The FACTS don't lie

[jadams5214]

I had intended to post a long diatribe pointing out the numerous deficiencies of this Celtic team and why they are consistently collapsing at the end of games.

But we all know they don't rebound consistently on the defensive glass.  We all know they lose their offensive rhythm after halftime most nights.  We all know they fail to execute down the stretch and literally fall apart at the end of games.  We all know KG is a shell of his former self and can't jump or move laterally anymore.

Basically the facts are there and reveal a quite obvious conclusion...

The Boston Celtics as currently constituted are no longer an NBA Championship contender.  Teams don't fear getting down huge against them and know that just one good quarter of basketball can overcome this old and hobbled team.

Doc and Danny Ainge have to see that this team has no killer instinct and can't play dominant basketball with any consistency.  Unless something major happens to alter the second half failures and end of game collapses --- this team is headed for another 2nd round playoff loss at best before being put out to pasture...

[mgent]

lol

[Atzar]

I'd say "Don't jump," but you apparently already have.

Grow wings.

[vinnie]

TP for an honest post. I love KG and love this team, but I think we got our championship out of the big three. Now it's time to see what Danny can do again.

[GreenFaith1819]

Not making light of your post, Jadams, but it's January.

[GreenFaith1819]

Is anyone here Really ready to write off the Celtics? Even after tonight? Even after KG is apparently not well (Yet)?

Did not see the game, unfortunately (Sons were playing Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2)...evidently if P2 shot a little better and we rebounded better we pull this one out?

And did it really look like the Refs were out to get us?

Sheed played well? Ray apparently was torching? Eddie played well? Just couldn't close it out, though.

I'm not ready to close this season out. Until a team puts us out in the playoffs or Finals, then I count Boston's season as being over. I can't throw in the towel in January.

[PosImpos]

Not making light of your post, Jadams, but it's January.

It is, and so it's still early to make this conclusion.

Still, with each game I'm finding it more difficult to disagree with this kind of assessment.

I'm thinking I should just start shifting my attitude towards being thankful that the Celtics are still a decent team that can win a good game now and then and will make the playoffs and probably win at least one series.  We got our championship, and I was around to see it.  That's more than many fans can say about their team.  How many other teams can really say they are championship contenders without one transcendent superstar on their roster? And don't kid yourself; at this point we don't have one.  

In any case, I think it was a lot to expect to get a couple of big stars at the end of their careers and win more than one championship in a 3 year window.

It could still happen, but perhaps we shouldn't be devastated if it doesn't.

[Steve Weinman]

Not making light of your post, Jadams, but it's January.

It is, and so it's still early to make this conclusion.

Still, with each game I'm finding it more difficult to disagree with this kind of assessment.

I'm thinking I should just start shifting my attitude towards being thankful that the Celtics are still a decent team that can win a good game now and then and will make the playoffs and probably win at least one series.  We got our championship, and I was around to see it.  That's more than many fans can say about their team.  How many other teams can really say they are championship contenders without one transcendent superstar on their roster? And don't kid yourself; at this point we don't have one.  

In any case, I think it was a lot to expect to get a couple of big stars at the end of their careers and win more than one championship in a 3 year window.

It could still happen, but perhaps we shouldn't be devastated if it doesn't.

Not making light of your post, Jadams, but it's January.

It is, and so it's still early to make this conclusion.

Still, with each game I'm finding it more difficult to disagree with this kind of assessment.

I'm thinking I should just start shifting my attitude towards being thankful that the Celtics are still a decent team that can win a good game now and then and will make the playoffs and probably win at least one series.  We got our championship, and I was around to see it.  That's more than many fans can say about their team.  How many other teams can really say they are championship contenders without one transcendent superstar on their roster? And don't kid yourself; at this point we don't have one. 

In any case, I think it was a lot to expect to get a couple of big stars at the end of their careers and win more than one championship in a 3 year window.

It could still happen, but perhaps we shouldn't be devastated if it doesn't.

I've bolded and quoted PI's post an extra time because it should go in the Hall of Fame of Reason and Logic for Sports Fans.

That's about as good a summation as you're going to see of the current situation.

