The Trade Deadline Approaches

Remember those movies where there's a crazy guy with an axe waiting for an unsuspecting person to walk into the dark house? Well Danny Ainge is the crazy guy with the axe and the Celtics are the unsuspecting person walking into the house. He's going to figuratively chop them apart (although I don't think he'd mind literally hitting Jermaine O'Neal with an axe).

What are the possibilities? Who might be coming in? Who might be sent out? Could they do nothing? Are they going to blow it up or try to compete for a title?

These are the kind of questions that Danny Ainge needs to be asking himself. The last one is the most interesting because that will determine every move that follows. From everything I've seen this season, as presently constructed, the Celtics can not win a championship. The problem is that they are stuck in the same position that they were when Danny took over, mediocrity. It's the death zone for an NBA team, just good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to really compete. You never get a high enough draft pick to obtain a franchise player and you never get over the hump to being a great team. The only options they have now are to "blow it up" and start all over again, hope for a big free agent signing, or make trades to keep the team a title contender.

Option 1 Blow It Up: This is a pretty enticing option for many reasons. The age of the Big 3 is a huge concern going forward, Rondo is reportedly a problem in the locker room and hard to get along with, KG and Ray are done after this year, and the 2012 draft looks great. If this is the course of action that the Celtics choose to take, then it would pretty much just be a firesale to get what they can out of the guys they have and then tank for a good pick in the draft. Taking some rumors I've read lately, you might see something like Ray Allen to Minnesota for Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph, and Darko Milicic. Then Rondo sent to Golden State in return for Steph Curry and Kwame Brown, while Pierce could be dealt to LA (Pierce in purple and gold makes me want to puke) in a three team deal to net the Celtics draft picks and players. Kevin Garnett would be tough to deal because of his large contract, but worst case scenario his contract is just allowed to expire after the season. The Celtics would go into next season with Steph Curry and at least three first round picks. Not a bad starting spot for a rebuilding team. This was the strategy that Ainge used before he got KG and Ray Allen. He stockpiled draft picks like Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Jeff Green etc. and then cashed them in for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett when the time was right.

Option 2 Pray for Dwight: This is really the only big time free agent signing that would help this team for next year. If the Celtics just stand pat at the trade deadline and allow this team to finish the year then they must be reasonably sure that Dwight is coming to Boston. The only potential move that would make sense would be to send Rondo to Golden State in the aforementioned deal for Steph Curry and Kwame Brown. Curry makes less than Rondo and would allow the Celtics to also make a play for Deron Williams (a close friend of Dwight). This is the plan that I like the most but also the least likely to happen unfortunately. Imagine a Celtics starting five next year of Williams-Curry-Pierce-Garnett(re-signed)-Howard. That's a lineup that would immediately compete for a championship.

Option 3 Reload: This option is really only good for this year. The Celtics need a couple things right now to become a team that can compete for a championship. They need a big guy that rebounds and can score inside and a perimeter player that can create his own offense. With the news coming out today(2/29) that Lamar Odom would like to be bought out and come to Boston that would solve the big man problem. As much as I hated Lamar when he played for the Lakers he is a good big man that can rebound and score inside. The perimeter player that can create his own offense could come from another legitimate rumor circulating the web, Jermaine O'Neal and a 1st round pick to Minnesota for Michael Beasley. I know that "Super Cool Beas" doesn't have the best reputation but he's exactly what the Celtics need for their ailing offense. At 23 he also could be a major player for the future. Probably my least favorite option because even with those moves the Celtics still aren't getting by the Heat or Bulls, but at least they'd be contenders.

Those are really the only three options that Danny Ainge has and by March 15th, the trade deadline, we'll all know which one he chose. Personally I'm hoping that, whatever he decides to do, Paul Pierce is still wearing Green when it's all said and done. I was watching some youtube videos earlier and this one caught my eye. I would recommend watching the whole thing but if not then at least fast forward to the 8:00 mark and look at Paul Pierce's face when he gets his ring. It clearly means something for him to be a Celtic and to win with the Celtics. He needs to be here to teach the next generation of players what being a "Celtic" is all about.

