Mythology of the 2009 championship alternate universe

[D.o.s.]

And we had 'Sheed to really set the bar for physical fitness and a commitment to winning every game.

[gift]

Here's how I put it.

2007-2008 = Most Dominant
The league wasn't ready for that team. They changed the way teams were put together, but also the way defenses played. The gap between #1 in the league and #2 in the league was bigger than any other in the era.

2008-2009 = Best on the Court (if healthy)
For a long time (and even at the time) I was scared this team was not as good and would lose a rematch with the Lakers (healthy Bynum). They lost some key contributors from the title team. But the core was in tact and the chemistry was improved. Looking back now, and influenced by so many (like Scal) saying that team was even better, I'm willing to concede that even though they may not have looked as strong on paper, they might have proven to be better on the court. Rondo was certainly better.

2009-2010 = Best on Paper
This team had best overall collection of talent and stayed mostly healthy (big exception in the Finals). They underachieved with their talent level, but turned it on in the playoffs. At the time some people thought they were overachieving and that Lebron and the Cavs choked away their series in the playoffs. I think the Celtics reclaimed their '08 dominance and took the will out of their opponents. They were within minutes of a second championship against another elite opponent.

2010-2011 = Highest Potential (if healthy)
This team fell apart in many ways, but with a healthy Shaq I always felt they could have surpassed the overall dominance of the '08 team. Talent was again deeper and Shaq provided something even at his age that no one else could. Rondo took another step forward into stardom. They wouldn't have had the same level of defensive dominance as before, but they had an additional weapon on offense that they never had before.

2011-2012 = Most Stubborn
These guys refused to die. Even if fully healthy, they were a diminished team. If we're assuming full health of the Celtics, we'd have to assume full health of their opponents as well. Which means this might be the only Celtics team of the era to truly overachieve.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I've said it before: with full (or near-full) health (KG, Shaq, Perk), Boston wins four straight.

[D.o.s.]

I've said it before: with full (or near-full) health (KG, Shaq, Perk), Boston wins four straight.

Not to mention Marquis Daniels--who (IMO) acted as the catalyst for the Perk/Green trade.

[SparzWizard]

In 08-09 we lost KG. That was arguably the second best year we had (19 game win streak, 13 game win streak, 10 game win streak?). Then we lost Powe in the midst of the playoffs.

Had KG and Powe been healthy, we'd demolish the Chicago Bulls in 5 games, take down the Orlando Magic in 6 games, and make the LeBron-led Cavaliers cry away in 5 games. Lakers would not have been a cake walk that finals though. Yeah, the "had", "what if", "coulda, shoulda, woulda" games...I know 

We should've really won it all in 2010 though. Had Ray didn't go 0-13 from downtown in Game 3 and at least made a couple of regular shots, we could've squeezed one in. Or if Perkins didn't go down in Game 6...I think we would've been celebrating Number 18 at Staples Center in either Game 6 or 7.

2012. We could've closed out the LeBron-led Heat in Game 6. Why we got blown out at the TD Garden was beyond me. And then beating OKC Thunder in the finals would not have been easy for us (they have a much younger squad, and that Perkins/Fisher duo have some finals experiences) imo. Yeah, just my alternate universe. 

Welp, I certainly hope we still see another finals appearance in this decade.

[D.o.s.]

In 08-09 we lost KG. That was arguably the second best year we had (19 game win streak, 13 game win streak, 10 game win streak?). Then we lost Powe in the midst of the playoffs.

Had KG and Powe been healthy, we'd demolish the Chicago Bulls in 5 games, take down the Orlando Magic in 6 games, and make the LeBron-led Cavaliers cry away in 5 games. Lakers would not have been a cake walk that finals though. Yeah, the "had", "what if", "coulda, shoulda, woulda" games...I know 

We should've really won it all in 2010 though. Had Ray didn't go 0-13 from downtown in Game 3 and at least made a couple of regular shots, we could've squeezed one in. Or if Perkins didn't go down in Game 6...I think we would've been celebrating Number 18 at Staples Center in either Game 6 or 7.

2012. We could've closed out the LeBron-led Heat in Game 6. Why we got blown out at the TD Garden was beyond me. And then beating OKC Thunder in the finals would not have been easy for us (they have a much younger squad, and that Perkins/Fisher duo have some finals experiences) imo. Yeah, just my alternate universe. 

Welp, I certainly hope we still see another finals appearance in this decade.

Because LeBron pulled off one of the gnarliest playoff performances of his career?

[BballTim]

In 08-09 we lost KG. That was arguably the second best year we had (19 game win streak, 13 game win streak, 10 game win streak?). Then we lost Powe in the midst of the playoffs.

Had KG and Powe been healthy, we'd demolish the Chicago Bulls in 5 games, take down the Orlando Magic in 6 games, and make the LeBron-led Cavaliers cry away in 5 games. Lakers would not have been a cake walk that finals though. Yeah, the "had", "what if", "coulda, shoulda, woulda" games...I know 

We should've really won it all in 2010 though. Had Ray didn't go 0-13 from downtown in Game 3 and at least made a couple of regular shots, we could've squeezed one in. Or if Perkins didn't go down in Game 6...I think we would've been celebrating Number 18 at Staples Center in either Game 6 or 7.

2012. We could've closed out the LeBron-led Heat in Game 6. Why we got blown out at the TD Garden was beyond me. And then beating OKC Thunder in the finals would not have been easy for us (they have a much younger squad, and that Perkins/Fisher duo have some finals experiences) imo. Yeah, just my alternate universe. 

