On September 14, it was reported that Boston Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca is considering a campaign for the Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy. Pagliuca has no background in politics, but the managing director of Bain Capital HAS served on the NBA board of governors. Despite his lack of political experience, WBZ reports that a “top adviser” has confirmed that Pagliuca is very well-versed “with the two big issues today: health care and the economy.”

But don’t you want to know his views before you vote for him? I know not everybody is like I am… I would vote for Rick Pitino if he ran for Senator, no matter what his views were, no matter how poor his actions have been, just because he was at one point affiliated with the Boston Celtics. So let’s find out what Pagliuca’s stances are on a few major political issues, before you make the same mistake I would by voting for an undeserving candidate…

Education

Education? Who needs education? Pagliuca is fine with people getting a high school diploma, but cares little about secondary education. His team’s starting five is composed entirely of players who never graduated college, with two players (Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett) having never taken a single college class. Pagliuca has a reason to doubt education, though… arguably his smartest player— Garnett – never stepped foot on a college campus, while his dumbest player – Tony Allen – graduated from Oklahoma St. with a degree in, you guessed it, education.

The economy

As stated by the “top adviser” in WBZ’s report, Pagliuca has a lot of experience with the economy. How much? Well, in a time of cost-cutting and recession, Pagliuca and his Boston Celtics co-owners have somehow managed to secure $97,059,082 worth of salaries (including luxury tax, according to Celtics Hub). If you want budget cuts, I wouldn’t expect Pagliuca to be your guy. He does use his money wisely, though – this summer, after seeing the Celtics’ thin frontcourt decimated by injuries, he signed Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels and re-signed Glen Davis.

Health care

After last year’s injury bug derailed the Celtics’ title hopes, it is pretty clear that Pagliuca is a huge advocate of health care reform. Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were all hindered by health issues during last year’s playoffs, and Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe suffered season-ending injuries. Pagliucaa may not have any political background, but he sure as hell knows he doesn’t want Garnett missing any more time this season. At the same time, he isn’t in favor of a nation-wide health care reform… he actually would like to ban health care entirely in L.A., Cleveland, Orlando, and San Antonio.

Gay marriage

Anybody who watched James Posey’s homo-erotic pregame hugs last season knows that Pagliuca is in favor of gay marriage. In fact, he might even be in favor of public gay porn. Pagliuca is a big believer that well-timed (read: pre-game) homo-erotic hugs and in effect, gay marriages, actually prepare and focus the mind to perform to the best of an individual’s abilities. He even noted that he’s been prodding Kevin Garnett to consider gay marriage, thinking it would help him regain the magic of 2008.

Capital punishment

Pagliuca has gone on the record to admit that he is not in favor of capital punishment… unless the criminal in question happens to be a Lakers fan. Then, even for petty crimes such as jaywalking, Pagliuca suggests capital punishment is the only way to rid the world of such scum. He also has stated, “I hope all jaywalking Lakers fans burn in hell.”

Second Amendment

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution gives citizens the right to keep and bear arms. Just in case you forgot, potential Senator Pagliuca would like to remind you that he once employed Sebastian Telfair. In case anybody still doesn’t know Senator Pagliuca’s stance on the Second Amendment, Telfair once tried to smuggle a gun inside a pillowcase onto the Portland Trail Blazer’s team plane. When arrested, Telfair explained how it wasn’t his gun, that he just accidentally grabbed his girlfriend’s gun when he took the wrong bag… I guess she always carries a gun in her pillowcase.

Needless to say, Pagliuca is all for bearing arms.

So there you have it, Steve Pagliuca’s political views. Are you still going to vote for him? I am. So far, everything he’s touched has turned to gold.

“The only thing you take with you when you’re gone is what you leave behind” – John Allston

If you ever look up into the rafters at the recently renamed TD Garden, you’ll see countless banners, some dedicated to championships and others to players.

Far more than just fabric stitched with letters and numbers, those banners prove to be a reminder of the past, proof of the Celtics’ best times and most cherished players. When you look up and see the number six, can you help but envision Bill Russell gracefully running the floor, extending his long, sinewy arms and blocking an opposing player’s shot? I never got to see Bill Russell play, but every time I look up and see his jersey number I never fail to imagine him playing one more game, blocking one more shot, or winning one more championship. Russell’s career is over, but it will never be forgotten as long as his number remains in the rafters, as long as people still remember his career, the legacy he left behind.

