The Celtics draft day deal for former Sonic Ray Allen put the team on the doorstep of the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference.

The July 31 deal for Kevin Garnett, which netted the Minnesota Timberwolves five players and two draft picks, puts the team firmly into the playoffs, but not as high as some people would like you to believe.

Yes, TD Banknorth Garden will be sold out for the next fine years -- Garnett signed a three-year extension on top of the two years left on his deal that will keep him in Beantown through the 2011-12 season.

Yes, the Celtics will be relevant for at least three of those five campaigns.

And, yes, the most storied franchise in the League, which hasn't raised a banner since "The Simpsons" was just a skit on "The Tracey Ullman Show," will be on opposing team's radars each time they play.

What they won't be, though, is title contenders.

The 31-year-old Garnett, 32-year-old Allen and Paul Pierce, 29, do make for an imposing trio. But what else is there after those three?

The Celtics acquired Garnett, a 10-time All-Star and the NBA MVP in 2004, from Minnesota in exchange for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, a 2009 first-round draft pick and a return of Minnesota's conditional first-round pick previously obtained in the Ricky Davis-Wally Sczerbiak  swap.

The Timberwolves also receive cash considerations in the deal. The 2009 pick Boston is sending to Minnesota is top-three protected.

Let's see: five players and two draft picks, which will admittedly be in the 16-21 range, for one guy. That's the largest deal for one player in League history.

Here's Boston's depth chart after the trade:

PG: Rajon Rondo, Allan Ray

SG: Ray Allen, Tony Allen

SF: Paul Pierce

PF: Kevin Garnett, Brian Scalabrine, Leon Powe

C: Kendrick Perkins, Michael Olowokandi

No depth. The Big Three makes the squad more than just a blip on the NBA radar, but nothing more.

Of the five players traded away, one averaged 33 minutes a night (Jefferson), and Gomes put in 31 minutes a game. Green and Telfair got more than 20 minutes of burn each night, and Ratliff played for than 20 minutes in the two games he suited up for. Delonte West and Sczerbiak, who were sent to Seattle in the Allen deal, averaged 30 minutes a game between them.

You'd think this would help the squad, what with head coach Doc Rivers' inability to magane playing time for a group, but now they have another problem.

Their top two point guards are gone. Danny Ainge traded away a promising front court player in Jefferson. And Boston will have to rely on Perkins and OlowoBusti to provide something in the post.

Unless Boston brass has some more deals up their sleeves -- maybe bringing in Brevin Knight to play the role he played in Charlotte behind Ray Felton until Rondo can be let loose, and/or bringing in Chris Webber, Anderson Varejao or Earl Boykins -- this is just a deal to make headlines.

Even though they were knocked out of the first round of the '07 playoffs, Toronto is still the class of the Atlantic Division. Bosh is a young Garnett, the Raptors have depth in the post and two capable quarterbacks in T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon.

The Pistons and Bulls are deeper and light years ahead of Boston on defense.

Oh, and there are those two guys who aren't going anywhere for a while: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

That's five teams I put ahead of Boston in the East. The other two East playoff teams are Milwaukee and Washington, and that all hinges on health.

So that puts Boston, after all its wheeling and dealing, sixth in the Eastern Conference.

I know big moves are the ones that garner the print and air time, but subtle tweaks bring home trophies.

So don't stitch that 17th banner just yet.

A couple weeks ago, I broke down the needs of the playoff teams that were bounced in the first round. Now we’ll get into the issues of the squads that were steps away from the NBA’s version of the Final Four

Chicago Bulls — Everyone knows and beats to the death the fact that the Bulls need a post scorer. But more pressing is the need for a legit two-guard so Ben Gordon can reprise his role as Microwave 2000. Gordon is a helluva scorer, but he’s not someone you can count on for 40-plus minutes a night. I also think it’s a stretch to call on him to check a 6’5” or taller two. Talk of dealing Gordon is bogus. People in Chi-town have already dubbed him “Air Gordon.” You can’t deal a young guy who can fill it up.

