Could the C’s be a version of the 03/04’ Pistons?

[LilRip]

Lol, not a chance. Those Pistons played the definition of team basketball. We don't know from quarter to quarter when this Celtics team will revert back to iso ball. Don't let the latest win streak fool you.

I tried to give two TP's but couldn't. This^

I just listened to Tatums reasoning as to why the 2019 Celtics didn't gel better that year and realized, after really struggling to follow his disjointed answer, but in a nut shell he was trying not to say, He, Terry, and Brown had ego's so inflated that they cared more about pecking order than a ring. This factor based on the year before taking the Cavs to seven games, in a terribly weakened eastern conference.   

This is just about what everyone figured happened in 2019, but still I'm glad to see him finally admit it.

It's a little early to compare this team to any past champion. I need to see how Tatum reacts to playing with the league's stars in an Allstar game. But I will say, his overall play has been better of late.

Hmm… what do you mean? I mean, this is already his 3rd all star game and he had a stint with the Olympics. So you’ve already seen him playing with the league stars. What are you looking to see/conclude from this all star game?

As for the 2019 take, sure that’s one way to look at it. But looking at it from both sides, maybe the vets like Hayward didn’t want to take a stepback or “pass the torch” either. After all, Gordon had just been an allstar prior to his season ending injury the previous year. I wasn’t one of them but maybe the other posters on this board were right when they were grumbling about how it looked like Brad was force feeding Hayward minutes at the expense of other guys.

Rozier’s controversial interview on ESPN pretty much corroborates what Tatum said here though. As did Brown’s cryptic/veiled shots at Kyrie/vets in the media

[colincb]

We won't be a contender until we can win tight games in the 4th Q.

We're not there yet.

[slamtheking]

*sippin*

a Pushing Daisies reference?  kudos and TP to you

[gouki88]

Some of the comparison's on this thread are so far out of whack, I gotta wonder if the responsible poster ever saw some of these guys play. I mean c'mon, Rob Williams is a young Kevin Garnett ??  And Jayson Tatum isn't even a top-10 player in my book - dumb player who is too inconsistent and lacks a strong competitive drive. In fact, the lack of basketball IQ might be the biggest difference between these Celtics and the '04 Pistons. Just look at the PG's - Smart and Billups.

How is Tatum "dumb"?

What makes Billups so much smarter than Smart? Similar assists, turnovers, and field goal percentage.

[Big333223]

Some of the comparison's on this thread are so far out of whack, I gotta wonder if the responsible poster ever saw some of these guys play. I mean c'mon, Rob Williams is a young Kevin Garnett ??  And Jayson Tatum isn't even a top-10 player in my book - dumb player who is too inconsistent and lacks a strong competitive drive. In fact, the lack of basketball IQ might be the biggest difference between these Celtics and the '04 Pistons. Just look at the PG's - Smart and Billups.

How is Tatum "dumb"?

What makes Billups so much smarter than Smart? Similar assists, turnovers, and field goal percentage.

I think Billups is overrated. That Finals MVP could easily have gone Rip or Ben Wallace and then the entire narrative changes. But it went to Chauncey so the narrative became "he's a leader" and he's "Mr. Big Shot."

He was a good player but overrated for sure.

[gouki88]

Some of the comparison's on this thread are so far out of whack, I gotta wonder if the responsible poster ever saw some of these guys play. I mean c'mon, Rob Williams is a young Kevin Garnett ??  And Jayson Tatum isn't even a top-10 player in my book - dumb player who is too inconsistent and lacks a strong competitive drive. In fact, the lack of basketball IQ might be the biggest difference between these Celtics and the '04 Pistons. Just look at the PG's - Smart and Billups.

How is Tatum "dumb"?

What makes Billups so much smarter than Smart? Similar assists, turnovers, and field goal percentage.

I think Billups is overrated. That Finals MVP could easily have gone Rip or Ben Wallace and then the entire narrative changes. But it went to Chauncey so the narrative became "he's a leader" and he's "Mr. Big Shot."

He was a good player but overrated for sure.

TP, wholeheartedly agree. He does not deserve to be up there with the great guards of his era. He had some great seasons, but is he any better than Kyle Lowry? I don't know that he is.

[Erik]

Different era to compare apples to apples. Back then the 3 pointer wasn’t as valued. You could have big enforcers like Ben Wallace with minimal offensive threat. He’d be hard to play in today’s league. But this team is about as good for their league.

Everyone on the team is fast, athletic, and can play great defense. Oh, and they have Tatum and Brown, who IMO, are significantly larger offensive scoring threats than anything that the Pistons had. Sheed was on his downward descent already.

I don’t know if this translates to “the Celtics can win a title” or not because the rest of the league is completely different, and let’s be realistic... the Pistons weren’t supposed to win... but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

The White trade has been excellent. We’ll know much later when that pick swap happens. Losing dead weight like Romeo Langford and people that aren’t in our future in exchange for the exact person that we needed was worth it. We actually may have sold at the right time on Langford. It may seem low, but there’s a difference between “Kwame sucks but he may become something later” and “Kwame just sucks” low. But White gives us more defense and playmaking, which is exactly what we needed to not be a defensive liability like most pass first guards, and get the ball moving ... moving especially to our scorers and not Smart.

[Goldstar88]

So there’s a chance?

[LilRip]

So there’s a chance?

I’m on the hype train. Choo-choo!

[gouki88]

So there’s a chance?

They'll be more successful than Chauncey's Pistons

[Goldstar88]

So there’s a chance?

They'll be more successful than Chauncey's Pistons

Multiple championships? Sign me up for that.

[Sophomore]

So you're sayin' there's a chance!!!!!!

Do you need a top 10 player to win in today’s NBA or Can you win with a couple of very good players and elite defense like the Pistons did that year?

Tatum is a top ten player this year and hasn’t peaked yet. Be very surprised if he isn’t at least 2d team all NBA, and 1st team is definitely possible.

[gouki88]

So there’s a chance?

They'll be more successful than Chauncey's Pistons

Multiple championships? Sign me up for that.

At least 2, maybe 8

[Big333223]

I think a better comparison for this team is the '11 Mavericks. Dirk was the offensive focal point that everything else revolved around and everyone on the team played smart, team-oriented defense.

The nice thing is, Tatum is a better defender than Dirk was and Jaylen is better than anyone else on that Mavs team.

[Goldstar88]

I think a better comparison for this team is the '11 Mavericks. Dirk was the offensive focal point that everything else revolved around and everyone on the team played smart, team-oriented defense.

The nice thing is, Tatum is a better defender than Dirk was and Jaylen is better than anyone else on that Mavs team.

Yeah, I don’t see it. Mavs had around the 10th best defense in the NBA that year. The C’s identity is their defense, just like that Pistons team. Boston is a big, athletic team just like that Detroit team was. Obviously JT and JB are better than anyone on the Pistons, but I think the other 3 players are very similar.

Smart as Billups
Horford as Rasheed Wallace
Timelord as Ben Wallace
JB as better version of Rip Hamilton