Swing It!

I really hated to give up on Big Al and G.Greene but knew I’d like KG. Wrong! I’m going to love KG. You are right. There is not a better player to build a team around. He has more infectious passion than Tim Duncan, less “me” more “us” than Kobe. Perk is going to be so much better with KG nearby.

Big Baby looked like an NBA’er. Pruitt less so. I would love to get a look at Battista. Hard to believe a skilled player could have been sitting at end of Atlanta bench.

Once again, props to Danny. With Eddie House and Posey also in with KG and RA it is really amazing to see where we are vs that gloomy ping-pong ball night. Just amazing!

I was wondering when you would mention the passing on Saturday. The play that is represented by the picture in your article had me so far out of my char that I hit my hand on the ceiling fan. Only, for a change I was cheering something the Celtics were doing rather than shouting out instructions. This has the potential to be a fun season.

I find it interesting that Bosh mentions House as the dangerous PG option with the big three. Maybe we will be seeing less of Rondo than alot of fans were expecting and more of House.

And you thought we needed a back-up PG. Not with KG on hand (LOL)

Actually Jeff, I agree completely that we need a back-up PG. I am not loosing sleep over the fact that we do not have one, however, I believe a good, veteran back-up would not only help the Celtics but it would also help Rondo. He is poised to become a top flight point guard in this league but he would be able to get there faster and with more ability if he had someone to mentor him.

We are on the same page…I was just tweeking you (LOL)

yes, they did swing the ball around a lot. a lot of weak side passes. they looked good. a small criticism was the open 3 pointers toronto got after some of our doubling down low. something to work on.get batista in there. the minnie game will be fun and i will root for big al and gomes. iwould love to see anyone stuff blount. poor al- has to play with skippy.

PACF said: … help Rondo. He is poised to become a top flight point guard in this league but he would be able to get there faster and with more ability if he had someone to mentor him.

Doc was a point guard, Danny, though not a true point, knows a thing or two about the game as does Ray Allen. There is also film to watch of other good pg’s. I think Rondo will be just fine with the support he has. He also needs to develop his own stile and he’s a hard worker and smart. As to the team needs of a pg, I think we’re just fine.

Two words: stay healthy.

I heard Minny beat a Turkish team and Al had 11pt 17 reb. It sounded like a poor game, each team shooting about 33%. Gerald went 4 for 15 from the floor.
Gomes was something like 11/10. Bassey something like 2 for 8. Theo had a big cigar in one hand and a hot dog in the other at the end of the bench.

I think we beat them by 10pt in London a couple of days from now.

TrueGreen…I think Rondo will be just fine too, I just think it would make things easier for him and the Celtics if we had a veteran PG to back him up…particularly during the playofs. Just one man’s opinon.

Well, it was good to see and it satisfied me to the point where they are trying to get along together, but I see it will take time, hopefully by Christmas.

Everyone has to figure out what their roles on the team will be.

One thing I truly believe that Doc should instill is a 9 man rotation is stick to it…. he shouldn’t be trying to play everyone…

As happy as I was for Tony Allen… I still wanted to get up and smack him for that dunk……last thing he needs is to re-injure that knee again….

But, going back to what I was saying is this team will be a force.

I agree House may be the best pg for with the big 3.

Anyways, The celtics could end up being the best ‘thru-the post’ team in the league running thru the inside to KG and Pierce and even Perk and kicking out to Ray and House and Rondo and moving the ball around, plus kicking to paul or ray or rondo slashing to the hoop or like you saw to perk wide open for a dunk, unselfishness is a great thing for this team and their post-game is gonna be VICIOUS in the low-post and high-post, especially KG but Paul as well and having Ray as a weapon for the kickout or the slash, and house…. AMAZING. Posey too for the shot, even scal……. The bench and roleplayers 3 thru 9/10 is very good and underrated, let em sneak up, great! We played great defense too, even paul and ray played very good defense on the perimeter and having KG and Perk inside CLOSES UP THE LANE completely, must be great having them behind you anchoring the defense.

Just, I agree, amazing. KG IS A MONSTER down in the post, unstoppable, opens up everything, and Paul and Ray are such amazing weapons. These 3 are an AMAZING FIT, PERFECT, GONNA BE A VERY VERY SPECIAL TEAM FOR THE NEXT 3 OR 4 YEARS.

They haven’t won anything yet, but still they’ve a chance for a dynasty. (And yes, I know people will say I’m getting ahead of things here.)

House would be great for the Damon Jones Heat/Derek Fisher Lakers pointguard role. ‘Bring the ball up, get it to one of the playmakers/stars, make a few plays, try on defense, and make your open shots’.

