Back on the map
The Boston Celtics have just taken the elevator from the basement to the fifth floor in an eight-story building. They could reach the eighth floor before the season starts, but it will be based on the ability of Danny Ainge to find the right cheap pieces to mold around Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
I applaud the acquisition of Garnett despite having to give up everyone except the cleaning crew. The Celtics needed to make something happen to acquire Garnett and they obviously did it when they sent the fifth pick to Seattle for Allen. Garnett wants to win and I believe the Celtics will indeed win with this trio. Critics will wonder how they will mesh and I say it will be a smooth transition because of the unselfish play and leadership of Garnett.
These are three different scorers. Allen is a catch-and-shoot player who does not need to dominate the ball in order to score. Garnett will be the focal point of the offense because of his ability to pass and keep players involved and he will also get a ton of chances on the offensive glass. Pierce will be the go-to guy because he can score in a plethora of ways and get to the foul line better than any player in the league not named Kobe Bryant. The biggest challenge for Doc Rivers is to find two role players that can effectively play with these three and still produce without many touches and few accolades.
The Celtics are on the fifth floor because Cleveland, Detroit and Miami are still the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. But they have effectively leaped over Chicago, New Jersey, Toronto, Washington, Orlando and the improved Knicks.
I am sure Celtic fans will take just that position as a preview and not the question mark that would have been laid on them even with the addition of Allen. Teams with deep benches and good point guard play can go deep in the playoffs and the Celtics will have to improve in that area if they want to overtake the top three teams in the conference.
Kevin McHale obviously has not lost his loyalty for his former team. Although the Suns and the Lakers were in the running with the Celtics for Garnett’s services, it was pretty obvious that McHale was enamored with sending him to the Eastern Conference and preferably to his former team and teammate Danny Ainge. Because of this loyalty, the Celtics are now back on the map and the Lakers will have to deal with the ire of the best player in the game, Kobe Bryant, for not doing everything possible to get Garnett, who already had a home in Los Angeles.
mike411 Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 9:51 am
Cleary this is no time for the Celtics to rely on their rookie second rounders. They need a PJ Brown or even an Eric Williams. Grab Brevin Knight because Rondo can’t shoot and is unlikely to play at a championship level against a Tony Parker or Steve Nash. For backups they need crafty veterans who don’t mind sitting and watching 95% of the time but when they do go in they don’t make mistakes. Chris Webber already makes a mint from his buyout. He could be a solid power forard/center for this team. Could he be a good fit? Kendrick Perkins is a foul-a-minute backup so they need help in the middle. It’s a win now, baby, team. Chuck any dreams of youth movement out the window.
Onur Tuncaboylu Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 9:58 am
Hey Eddie.
Who are the role players who can fit next to these three? Do you have names in your mind?
Matt Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:07 am
Eddie,
First off, I love your posts. I appreciate your insight.
As for this trade, because the East is so mediocre this trade most definitely puts them in the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston absolutely needs to get a few more pieces but they are in far better shape than Miami right now. Miami is resting on the broad shoulders and unstable legs of Shaq. Wade is phenomenal player but I’m not convinced he can do it himself for a whole season. Outside of those two, it isn’t pretty. Detroit were mediocre last season before the addition of Webber and in the playoffs they looked not only old and tired but also fed up with one another. Chicago is missing one player who can consistently take over a game, Gordon is too streaky to be considered, although this year Deng may elevate his game. The only hope Chicago has is a trade for Gasol. Cleveland is a one man show - granted it is an amazing show - but as San Anotonio showed in the finals this is a team game. Plus Cleveland has not done anything to improve their team this summer.
Boston needs a few players who know their role. The last thing Boston needs right now is scorers. If I was Danny Ainge I’d be looking for a few solid vets at $2 million salary or lower who would sacrifice a million or two in salary for the chance at a ring. Brevin Knight at the point with Rondo would shore up the PG. What about Dale Davis in the middle with Kendrick Perkins? And if Leon Powe can continue to develop and if Tony Allen’s rehabbed ACL is going to allow him to be the player he was becoming this would give the Celtics a solid core. Lets not forget that the combo of Garnett-PIerce-Allen have been bringing their game every night for a decade. There is no reason to doubt they will stop bringing it now. The only concern this team has is injury because lets face it - come the playoffs most teams are only going 7-8 deep anyways.
As you said Eddie, there should be little issue with the meshing of their games as they are all three different players who compliment one another. Plus they have all been in the league 10 years now and none of them have a ring. If they (the 3 all-stars and everyone else) buys in to a team game and accept nothing less than a championship, this team will be the beast of the east .
The bottom line is the East just got a lot more interesting and that is good for the NBA and its fans.
As a side note: Who would have thought the Raptors and the Celtics could be a possible East Final two years ago? Probably not many, many probably still don’t today. Time will tell.
Joe D Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:10 am
I think just the fact that KG plays with a penetrator in Pierce instead of just jumpshooters (KG himself is a jumpshooter afterall) is gonna make this a winner that Minnesota never could build. This is mainly because they surrounded KG with jumpshooters and KG is not an inside powerhouse who gets to the line enough.
Iguodala Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:27 am
Do you think, that Eddie Griffin would be a good addition to this team. We all know about his past problems with alcohol, but he has a good relationship with Garnett and would be mentored by solid veterans. He could bring in his rebounding and blocking skills. He can also make that open shot. Doug Christie, at the right price, could come off the bench, he’s a solid defender, can also make the open shot and plya some point guard minutes. Do you think he would be a good addition? Who else do you think could be a good fit, other than Brevin Knight and Dale Davis who have been mentioned numerous times?
Giacomo Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:35 am
Eddie, just accept it. a starting lineup of rajon rondo- allen-pierce-KG- kendrick perkins will not be tested by cleveland or miami(smush parker, yeh that was the answer! haha). and should beat an ever-aging detroit squad..
if a cleveland team play 4 on 5 or even 3 on 5 sometimes (with eric snow and varejeo) on offence and still make the finals then boston is a shoe-in…
that being said, im not saying it was an excellent basketball transaction or even that they will win the chip, but the east is just so weak at the moment, really its anyones for the taking.
if the season started today, boston would be the top team in the east.
Blaze Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:36 am
I agree.
Rondo, Big Baby and Perkins are not enough to bookend the dynamic trio in the middle if the Celtics really hope to make a push for the title.
Looking around the league, I see two names that instantly pop out as inexpensive, yet prefectly tailored options.
PG-Brevin Knight
C-Dikembe Mutombo
Knight is the best passer in the league, not named Nash or Kidd, and just as unselffish. True, he isn’t a big guard by any stretch, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the best thieves in the league as well. The only reason this guy never turned into a star was that he never developed an outside shot, which would have boosted his scoring into the double digits. On this Celtic team however, the focus for him is controling the ball (top 5 in ast to TO ratio every season) and playing defense (2.7 steals per 40mpg) not taking outside shots.
The only reason I might pass[pun] on Knight, is that he and Rondo seem to have the same tools and skillset. POint is, the Celts need a veteran guard in there to steady the ship. Gary Payton is well, WELLL passed his athletic prime and not much of an outside threat either, so the Celts might be looking for a shooter like Eddie House, to offset the play of Rondo. I still think Knight is my first choice.
As for Mutombo, he showed that at his age (41-50?) he can still start in this league. In 33 starts for the ROckets last season, mostly in place of the injured Ming, Mutombo put up 10.4 rebounds and 1.5blks in less than 28mpg, showing that he’s got some RObert Parish Green in his blood. Deke still has game. Another option, closer to his prime is PJ Brown, who isn’t as limber as say, Robert Horry, but still has enough left to average 8-8 while put the clamps down on his man defensively. Neither guy needs to score much on this team, so either would be a perfect fit, depending on the offense Rivers (read Garnett) is going to employ.
Whether it’s Knight and Mutombo, or House and Brown, the Celts can make it work by using their exceptions, and are poised to leapfrog my Raptors for first in the division.
One thing is for sure, the Atlantic has the makings to be the 2nd toughest division in the NBA for the next 3-5 seasons, and we could even have our first 60+win team since the 96/97 Heat.
yuri Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:38 am
eddie
as a die hard celtics fan, im likin the trade, but im also very skeptical of it… danny ainge has been rebuilding this team for the past few years and has been telling fans that he will not be takin it apart any time soon in hopes of having a team that will win for a long time. instead, he goes and gets rid of all the pieces that all of us fans have grown to love and, to put it in poker terms, puts us all in on this one hand. i am both enthusiastic and disappointed in the trade. it brings back the trauma that ainge caused me when he dismantled the celtics team that went to the eastern conf. finals back in 2001. now i know this team hasnt gotten anywhere near that point yet, so the difference is noted, BUT it feels the same because weve gotten rid of all the guys that make the heart of the team (besides paul of course) .. and that makes me a little sad because were starting all over… all over with a better squad. but nevertheless, we are starting all over and we fans have to learn to love this new squad all over again.
BectonD Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 11:38 am
Ainge has cast his two biggest blounders to the Twin Cities in two separate trades. (First, Blount who he resigned for way too much money and Telfair whom he traded the 7th pick in the draft for). The best aspect of this deal is the fact that these three guys all do different things out on the court and the compliment each anothers skill set. The Celtics still have a whole to fill at the 1. Ainge needs to find a pass first PG that is a strong defender. (B.Knight?) He also should sign a pick and pop big. The Celtics adviced to the Eastern Confence Finals with PP during an era when their bigs were jump shooters. PP works best with Rodney Rodgers or Antoine Walker type bigs. If the Celtics get a big that is a high % 3pt shooter (Uncle Cliffy?) this team could be in the race for the finals next year.
Connie Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 11:58 am
Eddie,
Thanks for your analysis. If I were a Celtic fan, I would be very excited about this trade. With a little more tweaking, Boston does LOOK primed to make a run, as early as this coming season. However, many fans and analysts are already crowning the Celts as Eastern Conf. Champs, and that is way too premature.
We need to remember that despite how things look on paper, there is an 82 game regular season and 4 - 7game playoff series on the road to a championship. Even if the Celts add a quality point guard and a couple of other key pieces and stay healthy, there is still the matter of team chemistry and coaching to consider. Don’t get me wrong. I think the Celts big three are all great players and winners at heart. But until they hit the floor together, this is all just speculative siroccos.
