Krstic is being overrated

[Mike-Dub]

So, while it is certainly a downgrade, I think it is negated a bit by the better perimeter rebounding.  

And his offensiv game negates what Perk brought too.  Though I still think a healthy Perk is a better center and what he brings to the game (defense) is much more important than what Kristic brings.

I do like seeing a center that has some offensive game on the C's again for once, but we need at least Shaq for the playoffs if we are going to get the title.

[EmilioBonilla]

At first I wasn't on board with the trade, I was like everyone else who hated trading Perk, but now since we picked up a few decent players I'm liking the trade more and more. You could think of Krstic as an offensive Shaq with more options as he can actually shoot. From what I've seen, Nenad is limited defensively, but the Celts have done fine with opposing centers getting the glory and then shutting everyone else out (Ex. Dwight Howard). I think Nenad will get the job done. As for rebounding, we just picked up a guy in Troy Murphy who was averaging 10 boards a game last year. I think come playoff time, he'll be in NBA form and can at least give us 8 boards a game. We'll be alright guys.  

[aporel#18]

I think Krstic is being overrated mostly because few people were confident about him contributing. He was considered a throw-in, so now the pendulum goes the other way. Things will level very soon.

I keep thinking Danny and Doc are 100% sure about the O'Neals health. If not, the free agency signings are not solving the main shortcoming of the Celtics, post defense. Krstic can't be that presence, but neither Murphy, and against the Laker trees, Baby won't do it better (although he's been really good against Howard or Tim Duncan). I had hopes of a little more Sheed, because if Shaq and his brother Jermaine can't play, the Celtics have no real inside force. And with all his flaws, Sheed did it better than anybody (including Perk) in last year's playoffs.

So we don't have to expect Krstic to give the team the post defense Perk can give when healthy, it'd be unfair for Nenad. We must expect the O'Neals healthy and ready for the playoffs, or else the Celtics will have to work some magic to get past the Magic and the Bulls/Heat.

[Chris]

So, while it is certainly a downgrade, I think it is negated a bit by the better perimeter rebounding.  

And his offensiv game negates what Perk brought too.  Though I still think a healthy Perk is a better center and what he brings to the game (defense) is much more important than what Kristic brings.

I do like seeing a center that has some offensive game on the C's again for once, but we need at least Shaq for the playoffs if we are going to get the title.

Well, I think Perk as he was after the surgery is still a better center than Krstic, he doesn't have to be completely healthy to be better.  But the question should not be whether Krstic is better than Perkins, because that is no contest.  The question is whether Krstic and Green are better than Perkins and Nate, and I think they are. 

[33-00-32]

Much as I loved Perk -- the catch, hesitation, dribble, foul (from a player who had 3 seconds to slide over and commit it) with missed lay-up, scowl, bricked FT, bricked FT, scowl, slap own hand, more scowl, thing was tired. 

This pretty much wraps up my feelings towards Perk. I have been so frustrated over the years watching him drop the ball to his ankles just to get rejected every time while other guys his size around the league go right to the rim and slam it thru. I would worry a lot everytime I would read on here how our future was Perk & Rondo. I never wanted to talk bad about Perk because he was as greenblooded as they get but I for one think we are in a much better place now and in the future. I wish only the best for Perk in OKC, I believe he is a great person. We will no doubt struggle if we don't get an O'Neal back but I'm not sure we would have had Perk back this year anyway. Kurly may not be able to push DHoward away from the basket but I do think he is an intelligent player and will do what he needs to. I don't think enough can be said about how weak PP & Ray's offense was in game 7 last year and how adding a player like Green to give them rest will help them this year.

[LooseCannon]

This isn't a thread to "bash" Krstic.  Like I said, I think he's been great on one end of the floor.  However, I do think it's very important that we have either Shaq or JO back; their presence is going to be a very important piece of our championship puzzle.  As Danny said in the Shaughnessy interview, "Now if Shaq and Jermaine [O'Neal] can't play we could be in trouble".  I agree with that sentiment, and don't want to see people disappointed if Krstic doesn't live up to their perhaps unrealistic expectations. 

