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Boston Celtics (18x NBA champions)

Regardless of record, the Celtics are always going to be a team that non-Celtic fans will hate. If they lose 60 games, I'll be pissed that they didn't lose 65.

Sure KG's a great player but, regardless of his age (31?), he's got alot of miles on him, since he started so young.

I really can't see them missing the playoffs, but the East will be very competitive this season. The conference will still be the red-headed step child to the West, but there will be a nice firght for the top 8 spots. I look for Orlando to have a better season than the Celtics. Dwight Howard is a beast.

Good post OBJ about the Celtics past picks. It does make the trade look better when you realize how bad their drafting has been, especially with lottery picks.

As long as Celtic fans are optimistic, that's great. I'll still be pulling for them to lose 65 games. :biggrin: You bastards have won enough already. :biggrin:
 
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The way I see it, the following teams barring catastrophic injuries will be in the Playoffs come hell or high water:

Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, New Jersey, Toronto. Those are the top five in the East right now. That leaves three spots left for these teams:

Orlando, Miami, Boston, New York, Charlotte, and Washington.

I'm tentatively putting Washington in the six spot, since they actually did suffer catastrophic injury problems last year, so they should be a little improved this year. I think Dwayne Wade should be healthy enough, and Shaq should play over half the season, so I'll give them the seven spot for right now. That leaves the remaining teams battling for one spot.

Miami could easily miss the playoffs should Shaq only play something like twenty games or should Wade injure himself again.

Either way, I don't see Boston being any better than the sixth seed in the East.
 
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OSUBasketballJunkie;894850; said:
Its hard to agree with you when your opinion of Garnett is so low.....most basketball fans and most media consider Garnett a top 5 player but by your comments you make it seem Garnett is just a serviceable player. Pierce and Allen have played most of their careers by themselves and their is a difference when three past All-Stars combine on one team. I am not saying they are in the finals next year as I have stated earlier in this thread but I think they are much improved and it is realistic to expect them in the playoffs. Stop with all the Boston hate. Lets remember I was comparing the Cavs and Celtics, not Garnett and Lebron....if you want to have a discussion at least get the points correct.

When comparing the Celtics to the Cavs, I have to consider what the best player on each team is capable of come playoff time. I know it might seem easy to dismiss given the fact that Boston also has Pierce and Allen, but in the NBA playoffs (for the most part), it's alpha-dog time. And since we're discussing whether Boston is a contender based on what Cleveland did last year, it's hard to deny a comparison of Lebron vs. Garnett.

And my point above being that Lebron, in his short time in the league, has shown a significant amount more leadership qualities than Garnett has in his 10+ years.

Your point above was that you didn't see Boston's situation any differently than Cleveland last year. My point is that it's not close to the same situation. Boston can't simply rely upon the fact that, in one offseason, they blew up the team and brought three guys that have never won before and assume they are now a contender. The Cavs, for all of their shortcomings sans Lebron, have still had a core of guys together for a while that are at least aware of their responsibilities. Boston is hoping that Garnett, Pierce and Allen figure in out in one or two seasons. I don't call that a conference contender - regardless of how weak you perceive the Eastern Conference to be.

Once again, you cannot seem to understand the fact I like two teams....get over it.

You're right. I can't. I'm over it enough to drop the subject.

I think this comment is a vague attempt to insult my intelligence. I understand basketball and football rosters, drafts and anything else you want to address.....Your opinion that this trade is similar to the Walker trade is laughable in my opinion. Lets just remember that the players Boston gave up weren't exactly wanted players, with the exception of Jefferson and the jury is still out on him, so before you equate this trade to anything, lets see how it plays out down the road, it took Dallas 2-3 years to benefit from those draft picks and remember you are assuming that McHale will make good selections with those first round picks...:wink2:

No more a vague attempt to insult your intelligence than your attempt upon mine earlier. I've never pretended as if I'm capable of ignoring such comments without some retort.

