Anything's Possiblllllllllllllllllle!!!

I BELIEVE!

This team has developed a winning mentality thats still there without KG…are there chances significantly lower? yes…but hey Im still PUMPED about the playoffs anyways, and i love that picture and this article…thanks

But after reading your article this morning I carved a C into my forearm with a rusty fork.

Bring it on.

I suppose we can make one with Rondo, Allen and Pierce.

Rondo has to be huge, Ray hot, and Pierce rested – and we’ve got the bangers to make something happen…

i WON’T STOP NOW

With or without KG, the Celtics will put up an epic fight in the playoff series.

They know that KG is down which means that everyone in the team needs to put their ALL in these upcoming Playoff games.

We will beat Chicago Bulls.

We will beat Orlando Magic.

We will beat Cleveland Cavaliers.

And finally, we will beat the Lakers again, with Bynum back and with them having their homecourt. No excuses this time, Lakers.

Yesterday a number of folks were saying, if you believe in the Celtics winning it all, put your money down. My counterpoint would be do you really feel that good betting against this group. I, for one, would feel pretty nervous doing that. There is still tremendous talent on this team, and there is a lot of heart. The question is will enough guys step up their game. It will take people playing extraordinarily well. Consider the ceiling for Marbury, pretty high. We have seen brilliant stretches from Eddie, Leon, BBD, Perk and Rondo. If most of them play to their recent best (and that is not the most likely outcome), I would give this team more than a punchers chance. This train of course doesn’t go anyweher unless Paul and Ray play well, but that is what we all expect. I may not be putting money on the Celtics, but I am not stupid enough to bet against them.

Even if we dont win, cleveland or LA has to lose, and oh boy wont that be sweet,,,cavs fans are arrogant smug little blanks, they posted about KGs injuries, and a very low life loser said “lol @ pathetic celts fans”.

Thats a disgrace.

Listening to Ray was encouraging. If they somehow could pull this off it would be mind boggling. Honestly though I’m still bummed. Yesterday was a tidal wave of bad news. Danny’s heart attack deserves our full attention but yesterday it was just the terrible end to an already really crappy day. They say there are several stages of grieving- Sadness, Anger, Rejection and Acceptance. I’d say I’m in phase 2 which is ANger. I’m pissed off that we’re back to that crappy bad luck BS we had with Reggie Lewis, Bias etc. I thought after 20 years of sucking it up that we were due for a good stretch. Sure we had last year but when we got the big 3 together I was hoping for a run longer than one year so I’m mad at the basketball gods. I’m also pissed at the Celts. They say they couldn’t have done anything different but I don’t believe them. SOmetime this summer, when KG has his surgery, we’ll find out what really went down but in the meantime we have been jerked around. Since Anger is irrational to begin with, I am also a little po’d at KG for his silence on the whole thing and for not getting surgery if that was in fact an option

…that the Celtics are somehow a “lucky” franchise!

PLEASE!

This is the 6th time a serious injury has cost Boston a title :

1958—Russell`s ankle
1973—Havlicek`s shoulder
1982—Archibald`s shoulder
1985—Maxwell`s knee
1987—McHale`s ankle, Walton`s foot, Bias` death
2009—KG`s knee

Let`s not forget the draft lotteries of 1997 & 2007.

Sorry, one lucky shot by Don Nelson in 1969 does NOT offset all this other crap!!!

If anyone bypass the frontpage this morning is either blind or numb…im guilty of sometimes bypassing it myself,and going straight to the forums.This morning is the best eyeopener besides a good cup of java ive had in a long time.Great stuff Jeff..Go Celtics all the way to #18!

Speaking about flying under the radar, have you guys seen this? The national pundits are picking us to be one and done:

2. Celtics vs. 7. Bulls: If Kevin Garnett were healthy, this would be a bad matchup for the Bulls. Without Garnett, the Bulls have a chance to make this interesting—and, more than that, to win it. Their depth and perimeter shooting will prove to be too much for the defending champs. Bulls in 6. (ed. note – this prediction was changed from its original version to reflect the news that Garnett will miss the playoffs)

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AmNos.QpvnrOafdYo7dXXpq8vLYF?slug=thenbaplayoffsarehereour&prov=tsn&type=lgns

…I completely agree with every word of this article.

All top tier teams have roughly the same talent base. It comes down to heart, and teamwork, and coming back from 24 down.

The more you write them off, the stronger this team gets. Let the naysayers naysay. Our guys have said it a million times: No excuses. They will be locked and loaded and woe to any team that faces them.

