As it stands today, who is better, the lakers or the celtics

[davemonsterband]

C's by a long shot. Defense wins championships, straight up, 7 games, C's win. The rest of the discussion is for media types, this is all that matters.

[MaxwellSmart86]

as it stands right NOW?....The Lakers are better--all we've done is sign Rasheed...we've lost Powe,Marbury,Pruitt-and maybe Big Baby---now I don't think Pruitt or Marbury are that big a deal---but Losing BOTH Baby and Powe and only gaining Rasheed kinda sucks...When/IF the Daniels deal happens, then maybe it's even at best....I doubt we  make it past Cleveland anyway--not worried at all about Orlando.

[MBz]

As of right now, I'd say the Lakers, but that is only because the Lakers are probably done in terms of their off-season while the Celtics are still working.

[Eja117]

I don't think we should even be thinking that way. The Magic and Cavs added Vince and Shaq. We added Sheed and lost Powe and possibly BBD.

What I'd like to think to myself is that was also added KG and Marquis Daniels.

[BudweiserCeltic]

The amount of players is not imporant (only in preparedness). People should stop listing good players and say "wow we have 2 more better than yours". Only 5 players can be on the floor at the same time. If we're going to compare rosters just to see who would beat who, you need to go through the rotations and see who matches-up better than who.

So with that in mind, the Celtics are better, easily. Other than Kobe, we own all the other matchups. And we still haven't signed Daniels or Baby. That would only cement it.

[wdleehi]

Celtics are still better.  Now instead of just Perk and KG playing top level, physical defense against the Lakers, add Wallace. 


Over a 7 game series, that gives the Celtics a big advantage. 

[zerophase]

how can you ask which team is better and expect a non biased response when you're asking it on a celtics forum?

[kfdodgerfan]

Top 5 teams in this order.

Lakers
Celts
Nuggets
Spurs/Cavs

Those who says Bynum can't stay healthy leave out the fact that KG needs to come back healthy. Not to mention, the 2 injuries Bynum sustained weren't "health" injuries like a strained groin or a bad back. They were freak hits to the knee, both times.

Those who say Lakers lack toughness and will fold to the mighty C's, didn't get to see the season we saw in LA. A much tougher team in 2009 that will only get tougher with Artest.

Many tout that the Celtics had a history making opening of the 2009 season but then get contradicted by other posters that the regular season doesn't matter and only a 7 game series does. Also, didn't the Lakers pass the Celtics in terms of best regular season record before KG went out?

Peace out. Love Boston, just not the sports teams there.

[wdleehi]

Top 5 teams in this order.

Lakers
Celts
Nuggets
Spurs/Cavs

Those who says Bynum can't stay healthy leave out the fact that KG needs to come back healthy. Not to mention, the 2 injuries Bynum sustained weren't "health" injuries like a strained groin or a bad back. They were freak hits to the knee, both times.

Those who say Lakers lack toughness and will fold to the mighty C's, didn't get to see the season we saw in LA. A much tougher team in 2009 that will only get tougher with Artest.

Many tout that the Celtics had a history making opening of the 2009 season but then get contradicted by other posters that the regular season doesn't matter and only a 7 game series does. Also, didn't the Lakers pass the Celtics in terms of best regular season record before KG went out?

Peace out. Love Boston, just not the sports teams there.

Toughness at SF.  What happens when Bynum is hurt for the third straight season and doesn't have the toughness to play with it again?

Gasol gets pushed around by Perk, again.  KG shuts down Odom, again. 

[Eja117]

Top 5 teams in this order.

Lakers
Celts
Nuggets
Spurs/Cavs

Those who says Bynum can't stay healthy leave out the fact that KG needs to come back healthy. Not to mention, the 2 injuries Bynum sustained weren't "health" injuries like a strained groin or a bad back. They were freak hits to the knee, both times.

Those who say Lakers lack toughness and will fold to the mighty C's, didn't get to see the season we saw in LA. A much tougher team in 2009 that will only get tougher with Artest.

Many tout that the Celtics had a history making opening of the 2009 season but then get contradicted by other posters that the regular season doesn't matter and only a 7 game series does. Also, didn't the Lakers pass the Celtics in terms of best regular season record before KG went out?

