The Celtics problem

[LB3533]

Miami doesn't have a legit starting Center for a championship team either.

[action781]

I'm just waiting for playoffs.  I learned my lesson last regular season.  You cannot judge this team during the regular season; they are simply not playing their top game in order to save themselves for the postseason.  I don't really watch games against lower teams and take games against elite teams with a grain of salt.  The celts showed me that they are still capapble of another level in the Spurs game and the 4th quarter of the Knicks game.  I haven't seen that level of effort in the last few months other than those two games.

Are you even watching the Miami game? Celtics are TRYING, they are getting crushed.

They are trying, but not playing at that high level they are capable of.

I think you got to trade Rondo this summer, if this continues, and you can get NOH to trade CP3. You do not trade Rondo to just trade him but he has shown he is an overrated player. He needs to play with talent and he won't be in the next year or two. I saw what Mayo said but I don't think he attracts elite FA like a CP3 or DWill would.

I think CP3 could be very gettable this season with a package centered around Rondo and a big expiring contract like Ray or KG.

I like Rondo a lot but he is a third best player for a championship team still with that inconsistent jumper. He is not the "Bridge" to the future at this point.

If possible, you absolutely do it.  I think you try as hard as possible to avoid trading Ray or KG.  Include cash or draft picks and maybe even take back a bad contract from them.

While Rondo is overrated by many because of his inconsistency, he is still a top talent with great potential AND he is signed for 4 more years at a bargain contract.  Getting Rondo and his contract instead of losing CP3 for nothing is an absolute no brainer for NOH.  Ideally, sign Baby for 1 year/5 million this offseason, then include him in the package.

[PseudoElite]

Miami doesn't have a legit starting Center for a championship team either.

Who cares about Miami?

If Boston plays like this in the playoffs, first round exit. I'm sick of them talking then not showing up. Maybe their age has caught up with them.

[KobeShesNotConsenting!]

All i gota say is Ray Allen at 35 years old has absolutely no self initiated offensive game left. None. So when Rondo sucks like this, Ray  will suck as well.

[clover]

Miami doesn't have a legit starting Center for a championship team either.

Who cares about Miami?

If Boston plays like this in the playoffs, first round exit. I'm sick of them talking then not showing up. Maybe their age has caught up with them.

Yep, the aging of the Big Three and the 2nd half regression of Rondo comprise the story here, I think.

[Tgro]

Celtics main problem they don't have a true starting center. Neither Kristic nor Jermaine are starting Center for a championship team. Unfortunately for the Celtics the season hangs on Shaquille O'neal health.

Rondo is Rondo. Like all the players in the NBA, he has shining moments and not so so moments. The disappointment drives from Rondo's overly exaggerated status as "Elite" player. Lower that bar people.

Right and Right!

We put all our chips on Shaq (hence Perkins is gone) and Shaq continues to nurse injuries. Will he be like he was before he got hurt? Its not good to jell after the playoffs begin.

I think the worst thing that happened to Rondo is he was given elite status and prematurely at that. I think ever since he's been given that, he's consistently disappointed. Yeah he has great moments and games, he's just doesn't have a great all around game and can be dealt with when he isn't on.

This team looks totally shaken right now. The chemistry is almost non-existent. The flow is badly broken. Where has Allen been lately? It's time for Davis to stop being clumsy. Pierce needs to be the Truth again. KG needs to get back his chest pounding tenacity. They all look like it's October and it's April. They don't seem to have the fight either. They used to play like they were the best. They had a chip on their shoulder. They had tons of heart. They look lost right now. Its hard to believe the Perkins trade did all of this. But it appears it has disrupted the team and it cannot recover in time.

I think it all hinges on Shaq getting back and everyone back into the role they're used to. I'm not saying it's impossible. I still believe in the Celtics. They're my team. But it's time they wake up or it'll be over quick. I think Shaq is the last bullet we have left. If we don't recover when he comes back, I don't see us lasting long. I'm really hoping we just wake up in the playoffs like we did last year.

I still believe....

[action781]

If Boston plays like this in the playoffs, first round exit. I'm sick of them talking then not showing up. Maybe their age has caught up with them.

Am I having deja vu or did I read this same post about a year ago today? 

[celticinorlando]

If Boston plays like this in the playoffs, first round exit. I'm sick of them talking then not showing up. Maybe their age has caught up with them.

Am I having deja vu or did I read this same post about a year ago today? 

big difference in last year and this year

[PseudoElite]

If Boston plays like this in the playoffs, first round exit. I'm sick of them talking then not showing up. Maybe their age has caught up with them.

Am I having deja vu or did I read this same post about a year ago today? 

I hope you're right, but we're living on a prayer right now.

You seem to conveniently forget that the guys are 365 days older than last year.

[action781]

If Boston plays like this in the playoffs, first round exit. I'm sick of them talking then not showing up. Maybe their age has caught up with them.

Am I having deja vu or did I read this same post about a year ago today? 

I hope you're right, but we're living on a prayer right now.

You seem to conveniently forget that the guys are 365 days older than last year.

big difference in last year and this year

All I'm saying is that everybody thought we were absolutely too old and all done this time last year.  There were NO doubts.  Celtics proved everybody wrong.

I think people are being very pessimistic by not at least waiting until the playoffs start until they start making the same negative judgments about the playoffs that were proved wrong last year.

[LB3533]

A big difference between last year and this year was that Rondo kinda "blew up" in the playoffs last year.

I don't think Rondo will be able to duplicate what he did during the early rounds of last year's playoffs.

[Spicoli]

Honestly, even with Rondo's offensive struggles i would love him so much as a player if he brought it every night on the defensive end. He was going against Mike  Bibby today. A guy who has no handle whatsoever. This was a perfect opportunity for Rondo to pick him up fullcourt ala Lindsay Hunter style, and force those guys to get into their offensive sets later than what they're comfortable with. Bibby and Chalmers were as comfortable as could be today. They ran all their sets without a problem. I hate what Rondo does on the offensive end when he doesn't attack, but i hate it even more when he can't make players like Bibby and Chalmers work hard for their looks on the defensive end. Rondo used to be a disruptive player, who had his imprints all over the game. I have no idea where that Rondo has gone.