Jeff, big admission, glad it only took you one game to see the error of your ways! That being said, let’s all not get carried away with this, ‘looks like House will get the minutes at PG now, not Rondo’ sentiment that seems to be brewing on this site. The way each played is exactly as each has been advertised, not sure why actually seeing it has made everyone turn House into Nash. Each is great in their own role, Rondo is not a good guy to bring in midway through the first half to add offense when the 1st unit of each team is tiring a bit, House is, let’s all stop the clamoring for those roles to switch because we have seen each of them in the first game.

And what is with all those who keep saying we don’t run any set offenses? Are you kidding me? If you TIVO’d the game, please go back and watch each half-court possession, with the sound turned down so as not to be distracted by Mike and Donny, and hit pause when the players are all set and then watch what they do. They only have 24 seconds, so by definition, in the NBA, all sets are designed for only 1 or 2 options, not an elaborate 5-option offense you might see in high school or college. Watch how they enter it to KG or Perk in the high post, then try to immediately get it to Pierce who implements the UCLA duck cut to post his man, if they can’t get it to him, they reverse the ball, and, as a result of 2 screens on the weak side, then free Pierce at the opposite elbow. If you want a Mikan-era style offense of multiple cutters ultimately resulting in a layup, break out the tapes, you will not find that anywhere in the modern era NBA. The idea is to get the ball in your best players’ hands, with good floor spacing, and then let them make plays. I was especially proud of the way Pierce came out and let his looks come to him through this seemingly hidden-to-most system. In fact, there was a good article over the weekend about Pierce trusting Doc’s system to get his looks. The naysayers will never vanish, but I think we we have alot to look forward to this year.

Looking forward to Wednesday’s game/reunion against Minnesota. Trade looks better and better each and every day…..

This team will be scary come Christmas time when they are able to put this together….

I look around the East and I like what I see. Defending E champs- Cavs are missing 2 regular players because of contract disputes and Lebron is unhappy about it. IMO Cavs overachieved last year and didn’t do a whole lot to upgrade the team this year.

I think Pistons are showing signs of cracking, I doubt Shaq has the youth or ability to be the force he once was, although Raptors, Bulls, Orlando Magic are up and coming, I still think we have a clear edge. I put Nets and Wizards in the also ran column.

The only real things I saw “wrong” were:

1. There was a little too much standing around on Offense, as though waiting for PP?RA/KG to take over and do something. However, they did pass the ball extremely well at times, and that standing around is going to change as the players have more time to play together. Toronto is a good team, the Celtics still arent a team on the floor yet. They are obviously coming together nicely off of the floor, but on the floor they still have a lot of adjusting to do with each other. It will come.
2. Defensive rotations seemed really rough, but again, there is probably a new system and learning how to play together and compensate for each other’s weakness, and take advantage of our defensive strengths.

There were a ton of great things I thought I saw in terms of hustle, attitude, intensity (these guys will be going all out every night and that’s saying a lot considering the talent level), ball movement (the unselfishness was very clear), and rebounding. About the time December rolls around this is going to be a team that no one wants to play.

What was expected but missing from the Toronto game was Ray Allen hitting his shots. That Allen had an off night encouraged players to sag off him but that won’t be the case when Ray starts heating up.

How can a defense double team KG when Pierce, Allen and even House are making their shots? We’ve yet to see the future dominance of this club when they develop team chemistry and an effective offensive and defensive scheme.

One comment that I did not agree with was that the players stood around and that as a result our offense was stagnant. Compared to past few years our players were very mobile. Their movements were to open passing lanes, space the court and to provide single and double screens and picks. By comparison, our “white” team (fourth quarter) did not have a similar ball and player movement and could be identified as having a MORE stagnant offense and defense. There were quite a few opportunies for players to cut to the basket (when driving lanes opened) but those opportunities were missed.

One thing we’ve all overlooked is the end of the game. Rivers brought in the 3rd/Gray Team, and they held the lead! WOO-HOO, the Celtics held a lead! Seriously, they teetered a little bit but they held. It may have been preseason, but the Raptors were still trying to win. That’s a good sign to me, that everyone knows they have to step it up.

I liked the fact that Tony Allen dunked because I want him to do what comes naturally, not to be constantly worrying about his knee. He shouldn’t dunk every time he drives to the hoop, but he needs to test the knee, and he may as well do it sooner rather than later. Yes, for a sec he looked like he injured himself and I held my breath, but these are the kinds of things Tony needs to do. Otherwise he’ll play in fear and be useless to everyone.

Not at all. We agree on many, many issues, Po. It just happened to be that you took something I said personally one time and since then you’ve believed I’ve been out to get you.

While reading your posts I think we agree on many, many issues about the team.

and for the record:

with the exception of our PM exchnge, I’ve never had anything against you.

Or anyone else for that matter.

Accepted with relief and graditude!

There is no more beautiful sight than Kevin Garnett wearing Celtic green, down on block, flanked by Ray Allen, in Green, on the perimiter, and our own Paul Pierce slashing to the basket.

This is going to be a great season!