Author Topic: Biggest Celtics “what if”  (Read 3762 times)

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Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2022, 01:48:57 AM »

Offline celticsclay

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I honestly don't think the C's with Irving and Hayward ends up much different as neither of those guys is a carry the franchise type player and they both probably still aren't on the team.

Bias is always #1 and I think not getting Duncan with the best odds will always be #2.

There are a couple around the summer of 2007 and the 07/08 season, that I think could have altered Boston's history a lot.  First, what if the ping pong balls don't land on 5 and instead land on 1 or 2?  Do they still acquire Allen or Garnett, or just build around Durant or Oden (with Pierce, Rondo, etc.)?  Second, let's say the ping pong balls still land on 5 and the Allen trade is still made, but what if they don't acquire Garnett and instead go into the season with Big Al, Allen, and Pierce and instead use some of those assets to acquire Pau during the season, likely keeping Al in the process.  How many titles do the C's win with Allen, Pierce, Jefferson, and Gasol (obviously the Lakers don't land Pau in that scenario)?
When you're a fan of a team the "what ifs" go in the direction of positivity and success.

What if Bias doesn't die....Celtic greatness.
What if Buckner fields the ball cleanly ....Red Sox curse ends
What if Orr never hurts his knee....Bruins greatness
What if David Tyree can't hold onto that catch ...perfect season.

Your what ifs in the reverse direction, and a ton of other stuff you write, really make me wonder where the fan in you is. Normal fans don't think what if x happened and we lost that title. It's just strange

We all thought it. Being a blind contrarian in all situations is weird. Especially when you get in the position of arguing non forceful sexual assault or a guy with a broken neck is a victim of a standard fight. Gonna keep giving you tps Nick. I’ve personally
Had enough of the contrarian bs

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #16 on: August 08, 2022, 04:24:38 AM »

Offline tenn_smoothie

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What if the refs call the game fairly in Game 7 in the 2010 finals.  And, of course, Len Bias.  Those wounds will never heal.

Well said.
The Four Celtic Generals:
Russell - Cowens - Bird - Garnett

The Four Celtic Lieutenants:
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Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #17 on: August 08, 2022, 04:48:51 AM »

Offline tenn_smoothie

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Easily, it is the death of Len Bias.

Red had once again displayed his genius by building the 80's team in the first place and then acquiring the #2 pick in the draft in the middle of a prime title run. Bias' loss, along with Reggie Lewis later, was the one-two punch that ended the Celtics stranglehold on the NBA. Of course, David Stern and the league owners blocked any fair compensation for the losses the Celtics suffered with Bias and Lewis. Took years to recover from those tragedies along with the insane hiring of Rick "Ego-Maniac" Pitino, who caused untold damage to the franchise all by himself.

A Side Note: What if Kevin McHale doesn't lose the Laker missed free throw rebound out of bounds that led to the infamous Magic Johnson hook shot across the lane that won Los Angeles Game 4 in the Garden in the 1987 finals ? Celtics tie the series @ 2-2 with game 5 in Boston instead of being down 3-1. Nobody ever talks about McHale's complete screw-up of not boxing out and allowing the Lakers to pressure what should have been a routine defensive rebound (I believe it has become accepted fact that a Laker actually touched that ball last and if automatic reviews had been in place then, the Celts would have correctly been awarded possession). Celtics did go on to win game 5 and, hobbled with injuries as they were, would have had two shots at the title back in LA.
The Four Celtic Generals:
Russell - Cowens - Bird - Garnett

The Four Celtic Lieutenants:
Cousy - Havlicek - McHale - Pierce

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #18 on: August 08, 2022, 05:35:46 AM »

Offline Jvalin

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Hypothetical conversations go both ways. For instance, what if Danny had drafted Fultz instead of Tatum? What if Red had accepted the offer to become Knicks' president in 1978? What if the Rochester Royals and the St. Louis Hawks weren't stupid enough to gift us Bill Russell in the 1956 draft?

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas. At the end of the day, the C's have won 17 championships. I'm happy the way things turned out.

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #19 on: August 08, 2022, 06:58:43 AM »

Offline Celtics4ever

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To me this will always be what if Len Bias had never passed.

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #20 on: August 08, 2022, 09:10:56 AM »

Offline Silas

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What if a frog had wings? I guess he wouldn't bump his ass every time he hopped.
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Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #21 on: August 08, 2022, 09:19:57 AM »

Offline liam

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Barring injuries that cost us titles I'd say:

Bias
Lewis
and missing out on drafting Ducan/KD

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #22 on: August 08, 2022, 09:29:52 AM »

Offline Roy H.

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If you look at "What If" only through a positive lens, then it's Len Bias.  He had the most potential to add to the Celtics' legacy.

But, the biggest "what if" in reality is, what if the Rochester Royals had drafted Bill Russell at #1 in the 1956, instead of Si Green?  That sets a whole bunch of changes into motion that fundamentally changes the Celtics as we know them. 


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Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #23 on: August 08, 2022, 09:57:44 AM »

Offline Moranis

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If you look at "What If" only through a positive lens, then it's Len Bias.  He had the most potential to add to the Celtics' legacy.