Welp, I certainly hope we still see another finals appearance in this decade.

Because LeBron pulled off one of the gnarliest playoff performances of his career?

  Because Bosh came back?

[D.o.s.]

In 08-09 we lost KG. That was arguably the second best year we had (19 game win streak, 13 game win streak, 10 game win streak?). Then we lost Powe in the midst of the playoffs.

Had KG and Powe been healthy, we'd demolish the Chicago Bulls in 5 games, take down the Orlando Magic in 6 games, and make the LeBron-led Cavaliers cry away in 5 games. Lakers would not have been a cake walk that finals though. Yeah, the "had", "what if", "coulda, shoulda, woulda" games...I know 

We should've really won it all in 2010 though. Had Ray didn't go 0-13 from downtown in Game 3 and at least made a couple of regular shots, we could've squeezed one in. Or if Perkins didn't go down in Game 6...I think we would've been celebrating Number 18 at Staples Center in either Game 6 or 7.

2012. We could've closed out the LeBron-led Heat in Game 6. Why we got blown out at the TD Garden was beyond me. And then beating OKC Thunder in the finals would not have been easy for us (they have a much younger squad, and that Perkins/Fisher duo have some finals experiences) imo. Yeah, just my alternate universe. 

Welp, I certainly hope we still see another finals appearance in this decade.

Because LeBron pulled off one of the gnarliest playoff performances of his career?

  Because Bosh came back?

Because we didn't have a healthy Bradley (or Ray)?

[manl_lui]

In 08-09 we lost KG. That was arguably the second best year we had (19 game win streak, 13 game win streak, 10 game win streak?). Then we lost Powe in the midst of the playoffs.

Had KG and Powe been healthy, we'd demolish the Chicago Bulls in 5 games, take down the Orlando Magic in 6 games, and make the LeBron-led Cavaliers cry away in 5 games. Lakers would not have been a cake walk that finals though. Yeah, the "had", "what if", "coulda, shoulda, woulda" games...I know 

We should've really won it all in 2010 though. Had Ray didn't go 0-13 from downtown in Game 3 and at least made a couple of regular shots, we could've squeezed one in. Or if Perkins didn't go down in Game 6...I think we would've been celebrating Number 18 at Staples Center in either Game 6 or 7.

2012. We could've closed out the LeBron-led Heat in Game 6. Why we got blown out at the TD Garden was beyond me. And then beating OKC Thunder in the finals would not have been easy for us (they have a much younger squad, and that Perkins/Fisher duo have some finals experiences) imo. Yeah, just my alternate universe. 

Welp, I certainly hope we still see another finals appearance in this decade.

Because LeBron pulled off one of the gnarliest playoff performances of his career?

  Because Bosh came back?

no it was Bosh, as great as Lebron's performance was, Bosh's presence made a big difference for the Heat in 12. Then the other what-if, if we have had Bradley, he could've contained Wade in the conf. finals for us, to the point where Lebron's performance MAY have been negligible

Because we didn't have a healthy Bradley (or Ray)?

[BballTim]

In 08-09 we lost KG. That was arguably the second best year we had (19 game win streak, 13 game win streak, 10 game win streak?). Then we lost Powe in the midst of the playoffs.

Had KG and Powe been healthy, we'd demolish the Chicago Bulls in 5 games, take down the Orlando Magic in 6 games, and make the LeBron-led Cavaliers cry away in 5 games. Lakers would not have been a cake walk that finals though. Yeah, the "had", "what if", "coulda, shoulda, woulda" games...I know 

We should've really won it all in 2010 though. Had Ray didn't go 0-13 from downtown in Game 3 and at least made a couple of regular shots, we could've squeezed one in. Or if Perkins didn't go down in Game 6...I think we would've been celebrating Number 18 at Staples Center in either Game 6 or 7.

2012. We could've closed out the LeBron-led Heat in Game 6. Why we got blown out at the TD Garden was beyond me. And then beating OKC Thunder in the finals would not have been easy for us (they have a much younger squad, and that Perkins/Fisher duo have some finals experiences) imo. Yeah, just my alternate universe. 

Welp, I certainly hope we still see another finals appearance in this decade.

Because LeBron pulled off one of the gnarliest playoff performances of his career?

  Because Bosh came back?

Because we didn't have a healthy Bradley (or Ray)?

  Or Green...

[TitleMaster]

Had KG and Powe been healthy, we'd demolish the Chicago Bulls in 5 games, take down the Orlando Magic in 6 games, and make the LeBron-led Cavaliers cry away in 5 games. Lakers would not have been a cake walk that finals though. Yeah, the "had", "what if", "coulda, shoulda, woulda" games...I know 

Yes, the first three rounds in '09 would have been the opposite of '08, much easier, all within 5-6 games.

On the other hand, the Lakers that year had Odom playing to his level and Ariza, going balls out. The Lakers, at that juncture, transitioned away from the Kobe Ball of '08 and into an all out team effort of near stars-to-all stars players. I'd say that the Lakers would have taken it in 7, as Odom-Gasol-Bynum was a great big man rotation and Ariza would have been tough for either T Allen or House, to contain.

We should've really won it all in 2010 though. Had Ray didn't go 0-13 from downtown in Game 3 and at least made a couple of regular shots, we could've squeezed one in. Or if Perkins didn't go down in Game 6...I think we would've been celebrating Number 18 at Staples Center in either Game 6 or 7.

Ray needed to hit a few in game 7, 3 out of 14, a 21FG% for an all-star in an elimination game is John Starks-like; it sucks. And that would have been enough. Can't believe how that series ended.