The reason players are straying from Ubuntu this season.

[JSD]

Cracks apparently are beginning to appear within a team that preaches togetherness before each game. As the Celtics prepare to get back to work against Miami tonight, the subject of the team’s lapses in focus was raised. Doc Rivers constantly tells his players to avoid getting bored with the process, but it seems that has been the case. Rajon Rondo concurred to a degree. Then he spoke of a deeper issue. “We are getting bored with it some,” he said, “but I think it’s a little bit of different agendas maybe creeping in. It just all depends. You know, I think if we all had the right spirit as far as one goal, one thing in common, I think we’d be a lot better.” -Boston Herald

The situation in the locker room could be the cause of too many expiring contracts and too much uncertainty. According to Hoopshype, almost half of our roster is playing with less than a year remaining on their deal. During our 2008 campaign only Tony Allen, Eddie House, Scot Pollard and James Posey were in the final year and three of the four were signed the previous offseason. Currently, Daniels is the only Celtic who came into the year accepting the length; everyone else is expiring after a multi-year deal.

When Rondo says "I think it’s a little bit of different agendas maybe creeping in" I believe it has something to do with money/contracts and I'm hoping that our team regains it's focus down the stretch. Perhaps the All-star break is just what the doctor ordered.

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/boston.htm

[ScoobyDoo]

Good highlight Jsaad. When I read the article on the Home page I thought maybe Rondo, Perkins and Pierce were suggesting that the guys personalities just didn't match up as well and some players were more focused on their own production.

But when you look at it in terms of multiple guys playing for upcoming contracts...then you have a real possiblity of guys pushing personal agendas to insure they get a bigger contract, perhpas by trying to put up bigger numbers of their own...

Ironically though, Posey received his fat contract because he was perceived to be a guy who helps you win a ring..because...he won a ring in Boston.

Translation...the best way for all these guys to get good contracts? Help the team win a ring, everybody's value goes up when that happens.

TP for the highlight, I didn't read it like that until you mentioned it.

I think the most important thing is how Doc, as a coach, "sells" the fact that winning a ring will trump personal numbers when contract time comes. Because I don't think this issue being raised by Perk, Rondo and Pierce has to do with guys who barely see the floor, it is going on with a few guys who are key rotation guys, otherwise it wouldn't affect the team "that much".

[JSD]

Does the silence in this thread translate to people agreeing that contracts might have something to do with the teams morale?

[Fafnir]

Does the silence in this thread translate to people agreeing that contracts might have something to do with the teams morale?

Just because someone doesn't state "I disagree with statement A" doesn't mean that they necessarily concur that "statement A" is true.

I think it has a lot more to do with KG's injury and decline. It was his team in 2007-2008. Last year it wasn't anyones because the C's were waiting for him to come back. This year it's still KGs team, but he's no longer the best player every night. So the situation is in a lot of flux as far as leadership goes.

Besides each team is different, 2007-2008's team was special. You don't have chemistry like that all that often, just not how the NBA works. Could the impending break up of this team have a part in it? Sure it could, I think its a minor factor though.

[BballTim]

  As we learned this fall, there wasn't a lot of unbuntu last year, at least after KG went down.

[Who]

Does the silence in this thread translate to people agreeing that contracts might have something to do with the teams morale?

No, disagree entirely. I don't think contracts are playing into anything.

I also don't think individual agendas are hurting the team. Not too a large degree anyway. A minor problem if even that and one that will correct itself as the C's get + stay healthy for a prolonged period.

[Birdbrain]

Does the silence in this thread translate to people agreeing that contracts might have something to do with the teams morale?

No, disagree entirely. I don't think contracts are playing into anything.

I also don't think individual agendas are hurting the team. Not too a large degree anyway. A minor problem if even that and one that will correct itself as the C's get + stay healthy for a prolonged period.

Agreed it's just frustration with not closing out games and dealing with injuries.  I suspect if they are healthy they'll be in the finals.

[Fafnir]

  As we learned this fall, there wasn't a lot of unbuntu last year, at least after KG went down.

Ubuntu wasn't the real reason they won anyways.

The Celtics were the most talented team in 2007-2008. What do you know they won!

[BballTim]

  As we learned this fall, there wasn't a lot of unbuntu last year, at least after KG went down.

Ubuntu wasn't the real reason they won anyways.

The Celtics were the most talented team in 2007-2008. What do you know they won!

  In a lot of ways it was why they won. It's practically unheard of for a team to make radical personnel changes and win the title that year.

[Fafnir]

Which is one of the reasons I was very confident they would have won if not for KG's knee last year. They had more experience as unit, and were still the most talented team.

[Birdbrain]

Still are actually.  Here's too hoping everyone is healthy.

[Fafnir]

Still are actually.  Here's too hoping everyone is healthy.

If KG could get to back 2007-2008, sure.

But he won't.

[Master Po]

Attention!!!!!! There is a Celticblog sub-committee meeting tonight!!!! Celticsblogs.com…..Willow Tree Federation (W T F!!!) members will be meeting tonight for an undetermined amount of time (out in the breezeway) to gauge which way the wind is blowing after this sudden two game win streak by the Celtics …….

There will be a vote at the conclusion of the meeting

1.) Change direction with the wind quickly towards positivity or
2.) blow your leaves in a circle until we have a few more games to better gauge the direction of the wind

The guest speaker will for tonight’s meeting will be Ray Allen

On the menu for tonight………Green Crow Turnovers and Chicken Little BBQ wings

Thank you
Po and the Old Growth Redwood Committee

[clover]

Attention!!!!!! There is a Celticblog sub-committee meeting tonight!!!! Celticsblogs.com…..Willow Tree Federation (W T F!!!) members will be meeting tonight for an undetermined amount of time (out in the breezeway) to gauge which way the wind is blowing after this sudden two game win streak by the Celtics …….

There will be a vote at the conclusion of the meeting

1.) Change direction with the wind quickly towards positivity or
2.) blow your leaves in a circle until we have a few more games to better gauge the direction of the wind

The guest speaker will for tonight’s meeting will be Ray Allen

On the menu for tonight………Green Crow Turnovers and Chicken Little BBQ wings

Thank you
Po and the Old Growth Redwood Committee

Po and the Old Growth Redwood Committee--or PORC for short?

[Drucci]

Very interesting point, Jsaad.

I agree with you and Fafnir : I think it's both the contracts situation and KG's health that are the causes for some "trouble" (nothing terrible, anyway) in the locker room.

Two players must think they are on the verge of getting traded (House, Ray) and that affects their game and their chemistry while another might be too "selfish" to make sure he gets a new contract with the C's next year. Talking about TA there, although he is been a big and excellent surprise this season so he may not be selfish (he doesn't look like it on the court), but who knows behind closed doors?

The All-Star Break will be a relief but I'm personally waiting more for the trade deadline to expire, and hopefully our team will then be able to re-focus totally. And, of course, I hope Ray and Eddie will still be on the team by then.