My First Round Preview on BDL

by Jeff Clark on Apr 16, 2009 3:45 PM EDT in Boston Celtics Articles

You can see my full preview at Ball Don't Lie. Here's the opening:

The news of Kevin Garnett likely being ruled out for the remainder of the season is about as close to a death sentence for the Celtics title defense as you are going to get. With that said, the games will still be played and the Celtics will not go quietly into that dark night.

The first round was never much of a concern regardless of Garnett’s status. Even without KG, this team is head and shoulders above the Bulls. Of course that doesn’t mean they can be taken lightly.

Read the rest here.

You'll also find previews from Blog-a-Bull and Kelly Dwyer.

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kind of encouraging

that I give the Bulls more predicted wins than Matt from Blog-a-Bull

maybe I’m giving them too much credit

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Apr 16, 2009 3:52 PM EDT reply actions

heh, I was about to post something similar

I wrote that late night yesterday, before the KG news and after the Bulls just laid a suckbomb on the UC floor against the Raptors where Brad Miller and Tim Thomas played the entire fourth quarter.

I suppose I feel slightly better now, but I’ll stick to the C’s in 5 prediction just to protect me from the audacity of hope.

USE THE SOFTWARE. Actions-> Rec/Flag. Reply to comments with the reply button. Rec good fanposts/fanshots so the crud gets pushed down.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 16, 2009 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

thanks

looking forward to the exchange of thoughts with Blog-a-Bull

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Apr 16, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions

by the way

that preview went through 3 re-writes

the first was Celts over Sixers in 4 (oops)
the next was Celts over Bulls in 5
then KG happened and it took two drafts for me to gather my thoughts well enough to predict Celts in 6

sometimes this stuff is harder than it looks (and sometimes I make it harder than it needs to be)

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Apr 16, 2009 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

Haha.

I also had my Celtics/Sixers preview written.

Liberty Ballers.com.

by Jordan Sams on Apr 16, 2009 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions

i give the bulls one or 2

games

by celticinorlando on Apr 16, 2009 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

Bulls without Deng really won't be that tough.

I don’t think that C’s in 5 will be a stretch. BBD and Powe will put the stats on the board that KG did. It is his defensive intensity that we will miss. BBD is shooting close to as good from the outside as KG was lately. Powe is a much better inside scorer than KG is. Neither one of them play anywhere near the defense that he does though and sadly our only big with the length, Mikki, doesn’t defend any better than them. Our defensive leaders will need to be the other 4. We will see how bad they want it.

by EJPLAYA on Apr 16, 2009 5:28 PM EDT reply actions

rebounding/experience/defense = sweep

We’re gonna kill them on the boards and they have no answer for Rondo. Between RR and TA, we’ll be able to keep the rookie in check. Perk is gonna own the paint, expect double digit rebounds in each game.

We’re talking about a Bulls team that relies heavily on guys who have little to no playoff experience.

by D Dub on Apr 16, 2009 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

Leon will breakout star of these playoffs

Additionally, there’s another positive that’s gone under the radar. While Garnett has missed the past month, so has his backup, Leon Powe. Powe returned to the lineup Wednesday night and had 18 points and 13 boards in a win over Washington, providing a good indication that he’ll be ready to deliver in the playoffs.

In every respect but one, the difference between Powe and Garnett is less than you might think. Powe averages 17.5 points and 11.2 boards per 40 minutes, and shoots 52.4 percent; for Garnett those numbers are 20.3 and 10.9, and he shoots 53.1 percent. Additionally, Powe draws fouls by the bushel, while Garnett rarely gets to the stripe.

The major difference between the two is on defense. Garnett is among the best defenders in the league, of course, winning Defensive Player of the Year honors last season. Powe competes and takes lots of charges, but otherwise is average at best. Powe also averages a foul every 6.4 minutes, making it tough for him to get extended minutes."

BY: John Hollinger

I hate to say i told you so but i’d bet my life that a star is born this postseason in boston at PF and its gonna be Leon Powe

im telling you right now the dude would be an allstar PF if he played 35 minutes a night and started, he’d be 20/10 for sure

he’s an offensive rebound and inside scoring and foul-drawing machine, a complete relentless monster freak

Robert Parish called him “a mini/PF version of Moses Malone” and the “xfactor to boston repeating”

And Holliinger: Powe is an above avereage defender. Not GREAT GREAT GREAT like KG but pretty good like David West.

by celts34n7 on Apr 16, 2009 5:36 PM EDT reply actions

dont underestimate our chances either

I wouldnt go underestimating the heart of a champion quite yet though…….

Leon powe is a beast if he starts, he averages 21ppg/11rpg per 35 minutes when he starts and gets to the foul line a ton, scores all his points inside and gets mad offensive rebounds plus hsi energy gets the crowdand teammtes pumped

Powe could be a breakout star in these playoffs, ive been saying for 2 years now that if Leon Powe got 36 minutes per game he’d be a 20/10 guy and allstar PF

Robert Parish said a week ago that Powe reminds him of Moses Malone but a miniagture version, a PF version instead of the C like Moses Malone… thats a huge compliment from a hall of fame and champion center

Powe was the #1 ranked highschool PF and huge highschool all american star, mcdonalds game, all that…… 20/10 at cal, had mad knee injuries that cost him being a 1st rfound pick but now he has that athleticism back and is healthy

he’s relentless, tough as nails, been through so much in his life and persevered too, the kid is a FIGHTER in the truest sense of the word

and this is his big chnace after fighting back through all those knee injuries and being homeless/motherless as a kiod and teenager, he’s fought so long and so hard and this is his big chance on a championship caliber team thats hall of fame PF went out and he’s healthy and ready to prove he could be the NBA allstar PF that evderyone said he would be when he was a highschooler and freshman in college… Powe is a monster.

Not to mention the celtics are the champs and have mad good depth and PAUL PIERCE who is just a step below Wade/Lebron/Kobe as an allaround player and superstar wing, he can average 27ppg/5apg/7rpg for you while playing great defense if you need it from him and have 40+ pt games

he’s a BEAST, plus Ray Allen is an elite 2nd option too… and Rondo is a top-10 PG, and on nights Powe is off a bit Big Baby can step up with a few good games.

its all on if Powe breaks out, if he does they have a chance at still winning big and getting to the finals… if he doesnt were screwed

I’ll guarantee everyone here that Paul Pierce plays just as good in these playoffs as anybody in the NBA including Lebron, Kobe and Wade thoough. He’s that freakin good when they need him to be and he has mad help still.

by celts34n7 on Apr 16, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

AINGE HAS HEART ATTACK

CHANNEL 5 REPORTS

by OutofServicePervis on Apr 16, 2009 5:58 PM EDT reply actions

No way...

… we get out of the East without KG. I just hope Powe can come back so we can get to the ECF. It’s going to be TOUGH on this group without KG and a healthy Powe.

by Big_Easy on Apr 16, 2009 9:06 PM EDT reply actions