after that rediculous trade that downgraded our roster where do we stand for next year? What will be our starting line up? and will we make the playoffs? yes we did have a excellent draft but everyone in our division is improving....nets with rahim and jeff...philly with coaching change and the resigning of korver and dalembert.....knicks getting larry brown....they all improved there teams..... what can we possibly do to maintain a level of competition in our division? ....i sure hope ainge has something up his sleve
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting celtsfan2589:</div><div class="quote_post">after that rediculous trade that downgraded our roster where do we stand for next year? What will be our starting line up? and will we make the playoffs? yes we did have a excellent draft but everyone in our division is improving....nets with rahim and jeff...philly with coaching change and the resigning of korver and dalembert.....knicks getting larry brown....they all improved there teams..... what can we possibly do to maintain a level of competition in our division? ....i sure hope ainge has something up his sleve</div> First off, you can't really look at that deal as downgrading our roster. It didn't, all it did was add something where nothing would have been. Next, you can bet Ainge has something up his sleeve, the man traded Antoine (who was leaving anyway) for 2 2nd rounders, Miralles, and over $5 mill in trade exceptions. Not bad at all, but those TE's are nothing if you don't use them, and you can bet Ainge plans on using them. Let's not also forget that the amnesty cuts are coming this season, as well as a fair crop of trade bait still left out there. Ainge has more than enough reason to smile with that deal. Lastly, this team is going to be fun to watch. It's going to be a rough season full of grumbles and groans while this team learns and grows. But that sure beats the heck out of a full-out rebuilding effort with no foundation and no hope. This team's future is bright, and we may have to wait out a season of a little bit of heartache while they learn in the big games in the first round. I have no doubt they'll make the playoffs, but let's also look at the improvement of these other teams. Philly pretty much stayed pat, and we saw that the Webber experiment didn't work out quite as planned. They kept Dalembert and Korver, which is a great start for them, but their entire game philosophy is about to change, as Mo Cheeks is a very different coach than Jim O'Brien was. New York may have gotten a new coach, and a winner at that, but that roster has taken some serious flak for not improving all that much for all that money. Houston has been hurt time and again, and will inevitably be let go for amnesty reasons, the draft was good, almost great, but Nate Robinson is the only difference maker for this season. And the team is still run by Isiah Thomas, which means anything can happen. The Nets improved exponentially, but let's not also forget, that entire team rests on a 32 year old's trick knee. If that man so much as loses a step, that team reels, that doesn't mean they fail, but it'll be tough. They have good insurance in McInnis, but McInnis is not J-Kidd, and he is the one that makes that squad go. I think we'll see a good deal of competition this year, and I'd rather see that than just roll over a weak conference and coast into a wake-up call in the first round. Might as well fight and get that taste for blood on the rookie's lips. I think this season is more exciting than people say, and the C's future will probably be decided on the battleground this season.
To be honest, I'm not worried. Our young core will be vastly improved, and I don't think Walker helped us that much anyway. He sure is talented, but he dosen't know how to use his talent in a system like ours. Late in the season we started reverting back to the old Pierce and Walker show. That really killed our offensive flow, and I think it became obvious when the starting 5 became almost invisible, collectively, for the last 2 weeks of the season and the playoffs. The "B-Unit" was embarrasing them, but it was only because they were actually sharing the ball. That's what I think the key is. Our talent base is deep and we have so many weapons. If we can share the ball for 48 minutes, we have a great shot at winning every game. Hopefully Delonte and Marcus do well in their new roles because they will be very important to us. If our team stays on the same page for the entire season, we'll definitely make the playoffs.
