The Boston Celtics are on the brink of another NBA championship and they have one man to thank: Kevin McHale.

The former Celts' great, who became general manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves, made the blockbuster trade last year that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston.

Where would Boston be without Garnett? They'd be decent, which is about how far Paul Pierce and Ray Allen could take them. But with Garnett, they are aggressive and there are just too many weapons to shut down.

The stats from Thursday night's historic comeback show it: Pierce finished with 20 points; Allen had 19; Garnett had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Plus, Garnett's the most intimidating player on the team.

For a while there, I didn't know if Danny Ainge, the Celts' GM, had a plan. There was a flurry of activity but was there a vision? Perhaps there was.

And Celtics' fans have their beloved Kevin McHale to thank for seeing it become reality.