Ric Bucher To The Rescue!

[indeedproceed]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=5093789

Ric Bucher picks Boston to be the biggest surprise this season, Chris Broussard says 'nayyyyy'

RIC BUCHER: When we first discussed debating who the surprise team of the playoffs would be, I figured the most difficult part would be choosing from a half-dozen or so options. Did I want to go with a playoff newcomer (as in, OKC or Charlotte) that seems poised to pull off a first-round upset? Or did I want to go with a coming-on-strong team (as in, San Antonio or Portland) to reach the conference finals? I decided to go the other way and pick the team whose staunchest fan, The Sports Guy, already has given them up for dead. I'm saying the Boston Celtics  are going to be in the Eastern Conference finals.

CHRIS BROUSSARD: You are certainly going out on a limb, my man, because I don't see any way Boston gets by Cleveland in the second round (assuming the Cavs beat the Bulls in Round 1).

[Fafnir]

Hope he's right, I have trouble keeping optimistic today.

[jdpapa3]

Hope he's right, I have trouble keeping optimistic today.

This feels a bit like before the 2008 Finals with all of the media writing us off before the games even start and the doubt starts leaking into my thoughts as well. I keep holding onto the idea that we really did show up in games that the team deemed important.

[PierceMVP08]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=5093789

Ric Bucher picks Boston to be the biggest surprise this season, Chris Broussard says 'nayyyyy'

RIC BUCHER: When we first discussed debating who the surprise team of the playoffs would be, I figured the most difficult part would be choosing from a half-dozen or so options. Did I want to go with a playoff newcomer (as in, OKC or Charlotte) that seems poised to pull off a first-round upset? Or did I want to go with a coming-on-strong team (as in, San Antonio or Portland) to reach the conference finals? I decided to go the other way and pick the team whose staunchest fan, The Sports Guy, already has given them up for dead. I'm saying the Boston Celtics  are going to be in the Eastern Conference finals.

CHRIS BROUSSARD: You are certainly going out on a limb, my man, because I don't see any way Boston gets by Cleveland in the second round (assuming the Cavs beat the Bulls in Round 1).

How will perceptions change if we win in 4 or 5 games and the Bulls give the cavs a good series? I think things will be a lot more interesting to start the second round if that happens.

[indeedproceed]

Yeah man I have been a bit negative for a while but now, I am tres excited. Bring em onnnnnn!!!!!

[angryguy77]

Yeah man I have been a bit negative for a while but now, I am tres excited. Bring em onnnnnn!!!!!

Same here. For some silly reason I'm starting to feel a little more confident in this team. Either way I just want the playoffs here

[PosImpos]

Suddenly I like Ric Bucher a lot.

 

[Eddie20]

Bucher made a strong point about minutes played. That last Cleveland game is more or less how I expect to see minutes distributed for our starters. And they went as follows:

Rondo 41
R. Allen 41
Pierce 34
KG 35
Perk 30

I expect Pierce and Allen to get at least 75 minutes combined at 2-3 spots. Rondo will likely see consistent minutes in the 40 plus range. KG in the 35-38 range. And Doc to ride the hot hand between Sheed and Perk.

The long rest in between games and the shorter rotation should bode well for our veteran team to remain fresh and to create better continuity.

[Drucci]

I agree totally with Bucher, and hopefully his guts are right!

Nice to see a little support when we're the underdogs, the C's usually play better when everybody doesn't give them a chance.

[FallGuy]

Keep in mind Bucher and Broussard are doing this as an exercise to an extent. They each picked a surprise/underdog team and argued for its merits. Doesn't mean they think it's likely to happen.

That noted - our schizo team IS capable of an excellent two weeks against Cleveland. Whether or not they could extend that kind of play for two months... well.... that's less certain.

[ManUp]

Me and a friend were talking about the play-offs the other day. We were talking about how the team looks real shaky and is a long shot. Then we started talking about who we know will be ready for the play-offs. First he said Pierce, then I said Rondo and Ray would be ready, we ended up going down the list of players on the team and with the exception of Sheed(shocker) we agreed the guys would be ready. When you think about the players we have on this team it's hard to count this team out. With that said these guys do have to bring it we are capable of being a much better team than we've shown if guys just bring it.

[Jon]

If Ric's right, you can probably check us off for the NBA Finals too, because of the top 3 teams in the East, I'm the least afraid of Orlando. And that's who we'd likely face in the Conference Finals, assuming they beat the Hawks. 

[ManUp]

Good Job by Mr.Bucher.

Me and a friend were talking about the play-offs the other day. We were talking about how the team looks real shaky and is a long shot. Then we started talking about who we know will be ready for the play-offs. First he said Pierce, then I said Rondo and Ray would be ready, we ended up going down the list of players on the team and with the exception of Sheed(shocker) we agreed the guys would be ready. When you think about the players we have on this team it's hard to count this team out. With that said these guys do have to bring it we are capable of being a much better team than we've shown if guys just bring it.

Celtics have definitely brought it!

[celticinorlando]

bucher did pick them long ago...legler picked them to win this series also...

[Roy Hobbs]

Didn't he pick against us in the Cleveland series?