The rumored deals for Kevin Garnett and Pau Gasol make sense for some reasons. But the cons heavily outweigh the pros. In three playoff appearances, Gasol is 0-12. Yes, the West is tough, but Memphis never finished higher than the eight spot in the playoffs. And who says he’s so awesome in the post. Have you seen him play? Yea, he has post moves, but he’s about as fleet of foot as Sean Casey. And I think his arms are longer than his legs. Take that as you will.

Garnett is intriguing. He’s been a top-5 player for the last half decade. He has an MVP on his mantle. He’s a fiery competitor. But before 2004, Garnett was 0-fer the playoffs. Since 2004, Big Ticket hasn’t seen the postseason. Of all the great players in the League, I honestly believe Garnett plays with the most passion. But he should not be missing the playoffs at this stage of his career. Do you realize the 2007-08 season will be Garnett’s 13th?

Yea, he’d be a massive upgrade over P.J. Brown, but I don’t see him being the guy who gets Chicago over the hump. Even with Ben Wallace and Luol Deng on the roster, Garnett would still be The Man. He hasn’t fared so well with that title when it comes to on-the-court. Missing the playoffs three straight seasons is evidence enough of that.

If I were Bulls GM John Paxson, I would build up my roster through free agency and the draft. Bobcats swingman Gerald Wallace is a free agent this summer. He’d fill the need for a legit shooting guard, paving the way for Gordon’s return to the sixth man role. The Bulls could parlay the lottery pick they received from the Knicks by way of the Eddy Curry deal into 7’2” Roy Hibbert. If Hibbert can start right away and give Scott Skiles 14 and 8, the Bulls should be favored in the East. Chicago’s 2007-08 rotation would then be: Hinrich, Gerald Wallace, Deng, Ben Wallace, Hibbert (starters); Gordon, Andres Nocioni, Tyrus Thomas, Chris Duhon and Thabo Sefolosha.

Yes, it’s a young group. But the core has been in the playoffs each of the last three seasons and should have the confidence going into next season that it can hang with anybody and (maybe) make it to the Finals.

Golden State Warriors — Golden State was a great story and seeing the look on Mark Cuban’s face when Dallas lost that series was classic. But anyone in the know knows the Warriors had no shot against any other team in the playoffs.

That helter skelter style makes for good TV, but it doesn’t get you any jewelry. Golden State is a team that has to build a big lead and hold it or blow a team out. When it comes to making decisions in tight situations, that’s where the Warriors struggle. Whether it be missing three free throws in the last 20 seconds o####ame, or passing up easy mid-range shots in another, Golden State doesn’t have the personnel to pull out close games.

Jason Richardson wants out. Monta Ellis doesn’t want to be a career back up. And Stephen Jackson is psycho. That playoff run was the epitome of one of those “lightning in a bottle moments.” Remember, the Warriors had to win 10 of their last 11 just to get into the eight spot.

Like Chicago, Golden State is too perimeter oriented. For that reason alone, if it’s true Phoenix is shopping Amare Stoudemire, Chris Mullin should do everything in his power to get him to the Bay Area. The Warriors’ style isn’t hat far removed from what the Suns run. Baron Davis is a capable point guard, and Amare would be their first option — exactly what he wants. Amare is slated to make $15 million per for the next few years. A deal of Stoudemire for Richardson, Sarunas Jasikevicius and an expiring deal would get it done.

If Golden State doesn’t find a guy who they can dump the ball to on a consistent basis, the second round is as far as they’ll get.

New Jersey Nets — The return of Nenad Krstic will help the Nets immensely. In the 26 games he appeared in this season, Krstic netted 16.4 points and pulled down 6.8 boards a night.

But Kristic’s return is the least of Jersey’s worries. Vince Carter is a free agent. And Jason Kidd isn’t getting any younger.

Kidd turned in one of the greatest playoff performances ever for two rounds, averaging a triple-double (14.6, 10.9, 10.9). And in one moment, Carter showed that after nine years in the League, he still isn’t ready for prime time as he let 68-year-old Eric Snow body him enough to where he couldn’t get a shot off in game 5 of the Nets/Cavs second round series. He also shot 6-23 in an elimination game.

If this team stays together, it has the pieces to make a run next spring. Jersey needs bench help. Bostjan Nachbar put in 9.9 in 23 minutes of work each night, but the rest of the Nets’ bench did nothing.

