A Harsh Assessment of 2009-10: The Window is Closed

[celticinorlando]

I'm frankly comfortable saying flatly that this group will not win a title. Too many miles, too much settling for stuff on the floor - on both ends.

Maybe there's a deal out there to change the mix; I don't know. I don't know that a trade can forcefeed someone onto the floor to drive and dish in key spots, for example.

i agree....as much as it pains me to say it...

How can you say that?? it doesn't make sense to say it at the end of January none of us can flat out say it and be right because nobody knows whats going to happen.

they are too many variables...KG's knee...the miles on this team...sheed...the bench...ray allen.  they need to become more athletic to win the title

[Roy Hobbs]

Hey, at least we aren't the worse team in Boston right now...how bout them Bruins? 

Hey, they're on pace for two top five picks, right?

[Kiorrik]

I'm frankly comfortable saying flatly that this group will not win a title. Too many miles, too much settling for stuff on the floor - on both ends.

Maybe there's a deal out there to change the mix; I don't know. I don't know that a trade can forcefeed someone onto the floor to drive and dish in key spots, for example.

i agree....as much as it pains me to say it...

How can you say that?? it doesn't make sense to say it at the end of January none of us can flat out say it and be right because nobody knows whats going to happen.

they are too many variables...KG's knee...the miles on this team...sheed...the bench...ray allen.  they need to become more athletic to win the title

It's a 1 points loss. You don't *have* to have everything being perfect. We can do with 80%. That's normal. That's human. We'll never play the perfect game.

We, will be alright. There's so many pieces missing and we still take the no.1 seed to a one point game.

[Drucci]

I'm frankly comfortable saying flatly that this group will not win a title. Too many miles, too much settling for stuff on the floor - on both ends.

Maybe there's a deal out there to change the mix; I don't know. I don't know that a trade can forcefeed someone onto the floor to drive and dish in key spots, for example.

i agree....as much as it pains me to say it...

How can you say that?? it doesn't make sense to say it at the end of January none of us can flat out say it and be right because nobody knows whats going to happen.

they are too many variables...KG's knee...the miles on this team...sheed...the bench...ray allen.  they need to become more athletic to win the title

Of course there are many variables, what did you expect? That we would go 82-0 and got the trophy handed after a 16-0 sweep in the playoffs?

Even in 2008 we went through 7 games to beat Atlanta and Cleveland and couldn't win on the road. We could have lost to Cleveland if it wasn't for one or two key possessions.

Games are often decided on little things and possessions.

It hurts to lose and January has been a disaster but we still miss Marquis, a 100% healthy KG and in game shape, some consistency from our bench, etc.

We will be fine. But we have a lot of pieces and they are enough to go all the way through the championship. A late addition in February to ur bench wouldn't hurt but we really are stacked.

[celticinorlando]

I'm frankly comfortable saying flatly that this group will not win a title. Too many miles, too much settling for stuff on the floor - on both ends.

Maybe there's a deal out there to change the mix; I don't know. I don't know that a trade can forcefeed someone onto the floor to drive and dish in key spots, for example.

i agree....as much as it pains me to say it...

How can you say that?? it doesn't make sense to say it at the end of January none of us can flat out say it and be right because nobody knows whats going to happen.

they are too many variables...KG's knee...the miles on this team...sheed...the bench...ray allen.  they need to become more athletic to win the title

Of course there are many variables, what did you expect? That we would go 82-0 and got the trophy handed after a 16-0 sweep in the playoffs?

Even in 2008 we went through 7 games to beat Atlanta and Cleveland and couldn't win on the road. We could have lost to Cleveland if it wasn't for one or two key possessions.

Games are often decided on little things and possessions.

It hurts to lose and January has been a disaster but we still miss Marquis, a 100% healthy KG and in game shape, some consistency from our bench, etc.

We will be fine. But we have a lot of pieces and they are enough to go all the way through the championship. A late addition in February to ur bench wouldn't hurt but we really are stacked.

yes...i expected them to go 82-0

[jdpapa3]

People are saying that 3 game swing was a failure, but it actually gave me more confidence in this team. I can see how this can give the impression that I am a blind optimist, but I don't care. I watch a lot of NBA basketball and I know a poser when i see one. A Redick miss and a Bryant miss and we're talking about how this team is back.

The problems that I am seeing are "fixable." Our crunch time offense needs to be addressed and I believe we have the tools to improve in this area. I didn't at any point feel that it was our age or our legs that were giving up the leads: I thought it was our philosophy.

And our bench lineup of House, R. Allen, Daniels, Sheed, and Shelden went 10-3 when it was out there. That is fantastic for a bench lineup. It was the perfect blend of defense,shooting, and ballhandling. It will get even better with Davis in place of Shelden.

[snively]

There were some signs of life: The defense was top shelf in the fourth quarter, I saw more hop from Garnett on the defensive end, Rondo for three and a half quarters, Tony Allen's contribution in the first half.

And signs of trouble: No ball movement whatsoever in the second half of the fourth quarter, zero motion away from the basketball, poor shot selection, a PG who was willing to settle for pounding the basketball at the top of the key without so much as a cursory attempt at penetration, shooters willing to settle for the three and the outside shot with no thought of a dribble drive.

There are NO moral victories. I am not in the slightest bit encouraged by a one-point loss to the Lakers. This team, in my opinion, isn't athletic enough to hold off athletic teams down the stretch.

I thought there were signs of life at the end too.  

