The "prematurely declare this season over" thread (merged)

[mahonedog88]

This could be a very rough springtime for Boston sports fans...

The Sox continuing to suck, the Bruins getting knocked out by Montreal, and the Celtics losing in the first or second round after championship dreams a few months ago...

all real possibilities

[j804]

The seed is officially planted in the minds of our foes and biggest EC rivals we can spank these soft new look Perkin-less Celtics they roll over eventually

[PseudoElite]

This could be a very rough springtime for Boston sports fans...

The Sox continuing to suck, the Bruins getting knocked out by Montreal, and the Celtics losing in the first or second round after championship dreams a few months ago...

all real possibilities

Not to mention the Patriots flaming out against New York after being favorites.

Bad year for New England sports.

[celticinorlando]

The seed is officially planted in the minds of our foes and biggest EC rivals we can spank these soft new look Perkin-less Celtics they roll over eventually

exactly. they now look at the Cs and know they can go right at them and the Cs will basically quit. not really what you want

[LB3533]

We used to fight back and win from behind.

For some reason, starting last year, we became a team that chokes.

Chokes away leads, chokes away mental and physical toughness...etc....

Is it really just age or does it have something to do with strategy, x's/o's?

[aporel#18]

Regular season is not over yet... still 2 games.

Postseason hasn't even started... or is this the end?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU0DxJVWhGw

I predict a loss against the Wizards... and still it won't be the end.

[celtics2]

This team is a disgrace. Losing on National TV and all the loses at Home. This is not Celtic Pride. I got a feeling the Perk trade got to the Big 3 and without a doubt got to Rondo. Danny put the team together but can't suit up for them.

Won a Championship and lost one so close. Thanks for that. The past is gone and also looks like the future sucks also. I hope they go deep into the playoffs for Wyc's sake.

[YouGotRondo d]

I just want to point out some results from the end of last year for all those who want to say that this team is done.

Against teams over .500 (starting March 28th)

Spurs (50-32) L 94-73
Thunder (50-32) L 109-104
Rockets (42-40) L 119-114
Cavaliers (61-21) W 117-113
Bucks (46-36) W, L 105-90, 106-95
Bulls (41-41) L 101-93

So, if you're counting, thats 2-5 over the last ~ 1 month of the season

This year (from March 31st):

Spurs (61-19) W 107-97
Hawks (44-36) L 88-83
Sixers (41-39) W 99-82
Bulls (60-20) L 97-81
Heat (56-24) L 100-77
Knicks (41-38) ??

= 2-3 over the last month

It would appear that the panic button is a bit premature. My honest feeling is that its too early to count this team out. These guys know the difference between the regular season and, IMO, in the playoffs and these veterans
(Rondo included) will get it together.

That being said, this is a different season, and there are some obvious questions..

Can these guys get the chemistry together?
Will the bench provide anything?
Will Rondo turn things around?
Do the big 3 + O'Neals have enough in the tank?

But, after last season, I believe we should all give these guys the benefit of the doubt.

[tenn_smoothie]

i did notice something in today's game at Miami that i found both interesting and depressing at the same time.

with all the talk since the Perk trade about the team not playing together (which they are not), about Green and Kristic being soft (which they are), about the defense being porous especially in the post (which it is), about the chemistry of the team being damaged (which it has), and mostly about the team now lacking their signature edge of toughness and getting bounced around by the Bulls (which they were) - it looks like the Celtics are almost now trying too hard to show everyone that they haven't lost these traits that made them such a formidable team.

they are practically sprinting to pick each other up after they get knocked on their can by what are now more physical teams, they try to posture as a physically intimidating team at times but they are somewhat of a pathetic shell of their former selves of only a couple months ago (see game at Golden State in Feb. when they simply took care of business), they run around on defense trying to show effort but much of it is wasted energy because they are not in sync, and they move the ball on offense at times so much that all they get is a lot of wasted ball exchanges and half-screens that result in no one getting open and the ball getting no closer to the basket.

it's depressing to watch some of them try so hard when their efficient teamwork and natural aggressiveness has somehow gone missing since The Trade.

it's also a little sad to read the comments of so many Celtic fans on here who are still trying to deny the reality of what that trade has done to the team we all love so much and wanted to avenge last year's finals loss so badly. but as Simmons pointed out, "That's what you do when you are grieving."

