Rant: why does it feel like we are not contenders? 23-15 since xmas

[angryguy77]

essentially a 49 win pace and going nowhere. hideous for a team pretending to be contenders, a defending champion?? Some defense of the title. My wife asked me if we were making the playoffs this year.

Do they realize how screwed up they are? It will help if they do.

Here is hoping for a streak into the playoffs and beyond. Those cle and Orl games loom large regardless of hca

exactly the way I see it, TP for you.
I think that there is a little too many here that are not looking at all the factors contributing to their struggles the last half of the year. I said this in another post that the win against the Cavs I believe is a preview to how we will play in the playoffs. The Cavs wanted that game and I dont believe they didnt show up for it. We played with the intensity that we are capable of and we controlled a good team that night. We focused on taking care of the ball and we were efficient on offense. That game was a playoff game, and we did it w/o KG. I believe that showed us that this team still has it, they just for whatever reason dont always show it. Just wait and see what happens this june.
It is called regression to the mean + injuries. That is it. If you have watched us play orlando, LA and Cleveland and do not believe we are "contenders" well, that is just the ultimate in pessimism.

We played the lakers to the final minute (plus an overtime) in our two games, we are 2 and 1 against the Cavs with both teams having a 10+ victory and Orlando is a joke agains us. We will destroy Orlando in a playoff series if we are healthy no matter who has the HCA.

My feeling is, it sure is frustrating to watch them struggle through this but if we are healthy either the Cavs find a way to knock us out in 7 or we are bringing home 18.

Health + 13 or less turnovers a game and The C's are the most likely team to win the title.

[twinbree]

Yeah 23-15 seems mediocre but they went 27-2 before that which was record breaking. I don't know why but I have a feeling the playoffs will be a cakewalk. They've dominated in statement games (I know they lost to the Lakers twice but when you abuse a team in the finals its probably hard to take them seriously).
I don't think they've played solid basketball in even half their games yet they've stayed in the race for the best record until half the rotation got injured. They are that good. At full strength they'll be tough to beat in a series.

The reason why you feel that way is probably because you don't want to stress yourself. There really isn't much evidence to support the view of a cakewalk, but we would all be better off thinking that way. No need to stress for 2 months.

Evidence, no, but it wouldn't be unprecedented.  Blasphemy aside, this Celts squad reminds me a lot in caliber of the turn-of-the-century Lakers.  The '99-00 Lakers went 67 - 15 in the regular season, but barely eaked through the playoffs to win the title.  The next season, those Lakers dealt with injury absences for both Shaq and Kobe and only won 56 regular season games.  But they absolutely steam-rolled the playoffs with a 15 - 1 record once everyone was back, healthy, and on the same page.

I see a lot of similarities.  Last year's Cs steamrolled the regular season but had to struggle over the playoff hump to the title.  But I've long said that I expected this year's team to be dramatically stronger come playoff time (caveat injuries) because all of the guns have been through the war before and now can just go out and play.  If everyone is at full speed, I expect this team has an easier time in the playoffs this year than they had last year.

TP you've explained better what I was trying to say. They've been so impressive when they've focused and played their brand of basketball from start to finish. The title defense really starts in the playoffs and I think they'll be playing great when it starts.

[Mr October]

A defending Champ is bound to have a lot of let downs over the course of the regular season. Plus injuries take their toll. Hopefully KG will be back this week, and the C's can start building some rhythm.

It is interesting that the Celtics have created their greatest opponents. Loosing to the C's in 2008 has propelled Kobe and Lebron's teams to an obsession with winning this season. It has been amazing to watch. I think those 2 teams still have more to fear against us then we do of them. Thus the hell bent motivation for the home court advantage.

I am worried about the C's health. I am worried about biased officiating (especially in Lebron's house). Lets get healthy. And then lets kick some butt! Go Celtics!!!

[wdleehi]

4-5 since Scali went out. 


They need him back

[Mr October]

4-5 since Scali went out. 

They need him back

True, I miss our glue guy.

[celticinorlando]

the two long win streaks spoiled us....the injuries have taken a toll on boston....

[cordobes]

I said many times we weren't remotely as good as our pre-Christmas record. Now I have a feeling we're slightly better than our present W/L record.

[Celtics17]

When I was in 8th grade the U.S. and the Soviet Union competed in a track meet, just these two countries. The U.S. absolutely dominated the Soviets but the next moring in the Soviet paper the headline read "Soviet Union takes 2nd place at world track meet, U.S. takes second to last". Now, both statements are indeed correct but neither tells the story.

