Will It Be Enough?

I'm no prophet

But I will say that we have enough talent to contend for the championship.

by Thruthelookingglass on Feb 6, 2010 3:01 PM EST reply actions

the talent is there

is the health and the mental focus? their toughest opponent is themselves. when they come to play there isn’t a team that they can’t beat in any given game or a series.

- JoeB

by joeb on Feb 6, 2010 3:04 PM EST reply actions

Exactly.

by Thruthelookingglass on Feb 6, 2010 3:17 PM EST up reply actions

YES!

by Warrior Spirit on Feb 7, 2010 3:52 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Enough to win it all

If we can stay healthy WE will win the CHAMPIONSHIP !!!!! DOC PLEASE LET KG GET NUMBERS !!!!!

by KGfanfromMONTREAL on Feb 6, 2010 3:06 PM EST reply actions

The author states the Celtics are on track to win 56 games. That is overstated! Why? The Celtics have faced a weak schedule. The winning percentage of teams the Celtics have played is 47.8%. Thats why Hollinger is projecting ONLY 52 WINS for this Celtics

Thats also why Hollinger has celtics 8th in power rankings.

see SOS http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/powerrankings

See projected wins http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

by celticspride4ever on Feb 6, 2010 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

who cares?

by KY Celts fan on Feb 6, 2010 4:13 PM EST up reply actions

Even the Celtics teams of the late 80's or early 90's won more games than that.... we are repeating the mistakes of the past.... hoping a merely above average team is still a championship contender!

by celticspride4ever on Feb 6, 2010 4:15 PM EST up reply actions

are you really basing us winning this year on hollingers stats? if we beat orland, beat new orleans and hed into allstar break wit a 5 game winning streak, we will already be moved up on that dumb thing. then when we beat the lakers i bet we’ll be in the top 3 teams. those things mean nothing.

by WikedCeltsFan7 on Feb 6, 2010 9:09 PM EST up reply actions

I'm saying, don't listen to Hollinger's predictions

Also, you don’t have to win 60+ games in order to compete for a title.

by KY Celts fan on Feb 6, 2010 9:39 PM EST up reply actions

Wait

Isn’t JR Giddens still hurt? haha

by JBcat on Feb 6, 2010 3:08 PM EST reply actions

Good one!

by VtCeltics on Feb 6, 2010 6:30 PM EST up reply actions

Will KG get his legs back? Will Ray get his shooting form back? Can Pierce stay on the court?

KG can jump, move laterally well or rebound. He’s had the problem for more than a year. He rested for 6 months to fix it and its not fixed yet. This might be the KG we have for the rest of his 2.5 year contract.

Ray has gone from being a great shooter to a BELOW AVERAGE Shooting Guard. Why below average? See his PER, an average players PER is 15. Ray’s is now 14. He is shooting only 34% from 3 point range. Just last year Ray was ranked 9th in PER among shooting guards with a PER of 17.3. A few years before was one of the top 2 or 3 among shooting guards in the NBA with a PER in the low 20’s.

Ray is NO LONGER, the GREAT RAY ALLEN. He is a shadow of his former self.

We were all shocked to see Rashard Lewis drive by KG on that game winning baseline drive. The real KG wouldn’t have allowed Lewis near the rim and likely would have blocked the shot.

We are delusional, if we think a 60% KG and a 70% Ray Allen, plus a waiting for the next injury Pierce can win it all.

It would take a miracle.

I say it again. We are on pace for ONLY 52 WINS when strength of schedule is accounted for…. thats much worse than the Celtics teams of the late 80’s and early 90’s.

Our star players are feeling their mortality.

We should be happy they won 2 years ago and move on.

by celticspride4ever on Feb 6, 2010 4:13 PM EST reply actions

Back-Up point?