Notes that NBA titles aren't won and lost in January, doesn't write off this team as a title contender, emphasizes the transcendent superstar point, seems implicitly reasonable about the "window" with this core after this season, if you can even call it that.

Well said.

-sw

[GreenFaith1819]

So are some of us ready to write Boston off this year or next?

Just based off of tonight's game?

[vinnie]

TP for you, SW. I too am going to shift my attitude. If they win I will be happy, but if they lose, so be it. I was there with my son two years ago the night they beat the Lakers to win number 17 and it was great to share it with him --- he was 13 at the time. Just a tremendous bonding experience with him and all of the other season ticketholders that we have befriended. If that's the only one we win for awhile, I am fine with that. We got one and now maybe Danny needs to put another plan in place.

[vinnie]

So are some of us ready to write Boston off this year or next?

Just based off of tonight's game?

Green -- my writing them off is based on much more than tonight's game. There are too many telltale signs for me to believe that this team can really contend.

[Steve Weinman]

TP for you, SW. I too am going to shift my attitude. If they win I will be happy, but if they lose, so be it. I was there with my son two years ago the night they beat the Lakers to win number 17 and it was great to share it with him --- he was 13 at the time. Just a tremendous bonding experience with him and all of the other season ticketholders that we have befriended. If that's the only one we win for awhile, I am fine with that. We got one and now maybe Danny needs to put another plan in place.

Thanks, vinnie - though I'll clarify, I'm not a believer that it's time to blow it up, and I'm not promising that I'll be any easier for people around me to deal with if the C's don't win it all this year.

And the winning and losing in January I could care less about.

But I think as noted above, there are certain signs within these games that are absolutely disconcerting - above all else is that if KG isn't KG on defense, then everything else means a whole lot less, and I'm more than a bit concerned about what things will look like here in the following two years.

I still very much believe that this team is a title contender this year, but I'm all the more thankful we got to see one dream season when we did.

-sw

[vinnie]

TP for you, SW. I too am going to shift my attitude. If they win I will be happy, but if they lose, so be it. I was there with my son two years ago the night they beat the Lakers to win number 17 and it was great to share it with him --- he was 13 at the time. Just a tremendous bonding experience with him and all of the other season ticketholders that we have befriended. If that's the only one we win for awhile, I am fine with that. We got one and now maybe Danny needs to put another plan in place.

Thanks, vinnie - though I'll clarify, I'm not a believer that it's time to blow it up, and I'm not promising that I'll be any easier for people around me to deal with if the C's don't win it all this year.

And the winning and losing in January I could care less about.

But I think as noted above, there are certain signs within these games that are absolutely disconcerting - above all else is that if KG isn't KG on defense, then everything else means a whole lot less, and I'm more than a bit concerned about what things will look like here in the following two years.

I still very much believe that this team is a title contender this year, but I'm all the more thankful we got to see one dream season when we did.

-sw

I am not ready to blow it up, but I am pretty close. There are way too many bad signs for me to ignore. But again, the 17th was a great one. And, if the Celts can't win it, someone else must stop the dreaded Lakers. How come Kobe is never hurt? He is as old as our guys and has been around as long, but even hurt he seems to play every game and put up good numbers.

[GreenFaith1819]

Good Post, SW.

Yeah I'm grateful for the ring in 2008 as well, and the signs are definitely there that the window is closing...but not yet.

To me..until someone puts us out of the playoffs, then the season isn't over, no matter how tough the regular season loses are.

I'm a realist, too, People...but you gotta believe, even just a bit.

[PosImpos]

And, if the Celts can't win it, someone else must stop the dreaded Lakers.

We'd have to depend on:

Cavs - Please God no.
Magic - I don't see it happening.  They could get to the Finals and lose again, though.
Hawks - They can definitely get to the ECF, but I don't see them getting farther.  And really, that'd be a great accomplishment for them.

Mavs - Not with their team as it is now.  Maybe if they trade Josh Howard for somebody good and play good defense consistently.
Nuggets - I doubt it; I'm not sure they're better than they were last year.  In fact, I'm fairly confident they aren't.

That's pretty much it, as far as I see it.  Fringe contenders would be San Antonio, who are in pretty much the same boat as us, and Utah, who doesn't really have enough talent or good enough defense for it in my opinion.