ANY MORE QUESTIONS?

It has been over a week since the newly looked Celtics have gotten acquainted.  Since the trade, the Celtics are only 5-1.  That one loss, the day they traded Perkins, Nate, and the rest of the bench leaving the green to dress only eight players.  It was also a very emotional day for the Cs.

Earlier this week, Nate Robinson underwent knee surgery that will keep him out for another 4-6 weeks, Perk is out for another two, Erden hasn't played yet, so what is all the fuss with Danny's move?  Jeff Green and Nednad Krstic are becoming vital parts in this teams move towards banner 18.  Nenad is efficient and fitting into the offense well and Jeff Green versatility is just tough to stop.  With Baby out, Green is filling in nicely.  Two healthy players contributing on a nightly basis and Perk and Nate? Sitting in street clothes for the Oklahoma City Thunder.  There should not be any more questions about this move.  The Celtics still have three seven footers with Nenad and the O'Neals.  Troy Murphy gives them some length as well.

This team can score the basketball now.  Nenad never got looks in OKC because Durant and Westbrook were the first two options.  Jeff Green can beat you from the outside or he can post you down low.  Give Rondo the basketball and he will find anyone for an easy basket. 

The Celtics moved to 46-15 after their gutsy performance in Milwaukee which is good for the number one seed in the Eastern Conference and the second best record in the NBA, questions? I do not think so.  See you in the championship in June.

BECKETT OR LESTER ON OPENING DAY?

There can be an argument for both of these pitchers to take the ball from manager Terry Francona on Opening Day, but Jon Lester deserves the honor for the first time in his career.  He went 19-9 last year sitting down 225 hitters.  He pitched 208 innings and clearly is the new workhorse for this staff.  Lester has been nothing short of remarkable in his short career and Tito should give him the chance on April 1st versus the Texas Rangers.  He may be a slow starter, but numbers do not lie.  This guy has a chance to win over 20 games this year with the lineup the Sox will put out everyday as well as the new and improved bullpen.  In his first 100 starts, Jon Lester is 61-25  with an ERA of 3.55, any questions? I did not think so.

Beckett has been the man for the Sox over the past couple of years, but injuries have plagued him.  He had a career worse ERA of over five last season and finished the season 6-6.  I still have confidence and Beckett and still think he has the ability to win 15 plus games, but I think it is Lester's staff now.  Beckett has that chip on his shoulder after last season which is not a good thing for the American League.  He is healthy and if he uses all of his pitches, he can be just as dangerous as Lester.  Lester is one of-if not the best left-hander in the game and deserves the nod on opening day.

DID THE RED SOX OVERLOOK ENOUGH STARTING PITCHING?

Lester, Buchholz, Beckett, Lackey, Matsuzaka.  A very solid core of pitchers going into the 2011 season.  What about if one of those pitchers tweeks a hamstring? Has an elbow problem? Who will be able to take a spot in the rotation?  Felix Doubront is already experiencing elbow problems at age 23 and the season has not even started yet.  The ageless Tim Wakefield will be there as he always is, but he always ends up on the DL with a back problem or leg problem.  I am a little worried if one of these starting pitchers goes down because there is not much depth for the Sox.  I know those five guys came into camp in the best shape yet, but anything can happen and it could ruin their run to a 2011 Word Series title.

All free agents in the off season made an easy decision because they know the Sox starters 1-5 are set and stone, so why would you want to come to Boston if you were not going to start if you are a starting pitcher? I don't blame them, but I hope Theo and Tito get together and find another person who can start in the future.  Scott Atchison did it once last year and pitched well, but I would rather him in the bullpen.  We'll see what happens, I was kidding...I'm not that worried.

SHOCKER...PERK SHIPPED TO OKC

Shocking news out of Boston right before the trade deadline.  The Celtics shipped center Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City with shooting guard Nate Robinson in exchange for Jeff Green and Nenad Krystic.  Is this good news for the Celtics? Well, do we have a healthy center? The answer is no.  Kendrick Perkins is one of the most underappreciated big men in the game.  Yes, he is coming off of major surgery and just reinjured his other knee, but he was the best defensive center in the Eastern Conference, hands down.  Maybe, we dislike the trade because we have no seen enough Jeff Green or Nenad, but there must be another piece to this puzzle.  The Celtics must be making a push for Troy Murphy or Rasheed Wallace or else it makes no sense.  Jeff Green is a solid playing averaging about 16 points and six rebounds a game.  The Celtics are just worried about Perk's health.  But in my opinion, the Celtics had talks with Perk's agent and the two probably just disagreed on the amount of money Perk deserves in the year 2012.

