G. Ferguson: Celtics need ‘big’ help

I do not profess to be a basketball guru, but my heart and soul bleeds Boston Celtic green. In the 1950s, before games were televised, I never missed Johnny Most on the radio, covering the Bob Cousy-Bill Russell era.

The Celtics are the only NBA team I will watch on television.

Unfortunately, during the past few years, the team has finished in the middle of the pack and isn’t able to pick up a quality big man (except for Jared Sullinger, who gets little help rebounding and defending). Come the fourth quarter, the Celtics get beaten by teams with larger players. The Celtics’ centers, Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller, are too spleeny to confront most centers from other teams and poor Sullinger gets the job he shouldn’t have (trying to stop the opposing centers).

The Celtics are notorious for drafting “tweeners” who, at between 6 feet 4 inches to 6 feet 6 inches, cannot effectively play guard or forward. Sometimes in the draft you don’t necessarily pick the best guy available; you pick someone who can solve the greatest weakness. In the Celtics’ case, that would be big men who can pound the boards.

There are enough colleges out there that have “pounders” (such as Paul Silas) who can run, jump, shoot, rebound and play defense. Or even do some of those things. But what does Danny Ainge do in the draft? He drafts two more guards.

Ainge was a better player than general manager.

I love the team — they have cohesiveness, loyalty and work hard every night. But they need big help.

George Ferguson, Sabattus