1. The club tends to stick in 2nd gear when Rondo sits. Is Quis is the fix? Dont think.

2. Power rotation (KG @ 70%, Perk, Sheed=vulnerable to quick Fwds. Baby doesnt plug gap.

3. Over vet-ed. PP & Ray give up speed. Need Q, TA to pick up slack.

4. Over-relying on spotty outside shooting; not getting to rim.

by Tenacious D on Feb 6, 2010 4:43 PM EST up reply actions

Celtics will fall short of 52 wins...47 is more likely.

They have 16 road games to go…LAL, Denver, Port, Hou, etc.

The 18 at home include…Cleveland {2}, Denver, Orlando, SA, OKC, Houston, Memphis, Charlotte

by Title 18 on Feb 6, 2010 6:04 PM EST up reply actions

A phenominal shooter like Ray

’s shooting touch does not just go away. This is a slump.

by Warrior Spirit on Feb 7, 2010 3:56 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I still want a backup point guard

Even with the return of Marquis, I still want a NATURAL backup point guard.
If Marquis is stuck playing role of backup point guard, then we wouldn’t be utilizing all of his versatility. I dont want to under-utilize Quis.

I think we need a backup point guard, who is a natural point guard, who has the ability to break guys down/and beat guys off of the dribble.

I want Danny to go get Keyon Dooling, he would be perfect.

by fanofgreen on Feb 6, 2010 4:34 PM EST reply actions

Agree with first two paragraphs,

disagree with the last. Dooling is just a combo guard. He can defend the 2, and therefore would free Eddie to play the SG offensively and the PG defensively, but that’s all.

A guy who better meets the “true PG” criterion would have been Eric Maynor: he’s a middle-class man’s Gary Payton, right out of the box. He’s the kind of player we should be after.

"People don't understand, if you can't live the rest of your life off one year in the NBA, you can't live off 21." -- Keon Clark

by Eeyore III on Feb 6, 2010 4:49 PM EST up reply actions

yeah, your right, and so am i (haha)

You are right, Dooling is not a natural pg, he is more of a combo guard,

But I think Dooling has natural pg abilities, in his game, and I think having Dooling, like you said gives the backcourt some versatility, as far as who you could comfortably pair him with on the floor.

(also, Eddie anytime he is on the floor, no matter with who else in the backcourt, is going to have to play the pg defensively, i dont think brining in Dooling would make a difference in who house plays defensively)

I wouldn’t be opposed to Eric Maynor at all, but I would prefer Dooling, he has the veteran experience, and a slightly more versatile game than Maynor. And I think it would be easier to get Dooling right now, than trying to get Maynor.

by fanofgreen on Feb 6, 2010 6:10 PM EST up reply actions

A comparison with earlier Celtics champions

We’ve had a horrific string of injuries. Consider a comparison with the Celtics championship team from 1969 which also had 5 guys in the top 9 of the rotation age 30 or over (when lack of sophistication on exercise, physical therapy, and nutrition made 30+ really really old): they only had one player (Sam Jones) who missed as many as 10 games that year, whereas we’ll have 4 this year!

FYI that team finished 4th in the regular season, winning just 48 games. Still got the ring.

by Datahog on Feb 6, 2010 4:55 PM EST reply actions

1969 Celtics....

That team had a healthy Bill Russell…..and the great John Havlicek was in his prime!

by Title 18 on Feb 6, 2010 5:58 PM EST up reply actions

We've got a healthy Paul Pierce and the great Rajon Rondo in his prime

so there…

by KY Celts fan on Feb 6, 2010 9:45 PM EST up reply actions

You`re comparing Pierce & Rondo....to Bill Russell & John Havlicek?

You SURE you want to go there???

{Also, you`re making a huge assumption that Pierce, whom I`m huge fan of, is healthy}

by Title 18 on Feb 7, 2010 12:09 AM EST up reply actions

I think we have some team weak spots that we need to remedy if we want to assure our best shot at banner 18 this year.

