We're Back - The Drive For 18 Is Alive

[Vermont Green]

They look like a team who is now hungry to get better...

I find this comment interesting.  (I am not picking on Greanbean as many seem to have the impression that the Celtics weren't "hungry" say 2 weeks ago).  I never had the feeling that the team was less than hungry, it just looked that way because they were hurt and not hitting shots.

Basketball is a feel game and you can't just hustle the ball into the hoop for the most part.  Sometimes you have to make some shots.  I think Pierce is really finding his groove and making shots and that makes a lot of things easier for a lot of other people on the court.

I am also very impressed with KG.  I remain very concerned with his knee which I think is still hurting him but man is he hitting shots again!  He is still not the whole KG in terms of defense and rebounding due in my opinion to his knee but I think that makes the shots he is making even more impressive.  He is basically gutting it out on one leg and still making an impact (TP for KG if it were up to me).

And my last observation is that I liked the way Davis looked with the first unit last night in the 4th quarter.  I suspect we may see more of that (and thereby less of Perk) where match-ups allow it.  When Perk came back in, he did fine also.  He botched one pass and bobbled it out of bounds but then made a nice pass to PP on a key 3-pointer.

[MattG12]

We never left ... we were just "re-grouping". When we play defense like we did last night, we can beat anyone. (TP for this and any positive thread!)

By the way, you faked me out with that avatar ... I thought for a moment you were MattG12.

New signature, new profile pic... no more confusion! 

[dark_lord]

We never left ... we were just "re-grouping". When we play defense like we did last night, we can beat anyone. (TP for this and any positive thread!)

By the way, you faked me out with that avatar ... I thought for a moment you were MattG12.

New signature, new profile pic... no more confusion! 

i like both 

[MattG12]

We never left ... we were just "re-grouping". When we play defense like we did last night, we can beat anyone. (TP for this and any positive thread!)

By the way, you faked me out with that avatar ... I thought for a moment you were MattG12.

New signature, new profile pic... no more confusion! 

i like both 

Thanks bud!

[mmbaby]

They look like a team who is now hungry to get better...

I find this comment interesting.  (I am not picking on Greanbean as many seem to have the impression that the Celtics weren't "hungry" say 2 weeks ago).  I never had the feeling that the team was less than hungry, it just looked that way because they were hurt and not hitting shots.

Basketball is a feel game and you can't just hustle the ball into the hoop for the most part.  Sometimes you have to make some shots.  I think Pierce is really finding his groove and making shots and that makes a lot of things easier for a lot of other people on the court.

I am also very impressed with KG.  I remain very concerned with his knee which I think is still hurting him but man is he hitting shots again!  He is still not the whole KG in terms of defense and rebounding due in my opinion to his knee but I think that makes the shots he is making even more impressive.  He is basically gutting it out on one leg and still making an impact (TP for KG if it were up to me).

And my last observation is that I liked the way Davis looked with the first unit last night in the 4th quarter.  I suspect we may see more of that (and thereby less of Perk) where match-ups allow it.  When Perk came back in, he did fine also.  He botched one pass and bobbled it out of bounds but then made a nice pass to PP on a key 3-pointer.

Great points, Vermont. To me, the health was obviously the cause of lack of energy; I never thought PP or KG 'lost something' only to the extent that they are getting older and will slow down and be more prone to health issues.
KG's knee does seem to still be hurting, but not enough to stop him from playing like before. I hope Doc is able to allow him rest before the playoffs so it won't get stressed more.
I also thought BBD played well last night and has lately been the only consistent scorer off the bench.

[PosImpos]

The win over Dallas is very encouraging.  I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to watch it.

Hopefully they can continue to show their ability to play at a high level this week when they face quite a few tough teams.

If they beat Cleveland this weekend I'll feel a LOT better about where things stand.

[kenmaine]

The Drive for 18 has been alive all along.
It's always been mostly about the health of KG and Pierce. Both are looking a whole lot better right now, knock on wood. If by some miracle the whole team could be healthy in the playoffs, the C's would have at least as good a chance as anyone else.
 If I were a gambler, I'd be checking the current odds and considering placing some throwaway money on the C's if the odds were high enough. NOTE- gambling not recommended, see other thread about ex-employee #8. Just saying, IF I had a few hundred to throw away, and IF the odds were high enough, it might be a good risk.
Anyway, back to the OP, there are still some holes or weak spots- Rasheed(playing marginally better lately though,looks at times like he at least has a pulse), Marquis has been invisible, Baby cant' put back a rebound to save his life.
On the plus side, Finley has looked very impressive, and Nate looks fine to me- he's been about a thousand times better than Cassell or Marbury.

So, just like it's been all year, if KG and PP are healthy, the C's are in contention. If either or both are limping, they're not.

[makaveli]

The win over Dallas is very encouraging.  I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to watch it.

Hopefully they can continue to show their ability to play at a high level this week when they face quite a few tough teams.

If they beat Cleveland this weekend I'll feel a LOT better about where things stand.

Oh yeah, this seams like a "statement week" for the C's and so far so good.
Great game in Dallas and Houston and I hope we take out Jazz aswell.
P.S. How about a round of applause for Big Baby of "Uno Uno"
 

[mmbaby]

The win over Dallas is very encouraging.  I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to watch it.

Hopefully they can continue to show their ability to play at a high level this week when they face quite a few tough teams.

If they beat Cleveland this weekend I'll feel a LOT better about where things stand.

Oh yeah, this seams like a "statement week" for the C's and so far so good.
Great game in Dallas and Houston and I hope we take out Jazz aswell.
P.S. How about a round of applause for Big Baby of "Uno Uno"
 

ROUND OF APPLAUSE coming from here. Go Big Baby Davis. He has been playing awesome.