The Alternate Universe Celtics w/ Durant

[LarBrd33]

I know it's a tired subject and similar threads have been started in the past... but I watched Durant last night and can't help but revisit it again. 

Durant is amazing.   Just amazing. I'm with Bill Simmons on this... I don't think Durant has a ceiling.  I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up averaging 40 some day.   We have a thread talking about Ray Allen and his quest to join the 50/40/90 club... (50% shooting, 40% three point shooting and 90% free throw shooting for an entire season)... Durant at the age of 20 is already looking like a guy capable of joining that club.   

His stats for the month of Jan:  27.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals... 49.4% shooting, 39.6% from three... 88.5 % free throw shooting.    Shouldn't he get player of the month for the Western Conference?   Those stats are ridiculous.  And he's 20!!

Anyways... In no way do I regret the way things turned out.  We could win another title again this year.   The way things worked out is amazing.   But it's nice to visit the alternate universe Boston Celtics once in a while.   If we landed a top 2 pick as expected, Ainge has confirmed he would have taken Durant (he even said after the draft he would have taken Durant over Oden) ....   So help me understand what that team would look like?

Here are the players with their stats from our universe (irrelevant)

PG - Rondo - 11.1 points, 8.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals
SG - Pierce** - 18.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1 steal
SF - Durant - 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals
PF - Big Al - 22.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 blocks
C - Perk - 8.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks
----
Bench:
SG Delonte - 12.3 points, 3.5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1.5 steals
PF Gomes - 11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds
PG Telfair - 7.8 points, 4.3 assists
SF Wally - 6.9 points
PF Powe - 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds
SG Tony Allen - 7.9 points, 1.2 steals
SF Gerald Green - 5.6 points

So first of all... Pierce likely would have been traded.   What do you figure he would have been traded for?  And we likely would have had another top pick in the 2008 draft (since we would have stunk last year) ... 

And second of all... who knows what kind of stats that collection of players would have put up together in the alternate universe.    But it's interesting.   That's some young core...

Funny how much some ping pong balls changed our situation.

[LarBrd33]

btw... forget Bron in 2010.   Durant in 2011... that's where it's at.

[Toine43]

I happen to think that we would have been better off if this happened. I mean, Big Al is clearly better than KG anyway. With him and Durant on the team we probably would win a championhip this year. We'd still have Gomes too, Bassy would've come around as the backup point. And we now know that Delonte can hold his own at the 2. I know that winning a championship is great, but what about several championships?

EDIT: A while ago LarBrd33 responded to one of my comments with a clearly ridiculous response, and then I replied to his respone angrily, basically telling him what he said was crazy. Then, he proceeded to make several more outrageous posts while I responded more angrily each time. Once Redz pointed out that LarBrd33 was clearly baiting me on purpose, I vowed to get him back. This was that attempt, and it failed.

My actual opinion (so people don't think that I think Big Al is better than KG), is that I'm thankful for how things turned out. We got a championship, and it was great to see Pierce win a banner as a Celtic, and I love watching KG and Ray. Of course, that alternate universe team would have been an entertaining team to watch play - certainly one of the NBA's top offensive teams. However, they would have had one problem: they wouldn't have been able to stop anyone.

[BigAlTheFuture]

btw... forget Bron in 2010.   Durant in 2011... that's where it's at.

Word..

Durant truly is an amazing basketball player. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if Durant becomes a better scorer than Kobe or surpasses both Lebron and Kobe 5 years from now as the best player in the league. That's how good I think the guy is. He is such a great scorer. A much improved player since last year. Better shot selections, passing, field goal percentage.

I happen to think that we would have been better off if this happened. I mean, Big Al is clearly better than KG anyway. With him and Durant on the team we probably would win a championhip this year. We'd still have Gomes too, Bassy would've come around as the backup point. And we now know that Delonte can hold his own at the 2. I know that winning a championship is great, but what about several championships?

I don't think we would win one this year with that team. But a team with Big Al and Durant would definitely win 3-5 'ships by the time their careers are over.

I'm happy about the team we have, now. But it's definitely fun to think about it, though.

[Brickowski]

Durant can't defend a chair, and it's unclear if that will ever change.

Now Big Al and Oden would have been interesting.

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

Durant can't defend a chair, and it's unclear if that will ever change.

Now Big Al and Oden would have been interesting.

Maybe if Oden was any good

right now big al/ durant would be pretty darn special, at least offensivly

[QuinielaBox]

Durant can't defend a chair, and it's unclear if that will ever change.

Now Big Al and Oden would have been interesting.

