Don’t forget Brian Scalabrine
LOS ANGELES - So this was the situation: As the Celtics [team stats] took the court last night at the Staples Center for Game 7 of the NBA Finals, it was with the understanding it could be the last time the Big Three would be seen together as teammates.
You all know the drill: Ray Allen is a soon-to-be-free agent. If he winds up leaving the Celtics and signing with a new team, that will leave Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce [stats]. True, you can throw Rajon Rondo [stats] in there next season and call it yet another new Big Three, but come on: In this case, three minus two equals zero.
It just made sense, then, that a lot of media people, in the run-up to Game 7, would be seeking out various members of the Celtics and ask them their thoughts on the possibility that the band might be breaking up.This is where Brian Scalabrine enters into the discussion. And say this about Scal: Even as he was preparing himself for Game 7, the man refused to lose his sense of humor.
For when Scalabrine was asked what he thought about the Big Three era possibly coming to an end, he asked this question: Has it occurred to folks that we might also be seeing the end of the Scal era?
And it’s true: The man is 32 years old, a veteran of nine seasons in the NBA, the last five in the employ of the Celtics. And his deal is up at the end of this season.
“Would you like me consider that this is the end of the Big Three’s dynasty?’ Scal asked. “There is the possibility of that happening, but I would think that would be the last thing on our minds heading into Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
“They’re best,” he said, referring to Pierce, Allen and Garnett. “You learn so much from all of them.”
Scalabrine then paused and said, “But what about me? What about the Big Three plus Scal? Like, this could be the last game that I play as a Celtic as well. So you have to think about that.
“Someone should go ask Ray Allen how he’s dealing with the fact that this could possibly be Scalabrine’s last game as a Celtic,” he said. “Why don’t you go ask him that question and see.
“That’s the real question people should be asking because the Big Three era is coming to a close and they’ve been there for three years. But the Scalabrine era has been there for five.
“Clearly the Scalabrine era cannot be called a dynasty unless we win Game 7, but it’s something we should be talking about.”
Are we all agreed this guy will be missed?
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