The reason players are straying from Ubuntu this season.

[Birdbrain]

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

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

But he won't.

He doesn't need to with Perkins and Rondo at their current skill level and you have no idea whether he will or not anyway.

[sk7326]

simpler than that i think ... winning breeds chemistry - there have been more uncertain lineups, more games without manpower.  Losing breeds dissatisfaction.  Rondo showed some leadership calling it out - but I don't think's anything that is not typical of a team struggling.  Nothing that a 4 game winning streak can't heal.

[Michael Anthony]

I think the OP makes some good points, but I would add that the declining ability and productivity of Ray, KG, House and Sheed are probably causing issues too. Lets compare PER from the championship season to this season:

R. Allen PER 16.60 vs 13.86
E. House PER 13.17 vs 12.39
T. Allen PER 10.81 vs 14.32

R. Wallace PER 17.13 vs 14.36
G. Davis PER 11.40 vs 11.08

K. Garnett PER 25.42 vs 19.77
R. Rondo PER 15.75 vs 19.93

In the championship season, Ray was clearly the best shooting guard, Sheed wasn't here / Baby was the backup four, and Rondo was just above average.

Looking at this year, Tony could make an argument that he should be starting. Davis thinks he is better than Wallace, and their PER's are close - plus he was the starting power forward of a second round playoff team last year. Finally, Rondo has replaced KG as the best player on this team - and over the last few games it is not even close.

When roles change and power shifts, conflict follows.

[More Banners]

Total speculation by all of us here...

Let me join in.

Getting traded is a big deal.  These guys have leases, families, kids in school or whatever.  A sudden move sucks for anyone.  And there is every reason that some of these bench guys can/should be on edge waiting for the call, for all of the reasons we discuss in the Forum.  We can think of all the probable suspects.  

And then imagine that each of them might have an interest in trying to prove they should stay...maybe by shooting when it would be better to make an extra pass (remember how often that title team passed up open shots to give another guy an open shot?).  Maybe gambling on the passing lanes.  Maybe staying with your guy so he doesn't score on you personally instead of rotation to help on penetration.

The title team knew it was special, and that nobody was going anywhere.  They were all in, all the way, no distractions.  This team doesn't have that luxury.

[shookones99]

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.

TP Agree 100%

People no longer fear the word of KG.  Teammates or opponents.  And that was one of the biggest things we had going for us during the championship run.....We would just intimidate the hell out of everyone.  Now when he tries to talk trash/intimidate, the opposing player just gets pumped up, because they know that, despite all the trash he is talking, they will probably still grab the rebound over him.  

He just doesn't have the respect, around the league or in his locker room, that he did two years ago.

[JSD]

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

I understand that Fafnir, I think most people on here took what I said a lot less literally. Promoting the thread and stimulating conversation was my primary goal.

[JSD]

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.

Good point Drucci, being an expiring contract leading up to the 2010 off-season definitely adds to it too. So when the the trade deadline passes it could help ease the minds of a good percentage of our guys.

[Fafnir]

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

I understand that Fafnir, I think most people on here took what I said a lot less literally. Promoting the thread and stimulating conversation was my primary goal.

You can bump a thread without stating a logical fallacy. Mission accomplished, more people have posted in your thread.

[BballTim]

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

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

But he won't.

  If KG just gets back to December and we're healthy we have the best starting lineup in the league.

[Fafnir]

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

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

But he won't.

  If KG just gets back to December and we're healthy we have the best starting lineup in the league.

Yeah, but Odom gives the Lakers an equivalent top 6.

[BballTim]

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

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

But he won't.

  If KG just gets back to December and we're healthy we have the best starting lineup in the league.

Yeah, but Odom gives the Lakers an equivalent top 6.

  I don't know that he does, and their bench is awful beyond him.

[Fafnir]

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

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

But he won't.

  If KG just gets back to December and we're healthy we have the best starting lineup in the league.

Yeah, but Odom gives the Lakers an equivalent top 6.

  I don't know that he does, and their bench is awful beyond him.

Is the Celtics bench all that hot? Odom alone gives the Lakers one of the best benches in the league, if not the best.

The Lakers problem is that Gasol, Bynum, and Kobe all seem to be fighting over post touches at the moment.

[BballTim]

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

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

But he won't.

  If KG just gets back to December and we're healthy we have the best starting lineup in the league.

Yeah, but Odom gives the Lakers an equivalent top 6.

  I don't know that he does, and their bench is awful beyond him.

Is the Celtics bench all that hot? Odom alone gives the Lakers one of the best benches in the league, if not the best.

The Lakers problem is that Gasol, Bynum, and Kobe all seem to be fighting over post touches at the moment.

  I don't agree that one good player and some scrubs gives you the best bench.

[shookones99]

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

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

But he won't.

  If KG just gets back to December and we're healthy we have the best starting lineup in the league.

Yeah, but Odom gives the Lakers an equivalent top 6.

  I don't know that he does, and their bench is awful beyond him.

Is the Celtics bench all that hot? Odom alone gives the Lakers one of the best benches in the league, if not the best.

The Lakers problem is that Gasol, Bynum, and Kobe all seem to be fighting over post touches at the moment.

  I don't agree that one good player and some scrubs gives you the best bench.

Yeah, Definitely not.  Odom is certainly a candidate for 6th man, but that bench is pretty awful.

[Tai]

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.

TP Agree 100%

People no longer fear the word of KG.  Teammates or opponents.  And that was one of the biggest things we had going for us during the championship run.....We would just intimidate the hell out of everyone.  Now when he tries to talk trash/intimidate, the opposing player just gets pumped up, because they know that, despite all the trash he is talking, they will probably still grab the rebound over him.  

He just doesn't have the respect, around the league or in his locker room, that he did two years ago.

What is this about intimidation? : \ I thought we were just flat out better in 07-08, and for the former part of 08-09.