Plan C

[footey]

Everyone (including Jeff) is skirting around the sum of the facts: Garnett has a lingering knee injury (when the pain started, we may never know), and after over a month of rest, it seems to be getting worse, not better.

This is the most likely reality: The Celtics may flirt with bringing KG back for the play-offs, even at 75%, but will quickly shut him down for the season.  We will likely not have KG in the playoffs.

I do not want to risk any further injury to KG. I would rather shut him down for good, let him have surgery and/or proper PT so that he can be closer to 100% next season.

I have accepted the fact that this season, it just ain't gonna happen. This is LeBron's year, folks.

[Redz]

Everyone (including Jeff) is skirting around the sum of the facts: Garnett has a lingering knee injury (when the pain started, we may never know), and after over a month of rest, it seems to be getting worse, not better.

This is the most likely reality: The Celtics may flirt with bringing KG back for the play-offs, even at 75%, but will quickly shut him down for the season.  We will likely not have KG in the playoffs.

I do not want to risk any further injury to KG. I would rather shut him down for good, let him have surgery and/or proper PT so that he can be closer to 100% next season.

I have accepted the fact that this season, it just ain't gonna happen. This is LeBron's year, folks.

KG or no KG, this is the part that we seem to be in the most denial about.  Clevelands's had an amazing season.  1 loss at home.  Really no let up all year.

[Roy Hobbs]

We will likely not have KG in the playoffs.

I don't think it's fair to say this scenario is "likely".  It's certainly possible, but the team is absolutely denying it, both to the media and internally.

Also, if we're at full speed, I think this team absolutely beats Cleveland.  We're 2-1 against them this season, including one game without KG.  They're not invincible, by any stretch.  They've simply been more focused than the Celts, but I suspect that will change in the playoffs.

[Jeff]

trying not to sound too snippy here (I'm a tad on edge with this KG stuff) but seriously, nobody is skirting around anything

it doesn't take a rocket scientist to say "if we don't have KG we can't win the title" - I mean really?  What if LeBron gets hurt, how does that change the Cavs chances?  Does that need to be discussed?

perhaps I should start a post reading: DOOMED! We're all DOOMED!

that might make some folks happy

[Roy Hobbs]

perhaps I should start a post reading: DOOMED! We're all DOOMED!

That would have made for a great April Fool's gag.

[CelticsWhat35]

Everyone (including Jeff) is skirting around the sum of the facts: Garnett has a lingering knee injury (when the pain started, we may never know), and after over a month of rest, it seems to be getting worse, not better.

This is the most likely reality: The Celtics may flirt with bringing KG back for the play-offs, even at 75%, but will quickly shut him down for the season.  We will likely not have KG in the playoffs.

I do not want to risk any further injury to KG. I would rather shut him down for good, let him have surgery and/or proper PT so that he can be closer to 100% next season.

I have accepted the fact that this season, it just ain't gonna happen. This is LeBron's year, folks.

KG or no KG, this is the part that we seem to be in the most denial about.  Clevelands's had an amazing season.  1 loss at home.  Really no let up all year.

I'm not in denial about anything.  Some people may watch too much Sportscenter.  But contrary to popular belief, the 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers are not the greatest team ever assembled.  They are a very good team, and are having a great regular season, but I have no doubt that a healthy Celtics team can take them out.  I think the Magic can challenge them as well (though doubt they could win a series).  And probably 2-3 teams in the West could take them as well.

I agree that they're most likely the favorites going into the playoffs, but you still have to play the games.  And I'm not willing to conceed anything simply because the Cavs won a bunch of regular season games.  The Lakers had the best record in the league last year after the Gasol trade, and we wiped the floor with them.  The Cavs are nothing like the Lakers, but it shows that the regular season only means so much.

[moiso]

I think KG will be playing in the playoffs.  He may be playing with some soreness and maybe won't be as effective he usually is, but I think he'll be playing.

[Redz]

Everyone (including Jeff) is skirting around the sum of the facts: Garnett has a lingering knee injury (when the pain started, we may never know), and after over a month of rest, it seems to be getting worse, not better.

This is the most likely reality: The Celtics may flirt with bringing KG back for the play-offs, even at 75%, but will quickly shut him down for the season.  We will likely not have KG in the playoffs.

I do not want to risk any further injury to KG. I would rather shut him down for good, let him have surgery and/or proper PT so that he can be closer to 100% next season.

I have accepted the fact that this season, it just ain't gonna happen. This is LeBron's year, folks.

KG or no KG, this is the part that we seem to be in the most denial about.  Clevelands's had an amazing season.  1 loss at home.  Really no let up all year.