The same can be said of both our pre-Christmas record and our post-Christmas record. We are not as good as the pre and much, much better then the post.

Here is a very good way to look at statistics. If your head is in an oven and your behind is in a freezer, on average, you are doing pretty well. Right now, our behinds are in the freezer but spring is right around the corner and it will be plenty hot in June!

[wahz]

sorry

23-16.

glad i didn't watch

[Tai]

I'm sorry, but anyone who thinks we're still the same team without 5 players (if Powe can't play against the Heat) is over their heads.

And I'm talking about the people who keep saying we had this or that game. Perhaps, but we also had house money. And once we get our guys back, the only money our 1st and 2nd round opponents will have is the type where they can fly back home for the off-season.

Avery Johnson quoted that guy who's name I'm ashamed to say I can't remember when the C's were beating the Cavs, but you should never question the heart of a champion. It's hard to question the C's come playoff time if they're healthy.

[BballTim]

I said many times we weren't remotely as good as our pre-Christmas record. Now I have a feeling we're slightly better than our present W/L record.

  Before the injuries struck we were as good as any team in the league. LA was best for a while, then Cleveland, then us. The biggest question right now is if we'll have enough time to get back into synch before the 2nd round of the playoffs.

[Roy Hobbs]

I said many times we weren't remotely as good as our pre-Christmas record. Now I have a feeling we're slightly better than our present W/L record.

  Before the injuries struck we were as good as any team in the league. LA was best for a while, then Cleveland, then us. The biggest question right now is if we'll have enough time to get back into synch before the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Don't assume that the first round will be a cake walk.  Depending on how things shake out, Detroit, Philly, or Miami could all be tough first-round opponents if we have a lot of rust going into the playoffs. 

Detroit has a lot of talent on that team, and could beat anybody in a series (although I'm not overly scared, due to their chemistry being a mess).  Philly is playing well in the second half (22-11 in their last 33), and Miami has Wade.  Any of those teams is capable of beating the Celts if they're not sharp.

[thedawg]

No offense to the person who started this threat but I find this a bit silly. Injuries.

[BballTim]

I said many times we weren't remotely as good as our pre-Christmas record. Now I have a feeling we're slightly better than our present W/L record.

  Before the injuries struck we were as good as any team in the league. LA was best for a while, then Cleveland, then us. The biggest question right now is if we'll have enough time to get back into synch before the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Don't assume that the first round will be a cake walk.  Depending on how things shake out, Detroit, Philly, or Miami could all be tough first-round opponents if we have a lot of rust going into the playoffs. 

Detroit has a lot of talent on that team, and could beat anybody in a series (although I'm not overly scared, due to their chemistry being a mess).  Philly is playing well in the second half (22-11 in their last 33), and Miami has Wade.  Any of those teams is capable of beating the Celts if they're not sharp.

  I didn't say it would be a cakewalk. But if we're healthy and we've got a few games under our belt we'll probably win. It might look a bit like last year against the Hawks though.

[CoachBo]

I said many times we weren't remotely as good as our pre-Christmas record. Now I have a feeling we're slightly better than our present W/L record.

  Before the injuries struck we were as good as any team in the league. LA was best for a while, then Cleveland, then us. The biggest question right now is if we'll have enough time to get back into synch before the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Don't assume that the first round will be a cake walk.  Depending on how things shake out, Detroit, Philly, or Miami could all be tough first-round opponents if we have a lot of rust going into the playoffs. 

Detroit has a lot of talent on that team, and could beat anybody in a series (although I'm not overly scared, due to their chemistry being a mess).  Philly is playing well in the second half (22-11 in their last 33), and Miami has Wade.  Any of those teams is capable of beating the Celts if they're not sharp.

TP.

And frankly, what do you see in the current situation that gives you any hope that the Celtics will be sharp before the playoffs? Are 13 games enough to get Garnett back to mid-season form? Will Marbury contribute anything? What about Rondo's ankle? Allen's elbow? Powe's leg?

Doesn't much matter to me who's on the floor: The focus and intensity that the Celtics brought to the floor last season is gone. And that worries me. A lot.

Looking more and more likely that we'll need the first round to fine-tune our game - and that's a very dangerous place to be. Plenty of excuses why our game has deteriorated to this level - and none of them matter a whit in the playoffs. Play well, or a year of the Garnett-Pierce-Allen window is gone. For good.