Random Thoughts (January 26, 2011)

The Celtics took another step towards winning the franchise's 18th NBA championship last night as Kendrick Perkins returned from offseason reconstructive knee surgery in the team's 112-95 win over the Cavaliers. The center position has been in flux for Doc Rivers all season with injuries limiting Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal, and Semih Erden from playing on a regular basis. Perkins - who hurt his knee in Game 6 of the Finals against the Lakers last June - return should hopefully solidify the position and allow the O'Neals to limit their minutes with the intent of staying healthy for the playoffs. It was very nice to see Perk working in tandem with Kevin Garnett on the back line of the Celtics defense, barking out instructions and providing a physical presence in the paint. Come playoff time, having a frontline of Perkins, Garnett, Glen Davis, and the O'Neals will give the Celtics a tremendous advantage over any other team and it should provide them with the necessary edge to claim the Larry O'Brien trophy... There was a very interesting piece by Sports Illustrated's Ian Thomsen yesterday on Danny Ainge's decision to keep his core of veterans together after last year's Finals loss to the Lakers as well as to add the O'Neals and Delonte West. Ainge was asked to compare his decision to that of Red Auerbach's decision to stay with the aging (and ailing) Larry Bird-Kevin McHale-Robert Parish Celtics in the late 1980s. The starting shooting guard on those teams was none other than Danny Ainge. Ainge believed that the relative health of these Celtics made it a no-brainer to keep them together but he does believe Auerbach should have pulled the trigger on potential deals for Bird and McHale. He mentions the Indiana Pacers offered Chuck Person, Herb Williams, and Steve Stipanovich for Bird and that the Dallas Mavericks offered Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins for McHale. Despite Bird's physical problems, I don't blame Auerbach for not giving up his star for what amounts to a pu-pu platter of crap. On the other hand, Schrempf and Perkins could have made a major difference for those Celtics teams and may have kept the franchise from nose diving into extreme mediocrity in the 1990s if Red had made the deal... With another foot or so of snow scheduled to be dumped on the Greater Boston area this afternoon, I can honestly say that I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the February 26 Red Sox doubleheader against Boston College and Northeastern... By the way, I was going to take the Packers (-3.5) and Jets (+9.5) on Sunday. Computer problems kept me from getting the picks posted - as well as my graduate school paper - and I ahve always been honest. That puts me at 4-6 for the playoffs. Stay tuned for the Super Bowl pick as well as a few proposition bets to keep an eye on... If healthy - and all accounts say that he is 100% - BC's Mark Herzlich would be a tremendous fit at outside linebacker for Bill Belichick and the Patriots... Enjoy Tyler Seguin tonight...