| Appreciating Brian Scalabrine | |
It’s safe to say that the biggest needs off the bench for this year’s Boston Celtics team are experience, defense, hustle, and versatility. With that in mind, it doesn’t make sense why so many Celtics fans are sour to Brian Scalabrine. Is it because of his contract? If so, let it go. First of all, it’s unfair to judge Scalabrine as a player or person just because he might be slightly overpaid, and it’s not that bad of a contract to begin with. Is five years a bit excessive? Possibly, but $3 million per year for a solid veteran role player is not. Certainly, the second unit is an unfinished product and is still in dire need of two more veteran pieces, but Brian Scalabrine is surely not a bad option to have in your nine or ten-man rotation. “Scal” is exactly what this team needs off the bench. We have more than enough offensive firepower, we have athletes, we have young energizers, and we have players that are going to crash the boards. Scalabrine is a perfect complement to any lineup head coach Doc Rivers would like to put on the floor. The six-year veteran forward is able to play small forward, power forward, or even the center position in “small ball” lineups. Is he the most skilled, physically gifted, or quickest player on the team? Not at all, but he brings the necessary intangibles that a contending team needs off the bench. On the court, he’s a guy that players and coaches learn to love quickly. He is an all-out hustler, he runs the floor, he dives for loose balls, he can hit the open shot all the way out to three-point range, he’s vocal, he sets beautiful screens, and he possesses a sky-high basketball IQ. Not to mention, he’s surely the best defensive big that this team has off the bench, and in the past has done an excellent job for this team defending guys like Chris Bosh, Jermaine O’Neal, and even newest Celtic superstar Kevin Garnett. Off the court, he’s also an outstanding guy to have on your team, especially in a winning environment. Scalabrine brings nothing but positive energy and encouragement whether it be in a game, in practice, in the locker room, or even outside of basketball altogether. Everybody is talking about how this team looks great on paper, but needs to come together as a unit. Brian Scalabrine will be one of the guys that brings this team together. As mentioned above, he is a six-year NBA veteran, he’s a great person, and he brings all the necessary intangibles to a basketball team, but there is one unmentioned ingredient that will play a more significant role than the average fan may ponder – he has been there and done that. Brian Scalabrine played on the 2002 New Jersey Nets team that made it all the way to the NBA Finals, and ironically got there by knocking off the Boston Celtics in a six-game Eastern Conference Finals series. The next season, 2002-2003, Scalabrine was a member of yet another NBA Finals team, as the Nets had advanced to that point for the second straight season. In his final two seasons in New Jersey, Scalabrine played in three more playoff series’ with the Nets. He surely has the necessary experience and knows what it’s like to play in a championship level environment. The “Scal bashing” needs to come to an end. He has a role, and he will thrive with this new team considering the fact that he doesn’t have to go out there and do more than he’s capable of. He has been forced to log major minutes in his two-year tenure with the Celtics, due to injuries and lack of experience with the young group of players. That will no longer be a problem. Scalabrine is now able to go out there, give 110%, and do what he does best. He won’t have to worry about having the ball in his hands more than he’s used to and he won’t be pressured to produce more on the offensive end than he ever has. He will be able to focus on what he does best (hustle, defend, and play smart basketball), and it will be nothing short of a shame if the fan base will let their ignorance get in the way of appreciating his role on this team. No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments »
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August 7th, 2007 at 9:31 am
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August 7th, 2007 at 10:25 am
That article was a joke, right?
August 7th, 2007 at 10:29 am
The black border makes it impossible to read your posts I have visited regularly only to be fustrated by the balck Background and Border. It appears the posts are very good but…………….
August 7th, 2007 at 10:31 am
[...] CelticsNews Appreciating Brian Scalabrine [...]
August 7th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
I agree with your comments. Too bad we have so many ignorant fans who don’t inderstand what a guy like Scal can bring to a team. Danny may have gotten something better, but business decisions made should viewed during the time the deal was done and that sense I don’t see it as a bad deal!. Scal is a NBA 2nd tier player and fits that role nicely!
August 7th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Great post, I agree, and I dont understand why most fans are so sour on every player the C’s have picked up, since KG. The Celtics, needed solid role players to fill out the roster, after the trades for KG & Allen. Players with good basketball IQ and experience, who know their role, that can come off the bench and do all the little things, Like picks, screens, O. rebound, defend and hustle. I think they have done that so far. Would I have liked for them to pick up better quality players? Sure, but realistically with what we are paying the big three, the Celtics just could not do that. I agree that Scalabrine is solid, and will be a great complimentary player to Pierce, Garnett, and Allen, I also think the same can be said about House, and Pollard. Mr. Pollard has played in 60 playoff games and House has seen time in 24 contests. I think we will be looking at a 9-10 man rotation during the season, and maybe cut down to 8-9 during the playoffs, and Danny will most likely try to pick up a wing and maybe another vet. P. guard. So, calm down Celtic fans, I am sure everyone would rather have this years roster than last years.
August 7th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
I agree 100%. Scal started to find the ways that he could best help the team, last year, and he will only fit better, with the big moves towards a veteran team.
As an aside – if you want to curb Scal bashing, you might have used a different picture. Scal doing “I’m a little tea pot” with his eyes closed will only fuel the fire. Ha.
August 7th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
*cue booming voice*
And Lo, lest we forget, one midsummer night in the vales of Tennessee, the mighty Scalabrine parted the paint and single handedly changed the NBA by setting the legendary…(pause for effect)…”Game-Winning Pick”!
Statutary Disclaimer: Pick may also be known as the “Pick that Gave Pierce the Basket to Win the Game” “Pick That was Set By Doc Rivers”, and “The Pick That is Used to Justify Any Arguments for Scalabrine’s Continued Existence on God’s Good Earth”.
Pick not valid for any future games. Pick may not be reproduced, rebroadcasted or made of fun of without the expressed written consent of the National Scalabrine Association and the NBA.
August 9th, 2007 at 11:54 pm
Great article!
August 18th, 2007 at 1:59 am
I would have to agree with this article 100 percent. I am a 100 percent scal fan because i realize the guy plays hard and hustles. This years team will be great for him, not that he’s done bad in the past. I personally had a scal jersey made and sent to my house and i no im the only guy in america these days sporting one. I’ll continue to wear it to every game because whether people like it or not, he plays very hard. Like it or not, scals not bad at all. i’m his biggest fan!!