CELTICS GREEN BLOG by and for boston celtics fans: The Truth, Big Ticket and Jesus Shuttlesworth

by FLCeltsFan 9:48 PM

I just finished watching the press conference and I have to say I am very, very excited. These are exciting times to be a Celtics fan. I have to say that I feel very drained after the past few days. I have gone from extreme sadness at losing Al, Green and Gomes to elation at watching the press conference. Today's article is just a very disjointed collection of thoughts on the press conference, the trade, and the Celtics.

First of all, watching KG, Pierce, and Ray Allen up there at the press conference, I got the feeling that chemistry won't be a problem. They seem to genuinely like each other and they have all been friends since high school. I just loved seeing how much the three of them were smiling throughout the press conference. They were like rookies holding up their jerseys. These 3 are going to bring out the best in each other and the rest of the team.

I am going to miss Big Al, Gerald and Gomes. Al really loved being a Celtic and didn't want to be traded. During his time with Boston, whenever he was asked
about trade rumors, he always said he loved the tradition of the Boston
Celtics, and wanted to be part of the next generation of that tradition. It might not be so bad, but I keep thinking of poor Al having to play with Mark Blount again. Gerald is kind of the forgotten man in all this because I see a lot of posts and articles about how we will miss Al and Gomes but very few have mentioned Gerald. I will miss Gerald. He had that youthful enthusiasm that made him exciting to watch. I believe he is going to get it and within the next couple of years be a really good player. Gomes was just a great person all the way around. He was just so solid and a very good guy too. I felt like they were home grown Celtics and it would have been nice to let them grow up Celtics just like the Celtics in the old days. But, I know that when you can get a player like Garnett you have to go for it.

I wish Al, Gerald and Ryan the best of everything in Minnesota and maybe one day they will come home to Boston again. I know one thing, I will be watching the Wolves this season along with the Celtics.

It will be sad seeing Gerald defend his slam dunk title in a Wolves uniform.

Kevin Garnett has a collection of Red Sox hats and is a big Red Sox fan. He will fit in Boston quite well.

KG's wife is very pretty. It was nice to see them walking around the Garden hand in hand, checking out their new basketball home.

At the press conference, Wyc mentioned the time that Pierce lost some teeth in a game and the next day sat in the dentist's chair for 7 hours and still played again that night. Wyc said that it was then that he decided to build the team around Paul Pierce.

All 3 players at the press conference said that they had never played with anyone of the caliber of the other two in their careers.

Pierce couldn't stop smiling. He said that the fact that the Celtics decided to build around him and win now makes him feel awesome.

Pierce had this to say about his 2 new teammates: "We all compliment each other very well. KG does it all, can defend, rebound. Ray is one of the greatest shooters ever, moves well without the ball. I'm a slasher who can shoot a bit. KG is a great passer." I really feel that these 3 are going to check their egos at the door and do whatever it takes to win this year. That makes me very excited.

There were a couple of rather light moments at the press conference. One was when KG said that he called Pierce's 4 phones and left messages and Pierce said that he didn't recognize the area code. Also when Garnett said that he has never been on a cruise and it is the other Kevin on the cruise and just the way he looked at the reporters when he said that had everybody cracking up. Another moment was when KG described his last 72 hours like riding in a Lambourgini at 200 mph with your head out the window. I just love the obvious chemistry between these 3 already.

Powe, Big Baby, and Wallace must be beside themselves with their luck after these trades. Before the trades they were buried behind existing roster players on a team that was on the cusp of even making the playoffs. Now, they will be playing with some of the best talent in the league and learning from them on a team that is expected to be playing for a title.

Pierce said that he will be 100% healthy for training camp. Ray Allen said the same thing and said if he had to play tomorrow he could. Both said they are going to work on being in great shape for training camp and can't wait for it to start. KG looks like he is never in anything but great shape.

Ainge drafted the guys he traded for KG at 15 (Jefferson), 18 (Green), 50 (Gomes) and traded the #7 pick (along with Raef and Dickau) for Telfair and Ratliff. That is pretty impressive. Ainge will have 2 #1 picks and 3 #2 picks in the next
3 years in order to continue building the team as KG, PP, and RA age and slow down. Plus, what free agents wouldn't want to come to Boston to play with these guys. Already there are free agents calling us and asking to play here. Wow!

We should give Danny credit. He has taken a lot of heat through these past 3 seasons but he did say when he took over that he was gathering chips that he would use to trade at the right time. His trade for Telfair was booed and he took heat for it but without that trade and Ratliff's expiring contract, we don't do this trade. Danny had patience and waited till the right time and has now built a winner that everyone is talking about. The Celtics went from 80-1 odds to win the East to favorites.

Danny said that he would have 13-14 guys on the roster by the time that training camp started. They are already working on it as Dave Wohl was watching film and talking to free agents during the press conference and couldn't be there. With a couple of good free agent signings we should have a decent bench as well as an impressive staring 5.

We still need to sign a back up point guard. Everyone made it clear that Rondo is the starting PG and they would be lookiing for a back up for him. We also need more depth at center to back up Perk. With KG here now, we have a shot at whichever free agents we target since most would want to come here for a chance at a ring and to play with RA and KG. Motumbo and PJ Brown have been mentioned at center and Knight, Hudson and Navarro at the point.

I have noticed a lot of new posters on the boards. Get ready for an influx of KG fans and Ray Allen fans and just a bunch of bandwagon fans. I welcome KG fans and RA fans, but I just bristle a bit at people who just cheer for the teams that are winning. If you are a fan, you should be a fan through the good and the bad. Here's to the fans of the Celtics during the Pitino years and the ML Carr years. Those are the REAL Celtics fans.

Keys to winning this season are Rondo's ability to run the point, finding a capable veteran backup for Rondo, having everyone stay healthy, Perk having a break out season and getting a back up center, and seeing if Davis, Powe and Wallace can contribute this season. They will have 2 great teachers in KG and Clifford Ray.

62 days until training camp. Anyone else getting very excited? I can't wait till this season starts.

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