Of course it still takes luck and scouting to use those picks to further Minnesota's future. I wouldn't dare be so presumptous as to believe McHale, of all people, will be able to build a title contender in 4 years. But, I will say that Boston has allowed the pieces to be put in place if Minnesota can capitalize. It was a wonderful trade from the T-Wolves perspective. They got rid of Garnett, who didn't want to be there because he could not win. And they brought in some good, not great, young talent to pair with multiple HIGH first round picks in the next couple of years. Sounds like the Chicago plan.

Bottom line is this: Who would you rather be a fan of in 2011-2012? The answer should be Minnesota if McHale doesn't drop a deuce all over himself. My position remains that when Boston fizzles out the next 2-3 years, people will see who got the better end of this deal.

I will end this by saying that regardless of how you view Garnett, Pierce and Allen.....barring injuries they will be a contender in the east, not only because they are talented but partly due to the east being so weak.

Assuming the East is weak is a common misperception. I agree that no team in that conference, as shown by the Cavs in the Finals, could compete with either the Spurs or Suns. But neither can any team in the West right now. Those teams are clearly a cut above everyone else right now. But if I seem to recall, neither Minnesota nor Seattle could muster so much as an 8 seed the last two years in the West. And Boston hasn't smelled the playoffs in two years either in the so-called "weak" East. So if Boston plans on being a "contender" in the East, it's got a lot more work to do than just throwing some ingredients in a pot and hoping a conference title comes out.
 
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Cleveland was not the third best team in the NBA last year. They were behind SA, Phoenix, Dallas, Utah (won at least one against SA), Houston, and possibly Denver.

Anyone who thinks Boston is not one of the top three teams in the East is delusional. Boston wasn't even that bad last year (should've been around .500), but they tanked the season after Pierce and Szcerbiak got injured.
 
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HabaneroBuck;895073; said:
Cleveland was not the third best team in the NBA last year. They were behind SA, Phoenix, Dallas, Utah (won at least one against SA), Houston, and possibly Denver.

Anyone who thinks Boston is not one of the top three teams in the East is delusional. Boston wasn't even that bad last year (should've been around .500), but they tanked the season after Pierce and Szcerbiak got injured.

Just because Utah beat SA in one game does not mean at all that Utah could have taken the Cavs in a seven-game series. The Spurs were a nightmare matchup for Cleveland, and the Cavs still should have won one or two of the homegames if they could have hit the broad side of a barn. That team certainly could not have beaten the Pistons with the effort they gave in the Finals - which was a "just happy to be there" effort. And by the same token, I find it difficult to believe that Utah, Houston or Denver could have beaten the Cavs team that beat the Pistons.

The entire basis of the misperception of West dominance over the East is the Spurs (and Suns). Of the last four champions, you have the Pistons, Spurs, Heat, and Spurs. The Pistons are essentially the same team as the championship team, only older and minus Ben Wallace. The Heat are essentially the same team, only with a few guys getting up there (Shaq), but with the one guy healthy (Wade), they are better than every team in the West except the Suns and Spurs.

So there's three teams right there that I believe are easily better than the Celtics. Then you have the Bulls, who might just be the best team in the conference, and the Magic, who is ready to make a leap this year.

So am I delusional? We'll see next April and May when I'm going to relish in the "I told you so"s.
 
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The debate of who gets the better end of the trade will take a few years to determine....

So there's three teams right there that I believe are easily better than the Celtics. Then you have the Bulls, who might just be the best team in the conference, and the Magic, who is ready to make a leap this year.

I sense that you believe most Boston fans think they are going to the finals, most do not, but we expect to be in the playoffs and to go from second worst record in the NBA to around 45-50 wins is a very positive step....I don't think anyone in this thread said they were the best in the east but simply they have a chance to be competitive with the teams in the east.
 
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OSUBasketballJunkie;895119; said:
....I don't think anyone in this thread said they were the best in the east but simply they have a chance to be competitive with the teams in the east.

Really?


Rondo and the big three will make for this team to beat in the East this year.



I'm not saying that Boston is going to win an NBA title, but they will represent the East when the finals come around in June, barring any injuries.



I see no reason why Boston cant make the finals coming out of the East, well outside of Chicago.



