How the 2010 Boston Celtics Will Bounce Back

The Boston Celtics of the 2008-09 season were eerily reminiscent of the Boston Celtics of the 1986-87 season. Those of us old enough to remember the 87 squad can only hope and pray that the team follows up the most recent Celtics squad does not also follow that pattern since the 1987 finals began a drought that lasted 22 years.

The 1987 team made all of Boston proud to be their fans.

Like the 2008-09 squad, they were decimated by injuries. Everyone was playing hurt. Bill Walton was unable to play due to a serious foot injury, Robert Parish was struggling through a severely sprained ankle and Kevin McHale was risking his career every time he stepped on the court to play on his broken right foot. But somehow they just kept playing. And they almost pulled it off. They came within one Magic Johnson sky hook of winning the title. When they lost the finals that year to Los Angeles, it was hard to feel anything but pride for the guys who had given everything they had and left it out there on the court. True, they didn't win the title - but they nearly killed themselves trying. And how much more can you really ask of a team?

The 2008-09 Celtics were a little different in that regard. They lost Kevin Garnett during the regular season to a mysterious knee injury that kept fans on the edge of their seats wondering when - and eventually, if - he'd be playing again. Garnett never played a playoff game. Leon Powe was injured in the first round of the playoffs, tearing his ACL and requiring reconstructive surgery. Tony Allen was perpetually injured. Brian Scalabrine had one too many concussions. They were running out of bodies which meant that everyone who managed to stay healthy was playing too many minutes. By the end of their playoff run, they had nothing left in the tank. They were fighting, they were giving it everything they had, but it wasn't enough. And in the end they gave up. At home. In a game 7. They lost in a humiliating fashion. It was not the way the fans had wanted to see the season end.

Fortunately, I believe this year will be different. The Celtics added Rasheed Wallace to their front court which makes for an extremely intimidating big man rotation. They also solved the problem of finding a legitimate back up for Paul Pierce in signing Marquis Daniels. The captain needs to play less minutes so he keeps his legs fresh for a deep playoff run. The Celtics still need to find an answer for the back up point guard position and an offer has been extended to Stephon Marbury. Provided that Kevin Garnett returns healthy and they are able to resign forward Glen Davis, they should have a legitimate chance at a deep playoff run - and probably another NBA finals appearance.