When I look up and see the 1986 banner, I can’t help but think about Larry Bird whipping a no-look pass to Kevin McHale, or Robert Parish’s long-armed turnaround jumper. I think back to the tenacious defense of Dennis Johnson, the wondrous wizardry of Bird, and the gritty, bold play of Danny Ainge. When you see the banner, the past comes to life as memories of the great times flood your head. I wasn’t even alive in 1986, but I’ll always imagine what it would have been like to watch that team, every time I look up at its championship banner.

Now, you can look up and see a 2008 championship banner alongside the 16 others. At first glance, it might look like simple fabric adorned with letters and numbers. It might even seem like merely one banner out of 17, a banner that no doubt will get lost in the sea of Boston Celtics championships. But that banner is far more than fabric, far more than one of many. Just like the other championship banners and the retired numbers that came before it, that banner is proof that the memories made will last forever. That banner is the first sign that the 2008 team will be immortalized in Boston Celtics lore, the first sign that the team that returned the Celtics to glory will never be forgotten.

Long after the retirement of the Big Three, far beyond the time when Doc Rivers no longer strolls the sidelines, people will look up at that banner. Those who are old enough to remember the Celtics 17th championship will think fondly of memories made during the glorious title run, while those too young to remember, even those too young to even be alive for the title, will imagine what it would have been like to follow and root for such a terrific team.

Soon, Paul Pierce’s number will be up there in the rafters too. After his retirement, it’s a no-brainer that Pierce, the unquestioned greatest Celtic of his era, will be honored as an all-time Celtics great.

But how will people remember him twenty, thirty, forty years from now? It seems safe to say that Pierce will never receive the adulation and amazement inspired by Bill Russell and Larry Bird, the two greatest Celtics ever, but will he at least be in the next echelon?

To me, that next echelon is composed of two, and only two, players. On a franchise that has 22 players currently in the Hall-of-Fame for their professional basketball careers, it is difficult for a player to make a name for himself. To somehow carve a lasting legacy in a franchise entwined by legends and encompassed in history, a player not only has to be great, he has to sustain that greatness for a long period of time.

If you ask me, the only two players who have set themselves apart from the rest of the Celtics’ Hall-of-Fame pack are John Havlicek and Bob Cousy. Kevin McHale was close but, playing in the shadow of Larry Bird, he was never the best player on his team. Dave Cowens tried valiantly but, in the end, his career was not long enough to earn him stature at the top. Sam Jones, Dennis Johnson, Robert Parish, Bill Sharman… the list of great Celtics goes on, but Cousy and Havlicek were the only two Celtics, besides Bird and Russell, who became synonymous with the organization. If you thought of the Celtics in the early 1950’s, Cousy’s flashy ball-handling and flair for passing were what came to mind; in the 1970’s, it was Havlicek’s tenacious play and relentless consistency.

No other players have become synonymous with the Celtics, no other players defining an entire generation of the organization’s storied history…

Until Paul Pierce came along.

In 1998, Pierce was drafted by a Boston Celtics franchise struggling through the most dire seasons in the franchise’s existence. In little time, Pierce surpassed Antoine Walker as the C’s best player, in the process leading the Celtics from the depths of the NBA’s cellar to an Eastern Conference contender. By the time Pierce’s third year rolled around, he had established himself as one of the better all-around players in the NBA, averaging over 25 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game.

For most of his career, Pierce has been the lone face of the Boston Celtics. You could argue that, until the C’s resurgence, Pierce had been the face of the Celtics during one of the bleakest periods the organization had ever known. You could argue that he was only the best player on bad teams.

But how much bleaker would the early 2000’s had been for the Celts had they not drafted Pierce with the 10th pick in the 1998 draft? How much worse would those bad teams have been without Pierce? Even in 2006-2007, the worst team Pierce ever played for, the Celtics were 21-27 with Paul Pierce. That record seems pretty bad – until you realize Boston was 4-31 during the 35 games Pierce missed.

For many years, Paul Pierce carried the Celtics through tough times, lifting them onto his shoulders and making them more formidable than they ever could have been without him. Since he was drafted, Pierce has had the single greatest influence on the Celtics of any player. He spent many years toiling with lesser teammates but rarely complained and always soldiered on, ready to go to battle for the only franchise he’s ever known.