The second thing I want to talk about is the Dwight Howard situation in Orlando. It seems like every day new information comes out about where he wants to be traded, or even if he wants to be traded. In the last week I think I've read that he wants to be traded to New Jersey, LA, Dallas, or Chicago, then I read that he might exercise his player option and stay in Orlando another year, then I heard that he wants to become a free agent so he can pick his destination. I'm not even sure Dwight Howard knows what he wants to do. The problem with Dwight Howard is that he saw what happened to Lebron when he left the Cavs and he saw what happened to Carmelo when he forced his way out of Denver. Dwight doesn't want the backlash that either of them got because he loves to be loved, but at the same time he wants to leave Orlando. My prediction on the whole situation is that he doesn't get traded before the deadline this year. I actually think that Orlando might bring in another star to play with Dwight, perhaps Steve Nash if they can get him away from Phoenix. Dwight has given the Orlando ownership and general manager Otis Smith enough of an indication that he might be open to staying that I don't think they'll trade him. It will be terrible for the Magic when he leaves in free agency this summer, most likely for Dallas or Brooklyn, but I don't blame the Magic for hoping that he'll stay. Whether it's by trade or through free agency, Dwight is leaving Orlando and most likely going to wherever Deron Williams ends up. Just remember when you boo Lebron for leaving Cleveland high and dry that Dwight is going to do the same to Orlando. I would respect him more if he just told them that he wasn't going to re-sign and said "trade me now, I'm not coming back" (or just signs an extension) but he doesn't want to be the "bad guy" so that's not happening. At least Carmelo was honest with the Nuggets. Dwight Howard may think of himself as Superman but right now he's showing that he has the fragile ego of Clark Kent.

Thanks for reading, leave a comment, become a fan of this blog, go back and read all my other posts, and enjoy what could be the last two weeks of the Big 4 era in Boston.

-Josh

An Epitaph for the Big 3

Welcome back to another edition of Thoughts of a Sports Addict.

Name: Boston Celtics Big 3

Time of death: 2/20/2012 at 9:00pm

Cause of Death: Murdered by Father Time

I've given up on the Big 3. I've always considered myself an optimist but from everything I've seen this season, I just can't picture this team winning a playoff series, let alone a championship. The defense is still there however offensively the Celtics are abysmal, not even able to score over 100 points against the worst teams in the league. So what happened, can it really just be father time?

Let's investigate.

One of the major problems with the Celtics' offense is that the starters don't all play the same style. Look at some of the most efficient offenses in the league over the last few years. Teams like the Suns, Spurs, Heat, early 2000's Kings, and even Mavs have starting fives that fit well together and have a set style of play that they adhere to. The Celtics' problem is that Rondo wants to run but Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, KG, and Jermaine O'Neal want to slow it down and play in the half court. Rondo is a terrible shooter and therefore almost useless in a half court offense. The problem gets multiplied when you realize that Jermaine O'Neal is useless in any kind of offense. That's two players who really don't need to be guarded in the half court, allowing their men to sag off and play help defense on Pierce, KG, and Ray. I remember when Jermaine O'Neal was a GREAT player, it was right around the time I was playing 8th grade basketball.....10 years ago. He's not even a shadow of his former self though, as evidenced from his inability to make a jump shot or finish around the basket. JO goes out every night trying to do his best Kendrick Perkins impression. Speaking of shadows of their former selves, Ray Allen is only good for shooting at this point in his career and KG has settled into being an 18 foot jump shooter. Paul Pierce is the only player left on the team that can create his own offense in the half court set. A major problem for a team that relies heavily on scoring points in the half court.

