26-year old power forward Brandon Bass has been playing outstanding basketball for the Celtics so far this year.  He has played in 16 games (1 start) for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 28.3 minutes, 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game so far this year.  Bass has been playing better basketball than the guy he was traded for (Glen “Big Baby” Davis) without all the off the court drama.  Bass is currently 5th in scoring and 2nd in rebounding on the Celtics.  He is going to keep getting a lot of work as the Celtics’ front line is starting to look really old and creaky all of a sudden.

36-year old shooting guard Ray Allen is really playing at a high level for the Celtics so far this year.  He has played in 11 games (all starts) for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 35.5 minutes, 16.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.  Allen is shooting 51.3% from the floor and he has connected on 31 of 54 (57.4%) shots from three point range so far this year.  Allen has kept himself in great shape over the years and he is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.

26-year old power forward Brandon Bass has been playing really solid basketball so far this year for the Celtics.  Bass has played in 7 games (0 starts) for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 27.7 minutes, 14.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  Bass is shooting 55.1% from the floor so far this year for the Celtics as he has been a nice upgrade over Big Baby, mostly because he’s in better shape.

The Celtics might be 0-3 to start the 2011-12 season, but you can’t blame 25-year old point Rajon Rondo for that.  Rondo has played in all three games for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 40.0 minutes, 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 10.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game.  He is shooting a sterling 54.8% from the floor so far this year.  Rondo has been dynamic so far this year as he has been looking for his own shot more while still averaging over 10 assists per game.  Rondo is now the main man on the Celtics, so they need him to keep the older guys energized.

25-year old Rajon Rondo turned into a pure point guard last season for the Celtics.  Rondo played in 68 games (all starts) for the Celtics last year and he averaged 37.2 minutes, 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 11.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game.  He has now played in 384 games (331 starts) in his first five years with the Celtics and he is averaging 32.0 minutes, 10.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game.  Despite only being with the Celtics for five years, he’s already starting to show up in the franchise record books.  He is #5 in steals (748) and #9 in assists (2,903) already in team history and he’s going to be moving way up on those lists down the road.

Rajon Rondo isn’t playing his best basketball against the Miami Heat but he is a true warrior.  He had his left elbow dislocated in Game #3 against the Heat due to a cheap shot.  He went into the lockerroom, had it popped back in….and then he returned to the game playing with essentially only his right arm.  With that in mind, he played pretty darn well as he inspired his team and the crowd.  He is vowing to play tonight but we’ll see.  Rondo has played in 3 games against the Heat so far in his series and he is averaging 36.3 minutes, 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 10.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game.  He is only shooting 13 for 33 (39.4%) from the floor in this series and it’s hard to see him improving to much on that number because of his injury.  Rondo has now played in 7 games (all starts) in the playoffs so far this year and he is averaging 39.6 minutes, 15.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 11.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game.  Rondo is the heart of the Boston Celtics, so here’s to hoping that he will play tonight.

Starting power forward Kevin Garnett really looked solid against the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.  Garnett played in 4 games (all starts) against the Knicks and he averaged 34.0 minutes, 15.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game.  With the likely opponent in Round #2 of the playoffs being the Miami Heat, K.G. becomes even more important.  Garnett will need to push around Chris Bosh (which he will), while defending the basket to help stop drives by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.  I think he will rise to that challenge and have a huge series against the Heat (if that’s who they wind up playing next).

Starting point guard Rajon Rondo has been pushing around the Knicks’ point guards at both ends of the basketball court.  Rondo has played in 2 games (both starts) for the Celtics so far in this series and he is averaging 42.5 minutes, 20.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  Rondo is only shooting 4 of 9 (44.4%) from the free throw line, which has been poison to him his entire career but it has’t stopped him from playing aggressive.  Toney Douglas is absolutely no match for Rondo, so the Knicks need Chauncey Billups back if they want any chance of making a series against the Celtics.

27-year old center Nenad Krstic and 24-year old forward Jeff Green are off to good starts for the Boston Celtics.  Krstic has moved right into the starting lineup at center.  He has played in 8 games (all starts) so far for the Celtics and he is averaging 28.3 minutes, 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  He has been right on so far as he is also hitting 55.7% of his shots from the floor.  Green has played in 8 games (0 starts) for the Celtics so far and he is averaging 22.4 minutes, 10.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  Green is shooting 50% from the floor as he is starting to adjust well to his new role coming off the bench.  Krstic & Green are going to be important players for the rest of this season and the future for the Celtics.

26-year old center Kendrick Perkins turned in a great year for the Celtics in 2009-10.  He played in 78 games (all starts) in which he averaged 27.6 minutes, 10.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.7 blocked shots per game.  Perkins blew out his knee in Game #6 of the NBA Finals last year and he is just now getting back to the court for the Celtics.  He has played in 4 games (0 starts) for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 21.5 minutes, 5.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  Perkins could be back in the Celtics’ starting lineup soon which won’t make Shaquille O’Neal too happy.