I am a Laker fan so I will get that out of the way but i am also bummed by the KG injury as I have always been a fan and have worked with him on several occasions doing spots. Anyway,i have read a significant amount about “bad luck” here. By and large, we create our own good or bad luck. Early in the season when Boston was on that incredible 27-2 tear, i called a college buddy in Boston and said “as fun as this is for you guys, you have 3 over 30 players playing a lot of close games that look to me like they’re being staged in the NCAA tournament…balls to the wall. mark my words, injuries will be an issue” That was not a hyndsight is 20/20 sort of comment. I just could not see a team competing on that level with an 82 game schedule, particularly with a team whose 3 core players are on the other side of their career arcs, without any consequence. I love the Celtic grit and wish the Lakers had more of it, but some prudent coaching would have been immeasurably more helpful. Jackson is a master of pacing a team. So, as unlucky as it feels to lose KG, you have to also take a look at what contributed to that.

Career minutes played :

Kobe Bryant…..34,531
Paul Pierce……30,525

Ilgauskas….34 years old in early June
B. Wallace…34 years old
J. Smith……..34 years old in July

I’ve already written off this year. I’ll be rooting for them, but Cleveland is just too tough, especially playing 5 on 8.

What concerns me is the next three years, when KG is still under contract. The Celtics have to make absolutely sure that the knee is properly taken care of during the offseason. And if a cameo appearance in the playoffs by KG risks aggravating the injury, he must not be allowed to play.

dan patrick was reporting this morning that KG’s injury may be a lot more problematic than has been reported earlier. he was going to talk to chris mannix of SI about it on his show, but now i’m at work and can’t listen.

we need to get ourselves to the conference finals and give Cleveland all they can handle. If KG is indeed done for the year I don’t expect anything more than that. It WILL however give us some serious confidence if we can push them and make them TAKE it from us. We have enough talent to give them more than they want, and if we are in it and win a couple games anything can happen. If nothing else it makes them worried for next year when we have a healthy KG and have added another chip. If we go in there and get run it doesn’t help our confidence, or our ability to attract a solid free agent looking for a ring.

You stated the situation perfectly Jeff. These words (Subject) in your last paragraph say it all.
All reason says the C’s should not repeat. But where was all reason in game 4 of last year’s finals when the C’s made the greatest comeback in NBA finals history. Where was all reason in the last Philly game when Paul Pierce was given the nite off and refused to take it. Where was all reason when we won all those games this year that all reason says we should have lost. How could we win the Cav’s game at home when the ref’s were wearing Cav uniforms. When it comes to the C’s “All reason” doesn’t mean a thing. Let’s just wait and see what happens. I don’t know if they’ll win or lose, but I’m sure not writing them off. Danny and KG, get well soon.

Portland vs. Orlando in the Finals!!!!

It makes no sense for us or anyone who does not know all the facts to talk about KG’s injury in definitive terms. This is a link to today’s Boston Globe article that discusses it: http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/04/17/on_eve_of_playoffs_celtics_lose_garnett/

DiNubile theorized that high-tech medical scans may be failing to identify the true source of the damage.

Still, Feiler cautioned that it is always risky to jump to conclusions about an athlete’s true condition without having access to complete medical records.
“That’s what gets hard with a lot of these comments,” Feiler said. “Does that really describe what’s going on or not?”

I want Starbury to come off the bench, with blazing guns. Yes, he can drive and dish for some House MD 3ptrs, however, I want him to do what Vinnie Johnson did, against us, some twenty plus years back.

In essence, Starbury keeps the opponents best players working, every single quarter of the game so that in Q4, it’s all Truth time! Remember, that’s where Pierce demolishes all opponents.

Actually got me pumped.

I am READY for these playoffs. I am wearing my Cs gear with pride here in Columbus, and if they meet in the playoffs I’m wearing it with pride in Cleveland (and carrying a baseball bat for self preservation).

Ubuntu.

Now is the time for Powe to step into the picture. The guy has maintained huge numbers for his time on the floor. And he has done most of his damage, just going one on one, with sure determination. This is his time to get quality time against the best. He may emerge as the biggest surprise to the Playoff world. Big Baby also has the Biggest opportunity to establish himself.

I am glad that this team has had a month or more without KG, to adapt their game to being without his presence. Marbury also presents another high quality player that could emerge as the playoffs intensify. Should be very, very interesting.

If we could win without KG it would crystallize the notion of having emerging young talent take up the slack as the big three start showing the signs of wear.

we have already overacheived so whatever happens is gravy. as for the future I guess we’re going to have to be satisfied that we won one. kg, pierce and ray aren’t going to get any younger

Havlichech, Cowens, White, and Silas, then Bird, Parish, Mchale and my favorite was DJ. Twenty years ago I moved to Los Angeles (help me!) and became a Clippers fan. How could any Bostonian root for the Lakers?