As a Suns fan, I’m just glad that the Lakers didn’t get the Big Ticket. THAT would’ve been a nightmare!
Z Posner Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
Eddie - love your stuff - this is an absolute rip for the celtics - i keep hearing how they gave up alot to get KG - i just dont buy it - they gave up one quality player in AJ who looks like he will be a very good not a great player - these comps of AJ to Dwight Howard are rediculous - howard is on his way to being an off the charts dominator AJ will have a nice long career as a good to very good player if….
but other than AJ what did they give away - trinkets and glow in the toys - Green? u kidding me? I love the celts as is and i am sure they will get better - perkins is not reliable until he learns to stay on the court - Davis could be more than most expect and Veal is the perfect compliment for these three - a high IQ player that does not need a shot and will do everything needed to win.
as for the rest of the EAST - Detroit - Chicago - Cavs … cavs will have a hard time repeating the other two are better teams than the Cavs - watch out for Orlando howard seems to get better each year and not a little ! a lot better - he will be the most dominant player in the league and it could happen as soon as this year - NJ has underachieved for 2 years now - they r bound for a year of relative health and now they have size with Magloir and Nenad returning - he is also a player with a high upside that is still getting really better year to year - he is headed for 20 - 10 status - than agin NJ could be the big 3 of Kidd - Carter - O’Niel … though with Magloir there who knows - iether version and NJ is a real threat if they all stay on the floor and Carter can … well these r the nets we are talking about so something is bound to go wrong - the rest of the teams are just fighting for 1st round exits.
I do not c a single team here that Celts cannot take out though they could also be taken out the other teams are good but all have holes:
Cavs - James and who????
Nets - who makes a shot in the 4th Q
Bulls - jump shots dont go in everyday - espeacially playoff time
Pistons - wallace is on the Bulls
Orlando - if Howard emerges this year… WOW
has anybody noticed I did not mention Miami???
game on!
Louis Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
Eddie, some good points but I don’t buy the kool-aid. I love what those “Big 3″ brings to the table. KG is a beast, Allen as a shooter is a stone cold killer and Pierce draws more fouls than a chicken farm. But the reality is, they have nobody to run the offense. Who’s going to play “D” out on the wings? Both Pierce and Allen have a litany of injury problems.
They have improved significantly from a talent perspective, no denying it. But their window to to win is a very short one. Those guys are not getting any younger. To go through an 82 game season and then grind it out in the playoffs - you need depth.
Short term gains and long-term pains. If I wanted to build a championship caliber team that will be perenial contenders - I’ll take the Raptors or the Bulls roster over Boston any day of the week!
C Dean Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
The Celtics did us all a favor by taking the attention of “Donaghy-gate” and putting it back on the parquet where it belongs. It’s obvious that, though it completely contradicts all that which Ainge has been preaching over the past three years, this does set up the C’s for a championship run.
The point guard and center situations have been analyzed to death already, so I won’t get on that topic. I do want to get into a matchup game though. Assuming the Celtics stay with their current roster with some backup tweaking, I’d say that there are probably two teams in the East that have a good chance on both ends against them. Check out these matchups:
Boston-New Jersey-Toronto
PG-Rondo-Kidd-Ford
SG-Pierce-Carter-Parker
SF-Allen-Jefferson-Kapono
PF-Garnett-Kristic-Bosh
C-Perkins-Magloire-Bargnani
PG- Boston gets whalloped here. No matter the expectations for Rondo, he can’t keep up physically with Ford and he doesn’t stand a chance against J. Kidd.
SG- Hot matchup across the board. We know what PP and Vince bring to the table, but Parker is an above-average (read: far better than Carter) defender who holds his own with an intelligent offensive game. I’d give this one to PP though.
SF- Old legs? Oft-injured? 3-point specialist? These three might just be the X-factors for their respective teams. I’ll withold judgement until game 30.
PF- I like Kristic, but this is a two horse race. Garnett and Bosh in the same division is a dream come true. These are the two best PF’s in the league (sorry Dirk) and they’ll be seeing a bit more of each other over the next four seasons. This probably has the Big Ticket ahead next year, but I’d have to say CB4 will take the reigns after that.
C- Magloire- former all-star with a chance to regain some of his former glory with a strong season. Perkins- as stated previously by other posters, this guy is seconds away from another foul every time he steps on the court. Lacks discipline and isn’t as strong as Magloire on either end. Which brings me to Bargnani. Fast, smart, sweet shooting and, based on reports, bulking up in Italy this summer. This guy is a big time X-factor and, if he improves his strength, will be the dominant member of this trio for years to come.
I can’t wait for this season to begin!
shiloh2217 Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 1:48 pm
who says that the three will stay healthy. Aleen has had some issues lately. they have not played a game yet. on paper they are better, but that does not equal wins. Let see how it plays out before we crown a team who has not played a second together.
Ed Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
remember the Lakers with Shaq, Kobe, GP and Malone and they got taken out by a deeper Pistons team. Boston is even thinner….the NBA is about depth and chemistry i.e. Suns, Spurs, Mavs and Pistons. So that being said Boston is not a favourite to walk into the finals, maybe not to even win the Atlantic….I think the Raptors and Bulls in the East are building it the right way like the Suns, Spurs..etc…
The Raptors would be a match-up nightmare for the Celtics.
Bosh vs. KG
Parker vs. Allen
Garbajosa vs. Pierce
Ford vs. Rondo (no contest for Toronto)
Bargniani vs. Perkins (no contest for Toronto)
Toronto’s bench vs. Boston’s bench (no contest for Toronto)
Defensively Toronto has Boston covered and Toronto’s second unit would destroy Boston forcing the Big ‘3′ to play all 48 minutes.
food for thought…
noori Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
Eddie, first off, love ur articles, they are truly the best. Now about the Celtics. We all agree on that they need a Center and a point Guard. Ive read in rumors that they are trying to get C-webber, but for PG i dont c them lookin for Earl Boykins. He is a really nice shooter as well as a point guard. They should go after him rather then goin after injured players like Troy.
david Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
I like the trade for both teams — Boston got better and Minnesota can rebuild — win win. But don’t go overboard and start to hand Boston the trophy. They’re better, but until the can get some “defense” their shot at the O’Brian will be tough. Ray Allen is a great shooter, but he couldn’t guard my grandmother. And if you get in his face, you’ll take him out of his game…a la Bowen. KG needs to learn to go to the basket…if he settles for jump shots, he won’t change the persona of the team. And Pierce needs to stay healthy. A lot of ifs.
But IF nothing more, they’ll be more entertaining to watch.
I used to take the Boston games here(San Antonio) so my kids could run around and we could leave at halftime. Guess now I’ll take the Knicks.
Zaitzd Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 2:47 pm
I agree you on this one, Eddie.
They should def now focus on getting brevin knight, not so much as a starting pg but a good backup and veteran leadership for rondo. I actually love Rondo’s potential. If he can be a consistent midrange shooter he will be more than fine. He is great on defense and get the ball up the floor and get tons of shot for allen by kicking off basket drives.
I like PJ brown as a nice role player and I think Matt Barnes would actually be a perfect fit. He can fill minutes for allen, pierce and maybe even KG. In addition he showed the ability to bring the ball up the floor and distribute during the playoffs, and at 6 7 he has the height to get the big 3 plenty of jumpshots.
Ruben Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
How do you get to the 12th floor in an eight-story building ?
MBunge Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 3:34 pm
Everybody keeps ripping on Rondo and Perk. Well, if Perk plays only as well as he did last season he’ll average 7 boards and just over 6 pts in 30 minutes a game next season. And he’s only 23 years old. And what did Rondo average over the final 3 games of last season? 17 pts, 7 asts, 3 stls and just 2 tos. If Erick Dampier and Eric Snow can play significant roles on Finals teams the last two years, why exactly can’t Rondo and Perk do the same?
Mike
Rashidi Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
“Grab Brevin Knight because Rondo can’t shoot and is unlikely to play at a championship level against a Tony Parker or Steve Nash. ”
And Brevin Knight can??? He’s just a fragile, older version of Rondo. They needed someone who could shoot (like House), not a duplicate of a player they already have.
“Defensively Toronto has Boston covered and Toronto’s second unit would destroy Boston forcing the Big ‘3′ to play all 48 minutes.”
Wait, lemme get this straight, you’re saying Bosh, Parker, and Garbajosa can hold Garnett, Allen, and Pierce? What planet are you from?
“Bargniani vs. Perkins (no contest for Toronto)”
Yeah, it’s no contest that Perkins would outrebound Bargnani by about 10.
The Celtics have a great rebounding team right now - far superior to Toronto’s, which was among the worst in the league last year and hasn’t improved on it. Who cares if Toronto can stop Boston when they wont keep them off the offensive glass?
KG took two borderline all-stars in Sprewell and Cassell to the best record in the west. What do you think he’ll do with two borderline superstars in the east?
Rashidi Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
“Pierce will be the go-to guy because he can score in a plethora of ways and get to the foul line better than any player in the league not named Kobe Bryant.”
Actually, there are many players better at getting to the line than Kobe, who takes far too many jumpers now for his own good.
“The Celtics are on the fifth floor because Cleveland”
Cleveland? You mean the fluke team of the decade? I don’t get how Boston passed Chicago, but not Miami (who Chicago swept) or Cleveland. Between Detroit, Chicago, Miami, and Cleveland it’s a crapshoot as to whom is better, a matchup between any of those 4 teams in the playoffs would go either way.
Rashidi Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 5:36 pm
“I like PJ brown as a nice role player and I think Matt Barnes would actually be a perfect fit.”
Both are too expensive. Boston is near the luxury tax and will likely fill the rest of it’s roster cheaply. Barnes is likely staying with Golden State as a result of overestimating the market.
