How big of a miscalculation is POB?

[moiso]

I never saw Blount suddenly "get it".

[Roy Hobbs]

I never saw Blount suddenly "get it".

He didn't "get it".  Blount, if anything, was a guy with a reputation of a hard worker who "lost it".  He did renew his efforts for a couple months in order to get paid, but he never again was the hard worker he was his first couple seasons.

[CoachBo]

Couldn't disagree more about the "low risk" angle.

Anyone want to go into the playoffs trying to play Powe and BBD at the five behind Perkins?

I don't.

I really hope that we didn't spend this summer thinking that we're smarter in the front office than everyone else.

[moiso]

Remember Blount was one the top rated high school centers, who slacked at Pitt and was therefore not drafted.  He worked a little harder at times and pouted and played lazy at times.  I remember him buying into the defensive scheme for one year under Jim O'Brien.  But yeah, that was the contract year.

[moiso]

I see your point, coachbo.  It's tough to compete for a championship and also develop young projects at the same time.

[BudweiserCeltic]

The miscalculation is not the signing by POB... far from it. If anything, it's not acquiring yet ANOTHER big in addition to him. Which, you can relate to the acquiring of Sam Cassell, who shouldn't have been acquired in my opinion.

Right after acquiring POB, and judging from what Ainge said on interviews, he wasn't planning on counting on POB to be what we needed for a back-up when the playoffs came around. He was counting on adding DEPTH to the position.

With all that said, the season is still young... there's no doubt in my mind that Ainge isn't done with our roster.

Miscalculation suggests that Ainge's expectations were betrayed. Judging by what he paid for the dude, and judging from what I've seen from the guy, he's exactly what Ainge expected him to be... and yet, with a bit of promise of being more than Ainge expected. Nothing suggests that he's less than what Ainge "calculated" him to be.

[Sweet17]

He didn't "get it".  Blount, if anything, was a guy with a reputation of a hard worker who "lost it".  He did renew his efforts for a couple months in order to get paid, but he never again was the hard worker he was his first couple seasons.

No. That's a very poor telling of the Mark Blount story. He was absolutely a guy who got it - in that he realizes he could get PAID. I don't expect POB to play hard for the love of the game. I expect him to play hard after realization that he could make some serious money in the NBA.

People forget that Blount was a fixture on the C's for quite a while before "getting it".

Season 1 25 - 3.9 ppg. (Bos)
Season 2 26 - 2.1 ppg. (Bos)
Season 3 27 - 5.0 ppg  (Bos/Denver)
Season 4 28 - CONTRACT YEAR 10.3 ppg.

So there is your example of guy getting it. Blount fits perfectly. Contrary to the assertions of some posters Blount was actually thought highly before being recruited at Pitt. He was a disappointment there.

His reputation as a hard worker who "made it" isn't really the truth. What instead happened is he capitialized on some talent that most though he had already thrown away. After his big contract (that he is still on) he neglected defense and rebounding - no doubt. But POB might be motivated in a similar way. I don't think he is a lost cause.

The key is not to be the one suckered in by any 'good play" out of him. POB doesn't love the game and without the financial incentive he isn't going to dominate. He is not like a guy like Pierce or Garnett who would bust you up in a pickup game to prove their dominance..

Pete

[Brickowski]

Anyone want to go into the playoffs trying to play Powe and BBD at the five behind Perkins?

I don't.

I do.  No problem. They're good enough and big enough.

[Section301]

Couldn't disagree more about the "low risk" angle.

Anyone want to go into the playoffs trying to play Powe and BBD at the five behind Perkins?

I don't.

I really hope that we didn't spend this summer thinking that we're smarter in the front office than everyone else.