With a championship under his belt and likely a few more good years left, Paul Pierce should be remembered as one of the best to ever suit up for the Green and White, a legend even among other legends. Years from now, when Pierce is retired, he’ll leave behind a legacy, just like all the other Celtics greats have. And when people look into the rafters and see the number 34 hanging there, they should remember him as fondly as any other Celtic.

They’ll remember his pull-up jumpers, his methodical drives to the hoop, and the way he nobly led the Celtics through such low times. They’ll remember his loyalty through tough times, his passionate leadership, and the joy he radiated when he finally cracked through for his first championship.

And if John Allston is right – if the only thing you take with you when you’re gone is really what you leave behind – then Paul Pierce, even when he’s gone, will still have a hell of a lot.

If you’re a serious Celtics fan, you know who Lester Hudson is. You know he was the 58th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, that he played his college basketball at the University of Tennessee-Martin, and that he can play either guard position.

If you’re a really big fan, you might even know that he was the NCAA’s second-leading scorer last season (averaging 27.5 points per game), and that he is the only NCAA Division 1 player to ever record a quadruple-double. You may know that he averaged 7.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.3 steals for the Skyhawks in his senior season, and that he measured in at 6’1″ and 196 lbs., with a 6’9″ wingspan, a 36″ vertical leap and a chiseled 3.4% body fat.

But how much do you really know? Besides stats and a few facts, do you really know much about Lester Hudson?

Chances are, you’ve never seen him play. You probably know little about his game besides what you’ve read on DraftExpress.com or NBADraft.net. You likely know little about the struggles he had to overcome to even play college basketball, and you probably don’t know how excited he is to have the opportunity to play for the Boston Celtics.

Luckily, Lester will be giving a series of interviews for Celtics Town. In it, we will delve into his past, explore his current situation with Boston, and do a little speculation into his future.

Here’s the first installment of the series of interviews:

Jay King: Can you tell me a little bit about your journey from Central High School to Southwest Tennessee Community College, and finally to UT-Martin?

Lester Hudson: I grew up in a pretty bad neighborhood, but instead of being dragged down by my surroundings I was always determined to do whatever I could to get out of the neighborhood.

I actually didn’t know how much I loved basketball until I was able to play for my high school coach. He saw me playing one day and asked me if I would try out for the team. Later on, after I knew how much I loved the game and had finished a successful high school career, I wasn’t allowed to play my senior year. Since I had failed my ninth grade year and had to repeat it, they wouldn’t let me play during my last year at school. Without basketball, I didn’t do my work, and wound up short of graduating high school.

The following year, while I was working on getting my GED, my high school coach asked me if I wanted to go to a tryout for the Southwest Tennessee Community College team – he never lost faith in me, never stopped thinking I could play college ball. I did really well against the players on the team, and I was offered a spot in school and on the team.

By the time I got into STCC, I knew that I needed to work hard in school to continue my dream of playing basketball and escaping my neighborhood. I had two unbelievable years at STCC – I think I was rated one of the top twenty junior college players in the country – but I once again didn’t graduate. Because I was behind, I had to take beginner courses to get into the real courses, and I failed to meet all the graduation requirements.

Since I didn’t graduate, I couldn’t go right into playing college basketball, and I couldn’t have a scholarship my first year. I decided to go to UT-Martin, but I had to pay my way for the first year – a year I red-shirted. I received financial aid and took out loans to cover the rest of the money, and I finished up my college career at UT-Martin.

A lot of Celtics fans don’t know much about your game. Could you describe your game for us?

I can score the ball really well, get in the passing lanes, and fill up the stat sheet. I rebound, pass, and play defense. Basically, I do whatever my team needs me to do. At UT-Martin, I had to score to help us win, but with the Celtics I’m willing to do whatever the coaches ask me to do, whatever the team needs me to do so we can win.

I consider myself a very good defender. I like to play both ends of the floor because I know that if I’m scoring but then coming back the other way and giving up a bucket, it doesn’t help us out. I pride myself in being able to put a lot of pressure on ball-handlers and being a disruptive force.

In college, my coach actually had to ask me to stop applying so much pressure on defense, because I was getting into a little bit of foul trouble. The team needed me on the floor, so I couldn’t pick up cheap fouls. In the NBA, I should be able to be an even better defender than I was in college.

I’m an aggressive player on both ends and a very good rebounder who isn’t afraid to mix it up down low – despite my size. If I had to describe my game in one sentence, I’d say I am an all-around player and a winner.