As far as perfect fits go, the Wolves have enough shooters among their big three, Barnes is just more of the same, especially since KG and Pierce take a lot of Js already, they could use an interior presence particularly on the defensive end. They want Mutombo. Dale Davis wouldn’t be bad for vets minimum. Ditto for Corliss Williamson, Malik Allen, Cliff Robinson, or Ruben Patterson. Ime Udoka would likely give the best bang for the buck (though I think the league would pay most of the aforementioned contracts, not Udokas).
Even Austin Croshere or Keith Van Horn would be a better option than Barnes, as they wont command as many years or money.
Did I mention Chris Webber is still available and ring hunting?
Big Lou Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 7:28 pm
The Celtics just added Eddie House but he’ll be relied on for quick shots/scoring more than anything else. I agree that B. Knight would be a great fit. Ainge has been hinting about bringing on Deke Mo as B/U C. I think that would also help. That should get them to the “7th floor”.
Hey kobe and Laker fans; How you doing? Even Smush is taking pot shots at you guys. I look forward to the Lakers fans cheering KG on when he makes his first visit to LA wearing Green! My oh my how quickly things change!
jg2gbaby Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:00 pm
cleveland make a move
dj hott Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
how is tj ford going to dominate rhondo, rhondo is fast and plays d, ford is good but at 5′10 1/2 160 he cant dominate anyone, the bulls should say forget it and trade everyone for kobe, because they are young and fun to watch but sign b.gordon 11 mil, trade gordon, thomas,j.noah,a.nociani and duhon for kobe, that may work if kobe doesnt want to be in la, the bulls steal keep deng, then sign webber somehow even if u have to pay him a extra million and tell him about the word defense, and tell him now your on a team to score and play d, next to wallace,
u have 1.hinrich 2.k.bryant 3loul deng 4 webber 5 wallace
sabolosha,sweetney, and aaron gray on the bench, now pj stays and u have a contender, but none of this will happen so the celts go from lottery bust worst team, and not getting oden(not hating but wow)
and now have kg, the best shooter in game in allen, and a pure scorer in pierce, its official im moving to boston, and doc rivers has job security now and who ever there gm is should never be fired and get a raise,and toronto was a fluke last year, the will finish 10th, and if the knicks dont fight each other with randolph they will at least make it to number 7
and hey eddie johnson you rock
tim Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
ok the celts need time to gel but will be great. but u know that there is no way all the garnett,pierce,and allen will stay healthy for 70 games together like they need, if they do they are a perfect team, rhondo, will get a chance to start and told play defense and pass the ball to the allstars, perkins will be motivated by garnett and told have a breakout year and just average 8 pts and 8rebs, g.davis is nice, pruitt is nice, the addition of e.house is nice, and they should try to sign, pj brown, or some vet big
i bet nj, and chicago will regret not getting z.randolph or j.oneal
and the lakers need a prayer, cavs have the tools and should know now to make a move like everyone else to win, say gooden8mil hughes 8 mil and d.jones6 mil and picks for j.oneal or they may have to give up gibson, instead of d jones, then sign, boykins or b.knight
g gibson 11 6
g.s.pavlovic 14
f l.james 27 7 7 marshall&villenous or whatever his name is on bench
f j.oneal 21 11
c z.ilgauskus 13 8
Santana Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:12 pm
I love that knicks are not even mentioned as contenders in the east. We have a young core of improving players and one of the best benches in the east. Lets compare:
C: Perkins vs. Curry
Curry may be out-rebounded, but he’s gonna score 20+ on him.
PF: KG vs. Randolph
Advantage for Boston easily…BUT! Who do you think is going to come over for the double-team on Curry down low, KG. Leaving zach with ample opportunities.
SF: Allen vs. ?
I highly doubt Allen will play more than 60 games this year. Balkman is more than enough of a defensive presence to stick to Allen all night and keep that stats down. If not, we could stick 6′11″ jefferies on him to alter his shots.
SG Pierce vs. Crawford
Point for Boston.
PG Marbury vs. Rondo
Steph may be freaking crazy but he is still one of the best PGs in the league.
Benches
Boston: Second-rounders, House,etc…
Knicks: D.Lee(rookie game MVP, USA scrimmage team),
Balkman(a few all-defensive teams by the time he retires),
M. Collins(avg. 14ppg, 5 ast, and 6.5 rebs in april),
D.Nichols(top 3 outside shooter in this past draft),
R.Morris(probably a better bigman than Perkins)
As of right now, the Celtics wont be able to beat the knicks in a series. If KG and the gang are able to get a few good vets to sign(primarily C-Webb), then i would be scared. But not as of now.
dj hott Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:18 pm
celtics gm should get a raise, and and eternity contract.
raptors now fall out of the playoffs, knicks in
east
1.boston
2.cleveland
3.miami
4chicago now the lakers better make a move for oneal,
5.detroit quick before nj trades krystic&jefferson for him or
6.nj cleveland makes a move
7.orlando and the only thing miami should win is senior citizens
8.ny coupons at denny’s and they have no trade bait so thats it
dea Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 10:19 pm
C dean
Ur very wise, the nba has changed rapidly to the point where if you dont have a bench than you are not gonna go far, sure they got the best players in their positions but what happends when allen or pierce (or both) get injured thats 20-40pts gone down the drain and they are not gonna have anyone to pick up the slack to the point where kg is going to be burned out, the only way i see them doing anything amazing that has to do with the playoffs if if rondo becomes *amazing* and is one of the top pgs in the league because with out a solid pg the big names cant get the ball
Mellow aka Mublood Said,
August 1, 2007 @ 11:21 pm
wat are the C’s paying to win the atlantic …………i might put a 1000 bucks on them……no way is toronta getting the div title
SKY Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 12:08 am
Celtics are now probably the best team in the East right now.
Given that there isn’t too many changes, they should be able to win the Atlantic and claim the first or second seed in the playoffs.
The only teams that would be able to make a stand against them are Detroit and Chicago, and the Celtics are still slightly better.
Obviously the Celtics have a dreadful roster other than the new Big Three, but just look at New Jersey.
They have one Hall of Famer in Kidd, a borderline Superstar in Carter, and a borderline All-Star in Jefferson. Who else do they have? This past season they had Mikki Moore and Jason Collins to start…? They got all the way to the second round of the playoffs in which they almost won.
The Celts have a Hall of Famer in Garnett, and two borderline superstars in Allen and Pierce. Perkins and Rondo (or House) could be the other two starters, and all they really have to do is play good defense, grab rebounds and score when opened.
I think the Celts can get all the way to the NBA Finals given nothing ridiculous happens. And of course, they would put on a show against even the elite west teams like the Mavs, Suns and Spurs (although I think they would still lose in 6 or 7 games.)
Ley Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 12:26 am
B all Handler — Eddie House, Devin Brown
O utrageous — Dale Davis/ Mutombo
S trong — Paul Pierce
T otal — Kevin Garnett
O ffensive — Ray Allen
N o Fear — Matt Barnes, Ruben Patterson
Now thats a Champion Team right away!
Yes!
dj hott Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 12:42 am
sky why do you believe the cavs are not still a top 2 seed in the east, lebron can only get better as well as gibson no real changes, neither the mavs.
i to believe the celtics will make it to the finals, if the current rosters stay how they currently are and phoenix vs the spurs will go down as one of the best west finals ever. oden will avg 11.8ppg 8.8 rebs mainly in 2nd half of season aldrige 14.8 8.3 portland will need time as oden, i think oden randolph with aldrige off the bench still getting 30mpg would been much smarter.or why didnt they get loul deng or r.jefferson instead off season issues dont allows mean give your best player after his best year away the second u get a chance.aldrige and oden are tall kinda weak soft, but very talented what would a smaller but tall enough power best in the inside who could also gaurantee 10 rebs a game hurt.
phoenix almost traded shawn marion, b.diaw and 2 1st picks for garnett
who would be better than phoenix or current celtics
phoenix1.nash2.bell12.23.hill11.8 4.garnett 5.a.stoudemire 6-man balbosa 16.9(wow)!! nash would have a career ast seasion 17.8ppg 16.4 ast garnett 21.1 13.1 stoudemire 21.8 10.6
Mh Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 12:43 am
Rashidi good points, I was just about to rip into the guy who thinks Toronto is ahead of the C’s at this point. All this talk about “depth”, the only team with real “depth” in the east is, Detroit, who’s already on a decline. I mean to be honet, all the east consists of is a of couple all-stars on the roster, and the rest are guys who just help fill the court, take fouls, play d, help rebound, make a few layups, etc. You act like they need to average a double double , the 3 headed beast will take care of the rest, and at the same time make the game more easier for the role players!! So again depth is NOT AN ISSUE on the EASTERN CONFERENCE. You act like they only have 5 players playing the whole game?
And as far as the comparison to the lakers team full of soon to be nba legends, that team had ego problems, Kobe, Shaq, Malone, and GP??? How much arrogance can you have on a team, Kobe, and Shaq were difficult enough, then you add loudmouth GP, and Malone. The Celtics have 3 of the most humble all-stars in the game who’ve been on losing teams pretty much they’re whole career, so all this is just new motivation. With Pierce posted up across from Garnett, that leaves Ray Ray floating around for 3 pointers and mid range jumpers all day! So Garnett and Pierce will see less doubles this year than they’ve ever seen in the past, which will allow them to really dominate their positions. Not to mention if they do get doubled they’re willing and have shown to pass well out of doubles in the past. They’ll have a sick inside out game, and Rajon’s speed pushing the ball up the court on fast breaks will help their transition game as well. It’s a wrap they’re contenders in the east, EASILY!
P.S. To that guy Ed, who named all those toronto players and matched them up with the C’s 3, and pretty much said that they can hold them down and match up with them, lol good joke, but lets BE REAL. Parker, Garbajosa, Bargniani???? Are you serious, lol. I’m guessing your from Toronto, and really love your team, thats cool and all, but look at those names compared to the Celtics 3 just one more time? No comparison I know, sucks that you can’t delete your comments on here huh? lol
Stephan Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 3:17 am
Well, my thoughts. With this trade, Boston is ahed of let’s say 80% of Eastern Conference teams. I think only Chicago and maybe Detroit are better, since they have better option on more positions on the floor. But the key to all this, and we saw that in the finals, are the bench players.