Another huge problem for the Celtics has been Doc Rivers' coaching. I like Doc as much as the next Celtics fan, but he needs to realize that it isn't 2008 anymore and Ray Allen can't be a focal point of the offense. In the four years since he arrived in Boston, Ray has lost a lot of his explosive first step. This means that when he curls off screens for jumpers his man is already up on him to contend the shot. What I would like to see Doc do is shake up the whole team by making a lineup change. He can go two ways with the change, either have Rondo come off the bench or have Pierce and Jermaine come off the bench. If he has Rondo come off the bench then Avery would start and they would play a half court game. The other team would have to stay up on Avery to honor his jump shot. When KG comes out of the game after the first five minutes, Avery comes with him and Rondo and Brandon Bass enter. Wilcox would sub in for Jermaine as well and the lineup would run run run. Pietrus would replace either Ray or Pierce a few minutes later and the run and gun offense would continue. The other option, which is my favorite, would be to bring Pierce and JO off the bench. Start Rondo, Allen, Pietrus, Garnett, and Wilcox and start the game running and gunning. In this lineup Rondo is surrounded with shooters and a center that can run with him and finish on the fast break. When Garnett goes out, bring in Pierce, Jermaine, and Brandon Bass. This will give Pierce free reign to create against either the other teams subs or their winded starters.

Let's be honest though, the biggest reason that the Celtics are struggling is Father Time. He is the reason that Jordan isn't dominating anymore, Bill Russell isn't winning, Nolan Ryan isn't throwing no hitters, Babe Ruth isn't hitting home runs, Joe Montana isn't throwing td's, and Wayne Gretzky isn't scoring goals. Father Time is the only person that will definitely retire undefeated. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett aren't leading this team, or any team, to a championship because they've lost most of their athleticism and just can't compete with the younger teams. A team like OKC will run them off the floor.

Speaking of the Thunder, it's interesting to imagine how different things might be if the Celtics hadn't gotten screwed in the lottery in 2007. Just think about this starting lineup right now... Rondo, Pierce, Durant, Jefferson, Perkins. Theoretically this could be the Celtics lineup if they had gotten lucky in the lottery. Would I trade the 2008 championship for a lineup with Rondo/Durant/Jefferson starting the next 10 years? No, but it's not an easy decision and I did have to think long and hard about it.

I think the reason that I've had such a hard time with coming to terms with the end of the Big 3 is that I'm a wrestling fan. You see, for those of you who don't know, wrestlers don't get worse when they get older. The Undertaker is 47 years old and will be main eventing Wrestlemania this year. He's been wrestling since I started watching 20 years ago and is still a top guy in the business, while there isn't one basketball player that has been in the league for 20 years that is still star. So when I hear that Kevin Garnett is making his return to the Celtics after missing a couple games, I picture him coming in and saving the team. Sort of like this video: KG=Hogan Celtics=Eugene Opponents=Crazy Middle Eastern Guys

When Paul Pierce missed the first 3 games of the season and the Celtics started 0-3, I pictured his return going something like this....Pierce is obviously Stone Cold

But unfortunately real sports aren't like wrestling, older players don't miraculously find the fountain of youth and start to dominate again. Even though Hulk Hogan can still come out and save other wrestlers, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen can't save the Celtics anymore. Sorry KG, anything may be possible but unless you turn into Benjamin Button it's impossible for the Celtics to win the championship. So what else can I say except..........Thank You, the Big 3 coming to Boston provided me with moments that I will never forget, and the best four years I've had as a sports fan.

Thanks for reading, leave a comment, follow this blog, go back and read all my other entries, and enjoy the last games of the Big 3 era.

-Josh

The Forgotten Legend

Welcome back to another edition of Thoughts of a Sports Addict. In this entry I'm going to take a look at an NBA legend that has recently gone bankrupt. Not only monetarily but also in terms of his legacy. So let's take a look at....

"THE ANSWER" ALLEN IVERSON

All anyone ever thinks of anymore when the topic of Allen Iverson is brought up is the "Practice" rant that he went on. While it is an all time great interview, it also has clouded peoples view of one of the best basketball players of all time.

Let's just look at the awards that he amassed in his 15 year NBA career.

