This series will Re-Write the last two years historically.

[BballTim]

I don't think so.  First off, injuries are part of the game.  Maybe the Spurs would have beat the C's in '08 if they had been healthy. 

Also, I do not think the C's necessarily win last year, even if KG was healthy.  I think they matched up much worse with the Cavs than the Magic did, and they might have been knocked out by them.  Remember, their best player off the bench was Stephon Marbury.  The only wing they had off the bench at all was Tony Allen, and he was so bad last year that Doc went with House and Marbury off the bench instead of him throughout the playoffs.  And they were still thin up front, even if KG was back, since Powe also was out (or are we bringing him back too?), and they didn't have a PJ Brown, or Sheed to add some length off the bench.

  We wouldn't *necessarily* have won but we'd have had as good a chance as anyone else if not better. Cleveland would have had the same problems with Rondo and KG they had this year. When KG went down we were playing the best ball in the league, just like we were this year before KG and PP had health issues.

[LarBrd33]

Whether or not we would have actually won last year with KG healthy... and whether or not the Lakers would have won in 08 with a healthy Bynum... doesn't really matter.  As Roy said, it's perception that becomes reality.  And the media is already trying to paint this series as the Lakers seeking "revenge" for their one "slip up".  The media is already trying to paint the picture that the Lakers are a stronger mental team than they were and they are out to prove they are the best team of the mini era.   A Boston victory forces the media to say that the Lakers won by default.  And honestly, I kinda believe that.  We took Orlando to 7 games with our defense running at 50% (KG injured).  Orlando defeated the Cavs easily.  Obviously we win that Orlando series with a healthy KG.  Why exactly should I believe the Cavs would have beat us?  We beat them in 08 and crushed them this year.  We would have been in the finals at the very least.  No question.  The 09 Celtics had the greatest start in NBA history.  They were destroying teams.   

[greg683x]

Like everyone said, the media will do with the results of this series as they want, but really, in my opinion, even though it might not look that way, the '08 celtics and the '10 are much different.

KG has definitely shown up in the playoffs, but I think most would agree that he still isnt the same player he was in '08.  So in that regard, I think we're weaker, however, even counting Posey and PJ Brown, I think this team is deeper, mainly in the frontcourt.  Our depth with 'Sheed,  and Big Baby, along with the good play of TA in these playoffs, makes this team deeper.  So we'll see how that balances out in a match-up with the Lakers this time around.

Either way, it's a gonna be a great series to watch.  Go Celtics!

[Drucci]

Great point and great thread, I agree.

I'm tired of hearing people call us "one hit wonders". Regardless, it would be great to win a second title in three years and solidify the team and the players' status as all-time greats (especially for the Big Three legacy). But a second championship would be way sweeter because of the "asterisk" it would put down over the Lakers' 2009 title and because it would establish a mini "dynasty" for us.

[Who]

I thought the Lakers would have been favourites to beat the Celtics last season if they had a healthy Bynum ... but with their non-healthy Bynum versus the Celtics with a healthy Garnett, the Celtics would be major favourites.

Good point about the Cavs though. I kind of dismissed them. Even Garnett that would have been a very difficult series that could have gone either way.

[snively]

I thought the Lakers would have been favourites to beat the Celtics last season if they had a healthy Bynum ... but with their non-healthy Bynum versus the Celtics with a healthy Garnett, the Celtics would be major favourites.

Good point about the Cavs though. I kind of dismissed them. Even Garnett that would have been a very difficult series that could have gone either way.

Technically they were the favorites to beat them in 2008 as well. 

The Lakers with last year's playoff version of Ariza were better than 2008.  Still, the 2009 version of Rondo with the pre-injury KG of 2009 would have taken them.  That team had incredible 3-point shooting with the years Ray/House/Scal were having and their defense was at 2008 levels until KG went down.