How do you feel about being drafted by the Boston Celtics?

I think I’m in the best position of anybody who was drafted. Danny Green (drafted by Cleveland) is the only other player in a comparable position.

First of all, I get a chance to play for the best team in the world. I’m in a great position because I get to play with veteran guys who know how to play the game and are willing to help me out. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis – and I could keep going – those guys are all great players and know what it takes to succeed in this league.

Even playing with those guys in Waltham (at the Celtics’ practice facilities), I am trying to let them help me out. Paul Pierce took me aside the other day and taught me different ways to use a pick-and-roll. Coming out of college, I don’t know as much about the little parts of the game as these guys do, and I’m just trying to learn as much as I can.

I know you tested the draft waters after your junior year. How do you feel about staying for your senior season?

You know, everything happens for a reason. Coming out of my junior year, I was really close to turning pro. I actually received a lot of good feedback from the teams, and was told I would have gone higher in the draft last year than I did this year.

But everything happens for a reason, and I now have a diploma, which means a lot to me, and a chance to play for the best team in the world. So I would say everything has turned out very well.

How long have you been living and working out in Waltham for?

I’ve been here for about two months, working on my conditioning, ball-handling and shooting. With my finger, I was only cleared to play full-court last week. I was able to still do all my drills before that, but I wasn’t cleared for contact until then.

Now, I’m out here trying to get acclimated to the Celtics and work on my game. The coaching staff told me I should work on my ball-handling the most. In college, I handled the ball a lot and did a good job of it, but nobody really put too much pressure on me. I was the star, and the other team knew if they pressured me I was going to go right by them. Now, with trees like Dwight Howard down low, teams will be able to pressure and not be so worried about me going by them. So I’ve been working a lot on my ball-handling to be able to handle that NBA pressure.

Everybody else started getting here a couple weeks ago, and now almost everybody is here in Waltham. I’m excited to be able to learn from all the guys and keep getting better.

I think the veterans like me, because they know I want to get better and that I’ll never back down from anybody. It doesn’t matter who I’m playing, I’ll never back down. I could be playing against Kobe Bryant, but I’m going to go after him. It doesn’t matter who it is.

Coming out of a small school, do you feel at a disadvantage compared to the players who played better competition?

No. I think I’m ready, and I’m confident in myself. I don’t feel that anybody can stop me from scoring the ball.

In college, every team I played knew I was going to score twenty on them, at least. They threw double and triple teams at me, and I had to score against more defensive attention than anybody in the major conferences. If I had been at Duke, Carolina, or Michigan State, I would have had a lot more help. Not to say my teammates weren’t good players, they were great teammates, but other teams could get away with doubling or tripling me. At those other schools, where guys have so many other talented teammates, they don’t face the defensive attention that I faced every night.

I feel that if I had been on national T.V. eight times last year, I would have been drafted a lot higher. If I was on T.V. eight times, I would have had eight great games in front of scouts. I would have had at least 25 points in front of scouts, eight different times. I would have gotten a lot more exposure, and my play would have spoken for itself.

But everything worked out. I ended up in Boston, and I am in a great situation where I get to work with veteran players who know how to win.

How is your contract situation coming along?

I’m just trying to stay patient and let my play decide my contract. It’s up to nobody but me, whether I earn a spot on the team. I’m not worried about it, I’m just out here trying to impress whoever I can… the coaching staff, Danny Ainge, the owners, the weight trainers, the equipment managers, everybody. I’m going to let my play do my talking, and hopefully the contract will work itself out.

Be sure to check out the next installment of the Chronicles of Lester Hudson, which will be posted sometime within the next week or so. In it, we’ll go into more depth about Lester’s offseason workout regimen and update you on his quest to make the Boston Celtics.

With more Hall-of-Famers than any other team in NBA history, the Boston Celtics have had no shortage of great players. The storied parquet floor has been graced by the likes of Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy and many other legendary players wearing the green and white.

Picking any of the Celtics’ Hall-of-Famers, you couldn’t go wrong… Russell is the greatest winner in NBA history, Bird a transcendent player who rose to the NBA’s upper-echelon, Cousy a wizard who revolutionized the game with his flashy yet productive play. Beyond those three stars, the list goes on and on…John Havlicek, Sam Young, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Bill Sharman, Dave Cowens, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders – and the beat goes on.

