Opening Night

I've always looked forward to Celtics opening night. The expectations are out of control - you never know what glimpse you'll see in the first "real" game that will show you what the team is capable of over an 82 game haul. Remember Halloween night, 1997? That was my freshman year of high school. Pitino had just come into town and blown up the team, and the C's beat the Bulls in the opener at the Fleet Center. Granted, they lost the next five in a row but at least they made a statement! In college, I would always skip any night class that interfered with a Celtics home opener. And that brings us to tonight. Five and a half months ago, a banged-up Celtics squad was blown off the floor by the Magic in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. The management spent the offseason adding depth: Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels and Shelden Williams. They lost Leon Powe to the Cavs. Cleveland got Shaq as well, and the Magic added Vince Carter. As the C's start the season with a 7:30 tilt at Cleveland, I present you with five intriguing plot lines for the upcoming campaign... 

1. Are they too old? You can have all the depth in the world, but when five of your top eight guys (Garnett, Allen, Pierce, Wallace and House) are between 31 and 35 years old, you're asking for it.

2. Garnett's knee. Sure, you've heard all about it. I think he'll be fine; not quite the force he was, but still a top flight power forward. Time will tell.

3. Marquis Daniels. This guy will make a huge difference here. Mark my words. I loved the signing from the minute I heard about it - a swingman who can handle the rock reliably (1.4 career TO), shoot the J, slash to the rim, and play defense. Daniels does a lot of things very well - so what if he's not a naturally gifted passer or a 3-point threat? Rondo, House and Ray Allen do those things, respectively. Daniels simply needs to go with the flow of the team - he'll never be the focus of the other team's defense, and I think that will allow him to contribute in a very Kevin Gamble-like way. Pierce and Allen can rest and not get worn down like last year. Plus, he's so much better than Tony Allen.

4. Hiccups. Rondo doesn't like the Celtics' contract offer. The Big Linus got into it with his friend Charlie Brown this weekend and broke his thumb. Rasheed Wallace: contributor or sour, chemistry killer? This is a veteran squad, so you'd assume they'd be smart about keeping their heads in the game. But you never know what effect money issues, immaturity, and offbeat personalities can have on a team.

5. The neighborhood. Sure, the Celtics added some guys, but how did the offseason look for the rest of the Eastern Conference? I'll be honest: Shaq looks a little doughy and I don't think Vince Carter is the right choice for any team, much less the defending Eastern Conference champs. But that's why they play the games, folks. Last year I picked a Celtics-Jazz final and couldn't have been more wrong. Tune in to GameTime Friday for a full NBA Preview.