you have a few solid points there...and i can picture us being a dominant team in the near future...but i dont see us making the playoffs this season....our division has gotton to tough and our line up is all young....i figure our line up would be something like delonte green/allen pierce jefferson lafrentz and ricky as 6th man.....to me thats nothing to great...in the future maybe but not now.....i just hope ainge can pull off a trade to get us a solid point to run the up pace offense the celtics have....we did downgrade roster wise as of this trade.....but im hoping ainge pulls off a few deals to help us get back in competition and get a play off spot
The thing that really gets me is just what Thrilla said, the B Unit. This group looked phenomenal in the playoffs, and that is just so key. I love watching the young group get their games in sync, and we can expect a lot more of that. Doc kind of had a mini-scenario like this one in his first season in Orlando, and he made them run and work together and turned a bunch of nobodies into a 41-41 team and won Coach of the Year. I think we can see a duplicate effort this season. The reason it worked so well then was everyone's ability to share the load, and that's what this team has more than anything. And with only marginal improvement from everyone else in the division, I definitely think we're in this year. celtsfan, don't forget to jump on the C's roll call and let us know what you're all about.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ignignot:</div><div class="quote_post">The thing that really gets me is just what Thrilla said, the B Unit. This group looked phenomenal in the playoffs, and that is just so key. I love watching the young group get their games in sync, and we can expect a lot more of that. Doc kind of had a mini-scenario like this one in his first season in Orlando, and he made them run and work together and turned a bunch of nobodies into a 41-41 team and won Coach of the Year. I think we can see a duplicate effort this season. The reason it worked so well then was everyone's ability to share the load, and that's what this team has more than anything. And with only marginal improvement from everyone else in the division, I definitely think we're in this year.</div> i dont know if i would say definitley in this year but if our young guys show heart and determination and pierce steps up to be a leader we might make it....im just concerned with competeing with a team liek the nets....kidd carter jefferson rahim and collins/krstic..... ....solid team...and im not sure if banks or delonte is ready to RUN our team i think we need a few moves and try to get a solid point....i would also like to see us improve at our center spot.....i think our young guys have the talent to make a run but there are many questions as to how some will handle this season
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting celtsfan2589:</div><div class="quote_post">i dont know if i would say definitley in this year but if our young guys show heart and determination and pierce steps up to be a leader we might make it....im just concerned with competeing with a team liek the nets....kidd carter jefferson rahim and collins/krstic..... ....solid team...and im not sure if banks or delonte is ready to RUN our team i think we need a few moves and try to get a solid point....i would also like to see us improve at our center spot.....i think our young guys have the talent to make a run but there are many questions as to how some will handle this season</div> Totally agree on the Nets situation, they do look scary, but I have to hold out faith that we can run at them and keep the competition up. Other than that, yes, the center is pretty shallow, but I'd love to see Doc take a page from last year's Suns and do some running from the 5 and exercise his use of Big Al a little more. Aside from that, keep your hopes up for the one spot, Delonte has shown giants leaps there, and he will probably be your opening day starter. With his fire and energy, we can expect some good things.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ignignot:</div><div class="quote_post">Totally agree on the Nets situation, they do look scary, but I have to hold out faith that we can run at them and keep the competition up. Other than that, yes, the center is pretty shallow, but I'd love to see Doc take a page from last year's Suns and do some running from the 5 and exercise his use of Big Al a little more. Aside from that, keep your hopes up for the one spot, Delonte has shown giants leaps there, and he will probably be your opening day starter. With his fire and energy, we can expect some good things.</div> i think going small would be good for us....we have the speed and athletism to do it..but i still dont think delonte being a 2nd year player is ready to run the offense....im happy for big al i want him to get the start... i feel he can be a huge impact player and put up a potential double double every night he steps on the court....and i love the fact that ainge is going young and building us for the long run but i still feel we need leadership....as we saw from the 1st half of last year paul isnt exactly the best leader with a young group....i feel we lack leadership and that can actually bring the young kids down.....they need guidence from a well rounded vet
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting celtsfan2589:</div><div class="quote_post">i think going small would be good for us....we have the speed and athletism to do it..but i still dont think delonte being a 2nd year player is ready to run the offense....im happy for big al i want him to get the start... i feel he can be a huge impact player and put up a potential double double every night he steps on the court....and i love the fact that ainge is going young and building us for the long run but i still feel we need leadership....as we saw from the 1st half of last year paul isnt exactly the best leader with a young group....i feel we lack leadership and that can actually bring the young kids down.....they need guidence from a well rounded vet</div> Agreed, and let's not forget that the offseason isn't over yet. And with the TE, who knows what'll happen?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ignignot:</div><div class="quote_post">Agreed, and let's not forget that the offseason isn't over yet. And with the TE, who knows what'll happen?</div> very true as of yesterday the offseason really just begun...and i still think we should be making offers for earl watson....i think he would fit our offense well....if we could do a trade to get earl and maybe wright who memphis is also trying to send packing i think we would have a solid team with a posible line up of....watson green/allen pierce al and wright keeping ricky as 6th delonte as 7 and then rookies from there
Earl Watson would be great. I know he wants the full MLE, which we don't have, but maybe Danny can get creative on a deal for him. I was so excited when that fake rumor came out and it said we were getting him. It's not that I don't trust Delonte, but like you said, how much can you expect from a 2nd year player?
