One reason I really like this Celtic team is that they display great balance, but without players that are ‘position prototypes’. It is a bit iconoclastic. And they have an iconoclastic coach to lead them. And play them. He plays too many players according to conventional wisdom. You go, Doc.
That brings a smile to my face. I quietly love it. Break a few established rules as you find your way to success. Like Picasso, who was capable of exquisite realistic renderings, but choose not to paint that way, you have to know the rules to break them, or more truly, to bend them.
The Celtics have:
1) A 7 foot fancy passing, inside/outside power forward who can move to center (Kevin Garnett)
2) Two young undersized power forwards with oversized hearts.
a) One has long arms and can leap. (Leon Powe)
b) The other has a big……heart and the energy of a 6 year old. The infinite tape measuring and leap-o-meter won’t tell you much good about Glen Davis. A heart x-ray will say more.
Both have learned to navigate the lower regions of the post among the world’s best tall people. Their size has not been a disadvantage after all.
3) A defensive minded small forward who plays a lot of power forward, but also guards shooting guards from time to time. (James Posey)
4) A diminutive point guard with long arms who can rebound like a forward when he wants to. (Rajon Rondo)
5) A shooting guard who can handle and pass (Ray Allen)
6) A small forward who can play shooting guard, pass like a point guard, and rebound like he was taller(Paul Pierce)
7) A shooting guard who can defend small forwards as well. (Tony Allen) 
A shooting guard who plays point guard. (Eddie House)
9) A power forward who can play some center. (Brian Scalabrine)
The corporate world call that ‘cross training’. Any coach would love to have that versatility and multi answer roster.
They are a half court team who can fast break for stretches when needed. They are only recently playing a more traditional line-up with the emergence of Leon Powe. It allows James Posey to play his natural position – small forward.
While much of what this team does is close to a purist’s idea of fundamental team basketball, they have done it with a nice mix of unconventional players and personalities.
Molds are made to be broken. More than a few have been broken, bent, or stretched in Beantown this season.The results have been pretty good.