[LB3533]

I haven't given up.

I still feel like this team is a much better team than last season's team.

Much better.

I feel like this year's team has underachieved more than last year's team.

Last year's team, I might have too high of expectations...coming off 62 wins without having KG for 30-40% of the season etc. But I didn't account for how big of an adjustment KG needed because he was still recovering from injury...and Paul had various nagging injuries throughout last season.

This year's team was very much capable of winning 62-65 games.

[LB3533]

i did notice something in today's game at Miami that i found both interesting and depressing at the same time.

with all the talk since the Perk trade about the team not playing together (which they are not), about Green and Kristic being soft (which they are), about the defense being porous especially in the post (which it is), about the chemistry of the team being damaged (which it has), and mostly about the team now lacking their signature edge of toughness and getting bounced around by the Bulls (which they were) - it looks like the Celtics are almost now trying too hard to show everyone that they haven't lost these traits that made them such a formidable team.

they are practically sprinting to pick each other up after they get knocked on their can by what are now more physical teams, they try to posture as a physically intimidating team at times but they are somewhat of a pathetic shell of their former selves of only a couple months ago (see game at Golden State in Feb. when they simply took care of business), they run around on defense trying to show effort but much of it is wasted energy because they are not in sync, and they move the ball on offense at times so much that all they get is a lot of wasted ball exchanges and half-screens that result in no one getting open and the ball getting no closer to the basket.

it's depressing to watch some of them try so hard when their efficient teamwork and natural aggressiveness has somehow gone missing since The Trade.

it's also a little sad to read the comments of so many Celtic fans on here who are still trying to deny the reality of what that trade has done to the team we all love so much and wanted to avenge last year's finals loss so badly. but as Simmons pointed out, "That's what you do when you are grieving."

I don't agree with a lot of this, but you are entitled to how you feel.

All season long, the C's have rushed to pick up their falling teammates.

They are not "just starting" to pick up their mates "just for show" that they are united.

Our C's have been "physically posturing" to intimidate all season. Shaq has delivered just as hard fouls as JO did to Wade. 3 seasons ago, Rajon threw a similar body blow to then Bulls Kirk Hinrich. And KG has been "physically posturing" maybe throughout his whole career?

[tenn_smoothie]

Yes - the Celtics have always picked each other up - i soemtimes think this group made that trend popular in the league. but there is a certain feel to it now for the Celts that i (maybe) picked up on - just looks forced to me rather than genuine the way it used to be. Jeff Green looks like someone told him all the things you are supposed to do when you wear a Celtics uniform and he is gritting his teeth and trying to do them even though his heart isn't in it. don't mean at all that he is not a "team" guy - it's just that his passive personality doesn't click with this group.

and their "over-effort" on offense and defense that produces a lot of wasted motion with less results is probably more serious than the forced posturing.

my main point being that a lot of the guys are trying, trying maybe too hard, but the magic of this group is gone.

[Spicoli]

I borrowed your TOAST image and posted it to my Facebook.  In advance of all my Laker fans harassing me, I needed to publicly concede that this team is done. 

We will not generate different results doing the same thing over and over again with struggling starters.

I won't believe this team is done as long as Shaq returns to the lineup, and combined with JO, reduces BBD to a towel waver. I do agree with the bolded however. It is madness that they keep doing the same things over, and over, and over again. Where is the adjustment? Rivers made a small adjustment by pulling BBD and putting Green out there with the starters. At this point i would even take Pierce isos at the top of the key all day over what these guys are doing right now on the offensive end.

[PosImpos]

This could be a very rough springtime for Boston sports fans...

The Sox continuing to suck, the Bruins getting knocked out by Montreal, and the Celtics losing in the first or second round after championship dreams a few months ago...

all real possibilities

We had a good decade, Boston is ripe for some suffering.

[Green Hell]

This could be a very rough springtime for Boston sports fans...

The Sox continuing to suck, the Bruins getting knocked out by Montreal, and the Celtics losing in the first or second round after championship dreams a few months ago...

all real possibilities

We had a good decade, Boston is ripe for some suffering.

Wasn't going 18-1 enough?!