But, the biggest "what if" in reality is, what if the Rochester Royals had drafted Bill Russell at #1 in the 1956, instead of Si Green?  That sets a whole bunch of changes into motion that fundamentally changes the Celtics as we know them.
Along those lines, what if the Bulls had won the coin flip and won the 1st pick in 1979.  Would Magic have gone back to school like he claimed he might or would have gone to Chicago and completely changed not just the 80's but also the 90's (since with Magic they almost certainly don't end up with Jordan)?  While the Bulls certainly would have been a good team with Magic, Gilmore, and Theus, I don't think they'd have been as good as the Lakers, so the Celtic's very well might have ended up with several more championships.  And then who knows where Jordan ends up if the Bulls aren't picking 3rd that season and how that changes all those future seasons.
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #24 on: August 08, 2022, 10:07:58 AM »

Offline Roy H.

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If you look at "What If" only through a positive lens, then it's Len Bias.  He had the most potential to add to the Celtics' legacy.

But, the biggest "what if" in reality is, what if the Rochester Royals had drafted Bill Russell at #1 in the 1956, instead of Si Green?  That sets a whole bunch of changes into motion that fundamentally changes the Celtics as we know them.
Along those lines, what if the Bulls had won the coin flip and won the 1st pick in 1979.  Would Magic have gone back to school like he claimed he might or would have gone to Chicago and completely changed not just the 80's but also the 90's (since with Magic they almost certainly don't end up with Jordan)?  While the Bulls certainly would have been a good team with Magic, Gilmore, and Theus, I don't think they'd have been as good as the Lakers, so the Celtic's very well might have ended up with several more championships.  And then who knows where Jordan ends up if the Bulls aren't picking 3rd that season and how that changes all those future seasons.

Yeah, it's a fun rabbit hole to go down.

If you just take Chicago out of the equation in the 1984 draft, does Dallas pick Jordan?  There's no way he falls to Philly, right?


I'M THE SILVERBACK GORILLA IN THIS MOTHER——— AND DON'T NONE OF YA'LL EVER FORGET IT!@ 34 minutes

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #25 on: August 08, 2022, 12:49:46 PM »

Offline Moranis

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If you look at "What If" only through a positive lens, then it's Len Bias.  He had the most potential to add to the Celtics' legacy.

But, the biggest "what if" in reality is, what if the Rochester Royals had drafted Bill Russell at #1 in the 1956, instead of Si Green?  That sets a whole bunch of changes into motion that fundamentally changes the Celtics as we know them.
Along those lines, what if the Bulls had won the coin flip and won the 1st pick in 1979.  Would Magic have gone back to school like he claimed he might or would have gone to Chicago and completely changed not just the 80's but also the 90's (since with Magic they almost certainly don't end up with Jordan)?  While the Bulls certainly would have been a good team with Magic, Gilmore, and Theus, I don't think they'd have been as good as the Lakers, so the Celtic's very well might have ended up with several more championships.  And then who knows where Jordan ends up if the Bulls aren't picking 3rd that season and how that changes all those future seasons.

Yeah, it's a fun rabbit hole to go down.

If you just take Chicago out of the equation in the 1984 draft, does Dallas pick Jordan?  There's no way he falls to Philly, right?
I'm sure he'd go no later than 3, but who knows what the draft order is.  Maybe Moses doesn't leave Houston if the Lakers aren't in his way, and thus they don't end up with Sampson or Hakeem and some other team is drafting Hakeem that season (or maybe that team has a center so they take Jordan 1). If that happens the Sixers don't land Moses and are just a different team as well.  Just so many things could have changed just based on that single coin flip. 
« Last Edit: August 08, 2022, 12:55:58 PM by Moranis »
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #26 on: August 10, 2022, 08:30:40 AM »

Offline ozgod

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Len Bias
What if we draft Kobe or Giannis
What if KG doesn't hurt his knee

Definitely Len Bias. I think Kobe or Giannis is a stretch because those weren't likely to happen. KG and Perk injuries are another couple.
Any odd typos are because I suck at typing on an iPhone :D

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #27 on: August 10, 2022, 08:44:11 AM »

Offline Roy H.

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I'M THE SILVERBACK GORILLA IN THIS MOTHER——— AND DON'T NONE OF YA'LL EVER FORGET IT!@ 34 minutes

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #28 on: August 13, 2022, 06:52:03 PM »

Offline tenn_smoothie

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What if Shaq doesn’t tear his achilles.

What if Danny doesn't have brain-freeze and trade away our championship-core starting center (Perk) who would have been back to full-time minutes for the 2011 playoffs, but instead trades him away for "more athleticism" and relies on an overweight, broken-down Shaq to carry us all the way through a long playoff run ?
The Four Celtic Generals:
Russell - Cowens - Bird - Garnett

The Four Celtic Lieutenants:
Cousy - Havlicek - McHale - Pierce

Re: Biggest Celtics “what if”
« Reply #29 on: August 13, 2022, 07:09:38 PM »

Offline tenn_smoothie

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What if Cedric Maxwell does not injure his knee in 1985, essentially miss the playoffs and get traded away for a brilliant, but still, one year rental of Bill Walton. We would have gone into the '85 finals with a healthy team and had the momentum from the Memorial Day Massacre plus the strength of our full front line to beat the Lakers again. I realize Larry had a some nagging pain in his elbow that year, but maybe he has less wear-and-tear if Max is playing the full regular season.

Along with that, I think we still win in '86 with Max still on the team and, of course, without the post-draft tragedy, the Celtics go into the '87 season fully loaded with the addition of Len Bias and on the way to their 4th straight title with the Lakers still choking on our dust. Such a scenario also prevents the current nauseating HBO series about the 80's Lakers from ever being made.
The Four Celtic Generals:
Russell - Cowens - Bird - Garnett

The Four Celtic Lieutenants:
Cousy - Havlicek - McHale - Pierce