  I’ve been a season ticket holder for the Clippers for the past 10 years or so and it’s been a miserable experience.

  I just wanted to come back and see if I could remember what rooting for a real team is like. – Minus the Pitino “I’ll kill this team if it’s the last thing I do.” – years.

  I hope everyone welcomes me back, it’s been a long time.

You had to bring up the Pitino years. That was as low as it gets. Gastons as owners and that little peacock. You should come back. I’m in Hawaii coming back from work in Japan and my wife came out and is in bed saying “Not here. You aren’t on that Celtic Blog are you?”
But, that’s what it is. The team has been an utter joy to watch the last two years. No KG means keep your money in your pocket but as you can see above you can be totally irrational and it is warranted.

It’s so delusional there, almost 45% of respondents want to keep Dunleavy as coach and GM. It reminds me of Pitino.

What I wouldn’t do to be back in Boston with a real team in a real city. But our business is here so we’re stuck.

it’s ovah. We’ll have a good run but we ain’t bringing it home this year. Shades of ’82 when Cs fans chanted BEAT LA to the victorious Sixers at the garden. (One slight glimmer of hope……Portland vs, Lakers. Hope for that match up.)

Eastie Rich…..It`s bad enough watching the Clips on KTLA, with Ralph Lawler {1st too 100 pts. wins!} and Celtic flop Michael Smith.
I lived in the SFV for many years.

We have to focus on what we need to do in the first round then play each game like it’s our last. More reason to take the Bulls out and show we ain’t going no where!

You kidding right? He couldn’t even shut down Caron Butler. He is an okay player, but he will never be an all star unless he develops a shot like Vince Carter. He also can’t penetrate like TA either. With Scal coming back, let’s hope Mikki Moore and Walker will sit on the bench.

I still say we will be in Cleveland by the ECF!

There’s one thing I don’t understand:

The Celtics are 18-7 without Garnett this season. This projects to a 59-win season, which would still be the #4 record in the NBA. And that’s not even considering that we were down to 2 1/2 big men for quite a nubm

Of course, 25 games are obviously not a representative sample, and playoffs are all about matchups, but I think everyone needs to calm down a little bit.

Jeff- you stated what so many of us are thinking and feeling- but much more eloquently that most of us could.
And Eastie Rich, you’re always welcome on C’s blog. It must be just awful having to root for the Clippers. I know when the home team sucks, it’s hard to be really interested in the NBA. So tomorrow you get to watch the C’s stomp the Bulls during breakfast.
BTW, I lived in Eastie twenty years ago myself, but it’s even more congested and screwed up now- they never did close the Meridian St. bridge :)

I’m a Laker fan, and the Garnett injury is a bummer. I feel like we need another crack at you guys. So I’ll be rootin’ for you guys in the playoffs.

I want you guys to take out the Cavs, please. I want to hear about Lakers vs. Celtics and not this Kobe vs. Lebron garbage. I’m getting so sick of Lebron. I want to hear about TEAM vs. TEAM. I’ll hand it to you guys, the Celtics are the epitome of TEAM. I’ll respect that.

I hope you guys win in the East.

I respectfully disagree about Rondo. I think the kid is still in the potential stage. With Garnett out, the Celts’ record wasn’t that stellar. And with a roster like that, if Rondo was one of the best in the game, he “could” have took over and win your team more games.
I remember someone said if Rondo can shoot a jump shot, he’d be in the Chris Paul level. I think it’s safe to say that’s an exaggeration.

He is very good. But still not there. Just my two cents.

Like some of you, I spent the better part of 2 decades following a team that didn’t have a hope of being a Finals contender (briefly interrupted by a Cinderella appearance in the Conference Finals ).

The fact that this team finished with 62 wins coming off an extended post season with all of the injuries they suffered tells me this team has more heart and determination than anyone gave them credit for.

Most of the experts predicted the C’s would drop off this year. If you had told them half the roster, included KG would miss big chunks of the season, they would have penciled the team in for 45 wins.

I don’t think the C’s overachieved or coasted. They had teams giving them their best shot every night. And they still won games.

For me, this season’s performance is even more impressive than last year’s.

I can’t wait to see more.

very well written mr. clark, inspiring and honest. C’s 09 lets go get another one!

PP should’ve been vocally leading the Celtics team more than the last quarter of a meaningless last game of the season. KG was new last year and he seemed to have more control and influence on the Celtics team than PP did after being in Boston his whole career. It’s about time he stepped up and spoke up.
All the best though to Mr. Ainge. Get better soon.