This year’s underwhelming free agent class consists of guys who would be solid contributors off the bench. Matt Barnes could give Jersey toughness and some energy off the bench, as could guys like Earl Boykins, Devean George and Andres Nocioni.

Phoenix Suns — If it wasn’t for that bogus suspension, the Suns would still be playing. But they’re not, so I have to address their needs now.

Phoenix doesn’t need much. Kurt Thomas playing solid against Tim Duncan showed that. But Steve Nash’s back isn’t getting any better. He’s approaching Larry Bird territory with that thing.

A couple of things could set the Suns up for years to come. If they play the Amare Stoudemire/Shawn Marion trade rumors right, they should get a starter and a first-round pick in either deal. Phoenix also has a potential top-five pick by way of the Joe Johnson trade. That pick could turn into Al Horford or Joakim Noah, making Stoudemire a little more expendable than Marion due to the positions they play. Marion’s defensive performance against San Antonio, where he guarded both Tony Parker and Tim Duncan for stretches, increases his worth, too.

Steve Nash needs an understudy. If Stoudemire is retained, Phoenix should say “f$ck it” and draft Mike Conley Jr. with that pick and hope Boris Diaw regains his motivation. If Marion is retained, Phoenix should draft Horford or Noah, hope Milwaukee’s Mo Williams, who averaged 17, 5 and 5 last year, doesn’t want a “huge” deal and roll with a core of Nash, Marion, Leandro Barbosa, Diaw, Raja Bell, Horford/Noah, Williams and whatever piece they get in the Amare deal.

Remember, Phoenix got to the Western Conference Finals last season minus Stoudemire. He’s no slouch, but trading Amare wouldn’t set Phoenix back as much as trading Marion would.

More team needs coming after the conference finals.

Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat brass should discuss a deal that would put Ben Wallace in Miami and Shaquille O’Neal in the Windy City.

Before you label me a psycho, think about this: if the Bulls were willing to part with one of their best players, Luol Deng or Ben Gordon, plus 2006 fourth overall pick Tyrus Thomas or P.J. Brown, for Memphis’ Pau Gasol, why wouldn’t John Paxson explore possibility of bringing in a guy who has four titles?

On Miami’s end, the move would free up cap space: Shaq is owed $60 million over the next three years, whereas Big Ben is owed $36 million over the same time period.

I firmly believe Ben was brought in by Chicago to be a leader in the locker room and on the court. His performance in this Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Pistons shows he’s far from the general type. It could be he still loves his boys from Motown. It could be he’s now on Rasheed Wallace’s old “CTC” kick. Whatever it is, Ben looks like he’s ready for his summer vacation.

Although he’s not the 29 and 17 Shaq of the mid-90s, O’Neal, who, if you believe rumors could be dealt this summer, anyway, is still one of the best big men in the game. He would fill the need the Bulls have for a post scorer and he’s a great passing big, as well. I know reports have Paxson enamored with Gasol and Kevin Garnett, but Gasol’s teams are 0-12 in three playoff appearances. And, with all due respect to the Big Ticket, Garnett’s T’Wolves have made it out of the first round just once in his 12-year career and haven’t sniffed the postseason since 2004.

If Paxson is feeling the pressure to win now, why not roll the dice on a proven winner. Chicago won 49 games and had no post threat for the entire season. Even if Shaq plays no more than 50 games a season for the next couple years, the Bulls would win the East each year because, added with those 49, I guarantee Diesel is good for 7-8 wins on his own. Don’t forget, O’Neal, 35, led the Heat to a 16-7 record in the 23 games Dwyane Wade was out with his shoulder injury, averaging 19.3 points and 7.8 board a night during that stretch. In his three years in Miami, O’Neal has also shown he’s willing to defer to anyone who doesn’t have a big “8” on his back, as well. Yea, Shaq is getting up there in age; but, in 40 games, his 17.3 ppg and 7.4 rpg bested Wallace and Brown’s combined 12.5 and 15.5.

A deal of Shaq for Wallace, Deng and Brown would accomplish a few things: Chicago would get the (short-term) post threat it’s longing for; Wade would get a long-term running mate in Deng; and the pressure would be off Wallace to lead a team, since Wade and Pat Riley would control the reins in Miami.

