Yep, #18 is coming this year!

[BballTim]

I just saw Greg Dickerson on tv talking about this. He said he spoke to Perk and Perk said that some of the players were bored with the process and waiting impatiently for the playoffs to start.

Is this the same Perk who was asked in 2008 why his numbers noticeably improved after all-star break, the same Perk who answered "Because it's the second half of the season. Time to turn it up."?

Indeed, #18 is guaran-SHEED.

  I hope that "guaran-SHEED", while used repeatedly in this thread, doesn't show up elsewhere on the boards...

[DrGlen]

After watching the "old" 3 beat the Lakers, and then witnessing Rondo's 1st qtr dominance over the Cavs, I can see why the Celtics brass are so comfortable with just a minor tweak at the trade deadline.

Today's globe:
Ainge: "It's not age... I'm not panicking. I am just saying that's what it is."[Starters are coasting till the playoffs.]

Indeed, #18 is guaran-SHEED.

what a poor message to send. coasting until the playoffs.

In Danny's defense, he said "We have to play with more focus and commitment. It’s effort. It’s there to start the game and it’s up to the players." Then he said, "Anderson Varejao's effort, [the players] should be embarrassed."

But the players know their bodies better than anyone. And they all want rings. So is it laziness? Or are they just making sure their bodies will be ok for the playoffs?

And what are the players actually told behind closed doors.

[indeedproceed]

After watching the "old" 3 beat the Lakers, and then witnessing Rondo's 1st qtr dominance over the Cavs, I can see why the Celtics brass are so comfortable with just a minor tweak at the trade deadline.

Today's globe:
Ainge: "It's not age... I'm not panicking. I am just saying that's what it is."[Starters are coasting till the playoffs.]

Indeed, #18 is guaran-SHEED.

what a poor message to send. coasting until the playoffs.

In Danny's defense, he said "We have to play with more focus and commitment. It’s effort. It’s there to start the game and it’s up to the players." Then he said, "Anderson Varejao's effort, [the players] should be embarrassed."

But the players know their bodies better than anyone. And they all want rings. So is it laziness? Or are they just making sure their bodies will be ok for the playoffs?

And what are the players actually told behind closed doors.

So you're saying they're losing to the Nets right now because they're trying to keep fresh for the playoffs?

That's ridiculous! I don't even think its laziness. I think their heads are in a very bad place and they don't know how to get out of it.

[MattG12]

 

[CbrewEra]

Did you by chance see the game today?

[DrGlen]

That's ridiculous! I don't even think its laziness. I think their heads are in a very bad place and they don't know how to get out of it.

Against the worst team in the league, the aforementioned Rules "C" and "D" become mutual exclusives.

Rule "C": Learn not to be like Detroit, thinking they can just switch it on in playoffs. Play hard every game - for one quarter. "
Doesn't apply against the Nets since it would then be impossible to trail by double digits in the 4th quarter, per Rule "D".

Rule "D": Stay sharp by making easy games more difficult in order to simulate come-from-behind Q4 playoff nail-biters."
Down 18 with 5 minutes to go against the Nets.

So, do players who are lazy, lost, in a bad place, or have quit on their coach, suddenly play with fire to close the gap to 6 point? Hmmmmm.

[DrGlen]

I think we have now hit the point of start the bench or fire doc.  Not blaming doc for everything but its time to do something!

But starting the bench would violate RULE "E".

Rule "E": Keep Ubuntu alive. This means keeping his star players happy. Doc does this by only playing guys who will see playoffs minutes. And never sit your star players. (They hate being yanked because they need to be on the court in order to talk trash.)

Doc: "There's nothing I can do about it."

If things aren't being fixed, maybe it's because nothing is broken. 

INDEED

[Celtics17]

This blog site is funny! After a couple of big wins the whole blog sounds as if #18 is a sure thing. Then, we lose to the might Nets and everyone is saying we are 'doomed'. The reality seems to be that it will be very difficult to put it all together this year. The other side of the coin is, we dont know what this team will be like if we ever do. I say, let this team get even as healthy as it's going to get with Paul and KG both healing a little more. Then, let them play 10 games together and reassess.

[DrGlen]

This team lacks the mentality not the talent.  I hate to say this.. but people like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have something inside them that KG, Ray Allen, and PP do not have.

Did Kobe or Jordan ever have career threatening knee injuries? How often did they have to drain fluid from their elbows and knees?

Something different inside? Would that be the feeling one has knowing you will always get the superstar calls from the refs so you never have to worry about getting your teeth knocked out?

Rule "F": Don't pull a "Cheryl Miller", whose career ended because some scrub undercut her in a meaningless pick up game.
Kinda like the pickup game yesterday in the swamps of Jersey. 

[Rondo_is_better]

I like you, DrGlen. Keep posting.

/no sarcasm.

[DrGlen]

Ubuntu Tommy points for everyone in this thread.

[DrGlen]

Some snippets [from Danny Ainge just on Big Show]:
- Team has not tuned out Doc Rivers as the team responds well until up double digits. If the team wasn't responding to Doc those leads would not happen.

Reloaded. Rejuvenated. Relaxing till the playoffs. 

[Jon]

Well, while I call myself an optimist, I'm not going to come out and guarantee #18 after last night.  However, I do think it bears mentioning: for the first time all season, we had close to a healthy 9-man rotation and we got a 24-point blowout win. 

While injuries have not accounted for all the C's woes, I do feel like the national media (and some on this board) have really underestimated the impact injuries have had on this team.

Hopefully now that everyone seems to be back (knock on wood) we can return to our dominant ways. 

[Greenbean]

Some snippets [from Danny Ainge just on Big Show]:
- Team has not tuned out Doc Rivers as the team responds well until up double digits. If the team wasn't responding to Doc those leads would not happen.

Reloaded. Rejuvenated. Relaxing till the playoffs. 

TP for this and the excellent "Gone Baby Gone" thread title. You should be getting paid by marketersto come up with tag lines. It's a gift.

[Birdbrain]

After watching the "old" 3 beat the Lakers, and then witnessing Rondo's 1st qtr dominance over the Cavs, I can see why the Celtics brass are so comfortable with just a minor tweak at the trade deadline.

I only hope that the players continue to do exactly (sic) what they have been doing:

a) If you are even slightly injured (KG), don't play.
b) If you play, learn to avoid injury. Don't kill yourself out there. Championships aren't handed out in the regular season, even if it's against contenders.
c) Learn not to be like Detroit, thinking they can just switch it on in playoffs. Play hard every game - for one quarter.
d) Stay sharp by making easy games more difficult in order to simulate come-from-behind Q4 playoff nail-biters.
e) Keep Ubuntu alive. This means keeping his star players happy. Doc does this by only playing guys who will see playoffs minutes. And never sit your star players. (They hate being yanked because they need to be on the court in order to talk trash.)

"There's nothing I can do about it," said Rivers (2-time COY).

"There really is nothing that needs to be done," KG. INDEED.

#18 is Guaran-SHEED.

 

How did the NJ game figure into #18?