If you are what you are.....

[action781]

14 weeks is a long time ago when you are talking NBA seasons. And as much as they have been playing better, the results are much the same. They are 7-7 since March 7th as well when they have been healthy.

The Celtics are 10 and 7 in their last 17 (48 win pace).

They are 6 and 4 in their last 10 (49 win pace) and lost two of those games right at the death. Two games which could have easily gone the other way.

I do not think their form has been mediocre. It's been good-to-very good. Nowhere near Championship form but not mediocre either.

Let's go a day before March 7 to March 6 and the Atlanta Hawks are 9-6 since then.  Not too far from where the celts are over their last 17.  You can always find statistics to prove a point that you want to prove!

Since March 7, some of you have seen the Celtics go 7-7.  Since March 7, I've seen Rasheed play tough post defense and getting steals on entry passes.  I've seen him spend more time in the post than total in the 4 months prior.  I've seen Garnett work and score the post and pass out of it to cutting Rondo and Pierce like he did back in '08.  I've seen Pierce earn Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors.  I've seen Rondo get the triple doubles he's capable of any given night against any given opponent in the playoffs.  I've seen Ray Allen shoot 50% fg and 39% 3pt fg.  I've seen Michael Finley look like a very steady rotational player shooting 54% fgs since arriving.

While some of you have seen 7-7, I've seen very encouraging signs that we can be a title contender.

[CelticSooner]

By any chance have you seen where the defense has gone? If so tell it to get back home immediately.

[Who]

Next seven games

• Cleveland
• at New York
• at Toronto
• Washington
• at Milwaukee
• at Chicago
• Milwaukee

Out of their final seven games, Boston should win five or six games. Likely loss to Cleveland and possibly splitting the pair of games against Milwaukee. The four other games should be comfortable wins.

At that point, the Celtics have finished the season winning 11 or 12 of their final 17 games and 15 or 16 of their final 24.

Well, the Celtics have beaten their most difficult opponent and with Milwaukee losing Bogut ... they have now have no above average opponents for the stretch run of the season.

Boston should run the table winning seven straight to finish the regular season.

[nickagneta]

Next seven games

• Cleveland
• at New York
• at Toronto
• Washington
• at Milwaukee
• at Chicago
• Milwaukee

Out of their final seven games, Boston should win five or six games. Likely loss to Cleveland and possibly splitting the pair of games against Milwaukee. The four other games should be comfortable wins.

At that point, the Celtics have finished the season winning 11 or 12 of their final 17 games and 15 or 16 of their final 24.

Well, the Celtics have beaten their most difficult opponent and with Milwaukee losing Bogut ... they have now have no above average opponents for the stretch run of the season.

Boston should run the table winning seven straight to finish the regular season.

And when they don't?

[Who]

Next seven games

• Cleveland
• at New York
• at Toronto
• Washington
• at Milwaukee
• at Chicago
• Milwaukee

Out of their final seven games, Boston should win five or six games. Likely loss to Cleveland and possibly splitting the pair of games against Milwaukee. The four other games should be comfortable wins.

At that point, the Celtics have finished the season winning 11 or 12 of their final 17 games and 15 or 16 of their final 24.

Well, the Celtics have beaten their most difficult opponent and with Milwaukee losing Bogut ... they have now have no above average opponents for the stretch run of the season.

Boston should run the table winning seven straight to finish the regular season.

And when they don't?

Why so sure that they won't?

[Mr October]

Next seven games

• Cleveland
• at New York
• at Toronto
• Washington
• at Milwaukee
• at Chicago
• Milwaukee

Out of their final seven games, Boston should win five or six games. Likely loss to Cleveland and possibly splitting the pair of games against Milwaukee. The four other games should be comfortable wins.

At that point, the Celtics have finished the season winning 11 or 12 of their final 17 games and 15 or 16 of their final 24.

Well, the Celtics have beaten their most difficult opponent and with Milwaukee losing Bogut ... they have now have no above average opponents for the stretch run of the season.

Boston should run the table winning seven straight to finish the regular season.

And when they don't?

Why so sure that they won't?

