Center of the problems!

[nyceltsfan]

If we make it to the finals and play the Lakers, I would imagine we will see a lot of time with Pierce and Green on the floor together, which will give us a size advantage at the SG position.  Pierce is a much better defender against Kobe than Ray Allen, which will force Kobe to dump the ball into the post.  We will need size, and if Kristic is not healthy, we may be looking at someone like Troy Murphy or Chris Johnson for minutes.  I don't see Doc relying on BBD to defend those guys for an extended period if we have more length available.

We have some decent length with the Oneals and KG, but it may not be enough against Gasol and Bynum.  As long as Green's defense continues to improve, he can somewhat neutralize Odom, especially with his play on the offensive end.

[birdwatcher]

We took them to a game seven with Perk and an aging Sheed.
This current center combo(when healthy) is better.

If we are healthy, we get #18.

I'm not scared of LA.

The IF you throw out there is not even an IF.  We are NOT going to be healthy, so the question is can we beat the Lakers (assuming we get there) with unhealthy or non-existent centers?  I see a repeat of game 7 and it did not have to be this way.  Why didn't we pick up Dampier when he was out there for a few thin dimes?  The Oneals were already showing signs of age.  We knew that the center was the only position that had to be shored up, yet instead we let Miami pick up Dampier and shore up their weakest position.

Yes, having some height to help rebound in game 7 would have helped, but it means nothing if we get those boards and no one on the floor could put it in the basket. Offense was another reason we lost game 7--Ray shot terribly, Sheed was out of gas and yeah, LA got some rebounds on both ends. But, if we could have put the ball in the net the last 5 minutes of the game, we probably would have won. 5 pts. that's all. We needed some buckets, and with Shaq on the floor we avg 10pts more a game. We have offense now, and it's coming together, and we're still the best defense in the league, numbers wise at least--all without what everyone calls a legit C, and an aging, broken Shaq.

[ducksawce]

I'm gonna limit this to talking about Bynum.  We all know how Gasol/Odom vs. KG/Baby plays itself out.  A healthy KG and a cooperative Baby will more than keep up with their counterparts.

Bynum plays roughly 30 min/game, right?  Defensively, the Celtics just need 30 minutes of Shaq and JO combined at the center spot to counter Bynum.  Come on...that's easy.  I guarantee you that 30 HARD minutes is something they'll be able to give come finals time.  As long as Bynum is covered by a BIG at all times, things won't go out of whack like they did for the Mavs last night. 

Also, think about what truly throws centers off their game: variety.  What threw Dwight Howard off last year?  The combo of size (Perk), and length (Sheed).  This year, we've got the same size (Shaq), and length (JO).  We just haven't seen these two together at it for extended series of games.  Once these two play their 30 combined minutes, LA's bigs and rebounding advantage won't be SO glaring...only maybe a little glaring...at least small enough so that Boston's overall advantage through the 1-3 spots will be able to perhaps tilt things towards a good outcome.

[Vermont Green]

If we make it to the finals and play the Lakers, I would imagine we will see a lot of time with Pierce and Green on the floor together, which will give us a size advantage at the SG position.  Pierce is a much better defender against Kobe than Ray Allen, which will force Kobe to dump the ball into the post.  We will need size, and if Kristic is not healthy, we may be looking at someone like Troy Murphy or Chris Johnson for minutes.  I don't see Doc relying on BBD to defend those guys for an extended period if we have more length available.

We have some decent length with the Oneals and KG, but it may not be enough against Gasol and Bynum.  As long as Green's defense continues to improve, he can somewhat neutralize Odom, especially with his play on the offensive end.

OK, this is going to get a little detailed but I think this point about playing Green instead of Allen against the Lakers (if we get that far, knock on wood) is a very good point.  Part of the reason that the "Kobe Defense" on Rondo works is that Fisher can handle Ray Allen.  Fisher can handle Ray because the Lakers jump the weakside picks with their big men (helping Fisher) and then Kobe sags and picks up the open Celtics long enough for Fisher to get back to Ray and the Laker big to get back to his man.

