Analysis request

[Gemini]

Could someone please do an analyis that compares this current Celtics team with the 86 team? Currious on matchups and what team was better. Thanks.

[kenmaine]

My instant analysis- the current team has no one remotely similar to McHale.
Not sure that that's all that important in the overall scheme of things- what matters is winning it all- but the current team looks a bit 3 point happy to me.

[BballTim]

My instant analysis- the current team has no one remotely similar to McHale.
Not sure that that's all that important in the overall scheme of things- what matters is winning it all- but the current team looks a bit 3 point happy to me.

  Or anyone reomtely similar to Bird...

[indeedproceed]

My instant analysis- the current team has no one remotely similar to McHale.
Not sure that that's all that important in the overall scheme of things- what matters is winning it all- but the current team looks a bit 3 point happy to me.

  Or anyone reomtely similar to Bird...

I can think of one way Scalabrine is like Bird.




They can both play the 3 and the 4. Why? What did you think I was going to say?

[Gemini]

but cant you say that mchale might have some trouble with KG. was Bird athletic enough to cover Pierce? Would Allen destroy Ainge? How about DJ guarding Rondo? How do the benches stack up?

[Chris]

but cant you say that mchale might have some trouble with KG. was Bird athletic enough to cover Pierce? Would Allen destroy Ainge? How about DJ guarding Rondo? How do the benches stack up?

Your asking at the wrong time.  Come back after the C's win 5 in a row, and you will get pages and pages comparing the teams. 

[Gemini]

haha very true

[Roy Hobbs]

The current team has an advantage at one starting position:  SG. 

Parish was significantly better than Perk.  Defensively, you may say they're equal, but Parish was a better scorer and rebounder.

McHale could guard any big man -- and probably any small forward -- in the NBA.  I think KG would struggle guarding him on the block.  McHale in his prime against declining KG is a big win for McHale.

Pierce couldn't guard Bird.  He'd be simply too big; Bird would score 30+ per night, with 10 rebounds and a bunch of assists.  Pierce would probably score his points, as well, but again:  Prime Bird is significantly better than Prime Pierce.

I'd take Ray over Danny.  Both were great shooters, but I think Ray has proven to be clutch.  He's also bigger and quicker than Danny.

DJ would shut Rondo down completely in terms of scoring.  Rondo is quicker, DJ was smarter.  Rondo's lack of any sort of shooting would really hurt, especially since DJ would filter Rondo to Perk and McHale on the inside.

In terms of benches, Walton probably trumps anybody on the current Celtics, including Rasheed (who is our modern day Walton).  I'd say that Wedman and Sichting compare favorably to any other two players on our bench.  The current squad has a better deep bench, but I think the rest of the '86 team trumps.

[USG]

'86 Celtics win when Danny reminds them he's the GM.

[Redz]

My instant analysis- the current team has no one remotely similar to McHale.
Not sure that that's all that important in the overall scheme of things- what matters is winning it all- but the current team looks a bit 3 point happy to me.

NBA has had no one remotely similar to McHale since about the time he retired!

[Roy Hobbs]

My instant analysis- the current team has no one remotely similar to McHale.
Not sure that that's all that important in the overall scheme of things- what matters is winning it all- but the current team looks a bit 3 point happy to me.

NBA has had no one remotely similar to McHale since about the time he retired!

I miss the days where guys could be amazing in the post on offense, and still excellent defenders, too.  Watching guys like McHale and Hakeem was a treat.

[nickagneta]

'86 Celtics win when Danny reminds them he's the GM.

The 1986 Danny would order the 2009 Celtics to lose or he wouldn't have Wyc sign their contracts. The 1986 Danny HATED to lose and wasn't beyond cheating.

No really. The 86' Celtics are probably the best overall collection of talent ever assembled on a basketball court that wasn't an All-Star or Olympic team. AND, their whole was greater than the sum of their parts, which is scary considering that they were the best collection of talent ever.

Way too many match up advantages go the '86 team's way and the '86 team seldom looked vulnerable. This current team has looked vulnerable for close to 6 games. In seven games, the 86ers in 5, maybe 6 but probably 5. They definitely wouldn't lose at home. The current group of Celtics wouldn't have a clue as to how to play in 96 degree heat or deal without air conditioning or fighting with the rats over the pregame food spread in their locker room.

[scoop]

Relatively to their eras, the 86' team was fairly superior - probably the best basketball team ever. No contest.

Now, if you put them on a time machine and immediately make them play the current team under the current rules, they'd be run out of the gym, it'd be a blowout since the 1st quarter. They wouldn't be able to deal with the defensive intensity and the quickness of this team. Whoever would be guarding Pierce (McHale used to guard 3s) would foul out in 9 or 10 defensive possessions. The help from the top of the key and the 5 second back to the basket rule would kill their post game. No contest either.

Now, if they were to play by the 86 rules, it could get interesting. I'm not sure how would the current players - especially Rondo - deal with the hand-checking rule. I think they'd still win easily though.

[JBcat]

Well the starting 5 of the 86 team I believe was a little more in their prime Bird 29, McHale 28, Parish 32, DJ 31, Ainge 26, than this year's starting 5.   That helps immeasurably all playing together.  Rondo is still prone to young mistakes and not always aggressive, Perk hasn't hit his peak yet, and KG hasn't really been the old KG.   Also I agree that the KG I see now would have a tough time with McHale, Pierce would have a tough time with Bird (that would be the matchup I would love to see on both ends of the court), and as good as Perkins is defensively now he would still have a tough time with Parish, and even Rondo would have a tough time with the bigger DJ.

However we are only 12 games into the season and don't know what the finished product will look like and what trades Ainge makes, how well KG will return to old form, how much improvement Rondo and Perk make throughout the season, and so on.

I think the only advantage we have other than what someone else said Ray over Ainge is that I believe the end of our bench is more talented than the 86 team.  That doesn't really mean anything though since those players hardly play.

[Greenbean]

My instant analysis- the current team has no one remotely similar to McHale.
Not sure that that's all that important in the overall scheme of things- what matters is winning it all- but the current team looks a bit 3 point happy to me.

NBA has had no one remotely similar to McHale since about the time he retired!

I miss the days where guys could be amazing in the post on offense, and still excellent defenders, too.  Watching guys like McHale and Hakeem was a treat.

Exactly. What's funny is the few who do play defense have one thing in common...they win! How many guys in the past decade have put up 20 and 10 numbers on mediocre teams. Immediately I think of Zach Randolph, Shareef Abdur Raheim, Big Al (although if healthy he is at least decent on the defensive end), Jamison. The list goes on.

Guys like McHale, Garnett, Duncan, et cetera win and we are lucky to have one of em!