We Are The Perfect Storm

For what it's worth, I'm not referring to Junger's non-fiction book or Wolfgang Petersen's sea-faring disaster film more than a decade ago, but the expression to a certain extent fits the bill for the Boston Celtics.

A perfect storm is an expression that describes an event where a rare combination of circumstances will aggravate a situation drastically. Translating that into Alden's Basketball lingo, it describes an event where a rare combination of players and circumstances aggravate their opponent's situation drastically.

And the results are devastating.

Picture Game 7 of the 2008 Quarterfinals vs the Hawks.

Game 6 of the 2008 Finals vs the Lakers.

Game 3 of the 2009 Quarterfinals vs the Bulls

Game 2 of the 2010 Quarterfinals vs the Heat

Game 2 and 5 of the 2010 Semifinals vs the Cavs

Game 3 and 6 of the 2010 Conference Finals vs the Magic

And recently, a number of games in the regular season where the Cs have won by 20 points or more ... at home or on the road.

For the perfect storm to occur, every element must be accounted for. The right mix of players, the right coach to give them the killer mindset, the exceptional desire and passion to excel in every game, and the tremendous discipline to act together as a team ... and a whole lot of other intangibles, should be in the proper place at the proper time.

When that happens, it's normal for the opposing team to be at awe and be embarrassed at the same time.

This is how the Celtics have been playing since '08, operating on efficiency. Each roster in the past four years has been unique, along with the roles of every player, but this year, I would arguably say that Boston ... when it hits full strength, is highly capable of defeating and decimating any team that stands in its way.

It's like George Clooney's swordfish boat, hitting a massive 130 feet wave out of nowhere. Try all you can, at the end of it all, you're going to have to bow down to the wild forces of nature.

Boston's line-up, as it stands, has got the biggest and scariest bunch of forwards and centers. They got one heckuvan all-star point guard, a bench mob that's built for the kill, and rookies and newbies that are proving they have what it takes to become a part of this formidable dynasty. So that even though the injury bug has bit on them this early, it hasn't stopped them from staying on top of the east and roughly a game and a half from the best in the West.

How much more when this team gets to a healthy fifteen and hits the playoffs?

True, I'm impressed with the Spurs amazing start this season, the Lakers getting back in their winning ways, the Magic turning things around, and the Heat finally living up to their expectations. All these teams along with the rest of the league can bring their boats and fish all day in the deep blue waters of David Stern.

But when the perfect storm arrives ... it's entirely a different story.

You've been warned.