Can The Celtics win in the post season without Shaq?

[screwedupmaniac]

"Can the Celtics win in the post season without Shaq?"

Hopefully we won't have to find out...

[JSD]

First round?  Yes.  Second round?  Probably not.  ECF and beyond?  No.

Jsaad likes this.

[ballin]

As has been my motto for the last few weeks, Shaq for 30 min. a game or forget it.

/thanks Ainge

[OsirusCeltics]

I don't understand the preoccupation with the center position. In the Celtics system, the center is the position that is easiest to learn and adjust to. Its an easier job

And it also helps that whichever center is going to play, they are alongside 4 great players, and just play off of them. This is the reason why Erden, a Euro player who was a novice to US b-ball was able to play so well and be effective when on the floor

And people forget that this is how they won the title back in '08. With the focal point of the Big 3, all the other players were playing off of them. Whether it was PJ Brown, Powe, or Perk, they had a simple job to do. They were not the end all be all for our title hopes

Its not if Shaq is gonna be here or not. Any big would be helpful. Its just about how many bigs are in the rotation. 3 or 4 healthy bigs would be ideal, but a certain player there doesn't matter

[chambers]

most people completely over value Perkins in our line up.
He was awesome- we were undefeated in a playoff series with him in the starting 5.

People choose to believe that this team couldn't get better than they were in 2008 or that the reason we lost 2009 was because Perkins went down.

2009 saw KG walking around with one leg for most of the season and barely 2 legs in the post season- if he had been as good as this year- we would have steam rolled the Lakers with that exact same squad.
KG's improved health with the combination of Shaq, JO and Krstic is a definite upgrade inside.

Even KG+JO starting with Krstic +Baby coming in is capable of winning it all.
I think people are also underestimating or not realising  how effective Krstic is going to be against Bynum should we have to play them in the playoffs. Gasol will be guarding KG and we will be running pick and rolls with Bynum playing his terrible coverage defense- Krstic should be able to pick him apart. On the defensive end it's a big concern though.

To answer OPs question though- yes they can win, but they need JO to be like he was last year during the regular season- which is definitely quite possible come June.

[LarBrd33]

we have 4 allstars... not former allstars... 4 guys who made the allstar team this year.   I think it's insulting to our 4 allstars to say they can't win a title without a role playing big man. 

WIth that said...  Miami could still win a title too... same reason.  They don't need a big man... they have 2 superstars and an allstar.

[Who]

Possibly ... but their margin for error is very small.

Doubtful it's enough to take LA and would be vulnerable in the previous two rounds in the East.

[Fafnir]

Possibly ... but their margin for error is very small.

Doubtful it's enough to take LA and would be vulnerable in the previous two rounds in the East.

We'd need JO a lot of minutes at a high level certainly.

20 mins of Shaq gives us a lot more margin for error.

[GreenEnvy]

most people completely over value Perkins in our line up.
He was awesome- we were undefeated in a playoff series with him in the starting 5.

People choose to believe that this team couldn't get better than they were in 2008 or that the reason we lost 2009 was because Perkins went down.

2009 saw KG walking around with one leg for most of the season and barely 2 legs in the post season- if he had been as good as this year- we would have steam rolled the Lakers with that exact same squad.
KG's improved health with the combination of Shaq, JO and Krstic is a definite upgrade inside.

Even KG+JO starting with Krstic +Baby coming in is capable of winning it all.
I think people are also underestimating or not realising  how effective Krstic is going to be against Bynum should we have to play them in the playoffs. Gasol will be guarding KG and we will be running pick and rolls with Bynum playing his terrible coverage defense- Krstic should be able to pick him apart. On the defensive end it's a big concern though.

To answer OPs question though- yes they can win, but they need JO to be like he was last year during the regular season- which is definitely quite possible come June.

You're forgetting we had, love him or hate him, Tony Allen last season.

After Marquis went down, we needed someone to take the load off Pierce so he won't be gassed by the latter rounds like he was last year.


I think we would really benefit with Shaq most against LA, Chicago, and Orlando. Can we beat them without him? Only if JO and Krstic are near 100%.

[Fafnir]

Possibly ... but their margin for error is very small.

Doubtful it's enough to take LA and would be vulnerable in the previous two rounds in the East.