-1st overall selection in the 1996 draft

-1997 Rookie of the Year

-11x NBA All Star

-2x NBA All Star MVP

-4x NBA Scoring Champion

-3x All NBA First Team

-3x All NBA Second Team

-NBA MVP

That's a hell of a lot of achievements for a guy that is mostly remembered for a rant. Allen Iverson was the most iconic player in the NBA over the course of his career. He wasn't just a prolific scorer but a true trendsetter. Never before had a player completely disregarded the unwritten rules of a major business. While Michael Jordan and every other major star was wearing suits, AI was rocking baggy shorts, XXXL shirts and throwback jerseys. Most players had shaved heads or Fade hair styles, Iverson changed all that with his cornrowed look. He was counterculture, a rebel, and a hero to every young person who watched the NBA. You know that when even little awkward white boys like me wanted to dress like him, he had major influence.

For those of you that may not remember the '90's, which makes me feel extremely old, it was a time of rebellion. Whether it was Nirvana cranking out hits, Steve Austin beating up his boss, hip hop becoming cool, or Allen Iverson wearing cornrows, baggy pants, and oversized throwbacks, the 90's were dominated by people who were counterculture. It was the perfect match of the right time and the right player.

So now that we've covered all the off-court reasons of why Allen Iverson is a legend, let's move back to on-court. Today, with all the advanced metrics that experts use to evaluate players, AI's career has been picked apart and downplayed more than any other former player. They say that he wasn't efficient, had a low pps, low ts%, a high usg%, and other bad advanced stats that I don't know anything about. Here's what I know, he had career averages of 26.7pts, 6.2asts, 3.7rbs, and 2.2stls. He peaked in 2005-06 averaging 33.0pts and 7.4asts per game. He was the MVP in 2001 and led the 76ers to the finals that same year. Everyone talks about how Lebron led a terrible Cavs team to the finals in 2007, but look at the team that AI brought to the finals.

2000-2001 Philadelphia 76ers

Starters: Eric Snow, Allen Iverson, George Lynch, Tyrone Hill, and Dikembe Mutombo

Bench: Matt Geiger, Todd MacCulloch, Jumaine Jones, Aaron Mckie, Kevin Ollie, Roshown McLeod, Rodney Buford, Raja Bell, Pepe Sanchez, and Speedy Claxton.

That team is TERRIBLE other than Iverson and Mutombo. The only reason that they went to the finals was because of AI. At six feet tall and 170 pounds soaking wet he did EVERYTHING for them. I've never seen someone with as much heart and determination as Iverson, he took a beating every game and kept coming back for more. Even stepping back from the incredible stats, there are other ways that a player can be defined. Think about when you watch a game, whether it's the NBA, MLB, NFL, or NHL, what players do you fear when they're facing your team? As a huge fan of the Celtics, I can remember watching countless games against the 76ers and always watching in absolute fear because I knew that Allen Iverson could take over the game at any moment. There are only few players that can make a fan feel that way. In my time watching I've only felt that way about Iverson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Jason Kidd. I knew that when those guys came into town, the Celtics probably weren't going to be leaving with a W.

It's been said that as generations go by, the memories fade as well and fans start to proclaim the new generation as better. It's the reason that young fans today try and claim that Kobe is better than Jordan or that Magic Johnson and Larry Bird wouldn't be able to play in the league today. Well, the same thing is starting to happen to the guys that I grew up watching. Fans who started watching today are only going to remember Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett as worse versions of Blake Griffin, and Jason Kidd as the guy who can't hit a jumper for the Mavs. This is the reason that it's so frustrating to hear fans today compare Allen Iverson to guys like Monta Ellis. It's not that Monta isn't on Iverson's level, it's that he's not even on the level below him.

Thanks for reading, leave a comment, go back and read all my other posts, become a fan of DieN2LivE on Facebook, and enjoy the games.

Josh

Paul Pierce Passes Larry Legend

I know, I know two blogs in three days is overkill but I had to write this one. I mean I was at the game on Tuesday and got to see it live, it was probably the greatest sporting event that I've ever been to. What am I talking about? Paul Pierce passed Larry Bird, for second place, on the Celtics all time scoring list.

