Did the window for this Celtics team just close?

[Hoops]

We will not be back to the finals.

Sorry, but that statement diminishes your credibility.

[Jon]

We are absolutely the third team in the east. We will not be back to the finals. There is no one we can pick up as a free agent that puts us over the top. We rented the title for a year. Hope we enjoyed it. Teams are getting better all around us while Danny failed to make a move, particularly with Ray's expiring contract. One of the big three will brake down because Doc over plays them and we will be on the golf course in June.

This is ridiculous too.  You're worried the Big Three are going to break down, but Cleveland is immune to that with the 37-year-old, 7-1 340 lbs Shaquille O'Neal?  The same Cavs who got humiliated by the Magic last year?  Or the Magic who got trounced by a Lakers team we easily handled last year (with Rondo and Perk half the players they are today)?  The same Magic team who nearly lost to us without KG, who added the oft-injured and always underachieving 32-going-on-33 Vince Carter? 

I wouldn't unilaterally say that teams are getting better around us.  I think both teams could be worse with their "additions."

[ctrey]

Did you happen to notice that Shaq averaged 18 and 8 last year? You do not think he will be motivated now that Kobe has one more ring? You do not think that free agents will be lining up to play with Lebron and Shaq? Come on, get real. Orlando, yes they have to keep Turkolu but they have the inside track on him. They are a winner, it's Florida where he will pay no state income tax, saving himself millions. (By the way, players absolutly have turned down Boston because of Mass's massive state tax rates, not to mention perceived bad weather, notice how new players always Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. about it in interviews when they get there.) You have to take off the hometown rose coloured glasses and see that we are absolutely behind Orlando and Cleveland. Ask any savvy basketball observer who is not a C's fan.

[wdleehi]

Did you happen to notice that Shaq averaged 18 and 8 last year? You do not think he will be motivated now that Kobe has one more ring? You do not think that free agents will be lining up to play with Lebron and Shaq? Come on, get real. Orlando, yes they have to keep Turkolu but they have the inside track on him. They are a winner, it's Florida where he will pay no state income tax, saving himself millions. (By the way, players absolutly have turned down Boston because of Mass's massive state tax rates, not to mention perceived bad weather, notice how new players always **** about it in interviews when they get there.) You have to take off the hometown rose coloured glasses and see that we are absolutely behind Orlando and Cleveland. Ask any savvy basketball observer who is not a C's fan.

I noticed he averaged that, and missed the playoffs.

Can he guard KG?  Can he guard the pick and roll?


How about the other Cav big men? 

Can Shaq, who has had more health issues then KG, stay healthy?



Has Orlando resigned their starting SF?  Can Carter be productive out there?  Are they still a jump shooting team (like Dallas, Phoenix and Sac have been in the past)


Why should we expect the Celtics be without KG in the playoffs this season?  Why can't the Celtics add 2 or 3 key bench players? 


Simple question, Orlando needed 7 games to get past Boston.  Now Boston adds KG.  That doesn't change anything?

[PosImpos]

It does worry me a lot that we are basically depending on free agency right now (unless we trade Ray Allen) when Boston is not a top FA destination.  I hate to admit that Ctey is right but I think SA, ORL and CLE will all be more attractive free agent destinations than Boston.

We can't claim that we are even a big draw simply because of the chance to win a title - SA has to be at least as attractive in that regard, and the prevailing sentiment in the media, and probably among players as well, is that CLE and ORL are more likely to win right now.

[D Dub]

Did you happen to notice that Shaq averaged 18 and 8 last year? You do not think he will be motivated now that Kobe has one more ring? You do not think that free agents will be lining up to play with Lebron and Shaq? Come on, get real. Orlando, yes they have to keep Turkolu but they have the inside track on him. They are a winner, it's Florida where he will pay no state income tax, saving himself millions. (By the way, players absolutly have turned down Boston because of Mass's massive state tax rates, not to mention perceived bad weather, notice how new players always **** about it in interviews when they get there.) You have to take off the hometown rose coloured glasses and see that we are absolutely behind Orlando and Cleveland. Ask any savvy basketball observer who is not a C's fan.

I noticed he averaged that, and missed the playoffs.

Can he guard KG?  Can he guard the pick and roll?


How about the other Cav big men? 

Can Shaq, who has had more health issues then KG, stay healthy?



Has Orlando resigned their starting SF?  Can Carter be productive out there?  Are they still a jump shooting team (like Dallas, Phoenix and Sac have been in the past)


Why should we expect the Celtics be without KG in the playoffs this season?  Why can't the Celtics add 2 or 3 key bench players? 


Simple question, Orlando needed 7 games to get past Boston.  Now Boston adds KG.  That doesn't change anything?

that is a Tommy Point post right there if i've ever seen one.  

[Jon]

Did you happen to notice that Shaq averaged 18 and 8 last year? You do not think he will be motivated now that Kobe has one more ring? You do not think that free agents will be lining up to play with Lebron and Shaq? Come on, get real. Orlando, yes they have to keep Turkolu but they have the inside track on him. They are a winner, it's Florida where he will pay no state income tax, saving himself millions. (By the way, players absolutly have turned down Boston because of Mass's massive state tax rates, not to mention perceived bad weather, notice how new players always **** about it in interviews when they get there.) You have to take off the hometown rose coloured glasses and see that we are absolutely behind Orlando and Cleveland. Ask any savvy basketball observer who is not a C's fan.

I noticed he averaged that, and missed the playoffs.

Can he guard KG?  Can he guard the pick and roll?


How about the other Cav big men? 

