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Did you get the memo?  It’s Lakers vs. Celtics for the 2008 NBA title. For the 11th time.  Purple and gold vs green and white.  The old schooliest of old school rivalries.  The Big Three vs…. what exactly do you call Kobe, Pau, LO, and the rest of those guys?  However you slice it, there’s a ludicrous amount of excitement around the series, which brings plenty of questions.  With that in mind, SHLA hit up Jim at the popular Celtics blog Green Bandwagon for some answers.

1) Everyone talks about the Big Three.  Still, it seems like there’s always some other dude popping up and making a difference (a’la Kendrick Perkins vs. Detroit).  Is there one guy in the supporting cast who seems to be a catalyst for good stuff for the team?

The fact that on any given night anyone not named Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, or Kevin Garnett could step up and help win a game was one of the joys of the regular season. Glen Davis played admirable defense against Tim Duncan in a win over San Antonio. Rajon Rondo attacked Steve Nash in the second Suns game. Perkins destroyed Memphis one night. James Posey contributed in numerous ways, such as covering Dwyane Wade on the last possession of a two point victory over the Heat. Eddie House got hot from outside on several occasions. Leon Powe earned a spot in the rotation during KG’s absence.

Unfortunately the playoffs have been a different story. Currently only Posey and P.J. Brown are getting significant time off the bench. The rotation from the first 82 games is long gone. So assuming Allen, Pierce and Garnett play well, either Rondo or Perkins has to step up to gain the victory. In fact if Rondo shoots reasonably well from the field, gets good looks for his teammates, doesn’t turn the ball over and grabs rebounds (you’ll be surprised how adept he is at rebounding) the Celtics have a great chance of winning.

2) The Celtics are built around defense.  What are they doing that makes them so freakin’ good at what is becoming a lost art in the NBA?

It sounds cliché but when a team’s best player buys into defense and is really good at it, everyone else falls into line. For example Pierce played the best defense of his career this season. And House, an average defender at best, does some good thing within the system. Someone asked me in December the best way to defend the pick and roll. I said sign Kevin Garnett. But even Perkins and Glen Davis have done an admirable job. In fact KG is so consistent on a nightly basis that the defense is at its absolute peak when Perkins is playing well. Garnett is a fixed quantity while Perkins is a variable. Furthermore, Tom Thibodeau was an excellent hire as a defensive minded assistant coach.

From New York to Houston and now Boston he’s always worked with teams that know how to defend. Finally, prior to this season I thought of defense in terms of blocks, steals and points allowed in a head-to-head match up. Now I think of rotations, closing out on shooters, defending the pick and roll, selective doubling, good communication, and in general a total team effort.

3) It’s a common cliché in the NBA that a team needs to belong to someone.  The Lakers are Kobe’s team (as they once were Shaq’s…).  The Suns are Steve Nash’s team.  And so on.  Given the roles of KG, Pierce and to a lesser extent, Ray Allen, whose team is it?  Does it matter?

I really believe that KG is responsible for changing the culture in Boston. He’s a great player that brings so much to the table – defense, rebounding, efficient scoring, consistency, and leadership. On top of that he is an excellent passer and an energy guy, which is rare for a player of his stature. I still find it odd that he goes out there like he’s Ronny Turiaf, with way more profanity, screaming and chest pounding and less dancing. However, I think we tend to call a team Player X’s if said player scores big in crunch time. Garnett does not do that.

That’s where Paul Pierce comes in. I’ve defended him for years and this season has been rewarding due to his stellar play. Still I worry about Pierce. He could go out and say no one can guard him and struggle. Or he could seize the moment and be Boston’s go-to guy. If the latter happens it would be somewhat similar to Tony Parker winning the Finals MVP last season when everyone knew it was Tim Duncan’s team. Long story short it’s KG’s team but Pierce is close. Ray Allen is not in the conversation.

Doc Rivers has long been under fire in Boston.  Is there any sense now that he’s a championship caliber coach, or are you guys waiting for him to screw up?

Critics of Doc Rivers, most notably Bill Simmons, were cautiously optimistic and quick to give backhanded compliments. Well, the floodgates opened after Game 4 of the Hawks series. Another Celtics blog, The Shamrock Headband, recently pointed out that only six coaches have won NBA titles over the last 20 years, with Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson winning the lion’s share. As it stands now Rivers does not belong in that company, which terrifies Celtics fans as they ponder Jackson vs. Rivers. I’m not as negative as some and my biggest complaint is that I have no idea why Leon Powe has been banished to the bench. Wouldn’t you find it odd if LA all of the sudden went seven or eight deep and Sahsa Vujacic’s minutes disappeared?

I think Celtics fans tend to focus on the negatives with Rivers, ignoring his strengths in the process. Still there is a sense that if the Celtics prevail it will not be because of Rivers but in spite of him. That’s never a good thing. On the bright side he said, “What’s up?” to me at a game in April.

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