The bench did jack 3s and had two horrible turnovers that tightened up the team (TA's bad pass to Ray that lead to an Odom dunk and Baby's post-up/pass to the crowd), but 3s and disoriented offensive possessions is unfortunately is what we get from the bench at this point.

When the starters came in, after Rondo turned it over on a pass to Pierce in the post and Ray took a contested 3, we got some pretty decent possessions.  KG scored on a post-up.  A pick and roll got Shannon Brown switched on Perk, Perk kicked it out to a wide-open Rondo, who got called for traveling before hitting the open floater.  Rondo found Perk on a roll with a nice bounce pass that led to a foul. And then a ball swing got Rondo a wide open J that he missed.

While we certainly weren't running optimally, we generated some solid possessions.  

Our problem was staying sharp on D. Farmar beat Rondo on a back-cut, Brown wasn't boxed out (by Pierce, I believe) and dunked home an offensive board.  KG ended up on Artest and got driven around and scored on.  Those are 3 defensive mistakes that did not correspond with Laker defensive mistakes, thus giving the Lakers the upper hand in the final few minutes. Throw in those 6 points, and Perkins missed free throw, and the Lakers come back from 84-78 is complete.

If both teams had executed defensively in the final 7 minutes, the C's would have won.  

[EJPLAYA]

We're 2-7 against the CAVS, Lakers, Magic, and Hawks. Don't try and make out like a little healthier KG and a healthy Marquis is going to put us at the top. This team has serious problems being unhealthy and unrested and the rest part is only going to get worse as we hit the playoffs. If we were smart we would play KG 20 min a game, reduce PP and Ray's minutes to 25 min a game, and see if we couldn't get these bench guys on a little roll while the old guys were getting healthy. Our record really wouldn't be much worse, and we could focus on getting healthy for the last 15 games before the playoffs to going back to regular rotations. That gives us enough time to gel and gives the bench guys some extra time on the floor to build confidence.

[Kiorrik]

We're 2-7 against the CAVS, Lakers, Magic, and Hawks. Don't try and make out like a little healthier KG and a healthy Marquis is going to put us at the top. This team has serious problems being unhealthy and unrested and the rest part is only going to get worse as we hit the playoffs. If we were smart we would play KG 20 min a game, reduce PP and Ray's minutes to 25 min a game, and see if we couldn't get these bench guys on a little roll while the old guys were getting healthy. Our record really wouldn't be much worse, and we could focus on getting healthy for the last 15 games before the playoffs to going back to regular rotations. That gives us enough time to gel and gives the bench guys some extra time on the floor to build confidence.

I'm asuming since we're 0-4 against the Hawks, this means we're 2-3 against the Lakers, Cavs, Magic? That's a lot less bad.

[Redz]

The biggest positive I saw tonight was that we came out and were getting dominated by the Lakers early.  They were just taking it to the Celtics, then they started committing to plauing some defense and saw results.  From there it was a game of runs.

I thought the Celtics played with much more intensity on D than I've seen in a while.  Much more help on D, better effort on the glass, etc...

Still, bottom line is a loss,

[EJPLAYA]

We're 2-7 against the CAVS, Lakers, Magic, and Hawks. Don't try and make out like a little healthier KG and a healthy Marquis is going to put us at the top. This team has serious problems being unhealthy and unrested and the rest part is only going to get worse as we hit the playoffs. If we were smart we would play KG 20 min a game, reduce PP and Ray's minutes to 25 min a game, and see if we couldn't get these bench guys on a little roll while the old guys were getting healthy. Our record really wouldn't be much worse, and we could focus on getting healthy for the last 15 games before the playoffs to going back to regular rotations. That gives us enough time to gel and gives the bench guys some extra time on the floor to build confidence.

I'm asuming since we're 0-4 against the Hawks, this means we're 2-3 against the Lakers, Cavs, Magic? That's a lot less bad.

We've only played the Cavs once. Let's see what that record is at the end of the year. Considering there is a very good change that we will have to go through the Hawks to get there I wouldn't be too impressed with that 2-3 record. Even at that though you still go home...

[CbrewEra]

If they had won tonight, i'd bet every dollar I have that this whole forum would be based on Celtics still having a shot at the title. 

None the less, they didn't win, and though Ray may have done the best job I've ever seen him do on D tonight, I feel it is time to deal him.  Despite my love for Ray, he was outplayed by Tony Allen off the bench tonight, and came up big in no way. 

What is there to do in this sitatuion?  Will Marquis coming back be enough???

[Roy Hobbs]

What is there to do in this sitatuion?  Will Marquis coming back be enough???

Well, Marquis coming back, plus a healthier KG, a less rusty BBD, and non-slumping Ray might make a difference.

I think all of those are likely, other than maybe a consistently improved BBD (and even that could happen).

[scoop]

People are saying that 3 game swing was a failure, but it actually gave me more confidence in this team. I can see how this can give the impression that I am a blind optimist, but I don't care. I watch a lot of NBA basketball and I know a poser when i see one. A Redick miss and a Bryant miss and we're talking about how this team is back.

Agreed. People focus too much on the final score.

Is this team playing worse than last season team during the 27-2 stretch to start the season? Not really.

Still,they aren't playing well enough to win the title. Rebounding is a big, challenging, issue that must be addressed.

[Big_Dave31]

I think having KG as close to 100% will put a lot less strain on the team, especially Ray Ray....not really basing this on anything conclusive, but, it seems that Ray & PP both suffer the most when KG is out, the better he gets, the better Ray's numbers will be.