High expectations: Wallace to complement “Big Three”

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It’s almost here. It’s almost time for the lights to go down in the TD Banknorth Garden, broken only by Kevin Garnett’s feral scream on the JumboTron.

It’s been a long off-season, Celtics fans. After winning a championship in 2008, we watched the team drop the final two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Orlando Magic. Adding insult to injury, we then watched as the Los Angeles Lakers took home another trophy, this time with legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach’s championship record.

The team has a healthy Garnett, reuniting the big three that brought Boston glory two seasons ago. Questions remain, such as whether Rajon Rondo will still be wearing green after the Oct. 31 deadline to make a deal with the team, but one can’t help but be hopeful.

The off-season brought veteran Rasheed Wallace to Boston, yet another weapon added to the Celtics arsenal. Pending Rondo’s decision to stay or go, the core of last year’s talented team remains.

It’s easy to forget how well the team played last season. Most fans focus on what happened in the off-season, but this is the same team that had many analysts predicting a repeat of 2008. They lost a tough series to a strong team, and this year they are back and focused.

Paul Pierce, the heart and soul of the team for years, seems focused on the prize. After as many disappointing seasons as he had to endure, he got a taste of what it is like to hold that trophy and smoke a cigar in honor of the late Auerbach. At the victory parade held in Boston after the win, no one was as excited as Pierce, who hoisted his M.V.P. trophy and screamed along with the fans. He wants it again, and with the team he has around him he has a very good chance.

Championship hopes aside, I can’t wait to watch this team take the floor. They are a fun team to watch, and this year will be no different. Come Oct. 27, I’ll be sitting in front of my TV, waiting for the fun to start.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009, 12:22 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.