In my life I've watched a lot of sports, which I'm sure you've guessed from the title of my blog, but the one sport that I love more than any other is basketball. More specifically NBA basketball. The team that I love more than any other in the NBA is the Boston Celtics, which if you've read any of my other blogs was probably obvious. I've been blessed growing up in New England and having the Red Sox, Patriots, and Bruins, but they all take a back seat to the Celtics for me. Being a huge Celtics fan my whole life I've gotten to watch a lot of players suit up in the green and white, guys like Antoine Walker, Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, and even the much loved Walter McCarty have come and gone but the one constant, and my favorite player, has been Paul Pierce.

I was twelve years old when I remember sitting down and watching a complete Celtics game from start to finish. It's the only sport where I can remember the first game I ever watched and exactly how it ended. I was watching it up in my room and the Nets had the ball with 2.0 seconds left and a two point lead, all they had to do was get the ball in bounds and the game was over. What happened next set the tone for my obsession. Milt Palacio stole the ball and hit a miracle three from just over half court, winning the game for the Celtics. The whole team mobbed him and had a pig pile on the court, including even Coach Rick Pitino, it was the most exciting sporting event I had ever watched up to that point. Amazingly this made it to Youtube...

From that moment on I was a fan and rarely missed a game. I remember being scared to death when it was reported that Paul Pierce was in critical condition after being stabbed in a nightclub in Philly. I remember being outraged that Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker were left off the all star team in 2001. How could anyone who watched it forget the 21 point 4th quarter comeback against the Nets in game 3 of the 2002 eastern conference finals or the three that Antoine Walker banked in to beat the Lakers earlier in the season? I remember when Paul Pierce had a 2 point first half followed by a 46 point second half to beat the Nets. I remember when Antoine got traded the first time and the Celtics were Paul Pierce's team, he talked about reading books on how to become a leader over the summer and looked ready to take it on. I remember when he failed as the leader during the 2005 playoffs against Indiana and trade rumors ran rampant all summer, one that was even so close that Pierce had to publicly make a statement to kill it. (The trade was Paul Pierce to Portland for Nick Van Exel and the #3 pick in the draft, which would be used to take Chris Paul). The 2005-2006 season is when Paul Pierce finally grew up and it was incredible to watch.

I want to really dig into that 2005-2006 season. The Celtics weren't very successful but really that was secondary. This part of the decade was when star players on bad teams were forcing their way out of town to join good teams, Vince Carter did it, Tracy Mcgrady did it, Kobe forced Shaq out, it was done by seemingly everyone, except Paul Pierce. He finally took the responsibility of being a star player and a franchise guy. It was like he finally understood that the Celtics were HIS team and that it was his job to make sure that they gave maximum effort every night, even if he was starting with Brian Scalabrine, Marcus Banks, and two kids who weren't even old enough to drink in Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins. Paul Pierce became a man that season.

Then Paul Pierce did something that I never thought he'd do.....he made me cry. I'm not one to be very emotional, I couldn't tell you the last time I cried out of sadness or anger, but May 30th 2008 was the last time I cried out of happiness. It was the day that Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics won the Eastern Conference Finals by beating the Pistons in six games. I wasn't weeping or anything, just teared up a bit when I saw Paul and Doc Rivers embracing on the court in celebration. The people I was watching with looked at me like I was crazy but they didn't live and die with the Celtics like I had over the last 10 years. For me it was bigger than just a trip to the finals for a team that I liked, it was Paul Pierce coming back from being stabbed, it was the trade that didn't happen with Pierce to Portland, it was about Erick Strickland, Tony Battie, Eric Williams, Milt Palacio, Walter McCarty, Antoine Walker, Al Jefferson, Kenny Anderson, and every other guy that loved being a Celtic that wasn't there to enjoy the moment. So yeah, I cried, but it was like being a parent and seeing your kids grow up, I couldn't have been more proud of any team I've ever watched.