This is true, whether the Celtics have Krstic or Perkins.

[jgod213]

Nice OP, Roy...looks like you've been wanting to get this off your chest for a day or two haha.

Yeah i agree with you here - playoff basketball is a lot like playoff hockey (i know there's a bunch of other bruins fans here), once you enter into the second season, the skilled, tough defensive teams assert themselves.

Any team/plaer can play tough defense in the playoffs on their home court, but you need defensive game changers like Shaq and his space-eating and JO and his shot blocking if you want to win on the road.  Granted i think that, playing with one of the older and wiser teams in the NBA as opposed to one of the youngest and inexperienced in OKC will only help Nenad as he finds his comfort zone. But if you are relying on Nenad to stay on the court for 35+ minutes against the DHowards/Andrew Bynums/or even the Al Horfords of the world its gonna be big trouble.

[footey]

 I would not say he is over rated, buy I agree with Roy's point that Krstic is a bad D rebounder, and can not replace Shaq or Perk in that area. 

[GreenFaith1819]

Roy's points deserve a lot of merit.

But all I can imagine is an active Krstic pulling Bynum out of the paint - making him work on Defense.

LA has made it easy for him recently. Bynum has gone on a tear here lately, but it has been with rebounding and close to the basket activity.

I have not pulled up any research on this, but how has Bynum competed with the likes of say Andrea Bargnani or even Krstic when he still played for OKC - Centers with outside J's who are not relegated to the paint as much?

It will be interesting to see Bynum having to work. While Perk was here, it just seemed lately (this year and even during our series with LA last June) that Bynum was indeed getting the best of him - blocking his shots with regularity and scoring on him with some ease - and just not working quite as hard.

Roy is right in quoting Danny's article with Shaugnessy - Shaq and JO or one of them will be a big help. But God forbid that we don't have either - I still want to see the series played out, and I still believe it can be done, even if it's harder.

I think Krstic can help in other ways against a Bynum or Gasol, rather than how Perk was utilized. I'm trying not to be overly optimistic, but in back of my mind I still like our chances with KG-Glen-Murph and Krstic.

Sure - that would definitely be harder.

But when was the last time the Celtics did anything easy?

[cman88]

im not sure id say overrated...pleasantly surprised I guess..but most posters on the celticsblog(myself included) viewed kristic as a "throw in" to the trade while Jeff Green was the main prize...

No one expected the guy to be getting around 12points a game as a starter and being a solid contributer.(and 17points last night) But its a product of the system the celtics play.

hes not a long term solution as the celtics will need shaq once the playoffs start(although I think he would be fine against a team like the Knicks) but for the rest of the season he will do....and he should split minutes in the playoffs with JO...

[barefacedmonk]

Good post...TP to the OP.

[biggs]

so is Gasol. so what?

[Jeff]

it is amazing how the pendulum of reaction swings this way and that

for me, I'm maintaining my "Found Money" stance - my expectations were set at zero and he's exceeding them - that's all

still hoping to see Shaq come back healthy with a few weeks to spare before the playoffs

[barefacedmonk]

so is Gasol. so what?

None of the Gasol brothers are overrated. One is a fine center...and the other is one of the best PFs in the league right now.

[Drucci]

From what I expected or Krstic (which was almost nothing) I've been really surprised by his production. And beyond that he is excellent offensively in our system. He is not on the level of Perk defensively but he is an average defender, honestly, not good but not bad either. His rebounding seems average too, there are time where he gets outrebounded easily and others where he gets good offensive boards.

I think the offensive contribution of Krstic more than makes up for his average defense, especially when you consider that he has multiple weapons in his game, he draws about 2, 3 or 4 fouls per game (and actually makes the free throws, big difference), can shoot the ball from midrange and even farther, can finish with both hands and on the breaks... Plus, the big thing is, his offensive talents allow him to score and contribute without us having to draw set plays for him. He basically scores on extra passes or possessions where he ends up with the ball because there is no other choice so it's a huge asset to have Krstic scoring about 10 points per game while not working really hard to get these (and a big difference with Perk once again or even Shaq in a way).