Boston could get 2-3 conference titels in the next years, then their new stars are getting old. But beside those three guys, who do they have and more important, what do they have left to acquire veterans? Brevin Knight was mentioned, he could fit in; Dikembe, man, I really love this guy and think he is a very solid backup, but he could never ever play more than 10-15 minutes for a whole season; he said last season when he had to play for Ming that he is getting too old for this.
So, in my opinion, Boston did wrong acquiring Garnett. Although they might have a good shot going to the finals in the next 2 seasons, they lost Jefferson, Green and other good names who could have stepped up alongside Allen and Pierce. What will happen if they do NOT win a championship in those 2 years? They are not at one level with Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas yet!!
It really comes down to the remaining acquisitions. If they are poor, Boston might have dumped themself into a bigger hole by not beeing able to acquire roleplayers and a solid bench!
Rashidi Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 3:40 am
“Celtics are now probably the best team in the East right now.”
On paper, at least.
“Given that there isn’t too many changes, they should be able to win the Atlantic and claim the first or second seed in the playoffs.”
It’s worth noting that Pierce and Allen missed a lot of games this year. An injury to any of the big three kills them since the bench play will be weak. They could use a young guy to fill some minutes. The best they have is Tony Allen - who also spent most of 2007 on the sidelines and may not be the same player when he returns. The Celtics would probably be best suited to play the big three lighter than one’d expect in the regular season, since the only season that matters for them is the playoffs.
“The only teams that would be able to make a stand against them are Detroit and Chicago, and the Celtics are still slightly better.”
Detroit and Chicago are easily superior defensively, which is what wins games in the playoffs. Kirk Hinrich or Chauncey BIllups vs Rajon Rondo for 40 minutes? Oy vey.
“but just look at New Jersey. They have one Hall of Famer in Kidd, a borderline Superstar in Carter, and a borderline All-Star in Jefferson. Who else do they have? ”
Nenad Krstic returning from injury and a solid bench. Jersey should be improved from last year. Hell, I’d even take backup PG Marcus Williams over Rondo, maybe even Magloire over Perkins too.
“Perkins and Rondo (or House) could be the other two starters, and all they really have to do is play good defense, grab rebounds and score when opened.”
Which is actually a lot to ask for, considering the players are Perkins and Rondo. Perkins is foul prone, Rondo is turnover prone, and neither player can score. They will at least grab rebounds though.
“I think the Celts can get all the way to the NBA Finals given nothing ridiculous happens.”
You mean like Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Miami, and New Jersey playing up to par? Detroit and Chicago run borderline all-star teams out there and have deep benches.
Shots per 40 (points per 40)
Allen: 20.8 (26.2 p40)
Pierce 19.5 (27.0 p40)
KG: 17.9 (22.8 p40)
TOTAL: 58.2 (76.0 p40)
Somebody is going to take a hit in the shots department, no way three guys are going to average that many shots playing together. My guess is KG and Allen take fewer shots - KG because he’s more passive and has all-star teammates, and Allen because he’s older and the best shooter (spot up). Pierce gets to the line better than either and with Allen around he won’t need to take as many threes.
Bulls
Gordon: 19.8 (25.9)
Deng: 15.9 (20.1)
Hinrich: 14.9 (18.7)
TOTAL: 50.6 (64.7 p40)
“And of course, they would put on a show against even the elite west teams like the Mavs, Suns and Spurs (although I think they would still lose in 6 or 7 games.)”
Those teams all have deep benches and would run the Celtics into the ground. KG is not a post scorer, it’s a mostly jump shooting team that won’t be great defensively. San Antonio not only has a better big three (based mostly on how good Duncan is), but a deeper team. Ditto for Phoenix, I don’t think anyone would take KG, Pierce, Allen over Nash, Amare, Marion - they’ve proven they can play at an extremely high level, and that’s without tossing in Bell, Barbosa, and Diaw. Dallas has Dirk, Howard, Terry, and again, they’re just deeper. Perkins isn’t better than either Dampier or Diop, Rondo isn’t better than Harris or even Stackhouse, unless Rondo became Baron Davis they wouldn’t have a prayer, there’s a reason they won 66 last year.
“So again depth is NOT AN ISSUE on the EASTERN CONFERENCE.”
Maybe not in the playoffs, if you’re going to ride them for 45 minutes each. But in the regular season? They’re probably have the record of a 5th seed, highest a 3rd seed only because of division.
WASHINGTON has Arenas, Butler, and Jamison. Honestly, how much better is Boston going to be than them? KG is a bit overrated as a whole, he is not a game changing defender and not a post scorer.
“The Celtics have 3 of the most humble all-stars in the game who’ve been on losing teams pretty much they’re whole career, so all this is just new motivation.”
I should add that Ray Allen is hardly “humble”, he was part of that egotastic Bucks team, has openly feuded with Kobe Bryant, and has taken quite a bit of shots over the years. He will probably have the biggest adjustment to make, especially when you consider that other than scoring, he doesn’t do anything particularly well.
“So Garnett and Pierce will see less doubles this year than they’ve ever seen in the past, which will allow them to really dominate their positions.”
Actually, I don’t remember the last time KG got doubled. Nobody doubles big men who hang out 18 feet away.
“Rajon’s speed pushing the ball up the court on fast breaks will help their transition game as well.”
Rondo is most likely a piece that will hurt more than help. He is dangerous on the break, but the Big 3 are all past 30, meanwhile Kendrick Perkins, Dikembe Mutombo, Glen Davis, these lumbering guys just necessitate the half-court even more. This is not a fastbreak squad, it’s a halfcourt squad, and Rondo is not really a halfcourt PG.
tp Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 5:22 am
From the last few Conference finals, a team needs four things to succeed in the playoffs:
1) Defense.
2) A balanced roster covering all aspects of the game.
3) A clearly defined gameplan.
4) Bigtime players who step up in the crunch.
The Celtics just pulled a Rocket, stockpiling talented players with a history of playoff failures and hoping that they somehow snap out of it.
The talent is there, but is Doc Rivers the man to have them play defense and stick to a gameplan whatever comes? If they fail in the postseason, will Ainge panic and change his tack again, like he regularly does every eighteen months?
Of course, the bright side is that it isn’t as if they were going anywhere. Worst case scenario would still be an improvement over last season.
Zaneos Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 7:27 am
Sure there are a cons to this deal - the age of the players and the fact they have no bench at the moment. But Danny Ainge has made the correct call here, and swung 2 blockbusters in the same summer.
I just don’t see how people can be so critical of this deal!
The Celtics could go from 2nd worst team in the league to the Finals in 1 season, why is there any complaints?! Potential does’nt automatically equal championships 5 years down the track, and they certainly didn’t have enough of it yet anyway.
Al Jefferson is merely a good player on a bad team, in a bad division, getting numbers, and has little interest in playing defence. Sure he isn’t at his peak yet but he needs an attitude adjustment and I don’t think he has what it takes to be a key component to a contender. He may struggle out west.
When the ping-pong balls went south and Ainge realised that they would not get Oden or Durant, he realised that things aren’t get any better unless he took a pro-active approach. Pierce would soon grow tired of babysitting and ask for a trade, therefore getting nothing of equal value in return for the franchise player.
Ainge has made all the right moves, and now Boston will be an attractive venue for role-player free-agents, and they can keep building on this core and make a championship-contender for the next 3 or 4 years. They have valuable pieces to trade, if they want to make a longer window.
This is good for the Boston, the fans, the Eastern Conference and the NBA as a whole, so why be so critical and just celebrate what are some excellent moves by Danny Ainge.
space Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 8:18 am
in one month the eastern conference has leveled the playing field. its about time & congrats ainge. now if orlando & the knicks make bigger splashs than anticipated it’ll make for a fun season.
but who’s left on the market that the celts really need?
Ed Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 9:14 am
let’s make this clear to everyone that comparisons to players are from a defensive stand point. Toronto vs. Boston or Chicago vs. Boston….or whoever vs. Boston was to do a quick analysis of matchups. Because frankly that’s what Bball is all about. For example Toronto has a favourable matchup to Boston’s team more so than other Eastern conference teams. Most people can attest that your team is only as good as your bench. The 15-20 minutes bench guys get largely dictate how the game will finish up when the starters get back on….Why does San Antonio, Phoenix and Detriot always rise to the top consistently. My comment was a blanket statement that depth in basketball is necessary it’s usually a 7-9 man rotation in games, but when Boston as of now only really have 5 rotation quality players then it won’t be a breeze into the conference finals….Boston is a playoff team…but it will take a year or two before these guys really gel…and make that “RUN” for the title.
All the East teams do have holes, but so do the West teams except for San Antonio (frankly they are so solid, but still a planter fascitis for Duncan away from trouble). Time will tell and that’s I love when fans really get into the forums….people really show their alligence..
Which team has the best core players (3-4 guys) in the East for the next 5 years……
Moudy Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 9:29 am
The person who made comparisons to Toronto is on junk and fooled by Toronto’s whole european movement. When you gonna wake up and realize that they are looking at europe because that’s all they could get. If they look here, they have to sign a guy like Kapono to 6 mil a year because even he wouldn’t consider toronto otherwise. Please don’t compare Bosh to Garnett, Bosh is not a winner. He got defended in the playoffs by Jason Collins and he still didn’t do anything. I could beat collins to the basket with one foot. Toronto fans should not talk about basketball and instead talk about the new chinese restaurant and Indian Deli downtown. Toronto fans are the only people who actually enjoy a like Garbajosa running the fast break. Only fans who actually chose to go with Babcock instead of vince. Only fans in the world who believe Bosh will be the next garnett and only fans in the world who think Raptors are gonna win the atlantic next year. Toronto is every GM’s dream place to be because the stupid fans still fill up the stadium even if you lose. Please Toronto fans……no one cares about your players so DO NOT MAKE COMPARISONS TO ACTUAL BALLERS.