Maybe if Oden was any good

right now big al/ durant would be pretty darn special, at least offensivly

What do you mean if Oden was any good? Oden is improving everytime I check in with the Blazers. He already shoots his FT's better than Shaq and Wallace (but not as good as Yao's yet). His only shortcoming is lateral quickness.

[wdleehi]

Durant can't defend a chair, and it's unclear if that will ever change.

Now Big Al and Oden would have been interesting.

Maybe if Oden was any good

right now big al/ durant would be pretty darn special, at least offensivly

What do you mean if Oden was any good? Oden is improving everytime I check in with the Blazers. He already shoots his FT's better than Shaq and Wallace (but not as good as Yao's yet). His only shortcoming is lateral quickness.

And that Blazer are taking baby steps with his playing time because of the injury.


I would still have take Oden over Durrant.  For all the stats he is putting up, it isn't translating into more wins.

[Evantime34]

Durant can't defend a chair, and it's unclear if that will ever change.

Now Big Al and Oden would have been interesting.

Maybe if Oden was any good

right now big al/ durant would be pretty darn special, at least offensivly

What do you mean if Oden was any good? Oden is improving everytime I check in with the Blazers. He already shoots his FT's better than Shaq and Wallace (but not as good as Yao's yet). His only shortcoming is lateral quickness.

And that Blazer are taking baby steps with his playing time because of the injury.


I would still have take Oden over Durrant.  For all the stats he is putting up, it isn't translating into more wins.

It isn't translating into more wins because he is on a significantly worse team. You put Durant with Roy, and Aldridge that team is a scoring machine. Oden certainly would not make OKC better than they are now with Durant.

As far as Durant being one of the Max players to replace the big 3 I am in. He will be getting better and he can replace Ray when the time comes. KG could help him get better on defense. I think Durant with his length would be great at coming out and defending the pick and roll with a trap.

[Brickowski]

Woulda coulda shoulda.  The fact is that Durant can't defend a chair.  He doesn't even try.  Until he plays passable defense, he won't win.  End of story.

[LarBrd33]

I happen to think that we would have been better off if this happened. I mean, Big Al is clearly better than KG anyway. With him and Durant on the team we probably would win a championhip this year. We'd still have Gomes too, Bassy would've come around as the backup point. And we now know that Delonte can hold his own at the 2. I know that winning a championship is great, but what about several championships?

EDIT: A while ago LarBrd33 responded to one of my comments with a clearly ridiculous response, and then I replied to his respone angrily, basically telling him what he said was crazy. Then, he proceeded to make several more outrageous posts while I responded more angrily each time. Once Redz pointed out that LarBrd33 was clearly baiting me on purpose, I vowed to get him back. This was that attempt, and it failed.

My actual opinion (so people don't think that I think Big Al is better than KG), is that I'm thankful for how things turned out. We got a championship, and it was great to see Pierce win a banner as a Celtic, and I love watching KG and Ray. Of course, that alternate universe team would have been an entertaining team to watch play - certainly one of the NBA's top offensive teams. However, they would have had one problem: they wouldn't have been able to stop anyone.

VENGEANCE WILL NOT BE GOTTEN!!!  lol

[LarBrd33]

Durant can't defend a chair, and it's unclear if that will ever change.

Now Big Al and Oden would have been interesting.

Maybe if Oden was any good

right now big al/ durant would be pretty darn special, at least offensivly

What do you mean if Oden was any good? Oden is improving everytime I check in with the Blazers. He already shoots his FT's better than Shaq and Wallace (but not as good as Yao's yet). His only shortcoming is lateral quickness.

And that Blazer are taking baby steps with his playing time because of the injury.


I would still have take Oden over Durrant.  For all the stats he is putting up, it isn't translating into more wins.

Wide Load... pretty wrong.   The Thunder were 7-7 for the month of Jan.   Clearly his stats are translating to wins.  His supporting cast is a joke.  Durant is the real deal.  HIs defense is improving.   He's 20 years old....

Top 5 player in the league by the time he's a 23 year old Free Agent.

[Brickowski]

Jeff Green is the best player on that team.  Now if HE had a decent supporting cast, OK City might be going somewhere. 

[KCattheStripe]

Durant can't defend a chair, and it's unclear if that will ever change.

Now Big Al and Oden would have been interesting.

Big Al and Oden would have gotten in each others way, thats why Danny would have taken Durant with either pick and then traded Pierce.

[LarBrd33]

Jeff Green is the best player on that team.  Now if HE had a decent supporting cast, OK City might be going somewhere. 

If Jeff Green is better than Durant... then we are really going to regret the Ray Allen trade.