Draft night, June 28, could soften the blow of dealing Deng, too for Chicago. The Bulls and Knicks swapped picks in this year’s draft in the Eddy Curry deal. That pick, projected at No. 9 by NBADraft.net, could turn into the likes of Florida’s Corey Brewer, Georgetown’s Jeff Green or Kansas’ Julian Wright. Bulls’ coach Scott Skiles would likely want to bring his rooks along slowly, so a crafty deal for free agent Gerald Wallace or Bonzi Wells would fill the void left in Chicago’s starting group left by Deng’s departure. The Bulls 2007-08 rotation would then be Kirk Hinrich, Gordon, Wallace/Wells, Malik Allen and Shaq, with Chris Duhon, one of the three aforementioned draft picks, Andres Nocioni and Thomas coming off the bench.

If Riley makes smart deals, Miami could trot out free agent Mike Bibby (or Chauncey Billups), Wade, Deng, Udonis Haslem and Wallace. In print, this group looks to be as perimeter heavy as this year’s Bulls. This year’s Bulls, however, don’t feature the 2006 Finals MVP, the ’04 Finals MVP, or a guy who walks like he’s got King Kong’s sack when he hits a big shot.

Miami would get somewhat younger with the deal, too. Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning will likely retire this offseason; and Antoine Walker and Jason Williams are on the wrong side of 30. Swinging these deal would also lessen my belief that “Riles” mortgaged the future of the Heat franchise to win the title last season.

Both O’Neal and Wallace have a need to be coddled, but that’s a whole ‘nother story. These deals, I think, could potentially make both these malcontents happy. Riley loves tough defense — right in Ben’s wheelhouse — and I’m sure Skiles has bowed his head and closed his eyes and asked for a pivot with at least some semblance of an offensive game.

With the benefits this deal provides, if it’s made, both sides could shout, “Hallelujah!”

Gone: Shaq, Dwight Howard, Darko Milicic (don’t laugh), Chris Bosh (soon).

Still remaining: Ben Wallace, P.J. Brown, Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mikki Moore.

There is no opposition remaining in the 2007 Eastern Conference Playoffs for Rasheed Wallace. Wallace should use the remainder of this postseason, an assumed run to the NBA Finals, as a way to put everyone on notice that he is still one of the premier big men in the League.

There should be none of that “float around the three-point line and launch a deep three” in his game — at least until next season. Rasheed should plant his big backside on either low block and go to work. Wallace is the only post player remaining in the East half of the bracket who can command a double team, which would free up his teammates for open looks. Him launching 25-foot bombs six times a game doesn’t.

Rasheed’s performance on offense — he should be able to rest somewhat on defense until the Finals if you look at what he'll be matched up against — will be the X-factor in Detroit having to work through a couple of six- or seven-games series leading up to the Finals, or in the Pistons plowing through lesser competition on their way to their third Finals appearance in four years.

That’s not to stay Chicago, Detroit’s second-round opponent, will be a pushover. The Bulls did beat the Pistons in three of four regular-season meetings. But that was the regular season — the time of year that allegedly doesn’t matter to anyone on Detroit’s roster.

Don’t get it twisted. This East semi is the conference final. Whichever team wins the series between Cleveland and New Jersey/Toronto will only serve as a practice squad for the Pistons or Bulls.

The match-ups are intriguing. Both squads’ perimeter players (Chicago’s Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng and Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince) are going to have to get it done on both ends of the floor.

Deng and Gordon (51.7 ppg) currently make up the highest scoring tandem in the ’07 playoffs. The Pistons high-scoring duo, Billups and Hamilton, are netting 42.4 a night this postseason. The Bulls’ young guns will have to be slowed if Detroit wants to make its fifth consecutive conference finals appearance. It should help the Pistons since their perimeter trio is a combined 467 years younger than what Miami trotted out in its first-round sweep at the hands of the Baby Bulls. It should also help Chicago since Hinrich, the Bulls starting point guard, doesn't dribble 76 times before he takes a bad jumper, a la Jameer Nelson.

All of those guys will need in-game rest of they’re going to be chasing each other around for the next two weeks, which means both benches must perform throughout the series, too.