Bynum did have his typical knee tweak this Sunday. Whether or not it sets him back like past injuries will determine whether or not the Lakers have the enormous advantage they'd have at the moment.

[moiso]

If JO can be the player he was last year.  And to be honest, that isn't that far-fetched; he looks healthy.  He then takes Perk's role.  He can match Perk or be a net gain given his defensive capabilities and his offensive prowess.  Baby still closes out games and Nenad more or less becomes Rasheed, something that's not that far-fetched either. 

But I don't think we're going to have to answer this question.

I think JO needs to be better than he was last year which isn't that far fetched.  He looked heavy and slower last year than he does now.  Plus I think he would need to play a little more than the 28 minutes per game that he averaged last year.  I'm not sure Kristic is suited for playoff basketball.  

[Roy H.]

If JO can be the player he was last year.  And to be honest, that isn't that far-fetched; he looks healthy.  He then takes Perk's role.  He can match Perk or be a net gain given his defensive capabilities and his offensive prowess.  Baby still closes out games and Nenad more or less becomes Rasheed, something that's not that far-fetched either. 

But I don't think we're going to have to answer this question.

I think JO needs to be better than he was last year which isn't that far fetched.  He looked heavy and slower last year than he does now.  Plus I think he would need to play a little more than the 28 minutes per game that he averaged last year.  I'm not sure Kristic is suited for playoff basketball.  

JO should be better than he was in the playoffs last year, but I think it's going to be very hard for him to match, much less exceed, last year's production.  14 points, 7 boards, 2 blocks, and 53% shooting seems like an unrealistic projection for a guy who has struggled with injuries all year, even if he now appears healthier.

[PosImpos]

most people completely over value Perkins in our line up.
He was awesome- we were undefeated in a playoff series with him in the starting 5.

People choose to believe that this team couldn't get better than they were in 2008 or that the reason we lost 2009 was because Perkins went down.

2009 saw KG walking around with one leg for most of the season and barely 2 legs in the post season- if he had been as good as this year- we would have steam rolled the Lakers with that exact same squad.
KG's improved health with the combination of Shaq, JO and Krstic is a definite upgrade inside.

Even KG+JO starting with Krstic +Baby coming in is capable of winning it all.
I think people are also underestimating or not realising  how effective Krstic is going to be against Bynum should we have to play them in the playoffs. Gasol will be guarding KG and we will be running pick and rolls with Bynum playing his terrible coverage defense- Krstic should be able to pick him apart. On the defensive end it's a big concern though.

To answer OPs question though- yes they can win, but they need JO to be like he was last year during the regular season- which is definitely quite possible come June.

You're forgetting we had, love him or hate him, Tony Allen last season.

After Marquis went down, we needed someone to take the load off Pierce so he won't be gassed by the latter rounds like he was last year.


I think we would really benefit with Shaq most against LA, Chicago, and Orlando. Can we beat them without him? Only if JO and Krstic are near 100%.

It's not looking as though we'll face Orlando, so I don't think we have to worry about that.  We're probably looking at Philly - Miami - Chicago.  Brand, Ilgauskas, Noah shouldn't be that hard to handle for JO and Krstic.  We will absolutely need Shaq if we somehow make it to the Finals and face the Lakers, though.

As far as JO goes, it'll be interesting to see if he could produce closer to what Hollinger projected for him coming into this year (since Hollinger's projection assumed he'd be healthy and not injured all year).

FG% - .498
FT% - .725
Pts / 40 - 17.4
Reb / 40 - 9.0
Ast / 40 - 2.1
TS% - 53.5
REB - 13.2
PER - 15.91

That would be quite a bit better than he has been over the course of the year (particularly the FG% and scoring, although he's not likely to score much even if he's healthy).

[housecall]

Assuming a healtier JO/Kristic will be your main bigs at the c position i say "yes" but a lot will depend on how Doc utilize his guys.Im not raging on Doc here but he has to play other players when necessary and remove guys at the right time when they aren't playing well.
This season ive felt he's allowed players in instances to stay on the court to long until they go from playing a decent game to actual making mistakes due to being tired or just getting beat by other players.Doc has to be more aware of when to hold them and when to fold them,so to speak.(IMO)

[BudweiserCeltic]

Can the Celtics win without Shaq? Of course. Same as always, it'll come down to the big 4 and how they perform.