I don't want to be a downer but

[GreenEnvy]

Here's the issue, buy the time we get our depth back we might drop below Miami, therefore, having to play game 7 in Miami istead of here.  Which of coarse, brings the officials back into play like game 7 vs LA.  The road team probally aint gettting the benifit of the doubt in game 7, and that in itself is my issue, espically if it's Joey Crawford of Steve Javie.  I could see Pierce and Allen in foul trouble, and Leborn & Wade living at the line.  I've seen it too many times--  that's why Sunday's game and finishing ahead of the Heat is so important.  At home we get the close calls,  away  --   we'll see, didn't get them last year.

Simple solution: Win in 6.

That's why I feel HCA is more important against the West (although catching SAS seems unlikely - we need to stay ahead of LA and DAL). It's difficult to win in 5 in the Finals, which means more than likely you need to close out on the road, and we have only done once (@DET) in the past three playoffs.

[guava_wrench]

We need to accept that there are no guarantees. There is no reason to be particularly worried just because it is difficult to win with only 1 of our top 6 bench players available in the second half of the Lakers game.

I don't buy for a second the idea that there are teams that can't beat us in a seven games series, even if we are healthy. Heck, we almost lost to Atlanta in the first round in 2008. The best any team can ever say is that they are big favorites. Even if we had the greatest team of all time, we would lose game when there are injuries.

[GreenFaith1819]

Yes - the Laker loss was tough, but I'm not worried.

I'm looking forward to our team getting healthy and getting back our players, myself.

In the Laker game, we lost Nate, didn't have Delonte, Marquis, Shaq, Semih or JO - and pretty much didn't have Paul, since he didn't seem like himself (still looked like he was recovering from the flu, to me).

All this and LA (who had most of their team), only beat us by 6......and the game pretty much went down to the wire.

As for the future, I'd be a little upset IF we lost to MIA tomorrow, but again - I'm more concerned that Doc allows this team to get healthy....even if we have 90% of our team back for the playoffs, I see no one beating this team in a seven game series - including LA and MIA.

And LA (and MIA) must know this. LA, while certainly celebratory on Thursday night, cannot take solace in the fact that we didn't have Shaq, Nate, Semih or Marquis (all of whom contributed in the Convincing LA victory on Jan 30).

Chips were down, and LA still could not convincingly beat us.

We all know that come April 15, this team will kick it up a notch and make our Final Run. Last year's Improbable run through ORL and CLE (with both of them having HCA), proves to me that the C's can (and will) get it done.

We'll be fine, no matter what happens between now and April 15.

[Junkyard Dawg]

Your argument would make a bit more sense if it were backed up with some facts.  Can anyone find some evidence to tell us the C's are not a 4th quarter team?  Cause I think back to all of our biggest wins this season and what has impressed me more than anything is that in many of them the C's seem to get stronger as the game goes on.  Or in games like SA, DAL and NY we kept up until the end.

Erik Spoelstra said it best during the playoffs last year; the Celtics are the mentally toughest team in the league.  These guys are seriously hungry for another championship, the Big 4 is playing better together than they've ever played, in my opinion, and Perk is gonna be fully back for the playoffs.  Bring on any team in the league, i'm not worried at all.

[JohnBagleyValueMeal]

Is anyone really scared of playing a game in Miami? It's not like they have a great crowd. I could care less about playing game 7 in Miami.

[GreenFaith1819]

Is anyone really scared of playing a game in Miami? It's not like they have a great crowd. I could care less about playing game 7 in Miami.

It is so funny you say that, because from what I've seen it's true.

I bet that if we could get about 1,000 Boston fans scattered about their homecourt if we met them in the playoffs, we could drown their fans out

Throw in Celtics White Jerseys, hang up 17 Banners, and we'd be home - in MIA.

Throw in Tommy and Mike, too.

[celtics2]

One would have to be a Soothsayer to say we'll be healthy by playoffs. All teams need luck to go all the way. I hope we can stay in shape for the battles to come. However Daniels is a good example of the unexplainable and we have 3 aging Stars. 2 centers who are rarely around. No replacement for Daniels, no backup for Rondo till West proves himself fit. Just touching all the bases with some sober thoughts. Last years playoffs ended in game 7 without Perk or we hang another Banner.

If I were Doc I don't play for Home Court next 30 games. Keep it in cruise control. Treat the last 10 games like Pre Season and get ready for the real Season. Any NBA law against that?

