Author Topic: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers  (Read 3255 times)

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07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« on: December 04, 2008, 04:52:19 AM »

Offline sinbad

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I'm not sure if this was asked before, but arguably the best teams of the last decade would be these two teams. Here's how they breakdown. Who would win a 7 game series?

Lakers (67-15)
PPG 100.8
OPPG 92.3

Celtics (66-16)
PPG 100.5
OPPG 90.3

Some interesting storylines of notice

Shaq vs KG (The interviews alone would be entertaining enough)
Ray Allen vs Glenn Rice
Pierce vs Kobe
Rondo vs a younger Fisher
Horry vs Posey

Trying to be unbiased, This would be tough to call. That Laker team was amazing. Shaq had his best year averaging 29.7 ppg 13.6 rpg 3.8 apg 3.0 bpg. Kobe chipped in with 22.5 ppg. The basic makeup of these teams were similar in that both had an MVP quality big man, a creator and finisher on offense, and the best 3pt shooter at the time. It would come down to the role players. The Posey vs Horry matchup would be fun to watch. It would be interesting to see how much charges a younger Fisher would get on Rondo. How about Big-Baby going up against Shaq, both LSU alumni. Shaq might be the difference, he would get KG/Perkins/P.J./BBD in foul trouble and screw up our rotation.

FYI-This Laker team also had Rick Fox, Ron Harper, Tyronn Lue, AC Green, and Devean George

Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2008, 12:23:32 PM »

Offline Mideon

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I'll take the Lakers in 7 (do we give them home court in that match-up?). Shaq was on a mission that season and would be the best player on the floor by far. The Lakers were also a deeper team on the bench than in subsequent seasons, which would have helped them as well. I'd say the Lakers of 2000 were the best team since Jordan's Bulls, with the Celts of last season running closely behind. Would have been a great match-up though...fun just thinking about it!

Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2008, 12:29:54 PM »

Offline Redz

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Beating Shaq in his prime would have been tough.

I actually think this years team would have been better mentally suited meet that matchup...Sure would have been fun to find out.
Yup

Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2008, 12:43:38 PM »

Offline JR Giddens

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It depends how early a 07-08 Perkins would foul out of the game guarding Shaq. I'll take the Lakers  :D

Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2008, 06:53:54 PM »

Offline xmuscularghandix

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i'd say lakers in 7. and every game would be greuling. but 08-09 celtics beat them in 6. KP would step up the way he does against dominant big men (shaq would have a good night, but would be held below his season average. Pierce would dominate on Kobe due to his youth and inexperience. Rondo would have to be aggressive the way he was in game 6. and Ray Allen would hit open shots after the lakers getting fed up and double teaming PP. It'd be a better series than last year though, competitively.

Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2008, 06:56:58 PM »

Offline celticmaestro

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I'm pretty sure the Lakers would take this down. Shaq in his prime is just too much for anyone to cope with.

Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2008, 07:12:25 PM »

Offline housecall

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I would give the Celtics a better chance of winning it,if the refs. were using today's standards of calling the game.In 99-00,the game was ref.a little differently when it came to the Bigs,they allowed Shaq more previledges in the paint compared to what he could get away with today.The game is called a lot differently all the way around.A young Shaq today would  not be able to dominate as much in the paint.

Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2008, 07:17:45 PM »

Offline BigAlTheFuture

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99-00 Lakers were one of the best teams of all time. I'm pretty sure they would handle us.
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Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2008, 07:30:49 PM »

Offline Hoyo de Monterrey

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I did another quick whatifsports.com simulation of a 7 game series. I know it's obviously not perfect, but it's an interesting simulation.

Celtics swept 4-0 which I found incredible... twice at home twice on the road

KG MVP Ray dropped 31 in game 4

It wasn't even close though i found it very strange
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Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2008, 07:54:24 PM »

Offline Roy Hobbs

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The Celtics had one of the top defenses of all-time last season.  They shut down Kobe in the Finals, and pretty much every other player they came across. 

While there's no big man currently in the league that compares to Shaq in his prime, the Celtics would have D'd him up with Perk, PJ, and KG, which would have kept him in check.  Paul showed he can contain Kobe one-on-one.  I don't think the Lakers had anybody outside their top two who could have done any damage; Glen Rice was a shell of his former self, and nobody else scored more than 7.0 points per game on that squad.

The Celtics actually significantly outscored the Lakers in terms of points per 100 possessions (110.2 per 100 vs. 107.3 per 100).  The defensive points allowed per 100 possessions were roughly equal (98.9 vs. 98.2). 

That Lakers team was nowhere near the unstoppable juggernaut that many seem to be suggesting.  If not for some bad calls and a choke job by the Blazers, they wouldn't have even made the Finals. 

Oh ye of little faith.  I say Celtics in 6.

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Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2008, 07:56:07 PM »

Offline Truck Lewis

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I did another quick whatifsports.com simulation of a 7 game series. I know it's obviously not perfect, but it's an interesting simulation.

Celtics swept 4-0 which I found incredible... twice at home twice on the road

KG MVP Ray dropped 31 in game 4

It wasn't even close though i found it very strange

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Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2008, 11:38:43 PM »

Offline Mideon

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The Celtics had the same record (1 game worse actually) playing in a VASTLY inferior conference to the Lakers of 2000. The West in 99-00 had 6 50 win teams, whereas the (L)east last season had 3, plus a 37 win team making the playoffs. No surprise then that we might have come close in terms of the #'s.

Shaq of that year was hungry and was not to be denied. He was playing at the highest level of a legendary career, and Kobe was coming into his own. The role players fit perfectly into the system, and they had to go through  incredibly hard teams to even make the finals.

It's not an insult to a team to point out the obvious...that the Celts simply weren't as good last year as the Lakers dynasty. That's no problem, I'm happy with the ring. In my opinion, the only teams better than the Celts over the past 20 years have been the Lakers dynasty and the Bulls dynasty (specifically the second three-peat). No shame in being #3.

Re: 07-08 Celtics vs 99-00 Lakers
« Reply #12 on: December 05, 2008, 05:52:29 AM »

Offline bopna

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The Celtics had one of the top defenses of all-time last season.  They shut down Kobe in the Finals, and pretty much every other player they came across. 

While there's no big man currently in the league that compares to Shaq in his prime, the Celtics would have D'd him up with Perk, PJ, and KG, which would have kept him in check.  Paul showed he can contain Kobe one-on-one.  I don't think the Lakers had anybody outside their top two who could have done any damage; Glen Rice was a shell of his former self, and nobody else scored more than 7.0 points per game on that squad.

The Celtics actually significantly outscored the Lakers in terms of points per 100 possessions (110.2 per 100 vs. 107.3 per 100).  The defensive points allowed per 100 possessions were roughly equal (98.9 vs. 98.2). 

That Lakers team was nowhere near the unstoppable juggernaut that many seem to be suggesting.  If not for some bad calls and a choke job by the Blazers, they wouldn't have even made the Finals. 

Oh ye of little faith.  I say Celtics in 6.

Completely agree, the Fakers were good but Mr. Stern had other plans, there was no way that Faker team is going to lose that season...It was as if the trophy was handed to them even before the playoffs have started. Whereas our Celts have to go through Hell and Mr. Sterns cohorts of refs just to get to the Finals and we certainly whithered that storm.

Id say our C's of 08 can be mentioned as Top 5 in terms of Champion teams of the Past. The D that we presented was so stiffling Id even go as far as beating that 98 Chicago Bulls team which had a hard time dispatching a Utah Jazz squad inferior to our '08 team.