What Stephon Marbury Will Mean for the Celtics' 2009 Playoff Run?

It takes a special ego to create a product line of sportswear and then tattoo its logo to the side of one's head. Yet with Stephon Marbury, we take the "Starbury" logo above his ear for granted, probably because we have grown accustomed to his brash, me-first personality. But when the Celtics signed the star guard in February 2009, they also got another side of Marbury: his supreme motivation to prove himself after a humiliating tenure with the New York Knicks. Reminder: once someone reaches the top of their profession, motivation ceases to be about money. Marbury and every NBA fan knows that it's time for him to produce -- and this time, he's playing for pride.

No one is really sure what Marbury was playing for as he wrecked the New York Knicks after Isaiah Thomas traded for him and his gigantic contract from the Phoenix Suns. Supremely talented, Marbury is a two-time all-star who has averaged close to 20 points per game for his career. When Donny Walsh was brought in as the Knicks' general manager and hired ex-Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, they decided to deal with Starbury by benching him permanently even though he was due more than $20 million for the 2008-2009 season. Unwilling to take a buyout that would lose him any more than $1 million of the $20 million his due, the Knicks spent the season in a weird stasis, with Marbury sitting on the end of the bench and later being banished to his home in Los Angeles. All the while, everyone seemed to forget that Starbury is also a great basketball player in addition to mere sideshow.

That said, the Celtics are actually not taking a risk in adding Marbury. Since he was bought out by the Knicks, the Celtics only need to pay Marbury the veterans' minimum pay -- under $2 million, a minuscule amount for such a talent. And the short-term contract means that he can be released for any reason, not least his old hijinks. It's not much risk for the possibility of huge reward: a possible repeat NBA championship. At age 32, Marbury is still quick and athletic enough to earn another long-term contract, and what better place to prove himself than basketball's biggest stage?

The addition of Marbury is the biggest trade-deadline move in the NBA this season. Except for the loss of forward James Posey, the Celtics have much the same roster as they did last year, when they beat the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. But their nucleus has aged, and although an excellent team, the Celtics have not been as dominant this season, often being overshadowed by the Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, the two teams most likely standing in their way. With the addition of Marbury, the Celtics now have four superstars: Marbury, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, along with emerging young point guard Rajon Rondo. Not only that, these superstars play defense. If Marbury can tone down his histrionics and play his role, the Celtics are formidable. If Marbury becomes locker room toxic waste again, they can drop him, but may lack the piece that could put them over the top.

Marbury had not played in a regular-season NBA game in over a year until scoring 8 points and dishing 2 assists for the Celtics on February 27, 2009. In that game, he showed that he can still drive past nearly all NBA guards and finish at the basket as well as make midrange jumpers. In the constricted half-court sets of the NBA playoffs, this could open up Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to shoot threes and give post man Kevin Garnett even more space.

How do the Celtics match up with the other contenders with Marbury playing healthy? Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry failed to land any players to shore up the team he's put around LeBron James, and defensive specialist Ben Wallace fractured his right fibula in a game Feb. 26, but is slated to return before the playoffs. The Cavs have been good this year because of the all-star season of Mo Williams, but Marbury matches well against Williams. With aging center Zydrunas Ilgaulskas matching with Kevin Garnett and forward Wally Szczerbiak matching with Ray Allen, all the pressure moves to LeBron, and the Celtics shut down the superstar in the playoffs last year.

This could put the Celtics in the same position as last year, playing the LA Lakers in the NBA Finals. Many predicted the Lakers to win in 2008, but they played "soft," as Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson said, and were humiliated in a Game Six blowout in Boston. The Celtics may find that the difficult part of repeating as champions is a simple lack of desire. When the Lakers and Celtics met in a Christmas Day game this season, the Lakers clearly outplayed the Celtics, and the Lakers have also gained home-court advantage over both the Celtics and the Cavs. In a series that goes to the seventh game, home-court could determine the championship. Further, the Laker frontline of seven-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum makes the Celtics look undersized. As for Marbury, veteran leader Derek Fisher is not a shutdown defender, but Marbury would not be much of an advantage with two shotblockers clogging the lane.

Predictions in pro sports are foolish things -- tell that to the gamblers and bookies -- because players get injured and go into mental funks. But the great players step up predictably, as Paul Pierce did as 2008 Finals MVP. How will Stephon Marbury, the most unpredictable player in basketball, affect the equation? It comes down to defense. If the Celtics play the shutdown defense they did in the playoffs last year, they could repeat. But if the Cavaliers or Lakers have the defensive-effort advantage, even Starbury won't make a difference.