exactly....its not like delonte isnt a well rounded talented point but hes going into his sophomore year....hes not ready to run a team....watson would improve our point and if we could somehow get wright too it would improve our shallow center spot.....i also think something that would help the celtics is to get rid of blount and his large contract
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting celtsfan2589:</div><div class="quote_post">exactly....its not like delonte isnt a well rounded talented point but hes going into his sophomore year....hes not ready to run a team....watson would improve our point and if we could somehow get wright too it would improve our shallow center spot.....i also think something that would help the celtics is to get rid of blount and his large contract </div> Or we could just get rid of Blount and his stupid headband. Or Blount and his humongous lips. Or maybe just Blount and his ZERO production. Any way you slice it, he's gotta go. That man steals money from the Celtics every time he sits on the bench, every time he steps on the floor, every time he ties his shoes, or even blows his nose. You has truly made a mockery of the modern NBA economic structure, and I for one, would not mind if the Celtics just dragged him out behind the ol' woodshed and put him out of his misery. Or maybe Blount could just do it for me. All kidding aside, it's not like he has a massive contract, but Danny trusted him with his entire MLE from a year ago, and Blount has just been a travesty ever since. There is no player I think I've ever disliked more than him (Dino Radja?), and he let's me know why every time he steps on the floor.
^^ lol ya Blount has reallly dissapointed every Celtic fan on the planet with his horrible play. The Celtics in my opinion if the roster stays the way it is now, even without walker we will still make the playoffs. First of all i have faith that IF we start off bad or things dont go as expected that midseason D. Ainge will make a huge move that will put us over the top. Also its tough to doubt us when we have all star potential young guys. Also (not saying this because im a pierce fan but) Pierce knows he might be traded and for that reason I think he will play great next season, he likes our young players and he likes Boston, i dont think he'll play halfheartedly knowing his future is on the line.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheTruth5:</div><div class="quote_post">^^ lol ya Blount has reallly dissapointed every Celtic fan on the planet with his horrible play. The Celtics in my opinion if the roster stays the way it is now, even without walker we will still make the playoffs. First of all i have faith that IF we start off bad or things dont go as expected that midseason D. Ainge will make a huge move that will put us over the top. Also its tough to doubt us when we have all star potential young guys. Also (not saying this because im a pierce fan but) Pierce knows he might be traded and for that reason I think he will play great next season, he likes our young players and he likes Boston, i dont think he'll play halfheartedly knowing his future is on the line.</div> i disagree....i think with out toine and knowing theres a chance for him to leave boston his play wil decrease....there will be to much stress on the gaurd....havin to be a captain....a leader.....and play great to stay in boston
You dont think Pierce will be able to be a captain, and play great?? of course he will, now the leadership is the coach's job. And if we dont have a leader on the court..4real whats the big deal its not like Walker was a coach and corrected people on the floor, he did his vocal leadership in time outs and such...and when people call time outs thats when coaches talk..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheTruth5:</div><div class="quote_post">You dont think Pierce will be able to be a captain, and play great?? of course he will, now the leadership is the coach's job. And if we dont have a leader on the court..4real whats the big deal its not like Walker was a coach and corrected people on the floor, he did his vocal leadership in time outs and such...and when people call time outs thats when coaches talk..</div> what the big deal if we dont have a leader on the court? is that serious? someone to keep it unde controll not take crazy shots help the youg kids run the offense....those are allll reasons we need a leader on the court....pierce in my opinion is a top 10 shooting gaurd in the nba but i dont think he has good leadership skills and i dont think he sets good examples.....we need that
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting celtsfan2589:</div><div class="quote_post">what the big deal if we dont have a leader on the court? is that serious? someone to keep it unde controll not take crazy shots help the youg kids run the offense....</div> True True, But Doc could scream, or call a time out if things get hectic.
But any ways...I understand that having a vocal leader set good examples on the court helps, but what im saying is just because we dont have 1 doesnt automaticly mean were not going to make the playoffs.
