The Big Three In Boston...
Eastern Conference Preview
October 29, 2007
by Keith Dobkowski
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On the verge of the 2007/08 NBA season, the hype machine is in full effect as the Boston Celtics have
returned to glory with the teaming of the big three. Paul Pierce is no longer alone in BeanTown as perennial
all-stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are now draped in Celtic green. But is it enough to bring a 17th
banner to Boston?
The immediate negatives are many as Boston does not have a banger inside, a shutdown wing or an
experienced ball handler. And therefore the question is not as much about the big three, but rather the four
and five.
Will Big Baby make a big transition to the pros? Glen Davis sits in a perfect position as the second round
choice for the Celtics. He is wide and strong and will have the benefit of one of the top shot blockers in the
league to cover his weak side. But will Davis have the athleticism to compete for 82 games?
Can James Posey be a shut down wing player? The East boasts many of the best scorers in the NBA and
Posey’s job will be to make scoring a bit harder.
Lucky for the big three is that the Eastern Conference remains the weaker conference. Only two teams,
Chicago and Detroit, have quality player’s at all five positions. However, Chicago enters the year with no
inside scoring threat, thus living by the jump shot once again. While Detroit has the same core from their
championship run in 2004, they are clearly older and their best scorer, Richard Hamilton, is injured.
In the 2007 playoffs, Lebron James showed that one dominant player was enough to get out of the East.
The 2007 feat is even more spectacular as James is still several years from hitting his peak, evident by his
flawed shot and less than stellar defense. Another dominant player in the East is Agent 0, Gilbert Arenas,
who has the benefit of two scorers by his side in Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler.
Dwyane Wade, if healthy, may be the most complete player in the East. And if the Heat make the playoffs,
Shaq is a huge force in the middle with no equal. The biggest issue is whether the Heat can survive the
regular season and the odds are against them. Wade is out until Mid-November, Shaq is overweight, Posey
and Walker are gone and Jason Williams is hurt.
Outside of harassing co-workers, Isiah Thomas did a nice job of creating a front line with the addition of Zach
Randolph. The question remains, if one bad apple in Stephon Marbury ruins the bunch, what do two bad
apples do?
The wildcards in the East comes from a few of up and coming teams. Toronto has a superstar in Chris Bosh
and a nice surrounding cast. Charlotte added a two in Jason Richardson, an up and coming point guard in
Felton and a scorer in Gerald Wallace. And Orlando has an improved Dwight Howard lining up next to a
scorer in Rashard Lewis.
Finally, there is New Jersey who sits just one back away from either the finals or the lottery. Jason Kidd’s
back will clearly determine the fate of 2007/08 Nets. When healthy, Jason Kidd is the best defensive point
guard in the game and sees the floor better than any other guard (including you Steve Nash). Kidd’s current
backup Marcus Williams may be out until 2008.
The Final 8:
1. Chicago
2. Detroit
3. Boston
4. New Jersey
5. Orlando
6. Cleveland
7. Toronto
8. Washington
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