All of this brings us to Tuesday night. I only go to one or two games a year and when I realized that this might be the game that he passed Bird, I was excited to be a witness to history. Going into the game Pierce needed 9 points to tie and 10 points to pass Larry Legend and move into second place on the Celtics' all time scoring list. He started out slow, scoring seven points in the first half, but early in the third quarter it happened, and the Garden exploded.

I chose this fan video as opposed to the live broadcast because it showed how long the standing ovation was for. We stood and cheered from the moment the basket when in, through 3 free throws for the Bobcats, through the timeout that happened after and then through the video that the played for him. At the end of the video that put the spotlight on an empty spot on the banner of retired numbers, indicating that Pierce's 34 will someday join them. That was the moment that really hit home for me, when they showed that banner of retired numbers and I thought about Pierce having his number added, it made me realize just how privileged I'd been to get to watch him play. For the last 14 years I've gotten to watch one of the best scorers in the history of not only the Celtics, but the entire NBA. He was drafted by Boston, was a 9 time all star in Boston, won a championship in Boston, won a Finals MVP in Boston, and hopefully he'll retire in Boston. Paul Pierce may be from Inglewood California, he may have grown up a Lakers' fan, but he will always be a Celtic.

When I heard the experts talking about this accomplishment, they mostly downplayed it and made sure to say that Pierce wasn't in Larry Bird's league. I'll be the first one to say that he isn't in Bird's league but what the experts need to understand is that I'm 23 years old and for my generation of Celtics' fans, Paul Pierce IS our Larry Bird.

It's been a complete honor to watch Paul Pierce play. For as long as I've been watching basketball he's been the best player on my favorite team. The day that he does retire and have his number retired will be bittersweet for me. Much like graduating college or high school, I'll be sad its over but happy that it happened and proud to say that I got to experience it. I heard a dad talking to his young son at the game on Tuesday and he was telling him all about watching Larry Bird back in the 1980's and I smiled to myself thinking that someday I'll be able to go to a game with my kids and tell them about getting to watch Paul Pierce. (Authors Note: For those of you don't know me, I have no kids) For the rest of my life I'll get to be "that guy" who sees the new players and tells people that they're good, but they'd never be better than the guy I grew up watching.

It was a historic day for Paul Pierce and for everyone that has been a fan of his since he came into the league. I've seen a Red Sox vs Yankees game which doubled as Roger Clemens last start in Fenway Park, I saw Manny Ramirez hit his first grand slam as a Red Sox player, and I've been to a dozen Celtics game, but nothing will ever compare to watching Paul Pierce make history in the TD Garden on Tuesday night.

Thanks for reading, be sure to go back and read all my other columns, leave a comment, become a fan of this blog, and let me know if there's anything specific that you'd like to see me write about, I'm open to anything sports related.

-Josh

The Truth Will Set The Celtics Free

Welcome back to another edition of Thoughts of a Sports Addict. Today I'm going to discuss the Boston Celtics and a few other things that I've been thinking about in sports lately.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: The Superbowl was cancelled this year and I won't listen to anyone who tells me anything differently.

The Celtics have been on a roll lately, even if they are largely being ignored by the national media due to the football bias that exists in this country. A team that started out a disappointing 6-9 and had even the most loyal fans calling for Danny Ainge to make a big trade or for the team to "tank" for a better draft pick, now has fans talking championship. At the beginning of the season I wrote articles about Kevin Garnett being "done" and about how the Celtics should be looking to trade away the big 3 for value before they become untradeable. Unlike most writers I'll admit that I jumped the gun and called for change much too early.....my bad.

