Turns Out The C's Aren't Bad

Yup. We can all go home now. It's been decided - the Celtics are the best team ever. This January 5th game was treated by some in the media like it was June 5th, which is nothing short of non-professional. But we're used to it, so let's move on. This was obviously a good win for the C's tonight, winning in Detroit against a team that had won eleven straight ain't easy. This will probably shut up the doubters once and for all, but for those still skeptical of the C's talent - I hate to break it to you, but you don't have a margin of victory of 13 without being elite.

So let's move on quickly. There will be alot of melodramatic statements about how much of a barometer game this was for the Celtics, but don't believe it. When you're 29-3 in January you don't have barometer games. You are measured by the playoffs. In the regular season we try to gauge how you will perform when the serious season gets underway. And judging by the season so far, it looks pretty good for the C's. Winning or losing a close game to the Pistons this early in the year hardly means that the same result will occur in May or June. Every player in both locker rooms is aware of that.

What we can tell about these squads is that they play similarly - which is slightly surprising given the different personnel. For both teams efficiency is of utmost value, as opposed to quantity. The Pistons are probably more concerned about offensive efficiency, while the C's more intent on the defensive aspect of it. What is very hard to discern at this point is if one team is clearly superior; it surely does not seem that way by judging their seasons so far. Yet one has to remember, as Tommy implied on the broadcast tonight, that this Pistons team has self-destructed in the playoffs the last two years. And not as much as it appears has really changed with Detroit. One has to figure this bodes well for the Celtics.

To touch upon tonight's game we must obviously bring up Baby's performance. Hopefully it means we have seen the last of his DNP-CD days. Everything Perk does wrong with the ball in the post Baby does right. Unfortunately Baby is about three inches shorter. Offensively that's okay, but defensively we have to be wary. You see how nicely Baby handled Rasheed tonight. But Sheed is not Dwight Howard.

Neither KG or Ray played particularly well, and one can only credit Detroit's defense so much. Just slightly off games for both of them. Meanwhile on TV they were saying how tonight was one of Pierce's best games this year; I disagreed, I just thought it was one of his smartest. His passing was marvelous. Oh, and I would be remiss to forget - DO NOT LET TONY ALLEN BRING THE BALL UP THE COURT IN THE LAST TWO MINUTES OF A CLOSE GAME. Thanks, had to say it.

As you see, I seem more relieved and snotty than excited by the win. That's because if they lost it would have been alright - I already knew the C's were damn good. Now we don't have to worry about another "Game of The Century" till Dallas rolls into town on January 31st. In the meantime we can try to seriously understand where this 29-3 team is heading, if such an endeavor is at all possible.