Boston Celtics Might Face Tough Matchups Come Playoff Time

Like my man former NFL head coach Dennis Green once said, "[If] you want to crown them, go ahead and crown their a$$es!"

I, unlike everyone else, refuse to crown the Boston Celtics, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. I won't crown them as the NBA champions. I won't crown them as the Eastern Conference Champions. I won't even give them the praiseworthy designation of being the supposed roadblock for the Detroit Pistons.

Despite their NBA best record, this team has many problems. Sure, they have three great stars that have all shined on their own and who should collectively form to be one of the best trios in the history of the NBA. But this is not exactly the first multi-headed starred basketball team to configure. And it certainly wouldn't be the first not to win the championship, nor would it be the first to not make the NBA finals. Remember when the Houston Rockets with Hakeem Olajuwon added Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen? They couldn't get it done. Or how about that three-head monster of Ray Allen, Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson? And you certainly can't forget the combination of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton who lost to a far less "big-name" team in the Detroit Pistons.

So let's not crown these Celtics just because we like what we have seen in the regular season. Especially when you consider they have these three potential matchups come playoff time.

3. Washington Wizards - The Washington Wizards have actually beaten the Boston Celtics on two different occasions. On both occasions, the Celtics had trouble guarding the perimeter at all three positions. The fact of the matter is that Ray Allen and Paul Pierce have never been known for their defending abilities, and quite frankly, they just don't have the foot speed to keep up with guards that have a quick first step. And might I mention, that in both Wizards victories, they did not even have their quickest and most electrifying guard in Gilbert Arenas.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers - I'd probably crown King James and the Cavs before I crowned the Celtics. The Cavs have beaten the Celtics on two occasions, one time at home, and one time away. In those games, Lebron scored 38 and 33 points. In the one other game the two teams played in which the Celtics won, LeBron did not play. Coincidence? I think not. Add to that the fact that the Cavs have gotten considerably better with the addition of Delonte West, Ben Wallace, Wall Sczerbiak, and the guy I think who wrongfully is left out of the discussion Joe Smith, and this is a much better team than the one the Celtics have lost to.

1. Detroit Pistons - So here is the team that is supposed to "challenge" the Celtics. While some have said that this is the Pistons' season to win the East, I think there are way too many media members out their picking the Celtics when I'm not even sure they can get past those two prior teams. But assuming they do, they just don't match up well with the Pistons. As I said before, the Celtics don't have good foot speed on their perimeter, at least from their starters anyway, and that's why Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton will eat these guys for lunch. Can you really imagine Pierce or Allen chasing Rip all over the court for 40 minutes? It's not going to happen. Game. Set. Match. Pistons in the NBA Finals.

Hey, Boston, I'm not hatin'... I'm just keepin' it real.