When the Paul Pierce-led Boston Celtics traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the only question marks regarding their championship merit revolved around the OTHER 9 players on the roster.  At the halfway point of the NBA season, the Boston role players and bench have held there own as the Celtics have marched to the best record in the NBA.

Even in so doing, critics questionned the C’s.  They hadn’t played anybody out west.  They hadn’t faced any great big men.  They hadn’t had to deal with any injuries.

You can now scratch all three of those off the list.  The Boston Celtics, led by ever-improving 2nd-year PG Rajon Rondo and the unbelievable play of rookie PF Glenn “Big Baby” Davis, beat the San Antonio Spurs 98-90.  The win came with BOTH Kevin Garnett and starting C Kendrick Perkins on the bench.  The C’s are now 5-2 without their MVP-candidate.

So, with their two biggest players on the bench, the Celtics controlled the entire game against the defending champs riding a 4-game winning streak.  Tim Duncan and the Spurs simply could not get into any semblance of a rythym against the suffocating Celtics D.  Meanwhile, Rondo, Pierce, and Ray Allen led a dazzling offensive show against the stout Spurs defense.

The Celtics are not just winning games.  They are setting records, much like their football-playing cousins from Foxboro.  The C’s are 16-0 against the western conference, which has never been done before.  They are also poised to be only the 2nd team in NBA history to lead the league in points allowed, field goal percentage, and 3-point percentage.

Watching the NBA in February is tough to do, but the C’s have something brewing in the Bean right now, and the way they play defense, it really is fun to watch.  Are they on the brink of #17?  Only time will tell . . .