Are the celtics contenders yet?

[BballTim]

I think they were always contenders, they just needed to have more things fall the right way than other teams to win the championship.  I still feel that way.  Their chances are certainly better than they were before the playoffs, because they now have stolen home court from one of the teams ahead of them, but they still are not a favorite IMO. 

Agreed.

And I am feeling more confident about the C's chances. However I still think the current series is going 7 games and the teams are so evenly matched that anything can happen.

One game at a time baby.

if it goes 7, the Celtics will lose.  The Celtics have to win in 6 or less.

  Because we can't win in Cleveland?

[mobilija]

This is why the whole "realist" label was pretty dumb.  We had pessimists and optimists arguing all season.  The pessimists were right that we were underperforming in the regular season, the optimists were right that were better than our record and would hit a new gear when the playoffs started.

We may or may not win this series, or the title, but we've pretty clearly shown we're still a contender right now.  Of course it's hard to get a gauge of how the more pessimistic posters feel about this, because most of them have mysteriously disappeared since we started winning.

The pessimists labeled themselves, so I was just using their own prefered terminology.

But you caught me, I was taking a dig at them. However, I am interested if any have changed their tune. And I would certainly think nothing less of them if they've changed their tune. In fact, TP's for those that show up and give their opinion.

I'm curious, at what point does the pessimist become encouraged? What will it take for the self labeled realists to change their view of this season's potential reality?

[Mr October]

This is why the whole "realist" label was pretty dumb.  We had pessimists and optimists arguing all season.  The pessimists were right that we were underperforming in the regular season, the optimists were right that were better than our record and would hit a new gear when the playoffs started.

We may or may not win this series, or the title, but we've pretty clearly shown we're still a contender right now.  Of course it's hard to get a gauge of how the more pessimistic posters feel about this, because most of them have mysteriously disappeared since we started winning.

I label myself an optimist with a lean towards reality then. 

I was a switch flipper vocalist (including Sheed), yet thought that the C's would fall against Cleveland in an epic 7 game series.

I think i was wrong about predicting that Cleveland would take the title. Lebron's teammates just aren't showing they are good enough. If Cleveland gets past Boston, they will most likely fall to Orlando or LA.

[Birdbrain]

Never thought they weren't but, it's nice to get others on board as well.  We can all act like we believed if they do end up winning it all.  And then over the summer we can discuss breaking up the core due to age...

[fairweatherfan]

This is why the whole "realist" label was pretty dumb.  We had pessimists and optimists arguing all season.  The pessimists were right that we were underperforming in the regular season, the optimists were right that were better than our record and would hit a new gear when the playoffs started.

We may or may not win this series, or the title, but we've pretty clearly shown we're still a contender right now.  Of course it's hard to get a gauge of how the more pessimistic posters feel about this, because most of them have mysteriously disappeared since we started winning.

The pessimists labeled themselves, so I was just using their own prefered terminology.

But you caught me, I was taking a dig at them. However, I am interested if any have changed their tune. And I would certainly think nothing less of them if they've changed their tune. In fact, TP's for those that show up and give their opinion.

I'm curious, at what point does the pessimist become encouraged? What will it take for the self labeled realists to change their view of this season's potential reality?

Yeah, I didn't mean you made up the term - I was digging at them too, even though I probably shouldn't.  My main issue was never that people were critical of the team, cause I've done plenty of that myself.  It's that the most vocal negative posters were generally the ones who said only negative things, and disappeared when things went well.  They were the ones who tended to call themselves realists, when they really just wanted to gripe and moan about how awful their favorite team is. 

I'd like to hear from some of these folks too, but I don't think we'll see them unless we start losing again.

[Fafnir]

This is why the whole "realist" label was pretty dumb.  We had pessimists and optimists arguing all season.  The pessimists were right that we were underperforming in the regular season, the optimists were right that were better than our record and would hit a new gear when the playoffs started.

We may or may not win this series, or the title, but we've pretty clearly shown we're still a contender right now.  Of course it's hard to get a gauge of how the more pessimistic posters feel about this, because most of them have mysteriously disappeared since we started winning.

The pessimists labeled themselves, so I was just using their own prefered terminology.

But you caught me, I was taking a dig at them. However, I am interested if any have changed their tune. And I would certainly think nothing less of them if they've changed their tune. In fact, TP's for those that show up and give their opinion.

I'm curious, at what point does the pessimist become encouraged? What will it take for the self labeled realists to change their view of this season's potential reality?

Yeah, I didn't mean you made up the term - I was digging at them too, even though I probably shouldn't.  My main issue was never that people were critical of the team, cause I've done plenty of that myself.  It's that the most vocal negative posters were generally the ones who said only negative things, and disappeared when things went well.  They were the ones who tended to call themselves realists, when they really just wanted to gripe and moan about how awful their favorite team is. 

I'd like to hear from some of these folks too, but I don't think we'll see them unless we start losing again.

I don't know if we've had all that many trolls around like that. The worst don't last, one way or another.

Most of our "negative" posters that I remember talking a whole lot about the team are still around.

[Jon]

The interesting thing about this series, is that the Cavs just might be the toughtest team they'll play the entire playoffs.  And with the way the Lakers have looked, if they emerge from the West, and the C's from the East, the C's will likely have faced an easier opponent each round (Cleveland-->Orlando-->LA). 

I've course I'm getting radically ahead of myself.  Still interesting to ponder though. 

[Chris]

The interesting thing about this series, is that the Cavs just might be the toughtest team they'll play the entire playoffs.  And with the way the Lakers have looked, if they emerge from the West, and the C's from the East, the C's will likely have faced an easier opponent each round (Cleveland-->Orlando-->LA). 

I've course I'm getting radically ahead of myself.  Still interesting to ponder though. 

TP for the subtle dig at the Lakers.

[Who]

Same as before -- third best team in the East.

Not a frontrunner but have an outside shot at a title.

[FallGuy]

Same as before -- third best team in the East.

Not a frontrunner but have an outside shot at a title.

What he said.

[incoherent]

I think we've thoroughly outplayed CLE on their home court over the course of 2 games.

Now, throw in us taking Orlando to 7 without KG last year, and us having a better team this year.... It's hard to argue that we aren't contenders, very hard.

I think we are the 1st best team in the east in the playoffs when healthy, not the best regular season team though.  And good for us that this isn't the regular season anymore, where we were clearly waiting for the big show.

[celticinorlando]

i will let you know after this weekend.

[TitleMaster]

if it goes 7, the Celtics will lose.  The Celtics have to win in 6 or less.

Because we can't win in Cleveland?

I'd say it's because of the corrupt refs. LBJ can keep it to 10-15 pts, in his homecourt, but then, the non-calls and bogus calls will clip the C's in the end. Thus, it's better to complete the job at home.

[nyceltsfan]

I have been a pessimist and I think I still have reason to be a pessimist.  The Celts have still shown plenty of the tendencies that made us question them in the regular season recently.  Both games against the Cavs they blew large leads, stopped moving the ball, stopped attacking the rim and did not play well for a 48 minute stretch.

Are they contenders?  Sure - anyone left at this point is a contender.  Are they favorites?  I don't think so.

[celticinorlando]

i am not really concerned about playing in cleveland anymore. boston should be up 2-0