I'm not in denial about anything.  Some people may watch too much Sportscenter.  But contrary to popular belief, the 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers are not the greatest team ever assembled.  They are a very good team, and are having a great regular season, but I have no doubt that a healthy Celtics team can take them out.  I think the Magic can challenge them as well (though doubt they could win a series).  And probably 2-3 teams in the West could take them as well.

I agree that they're most likely the favorites going into the playoffs, but you still have to play the games.  And I'm not willing to conceed anything simply because the Cavs won a bunch of regular season games.  The Lakers had the best record in the league last year after the Gasol trade, and we wiped the floor with them.  The Cavs are nothing like the Lakers, but it shows that the regular season only means so much.

No doubt.  I have every confidence that a healthy Celtics team could do so as well, but we're not going to have a healthy Celtics team (even if KG can play at some capacity it's clearly not going be 100% - not to mention Powe's availability..TA? ) .  I just think because we're so confident in the Celtics, we haven't given the Cavs their proper due. They came within a few points of knocking off the eventual champs last year, and they clearly have improved since.

[footey]

My reference to the Cleveland LeBrons was an aside. The real point is that we profess concern about losing KG for the first round of the playoffs. The most likely scenario at this point, given the regression of KG's knee, is that he will be shut down for the year. It hurts when I type those words, but just the same...

Yes, we can beat Cleveland if KG is 100%. But come on, does anyone realistically believe that KG will be 100% if we get to the Eastern Conference finals? Anyone? And if KG is not 100%, does anyone (including you, Roy), believe that we will beat Cleveland?

[CelticsWhat35]

My reference to the Cleveland LeBrons was an aside. The real point is that we profess concern about losing KG for the first round of the playoffs. The most likely scenario at this point, given the regression of KG's knee, is that he will be shut down for the year. It hurts when I type those words, but just the same...

Yes, we can beat Cleveland if KG is 100%. But come on, does anyone realistically believe that KG will be 100% if we get to the Eastern Conference finals? Anyone? And if KG is not 100%, does anyone (including you, Roy), believe that we will beat Cleveland?

Yes.  I believe we can beat Cleveland without KG being 100%.  He wasn't 100% when he first came back, and you could still tell what a difference he makes, just with his presence.  We also just beat the Cavs a couple weeks ago without KG entirely.  It would be tough, and we'd defintely be underdogs with KG, Leon, etc. not 100%, but it can be done.  The Cavs took us to 7 games last year, and they're even better this year.  But can anyone honestly say the Celtics were playing their best basketball in early May last year?

[idrinkdetergent]

I have Faith that Lebron unless handed the game will choke again. He can not hit the foul shots that count. If he could he would have beaten the Celts last year.

[2short]

I feel the 2 best teams in the league are Boston  & Cleveland.  Whoever wins that series wins it all.  Can we win without KG..not likely.  Can we win without him at 100% yes.
The truth can take over games like very few.  I'm almost thinking if KG isn't available til playoffs he might be better off bench.  Davis has been playing well enough lately.  KG against a 2nd unit at 50% is killer.

[bostonfan23]

If we can get to Cleveland, I think our chances are decent considering the circumstances. No team plays LeBron better. You know Pierce is up for the challenge. I'm just looking forward to the playoffs.

[CelticsWhat35]

I have Faith that Lebron unless handed the game will choke again. He can not hit the foul shots that count. If he could he would have beaten the Celts last year.

There seems to be a lot of revisionist history going on with regards to game 7 of the semi-finals last year.  The most common claim I hear is that, "The Celics were a P.J. Brown jumper away from losing that series."  Or in this case, they somehow would've lost if LeBron hit his free throws.  What people fail to remember is that not once during the entire 48 minute game did the Cavs have the lead.  Also, LeBron only missed two free throws during the 4th quarter of that game, one of which came with 16 seconds to go and the Cavs down 5.  I hardly think that is an acceptable claim as to why the Cavs lost that game.

[KJ33]

The C's finished with a MUCH better regular season record than the Cavs last year, yet they extended the C's to a tightly contested 7th game.  Didn't the C's seem invincible as they were rolling to 66 wins, dominating the Texas triangle, etc.?  All of that goes out the window once the playoffs begin.  How much help did those 66 wins provide against Atlanta? 

Cleveland will have to face the same issues this year, regular season dominance, favorite to win the East, etc. that the C's did last year.  Don't underestimate how this may affect them once they have to play the games.  Too many thought last year, and now again this year, that regular season dominance automatically fast forwards you to the Conference Finals, without having to play the games.  Even without KG being 100%, I see no reason why this year's C's team, which is better than Atlanta or Cleveland were last year, can't at least give a serious challenge to the Cavs, if not beat them.