P.S. If Jason Collins is in the Nets starting line up this year and the Nets still finish on top of Boston, Vince Has to get some major credit.
thomas Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 9:48 am
sky
the celtics cant win the atlantic dont get me started about the east
the bulls can stop them the pistons can stop them, hell, even the toronto raptors can stop them and what do they all have in common…. they all got a BENCH that can step in a win a game for them at anytime 3players dont make a team when he go down with an injury whos gonna step in??? thats aronud 20pts lost for any one of the big 3
Michael Bennett Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 10:56 am
Eddie, I’m starting to think that you have a man crush on Kobe (like I do with LeBron - hehehe). As far as going to the free throw line, you forgot to mention Dwyane Wade, Allen Iverson and LeBron James. Those players are always tops in the league at getting to the charity stripe. But, you did mention Kobe - no way!!!
And, Everyone - You are crazy if you don’t think that Boston is automatically a top 4 team in the East. And, it’s not just “on paper” as many of you have said. Kevin Garnett is an amzing player - some think he’s the best PF in the game, regardless of no championships… yes, they think he’s better than Tim Duncan. Eddie thought Tim and KG were neck and neck until this last Finals. KG took the TWolves to the Western Conference Finals with a supporting cast of Sam Cassell (good) and Latrell Sprewell (not so much). Don’t underestimate one of the most unique players to ever play the game (I’m not going to bring up the 20-10-4 stat like everyone else… wait, I just did).
And, for those people who say that Pierce, Allen and KG are all over 30… Who cares? MJ and Scottie Pippen won 3 of their 6 championships over 30. They are all amazing, All-Star veterans who are in the top 5 at their position.
Here’s who I see as the top 6 teams in the East right now:
1) Chicago Bulls - They did enough in the off-season/draft to take over the top spot. 4 out of 5 starters are returning better than last year. And, because they have so many interchangeable parts at the PF and C position, they are the best team in the East. This team is built to win with the league’s deepest bench and best starting five. Record = 58-24
2) Boston Celtics - A starting lineup with three All-Stars in the East is not only scary, it’s going to lead to wins and trouble for every team they face. Rondo at point and Perkins at C are absolutely fine. These veterans will make sure that they play at a high level, and this is exactly the format where these young guys can learn to be team first players. Record = 56-26
3) Detroit Pistons - A good draft and resigning Chauncey secured the Pistons as a top 3 team in the East, as usual. They got a year older, and slower, but they’ll still be a tough team. In the Playoffs last year, they didn’t unravel as much as LeBron tore them apart. I’m guessing their motivation this year is stopping LeBron. Unfortunately, when a team a THAT as their singular goal, they lose focus on the more important goal of winning a ring. Record = 54-28
4) Miami Heat - With Dwyane Wade healthy, and Shaq having a TV show (Shaq’s Big Challenge - Huh?), the Heat will play well this year. But, that’s the key, obviously. Their play hinges on the health of this aging team. Dwyane Wade’s accident last year was a fluke, but Shaq must give them at least 25 minutes per game and at least 65 games. If so, look to the Heat to win over 50 games and rebound well from last year’s tough Playoff sweep from the Bulls. Record = 53-29
5) Cleveland Cavaliers - LeBron will have his best season as a pro to date, but unfortunately, his team will still be crap. He smelled a ring - 4 games away from it - and he’s entering the spotlight more than ever now. These are all good things… it makes opposing teams fans now HIS fans. Road games are less rough. It makes every one of his moves important. So, look for him to take full advantage of this as he leads his bunk team to more than 50 wins. Record = 52-30
6) Toronto Raptors - Another young team that got better just by aging, learning and being. This team will ascend as the years pass, but not too far too fast. This is a tough East now, and they still don’t have the pieces (by ‘pieces’ I mean experience and hunger) to beat the other top teams. But, they’ll improve upon last year’s good season to win 50. Record = 50-32
The East is back. And, I predict the World Champion will be out of the East this year.
PS - Have fun, Kobe, winning 43 games and shivering in the basement of the West.
NADLER Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 11:02 am
now im a heat fan but if i was boston i would spend the money and get someone like Posey to come off the bench!! i dont want him to leave miami, but i dont see them trying to keep him! i think they should go over the tax threshold and win! there still is plenty of roll players availible! and Motumbo would fit in just right! cant go wrong with Motumbo, even though people think he is older than he really is! lol
Michael Bennett Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 11:03 am
Moudy - Boy, you’re ignorant. I’m not necessarily a Toronto fan, but I do realize that they are a really good team. Chris Bosh isn’t Garnett, but Bosh is damn good. This is a young stud of a player - an All-Star game starter who’s top 5 in the NBA at his position.
What do you have against Europeans? Basketball is basketball no matter what country you’re from. I love America, but I don’t have to curse another continent to prove that. Get over yourself and love the game… Are you really even a fan?
Ed Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 11:19 am
Moudy….if Toronto gets 50+ wins and is either first or second in the Atlantic…you’ll eat your words….did everyone forget they won the Atlantic by about 8 games…and yes they lost to NJ in the 1st round..but if they won game 6 you don’t think they would’ve won game 7 at home……ballers are ballers regardless where you come from….but if you can fill out a team with Euros b/c they don’t command the money and ego….that’s just good business. Kapono was slightly overpaid…but what free agent wasn’t…and when he’s bombing 3’s on kick outs who cares how much he’s being paid….It’s amazing how much people don’t know anything about Toronto or Canada….only New York has more beat writers than Toronto following basketball….MOUDY….you’re fooling yourself if you don’t consider a Toronto a legit contender in the East….and the East is wide open for any team…..it took LeBron and Wade a year in the playoffs to amount to anything….
Mark Whitten Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 11:20 am
Moudy,
Basketball was inveted in Canada.
Yes, we probably have to overpay for Americans. That’s why we get Euros and South Americans. We should have been using this strategy from the get go. At least they have the sense to realize that in terms of lifestyle Toronto beats 2/3 of the cities in the US.
As for the rest of your comments. The Raptors have been to the playoffs once with the squad they have. Your Collins-Bosh is appreciated. Send an email when KG makes it out of the first round.
Two things that matter in the NBA. Gaurd play and the bench. Together, Ford and Calderon arguably comprise one of the top 5 combos, top 10 for sure.
Also, the bench has depth and versitality to spare. Fresh waves of talented players.
Boston is one sprained ankle away from being like evry other crap team in the NBA. Two great players surrounded by scrubs.
Toronto is far from perfect, but if you watched any basketball you’d realize they’re a team on the rise. Just ask Chuck and Kenny.
Ed Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 11:20 am
Michael Bennett…thank you…common sense always prevails…..
j boogie Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 11:25 am
you guys realize how tough the eastern conference/atlantic division is gonna be now.. first lets look at the atlantic..toronto=great future and we already know wat they did last year.. new jersey=they got their trio and we noe what they did last year..boston=kg,pp,ra..nuff said..and if new york can pull it together they can be a contender too.. PLUS.. don’t forget how philly ended the season last year.. theyve got a group of talented young guys and they can be good as well.. and now to the east.. miami still has wade and shaq so they still can be dangerous
detroit is detroit and they have good young players now…chicago.i is a great team built for the future and they have some key players.. ben gordon luol deng ben wallace kirk hinrich and tons more…ive already mentioned da atlantic..washington was great last year till the injuries and i wouldnt expect anything less from them this year..charlotte and atlanta are starting to pull it together..orlando is a force even tho they massively overpaid rashard lewis…cleveland got lebron and they did make the finals last year..milwaukee has a great core and if they dont go down with injuries like last year they’ll be good…only one team left.. indiana.. their future is unclear to judge right now but they still do have jermaine o’neal and a good young player in danny granger… so my point is this is gonna be a tough conference come next year barring any major injuries to these teams respective players..and the atlantic might easily be the strongest division in the east
j boogie Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 11:30 am
correction.. the atlantic division SHOULD be the top division in the east
jn Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
KG only got far when he had Cassell by his side.
Somehow, Sam Cassell always pushes his team forward. He got Garnett into the Conference Finals. He got Allen into the Conference Finals. He even got the Clippers into playoffs.
He may be done as a player now, but next May you will remember Sam Cassell.
C Dean Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
Wow, Moudy is bitter today!
Are you for real? Indian deli? Chinese restaurant? I have been a basketball fan since birth (literally, my uncle coached and I was at his games when I was only a month old), played the game since I could dribble a ball (for you that would be sixteen or seventeen, for me it was about three), played college ball and follow NBA and NCAA religiously. I know this game. Toronto has a srong team and Bosh, Ford and Bargnani are only 23. Garnett was not as good as Bosh at that age. Bosh did have a rough playoff, but I’d have to say it wasn’t J. Collins that stopped him. It was a combination of team defense played by NJ and playoff inexperience (got that one out of the way). The Euros? Umm yeah…. where have you been for the past 6 seasons. That is happening to every team that isn’t run by Isiah. Maybe we should all get the opportunity to watch this team more often. Get a League Pass this year and join me inrecognizing the future in the East.
In my last letter, I neglected to give props to NY. After reading Santana’s post, I’d have to give them props as well for their offensive matchups. Defensively, they have two huge question marks with Curry and Zach.
My two cents on the Eastern conference:
1) Chicago Bulls
Miami Heat
2) Detroit Pistons
3)Cleveland Cavaliers
4)Boston Celtics
5) Toronto Raptors
6) New Jersey Nets
7)New York Knicks
Love what the Hawks are doing, but no valid #1 pg is’t helping. Bobcats are definitely a contender on paper for the #8 seed. Bucks are a confusing mess. Big mouth Bogut is going to have a lot of guys running at him this year for his stupid comments and the Yi situation reminds me of Steve Francis w/ the Vancouver Grizzlies. They’re gonna have to deal him and get some BS in return. Larry Harris is messing up. Philly was a .500 team after the AI trade, so we’ll see what happens there. A true superstar (no offense to Iggy) wouldn’t hurt. Orlando- The beast and the overpaid one could get the troops rallied and Jameer to get his assist #’s up, but I don’t see it happening this year.
dortmunder Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
thanks for your posts. always been a big fan of yours.
i think eddie house will make delonte west´s role. point guard backup, three point scoring, quiality minutes.
believe me: the key player now is mutombo. perfect teacher for perkins. cutter elbows are needed? just call him.
if ainge can bring him, perhaps can we make the finals.
once in twenty years.
not bad.