So what changed? Why are the Celtics now above .500 and seemingly on a roll? What I didn't account for at the beginning of the season was that maybe the guys weren't ready for the season to start. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were two of the most vocal players calling for the lockout to last the whole year, indicating that they probably weren't expecting the season to start as soon as it did and weren't in the kind of shape they needed to be. The lockout also eliminated the lengthy training camp that usually precedes the season, knocking it down to a two week preseason. Included in those two weeks was a free agent frenzy, the opening of the trade block, and two preseason games. On the surface the Celtics appeared to be bringing back the same team as last year, as all the starters were returning, but not so fast. Dig a little deeper and it's easy to see that this is a completely different team 6-12 than it was last year. The bench last year included Shaq, Big Baby, Nenad Krstic, Jeff Green, Von Wafer, Troy Murphy, and Carlos Arroyo. All of those guys played decent minutes at the end of the year. They are also all no longer on the bench. Last years bench has been replaced with Brandon Bass, Chris Wilcox, Greg Stiemsma, E'twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson, Mikel Pietrus, and Keyon Dooling. The only holdovers from last year are Avery Bradley, Marquis Daniels, and seldom used Sasha Pavlovic. That is a lot of turnover for one year. The Celtics being on a roll has as much to do with the players finally getting in shape as it does with the bench beginning to fit in with the starters.

Perhaps the biggest reason for the turnover has been the remarkable play of "The Truth" Paul Pierce. After a disastrous start to the season, missing the first three games with an injury and then playing poorly in the next few, he has really turned it on. Pierce earned player of the week honors for this past week after his great play. At 34 years old, Paul Pierce is playing the best of any of the big three and arguably the best of anyone in the Eastern Conference. Over his last three games he's averaged 23pts 6rebs and 6asts per game. Last month fans were using the trade machine to see if they could get someone like Josh Smith or Kevin Martin in Pierce trades......I think it's safe to say they're not anymore. On Tuesday, against the Bobcats, Paul Pierce will try to pass Larry Bird for 2nd place on the all time Celtics scoring list. Unless you're a big Celtics fan, I'm going to guess that you didn't know he was that high on the list. Pierce has been CRIMINALLY underrated and under-appreciated by Celtics fans since he came into the league. Passing Larry Legend is no small feat and if Pierce can stay somewhat productive for the next few years, he'll pass John Havlicek for first place on the Celtics all time scoring list. (Cool Authors Note: I'll be at the game on Tuesday to hopefully witness history)

To a lesser degree, Kevin Garnett has reinvented himself and seems rejuvenated. Doc Rivers has him on a strict 5-5-5 structure pertaining to his minutes, where Garnett plays five minutes then gets five minutes rest and then plays five etc. The emergence of Brandon Bass has allowed Garnett to get more rest this year, as well as the surprising health stability of Jermaine O'Neal. Ray Allen has been Ray Allen, shooting the ball at the highest percentages of his career and being as consistent as ever. The man doesn't age.

Don't write this team off yet, the Celtics are starting to get it rolling and have quietly risen to a top 5 defense in the league. The truth is that the offense is better and the defense is comparable to last year. I can only hope that the C's get to play Miami in the playoffs again, because this year is going to be different.

And Boston may not be getting a parade tomorrow, but keep late June open on Causeway Street because.........KG?

And really just a video that I found funny, KG explains how he learned to take a 3, which he's now 3/3 on in his last 3 games.

-Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 19th and Wrestlemania is April 1st so at least we have that to look forward to in the near future.

-The Pride of South Portland, Charlie Furbush, begins his second season in the majors.

-I decided today that if Lebron James would just embrace the hate I could almost be ok with him winning a title. I just want him to accept that he's hated and encourage it, like a good wrestling heel would. Try to get crowds to boo him and just love it when it happens. It's too bad he's too much of a wimp.

-GISELE BUNDCHEN = YOKO ONO it's true and every Patriots fan knows it. She absolutely ruined Tom Brady. Since he married her he's endorsed Uggz, grown a Bieber haircut, moved to California, and seemingly lost his passion for the game.

Thanks for reading, be sure to go back and read all my other entries, leave a comment, become a fan of this page, Like Jake's on the Lake on facebook (yes he's my brother), and enjoy watching Paul Pierce pass Larry Legend.

-Josh