If you had to pick one player to represent the Boston Celtics, one player to stand above all the other greats in Celtics’ history, it would probably have to be Russell. With 11 championships and 5 MVPs during his thirteen seasons, Russell set the bar for greatness in the NBA.

But what if you didn’t have to pick just one player? What if you could mix and match different parts of all the players who have adorned Celtic Green? What if you could combine the best of the best, and come up with the perfect Boston Celtic?

This is what he’d look like…

Feet

Kevin McHale. Could there be any other choice? McHale not only has perhaps the best post footwork of all-time, he also used his feet to be able to match up against the opponents’ best offensive player, regardless of the position. With the ability to move his feet so well and the long arms to contest any shot, McHale was a terrific defender, a force on both ends of the floor.

But it was his offensive footwork that made McHale so special, that he is still remembered for long after his career is done (well, that and his Kevin Garnett trade). McHale was a genius on the blocks, a master of up-and-unders, step-throughs, drop steps, and pretty much any other move that has ever been created. And it was mostly due to his terrific footwork.

Legs

John Havlicek. Hondo wasn’t the quickest Celtic, and he didn’t jump the highest. Nor was he the most explosive. But Havlicek could run, and he could run for days at a time. Said New York Knicks coach Red Holzman about Hondo, “It would’ve been fair to those who had to play him or those who had to coach against him if he had been blessed only with his inhuman endurance. God had to compound it by making him a good scorer, smart ballhandler and intelligent defensive player with quickness of mind, hands and feet.”

With his quickness, strength and stamina, Hondo logged over 46,000 regular-season minutes for the C’s, scoring more points (26,395) than any other Celtic. Somehow, his legs kept churning through all that time with the Celtics.

Stomach

Bill Russell. Russell, winner of 11 championships and 5 MVPs and maybe the greatest center of all-time, would get so nervous before games that he would puke…before every single game. If Russ didn’t puke, his head likely wasn’t in the game and he wasn’t going to play well.

His nightly homage to the porcelain gods became a way Russell’s teammates, and even Russell himself, knew he was ready to play the game. So the nod for the best stomach in Celtics’ history goes to Russell, even though it was one very unsettled stomach.

Heart

Dave Cowens. Fans nowadays may consider Kevin Garnett to be the most intense player they’ve ever seen in Celtics green. He works harder than anybody else currently in the NBA, every single play.

But Cowens was Kevin Garnett before KG was even born. He played with that energy, that singular desire to do whatever he possibly could to win, and he did it as an undersized center playing against the likes of behemoths Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. At only 6’9″, Cowens averaged 13.6 rebounds per game during his career not because of any physical traits, but rather the sheer imposition of his will.

Lungs

Red Auerbach. I know this is supposed to be a collection of the best attributes of Celtics players, but how could you not stretch the rules to include Red Auerbach’s lungs?

The same lungs that he abused by smoking victory cigars – while on the bench! – were used every game to berate referees and opposing players. In his book “Red And Me”, Bill Russell talks about how Red once went up to Wilt Chamberlain, screaming at him and challenging the monster to a fight. Russell had no doubt that the fiery Auerbach would have fought Chamberlain if Russell didn’t break it up – behind all those words were a proud man unafraid of anything.

Honorable Mention: Paul Pierce. Any time you can get stabbed 11 times in your neck, back and face, then survive and return from lung surgery to start in the season opener, you’ve got some good lungs… and a pretty damn great guardian angel.

Arms

Bill Russell. Though they didn’t count blocks when Russell played, he undoubtedly would have led the league just about every year. Generally regarded as the best defensive center to ever play the game, it was Russell’s arms, combined with his timing, that allowed him to block so many shots.

Long and sinewy, with a strength that belied their thin shape, Russell’s arms, with their long reach and strong grip, allowed him to pull in an average of 22.5 rebounds per game for his career and countless (literally, in those days) blocks.

Mouth

Larry Bird. Has there ever been a better trash-talker than the “Hick From French Lick”? Bird not only spoke a lot of trash, he backed it up too. Like the time when he walked into the locker room at the three-point contest and told everyone they were playing for second… then went out and won. Or the time he told Xavier McDaniel not only that he was going to make a game-winning shot, but exactly where he was going to hit it… and then was upset he left time on the clock after his shot.

Bird was a cocky, brash player who was never afraid to let anybody know he was the best player on the floor. And he’s also the best Celtics player since Russell.

