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Boston Needs to Showcase Younglings

I?m one of the few people that like Danny Ainge?s blueprint. However, if you are going young, then you might as well go all the way. There is no point in starting somebody like Raef LaFrentz when you have got Al Jefferson sitting on the bench. Looking at the Celtics` roster you immediately notice holes at the center position and the point guard position. I like Delonte West a lot, but he is more of a combo guard. Too shot to play the shooting guard position and yet not a natural at the point guard position. A shooting guard trapped in a point guard?s body, if you will.

There is a gaping hole in the center position and Raef LaFrentz isn?t doing it on the four spot. Raef LaFrentz and Mark Blount, have been awful rebounders this season. Instead, it?s everybody else making exceptional contributions on the boards. Pierce is averaging almost nine rebounds per game, which is just a gaudy total for a swingman. Meanwhile, the C?s secondary big men, Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins, are averaging 12 and 15 rebounds respectively per 40 minutes. Perkins?s awesome 19-rebound performance last night was not a fluke, it?s what happens when you give the big guy some serious minutes.

Al Jefferson is the future for the Celtics at the four position. Before he can become a serious contributor, he needs to improve on defense. His offense and defensive rebounding are so good that if his defense were good enough to allow him stay on the court, the Celtics? offense would up into the top ten, and the poor defense would be less of an issue. With such a young team, defense is always going to be an issue. For the Celtics to be successful this season, they need to make some strides in that area with the young frontcourt.