We will find out come playoff time if the Celtics are better off without Perk.  All I am saying is the starting five for the Celtics have never lost a playoff series when healthy.  It looked like those starting five guys were starting to click, so what gives?

It will be an interesting end to the 2011 year and hopefully the guy who helped win us banner number 17 (Jeff Green/ trade for Ray) can help us win banner number 18.  Ubuntu.

ARE THE KNICKS NOW A THREAT TO TAKE OVER THE CELTICS? (YAWN)

Look, let's be serious here...The Knicks pulled off a fabulous trade to bring one of the most talented superstars in the NBA to New York, but who will help out Amare and Carmelo? Sure, Landry Fields is great and many think Chauncey Billups, but Billups is getting older and is injured every other week.  Raymond Felton was the top reason why the Knicks are where they are today.  A team needs a true point guard to win.  Yeah, Amare's presence is great too, but Felton is key.  I know in 2012 when Deron Williams and Chris Paul are free agents one of them will sign with the Knicks and then they will take over the green, but not now.  The Celtics have too much depth and are more talented from player 1 to player 12.  Rondo, KG, Ray, Pierce, and Perk have never lost a playoff series together.  Sure, they want home court advantage, but in reality it does not matter to them.  They want health.  The Knicks will make a run to the playoffs, but I think they are nothing but a "one and done team" especially if they have to meet the darkhorse of the East, the Chicago Bulls.

In two years, yes, I believe the Knicks will have more talent than the Boston Celtics only because the green's stash of Hall of Famers will be at home and retired.  But, Don't count the Celtics out with a core of Rondo and Perk because they will have plenty of cap space to make big moves.  They may not be the one seed they are now in two years, but they will definately be a beast in the east along with the elite teams such as the Heat, Bulls, Knicks, and Magic.

DO THE Bs NEED TO MAKE DEAL AT THE DEADLINE?

The Boston Bruins were on a roll until they met the Detroit Red Wings in a home and home matchup this past weekend.  After back-to-back losses, it is raising many questions about the Bs consistency, but what is there to panic about?  They are first in their division and fourth in their conference.

The Bruins could use the remaining cap space from Marc Savard's remaining contract to try and get a punk-moving defenseman or some depth in the scoring column.  Another defenseman or scorer will not hurt the Bruins, but at the right price of course.  The Bs are willing to trade the Maple Leafs 2011 first round pick, but is that smart? I don't think so.  Blake Wheeler's name has been on the market as well as Mark Stuart in exchange for Tomas Kaberle which makes the most sense for Boston.  Zach Bogosian, a 20 year-old defenseman for the Thrashers name also came up. 

It will see what buttons Chiarelli will be willing to push, but he should not go crazy because the Bruins are in a good position heading forward.  The media and fans are blowing this way out of proportion.  We will see what happens come the end of February.

WAS THAT THE CELTS BEST WIN OF THE YEAR YESTERDAY?

Shaquille O'Neal, Delonte West, Marquis Daniels, Semih Erden, Jermaine O'Neal all were out with nagging injuries.  Paul Pierce had one point.  The first time in over 10 years that Pierce did not hit a shot from the field.  It was okay though because Rajon Rondo took over the game.  He notched a triple-double sparking the Celtics to a much needed victory.

Trailing by four at halftime the Celtics came out in the third quarter and shot 83% from the field building a lead by as many as 13 points only to see it shrink in the fourth quarter to a one possession game.  LeBron misses the tying free-throw with 12 seconds left, a better script could not have been better, but the real story of this game was that the Celtics only scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and were able to win the game due to their suffocating defense.  The defense in the fourth quarter was remarkable.  The rotations by the big men were flawless.  Jeff Van Gundy said it best yesterday on the broadcast, ..."that rotation by the Celtics defense should be on ESPN Top 10, but it won't be because people don't care, but that is why they are a championship team every year," said Van Gundy.  I could not agree more.  KG and Perk were leading the way as Rondo was hasseling LeBron all day.

The Celtics were very short-handed yesterday and Doc did not even know if he would have enough players to dress, but people stepped up such as Ron Von Wafer who had 10 points in 12 minutes which sparked a third quarter rally.  For one time Pierce could not get going.  It may have been his foot injury, hand injury, sickness or covering LeBron for half the game, but that is why they are a well-rounded team.  His teammates picked him up and the Boston Celtics regained sole possession of the best record in the Eastern Conference. 

Again, the Celtics proved that they are tougher than the Heat and have more chemistry.  Obviously, KG is in Dwayne Wades head after their little altercation in the third quarter.  The Heat are 0-3 versus the Celtics this year and if they want to be the best they are going to have to beat the best.  Ubuntu.