[wahz]

Since the 60's the Celtics have won ONE title without home court. Get that? In over 40 years we got one against Mil. But we got guys thinking it doesn't matter. Ok.

I DISAGREE

[Fez.in.Boston]

Is anyone really scared of playing a game in Miami? It's not like they have a great crowd. I could care less about playing game 7 in Miami.

-----
I have been to a Finals game in Miami and the crowd gets amped .. add Lebron and am a bit scared by a game 7 there

[LB3533]

All I know is that the Heat have either Lebron or Wade that can go off and carry their team to a win or two....now in a 7 game series that could mean 2 or 4 wins, just by those 2 guys alone. If the other games the Heat actually play like a team, they may win 2 more games and that would be enough to win a 7 game series.

And as much as Chris Bosh isn't a tough SOG, he is still a solid player who may actually come through for the Heat in the playoffs unlike Jermaine.

I didn't even mention the other Heat players who are playing their roles rather well right now, including Mike Miller, Eddie House and James Jones.

And as much as Heat players hate on Joel Anthony, that guy is a glue guy and really helps out on the dirty work.

As injury riddled as our Celtic team is right now, we could use a Joel Anthony or a Stephane Lasme.

[greenpride32]

I would not discount the importance of HCA.  At full strength we should beat any team in the East with HCA in 7.  But without HCA that swings the pendulum over to the other team and CHI and MIA are not exactly slouches and more than capable of beating any team on any give nght.  If we were to drop the first 2 away in a 7 game series we'd be in trouble. 

Just because of what happened last year people are taking HCA for granted; what transpried last year is not going to happen every year.  MIA and CHI this year are better teams then the ORL and CLE that we took out last year w/o HCA.

[Junkyard Dawg]

MIA and CHI this year are better teams then the ORL and CLE that we took out last year w/o HCA.

What makes you say that?  Does anyone remember how good ORL and CLE looked before the playoffs last year?  Does anyone remember the number of commentators that sweat those two teams like they were the second coming of the Bulls? 

Does anyone remember how the Celtics basically shamed and brutalized both of those teams off the court?  I know each series was 6 games, but come on, they were no contests.  What would make anyone believe we couldn't do that again this year?

[BASS_THUMPER]

The Celtics are fine.  Only Chicago and Miami can beat them in the playoffs.  Both of these teams have severe limitations that don't necessarily show up in the regular season, but become obvious in the playoffs.  Chicago goes through bigger offensive droughts than even the Celtics do, and the Heat have no bigs.  The Celtics surely will take advantage of those two shortcomings in the playoffs.

Seriously though, they just need their depth back.  They're occasionally going to lose leads this year, but that's NOTHING compared to last year's regular season nightmare!  When the playoffs roll around, we'll have our centers, Shaq, JO, and Semih togetha...in addition to Nate/Delonte/Wafer.  Marquis is our x variable here...maybe a trade will be had, but I'm willing to bet it may be a halfway pleasant one at the very least...i.e. josh howard, etc.

There is a very good chance the Heat will rock it in Boston tomorrow and steal a game away, but by no means does that mean they have anything upon the Celtics...it'll just be like the Lakers game Thursday.  In other words, if those guys DON"T beat the Celtics at this point in the year (with injuries etc...), then they're realllly in trouble!

Don't worry!  The C's are golden.  They'll run off a big slew of wins after the all star break.

Chicago can't!  And I don't think Miami can either. 

IMHO no one can beat us in the playoffs, especially in the East.

with our current squad

yup we can be beaten

[JohnBagleyValueMeal]

Home court matters in the Finals, because of the schedule. Home court matters against teams that have distinct advantages in their building--Miami is not one of those teams.

Don't get me wrong--I'm not saying the Celtics are invulnerable. They could lose to anyone. Of course Miami is a threat to the beat the Celtics. But I lived in Miami and went to games during the Shaq-DWade era, and I have watched a bunch of their games this year. Their home court will not swing the series. Some buildings/crowds matter and some don't. The American Airlines Arena does not matter.

Chicago's a different story entirely.

[BballTim]

I would not discount the importance of HCA.  At full strength we should beat any team in the East with HCA in 7.  But without HCA that swings the pendulum over to the other team and CHI and MIA are not exactly slouches and more than capable of beating any team on any give nght.  If we were to drop the first 2 away in a 7 game series we'd be in trouble. 

Just because of what happened last year people are taking HCA for granted; what transpried last year is not going to happen every year.  MIA and CHI this year are better teams then the ORL and CLE that we took out last year w/o HCA.

  We're a better team as well.