Are the 2010 Celtics more talented this year then in 2008?

I agree with your conclusion that the Cs are stronger this year, and with all your points except one.

I’d rather have the 08 Posey than Daniels. Posey’s presence clearly won us some key games, including some in the playoffs. Specifically (a) Posey had the 3-point shot, which often fell at THE critical moment, and (b) his D was peerless, on several occasions bringing in the W. Daniels is a better playmaker and ball handler, but that does not overcome what we lost in Posey.

Nevertheless, overall this team is deeper, stronger and smarter… and could get even more so if the right trade is swung.

(Note: then => than)

This is a really, reall tough call. The 08 squad won the title in convincing style and this team hasn’t really won anything yet so saying they are bettter, deeper is really hard to do. Rondo and Perk are definitely better. KG isn’t nearly as good at this point, he was the defensive player of the year in 08. Rasheed gives us a really good inside outside two way player that we didnt have and thus adds an element. Baby is much better. Really, a lot comes down to the tradeoff of Posey and Powe for Daniels and Rasheed. Posey was huge for us! I am always amazed at how much fans and even management discounts a guy like him. He always seem to make the exact right play at just the right time and that is a very difficult thing to do. In conclusion. until this group wins, they are not as good, or as deep. Hopefully, I will be proved wrong in about 7 months.

No doubt about it that this years club is deeper and more talented then the 08 club.
That’s very good news for the Celtics and bad news for the rest of the NBA.
Danny deserves credit especially for revamping the bench this year and making it possible.

I see it almost like you do.

Regarding the starters:
If healthy the big 3 are still the big 3 and playing at about the same level as they did in 08.
Rondo has developed into one of the best point guards in the NBA and is better now than in 08.
Perk has developed into one of the best centers in the NBA and is better now then in 08.

So as the starting unit has improved no doubt since 08.

Regarding the bench:

In 2008 our bench depth was (since Baby was a rookie and did not get meaning full minutes) only basically 5 deep with the following players.

Cassel at point guard
House at shooting guard
PJ Brown at center
Powe at power forward
Posey at small forward

Now in 2010 by the time we hit the playoffs our bench depth will probably be 8 deep made up of the following players:

Tye Lue (who will probably be given the job) at point guard
House at shooting guard
Rasheed at center (Big time upgrade over PJ Brown)
Williams & Baby at power forward
Daniels / Walker at small forward

• Unknown talented veteran player*
   (That will probably be obtained at the trade deadline by the anticipated trading of Scalabrine and TA’s expiring and valuable (almost 7 million dollars combined) contracts.

So the bench is stacked this year and has far more depth and talent then the 2008 bench.

This is especially true since Rasheed is far more talented and younger then PJ Brown, Baby has developed from a non playing rookie into a starting quality power forward coming off the bench.
We have Walker (who can really help us with his young legs, strong physical defense exspecially against big strong wing offensive palyers that the C’s have trouble guarding),
and also due to the high chance that by the trade deadline the C’s will sign a high quality veteran.

So if the starting and bench rotation in 2010 is more talented and deeper then the 2008 one, that means the overall team in 2010 is as well.

2008 : The Celts were like Mike Tyson in 1988

2010 : The Celts are like Evander Holyfield in 2000

the members of the 2010 team is much better than the 08 team beacause allen,pierce,and garnett dominate on the court no matter how good the opposing team is