Celtics Depth Key To Success

After just two weeks, it is apparent that the Celtics made the right choice in making at least one more run at the Larry O'Brien trophy with the Garnett-Pierce-Allen-Rondo castof characters. The Celtics have more depth than any team in the NBA. Their starting five might not be as explosive as the Heat or Lakers but their strength lies in their ability to go to their bench and still play productive basketball. Boston lost to the Lakers in the 2010 Finals because they got killed on the boards so Danny Ainge added Jermaine O'Neal, Shaquille O'Neal, and Semih Erden to the front line to play with Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis, and (when he returns from knee surgery) Kendrick Perkins. Having that kind of talent and depth up front will give the Celtics an edge over both Miami and Los Angeles in the playoffs. Garnett and Davis have both started off the year playing fabulous basketball. KG finally looks like he has fully recovered from his 2009 knee surgery. He is running the floor, rebounding, and scoring at a high level. Big Baby has developed into a solid scoring option off the bench and is also playing great defense, recording double-digit charges in the first few weeks. Shaq started with a bang before a knee bruise sidelined him the past three games but he has been replaced by Jermaine O'Neal, who came back after missing most of the preseason with a hamstring injury. Erden has added positive minutes in a limited role. The Celtics also have quite a stable of stars on the perimeter. Rondo has been the team's MVP through six games, averaging 11.3 points, 15.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. Pierce (19.3) and Allen (18.0) are the team's leading scorers. Off the bench, the team has received positive minutes from Marquis Daniels and Nate Robinson. The team will also benefit from the return of Delonte West in a few weeks after his 10-game suspension ends. Obviously there is a lot of basketball to be played and the advanced age of many of the Celtics stars puts them at risk for injury but if this team is healthy going into the postseason, they should be the favorite to win the NBA Championship.