I think we need:

1) A Pure back pure backup point guard is needed (Since Daniels is not one).
I suggest the C’s activate Ty Lue to obtain one

2) A athletic, defending, rebounding power forward is needed (With KG & Bbay struggling this year we need help at the power forward position).
I suggest the C’s trade Scal, Giddens to obtain one.

3)A long, strong, wing defender is needed (Since long, strong wing scorers are killing us thus year and we will probably face Lebrona & Piertirus in the playoffs)-
I suggest either the C’s play Walker to fill the role or sign one via a buy out or trade TA to obtain one (though considering the way TA is playing this would be the most drastic).

4)A shooting guard is needed (since both House and Allen are not shooting the ball consistently this year, I think we need to get more reliable shooting from the position before we head into the playoffs).
I suggest the C’s either Trade House to obtain one or sign one via a buy out signing.

I think if we fill these holes we will be good to go for the playoffs and be a very tough team to beat.

by fordescort on Feb 6, 2010 5:32 PM EST reply actions

Well

When Daniels comes back, we could have him be that wing defender at the 3 while TA is at the 2, and House at the 1 on the defensive end.

As far as a power forward, I’d take BBD if he can get his jumpshot going again, something Ty Thomas doesn’t have. I’d rather use Shelden Williams more instead of bringing in Ty Thomas.

I don’t know who we can get for House that’s better than him. It seems like Nate’s not happening at this point. So, I’d just keep House at this point. Either way, there’s no point in signing one via buyout since Ray and Eddie would be way ahead on the depth chart. Again, I don’t think there’s a player out there that’s gonna beat Eddie out to be the 1st guy off the bench for Ray.

by Tai on Feb 6, 2010 6:13 PM EST up reply actions

I agree Tai that Daniels will help our wing defense when he comes back.

But since he is not a long defender (being only 6’6" ) or a strong one since with his wiry frame, he lacks muscle and bulk to guard big strong scoring small forwards that have given us so much trouble this year.
Since we will in the playoffs probably face Lebron or Pietirus I think a getting a long, strong back up wing defender is vital.

Regarding Baby, his jumper has been non existent this year and he gives us almost no low post scoring since he lacks jumping ability and length to get his shot off against longer power forwards, thus the reason he gets his shot blocked so often.
He also is a poor rebounder and very nonathletic for a power forward.
I just fear heading into the playoffs and facing all the big, athletic big man we will go up against with out obtaining a athletic big man of our own, especially since Garnett is not 100% and Baby is struggling this year.

Regarding House, shooting guards are a dime a dozen and Danny should be able to obtain one if he wants by a trade or through a buy out signing.
Again I think we can not go into the playoffs with inconsistent shooting from both our shooting guards (House and Ray Allen, who have been shaky all year long) and I think we need to remedy that issue.

Again if we make no moves we may be ok, but I think adding some more pieces to the puzzle before we enter the playoffs to remedy some weak spots we have would be smart.

It will be interesting to see if Ainge thinks the same or not.

by fordescort on Feb 6, 2010 10:15 PM EST up reply actions

My suggestions

I think we should go get Keyon Dooling….(Scal for Dooling)straigt up

I say sign Sean Williams, he played for NJ, and is a free agent right now, we could sign him for cheap. he is a young athletic power forward, who knows he is a defender and shot-blocker, and not an offensive juggernaut.

I say try and go after one of these guys: (Julian Wright, J. Hayes, T. Hassell, CDR, D. McGuire, Q. Ross, R. Butler, CJ Miles)

Sasha Pavlovic

by fanofgreen on Feb 6, 2010 6:33 PM EST up reply actions

1
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not

1
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by fanofgreen on Feb 6, 2010 6:34 PM EST up reply actions

in 09 it was stephon marbury and mikki moore which i’ll just say, it didnt go too great lol

so yes. I do also believe danny ainge is going to pick up or trade someone. and no it won’t be Ray Allen. We need Ray if we are going to win a championship.

Can we move on now?

by WikedCeltsFan7 on Feb 6, 2010 9:14 PM EST reply actions