Danny: Shaq ready for the Playoffs

[greenpride32]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/212991/Ainge_Shaq_Will_Be_Ready_For_Playoffs

According to Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge, Shaquille O'Neal is expected to practice Thursday and be ready for Game 1 of the Celtics' first-round series on either Saturday or Sunday.

"I have every confidence that he will be ready and play in the playoffs," said Ainge.

[Jeff]

well sure, he'll start the playoffs

...lets just hope he can finish them too

[slamtheking]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/212991/Ainge_Shaq_Will_Be_Ready_For_Playoffs

According to Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge, Shaquille O'Neal is expected to practice Thursday and be ready for Game 1 of the Celtics' first-round series on either Saturday or Sunday.

"I have every confidence that he will be ready and play in the playoffs," said Ainge.

"because the success of the trade depends on that gamble" - Danny Ainge (unspoken in his head)

[Roy H.]

well sure, he'll start the playoffs

...lets just hope he can finish them too

Yeah, this.

[greenpride32]

"because the success of the trade depends on that gamble" - Danny Ainge (unspoken in his head)

I don't agree that playoff success has any bearing on grading the trade.  There's no guarantee the C's would have won the title without the trade or that they wouldn't have gone through an end of the season collapse (like they did last year).  

[Marcus13]

"because the success of the trade depends on that gamble" - Danny Ainge (unspoken in his head)

I don't agree that playoff success has any bearing on grading the trade.  There's no guarantee the C's would have won the title without the trade or that they wouldn't have gone through an end of the season collapse (like they did last year).  

No, but we were guaranteed a Finals bid.  Nobody in our conference was even in the same tier as us

[Bankshot]

"because the success of the trade depends on that gamble" - Danny Ainge (unspoken in his head)

I don't agree that playoff success has any bearing on grading the trade.  There's no guarantee the C's would have won the title without the trade or that they wouldn't have gone through an end of the season collapse (like they did last year).  

No, but we were guaranteed a Finals bid.  Nobody in our conference was even in the same tier as us

Nothing is guaranteed.

[cman88]

That all comes down alot to the starters efforts than the trade itself...they're sleepwalking out there, not giving an effort on defense.

The celtics won all those games WITHOUT Perk....with shaq and semih starting

either way....as long as shaq gives us 15-20minutes....JO was able to play 36last night....so we should be covered at the C position

[clover]

"because the success of the trade depends on that gamble" - Danny Ainge (unspoken in his head)

I don't agree that playoff success has any bearing on grading the trade.  There's no guarantee the C's would have won the title without the trade or that they wouldn't have gone through an end of the season collapse (like they did last year).  

That unspoken gamble is in reference to Shaq's being healthy for the playoffs.  You'd be crazy not to think that Danny will be judged on that, since he's repeatedly stated that his confidence in such was the basis for his being comfortable with giving up Perk.

[dtrader]

It doesn't make sense to say that no team was on our level to start the season, because the teams that are in the top tier now weren't complete then.

The bulls team now is totally different than the team that started the year without Boozer...they've just got better and better as the pieces adjusted to each other.

Miami is better now with Bibby than they were with Arroyo. Yes, Bibby has defensive liabilities, but when you watch him play in their system, his shooting and command of the floor are well beyond what they got from Arroyo

[Chris]

OK, lets just be clear about 1 thing.  This is GM speak, and "I have every confidence" means there is about a 60-40 chance (maybe 50-50).  He also said "in the playoffs", not in game 1. 

If he really believed Shaq was 100% going to be ready, he would not have made the statement of his opinion. 

Really, until Shaq makes it through practice on Thursday, and then wakes up feeling fine on Friday, it is way too early to predict whether he can play. 

Personally, I think Shaq will be out there.  I have "every confidence" in it myself.  But until he actually steps on the floor, it means nothing.

[vinnie]

I love Danny "double talk" Ainge. As for judging the trade, Danny said he made the trade knowing that he would have a healthy Shaq and JO for the playoffs. Everything that happens in the playoffs will be with the trade in mind.

[Chris]

I love Danny "double talk" Ainge. As for judging the trade, Danny said he made the trade knowing that he would have a healthy Shaq and JO for the playoffs. Everything that happens in the playoffs will be with the trade in mind.

See, I don't think this is true.  There were a ton of quotes obviously, but I am not sure he ever knew that Shaq would be back, and I know that in at least 1 interview shortly after the trade, he made the deal hoping that at least 1 of them would be healthy, and believing that they were both on track to be healthy before the playoffs, making that a likely scenario. 

Much like I think people are misreading this, if they are taking it as anything more than his opinion whether Shaq will be ready at some point in the playoffs, I think there were a lot of statements taken out of context or misconstrued after the trade. 

[cman88]

just to get the full quote out there, Danny does say the plan is to have shaq out there for game 1 against the knicks..

http://articles.boston.com/2011-04-11/sports/29406994_1_celtics-shaquille-o-neal-finale

"We're planning as of right now of him practicing Thursday or Friday and being ready to play for Game 1 of the playoffs," Ainge said. "I have every confidence that he will be ready and play in the playoffs."


Hopefully practice goes well on thursday/Friday

[vinnie]

Danny in the Feb. 26 Boston Herald: “And,” Ainge added, “we think Shaq (O’Neal) and Jermaine (O’Neal) are going to be healthy and ready to play. So we think this makes us better."

He did say "think," and not "know," so I guess he was hedging.

He also said this, "“We keep track of the numbers on our interior defense, and we feel we have it covered with Shaq, Jermaine, Krstic and Big Baby (Glen Davis). We feel fantastic about our interior defense for a playoff run."

He felt "fantastic" about the interior defense. LOL