Ed Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
i just saw a report about Mutombo….but with all these new players it’ll still be tough to get these guys playing together when all the teams in the NBA are gunning for the Celtics….The Raps got away with it b/c they flew under the radar….Celtics need a year to work…but when guys are under one year contracts its hard for any cohesion to build….I can’t wait till the season….when these guys decide it on the floor…
C Dean Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 2:24 pm
“Raps got away with it b/c they flew under the radar”? Does that mean they are in for it this year? Teams played the Raps as hard as they played most any other Eastern team, Detroit probably being the exception.
Ian Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 2:26 pm
The Lakers never had a serious offer for KG. Bynum is supposed to be all upside, but in Eddie’s metaphor he’s on maybe the third floor in terms of player development. Odom is a long oversized contract attached to someone who’s not going to live up to it and has no reasonable prospect for dramatic improvement. The Wolves wanted nothing to do with an Odom type here. Kobe may be mad that his team didn’t do “everything possible,” but they did just that. It *wasn’t* possible.
Meanwhile the Suns seem to have made the choice that they’d rather keep their team intact (by retaining Marion as his deal comes due) than blow past the luxury tax threshold with a modest upgrade who’s much older than the player they’d have given up, Stoudamire. Phoenix already has Nash paid a mint, and adding KG for almost any combination would have meant cap purgatory.
Speaking of which, the Celtics are now:
Over the normal salary cap with their first three players (!); and
Over the luxury tax line with only nine players under contract (!!).
They’ve got Rondo at PG (after tenaciously refusing to include him for McHale) and nothing else there. You have to respect a team that takes its chance, but even a nagging injury to one of the three stars would mean a Denver Nuggets-like season in which they bow out in maybe the second round, getting older in the process.
Actually the current Boston lineup reminds me of the Wolves in their Western Conference Finals year — only the Woofies had Sammy Cassell at PG, not what amounts to two off guards in Allen and Pierce. The wing players are a little younger but have more recent injury troubles, and Garnett’s a little older. The storyline there went: iffy season start, big runs, best record in the conference, crucial playoff injury (to Sammy *and* his PG backup) that brought them up short. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see the green jerseys repeat that…. And then how long is their window? The Wolves only got one season’s worth.
Ed Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
The Raps got away with teams taking them lightly before they started getting to .500 then teams realized how good they were. Toronto started 7 games under .500 but pulled it together b/c of glue guys….Boston might be in the same situation…but their glue guys are also their stars….Toronto will be in tough b/c teams will be better prepared….I expect New York to be like the Raptors last year….once or if they gel…
C Dean Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
Well put Ed. Obviously, you get it.
dj hott Said,
August 2, 2007 @ 9:49 pm
lakers suck
Eric L Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 3:27 am
I love how Boston has already been anointed as the team to beat in the East. Please, if we could for a second, get past the 3 megastar names and look at the team as a whole.
First, this team has very little to speak of concerning a bench. The Celtics are hovering right at the luxury tax with 11 players under contract which means that the last 2 necessary roster spots will likely be filled by players off the scrap heap instead of James Posey or P.J. Brown or any other solid player who won’t sign for a minimum deal. That means that Boston will be relying on the likes of Brian Scalabrine, Tony Allen and Eddie House to provide support. Sorry, but that just doesn’t inspire confidence.
Now let’s talk Big 3. Can all three players play at their best without being the first option? Paul Pierce had trouble getting along with Antoine Walker. How do you think he will do with 2 players taking away his glory on the court? Ray Allen probably will not be the player he was in Seattle with his “no conscience” jumper. You need shot attempts to find a rhythm, and he won’t receive nearly as many as he did on his own in Seattle. Not to mention that the 3 is a rhythm shot which means that his 3 point percentage could be a career low even if he does end up wide open. Which brings me to my next point.
I think many people have this illusion that Boston will have open players all over the court who will be pouring in buckets because of the superstars on the team. That isn’t true. After the 3 All-Stars, Boston provides 2 excellent players to double off of in Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins. And then when the bench comes in, well you know…
Finally, you people always forget to think about the possibility of injuries. Should one of these players go down with an injury (like Allen did for much of last year), this team will be in some serious trouble. Just look at another team built around 3 stars and little depth, Washington. They were rolling until they had 2 heads lopped off their 3-headed monster. When that happened, the league should have implemented a mercy rule (It’s hard for me to feel sorrier than I did for Antawn Jamison in the playoffs. It’s like falling out of a plane without a parachute. You know the end is coming, but you can’t do anything about it). And Washington had more depth than the Celtics do now.
So for everyone that looks at what has happened in Boston and has illusions that the Celtics are the ‘92 Dream Team reborn, please think again. There’s a lot to be decided once the season actually begins (but it sure is fun to dream, isn’t it?).
Allen W Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 10:04 am
hey eddie
“The Celtics are on the fifth floor because Cleveland, Detroit and Miami are still the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. But they have effectively leaped over Chicago, New Jersey, Toronto, Washington, Orlando and the improved Knicks.”
uhhh im pretty sure the bulls took miami in 4? so how are they better than the bulls again? ohhhh ya they added smush in the off season ya… i forgot now they are better.
Zaneos Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 11:06 am
Maybe we should wait for the rest of the off-season moves Danny Ainge will make before making judgements. There is no way he will surround 3 all-stars with only 1 PG on the roster that can’t shoot, 1 Centre, and nothing worth mentioning off the bench.
Ainge knows the time is now and will obviously look to get solid role players with skills to complement these guys, so its a bit early to say their young talent yet. Vets looking for a championship will now look at Boston and want to sign up. Obviously this is a tricky task considering salary-cap limitations but chance to get KG here and sign him to an extension, at a discount, you’ve got to take it. Well done DA.
Josh W Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 11:17 am
Finally, KG gets out of Minnesota and goes somewhere where he can get a ring, or at least a great shot at it. It is obvious though that they basically traded there entire future of players (Al Jefferson, Delonte West, #5 pick of 07, etc) for KG and Ray Allen, but I think there are some great veteran free agents out there looking for a ring. Since this is a Win Now, Rebuild again in 5 years team, they need players with experience that will work for less, not over rated, one dimensional, overpaid players. Latrell Sprewell (wants to feed is whole family), Keith Van Horn (forgot to learn defense), and so on. They were some of my favorite players, but won’t help Boston with these limitations. Maybe Sprewell would come back for less money if he sees KG there, but that’s a fat chance I’m sure. Webber sounds great, and he’s got enough money from his buyout from Phillie and what he got from his days as a King. James Posey would be good too, but I think he’ll ask for too much as well. But two players I havent’ seen in a while that have chances of NBA returns are Doug Christie and Penny Hardaway. I seen Doug in an interview last month saying he’s in great shape, and wants to make his comeback, but probably with Dallas. As for Penny, wasn’t it a couple years ago that his contract got bought out and he said he promises the world for a comeback…What’s the update on that? Does anybody know? Well, they did pick up Eddie House and some other rookie. House can be instant points off the bench, but I’m not sure about playoff effiency with his past at Phoenix when he missed most of his shots. Yet again, another one dimensional player - All offense, no defense. Boston needs Brevin Knight and P.J. Brown, and maybe Ryan Gomes might find his way back to Boston after Minnesota spends all of its cash on Al Jefferson’s extension. So, good luck Boston. Either way, here’s my 07-08 Celtic Dream Team
C-Kendrick Perkins / P.J. Brown or Chris Webber /Glen Davis
PF-Kevin Garnett / Ryan Gomes / Brian Skalabrine
SF-Paul Pierce / Penny Hardaway or Doug Christie or James Posey
SG-Ray Allen / Tony Allen
PG-Brevin Knight / Eddie House / Rajon Rondo
Leftovers - Leon Powe & Brandon Wallace(NBDL), Jackie Manual
This team would win a championship for sure, but I don’t know if there is enough money to go around to get these players…
What do you think Eddie?
thomas Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 3:07 pm
Mark Whitten
basketball wasnt invented in canada it was invented at springfield Umiversity by a CANADIAN. Dr. James Naismit
jeorge Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 3:17 pm
im a canadian and europian and to have one person insult to countrys is juss a crime, europians play the same game with just diffrent styles, the europian ego is much smaller and less paied than the americans (no offence) a player like starbury cuz excel becuse he is fast and knows the game. A player like yao could not because he is one dementional and sloww. Games are the same it depends on how you play it
Justin Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
1st of all rasidi the bargnani vs perkins comparison would definitely go bargnani’s way because perkins would outrebound him sure but bargnani would kill him in total points, total assists, 3pt shooting, ball handling and hes even a better defensive player (oh yeah I went there because unlike perkins bargnani actually moves his feet) and bargnani was second in ROY voting wtf has perkins done? if players were evaluated just on rebounding than reggie evans would be the mvp because he grabs like 18 rbs/48 mins oh and 2nd moudy you’re an idiot… nobody was a fan of Babcock and the stands were empty when he was running the show. we got colangelo now who if you don’t remem (which you probably don’t) ran the suns with his dad and drafted the likes of nash, amare, shawn so obvoiusly he knows what hes doing. and to knock tj ford because of his size ignorant because allen iverson is about the same size and he DEFINITELY dominates anyone who is matched up against him and dont knock on garbajosa because he won the tournament MVP for the world championships yeah the same tournament all your beloved “ballers” took part in I mean its pretty funny how so called untalented europeans who continually win the world tournaments and olympics while the usa can barely win silver now… albeit the americans are much more talented they not high on basketball IQ… so yah 6mil for kapono is pretty high but thats better than giving rashard lewis “your american homeboy baller” 118 millions max contract or whatever it was
ps chinese food and indian delis are awesome and if you dont look those two than something is wrong with you
Justin Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 4:01 pm
oh and bosh is fucking sick so it is completely appropriate to compare bosh to garnett… however garnett is still a much better player as it stands but they are comparable and FYI bosh was the second youngest 1st round pick in his draft class besides lebron ofcourse
Darth Celtic Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
hey man, thank you sooooooooooo much, i love your work, and Celtics 2007-2008 NBA Champions, I have no doubt in my mind, who’s Greg Odown? Kevin Scrlerant? LOL we have ray and kg!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ballathrilla Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 5:41 pm
Damn, KG, Ray, and Pierce together, on the same team? is that even fair to have three all-stars on the same team. They would have a killer starting line-up with those three in there. Mainly they should have a point guard who is assertive enough to pass, hopefully Rondo will fill that role; signing Eddie House is a great move, as if you sub out Rondo you will change the game style to more up pace as House will shoot the ball. That will relieve pressure off of Ray Allen or Paul Pierce to keep shooting the ball but instead make assists. KG will of course be dominant in the east as the east is “junior varsity” compared to the west. But he of course will have to bring more of a defensive presence to the team than offense as that is already covered by Allen, Pierce, and House. Ryan Gomes is a decent backup to KG as he can play 3 positions and is a good bench replacement for him. As the center position, it’s negotiable to who is to start and backup. No doubt they will be in the top 3 seeds of the East and is a wildcard for the finals. But bring varsity players like Allen and KG to JV, it is more of a walk to the finals, as LeBron cannot single handedly defeat this team. Detroit has more of a chance to, since they are similar to the Spurs, veterans but with expierence along with great defensive abillity. But the Celtics downfall will be bench depth as great teams made the finals with depth, Spurs Mavs Heat Pistons etc. Unless they try a relative Phoenix Suns style of using the starters continuously or Don Nelson method of using 7 players. Pierce, Allen, and KG, you can’t mess that nucleus up as they are all getting old(30+) and will agree to anything to win a ring. Find the assists margin to go up and the PPG to rise remarkably. This team will win 54+ games and will be dominant.