Can Shaq, who has had more health issues then KG, stay healthy?



Has Orlando resigned their starting SF?  Can Carter be productive out there?  Are they still a jump shooting team (like Dallas, Phoenix and Sac have been in the past)


Why should we expect the Celtics be without KG in the playoffs this season?  Why can't the Celtics add 2 or 3 key bench players? 


Simple question, Orlando needed 7 games to get past Boston.  Now Boston adds KG.  That doesn't change anything?

Exactly.  This is really getting ridiculous.  Personally, I think it shows how far Shaq has slipped when he can't make the playoffs with a surrounding cast of Nash, Richardson, Hill, and Stoudemire.  That's just pathetic. 

Similarly, what exactly has Vince Carter done in his career to prove he's a winner?  He's become a three-point bombing machine.  I would call him the second coming of Antoine Walker, but Walker actually had more success in the playoffs. 

[wdleehi]

It does worry me a lot that we are basically depending on free agency right now (unless we trade Ray Allen) when Boston is not a top FA destination.  I hate to admit that Ctey is right but I think SA, ORL and CLE will all be more attractive free agent destinations than Boston.

We can't claim that we are even a big draw simply because of the chance to win a title - SA has to be at least as attractive in that regard, and the prevailing sentiment in the media, and probably among players as well, is that CLE and ORL are more likely to win right now.

SA and Orl are more attractive because of Taxes and location.

But do you see Orl using the MLE this season if they are going to resign Hedo?



Who wants to sign with Cleveland if Lebron is thinking about leaving?  Not to mention, it's Cleveland.

[ctrey]

Does Garnett come back 100% Can either Allen and Pierce stay healthy when Doc plays the air out of them? We need a back up 5, a back up 2/3 a back up 1. Where is the money for that. Oh, and other than Sam, Posey and PJ, Danny has not been good at getting free agents. So I will not hold my breath. Cleveland is going to have a much easier time getting top notch guys to come play for the MLE and vet minimum. You have to see that. Now, if Hedo bolts from Orlando, we may be ahead of them IF HEALTHY. If he comes back, forget it.

[wdleehi]

Does Garnett come back 100% Can either Allen and Pierce stay healthy when Doc plays the air out of them? We need a back up 5, a back up 2/3 a back up 1. Where is the money for that. Oh, and other than Sam, Posey and PJ, Danny has not been good at getting free agents. So I will not hold my breath. Cleveland is going to have a much easier time getting top notch guys to come play for the MLE and vet minimum. You have to see that. Now, if Hedo bolts from Orlando, we may be ahead of them IF HEALTHY. If he comes back, forget it.

House was the backup 1 when they won the title.

They need a C and a SF.  They are willing to spend their MLE.  They can find those two players. 

Why would someone go to Cleveland instead of Bos?  Isn't Lebron leaving for NY? 


Ainge did fine in FA getting Posey and House. 


As the teams are now, if everyone is healthy, Boston is still the best in the East.

[Jon]

Does Garnett come back 100% Can either Allen and Pierce stay healthy when Doc plays the air out of them? We need a back up 5, a back up 2/3 a back up 1. Where is the money for that. Oh, and other than Sam, Posey and PJ, Danny has not been good at getting free agents. So I will not hold my breath. Cleveland is going to have a much easier time getting top notch guys to come play for the MLE and vet minimum. You have to see that. Now, if Hedo bolts from Orlando, we may be ahead of them IF HEALTHY. If he comes back, forget it.

But have you actually thought about how a Nelson/Carter/Hedo/Lewis/Howard lineup is going to function?  Their defense will be even worse without Courtney Lee.  Furthermore, are there enough shots to go around?  There are 4 guys on this team used to being 20 point scorers, plus Nelson.  

It'd be one thing of the Magic clobbered us last year without KG.  But the fact that they almost blew it when we were without our best player is pretty sad.  

[ctrey]

So fine, Maybe we are better than Orlando. I still would not conced we will be better than Cleveland after both teams finish line-up tinkering. If Healthy they would beat us, healthy or not.

[wdleehi]

So fine, Maybe we are better than Orlando. I still would not conced we will be better than Cleveland after both teams finish line-up tinkering. If Healthy they would beat us, healthy or not.

Why?  Can they guard KG?  Is there defense as good with Shaq instead of Wallace? 

[Jon]

So fine, Maybe we are better than Orlando. I still would not conced we will be better than Cleveland after both teams finish line-up tinkering. If Healthy they would beat us, healthy or not.

Why?  Can they guard KG?  Is there defense as good with Shaq instead of Wallace? 

Agreed.  Plus, how much does Shaq really help them?  It'd be one thing if this was the Spurs adding Shaq because then Shaq and Duncan could play next to each other and form a formidable front line.  But because Shaq and Z are both so slow, they really can't play at the same time.  So basically every minute you play Shaq is a minute you can't play Big Z, and at this point, I'd say Shaq is only marginally better than Big Z.  And either way you you look at it, you have the offensively inept Anderson Varejao at the 4, who the C's can play off of to double LeBron. 

As for the age of the Big Three and the minutes they play, I agree.  But I think it's really as simple as Ainge telling Doc to basically limit their minutes and sacrifice some wins if need be if they don't have a good bench.  Even if the Big Three each only play 32 mpg, they're still going to win 55-60 games and at worst get the 3rd seed.  If that's what it takes to keep them fresh for the playoffs, so be it. 

[ctrey]

My point is that Cleveland will be able to acquire better free agents than we will because players will believe that they have a better chance to win a title in cleveland than in Boston.