The Celtics have proven that they are inconsistent. So while the should run the table, I bet they will drop 1, possibly 2 games in inferior opponents.

But, even though the C's are inconsistent, I think they are still a solid 50 win type of team, and capable of winning 50 again next year.

I'm dying to just get through the next week and a half. I want to see what this team has when the playoffs start. I want to see if they are all talk and too old. ...or if they indeed have the heart of a champion, and have the will power to battle through all the nagging injuries.

[Who]

In the last 30 games or so, Boston has lost a total of two games (NJ + NO) to teams with sub-.500 records and one game to a team at .500 (Houston).

Their upcoming schedule is very weak. Five opponents that are 30-35 win caliber teams or worse + one opponent who is at .500 but playing their worst stretch of basketball all season (7 wins and 13 losses in their last 20).

[Fafnir]

In the last 30 games or so, Boston has lost a total of two games (NJ + NO) to teams with sub-.500 records and one game to a team at .500 (Houston).

Their upcoming schedule is very weak. Five opponents that are 30-35 win caliber teams or worse + one opponent who is at .500 but playing their worst stretch of basketball all season (7 wins and 13 losses in their last 20).

Sounds like a decent recipe to hopefully get this team on a roll.

[Chris]

In the last 30 games or so, Boston has lost a total of two games (NJ + NO) to teams with sub-.500 records and one game to a team at .500 (Houston).

Their upcoming schedule is very weak. Five opponents that are 30-35 win caliber teams or worse + one opponent who is at .500 but playing their worst stretch of basketball all season (7 wins and 13 losses in their last 20).

I think it all depends on whether they show up for the games, as well as who they are resting.  I would expect over the next week and a half that each of the starters will get at least one game off (and Sheed probably will get to take a vacation because of a suspension), and this team has certainly had issues of playing down to opponents before.

If I had to guess, I would go with them winning out, but I certainly don't think it is a given with this team.

[PosImpos]

In the last 30 games or so, Boston has lost a total of two games (NJ + NO) to teams with sub-.500 records and one game to a team at .500 (Houston).

Their upcoming schedule is very weak. Five opponents that are 30-35 win caliber teams or worse + one opponent who is at .500 but playing their worst stretch of basketball all season (7 wins and 13 losses in their last 20).

I think it all depends on whether they show up for the games, as well as who they are resting.  I would expect over the next week and a half that each of the starters will get at least one game off (and Sheed probably will get to take a vacation because of a suspension), and this team has certainly had issues of playing down to opponents before.

If I had to guess, I would go with them winning out, but I certainly don't think it is a given with this team.

The Celtics should win all of their remaining games.

But how many other games should they have won this year?  They should be a 60 win team.

[CelticSooner]

I'll be shocked if the C's win out. They'll probably drop two to Milwaukee and Chicago. Two teams playing for playoff position.

[nickagneta]

Next seven games

• Cleveland
• at New York
• at Toronto
• Washington
• at Milwaukee
• at Chicago
• Milwaukee

Out of their final seven games, Boston should win five or six games. Likely loss to Cleveland and possibly splitting the pair of games against Milwaukee. The four other games should be comfortable wins.

At that point, the Celtics have finished the season winning 11 or 12 of their final 17 games and 15 or 16 of their final 24.

Well, the Celtics have beaten their most difficult opponent and with Milwaukee losing Bogut ... they have now have no above average opponents for the stretch run of the season.

Boston should run the table winning seven straight to finish the regular season.

And when they don't?

Why so sure that they won't?

As I said....and when they don't!!

[Mr October]

Gee, 5 games left. Are the Celtics gonna finish 3-2 or 2-3?

Injuries, age, bad reffing... so many things to blame over the course of the season. Tonight - effort. Blah.... a loss to the Knicks....

See you in a couple weeks Celtics.

[PosImpos]

If the Celtics are what the Celtics are...they're headed for a tough second round exit.

[Mr October]

If the Celtics are what the Celtics are...they're headed for a tough second round exit.

Yep, if they are what they've shown this season, they'll probably go 4-3 in the first round, and then 1-4 in the second... blahh.... still have a bad taste in my mouth...