It's no secret that the Boston Celtics are the team to beat so far in the Eastern Conference. At 7-0, they are the only undefeated team left in the NBA. Though, with all the buzz surrounding this team, it's no surprise they're off to a fast start. The true test will come if one of their star player - a trio, which includes Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen - gets injured.
At this point in the season, the Celtics' big three are averaging 65 points per game, while shooting 51% from the field. Kevin Garnett is playing like an early MVP favorite, posting a stat line of 21.0 ppg, 14.0 rbpg, 4.9 apg, 2.9 spg, 1.4 bspg, while shooting 54.6% from the field and 80.6% from the line. Paul Pierce is leading the team in scoring with 23.4 ppg, while adding 5.0 rbpg, 4.6 apg, 2.0 spg and 1.6 treys per game. He's also shooting 49.1% from the field and 81.1% from the line. The team's third option, Ray Allen, is averaging 20.6 ppg, 4.4 rbpg, 3.6 apg with 2.9 treys per game (shooting 43.5% from beyond the arc). He's shooting 49% from the field and 93.8% from the foul line.
These players are also making their teammates better. Eddie House is averaging a career high 10.2 ppg with 2.0 treys per game, while Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo have been solid.
The top three Celtics pick-pockets all average over two steals per game (Garnett 2.9; Rondo 2.3; Pierce 2.0), while Perkins secures the lane with more than two blocks per game (2.1).
Yet, at 6-3, the Denver Nuggets are the only team the Celtics have faced with a winning record. They did hand the New Jersey Nets two of its four losses, but they've yet to play an elite team, like the San Antonio Spurs. However, they have won their games by an average of seventeen points, and only one of those games was by fewer than ten points (they beat the Raptors 98-95).
As long as the big three are healthy and happy, the rest of the league should worry. Still, the big question is whether or not they can last for an 82-game stretch. After their stars, Eddie House is the only other double-digit scorer at 10.2 per game. If Garnett, Pierce or Allen go down, others will have to step up. James Posey is certainly no stranger to that, having played for a championship team a couple seasons ago in the Miami Heat. Tony Allen has shown he's capable of doing good things on the court, as well. However, look for Boston to rest it's stars right away if it clinches home court advantage. They'll want them to be fresh and ready for the playoffs.
