Defense Wins

by Jeff Clark on Dec 4, 2007 5:48 AM EST in Boston Celtics News & Links

Well, if we didn't know by now - with 14 wins in 16 games, many of them wire-to-wire routs - we can point to Celtics boss Danny Ainge's remarks yesterday as to why he thinks his team is overpowering its opponents. In a word, defense.
Ainge said the word "defense" more times yesterday than Allen Iverson said the word "practice" in his infamous rant while still with 76ers. It drives home the point behind the success of the 2007-08 team: It starts and ends with the defense, which, as most of us know, is usually what wins championships.
That's why you have to be so smitten by the play of this team. The Celtics have gone San Antonio on us overnight, playing the best defense in the NBA. It's not even close. We are not accustomed to this, not just the winning, but the way they are winning. We generally don't do defense.

Tweet Comment 2 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

This is why I found it so annoying when some people were calling for the C’s to become Phoenix East. Defense is the ticket. It’s what got Cleveland to the Finals last year and what at least kept them in games against a superior opponent – the Spurs. It’s what bolstered Jim O’Brien’s best team until they ran into a superior opponent – the Nets.

The stats look amazing for the C’s to date. The two things I’m hoping for as the first half of the season progresses are 1) a return to last year’s pre-injury form by Tony Allen, and 2) that Rondo somehow manages to use his skills to look a little like Tony Parker.

by lemonadesky on Dec 4, 2007 8:02 AM EST reply actions