2010-11 NBA Season Opener: Good Guys vs. Bad Guys

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

The 2010 NBA season tips off tonight and could the league’s first match-up of the 2010-2011 season be any more delicious than Miami at Boston?

We all know by now what happened this off season. LeBron James sickening, self-promoting, public selection of the Miami Heat has made them the team to beat this season. James teams up with fellow free agent Chris Bosh and super star Dwayne Wade for the NBA’s newest version of the “Big Three.” However, while the three were orchestrating their union in Miami, what they didn’t realize is how much hatred there would be league-wide toward the trio.

For it is one thing to have a bulls eye on your back which, make no mistake about it, Miami certainly does. But it’s another thing to have an entire country (minus south Florida) rooting for you to fail every step of the way.

Tonight, the Heat will get their first taste of the venom from opposing fans at the TD Garden in Boston. They will also face a formidable foe in the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics. It is somewhat appropriate that James and the Heat will be the men in black while the aging Celtics don the home white uniforms.

The Celtics finished last season with a rather pedestrian 50-32 record which was good enough for the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. Ironically, they made quick work of the Heat (minus James and Bosh) in the opening round of the playoffs and followed that up by disposing of James and the Cavaliers in round two. After knocking off Orlando to win the East, the Celtics played a grueling Finals series against Los Angeles before falling to the Lakers in 7 games.

It was a hell of a run for a veteran team which never seemed to hit its stride during the regular seasons. Nagging injuries to the veterans Garnett, Pierce and Allen seemed to show the team’s age and led everyone to believe that their window of opportunity may have closed.

But their post season run told us something different. It showed us that there are some teams, however rare it may be, that can flip that proverbial switch come playoff time.

Which brings us to this season. The aging Celtics aren’t any younger heading into the upcoming campaign. In fact, they have added some older players to their roster. Shaquille O’Neal is now a Celtic. So, too, is Jermaine O’Neal. They were brought in to add depth to Boston’s front court and will be asked to contribute immediately with starting center Kendrick Perkins on the shelf until early next year while he recovers from knee surgery.

In addition, the old “Big Three” of Pierce, Garnett and Allen is also another year older. But Garnett appears to be as healthy as he has been for a few seasons since injuring his knee.

Point guard Rajon Rondo has established himself as one of the best all around guards in the league and is just the floor general this veteran team needs to perform at its best.

The Boston bench is as deep as it has ever been with Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Nate Robinson and Marquis Daniels as holdovers from last year. Former Celtic Delonte West and the two O’Neals solidify what should be one of the deepest benches in the league.

Many believe that tonight’s season-opener is simply a preview of this year’s Eastern Conference Finals. It’s the old guard versus the young puppies. But a lot has to happen to assure such a match-up in May of 2011.

First, the trio of James, Bosh and Wade will have to check their egos at the door and operate as a team if they truly want to win an NBA title. That may sound simple, but with great talent often comes a massive ego so it will be interesting to watch.

Secondly, this Celtics team is going to have to stay healthy. Doc Rivers will, no doubt, try to manage the minutes for his veteran players this season despite his insistence on wanting to better their 50-win regular season win total from a year ago.

If this Celtics team can make it to the playoffs in one piece, it is quite possible that they could make another run like the one they put on in the playoffs this past spring.

Whatever happens over the next six months, it should make for an interesting season of NBA basketball for fans throughout the country.