p.s. oh and i think Garnett is going to look like a fag in green. lol.
Keep An Eye On... Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
Rajon Rondo has such great potential. He has everything he needs to be successful except for a jumpshot. If he ever develops it, he will greatly compliment the amazing trio of Garnett, Pierce, & Allen.
Kendrick Perkins is also an excellent piece to build around. He plays solid defence, and does the little things that are needed to compliment stars.
Boston is a serious threat… I can not wait to watch them play. I think there is a better balance throughout the league now between the East and the West. As A Raptors fan, I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in their much-improved division. I definitely can’t wait to watch them counter the major challenge placed in front of them. Personally, I believe the Celtics can win the East next year and win a title very soon.
Mihajlo Moncilovich Said,
August 3, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
I don’t think its that great of a trade for Boston because Garnett cost too much and now the three of them account for the teams salary cap and they do not have anybody after them. Its tough to win with only three stars and nobody else. They do not have a point guard and I don’t think Perkins is even close to be a championship caliber center. Boston mortgaged its future for a couple of years of first round playoff exits and then they will be back at the bottom again.
Steve Said,
August 4, 2007 @ 2:26 am
What is up with the Garnett and Bosh comparsions Garnett is going own Bosh more then he did Carlos Boozer for anyone who watched what Garnett did to Boozer this past season knows KG layed the smackdown .
Boozer and Bosh arent that different beside Bosh being a worase one on on defender but better shot blocker .
The Celts need some serouis role playing help (veteran help) and Eddie House , Rondo and Perkins just arent going to cut it .
Ralph Wichter Said,
August 4, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Eddie,
What the Celtics need is you, circa 1988-89. You win with stars and they now have three of them, and not a lot else that can be depended upon at this point. They signed House who will give them some minutes at the point and some instant offense, but they sorely need a veteran center or combo 4/5 player to shore up the interior. Do you think Mutombo has enough left in the tank at 41 to come in ostensibly as a backup with the possibility of needing to play starter minutes for an extended period of time? What about PJ Brown. The biggest challenge is not only the three stars meshing together, but also quickly finding some veterans who will acclimate into necessary roles. The window of opportunity is narrow, but it has possibilities.
George Tsougranis Said,
August 4, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
The Celtics have acquired the best player in the league…..He can easily bring 21 points 12 boards and 5 assists for Boston. If you add those statistics to the guaranteed 23 points of Pierce and Ray Allen and the enthusiasm of Tony Allen and Rondo they are going for the championship. Also they may lack in height but they are easily one of the strongest teams inside with Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins. The Celtics are now one of the top teams.
djhott Said,
August 4, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
bosh is simply a tall skilled big man, nothing unstoppable, and he doesnt power slam as hard or block like garnett if garnett wins a ring or two do urate him the 3rd best pf of alltime?
1.duncan2.malone3.m.malone4.barkley5.kemp 6.garnett
lakers are about to trade, l.odom,k.brown,j.farmar and marc gasol for j.oneal
djhott Said,
August 4, 2007 @ 6:42 pm
pf rankings
1.duncan
2.garnett
3.boozer
4.j.oneal
5.randolph
6.e.brand
7.d.howard
8.c.bosh
9.e.okafor
10.a.jamison
furious Said,
August 5, 2007 @ 8:22 am
KG owning Bosh? In their matchups over the past few seasons CB4 has tended to get the best of big ticket apart from that one time in Minny when Garnett completely dominated him and held him to like 7 and 7….It is the best 2 PF’s in the game now and would be very interesting to see them go at each other more than twice/year.
The atlantic is the best division in the east, i look for one team to come out of the southeast, either orlando or miami. the rest of the 8 playoff squads will be from the central and atlantic. poor philly, i predict sixers with a 16 win season!
my concern with celts, even though theyre my preference to win the east is that with allen and pp on the perimeter they will be a revolving door for other teams swingmen. who guards the top guy? paul probably, tony allen if things get outta hand, 2 perimeter guys who cant defend can get ugly, anyone who remembers vince/jalen with raps few years ago knows what im talking about.
norm Said,
August 5, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
This is a team that i would make on a computer game, if you set fatigue to zero and turned injuries off. I don’t think that it will work in reallity. they should easilly clinth the division title, and probably make it to the conference championship. it will be itresting to watch what will happen when the season starts. If celtics face the spurs in the finals the it will be spurs in 5 or 6.
dj hott Said,
August 5, 2007 @ 6:09 pm
ray allens the best shooter in the game
pierce is the 2nd or 3rd best sf
garnett is the 2nd best pf(7th of all-time)
rhondo would rank as the 26 to 32 best pg(ugg)
and perkins maybe is a nbdl allstar reserve
how do they mesh?
tell pierce to drive as much as he wants score,get fouled or dish for allen for a 3
tell garnett to defend the goal like it is eva longaria and he’s tony parker
score on putbacks
if boston signs troy hudson his cd sells will pickup
give glen davis some time at the center and less at the sizzler
trade some of these extra cba pf’s they have l.powe,b.scalabrine,keep g.davis, and whos is these new undersized pf guy they have? what is he there to rub garnetts feet in practice, or is he an oversized well paid disguised waterboy, with a contiplimentary jersey? if the celtics get a mean streak and no injuries, i still see them as 1st year top in the east
play zone some, practice defense 70 percent in practice 30 offense
and boston why not sign toby bailey,and find leon smith, and i bet old khalid el-amin could challenge rhondo, (i doubt it but i loved him)
FireAinge44 Said,
August 5, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
Im still skeptical about this trade because Jefferson will be better than Garnett within the next three years….but noone can predict the future so idk….but i am happy that i will finally get to see a winning Celtics team since their run to the eastern conf. finals a few years back….and Ainge still should be FIRED!!!
space Said,
August 6, 2007 @ 10:31 am
the wizards & heat already know injuries could crush this team so quickly.
but the contract has crushed the celtics for several years. how can ainge wiggle to get that extra piece if they don’t get championship gold this season? they need a young stud to come in an give the franchise longterm hopes and energize the club.
is it big baby?
Jeff Said,
August 6, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
Dan Dickau and Fred Jones from the Knicks. Veteran players and distributors. Salaries in the $2-3mil range. Knicks aren’t really counting on them but took them for salary reasons in the Randolph trade. And Dickau played for the Celtics before and was well liked when he was healthy.
Rashidi Said,
August 6, 2007 @ 8:13 pm
djhott Said,
August 4, 2007 @ 6:42 pm
pf rankings
1.duncan
2.garnett
3.boozer
4.j.oneal
5.randolph
6.e.brand
7.d.howard
8.c.bosh
9.e.okafor
10.a.jamison
LOL Brand 6th = fail
No Dirk = Double Fail
Rashidi Said,
August 6, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
1. Duncan
2. Garnett
3. Nowitzki
4. Brand
5. J. O’Neal
6. Bosh
7. Howard
8. Randolph
9. Boozer
10. Okafor
Ian Said,
August 7, 2007 @ 7:12 am
As a longtime Wolves fan I can answer two questions above.
In terms of the big three coexisting, here’s the paradox of Garnett:
a) He’s an ideal complementary player, not really the guy who wants a late shot for the win. Over the last few years he’s been pining for a Sammy Cassell — a cocky guy to demand the ball late. A Paul Pierce or an Allen Iverson would be just about ideal to pair with KG. However:
b) Doesn’t that mean he really isn’t the superstar he’d need to be to have his contract? This isn’t your point guard; it’s your power forward who, when the game’s on the line, shoots fadeaways on the baseline. Short, usually. As I said, I’m a longtime Wolves fan…. We’ve seen that shot to death….
Also, Eddie Griffin is completely shot. Alcohol has destroyed his career, along with whatever other substances he does, and he probably won’t and shouldn’t get another chance. He’s one guy who IS NOT worth adding to a championship contender. Not in a million years. Even when he does play, he doesn’t do the things a player with his gifts should do; he won’t go inside, and instead shoots a lot from outside. The one thing he will do is block a lot of shots per minute. He always had great instincts that way.
Ian Said,
August 7, 2007 @ 7:16 am
Also as a Wolves fan, let me offer a cautionary tale:
Last year, early, the Sixers went into their free fall. By the time they sent Iverson away, they were the dregs of the league. The Wolves, meanwhile, were at or just below .500 at that point.
Once AI was gone to Denver, Philadelphia had no superstar, whereas Minnesota opted to hang onto their big name. And from that point on, the 76ers were a better team, in terms of record, than the Wolves. This while they were conspicuously trying to bottom out and rebuild.
