Pierce Likely Out Till Break

Now there’s a shocker. I just two days ago had a discussion with someone about how they should just sit Pierce until the All Star break. I think it’s definitely the right way to go.

Wow I get to start a thread? Good to be a insomniac, 3:30 in morning here, and a balmy 8 degrees above zero. Me I’m from the camp good news that PP is likely to be out till All Star break, and it also looks like Wally won’t be in for this game. Should give Green leading roll again which I think is great for his development. Nice to see Doc say that Rajon is the guy taking a lead in showing most development through this. That should translate into more minutes for him. Funny thing is no mention on Perk, I would hope to see him sitting, if he does play, make it very limited minutes.

Tonight, let’s see Rondo unless of course we want to highlight Telfair to Sacramento for a possible Bibby trade. Expetations are not win but to develop the youth, so I’ll enjoy watching that way. Keep the Faith, Rebuild the Pride

Figures I didn’t make the first post…LOL Read over in Hoopshype that Indiana is now looking to swap Dunleavy for Corey Maggette, figured that would happen. Warriors always wanted Harrington, Indiana always wanted Maggette, everyone gets what they wanted. Good trade for all parties, but I think how Diogu develops could be the kicker.

the fewer games for Pierce the more ping pong balls for us…a good thing in this draft…

Pierce isn’t stupid. He wants Oden too.

I’m all for not rushing Pierce and upping their lottery chances, but is anyone else going to any of these games? I’ve got tickets to Lakers, Clippers, and Heat — those games are not going to be fun.

Finally, some good news….

I find all these comments that Pierce is staying out till the all star game because the C’s want to end up in the lottery amusing (for want of a nicer word). Recently there was a thread complaining about the Celtics allowing players to play hurt. We can’t have it both ways so which way do we want it. As for me, I want to get into the playoffs. Just that experience for our younger guys is worth a question mark lottery pick. Please let’s not forget that getting us in the lottery doesn’t guarantee us a franchise player. It could work the other way too. When Larry Bird was taken at 6 Red said afterwards he had no idea that Bird would be as good as he was. Those who watch college games see what a player does against college players on a short schedule. We don’t see what’s “inside” the player. Red said he thought Bird wouldn’t be as good as he was because he didn’t realize when he drafted him what was on the inside. I just trust Danny to make a good pick wherever he picks so for me it’s the playoffs being more valuable to this team.

GreenPride, yes I have tickets for many games as I have had for many years. The tickets went from $96.00 per seat to $150.00 per seat in a three year span while the product on the floor has gone nowhere. I wish I could price my product lines so. The new Jumbotron is great (although I think I’m dead if it falls), the dancing girls are growing on me (now I just don’t care; earlier I was put off), I like Lucky, I like L’il Phunk, I love the young guys Danny has assembled, I love the esprit de corps that Doc has maintained from star to end of bench. But 1-12 since Pierce got hurt cannot be ignored and is insulting to the paying customers. They must show that they can play (and coach) a 4th quarter (when most NBA games are decided). Yes, the injuries have been a valid excuse (I was so primed for Ratliff’s contribution let alone the others) but every team has injuries and the game goes on. (See NE Patriots for that). For Doc to say “We were in this one” is really getting lame. Every team is in every game (OK, occasional blowouts)and the 4th Qtr decides. I don’t have the solution but the owners/GM/coaches/players owe all of us better value. C’mon guys win a 4th Qtr, for God’s sake.

Okay, anyone else slightly preturbed by the “it looks worse than everbody thought” line?

I hope for godsake that this is just filler from the organization, that the doctors, players and staff have been told to say its worse than it looks and that we’re actively trying to keep him out while saying the right things to the press.

Because I really wouldn’t want to beleive that above article word for word. Not so much that I don’t trust him to return to form, just that I’d rather have as minor an injury as possible. It’d be nice if they’d come out and tell us the truth…at this point even the fanbase wants him to sit out, so they should quit beating around the bush.

I know its not sports etiquette, but why pretend like no-one knows whats going on? I’d rather know if this is a serious injury or we’re choosing to rest him. I’d applaud both decisions.

I care not how many games Pierce plays or wins we get the rest of the season. The main importance for this team is going to be if we come away with Oden or Durant after it is all said and done. Senseless to argue at this point who the better of the 2 would be; but that’s what the rest of the season boils down to if you realistically want to look at the Celtics future.

TrueGreen,

I always agree with you, but this team right now has no direction and hasn’t found itself.

I’m for having Jefferson, Rondo, Green play the majority of minutes to develop, yet also at the same time would rather we have the 1st or 2nd pick in the draft.

