Kevin Henkin, Celtics Stuff Live’s comedic insight’s keep everyone informed,,,and entertained.
He swears he’s not a writer for the Jon Stewart Show. Well, he should be. Jon, are you paying attention here?
His blend of wit, sarcasm, and game knowledge always make for a worthwhile read. Young Mr. Henkin generously offers his responses to my true or false 12 question questionnaire. (Don’t you even hate the word questionnaire? Sounds too much like middle school. Or applying for college …or something….ummm, where was I?) Oh yeah…..
Besides his opinion pieces and terrific game time ‘rolling observations’ on CSL, at Comcast Sports Net New England, Kevin also writes for BSMW (Boston Sports Media Watch). Please check him out when you can.
Here are Kevin’s answers with comment to the Dirty Dozen….
Q&A for Kevin
1) The Celtic’s season so far is better than expected. T or F
False. Okay, readers. Raise your hands if at the beginning of the season, you had full confidence that the Celtics would at least be a shoo-in for the Eastern Conference Finals and also a fair level of confidence for further progress beyond that. Yup, me too. Now we’re left with a roster devasted by injuries that have left Boston’s chances of repeating sadly in tatters, right along with my expectations for the season.
2) Garnett’s injury and subsequent Celtic play shows that he is the true MVP of this team. T or F
True. Actually, it wasn’t the injury or the team’s performance that convinced me. Since his arrival, I’ve always believed that Garnett was the MVP of this team. What he does, on defense, on offense, on the glass, in the locker room, on the floor with his communication…it’s impossible to replace and has a value of such magnitude that is difficult to quantify. Nonetheless, KG is truly the straw that stirs the green Kool-Aid of the Boston Celtics.
3) Rajon Rondo is a bona fide member of the Big Four. T or F
Um….True AND False.
True in the sense that Rondo has become equal in importance to his more heralded veteran counterparts (although some of that importance is derived from the fact that he plays starting point guard). Regardless, Rondo is the engine and the engineer of the team offense and this season has submitted eye-popping performances with far greater frequency.
False in the sense that much of the hullabaloo surrounding the latest incarnation of “The Big Three” of Pierce, Garnett and Allen is the fact that all three of them are considered to be locks as first ballot Hall of Famers. As much as I love Rondo’s game and envision and even greater upside, he’s simply not on that level yet.
4) Tom Thibodeau’s ‘genius’ is directly proportional to the players playing. T or F
False. I think most of us can agree that Banner 17 was accomplished largely because of the Boston TEAM defense, the effectiveness of which was built upon the foundation of Thibodeau’s strategy and philosophy. Having such a foundation in place, along with players like Garnett and Posey to lead the way, was necessary to sell such a hard-core defense-first philosophy on the likes of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and other players on the Celtics roster who had never submitted an equal level of effort away from offense.
5) The Celtics broke too fast from the gate. Garnett went too hard too soon. Doc River’s should have held the Celtics and KG back a bit early in the year. T of F
False. Honestly, I don’t think that question would even occur to anyone unless Garnett suffered the knee injury. Also, unlike last season, the Celtics were under a far greater level of pressure to pile up regular season wins in their attempt to surpass Cleveland and Los Angeles for the rights to the immensely important home court advantage in the playoffs. Therefore, even in hindsight, I don’t fault the approach of the team with regards to minutes or the handling of the veteran players.
6) Paul Pierce is worn down. T or F
True. Or, I should say, he sure looks like he is. In his defense, he’s been the focal point of the Chicago defense, frequently swarmed upon by help defenders when he’s received the ball. Regardless, he’s also taken some plays off and has looked particularly fatigued at the end of the games. If fatigue is indeed the issue, the obvious hope is that the increased number of days in between games will inject some extra life back into his legs.
7) Ray Allen is just a glorified jump shooter. T of F
False. To me, much of Allen’s success comes from his ability to move without the ball so that he’s in the right spot to make those shots. He also offers better than average playmaking instincts and generally finishes well at the basket, not just because of his deft touch with the ball but also because of his high basketball IQ that enables him to spot openings at the hoop. Lastly, Allen’s shooting deserves whatever glory is shined upon it. He is the Reggie Miller of his generation, complete with the full resume of assorted game-winning daggers.
Glen Davis will get richer, but not with the Celtics next season. T or F
True (richer) and False (expect him back in Boston). The Powe injury, to me, seals the deal. Davis has become a pretty good player despite his well-noted faults and also represents a classic case of “The Devil You Know”. Think of how much work Clifford Ray has invested in the young big. Think of exactly how far Davis has come in the two years under the tutelage or Ray and also Doc Rivers. Why allow another team to benefit from all that investment? Plus, who understands the upside and potential of Davis better that the Celtics’s coaching staff and front office? Lastly, the fact that Davis followed instructions last off-season by losing a little weight and developing a mid-range jumper speaks to his commitment to getting better, which is not always evident in young players.
9) The Celtic bench is over rated. T or F
Unfortunately true. Too many expectations on individual players have fallen far short: Tony Allen, who was supposed to step in to help replace the void left by James Posey, has been inconsistent/ineffective/yet again riddled by injuries. Again. Stephon Marbury, who still hasn’t become the weapon that we all know he could be. Mikki Moore, the human foul machine who still struggles far too often on both ends of the floor and has yet to establish his mid-range jumper as a consistent factor in play. Only Eddie House (at last free from ball-handling duties) has lived up to what he could be at this point by creating such havoc from behind the arc.
10) The Celtics should have kept Sam Cassell, instead of Marbury. T or F
False. Marbury’s far greater upside made the move to replace Cassell worth the risk. It would have been nice to have seen with our own eyes, however, what Cassell had left in the tank this year.
11) The Celtics should have signed Posey. T or F
Too True. Yes, his contract offered by New Orleans was excessive, both in terms of money and years. That said, allowing him to walk was unwise and in the wake of constant injuries this season has proven to be borderline disastrous.
To me, losing Posey is akin to purchasing a Ferrari (Pierce, Garnett and Allen) and then filling up the tank with cheap gas, blowing off oil changes and sticking cheap, bald tires on the rims. Why by a high performance machine if you can’t invest in making it run to its fullest potential? Posey wasn’t part of “The Big Three” but he nonetheless represented the heart and soul of Ubuntu. He was also the anchor of the bench unit, the ineffectiveness of which has plagued the team all season long. Lastly, he was the second most important defensive player on the team behind Garnett, which is no small thing.
Actually, one final point: Losing “Big Game James” was the opposite of keeping up with the Joneses. The Cavaliers and Lakers both improved on their Spring 2008 rosters while the Celtics lost a key member of their rotation and otherwise remained standing pat. So yes, the Celtics most definitely should have ponied up the cash and the contract and kept Posey in green and white where he belonged.
12) The firing of ‘Lucky’ was an omen. T or F
Absolutely true. Lucky’s firing represents a very bad omen for professional sports mascots who don’t show up for required team promotional appearances. You hear that, Wally?!?!? Stay in line or the same thing can happen to you, you fuzzy green Elmo ripoff!
There you have it. Thanks Kevin for those insightful responses. Agree or disagree?
I like your Posey analogy with the gas. That one will be debated for a while, I think. I tend to agree with your thinking. At the time, I was ever hopeful that Tony Allen would make that decision easier.
Thanks again Kevin! Be sure to catch the Kevin’s writing on Celtics Stuff Live.
