We were the 2nd best team in the NBA

[mctyson]

OKC was the 2nd best team in the NBA.

Actually... I don't know.  Might have been the Spurs.  I am a little surprise that King James massacred the Thunder like that.  IT's more a credit to LeBron turning it up a notch than a knock on the Thunder.  Had we somehow managed to defeat the Heat, I am not sure we would have had the same level of success against the Thunder as Miami did.  That team is very dangerous and we didn't match up well with them.

EDIT:  I'm still sticking with the Thunder here.  They swept the defending champions in round 1.  In round 2, they made quick work of the Los Angeles Lakers... a team that had Kobe Bryant playing at an elite level and two twin tower 7 foot all-stars.  Defeating a 2 time NBA champion with that kind of talent can't be discredited.   In round three, they go up against a world-beating Spurs team in the midst of a 20 win streak... widely thought to be the best team in basketball... and a team with oodles of championship experience.  They were no match for Durant and the Thunder... who ripped them open after falling down 0-2 to win 4 in a row.   

In the Finals, Durant averaged 31 points, on 55% shooting, 40% from three and 84% from the line while getting guarded by LeBron (a player who utilized his defensive ability to render our very own Paul Pierce essentially irrelevant).  That's impressive.  Westbrook averaged 27 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.  They played well... just not well enough to beat a zoned-in LeBron and the Heat. 

Alternatively, the Celtics struggled a bit against Atlanta (especially when Horford came back after a 6 month layoff) and were pushed to 7 games by a lowly Philly team.  If pushing the Heat to 7 games makes Boston the "2nd best team" then I guess we're saying Philly pushing the Celtics to 7 games makes them the 3rd best team. 

Well let's make sure we put some of the credit where it is due - the Heat role players.

Battier - 61% from 3.
Miller - 64% from 3.
Cole - 43% from 3.  Hadn't hit 1 3 pt shot before the finals
Chalmers (last 2 games) - 57% from the field

Obviously much credit to LeBron for ball movement and finding those guys, but those are some nutty shooting numbers.  As Doc always says, it's a "make/miss league" and Miami's role players got hot when it mattered.

And unfortunately for us this all started in Game 7 with Bosh, Battier, and Lebron's half court shot.

[Celtics18]

I think we were the 2nd best team, but in the end this discussion is all highly speculative.  All I can say about it is that I'm proud of our result, and I'd like to add that it's my belief that if we keep our core together for another go, we'd have to be considered among the top challengers--probably the top challenger--in the East next year. 

It's definitely worth another run to me.

[letsgoblue86]

We were the 2nd best team.  But at least all the NBA's true fans got to see the dream matchup.

[guava_wrench]

I would like to agree with the thread premise but I think OKC would have swept the Heat with Bosh.

[Big Rondo]

If you're not first, you're last...

[Shad0wman]

IF IF IF!!! I will never understand this mentality of losing. SECOND BEST? REALLY?! So, we were the FIRST ONES TO LOSE?? This team was NOT a Championship team. Did you see how they folded up like Origami Swans in 3 out of last 4  games? They were far from 2nd best. They went on MORE and WORSE Scoring droughts than OKC. I will sit here biasedly saying they WOULD BEAT OKC, IF! But the reality is, they didn't, and they wouldn't and they haven't!

I wont be happy with the C's till they are WINNERS Again. Winning the 'Chip. Did you see Lebron and his determination? Tell me you saw that in anyone's eyes other than KG in MANY Games this year and the post season!

[Tgro]

IF IF IF!!! I will never understand this mentality of losing.

I know what you mean. IF you hadn't posted that, I wouldn't have wasted my time reading it.

[pearljammer10]

Think about it, we were able to take the heat to 7 games, while OKC couldnt even get past 5. no team has taken this heat team to 7 except us.

We took the heat to 7 games without green, wilcox, bradley, jermaine o'neal. Half of our starters played injured, with Pierce who had a sprained MCL and ray allen had bone spurs, while stiemsma had plantar fascietis.  literally half our team was injured or out in some way.

if we were healthy, we were easily the best team in the nba.

Its taken me a while to come around to this but I think youre right. A co-worker of mine has been saying all playoffs that a Eastern team was going to win because they play better defense. And I think even without being full strength we could have beaten the Thunder because of our defense. Man, that OT collapse game really killed us. Bummer.

[Redz]

OKC was the 2nd best team in the NBA.

Actually... I don't know.  Might have been the Spurs.  I am a little surprise that King James massacred the Thunder like that.  IT's more a credit to LeBron turning it up a notch than a knock on the Thunder.  Had we somehow managed to defeat the Heat, I am not sure we would have had the same level of success against the Thunder as Miami did.  That team is very dangerous and we didn't match up well with them.

EDIT:  I'm still sticking with the Thunder here.  They swept the defending champions in round 1.  In round 2, they made quick work of the Los Angeles Lakers... a team that had Kobe Bryant playing at an elite level and two twin tower 7 foot all-stars.  Defeating a 2 time NBA champion with that kind of talent can't be discredited.   In round three, they go up against a world-beating Spurs team in the midst of a 20 win streak... widely thought to be the best team in basketball... and a team with oodles of championship experience.  They were no match for Durant and the Thunder... who ripped them open after falling down 0-2 to win 4 in a row.   

In the Finals, Durant averaged 31 points, on 55% shooting, 40% from three and 84% from the line while getting guarded by LeBron (a player who utilized his defensive ability to render our very own Paul Pierce essentially irrelevant).  That's impressive.  Westbrook averaged 27 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.  They played well... just not well enough to beat a zoned-in LeBron and the Heat. 

