Chasing 73 Wins: Should Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, & Boston Celtics Go For Record?
January 03 08
Last weekend, the New England Patriots 16-0 record tied the Miami Dolphins’ all-time mark. Another New England franchise, the Boston Celtics, is on the verge of making history by matching or surpassing the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls’ 72-10 record.
Last night’s 97-93 win over Houston pushed Boston’s record to an astounding 27-3. Can Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce challenge Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Denis Rodman’s record?
Yes they can …
- Boston’s three-star nucleus is an obvious success. The NBA is a talent driven league, where the team with the best set of functioning stars wins (notice I said functioning). The Allen, Garnett, and Pierce combo matches-up favorably against opposing team’s best players.
- Boston plays defense. And strong defense allows teams to stay in games. In last week’s much-hyped match-up against the Lakers, the Celtics went into shut-down mode. Kobe Bryant struggled from the floor. And the usually mild Lamar Odom got so frustrated with his shooting woes that he went thug life on Ray Allen.
- Boston’s role players have chemistry. In fact, there’s plenty of talent surrounding the Big Three. Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins are legit starters. Eddie House knocks down open shots. James Posey’s has outside range and is a strong defender. Tony Allen showed flashes against the Lakers. There’s also a mix of journeyman posts.
Roadblocks to the record ...
- Boston has a tough backend to their schedule. They’ll spend most of February and March out west on a killer road trip against the league’s top teams.
- Boston, at some point, has to hit a rough patch, right? Injuries could occur. And they could drop a few games, too.
But should Boston go for 73 wins? …
- Regular season glory means little in the scheme of things. After securing home court advantage, Boston might rest their veterans for the playoffs. Limited minutes and nights off could be in store for The Big Three. 73 wins would be sacrificed in hopes of winning an NBA Title.
- Coach Doc Rivers is conscious of resting Allen, Garnett, and Pierce. He’s monitoring playing time and canceling practices to provide his older stars with proper recovery time.
Bottom line: Rivers’ focus on rest and recovery could be the reason Boston doesn’t surpass 72 wins. We’ll wait until June to see if it pays off with an NBA Title.
Will Boston break Chicago’s 72-10 regular season record? Let us know in the comment box below or hit us up in our fan forum. Click here to read and subscribe to Oly Sandor’s NBA blog.