I expect a conference title, barring serious injury


F the Bulls...F the Cavs and F the Piston sissies..this is the year of the CELTICS...we have waited long enough and now is the time to


I'm not saying the Celtics "can't" make the playoff even that they "won't" make the playoffs. But I am saying they won't compete for the conference title. And I don't think you should trade away your future just to make the playoffs.
 
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HabaneroBuck;895073; said:
Anyone who thinks Boston is not one of the top three teams in the East is delusional. Boston wasn't even that bad last year (should've been around .500), but they tanked the season after Pierce and Szcerbiak got injured.

"Should've been around .500" !!! What the hell does that mean? They tanked cuz they sucked. Injuries happen to every team and it'll happen to the '07 Celtics.

No way will they be one of the top 3 teams in the East.


34 games under .500, but they should have been .500. :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
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I'm not saying the Celtics "can't" make the playoff even that they "won't" make the playoffs. But I am saying they won't compete for the conference title. And I don't think you should trade away your future just to make the playoffs.

Well, I guess I should have said I never said they were going to the finals and if you were in the 10th year of a 3 year rebuilding plan, you may change your mind about sending some role players for 3 players who all may be in the Hall of Fame one day. This is professional sports where fans do not have a ton of patience with rebuilding every year, it was time to take a chance and they did that, lets see how it plays out before you or anyone else predicts the outcome.
 
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Brutus1;895520; said:
"Should've been around .500" !!! What the hell does that mean? They tanked cuz they sucked. Injuries happen to every team and it'll happen to the '07 Celtics.

No way will they be one of the top 3 teams in the East.


34 games under .500, but they should have been .500. :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

In the second half of the season last year, they fielded a STARTING lineup that averaged about 21-years-old. Rondo, Green, Perkins, Jefferson, Telfair, Gomes, Tony Allen...all seeing big minutes. Delonte West missed a lot of games, Pierce mailed the entire season in...Szcerbiak missed a bunch. It was clear that they could have played all three of those guys a lot more than they did...but they didn't. They were going for Durant/Oden in a major way. You just look at their record online and assume I'm pulling something out of my ass? YES, a team of Delonte, Al Jefferson, Paul Pierce, Szcerbiak, and the other role players is a .500 team in the East.

Were the Spurs really THAT bad the year before they got Duncan? No...but they were injured and they tanked...same as the C's last year.

Anyway, top 3 in the East easily...and it will be fun to watch.
 
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The Nets? I already compared the C's to the Nets earlier...maybe in the other thread...

Depends on what Perkins, Rondo, Big Baby, and Pruitt bring to the table. I see them as the best team in the East, though. Again, I have no problem calling Garnett the best player in the East, Ray Allen the best shooter in the East, Pierce as a lethal player when motivated (he carried them to the East finals, not Antoine Walker), Big Baby as a possible lottery-level contributor, and Rondo as one of the best on the ball defenders in the NBA.

The Bulls are hit-and-miss, the Cavs still do not have enough around LeBron (depends on if Gibson's run was a fluke), Pistons lose a step every year, and Miami pretty much benefitted from Wade getting Jordan-like treatment from the refs (won't get that against the C's).

I think everyone should view this team as a top-three team in the East, and I am of the opinion that they should be the best.
 
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If you think they're easily the best team in the East, then you're setting yourself up to be disappointed. They could compete for a top four spot(if the big three have good chemistry and some capable back ups emerge), but to think that they're the best as presently constructed is just insane.

I really don't see how you can call Garnett the best player in the east either. He's not even the best big man in the east. Considering their age, I'd take Bosh over him, and Howard could improve enough to where I'd take him over Garnett as well.
 
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OSUBasketballJunkie;895618; said:
Well, I guess I should have said I never said they were going to the finals and if you were in the 10th year of a 3 year rebuilding plan, you may change your mind about sending some role players for 3 players who all may be in the Hall of Fame one day. This is professional sports where fans do not have a ton of patience with rebuilding every year, it was time to take a chance and they did that, lets see how it plays out before you or anyone else predicts the outcome.

You really think Pierce and Allen are Hall of Fame calibar players? Really?

We're not talking Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, and Wilt Chamberlain here.

This is going to be a fun season though. I despise Boston and their fans, and I will enjoy their misery.
 
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