dear Mr. Ainge,

You’ve taken lots of heat for your management of the Boston Celtics over the last year or two, and with good reason. You’ve taken one of the NBA’s proudest franchises and driven them straight into the ground. Your star player, Paul Pierce, voiced plenty of frustration over management and even made a demand: Bring some veteran talent in here or trade my ass. You’ve sacked up, swallowed your ego and made some good moves.

I’m going to completely ignore the fact that your team will be dogshit in four or five years once Pierce, Garnett, and Allen reach washed-up status. Acquiring Kevin Garnett was a bold move that will pay huge dividends over the next few years. But he isn’t getting any younger, impressive stats aside. Neither is Ray Allen, acquired for the 5th overall pick in one of the deepest NBA Drafts ever. Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes and Gerald Green are all going to grow into stars in Minnesota. But they weren’t stars yet. Garnett is. He’s the big acqusition that will sell jerseys and encourage fans to return to the Boston Garden TD Banknorth Garden.

In the weak Eastern Conference, you have a couple options. You can try to get by with a mediocre team and achieve a 7 or 8 seed and a losing record. In my opinion, that’s what this year’s Celtics would have been without “The Big Ticket.” But with Garnett now in the fray, this is a team that’s completely capable of winning the Atlantic Division and getting some home court advantage in the playoffs.

I’d also like to applaud your former teammate, Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale. Trading Garnett will obviously piss some people off. But let’s be honest. It was a trade that was years in the making. Now, the Timberwolves pick up some new pieces to go alongside guys like Randy Foye and Corey Brewer. If you were in charge of the Lakers, maybe Kobe Bryant wouldn’t be so emo these days.