Eyes

Bob Cousy. With Larry Bird’s great court vision, you could argue that his eyes should be used to create the best Celtic ever. But that would be selling Cousy, one of the first great point guards in NBA history, short.

The “Hardwood Houdini” led the NBA in assists eight years straight, ushering the NBA into an era of less robotic and more creative play. Always scanning the court with those eyes, Cousy was a great point guard and a hell of a floor leader.

Brain

Larry Bird. What does it take to thrive in a league in which the most athletic players excel, even when you aren’t a superb athlete by any stretch of the imagination? A great work ethic and an incredible knowledge of the game.

Bird was so good, despite being slow and athletically challenged, because he knew angles and he saw the whole court developing far more clearly than the other players on the court. He was aware of everybody on the court, and hardly ever made dumb mistakes. With a basketball brain like that, it’s no wonder Bird was such a great player.

And finally…

Hair

Dwayne Shintzius. I think, in this case, a picture is worth a thousand words…

It takes a special player – scratch that, a special man – to stay ready to play when minutes are never guaranteed and starring is never an option.

It is the sign of being even more special that Brian Scalabrine never complains.

For years, Scal has been the laughingstock of the Boston Celtics’ organization. Sure, he has been considered a fan favorite for a long time, but it’s been because of the things he doesn’t do, rather than what he does. By NBA standards, Scal is slow and unathletic. By any standards, he is chunky and a little (a lot?) goofy.

But that’s never stopped him from being ready to play during any and all situations. From one night to the next, Scal doesn’t know whether he’ll start or register a DNP-CD. When he gets to the gym, he has no idea whether, at the end of the game, he’ll wind up sweaty and tired or fresh and still wearing his warmup suit. Somehow, Scal takes it all in stride.

As a college basketball player whose desire to win and to compete far out-shined my middling (to be very generous) athletic abilities, I know how hard it is to arrive at a gym every day and not know whether, or how much, you’re going to play. I know how hard it is to sit on a bench and watch your teammates – not you – play the game you love, the game you desperately wish you were better at. I know how hard it is to suck up the pain of not playing and throw it aside in order to cheer on your teammates, to feel happy about a win when every win you don’t play in further marks how little your team needs your presence. I know how hard it is to show up every day at practice and give it your all, knowing that it doesn’t matter how hard you play, how well you shoot. I had teammates who were better than I was, and I wasn’t going to get playing time no matter how many jumpers I hit in practice, no matter how many times I dove on the floor after a loose ball.

Granted, I never made $3 million a year – like Scal – but I’m sure he doesn’t once think about the money while riding the pine during a close loss, while wishing he could still play, still compete, at the game he loves. Scal rode the bench for many years, but he did it with a smile on his face and a winning attitude in his heart.

Then, finally, his chance came. After Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe went down to injury – and, really, even before the injury to a certain extent – Scal was relied on by Doc Rivers like never before. The big redhead was just returning from a series of concussions that left him out of play for a long time, but he came back ready to contribute anything he had to the Celtics, even wearing the thickest headband ever manufactured.

All of a sudden, Scal – the forgotten man, the laughingstock, the overpaid bench-warmer – was a reliable performer, a key component to the Celtics’ limited playoff success. With a smooth outside stroke to stretch the defense and an underrated ability to move his feet defensively, Scal provided the Celtics with a steady presence and a jolt of energy every time he touched the floor. For a big, goofy guy with an oversized stomach, Scal is a lot tougher than he looks. He was more than willing to bruise inside, providing the injury-ravaged Celtics with their best post defender off the bench.

The man who had so long been overlooked, except by half-mocking fans serenading his name, became a pivotal member of the C’s, and he did it all with the knowledge that the next time he bumped his head could be the last time he ever played basketball. After all those concussions, Scal was still willing to sacrifice his body, still ready to take a charge, still ready to dive after loose balls, still ready to bang with bigger men in the post. It took Scal a long time, but he had finally carved out his niche as a Boston Celtic.

But the NBA is a fickle game and, just as quickly as he earned his spot in the rotation, Scal once again is on the outside of the rotation looking in. The Celtics signed Rasheed Wallace and Shelden Williams to bolster last year’s thin frontcourt, and Scal will enter the season not knowing when, or even if, he’ll play any minutes in each game.

It’s a familiar spot for the big redhead, but one he is willing to, if not embrace, understand.

