Simmons is the author of the “Basketball Book” which delivers a comprehensive and insider’s look at the best players, past and present, who have played in the NBA.
Simmons believes what Garnett did in Boston after arriving in 2007 from the Timberwolves can’t be quantified by the numbers. “He transformed the culture of a perennial doormat,” Simmons writes in his book. “He taught teammates to care about defense, practice, professionalism, and leaving everything they had on the court. He taught them to stop caring about stats and start caring about wins.”
In the book Simmons ranks Garnett No. 22 among the NBA’s greatest players. Among those ahead of Garnett are two other power forwards, No. 19 Charles Barkley and No. 18 Karl Malone. Barkley, who played for three NBA teams, never was on a world championship club. Malone played in two NBA finals with Utah but lost both times to Chicago.
The Celtics are likely to win their 18th world championship against the Lakers, the defending champs. Boston has the better defense. The Celtics’ defense can destroy opponents and evidence includes 32 and 29 point wins in this spring’s playoffs.
The Celtics have four players that on most nights can make a big impact on any game. Two years ago Boston had its big three but now Rondo is so good he’s transitioned the Celtics to a big four while taking his place among the elite point guards in the league.
The Lakers Kobe Bryant will be the best player in the series but only teammate Pau Gasol, perhaps the NBA’s most efficient offensive center, can be counted on to bring more star power game after game for Los Angeles. Point guard Derek Fisher is the team’s next best contributor while center Andrew Bynum and forwards Ron Artest and Lamar Odom tease with their up and down performances.
No guarantees, but odds are the Celtics win this series. If so, it will be the ninth time that the Celtics have defeated the Lakers in the finals. Garnett won’t carry his team but he will shoulder plenty of the effort, and he will put a lot more space and time between himself and those many difficult seasons in Target Center when the NBA nation wondered if he would ever escape the Timberwolves and win a title.
Make it two.