Peace out. Love Boston, just not the sports teams there.

Toughness at SF.  What happens when Bynum is hurt for the third straight season and doesn't have the toughness to play with it again?

Gasol gets pushed around by Perk, again.  KG shuts down Odom, again. 

After all the injuries we had this year I definitely am not counting on injuries on other teams to younger players

[Celtics17]

The only way you can discuss a comparison between these two teams is if you assume all players are healthy come playoff time. For all we know Kobe goes down with a career threatening injury and this discussion is over. IF both teams are healthy and they meet in the finals it will be a very, very interesting series. There is no denying that the Lakers are good as evidenced by this years team. You really cant even discuss possible trades in a comparison because you just never know who will be traded for. I still say though, resigning Baby is huge for us and that if he is not resigned then our title chances are severely diminished. Not because he is so great but more that he is good and is exactly what we need. Noone in the league can push Baby around, even Shaq and toughness is quality that is in high demand come playoff time. Imagine Artest is hassling Pierce a little too much and we need a hard foul on Artest. Outside of Perk, who is far too valuable, who would be the best player to deliver a hard foul? I say Baby.

[BudweiserCeltic]

The only way you can discuss a comparison between these two teams is if you assume all players are healthy come playoff time. For all we know Kobe goes down with a career threatening injury and this discussion is over. IF both teams are healthy and they meet in the finals it will be a very, very interesting series. There is no denying that the Lakers are good as evidenced by this years team. You really cant even discuss possible trades in a comparison because you just never know who will be traded for. I still say though, resigning Baby is huge for us and that if he is not resigned then our title chances are severely diminished. Not because he is so great but more that he is good and is exactly what we need. Noone in the league can push Baby around, even Shaq and toughness is quality that is in high demand come playoff time. Imagine Artest is hassling Pierce a little too much and we need a hard foul on Artest. Outside of Perk, who is far too valuable, who would be the best player to deliver a hard foul? I say Baby.

Disagree completely about Baby against the Lakers. Assuming we're healthy, a 3-man rotation of KG-Sheed-Perk would be sufficient with some spot minutes for Scal.

In fact, the Lakers are a bad matchup for Baby because they have too many athletic long players in the PF/C positions.

[Chris]

The only way you can discuss a comparison between these two teams is if you assume all players are healthy come playoff time. For all we know Kobe goes down with a career threatening injury and this discussion is over. IF both teams are healthy and they meet in the finals it will be a very, very interesting series. There is no denying that the Lakers are good as evidenced by this years team. You really cant even discuss possible trades in a comparison because you just never know who will be traded for. I still say though, resigning Baby is huge for us and that if he is not resigned then our title chances are severely diminished. Not because he is so great but more that he is good and is exactly what we need. Noone in the league can push Baby around, even Shaq and toughness is quality that is in high demand come playoff time. Imagine Artest is hassling Pierce a little too much and we need a hard foul on Artest. Outside of Perk, who is far too valuable, who would be the best player to deliver a hard foul? I say Baby.

Disagree completely about Baby against the Lakers. Assuming we're healthy, a 3-man rotation of KG-Sheed-Perk would be sufficient with some spot minutes for Scal.

In fact, the Lakers are a bad matchup for Baby because they have too many athletic long players in the PF/C positions.

I agree.  Of all of the contenders, Baby is least useful against the Lakers. 

Really, Davis' value is not in rotation minutes, but in case of injuries to the top 3 big men (which will happen), Davis gives them a true rotation quality big man who can step in and play big minutes without a huge dropoff.  Since we already have Scal, he is a luxury.  But if the price is right, it would be a great pickup.

[tenn_smoothie]

the lakers seem to be getting the breaks these days ..........

the celtics don't give james posey the extra contract year he wants and he leaves. the lakers actually withdraw their offer to lamar odom in the middle of the off-season and he ends up staying in los angeles for even less than he was originally offered and certainly less than miami was going to pay him.

sorta reminds me of the 80's when the lakers make a move to get a high draft pick and get james worthy, without whom they do not win in '85, '87 & '88. the celtics make the same move and get an even better player and he dies from a drug overdose.

is this curse still with us ??

[mgent]

I'm honestly more worried about the Spurs and the Magic, and maybe the Cavs if Shaq proves useful.