Boston Celtics (17x NBA champions)

[Napoleonbuck]

I'll wait until the first 15 games or so before I do that.

As of right now, the only good players on Boston are those three. Everyone else is either a nobody or still really young and not that good yet(Rondo). There's also the question of how Pierce and Allen will do in the same backcourt. Not to mention Boston will probably be among the weakest team defensively among the Eastern playoff caliber teams.

They could be in that group, but I'd like to see the offseason and the first portion of the regular season unfold before I put them on New Jersey's or Toronto's level.

 

[HabaneroBuck]

This thread is one of the more comical ones I've seen on BP in quite some time. It will be a fun one to revisit. I have absolutely no doubt that all of you who put the Celtics in the 5-seed and below range have no idea what you're talking about. They may start slow...but they'll get each other figured out.

 

[Napoleonbuck]

They very well could, but they still doesn't mean they'll be good defensively or that they'll have any other decent post player aside from KG.

That's why I'm taking this wait and see approach before I declare them the best in the east like you.

If Brian Scalabrine is being counted on for significant post minutes, would you still maintain your current opinion?

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Yahoo!

Breaking the color barrier

Breaking the color barrier
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports

August 3, 2007

At his public introduction as Celtics savior, Kevin Garnett tossed his first pitch to the Red Sox' David Ortiz and the earth shook under rickety old Fenway Park. The Big Ticket and Big Papi hugged to the surround sound of a long, loud ovation this week, a symbolic scene for a city that still takes its shots for the sins of yesteryear.

"There's no question that it was certainly symbolic of what sports can be all about," said Peter Roby, the longtime director of the Northeastern University Center for the Study of Sports in Society."
As NBA stars initially resisted chances to be parts of trades to the Celtics this summer, that old tag of Boston as an unpleasant destination for black players resurfaced again. Once more, there were vague charges that star ballplayers were leery of playing there because of doubts that transcended merely a bad team in a losing, lottery state. As it turned out, justly or not, there's a sense that the Boston Celtics needed the benefit ? perhaps even the blessing ? that comes with a star of Garnett's stature.
"I think it's an old cliche' that's going to soon disappear, if it's not evaporating as we speak," Garnett told the Boston Globe." ? People say a lot of things, but to experience something is totally different."

Continued......

 

[OH10]

Not one bit.

I just think you are an idiot, but I could be wrong.

You know what the great thing about it is though - after they play the games, we'll see who the true idiot is. And then, as I've said before, we can revisit this fun little thread and someone will eat their well-deserved crow.

And the poster above is correct. All the Cavs backlash stems from the Finals. People forget that 8 teams were in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and at the end of the day, only one stood tall to make the Finals. Although they may have deuced the bed against the Spurs, I'm still confident that this team can get back through with another year of experience under their belt.

 

[HabaneroBuck]

They very well could, but they still doesn't mean they'll be good defensively or that they'll have any other decent post player aside from KG.

That's why I'm taking this wait and see approach before I declare them the best in the east like you.

If Brian Scalabrine is being counted on for significant post minutes, would you still maintain your current opinion?

As of right now, I imagine Scalabrine would get the fourth most minutes among the 4's and 5's behind Garnett, Perkins, and Big Baby. I think it likely that the Celts will sign some veteran with the mid-level exemption...someone like PJ Brown or maybe even Webber. Leon Powe is another interesting guy who might see some playing time in the front court to spell the starters. That being said, Scalabrine is obviously overpaid, but he's serviceable enough to merit some time on the court.

The Celtics defense, also, should be good enough to keep them in games. Rondo and Garnett are good defenders, and Perkins and Pierce are good on the defensive glass, so they've got something to work with.

 

[starBUCKS]

As a Phoenix Suns fan, I can attest to the NBA is changing. Toronto, Memphis and Golden State are similar offenses for obvious reasons. Heck, we just lost our best low post defender in Kurt Thomas, and that was 100% our choice. Allen, Pierce and Garnett can carry that team far... they are all relatively a decent age and well conditioned. The Suns big man is Amare... then Pat Burke. They are trying to land PJ Brown, but I don't think it will happen. Anyways, the quick paced out score the other team mentality does work.

 

[billmac91]

As a Phoenix Suns fan, I can attest to the NBA is changing. Toronto, Memphis and Golden State are similar offenses for obvious reasons. Heck, we just lost our best low post defender in Kurt Thomas, and that was 100% our choice. Allen, Pierce and Garnett can carry that team far... they are all relatively a decent age and well conditioned. The Suns big man is Amare... then Pat Burke. They are trying to land PJ Brown, but I don't think it will happen. Anyways, the quick paced out score the other team mentality does work.

Boston isn't going to be a team that runs anyone out of the gym...they will hammer it into Garnett and free up jumpshots for Allen and Pierce....it isn't as if this Boston make-over makes them a running squad looking to run teams out of the gym.....Rondo isn't the PG to do that and these guys aren't slashers.......I predicted a 4-5 seed for Boston so we'll see...they have the potential to be good but for an entire season I just don't see it...I still think its a great possibilty one of these guys gets moved at the deadline for a draft pick they gave up

 

[Napoleonbuck]

Not to mention, the East is entirely different from the West, and if you look at both conference finals, all four teams were defensive minded half court offense teams, no running teams in sight.

Phoenix only became serious competitors in recent years when their defense improved. In years past, they've been just as good offensively as they are now, but their defense was horrendous. It's only now that their defense as caught up that they've become serious contenders in the west.

Boston won't be a running team at all. Like already mentioned, Rondo isn't a pushing PG. He hasn't demonstrated at all the decision making skills necessary for that type of offense. Allen and Pierce also operate best out of half court offenses. Pierce is at his best when he's coming off screens. Same goes for Allen. Garnett is versatile and could play in pretty much any type of offense.

I still just don't see the depth for Boston. They have three good players and that's it. They don't even have a fifth good starter or any good bench players. I really don't see how a team counting solely on three players will be able to play deep into the playoffs. Say what you want about the Cavs, but Gibson, Gooden, and Ilgaulskas all provided consistent scoring for the Cavs throughout the playoffs. The Celtics will need players like that to step up.

 

[OH10]

Anyways, the quick paced out score the other team mentality does work.

I believe that it does work... when you have quick-paced players. It nevers hurts to have a floor manager like Steve Nash. Or youth like Golden State. I'd be fairly surprised to see the Celtics become a quick-paced team with a mediocre to poor game-manager in Rondo and three 30-year-olds. But if they can pull it off...


... well, let's just say, I'd be shocked.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Former Cleveland Cavalier Pollard signs with Boston Celtics

Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/about.html"]Mary Schmitt Boyer[/URL] August 07, 2007 14:59PM


Scot Pollard has agreed to terms with the Boston Celtics, a Celtics spokesman confirmed Tuesday morning.
The Boston Globe reported on its web site that Pollard will sign a one-year deal worth the NBA 10-year veteran minimum of $1.2 million.

Continued....

 

[Napoleonbuck]

Interesting signing...

I'm guessing he'll get more minutes in Boston than he did in Cleveland.

Could be a good fourth big man for them, though his game has really deteriorated over the past three years.

My biggest personnel question was what their frontcourt was going to be. Doesn't look great so far.

 

[OHSportsFan]

CPD

Boston-area hair designers rejoice...

 

[HabaneroBuck]

Pollard and House are just worthless signings...no getting around that, for sure. I'd play Scalabrine ahead of Pollard any day of the week, so what's the point?

 

[Brutus1]

Designated foul giver. At least his hair is interesting to look at on the bench.