MrMartinGee

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Auerbach would have loved Garnett, who played with the wingspan of a condor, the heart of a gladiator, and the vocabulary of a drunken stevedore. Garnett proved anew, in the spirit of Celtics great Bill Russell, that defense wins championships.

From the Big Ticket’s first blocked shot in Rome to his menacing the Lakers in the Finals, he earned every bit of his honor as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. He was the first Celtic to win the award. He also was the first Celtic named to the NBA’s All-Defensive first team since Kevin McHale 20 years earlier.

Garnett was Boston’s main man, its tower of power, while Pierce evolved into a finer incarnation of the Truth.

This season more than any other, Pierce ensured that his No. 34 will hang from the Garden rafters as he advanced a giant step closer to the Hall of Fame. Though he led the Celtics in scoring during the regular season, Pierce averaged fewer points (19.6) than he had in eight years and attempted fewer shots (13.7 per game) than he had since his rookie season (1998-99). He sacrificed for the team’s greater good, as did Garnett and Allen.