Celtics Are Finally Headed In The Right Direction

this is about 2 seasons.Before April 1st and after.Get 35+ wins and take a shot come May,that’s the formula this year for everybody.Heat spank 76ers after losing 2 to the Bucks who lose to the Pistons.Knicks are 7-15 etc..this is nuts.We need Rondo healthy playing defense and making his FT’s and another Big to rebound.Right now we have neither.

Danny is in a perfect spot.He can add or subtract and either way it’s understandable.Next summer is when he’ll be judged

1. We are certainly getting it together, but definitely not there yet. I don’t think the C’s came to training camp out of physical shape, but certainly out of game shape. I think they are now, with few exceptions, in game shape.

2. One of the problems at the beginning, and still is, is individual and team timing. That will come

3. We are incorporating about 7 new players, maybe more if you include JO, and some I may have left out and that chemistry is not quite there. Wilcox, for instance, was starting to understand that if you are open you will get a pass. He did pretty well when Rondo was out and Pierce and Ray were essentially running the half-court offense. Rondo’s passes into the middle are different and Wilcox will need to get used to that and I’m sure he will. He can get us a bunch of easy baskets once he gets his old team out of his head.

4. As far as “getting there”, we never will. This is from the player’s point of view (and the coaches). We won last nite, but I’m sure there will be lots to talk about in where things went wrong. This has always been a mantra with this team. They want perfect and that’s great.

5. We also need to consider the quality and character of the guys that Danny brought in. This team really likes each other, they help each other and they are all about winning. No one is playing for a contract whether he has one or not.

6. Don’t know if they can take it all, but it’s fun to watch basketball being played the way it should. It may not be for 48 minutes or every nite, but there are moments when they are so much fun to watch.

Danny’s patience is incredible. He does not react to short-term events. I think he knew this team was better than it looked and fortunately he is not one to panic. I would like to see him keep this team as it is till the season ends. It takes too long for a player to come in here and really get what’s going on. An individualist will kill the chemistry and a solid player will be reluctant to take shots. As Tommy says, “if there’s a 23 year old Shaq out there, go for it”.
But that’s not going to happen and I don’t see us making any changes, especially in this shortened season.

TrueGreen, you may be right on this but I wouldn’t put anything past Ainge as far as making an in season move. This team really does need a quality big. Sideshow Bob, Jason Thompson, someone from Utah, not sure. Especially if we want to compete with Chicago and Miami this year. I don’t think any of the big three could fetch that quality. If any big deal happens it will involve Rondo. The debate on whether we would better with a quality big or Rondo going forward is for another time.

But Wyc was clearly bought in at the start of the year on doing whatever they can to win this year.

I bet ya he’s back on the wagon and pushing to go full speed.

the easy part of the schedule just ended.

They are 12-10

Boy, I know that I’m excited.

KG is not looking “a step slow” now. Pierce and Ray do not look over the last week like they have lost anything. The bench players brought in – Bass, Pietrus, Wilcox are solid (and I think Dooling too). Really solid. And, I agree w above comments, the chemistry appears better than last year. I’m glad to be rid of Delonte and Big Baby. (They were good players and not cancers but a locker room does not need such distractions.) And the young guys, especially Bradley, give us minutes and, just as important, hope. And Daniels, Stiemsma and Pavlovich will have their occasional opportunities. All are capable. I was at Toronto game and was surprised how big Pavlovich is. The one total under-performer is J O’Neal. But I believe patience with him will be rewarded. We do not need to dissemble assets to “rent a big man” to make up for what he’s not bringing now. I do not think he’s in shape.

i think we beat the Knicks because we had a bench and used it and the Knicks didn’t (or couldn’t). Execution at the end, except for Chandler dunking, just wasn’t there for the Knicks.

Celtics can still win….at their own will….. Pierce, Allen & KG are legends on their own, and with Rondo, Bass, Dooling, Pietrus, Bradley, Wilcox and the rest of the team supporting them and continue to play as one solid unit, they can still get a way with a 30 point win or still can win 22 points down. So…..who said Celtics are old?

The way Pierce& Allen turn the ball around…and hit back to back 3’s..with KG&Bass hitting jumpers..Rondo&Bradley running the fast break, I would say they can still win… at their own will…The way the Captain leading the Celtics now, I know we will have another interesting playoffs…and finals too.

i’m not sure i agree with this: “but if the playoffs started tomorrow, there wouldn’t be a team in the league that would look forward to playing this group”
not many teams fear the celts anymore like they used to 2 years ago. in fact lesser teams have routinely come to the garden and beaten us.
but yes, no one will take us for granted as this core has been there done that once and almost been there done that once more.

but after watching the replay, did anyone else notice how eerily similar the Landry Fields breakaway dunk late in the 4th quarter yesterday was to Lebron’s breakaway dunk late in game 7 of the 2008 semifinals? both were Pierce turnovers at about the same place on the court and made it a 1 point game