Based on what I saw out of them in the playoffs, and what I've seen out of them so far this season, I'm OK with that.  At the very least, we know Powe can hold his own against the Lakers front court

Seriously, though, I think a problem that keeps cropping up in these discussions is the expectation that there is only one formula to winning.  The Celtics won in the playoffs last year with PJ coming off the bench.  That does not mean that without PJ (or someone like him) coming off the bench the C's are doomed to failure.  It just means they have to win differently.  Offensively, I think Leon Powe is more than capable as a backup 5.  I'd say that offensively, he's one of the best backup centers out there.  Does he give up something on the defensive end?  Only if Thibodeau can't find a way to minimize his exposure.  It's not like he's a bad defensive player, and he has the strength and tenacity to give the other guy a hard time (see Ming, Yao) for the 20 minutes a night we'll need from him.  So if he's good offensively, and on the defensive end my only concern is can Thibs figure out how to make it work, I'm really not worried.  I am comfortable, in fact, if my biggest concern is can Tom T solve a defensive problem with a player who is willing to execute his instructions.  

[crownsy]

Couldn't disagree more about the "low risk" angle.

Anyone want to go into the playoffs trying to play Powe and BBD at the five behind Perkins?

I don't.

I really hope that we didn't spend this summer thinking that we're smarter in the front office than everyone else.

I'll buy you a beer if the bench we currently has is the one we take into the playoffs.

we'll make a small move/ cut someone to pick up a vet at the deadline, just like all contending teams.

[gar]

Agree that there will be a bench move. POB could be traded; but was not a miscalculation. He has not played; because doc wants him to earn it. He has to put in his time and put on some muscle and he will be fine.

[CoachBo]

The size differential between Powe and Bynum is unworkable in the playoffs - or in the event of an injury to Perkins, which has been a yearly issue.

I remain concerned about the minutes the Big 3 are playing - at their ages, I don't think anything outside an average of two minutes more per game is acceptable.

As for Paddy, I need to see simple effort from him soon. His performance last Friday was simply unacceptable. If playing for the World Champs isn't enough - and it hasn't been so far - to break the lazy, unmotivated game he's played since college, then it's going to be time soon - 20 games - to cut him loose and move on.

This bench simply isn't going to get it done, a point I've been making since summer. I agree wholeheartedly that moves will be made, especially at the 5 because we cannot go into the playoffs with a barely-breathing 7 footer and two undersize defenders.

Again, the Dumpster Diving Summer is simply inexplicable to me after winning a title. Are we trying to win another one or not?

[Chris]

Again, the Dumpster Diving Summer is simply inexplicable to me after winning a title. Are we trying to win another one or not?

I have a feeling you will get it a lot more come playoff time.  The chances of our current roster being intact come March and April are very slim IMO. 

I had nothing wrong with the C's not overpaying for mediocre players this summer (Other than Kurt Thomas...who was apparently not leaving SA...there was not a big man out there who was worthy of being in a contenders rotation).

They took a calculated risk to see what the kid had, and then take another look at who is available come February.  Whether it is PJ, McDyess, Smith, or someone else, I expect there will be someone else on this roster who will make everyone forget what the worries were about.

[Brickowski]

They'll certainly try to get someone like McDyess or Joe Smith, and veterans of that caliber will help.  But those guys won't defend Bynum any better than BBD will.  What they CAN do (as proven during their many years in the league) is hit the clutch mid-range jumper.  That is something BBD has not shown he can do.  Neither can Powe or Perkins.

I really don't see any player likely to come available on the open market who can defend the post better than BBD.  Ainge went after Przybilla over the off-season; maybe he can try again.  But Przybilla won't come cheap.

 

[soap07]

I remain concerned about the minutes the Big 3 are playing - at their ages, I don't think anything outside an average of two minutes more per game is acceptable.


Well...Ray Allen has played under 34 minutes a game.  Kevin Garnett has played about 32 minutes a game. Only Pierce has played a high amount of minutes at 39 per game, which is what most stars play any way. What are you complaining about exactly? Both Garnett and Ray are playing less minutes per game than last season.