As the lights of the TD Banknorth Garden shine down on the hallowed parquet floor and the 16 championship banners sway to the faint breeze filtering through the building, I can’t help but wonder how this season will end.

Will “K.G.” live up to the hype and dominate? Will Paul Pierce finally get his gold? Will Rondo freeze? Will Ray Allen shoot with determination or desperation? These are all questions weighing heavily on my mind today as the opening tip-off against the Atlanta Hawks draws closer and closer.

The National Basketball Association playoffs are a beast, a conundrum of blood, sweat and tears. To me, with K.G. aboard the Celtics’ ship this season, the future looks bright. He is the prototype of what it takes to win in this league. He is a potent elixir of grit, talent and the determination. He has it all.

Pierce is a matured player, a man who finally can see a light at the end of the tunnel. He can taste it, he can smell it, and he can already feel the sterling silver, 24 karat gold glazed Larry O’Brien Trophy in his hands. Will Pierce make a name for himself in the annals of Celtics lure? Stay tuned.

Point guard Rajon Rondo has morphed, in my mind, into one of the premier point guards in the NBA. In his second year, Rondo has surprised many and has proved his worth on this team. But, with the playoffs a day away, will the inexperienced sophomore turn into stone or glow like a freshly waxed Corvette. Only time will tell.

The trade for Ray Allen during last year’s draft was a stroke of genius. It pleased Pierce and lured “The Big Ticket” to the east. His shooting stroke is genius along with his superb basketball mind. He is a class act, and is one of the most deserving individuals in all of the NBA to win it all. But for the Celts to do so, he must shoot with pure conviction. His game has to be on point; it has to be better than ever. He has to be Ray Allen.

Good luck boys.

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