The NBA has decided that Centers will no longer have a special spot in the All-Star game. Instead, the team will be made up of 3 frontcourt players, and two backcourt, rather than two forwards and a center. It comes as no surprise seeing as most teams don’t rely on a traditional center anymore like the old days.
Last week, we took a poll about who you guys think has been the biggest star of the pre-season for newcomers, and I included Jeff Green because he was injured last season. Jared Sullinger won with over 50% of the votes, and Jeff Green was tied for second with Courtney Lee and Jason Terry, all with roughly 12% of the votes. Everyone keeps going on about how good our team is going to be because of our depth but here are some reasons why each player will succeed in our system.
Jared Sullinger: Rookie that fell to us in the draft, should have been a high lottery pick if not for an injured back last season. Not too many rookies get minutes in our system, 
but Jared could be starting some nights. KG and Doc Rivers have both said that he has a very high basketball IQ and does not play like a rookie typically does. He has adapted to the Celtics’ system real quick, and is not timid out on the court. He rebounds consistently and shoots right when he gets the open look, rather than hesitate and up fake 15 times like a lot of smaller big men like himself. And good news for C’s fans: Garnett said he is “giving him the book, teaching him everything I know”.
The Celtics have been my favorite sports team since I can remember. Yes, the B’s, Pat’s, and Sox are obviously right up there, too. But I have always seen the Green and White above all. I love their history, from Red Auerbach and Bill Russell, to the original big 3 (Bird, Parish, Mchale), to the new big 3 and everything in between. That being said, I do not remember the last time that I was this excited for the Celtics season to start. With the Pat’s barely sneaking by, the NHL in a lockout, and the Sox not playing last season (I’m pretending that’s what happened), I cannot wait.
In my opinion, this is the most talented team that we have had since the Bird era. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that we are as deep as the Russell team (Pictured Below) that had 9 future Hall of Famers on their roster in the 1962-63 season. Needless-to-say, they won a championship that season. That was their 5th in a row, eventually setting the record with 8 in a row. But we are solid.
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Guess whose drawing comparisons to top 50, hall of fame basketball player James Worthy? If you guessed Paul Pierce or Rajon Rondo, then you are wrong. The answer is Jeff Green. OK, so the nickname was said by Brian Scalabrine on Comcast SportsNet, but still, those are big shoes to fill. Green said on twitter: “I’ve got a message for Scal: You have to ask the great James Worthy if I’m able to have that nickname of James Worthy, because that’s a top 50, one of the greatest players to ever play this game, and for me to be called that, it’s an honor, but you have to ask his permission. So Tweet it, call him, email, whatever you need to do, because I don’t want to be called that without his permission.”
James Worthy is a 7 time all-star, 3 time NBA Champion, and former #1 draft pick. He also was an NCAA Champion at UNC in 1982. Big Game James averaged 17.6 PPG and 5.1 RPG over 12 seasons. He played his whole career for the Lakers during the Magic Johnson era. It is great that Scal wants to compare Green to a Laker great, but I think he needs a few championships first. Also, it is going to be tough to be compared to the great Worth because Green is not slated to start for the C’s this season. He started while he was in Oklahoma City, and was great, but his role is a little bit different with the Celtics.
Should championships always be a factor in determining great players’ legacies? Forget about the Jeff Green-James Worthy comparison for a minute. Kevin Love is one of the best players in the game today, and he will probably never win a championship, unless he is traded, which is unlikely. Charles Barkley never won a ring either.
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