All Day Quick Hits - Stacking Up

Look at it this way with our top 3 vs. SA’s:

Would you trade KG for Duncan? I probably would but am not completely sure.
Would you trade Ray Allen for Ginobli? Not sure.
Would you trade PP for Parker? Don’t think so.

I’d say that one is a wash. Collectively I’d say we have more talent, but the fact that one of their 3 is the PG that gives them a little edge.

Would you trade KG for Stoudemire? Not even with his age difference.
Would you trade PP for Marion? I wouldn’t consider that one.
Would you trade Ray for Nash? In a heartbeat.

I’d say that one is pretty even.

We are a little weaker than the other teams 4-10 at this point. Not sure we are as far behind as some of these guys think though. Rondo will be solid. Perk will surprise. We will be very competitive.

I’d give the edge to teams like SA and DAL who have played together… cohesiveness is underrated. From a pure talent perspective, the Celts can hang with anyone, but playing as a team takes some time.

By the way… this hourly quick hits thing is positively KILLING me at work… I love it.

To me it it way to soon to compare. This team’s bench is going to be tested and revolving with players as need be. The time to make the comparison is after the trade deadline and the start of playoffs. You then have set rosters and the season’s performances to rely on.

It is just too soon to make a call when you don’t know if there is a pg that might become a Celtic anyday, if Reggie comes back and if so what he can still offer, what Big Baby and others can contribute, etc.

and coaching… coaching is the biggest factor
when it comes down to the top 3 teams. coaching
is that 6th man in a sense

I think in 10 games, San Antonio beats us 7 times. Coaching wise, we just don’t stack up. Their supporting cast is clearly superior.

Phoenix probably beats us 6 times. That combo of Nash and Barbosa will kill us.

We will be above .500 this year though :-p The eastern conference is winnable with this squad and dare I say it, even this coach.

I think a couple of teams have better trios because they are more balanced. Historically it’s not been good for your three best players to play these positions but instead to have a dominant post player and/or a PG.

Right now we don’t match up greatly with most teams because of the bench (my vote for worst in the L) but with two or three small moves we match up nicely.

1. Top 3 we are equal to anybody we just don’t have
   a top 3 at point guard like the Spurs and Suns.
2. To early to tell about the starters because
   we have to see if they work well together. We
   do not have enough experience at Center
   and PG. other teams have more at these postions.
3. Right now 4-10 we have inexperience and players
   playing basketball for the first time together.
   If we get two more veterans at PG and Center
   then we can compete with the rest of the league.
   PG – Sam Cassell for example and Mark Jacson
   at Center but I don’t think this will happen.
4. Style of play we will be a great half court team
   and half court basketball is good for playoff
   basketball. I think our defense will be better
   then anyone will expect but our fast break
   on the first unit won’t be strong but will be
   strong on the 2nd unit.

Pretty good. Top-10 (as in, outside of top-5).

Yes. Yes.

Top-10.

Bad. Very weak.

No issues. Walk it up. Yes, if everyone’s healthy and at peak.

(that was my David Thorpe impersonation)

As far as the top three goes, I think Boston’s might be second-best in the league. Phoenix gets the edge because of experience and especially because of the way Nash keeps them clicking together. Boston’s big three can’t match that.

As for San Antonio— I’ve said this before, but to me they’re not so much a Big Three as they are The Great Tim Duncan and two pretty good players who are lucky to be on a team with The Great Tim Duncan. I’m not saying Parker and Ginobili aren’t quality players, but if they played for the Hawks I don’t think we’d think of them as stars.

New Jersey’s big three of Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson strikes me as closest to ours in the East— and while I’ll love a PG the caliber of Kidd, I think overall ours gets the edge there.

I can think of six or eight TEAMS I’d definitely rank ahead of the Celtics, but as far as the top three, I think we’re almost as good as it gets in the NBA right now.

the team needs more depth on the bench because their top 3 while very good is old. don’t know if they have enough time or money this year but next year looks like the really big one after a lot of improvement this year.

To adress the first post:

Would you trade Garnett for Duncan? YES. In a heartbeat.
Would you trade Pierce for Ginobili? No, but I would think about it.
Would you trade Allen for Parker? Yes, begrudgingly.

Add to that those guys’ CHEMISTRY (the main ingredient), and their 3 tops ours by a mile.

according to our draft going on in “off topics” The Suns have the best 3, there three got picked in the top 12 on a Celtics blog. Hmmmmmm?

I like our chances. I am not saying we are a better team(or worse..for that matter), but we can certainly and reallitically challenge and win in a seven games series against NBA’s elite PHX/SA/Dallas.

In the end, if we make it that far, we’ll be playing either Dallas or SA. PHX won’t make the finals playing small ball, unless they find a way to avoid both Dallas and SA in the playoffs. I can’t remember that last time a team that can only play small ball won an NBA championship. You’ve got to be able to mix it up. That’s why SA and Dallas(don’t forgett that Dallas finished with the best record in the league) are so tough. And so, when/if we face either one, Dallas has nobody to guard RAllen or KG and SA has nobody to guard PP…keep in mind that PP destroys BBowen everytime they matchup which is probably why they signed Udoka….maybe they know something…..

   ;)

zzzzzz. Oh hi

Is this season going to be played on a three against three format?