And you can be damn sure he’ll be ready whenever Doc decides to call his name.

With Marquis Daniels finally, officially a Celtic, the Celtics look to be almost done (completely done?) wheeling and dealing this summer. Since the roster is almost set, we’re bringing you a list of questions facing the Boston Celtics for the 2009-2010 season. In honor of Marquis’ new number, we’ve decided to make our list seven questions long.

Will Kevin Garnett remain healthy?

You could make a strong argument that, with the Big Ticket on the court rather than in street clothes on the bench, the Boston Celtics would be two-time defending champions. The Celtics are a different team with Garnett on the floor, especially defensively. If he makes a healthy return, it will go a long way towards reestablishing the Celtics as NBA title favorites.

Without KG, the Celtics still have a formidable frontcourt. With him? They could be downright scary.

How quickly will age catch up to the Boston Celtics?

By now, you’ve heard it before – The Celtics are getting old, and it’s their stars who are the old ones. The Big Three plus newcomer Rasheed Wallace are all at least 31, and they all have logged A LOT of minutes. With an improved bench, Doc Rivers should be able to find a lot more rest for his superstars, but they could be on the way down anyways – once players hit a certain amount of minutes played, they tend to hit a wall, and the Celtics’ stars have all played a very substantial amount of minutes (30,526 minutes for Pierce, 39,635 for Garnett, 35,099 for Allen and 34,166 for Wallace – and none of those include the playoffs).

Ray Allen and Paul Pierce both looked bruised and battered by the end of last year’s playoffs. Hopefully, the return of Garnett and the additions of Wallace and Marquis Daniels will take some pressure of Boston’s stars, and they will be energized and fresh entering the playoffs.

Can Rasheed Wallace coexist with Garnett and Perkins?

There are rumors that Wallace is washed up, that he doesn’t have it anymore, that his bad series against Cleveland in round one of the playoffs was a sign that he already has deteriorated. And you know what? I’d say he has. Rasheed is no longer the player he used to be.

But that’s fine for the Celtics. They don’t need ‘Sheed to come in and be a star; all they need is a good defender off the bench and another big man who can spread the floor. If Rasheed can comfortably accept a backup role and settle for being the leader of Boston’s second unit rather than one of the team’s stars, Boston will have a huge upgrade in its frontcourt. But if he sulks about coming off the bench, gets ill-advised technicals during the wrong parts of games and bombs too many threes at the worst possible times? The Celtics could have an aging, 6’11” problem on their hands.

Who will play backup point guard?

Danny Ainge claims the Celtics are happy with their backup point guard position as is. He believes Eddie House and Marquis Daniels are ready to man the position. And I agree…in a pinch. But for a whole season, I’d be far happier if the Celtics had a reliable point guard who actually plays the position.

As an aside, don’t forget about Lester Hudson. The 6’3” waterbug out of UT-Martin impresses with his athleticism and defensive intensity and, if he can get comfortable running Doc Rivers’ offense, the Celtics could have a steal on their hands with their lone draft pick.

Can Rajon Rondo take the next step towards stardom?

In the 2009 playoffs, Rondo showed just how close he is to being one of the top point guards in the entire NBA. When he’s going well, there is no point guard in the NBA who combines his defensive ball-hawking, terrific rebounding, great court vision and incredible speed.

Rondo was close to turning the corner last season, and could still improve in leaps and bounds if he improves his consistency and his jumpshot. With his blazing speed, Rajon doesn’t need a deadeye jumpshot like Ray Allen, just a sufficient one to keep defenses from collapsing off him.

How well do Cleveland, LA, and Orlando mesh after their new additions?

I know these are questions about the Boston Celtics, but including their closest competitors makes a lot of sense. The C’s are the only top contender to maintain all its core players (sorry Denver fans, I don’t consider your team true contenders) – all the other contenders made a lot of moves, but the jury is out on how the new starting fives will coexist.

If the Cavs, Lakers or Magic can reacquire the solidarity that made them so tough to play last year, the Celtics might be a step behind their rivals.

How many technical fouls will Boston lead the league by?

With a frontcourt that includes Kendrick Perkins and Rasheed Wallace, the question isn’t whether the Celts will lead the league in technical fouls…it’s by how much. The addition of the ever-combustible Rasheed Wallace makes the C’s a good bet to be one the highest technical foul-accumulating teams of all-time.

Let’s just hope none of those come with the game, or even the season, on the line.