Celtics Draft Theme - Get Tough

	Tony Allen is expected to bring toughness to the C's perimeter game. Photo: NBAE/Getty Images
	Jefferson	West	Allen

By: Brian Gleason New Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers has been talking about it since he took over the Green. The Celtics needed more toughness. And that's exactly what Executive Director of Basketball Operations, Danny Ainge, has given Rivers with their three first round picks in the 2004 NBA Draft.

The Celtics went young with their first pick, taking high schooler Al Jefferson at 15, then went with college experience, taking St. Joe's Delonte West and Oklahoma State's Tony Allen at 24 and 25 respectively.

But the theme of the night and of the three players chosen was toughness.

"We needed to get tougher," said Ainge from the Celtics Draft Headquarters at the Sports Authority Training Center following the 25th selection. "I think we accomplished a lot of needs. I think we accomplished toughness first of all. I think we accomplished depth, talent and athleticism."

With Jefferson the Celtics get toughness in the form of a young player who may or may not be ready to contribute right away, but the fact is that the 6-10, 265 pound forward was brought in to bring some much needed intensity in the paint. As a senior at Prentiss High School in Mississippi, Jefferson averaged 42.6 points and 18.0 rebounds per game.

"I think he (Al Jefferson) will be a tough kid," said Rivers. "I think he has proved that's what he's about."

With the Celtics final two picks of the first round Ainge and Rivers think they got even more toughness, but this time they are expecting the ready made kind.

West gained his reputation as the tough nosed guard alongside fellow first round pick Jameer Nelson at St. Joseph's. West averaged 18.9 points per game as the Hawks went undefeated in the regular season.

During St Joe's run last season West became known for his gritty play, similar to that of Juan Dixon when he won a national championship at Maryland in 2002.

For Allen, he was the heart and toughness of an Oklahoma State team that defeated West's Hawks in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, propelling OSU into the Final Four.

Allen made a name for himself in the tournament with tenacious perimeter defense and his uncanny ability to get to the basket.

"He (Tony Allen) was the guy that during the tournament stood out to me," said Rivers. "I liked his toughness, I thought inside the three-point line, in my opinion, he was almost unguardable. He got to the basket whenever he felt like it, he did it in college against zones, which I think is almost impossible, and that stood out to me, along with his first step and his ability to explode to the basket.

With Jefferson, West and Allen the question of whether or not the Celtics addressed specific needs as far as position goes is debatable, but as we've heard from both Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers, the Celtics will definitely be a tougher more tenacious team next season.

And as Red Auerbach is always saying, the Celtics need instigators, not retaliators. It looks like that's the specific need the team addressed Thursday night.