Boston Celtics (17x NBA champions)

[billmac91]

I love emotional reactions, especially when they're directed at me.

The Celtics went 34-9 their first 43 games this season - best in the eastern conference - amazingly, without the immortal Kendrick Perkins. They went 8-4 with him.

They also went 27-27 the last 54 games of the season last year, with Perkins. The only thing that salvaged the season was a nice playoff run, beating the Bulls who were too young, the Cavs who were too one dimensional, and the Magic who have never won anything. The lost to the Lakers in the Finals.

The current malaise couldn't possibly be the result of old age, the Heat coming together as a team or the Bulls growing up with Boozer and Noah back in the line up. Nope, it could only be one reason - the Perkins trade.

The Celtics weren't going to pay Perkins more than $30 million/4 years. Had he taken it, the trade doesn't happen. He passed, they got an heir apparent to Pierce and a 1st round pick for next season, which will be pretty handy with the gray beards on the roster.

But yes, if only they had kept Perkins they were a shoe in to win it all this year. Just keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better. The records don't support it.

I didn't mean to direct at you, although it looks that way. More frustration with Danny Ainge and ruining a good thing.

Their advantage over the Heat was a strong physical presence in the paint with Perkins and they gave it away for a fringe starter, even when Pierce, Allen, Garnett move on.

They went from title favorites to a team that has looked very average and uninspired. Part of it is probably emotional, but a lot of it is just the lack of a physical player inside. They're being out-rebounded, and just don't have the same swagger without Perkins.

As someone who really wants the Heat to lose in the playoffs, it just sucked to watch Boston give away their major advantage on the defensive end of the court. I think Boston loses in the second round now...

I'm still not sure why the favorite to win the title this year, risks it on Jeff Green and a draft pick though. Championships don't grow on trees...

 

[Meyer]

Or maybe the Celtics are saving themselves for the playoffs just like last year. Who knows? But I wouldn't count it out.

You'd think people might learn a thing or two from history.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Or maybe the Celtics are saving themselves for the playoffs just like last year. Who knows? But I wouldn't count it out.

You'd think people might learn a thing or two from history.

You'd think from seeing people never learn from past history that they'd stop expecting people to learn from past history.

 

[ScriptOhio]

On this day in sports history...

... in 1957 - The Boston Celtics won their first NBA Championship. They beat the St. Louis Hawks 125-123 in Game 7.

The Boston Celtics win their first NBA championship in style, narrowly beating the St. Louis Hawks in a 125-123 double overtime victory -- one of the most exciting Game 7's in history. The game came to a close when Bob Pettit, the Hawks' All-Star forward who led the game with 39 points, missed a shot at the buzzer that would have tied the score.

"It's my greatest day in basketball," said Celtics owner Walter Brown. "I've waited for this a long time. There have been rough times but now every minute has been worth it."

Celtics' forward Tommy Heinsohn -- who later called it the greatest game in NBA history -- led the C's with 37 points and 23 rebounds, while Bill Russell chipped in with 19 points, 32 rebounds, and five blocks. Boston pulled away with the win despite terrible shooting games from Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, who went a combine 5-40 from the floor.

 

[Jake]

Or maybe the Celtics are saving themselves for the playoffs just like last year. Who knows? But I wouldn't count it out.

You'd think people might learn a thing or two from history.

I don't know if "saving themselves" for the playoffs is quite accurate, either. The playoffs are different. You don't have back to back games in different cities. You play the same team several games in a row. It plays to the team with experienced players and the Celtics took advantage of that last season.

The Perkins trade will make for a convenient scapegoat if the Celtics don't win the title. It will also ignore a lot of facts to the contrary and grant a pass to the players who ultimately lost the series that eliminated them. The Bulls have an MVP candidate leading them this year. LeBron has a better supporting cast this year. The Celtics' stars are a year older. Those factors are far more likely to be their downfall than the loss of Perkins. They had the best record in the East midway through this season and he didn't play a minute of those games.

 

[Jake]

Eight of the Celtics last 10 losses were games in which they scored less than 90 points. It's tough to win if you can't score.

They managed to lead the league in scoring defense this season despite not having the legendary Kendrick Perkins for 70 of their 82 games, but their scoring dropped by over 3 ppg. No doubt that's because of the absence of Perkins' offensive prowess.

First game of the playoffs, they hold the Knicks to 20 points below their scoring average but New York and their second to last defense held the Celtics under 90 points, again. Celtics win anyway, 87-85. Apparently, they can still play defense without [strike]Bill Russell[/strike] Kendrick Perkins. Whether they can score enough points remains to be seen.

 

[Crump's brother]

I do think that Perkins' ability to set screens did open up the offense for better outside shots. That being said, the Celtics can't afford for their center to be such a liability in other areas.

Or the Perkins trade was all part of a secret plot to sign Greg Oden this summer.

 

[Jake]

I do think that Perkins' ability to set screens did open up the offense for better outside shots. That being said, the Celtics can't afford for their center to be such a liability in other areas.

Or the Perkins trade was all part of a secret plot to sign Greg Oden this summer.

The Celtics were 34-9 after 43 games, best in the East. Perkins didn't play in any of those games. He seems like a nice enough guy, but his value has been greatly exaggerated since the trade. When he turned down $30 million his fate was sealed in Boston. The #1 pick they got in return will be more valuable in the long run, unless they whiff on the pick.

This season, the Celtics biggest weakness is the presence of Father Time, not the absence of Kendrick Perkins.

 

[Crump's brother]

I'm agree that Perkins' value is way overestimated. What I failed to state properly was that his ability to set screens was all that he did well offensively. I live in New Hampshire, and am surrounded by bandwagon C's fans, and have to listen to how great Perk was every time they lose.

I also agree that time has caught up to them. I have to think that Danny Ainge decided to make the trade for that very reason.

I'm surprised that we haven't seen more of Jeff Green, though. I thought he would get a lot of minutes, but time will tell. I do see him and Avery Bradley playing much bigger roles next season. Bradley is going to be a good one.

 

[Jake]

Boston is the first team to advance to the second round of the playoffs by sweeping New York. They held the second highest scoring team in the NBA (average 106 ppg) to less than 90 points in 3 games, under 100 in the other.

 

[coastalbuck]

On to round two.. YES.....

 

[scarletngrey11]

Please sodomize the Heat.

 

[Jake]

Eight of the Celtics last 10 losses were games in which they scored less than 90 points. It's tough to win if you can't score.

Fast forward to 2012 and the same problem persists.

When your best players are old, and the schedule is compressed by the lockout, it really works against you.

Boston is struggling to score 85 points, and they're 4-7. Looks like a long season in Beantown.

Only Pierce is signed long term. I think Allen and Garnett are free agents after this season, and it is time to let them walk.

 

[Jake]

The NBA is nuts, sometimes. The Celtics, playing without Rondo and Allen, trailed at Orlando 52-25 in the second quarter and the game looked over. They called time out and Doc Rivers kept saying "we can get back in this" (what the hell else is he going to say?) but I just chuckled.

With less than 8 minutes left Boston leads 79-76. Whether they can maintain that momentum the rest of the game remains to be seen but I'm shocked they even have a chance at this point. :popcorn:

Purdue rookie Etuan Moore is on fire, having his best game to date. We saw what that looks like last February.

 

[Jake]

Celtics 91
Magic 83

Go figure