Don't lest Rondo's 6-1, 171 pound frame fool you; he is aggressive and his confidence is growing. Rivers will turn to USC rookie Gabe Pruitt off the bench. The 6-4 Pruitt was the 32nd overall pick in this year's draft and is a bigger point who is active on both ends of the floor. He can shoot with range and defend shooting guards on rotations.

When he's (Ray Allen)healthy though, there isn't a more pure shooter around. His career 21.5 point average should couple nicely with Paul Pierce's 23.6 career average. Allen says he's in Boston to make Pierce and the team better, but one has to wonder if that will be enough. Allen is a class act all around and the Celtics are lucky to have him. Tony Allen will be penciled in to play behind the other Allen. He missed 49 games after tearing his ACL on a missed dunk in a Boston loss, after an official had already blown the whistle. Eddie House and his deft shooting touch come over from New Jersey to add depth.

The Celtics desperately need Pierce on the court - not only is he a versatile scoring and defensive threat, but he works extremely hard. Unfair or not, heavy expectations await Pierce this season. Can he stay healthy enough to fulfill them? That's where the Truth will be told. With swingman Gerald Green off to Minnesota the backup to Pierce could be a mystery, at least heading into training camp. Brandon Wallace might be in the right place a the right time. Undrafted and signed at the beginning of the summer by the Celtics, the 6-9 forward out of South Carolina is raw and suited for an uptempo game. Chances are he will be right at home in Boston.

(Garnett) certainly certainly changes the future of Boston's season, but it will be interesting to see who he goes from being the focal point of an offense to having to share the responsibilities. Then again, this is what Garnett has wanted all along. Now he has it in Boston with Allen and Pierce. Rounding out the reserves at the four spot are Brian Scalabrine, 6-8 Leon Powe, and rookie Glen "Big Baby" Davis. Davis was tipping the scales at more than 310 pounds while at LSU; Now he's around 289, which is still big. He has great footwork and a soft touch for a guy his size and will surely leave his mark on the game.

But the other top teams in the East have something the Celtics don't: a solid bench. Players like Leon Powe, Tony Allen, and Brian Scalabrine aren't exactly scaring anybody. And that could be the difference when the playoffs arrive.