Given that those records are true, I have to conclude:
– that AI isn’t worth as much as he’s thought to be worth;
– that KG isn’t worth as much as he’s thought to be worth; or
– that Andre Miller’s a mensch.
I like Andre Miller, a lot, but I’m still pretty sure the first or second point has some validity too.
space Said,
August 7, 2007 @ 8:35 am
jefferson is a true traditional interior powerforward. his numbers will always reflect that. garnett is a far more athletic hybrid powerforward in that gets crazy numbers every night. i realistically don’t see him having close to the complete game and franchise type impact or even marketing impact like garnett.
the wolves should be fine-
they lost their big ticket, but basically got the #5 pick in the draft 6 times over. that number is usually where you get the quality long career nba players like: gomes, telfair, green, jefferson and the future 1st rounders in the deal. not bad. don’t forget to mention brewer [although they might've been better off with joakim noah] and a much better team salary structure now garnetts anchor contract is gone.
jeorge Said,
August 7, 2007 @ 10:01 am
the only team that can beat the celtics ,are the celtics them self….. injurys and selfsish play from the captins are the only way they can lose
billy Said,
August 7, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
now we have THREE SUPERSTAR FRANCHISE PLAYERS!
these are three guys that have all been top dog/led teams to 50+ win seasons, all 3 have took their teams to conference finals, all 3 are unselfish veterans, A+ all-nba superstars, all 3 have finished top 10 for the mvp (garnett won it!!), all 3 are team players, they are elite at their position and play the right way……… and the roleplayers will be capable fully…. its amazing. all 3 are still in their prime and hungrier than ever for a ring, all are great leaders, love the game and give it their all. this team will be special for the next 4 or 5 years!!!!! I CANT WAIT!!!!! GO Celtics!!!!!!
in nba player rankings position by position to preview the season Ray Allen was ranked as the #3 shooting guard in the nba(for the 2nd straight year). Paul Pierce was ranked as the #3 small forward in the nba(for the 2nd straight year). and Kevin Garnett was ranked as the #2 power forward in the nba(again, for the 2nd straight year). all 3 were ranked in the TOP 15 overall (allen 14, pierce 13, kg 5)…. and all 3 of these elite superstars are now on my team… now that is what you call SPECIAL, my friend. LETS GO GET BANNER #17 BOSTON!!!CELTIC PRIDE!
billy Said,
August 7, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
1. boston celtics
2.pistons
3.cavs
4.magic
5.bulls
6.nets
7.heat
8.wizards
billy Said,
August 7, 2007 @ 8:42 pm
number 3 sg in the league- ray allen (behind kobe, wade)
number 3 sf in th league- paul pierce (behind lebron, tmac)
number 2 sg in the league- kevin garnett (behind duncan)
as ranked in sporlines nba player rankings.
all 3 in top 15 overall as well (kg #5 overall, pierce #13, allen #14)
billy Said,
August 7, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
and bowen could NEVER take ray allen out of his game……. if you remember correctly season before last, second round of the playoffs, 3 seed 52 win sonics led by their all-nba 2nd team sg ray allen going up against the powerhouse spurs……. ALLEN WENT OFF! the series goes six games and duncan hits the gamewinning shot with 0.4 seconds left, allen gets a last prayer shot but it rims out..
that was the series that bruce bowen got so frustrated that HE KICKED RAY ALLEN IN THE BACK after ray got an AND 1!!!!! he had to APOLOGIZE AFTER THE GAME DUE TO HIS LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM AND LOSING HIS COOL! HE GOT TORCHED! HE WAS THE ONE TAKEN OUT OF HIS GAME, GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT KID RAY ALLEN SMOKED HIM! ….
rashard lewis missed games 4, 5, and 6 cuz of an injury. if not seattle might have won, and woulda went to game 7 if that shot didnt bounce out.
Stefan Said,
August 8, 2007 @ 12:35 pm
I’m tired…sick and tired of people ignoring the facts, ignoring history, speaking as though hypotheticals were definites. The Celtics’ current roster hasn’t played a game together, ever. Their bench is as shallow as the kiddy pool down the street, and two of their big three are injury- prone and/or coming off surgery. Some of your readers have suggested that this team now, all of a sudden, has become the favourite in the east. Detroit, Chicago, and Toronto. These are the three best teams in the east right now and heading into the 07-08 season. Lebron needs help, the Nets have no character beyond Kidd, and Miami looks poised to self-destruct much to the chagrin of its only real asset, Wade. The Pistons, Bulls and Raps are my pick because they are the best all-round teams, and barring injury will come out of the gates with chemistry and team spirit intact, poised to win big early. They each have bench depth and hard-nosed, passionate starters. They each play a style that involves more than one or two guys on offense, they share the ball and have well-defined roles for their role players. It seems to me, these factors make winning teams.
The Celtics may very well end up getting the most out of that big three and having them play entire seasons injury-free (although a more likely scenario will be that Pierce and Allen miss a combined 30 to 40 games due to a variety of injuries) but even if they’re lucky enough to have their main guys for the whole year, it’s still unlikely they will come out on top in the east. No bench. More importantly, it’s gonna take them half a season or so to really start to mesh together as a team. Once they get there, say, around all-star break, they’ll be hard-pressed to catch up. Fierce prediction: Celts squeeze into the playoffs. Other playoff predictions:
1.Pistons
2.Raptors
3.Bulls
4.Cavs
5.Wizards
6.Nets
7.Celtics
8.Magic
You heard it here first.
Peace
Michael Bennett Said,
August 8, 2007 @ 2:40 pm
STOP SAYING THAT THE CELTICS WON’T WIN BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO BENCH!!! The Pistons won a championship a couple of years ago without a bench. THAT’s not a reason they won’t win.
If they have injuries, that will lessen their chances of winning. But, these guys are going to be fantastic together, like they’ve always been. I don’t necessarily think they’ll win the East, but they will win a lot of games.
Okay, okay… no one really knows what they’ll do this year. But, most people’s arguments on this message board are ludicrous. Can’t we have any common sense? Why does every argument have to be so polar? Isn’t there a gray area?
These three are the best 3-man combo in the NBA since MJ, Pippen and Rodman. That doesn’t mean they’ll win like those guys did - it just means that individually, they are brilliant. Together, they’ll probably remain brilliant.
When you get over 60 points, over 20 rebounds and over 12 assists from 3 players, you’ll be pretty good.
david Said,
August 9, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
Billy, I remember that series Sonics/Spurs well. I was at game #2 in SA when Seattle was down 25 or so points, and Ray Ray just walked off the floor and never came back. He walked, not limped. News the next day was that he had a “severe” ankle sprain. Turns out he played in game 3, none the worse for wear, no limp in sight, and yes, he torched Bowen that game, and Brucie got frustrated.
I agree that Lewis being hurt really was a factor. He was a guy who could create his own shot, was athletic and a pretty good defender.
But not Ray Ray. My then 3 year old called him a crybaby. He is a great shooter — that’s about it. How many points did he give up on defense?
I think you’ll find that Boston might not have time to gel these Superstars. In the East, the Bulls will run circles around them. They’ve improved every year and still have young legs.
Stefan Said,
August 9, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
Good point about the Bulls David; ditto Toronto.
Oh, and BTW, Micheal Bennett, when the Pistons won it, they may not have had the deepest bench, but they had five, count ‘em, 1,2,3,4,5, serious starters, as opposed to three all-stars and some towel boys.
Peace
Michael Bennett Said,
August 9, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
Thanks, Stefan. What I’m saying is that the bench of te Celtics doesn’t matter. Those three are so good that they’ll win with any PG and C, and a bunch of no-names on the bench.
I love how people like you say things like “towel boys”. That’s such a generality. Rondo is actually a good player. He’ll be fine. And, Kendrick Perkins is growing and will fit their system just fine. I think Doc Rivers is a horrible coach, but nothing can take away the talent of these three All-Stars. They’ll win 45 games on talent alone.
A lot of people are underestimating how amazing it is to have three unique, incredible players on the same team.
Stefan Said,
August 10, 2007 @ 1:33 am
My bad Micheal…obviously, to make it to the NBA you need both skill and determination in great measure. No offense meant to Perkins or Rondo (who I’ve seen very little of). If they’ve come that far in their careers obviously they’re already tremendous players, playing at the highest level. I was speaking in relative terms. Perhaps my ire should be reserved for the builders of the team and their idea that collecting a couple of (or three) all-stars makes a team; it doesn’t. And while I find your imput valuable, I coulnd’t agree less that the bench doesn’t matter. When all your eggs lay in one basket, as the cliche goes, you’re asking for trouble.
First of all, there’s the simple matter of potential injuries; if one of the three goes down, watch out. Second, the issue of fatigue plays a major role when all three have to play big minutes every game and especially big minutes against the elite teams, ie Dallas, Phoenix, etc…whose benches are stacked. The big three are gonna be busy catching their breath while the opposing teams’ top players are gonna be fresh. Third, and most importantly, the very idea of an organization placing so much emphasis on three guys is contrary to the team concept. Basketball is best when a team is balanced and there are a variety of players to fill a variety of roles. Without quality backup guys, it becomes a one-man (or three-man) show, and while that may be exciting for the fans from time to time and may win you some games, it comes with a price: the absence of a Team.
I don’t know, maybe the Celtics’ll win the east…if the three stay injury free, if they play cohesively and really gel, and early, if they can play big minutes throught the season and heve enough steam left for the playoffs, if Ray Allen can returm to form post-surgery…
That’s a lot of ifs. Then again, anything’s possible.
Peace
Deshaun Said,
August 11, 2007 @ 1:59 am
The Celtics aren’t winning anything until they beef up their roster. Pierce, Allen and Garnett make an amazing trio but they have a terrible team surronding them. If one of their stars gets injured, the team would fall apart….they have no depth at all, which is what a championship team always needs. Their supporting cast consists of Tony Allen, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine, and Kendrick Perkins. They took steps in the right direction in signing Pollard and House, now they just need a few more pieces and they will be able to contend.
billy Said,
August 11, 2007 @ 9:54 pm
YOU REALIZE PHOENIX HAS PLAYED A 7 MAN ROTATION FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS.