North Station Sports

From this week’s edition of  NSS One on One, you all know that I love and respect Doug Collins. Coincidentally, today Collins told Boston.com that, if healthy, the Celtics “have a great chance of getting back to the NBA Finals”.

Collins went on to discuss the Rondo contract situation by saying,

“I don’t think the Rondo situation is a factor at all. When you are Rajon Rondo and you are out on the floor every single night and you are looking to Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins and Rasheed Wallace not only great players but great competitors who are going to bring it every night. I don’t think that’s going to be a factor. Personally, I was never in that situation as a player so I never had those kind of thoughts. I think he’s going to be fine. He’s coming off a brilliant playoff series. He’s the one guy on that team that gives them speed and enables them to get some easy baskets.”

 In my eyes, it’s remarkable to think how far Rondo has come in two years. Before the Celtics 2008 championship campaign, the big criticism of that team was that Rajon Rondo was too young and inexperienced to lead a team of future Hall of Famers. Just four months ago the blogosphere blew up with stories that Danny Ainge wanted to trade Rondo and was unhappy with his attitude. Today, we have a reputable voice in the NBA speaking very highly of Rondo.

Collins also discussed the Celtics depth,

“When I look at Boston, they don’t have great team speed now. And so he’s that guy who gives them that push. And so I think he’s going to be fine. I like Boston’s versatility. I am a big guy, in terms of being a coach. I always look at closing teams. Who can I put out on the floor that could close the last eight minutes of a game? Do I have good defense? And more importantly, do I have the ability to score? Some much is put on defense at the end of the game. But you are not going to pitch a shutout. You got to score.”

Acknowledging the Celtics defense is now slouch, Collins went on to say,

“I didn’t even mention the fact that they are probably the best defensive team in the league. They’ve added Marquis Daniels and he gives them a versatile guy off the bench and he can play the 1 or the 2. Shelden Williams gives them another big body. Big Baby played well in the playoffs. This to me is a deep team and they answered some weakness off their bench”.

I absolutely love to hear a guy like Doug giving the Celts some cred for addressing their inadequacies of a season ago.

Read the full story at Boston.com