The Bulls’ subs have chipped in with 21.8 ppg so far this postseason (Andres Nocioni poured in 12 a game), while Detroit’s bench, which has been much maligned the two previous second seasons for lack of usage, netted 14 ppg during a four-game sweep of Orlando. That may not be a huge number, but reserves Antonio McDyess, Carlos Delfino and Ronald Murray averaged 23.3, 12.3, and 12.3 minutes a game, respectively, during that Orlando series. The team’s Methuselah, Dale Davis, even got about 10 minutes of burn in the three games he played in. This means Detroit’s starters got at least a quarter of rest in each game of the first round. That could be a telling stat when you consider how spent Piston starters were in the ’05 Finals.

The two teams' starting frontcourts are far from mirror images. Like Pacman Jones and Warrick Dunn. The Bulls starting 4 and 5, Ben Wallace and Brown, averaged 15.8 points and 14.3 boards a game in the first round, where they had to deal with Shaq, Alonzo Mourning and Udonis Haslem. Rasheed and Chris Webber, however, averaged 27.3 and 15.6 in the first round. Yes, I know Ben and P.J. weren’t brought in for their offensive prowess, but it helps any team in a quest for a title when it can dump the ball into the post and be confident that a pivot man can get a bucket.

Ben Wallace’s defense and toughness are what netted him a four-year, $60 million deal last July 4. That defense brings me back to his old running buddy.

Big Ben made his reputation as a help defender. Yea, I’ve seen him pick up guards full court, but Ben is a throwback big man — he doesn’t like stepping out of the paint. He’ll do it, but he’d rather not. Having played with him for two-and-a-half seasons, Rasheed should recognize this and exploit it the entire series.

If Rasheed does elect to play small forward during this series, Ben won't be in position to help his new running mates out in the lane, which would enable Hamilton rub off screens and get uncontested mid-range jumper after jumper.

If "Roscoe" decides to showcase his low post game, Chicago will be forced to double him, leaving whoever's on the perimeter open for what would turn into shooting practice.

Assuming Wallace takes advantage of the mismatch over a seven-game series, you can pretty much pencil the Pistons in to be playing in mid-June. Jason Collins and Anderson Varejao just don’t do anything for me. And they shouldn’t be able to do anything with Rasheed.

WOW! That's all I can say after those two games last night.

The Bulls beat the Heat, 108-66, in the worst loss every for a defending champion. Almost made the ring ceremony a moot point, huh?

I had no idea Chicago would come out like that. Hinrich showed how much playing with the best in the League at the World Championships improved his game. He won't shoot like that all season, but his 26-point performance gets him off to a nice start. The Bulls ran and played with energy for a full 48 and made Miami look, well, old. Dwyane Wade, the youngest guy in the Heat rotation, was the only Miami player who looked like he wanted to be out there. Shaq looked awful in his 24 minutes of action. You'd think that, after an entire summer off, he would have come out with some zeal. Gary Payton looked slow and was killed repeated by Hinrich and Chris Duhon-20 points off the bench, inclduing 3-3 from three-point land. Ben Wallace looked solid in his Bulls' debut, pulling down 11 boards and converting his only free throw attempt. Yes, it's only the first game and Miami is supposedly built for the playoffs, but if they can't put in a good effort against a team like Chicago, visions of back-to-back titles will fade quickly.

How about them Lakers!!!

It was announced shortly before tip that Kobe was going to sit out the game and he may miss the first week of action, too. L.A. subsequently came out and gave up 41 to Phoenix in the first quarter. The Lakers gave up just 65 the rest of the way, on their way to a 114-106 win, and got a superb showing from Lamar Odom-34, 13, 6, 3 steals-and a career game from second-year man Andrew Bynum-18, 9. Maurice Evans and Luke Walton chipped in with 17 and 11 points, respectively, in what could prove to be the best win for the Lakers all season. Phoenix didn't look bad, although Amare Stoudemire didn't do much in his 12 minutes of action. Two-time MVP Steve Nash had 15 and 13 dimes and Leandro Barbosa torched L.A. for 30 off the pine. I say this was an important win for the Lakers because performances like that of Odom and Bynum could have finally shown Kobe that he can trust in his teammates to get the job done and help him out. If  he's not too stuborn and pig-headed to see that, the Lake Show could see a lot of air time come the second season.