At Center Court With Celtics Hub

by Graydon Gordian

Every once and a while Tim and I like to talk to an opposing team’s blogger in the hopes of gleaning a little insight before a big game. When the defending champs are coming to town, that counts as a big game. So I caught up with Zach Lowe of Celtics Hub to see how he’s feeling about his Celtics as the postseason creeps ever closer.

There has been some discussion recently that the Celtics are a dirty team. Do you agree? Where do you draw the line between “physical” and “dirty”?

I don’t think it’s fair to say that the Celtics are a dirty team. As far as I can tell, this is based mostly on Kendrick Perkins’ takedown of Jason Maxiell and Glen Davis’ Flagrant 2 on Anderson Varejao–a foul that was reduced quickly to a Flagrant 1. There’s no doubt the Celtics are a physical team, and, as Tom Ziller says, their defensive philosophy involves running out at shooters and rotating to open men like crazy people. At times, this does create physical fouls (like Big Baby’s), but not dirty ones. That said, I am occasionally uncomfortable with Kendrick Perkins. He’s easily excitable and easily offended, and he tends to do that “over-exaggerated angry arm swing” thing under the hoop if he gets tangled up or if someone reaches in to try and tie up the ball after he gets a rebound. That’s dangerous. And, to be honest, I agree with the critics who say KG has taken his trash talk to an inappropriate level at times this season. I think that, more than anything, has created the impression that the C’s are a dirty team.

Did you support the acquisition of Stephon Marbury? How has Marbury been playing so far? Last year you acquired P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell late in the season. This year you acquired Marbury and Mikki Moore, a similar move. Do you expect Marbury and Moore to be as helpful throughout the playoffs as Brown and Cassell were?

I supported the acquisition of Marbury, but very reluctantly and with the caveat that the Celtics should bench him for the post-season if he does not prove he can play. As of right now, he has not shown he can make a positive contribution to the team. The C’s are battling injuries, so they need bodies for the next five games or so. But if they get healthy, I see no reason to play Stephon in any important or close games. He is awful on defense, his jumper is off and he can’t finish in the lane or get to the line (four FTAs in 10 games). Eddie House has outplayed him badly, and though Doc has shown a willingness to play them together in a smallish back court, I don’t see him giving that combo extended run in a close playoff game. As for Mikki Moore, I write two or three posts arguing that he’s basically washed up and brings nothing to the team that Leon Powe and Glen Davis aren’t already contributing.

The Celtics, like the Spurs, have faced injuries in recent weeks. Do any of these injuries threaten to extend into the postseason? Are the Celtics a contender if not at 100%?

Assuming all optimistic medical projections are accurate, the only injuries that threaten to stretch into the playoffs are Tony Allen’s thumb injury and Brian Scalabrine’s post-concussion syndrome. Don’t laugh. Each of those guys is important to the team, especially Allen. He’s a quick, tall-for-a-shooting-guard wing man who can defend the Kobe Bryant/Manu Ginobili types. We have no one like him among the back-ups, or, really, the starters. He’s expected to play the defensive role that James Posey played last season–and he can provide some offense for the second unit with his (occasionally) out of control drives to the hoop. He’s good at drawing fouls. As for Scal, he was proving to be a servicable back-up power forward/center for five to 10 minutes per game. He’s a smart (if not quick or atheltic) defender, and his shooting creates problems for opposing big men.