Alternatively, the Celtics struggled a bit against Atlanta (especially when Horford came back after a 6 month layoff) and were pushed to 7 games by a lowly Philly team.  If pushing the Heat to 7 games makes Boston the "2nd best team" then I guess we're saying Philly pushing the Celtics to 7 games makes them the 3rd best team. 

Well let's make sure we put some of the credit where it is due - the Heat role players.

Battier - 61% from 3.
Miller - 64% from 3.
Cole - 43% from 3.  Hadn't hit 1 3 pt shot before the finals
Chalmers (last 2 games) - 57% from the field

Obviously much credit to LeBron for ball movement and finding those guys, but those are some nutty shooting numbers.  As Doc always says, it's a "make/miss league" and Miami's role players got hot when it mattered.

And unfortunately for us this all started in Game 7 with Bosh, Battier, and Lebron's half court shot.

They definitely had good timing on the 3's.  They often came in response to a small run or in transition after making a steal on OKC (or the Celts) were on a break of their.  Miami made the plays.  They are deserving champs.

[Reyquila]

The best two teams made the finals. The Heat then  proved they were the best of the best. Nothing to it.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I think we were the 2nd best team, but in the end this discussion is all highly speculative.  All I can say about it is that I'm proud of our result, and I'd like to add that it's my belief that if we keep our core together for another go, we'd have to be considered among the top challengers--probably the top challenger--in the East next year. 

It's definitely worth another run to me.

agreed

[2short]

In the end it doesn't matter.  I am extremely proud of the team fighting through ALL the injuries and getting contributions from just about every guy who put on a jersey.  Great season.  Of course I'm sad that it wasn't Boston vs San Antonio in the finals, 7 game series (which we won of course) of just great team basketball

[BballTim]

IF IF IF!!! I will never understand this mentality of losing. SECOND BEST? REALLY?! So, we were the FIRST ONES TO LOSE?? This team was NOT a Championship team. Did you see how they folded up like Origami Swans in 3 out of last 4  games? They were far from 2nd best. They went on MORE and WORSE Scoring droughts than OKC. I will sit here biasedly saying they WOULD BEAT OKC, IF! But the reality is, they didn't, and they wouldn't and they haven't!

I wont be happy with the C's till they are WINNERS Again. Winning the 'Chip. Did you see Lebron and his determination? Tell me you saw that in anyone's eyes other than KG in MANY Games this year and the post season!

  Lighten up. Everyone else wanted to win too. We weren't a championship team, we were title contenders who fell short in no small part because we didn't have players like Green/Bradley/Wilcox. Everyone also wants to be WINNERS again. That starts with offseason moves, and what type of moves are needed are based on how well you think the team could do with healthy(ish) players.

[Snakehead]

Think about it, we were able to take the heat to 7 games, while OKC couldnt even get past 5. no team has taken this heat team to 7 except us.

We took the heat to 7 games without green, wilcox, bradley, jermaine o'neal. Half of our starters played injured, with Pierce who had a sprained MCL and ray allen had bone spurs, while stiemsma had plantar fascietis.  literally half our team was injured or out in some way.

if we were healthy, we were easily the best team in the nba.

Its taken me a while to come around to this but I think youre right. A co-worker of mine has been saying all playoffs that a Eastern team was going to win because they play better defense. And I think even without being full strength we could have beaten the Thunder because of our defense. Man, that OT collapse game really killed us. Bummer.

I agree with your co-worker.  My two friends were talking up the Spurs and OKC all post season and I was constantly saying they don't play the same D out west, wait until they reach the Finals. 

I think the Spurs would have gotten smashed in the Finals because they both wouldn't handle the D and wouldn't be athletic enough.  OKC could run but especially their role players couldn't pick up the slack.  Durant couldn't go off enough to make up the difference.  (This is against Miami I'm talking here... against us would have been interesting, but I'm confident we still win due to our defense)

Champion was coming out of the East because, yes, defense wins championships.



Like others, so proud of our team this year.  More proud of them than any team.  Like proud of them on a personal, character level, which I really have never felt about a sports team before.

[Kuberski1]

We took the heat to 7 games without green, wilcox, bradley, jermaine o'neal. Half of our starters played injured, with Pierce who had a sprained MCL and ray allen had bone spurs, while stiemsma had plantar fascietis.  literally half our team was injured or out in some way.

if we were healthy, we were easily the best team in the nba.

Its taken me a while to come around to this but I think youre right. A co-worker of mine has been saying all playoffs that a Eastern team was going to win because they play better defense. And I think even without being full strength we could have beaten the Thunder because of our defense. Man, that OT collapse game really killed us. Bummer.
[/quote]

I agree with your co-worker.  My two friends were talking up the Spurs and OKC all post season and I was constantly saying they don't play the same D out west, wait until they reach the Finals. 

I think the Spurs would have gotten smashed in the Finals because they both wouldn't handle the D and wouldn't be athletic enough.  OKC could run but especially their role players couldn't pick up the slack.  Durant couldn't go off enough to make up the difference.  (This is against Miami I'm talking here... against us would have been interesting, but I'm confident we still win due to our defense)

Champion was coming out of the East because, yes, defense wins championships.



Like others, so proud of our team this year.  More proud of them than any team.  Like proud of them on a personal, character level, which I really have never felt about a sports team before.
[/quote]


this.  Great season, very proud of this team...