I would hate to have Paul come back and we don’t make the playoffs and we have the 8th or 10th pick in the draft.

My goals for this team this year have changed because you have the potential to add a dominant player to your team this year. The talent level coming out this year is exceptional.

It pains me to lose, but if the out come is we come away with someone who will be dominant for years and can help lead us to be a championship calibar team, than I’m all for it.

Just my thoughts

OT: I tried to tell people on this site that that glowing article Rosen wrote was a bunch of crap because his assessment was based solely on one game. Those same players he praised, he is now trashing.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6381724

Ancient Red—5 words: Joe Barry Carroll, Michael Olowokandi…

Both were number 1 picks in the draft. As to PP coming back, it’s unrealistic to think he won’t if he’s healthy. Of course, if there’s any question of causing further injury I don’t want him back, but not for the reason to get a lottery pick. I also think this team has direction. It changes with the roller coaster bumps. Right now it’s to develop the young players. The article about Gerald Green linked in the previous thread shows how far he has come. Jefferson has come a long way and I think Rondo will also if he plays more. Also, decisions are being made on other players and Danny has a better idea of who our future is. I also think that if the nine players who’ve been playing continue we’re going to win some games. They are only a few mistakes, a few lucky bounces and a few calls from doing that. Even though I would rather make the playoffs, I don’t think we will, but I also don’t think we’d get a high lottery pick. And with all that said, I really don’t think anything we say matters. The team is going to play to win and what will be will be.

Ancient Red—-Just to add to the above. I really think the dominant player you ask for is already here. There might actually be two of them and possibly a third.—GG, Jeff, Rondo.

To say that we don’t need a high lottery pick because a few number ones have been busts is backward logic. What you should be considering is the fact that very few of the top players have NOT been top 5 picks. Furthermore, virtually all championship teams are led by players who were top 3 picks.

I like Al and Gerald. But neither has even come close to looking like potentially dominant players. Good? Yes. Potential all-stars, even? Yes. But “dominant” is a whole other level. And I’ll grant the possibility that one of them breaks out to that level. Would it hurt to have another top 5 playing alongside?

I’d like to take a mix of what Truegreen, Acient Red, and Migit have said. One I still come from the school you play to win, and try and make the playoffs. Making the playoffs to me means that our players have developed that much more. I don’t like thinking from the view point of wanting to tank to get that #1 pick, as I don’t want to repeat what happened the year of the Duncan. That told us there is never a guarntee that one gets it, and to me that season hurt the most. The let down of not getting it, and the overall perception to the world that what was once a proud Celtic team lowered itself to tank. Please don’t go there. On Truegreen’s comment on Kandi and Carrol, I think he was only saying nothing is a guarntee on if a player becomes the player projected. Whether he’s right wrong or whatever, the chance is there, although the odds look good this years group look good.

So I hope for the playoffs, but will smile with more ping pong balls also if it goes the other way. If it’s the more ping pong balls, I only hope they come because of our injury problems, and not from lack of our youth reaching their potential, or from any conspiracy theories of tanking, from management or players. I want management, players, and fans to do everything to win, first and foremost. Because that’s the only way we, “Keep the Faith, Restore the Pride” and carry our heads high in the world.

Alaska—Well said. I wish I could have said it as well as you did.

I don’t think Pierce is being set back on his comeback to help us tank. I think they are being cautious with him, as they should be and as we should have been with all our injured players. Seeing guys making their own decisions coming back while not fully recovered or heeding medical training advice is pathetic. At this point Pierce is the franchise player. You do to him what has happened to West, Wally, Perk, etc- guys who needed and should have gotten more care and the fan base is going to get more rabidly pissed than it already is.

Look guys, we sure as heck better follow the Portland approach. Look at all the caution they threw Brandon Roy and his foot injury. Aldridge who has played well, sat out or played about 8 min. or less in something like 9 or 12 games (and he wasn’t hurt- they got a big guy back from injury and decided to sit him for no reason). Fox Sports just did a team by team analysis (gave us a D) but they said Aldridge will get more playing time once Magloire is traded and that Aldridge is the real deal 19/9 guy at the end of his 3rd year according to Fox Sports. I agree with that assessment and realize it may not come to fruitiion, the point is, the Portland GM saying we aren’t going to knock ourselves or jeopardize our future just to win an extra meaningless 3 to 5 games.

We were never going to be better than a 38W team, despite all the rancid kool-aid drinking, even if we were healthy. I’ll take development over playoffs for this team for the rest of the season, will not say that again next season, but this season that’s the direction this team needs to go, cut Wally down to 15 min. a game and Pierce to 25 min.