That won't work if the man Fisher takes can post up (low or mid) and be a treat to score (Ray can't do this).  In this case, it would be Fisher on Pierce or Green and the Lakers would have to straight double.

Of course Rondo hitting his open shots (like last night) would work too.

[SHAQATTACK]

Watching the LAkers last night , just confirmed how important a BIG STRONG and healthy center is. This a problem for the HEAT and Knicks.... no true center.  Ducan is also too old to handle TWO 7 LA centers at once. Bulls are undersized as well.  

So...I still think the "DECENT" team....that winds up with Dwight Howard is going to be the only team that can win a series against LA. and Dominate the next 5 years. He an't staying with that bunch of losers in Orlando , no more than Shaq did.  He is good as gone.  

You put him on the SPURS, HEAT , KNICKS or Celtics and its Banner time.

He'll go to one of these teams .

I 'm for rebuilding around him. No matter who has to go.

Or we can watch LA beat down the BULLs every year , like they did the JAZZ , until the Bulls fall apart .

When JO and Shaq and KG retire .....thats it....SOL



  

[BballTim]

If we make it to the finals and play the Lakers, I would imagine we will see a lot of time with Pierce and Green on the floor together, which will give us a size advantage at the SG position.  Pierce is a much better defender against Kobe than Ray Allen, which will force Kobe to dump the ball into the post.  We will need size, and if Kristic is not healthy, we may be looking at someone like Troy Murphy or Chris Johnson for minutes.  I don't see Doc relying on BBD to defend those guys for an extended period if we have more length available.

We have some decent length with the Oneals and KG, but it may not be enough against Gasol and Bynum.  As long as Green's defense continues to improve, he can somewhat neutralize Odom, especially with his play on the offensive end.

OK, this is going to get a little detailed but I think this point about playing Green instead of Allen against the Lakers (if we get that far, knock on wood) is a very good point.  Part of the reason that the "Kobe Defense" on Rondo works is that Fisher can handle Ray Allen.  Fisher can handle Ray because the Lakers jump the weakside picks with their big men (helping Fisher) and then Kobe sags and picks up the open Celtics long enough for Fisher to get back to Ray and the Laker big to get back to his man.

That won't work if the man Fisher takes can post up (low or mid) and be a treat to score (Ray can't do this).  In this case, it would be Fisher on Pierce or Green and the Lakers would have to straight double.

Of course Rondo hitting his open shots (like last night) would work too.

  Fisher can't handle Ray Allen. Last year it took Artest kneeing Ray in the thigh to get their defense to work after Ray set a record for 3s in the *first half* of the previous game.

[manbehindtheman]

 Well we better figure out something in the middle and quick, this game reminded me of game 7 last year....

[aporel#18]

Last year we had recovering KG banged after the Orlando series, BBD post-concussion, and shoulder injured Perk + back injured Sheed. The Lakers got their trees basically healthy.

This year Bynum is healthier, but KG is at another level, BBD is better and we can argue about the O'Neal brothers being a wash versus the injured Perk and Sheed. Celtics frontcourt is better, even not counting on Nenad, who could be out for the year.

Still, last year the Lakers needed 7 years and a KO Perk in games 6 and 7 to win by 4.

If healthy, the Celtics have a good chance. If anyone goes down, they still could win. If Bynum goes down, the Lakers are not making it out of the west. I hope everyone is healthy, and see if Lakers and Celtics can play for the title.

If that's the case, with everyone from both teams healthy, #18 is on its way. No doubt.

[LB3533]

Rondo is better, both Paul and Ray are shooting really well this year.

We are just missing big guys to help put a body on them so we can get defensive boards.

