Grading The C’s Off The Backboard Dunks

Posted by Brian Robb on Mar 16, 2010 676227 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2010%2F03%2F16%2Fgrading-the-cs-off-the-backboard-dunks%2FGrading+The+C%27s+Off+The+Backboard+Dunks2010-03-16+15%3A45%3A42Brian+Robbhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D6762

So last night, after Nate Robinson’s off the backboard throwdown, (spare me the ethics lecture, Mike Breen), I couldn’t help but experience a flashback, to what was, in all seriousness, one of the highlights of the 05-06 Celtic season: An off the backboard, tomahawk dunk by the immortal Gerald Green.

Let’s compare that to last night’s throwdown:

Now, a couple things stand out about Gerald’s and Nate’s dunks.

1) TA is really good at throwing dunks off the backboard. Doc needs to find a way to incorporate this more into the offense.

2) As I said earlier, this play was one of the highlights of that 05-06 season. Think about that for a second when everyone, myself included, starts whining about this team, who though they may be floundering, is still 18 games over .500.

A word on the “controversy” surrounding the Robinson dunk and some final thoughts, after the jump

3) Re: The Celtics piling on with the Robinson dunk. I don’t buy it. Was it unnecessary? Yes. In my book though, if you are ever going to pull a maneuver like that, this was the perfect situation, up 25 with under a minute left against a bad team. The Pistons had long since quit at that point, so if they are going to give you the opportunity, I’m not going to admonish TA and Nate in going for it. It’s not like Detroit is going to hold any bad blood over it or be motivated by it, the C’s aren’t going to see them again this year.

So everyone who was worked up by this play….relax. It was a nice little show to reward the fans that stayed until the end in this blowout. Everything I said should be taken with a grain of salt, given I was one of those people in attendance, but if I was at Piston fan, I’d be more upset with my team for letting it happen, rather than Robinson and TA for showboating.

As for which one was better…..Green gets the nod in my book, for now. Curious to hear everyone’s take on which was more impressive, as well as whether either were “classless” moves. Maybe they were 20 years ago, but not in today’s NBA.