[manbehindtheman]

Last year we had recovering KG banged after the Orlando series, BBD post-concussion, and shoulder injured Perk + back injured Sheed. The Lakers got their trees basically healthy.

This year Bynum is healthier, but KG is at another level, BBD is better and we can argue about the O'Neal brothers being a wash versus the injured Perk and Sheed. Celtics frontcourt is better, even not counting on Nenad, who could be out for the year.

Still, last year the Lakers needed 7 years and a KO Perk in games 6 and 7 to win by 4.

If healthy, the Celtics have a good chance. If anyone goes down, they still could win. If Bynum goes down, the Lakers are not making it out of the west. I hope everyone is healthy, and see if Lakers and Celtics can play for the title.

If that's the case, with everyone from both teams healthy, #18 is on its way. No doubt.

interesting analysis...i suppose the o'neals are about equal to perk/sheed of last years game 7...but that was the game we lost so i don't see that as a positive thing 

i don't know that bbd and kg are playing any better then they were last year...i seem to remember bbd playing great up until game 7 second half. 

i keep seeing all these if's everywhere...i don't think we can say we are going to be very healthy by the time the finals comes around, given our history with these players...yeah IF everybody were going to be healthy it would be different, but that will not happen with these old and frail players...i was afraid JO was going to be inured again tonight when he fell awkwardly.

[aporel#18]

Last year we had recovering KG banged after the Orlando series, BBD post-concussion, and shoulder injured Perk + back injured Sheed. The Lakers got their trees basically healthy.

This year Bynum is healthier, but KG is at another level, BBD is better and we can argue about the O'Neal brothers being a wash versus the injured Perk and Sheed. Celtics frontcourt is better, even not counting on Nenad, who could be out for the year.

Still, last year the Lakers needed 7 years and a KO Perk in games 6 and 7 to win by 4.

If healthy, the Celtics have a good chance. If anyone goes down, they still could win. If Bynum goes down, the Lakers are not making it out of the west. I hope everyone is healthy, and see if Lakers and Celtics can play for the title.

If that's the case, with everyone from both teams healthy, #18 is on its way. No doubt.

interesting analysis...i suppose the o'neals are about equal to perk/sheed of last years game 7...but that was the game we lost so i don't see that as a positive thing 

i don't know that bbd and kg are playing any better then they were last year...i seem to remember bbd playing great up until game 7 second half. 

i keep seeing all these if's everywhere...i don't think we can say we are going to be very healthy by the time the finals comes around, given our history with these players...yeah IF everybody were going to be healthy it would be different, but that will not happen with these old and frail players...i was afraid JO was going to be inured again tonight when he fell awkwardly.

BBD is chucking shots, but come playoff time, I'm sure Doc will tell him what his role is, and BBD within his role is great. This year he's better, and last year he was playing after a concussion in the Orlando series. KG is a lot better this year, he played well against Cleveland, but in the Orlando series all that elbowing and banging really took him back to his RS form.

I'm not stating the injured KP and Sheed from last year are better than this year's O'Neals. I hope the O'Neal brothers are healthier, and yes, thats a big IF. But this year Nenad will give them some breath, and even Troy could be a better Scals. More depth, for sure.

If everyone's healthy, I like the Celtics options. But injuries are there for every team, and while the Celtics can't catch a break, luck can't always be against the Green men.

Go Celtics!!!

[Jon]

The center of the problem is playing BBD at center.  JO looks great tonight.  I hope this is only until JO gets his legs back.  Once JO is at 100% and Shaq is back, I don't want to see BBD ever again play the 5. 

[scootman]

i know this is bright up alot but big baby shoots way to much. green should be the main scorer off the bench not big baby's jumpers

[scootman]

is it me or does it feel like whenever baby has the ball he never wants to pass it

[kozlodoev]

is it me or does it feel like whenever baby has the ball he never wants to pass it

That's what usually happens when they toss you the ball with 3 seconds left on the clock, which they tend to do a lot with Glen Davis.